TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 18:9-14
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. - Luke 18:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Kentucky Fried Chicken recently changed its famous “original recipe” by substituting more heart-healthy oils for partially hydrogenated oils. They guaranteed the same great taste. And consumer trials proved that no one could tell the difference.

What is real prayer like? Can we tell if something's been substituted for the real thing? The contrast found in today's reading from the Gospel of Luke helps us to discriminate between the real thing and an imitation. The Lord's Prayer underscores the necessity of a proper understanding of God as well as an appropriate appraisal of ourselves. The pages of Scripture should determine our picture of who God is and His purposes here on earth. Not only that, but we also learn what it means to be human. If prayer isn't humble, it reveals that we've either failed to understand God or ourselves. If prayer isn't humble, it isn't really prayer.

Clearly, the Pharisee's prayer is an imitation of the real thing. It sounds like prayer because his words are addressed to God, but it cannot be prayer. A real encounter with God doesn't make us feel confident in the good we've done and the evil we've avoided. And it doesn't matter whether our sin is “big” or “little.”

The tax collector demonstrates what happens to us when we come into the presence of a holy God. We feel unworthy. We know ourselves too well and feel the weight of having offended God in a million ways. But curiously, we're hopeful, too. We have hope that there is mercy to be found. We're hopeful that the God of the Bible who declares Himself to be gracious, compassionate, and slow to anger will forgive us.

The sobering reality is that God doesn't hear the kind of prayer that the Pharisee prays. But the prayer of the tax collector—that's the kind of prayer God loves to hear. And it's the kind of prayer by which we can know we are justified before God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do Christians today sound more like the Pharisee or the tax collector? Is the world getting tired of what they see as self-righteous attitudes and finger-pointing? How can we speak for Christ in our culture with a spirit of humility? We can begin by seeing ourselves and the world in relation to God's mercy. If there is any good in us, we owe it to God's mercy. And if there is sin to condemn in the world, we see it as evidence of the need for God's mercy. Pray for this humility to pervade God's people.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 18:21-35
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. - Ephesians 4:32
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the early fifth century, a monk by the name of Simeon built a pillar sixty feet high with a circumference of little more than three feet. It was on this perch that Simeon lived for thirty years, preaching to the crowds who came to hear him.

The Middle Ages offer many such severe examples in which piety was pursued in solitude rather than community. The Lord's Prayer reminds us that the call of the Christian life is to fulfill obligations not only to God but also to one another. The Lord's Prayer invites us to a restoration of our relationship with God, as well as calls us to restore our broken relationships with one another.

Restoration starts with forgiveness. Peter's question at the beginning of today's passage indicates his reluctance to forgive. He, like us, wants the letter of the law. He wants a mathematical formula by which to determine his obligations to others. And when he would receive his answer, we have every reason to believe that it would become his ironclad rationale for refusing to forgive.

Jesus shined the spotlight on this kind of human selfishness. Like the first servant, we're begging God for forgiveness and making promises to Him that we surely can't keep. God, in His mercy, rejects our conditions of repayment and in His mercy, completely cancels the debt. We go free.

But the experience of grace is quickly forgotten when we're grabbing our family and friends by the shirt collar and demanding the pocket change they owe us. We accept no conditions, no excuses. It's justice we're after—ironically, the very justice from which we ourselves have been spared.

The Lord's Prayer saves us from this travesty against the gospel. To be forgiven absolutely and unconditionally means that we have an imperative to forgive absolutely and unconditionally.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Forgiveness tells someone who has offended us that he no longer owes us anything. There are no conditions upon the forgiveness that resembles the forgiveness of Christ Jesus for His followers. From whom are you withholding forgiveness? Ask God to grant you the willingness and ability to forgive completely and unconditionally. Sometimes the relationship isn't fully restored, even when we have extended forgiveness, but if we forgive, we've done what God has required of us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ . . . And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. - 2 Corinthians 5:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
For years, Christians were nearly silent about the impact of AIDS around the world. Increasingly, however, evangelicals are at the forefront of providing care and compassion, both to AIDS orphans in Africa as well as to those suffering in the United States. This process has included learning how to balance a godly stand against immorality alongside a godly servant's heart to minister to those in need.

This tension is felt throughout the Christian life. We must take seriously our identity as Christ's ambassadors to a lost and dying world. How do we tell the truth about sin as well as the truth about God's love? Can we avoid a compromise of either of these equally important dimensions of the gospel?

Our reading today tells us how. It gives us courage to be people who generously forgive others, the kind of people the Lord's Prayer calls us to be. God has committed to us a message. He has something to tell all of us sinners: There's hope. There's forgiveness. Your debt is huge. Your offense against me is real. But I can remove it from my sight as far as east is from west.

The Lord's Prayer calls us to be the kind of people who don't compromise God's message against sin. We must still stand for truth and justice and righteousness. But when people fail these standards, we have the good news of the gospel: You can be forgiven!

We must beware of emphasizing just one side in this tension. If we only preach that God loves everyone without also preaching the reality of sin, we present a false gospel. We should not focus only on sin and its consequences, though. We must also bring good news about God's initiative to rescue humanity from the choices of their sin.

The phrase, “As we forgive,” softens our heart not only to those who've directly sinned against us, but also to those whose flagrant rejection of God disturbs and saddens us.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What would it mean for Christians to begin to live out Christ's forgiveness and to choose not to count men's sins against them? Perhaps a first step is to dismantle an “us versus them” mentality, dividing the world into the “haves” and “have nots” of forgiveness. The reconciling work of Jesus Christ on the cross shames our notions of superiority. Our prayers for the world might begin to sound a lot more like the prayer of our dying Lord, “Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 12:14-21
Righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. - Hebrews 1:8-9
TODAY IN THE WORD
When tyrants like Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic and Iraqi president Saddam Hussein are tried in a court of law, the world demands justice. We want to see wrongs avenged. It seems only right and reasonable. Exoneration free from consequences or penalties would feel like a slap in the face of the victims who suffered at the hands of such men.

Is this what forgiveness entails—a travesty of justice? In the Lord's Prayer, we're asking God to spare His justice on us and help us to forgive others in the same way. Does this mean that we ignore the gravity of the sins that have been committed by us and against us? When we forgive, are we saying in effect, “It's no big deal,” to people who have wounded us deeply, sometimes seemingly irreparably?

Forgiveness is not a quick sweep under the rug of all wrongs. It is not a denial of the pain or of the damage that sin causes. Forgiveness doesn't mean that justice isn't served. Justice is always served in God's kingdom. Righteousness will be rewarded, and wickedness will be punished without fail. It's all a matter of who pays.

Yesterday's reading reminds us that Christ died to pay for sin. Justice is served not on the sinner but on the Sinless One—if we accept it. But it's never for us to mete out the justice we feel others deserve. Justice is always God's job. When we forgive others, we're letting God be God. His job is to make sure that someone pays for sin. Our job is to forgive, to bless, and to make peace.

In effect, we have to restrain our human impulse to serve justice ourselves that is swift and immediate and visible. We want to see others suffer for the ways that they brought suffering to others, we want to see it now, and we want to design the means of vengeance. But only God can handle the job of vengeance, a job that we would surely corrupt. We may not see justice served in our lifetimes, but God promises it will happen.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Read an inspiring story of radical forgiveness. Choose Corrie ten Boom's, The Hiding Place, the story of how her family hid Jews in their home during World War II, were betrayed, and then sent to concentration camps. Consider In the Presence of My Enemies, Gracia Burnham's story of her year of captivity by Filipino terrorists who killed her husband. Or finally, you might read Left to Tell, by Immaculee Ilibagiza who forgave those who killed her family in the Rwandan genocide.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! - 1 Corinthians 10:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
The confessions of pastor and evangelical leader Ted Haggard last November sent shock waves throughout America. How had one of the most respected Christian leaders fallen prey to temptation? Perhaps more importantly, what did that then say about the vulnerability of each one of us?

Temptation is a real part of the Christian life. And the Lord's Prayer teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation.” The Greek word used in the text refers not to the temptation to sin but rather trial itself. However, it's true, as some have noted, that the road between trial and temptation is paved. When we suffer, we're tempted to doubt God. And disbelieving God leads to disobeying God. For a case study, we can turn to the example of the Israelites in the wilderness.

Their history proves that spiritual experiences are no safeguard against temptation. From our vantage point today, it would seem that their experience of God's presence in the cloud and His power in the parting of the Red Sea would have been proof enough that He was a God worthy to be served. Unfortunately, these profound faith-building moments didn't keep them from temptation.

Second, we see that temptation at its root is an enticement to idolatry, to displace God from the throne and to make something else lord. Whether their sin was sexual immorality, testing God, or grumbling against Him, it always came down to no longer wanting God to be God over them. All sin, at its essence, is idolatry. Recognizing this makes it easier to spot temptation.

Finally, though temptation seems all-powerful in the moment, we have hope because God is faithful. It is God who oversees our lives, God who decides what does and does not happen to us. In the story of Job, it was God who had to grant permission to Satan to allow Job to be tested (Job 1:12). And with us, every temptation can be resisted. God gives us strength to stand or a way of escape.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The Israelites, in the moments of their temptation, should have remembered all that God had already done for them, and they paid the price for this forgetfulness. In what ways are you tempted to doubt and disobey God? Maybe you need to spend some time recording the amazing ways God has already shown Himself to you. Pray for the Holy Spirit's clarifying work of conviction in your life where necessary, so that you can stop rationalizing your sin and recognize that at its root, it is the sin of idolatry.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 1:1-18
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. - Proverbs 4:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
In his book, Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller reflects on why we do what we do: “Ultimately, we do what we love to do. I like to think that I do things for the right reasons, but I don't, I do things because I do or don't love doing them. Because of sin, because I am self-addicted, living in the wreckage of the fall, my body, my heart, and my affections are prone to love things that kill me.”

Miller understands how sin really deceives us. Temptation's primary target isn't our minds. Our minds can know full well all of the devastating consequences of the sinful choice we're about to make . . . and yet we choose it nonetheless. What sin does do is beguile our hearts. It shifts our affections from the good and perfect blessings to be had as we follow Christ. Temptation entices us to choose distortions of those blessings. We want what we shouldn't be wanting. We want it now when it is reserved for later. We want it and we'll get it, no matter who gets hurt in the process. This is sin.

The source of these temptations is not God. God doesn't cause us to sin. God doesn't will us to fail. In fact, He's always encouraging us forward, giving us better choices, pointing to a better road. But we're so often headstrong and following the destructive impulses of our hearts. We're like little children whose mantra is, I want what I want when I want it, and I want it right now!

When we pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” we're not praying that God will spare us from every difficult circumstance. James is clear in this passage that those tests are essential for our faith to mature. But we are praying, “God, purify my desires.” At the heart of temptation is what we love, what we pursue, what we must have. And if that's anything other than God and the good that He promises, we're on a dangerous road.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We are bombarded in our media-driven society by images of what we “need”: Catalogs arrive in the mail, commercials play on TV, billboards loom along the highway. Advertisers are hungry to shape our desires. It requires a great deal of intentionality to set our hearts on things above (cf. Col. 3:1). What can you do, as today's verse says, to “guard your heart”? The battle of temptation starts here, at the root of what we think about and want most. Give God that priority place in your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 6:10-18
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Larry Brown is the only coach to have led a college basketball team to a championship as well as coach a professional basketball team to an NBA title. Additionally, he is the only man who has both played and coached for a U.S. team at the Olympic Games. Brown's teams are known for playing strenuous defense, proving the basketball axiom that “defense wins championships.”

We may be tempted to think of our spiritual battles as offensive encounters, where we charge into battle against spiritual foes. Today's reading points out that our struggle against the Evil One requires a strong defense from us. And a strong defense will win the spiritual contest.

When we pray, “Deliver us from the evil one,” we acknowledge that everything has already been won by the ultimate victor, Jesus Christ. The empty tomb proves that death and sin have been defeated.

All but one piece of the armor mentioned in today's text is defensive: the belt, the breastplate, the shield, and the helmet. The only exception is the sword, which itself is both offensive as well as defensive. We might think that God is leading a charge against the Devil. But in reality, the earth is the Lord's and fullness thereof. He claims what is already His own. Satan is the one trying to pry control away from the sovereign God.

This passage tells us to stand our ground (v. 13). Satan knows that he's fighting a losing battle. He knows that he lost at the cross, so his strategy must be to make us surrender our positions. He attempts to make us fall or make us retreat.

God has given us all that we need to stand firm. The command is to “be strong,” not “become strong.” We are already made strong by the power of the Holy Spirit in us. We have God's mighty power available to us for standing our ground. “Deliver us from the evil one” is a prayer for God to help us stand when the enemy advances against us with weapons of doubt, fear, and discouragement.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What fears are you facing that make you want to retreat spiritually? What burdens and trials weigh heavy upon you, weakening your efforts to stand spiritually? Be strong in the Lord. Use the power He's made available to you through His Word and His Spirit. This is a spiritual battle, and for this reason, prayer is your greatest resource. There is no other way by which you can fight the unseen forces of evil.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 6:10-18
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Larry Brown is the only coach to have led a college basketball team to a championship as well as coach a professional basketball team to an NBA title. Additionally, he is the only man who has both played and coached for a U.S. team at the Olympic Games. Brown's teams are known for playing strenuous defense, proving the basketball axiom that “defense wins championships.”

We may be tempted to think of our spiritual battles as offensive encounters, where we charge into battle against spiritual foes. Today's reading points out that our struggle against the Evil One requires a strong defense from us. And a strong defense will win the spiritual contest.

When we pray, “Deliver us from the evil one,” we acknowledge that everything has already been won by the ultimate victor, Jesus Christ. The empty tomb proves that death and sin have been defeated.

All but one piece of the armor mentioned in today's text is defensive: the belt, the breastplate, the shield, and the helmet. The only exception is the sword, which itself is both offensive as well as defensive. We might think that God is leading a charge against the Devil. But in reality, the earth is the Lord's and fullness thereof. He claims what is already His own. Satan is the one trying to pry control away from the sovereign God.

This passage tells us to stand our ground (v. 13). Satan knows that he's fighting a losing battle. He knows that he lost at the cross, so his strategy must be to make us surrender our positions. He attempts to make us fall or make us retreat.

God has given us all that we need to stand firm. The command is to “be strong,” not “become strong.” We are already made strong by the power of the Holy Spirit in us. We have God's mighty power available to us for standing our ground. “Deliver us from the evil one” is a prayer for God to help us stand when the enemy advances against us with weapons of doubt, fear, and discouragement.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What fears are you facing that make you want to retreat spiritually? What burdens and trials weigh heavy upon you, weakening your efforts to stand spiritually? Be strong in the Lord. Use the power He's made available to you through His Word and His Spirit. This is a spiritual battle, and for this reason, prayer is your greatest resource. There is no other way by which you can fight the unseen forces of evil.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Chronicles 17:1-15
I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you. - 1 Chronicles 17:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
The heart of worship is always ready to adore our great God. That was the attitude not only of David but of countless believers through history. Augustine, for example, prayed: “O Lord in whom all things live, who commanded us to seek you, who are always ready to be found: to know you is life, to serve you is freedom, to praise you is our soul's delight. We bless you and adore you, we worship you and magnify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

For David in today's reading, a heart of worship meant he didn't want to live in a palace while the Ark remained in a tent. He wanted to build a proper temple. But he didn't rush ahead, as he had done previously. Instead, he consulted Nathan the prophet, showing that he had learned an important lesson about submitting all his plans, even ones with good motives, to the Lord. God's answer, however, was “no”—the honor of building a temple would go to his son, Solomon.

Though the request was denied, the Lord's answer was much richer than what King David had asked for. In what is often called the “Davidic covenant,” God confirmed that the kingdom would be secure, remaining enemies would be subdued, and a golden age was about to begin. The themes of homecoming and safety (v. 9) would have been especially poignant to the returned exiles for whom Chronicles was first written. They would also have been encouraged by the long-term promise that David's throne and house would be established forever, a promise with clear messianic implications (v. 14).

Jesus Christ fulfills that promise. His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, were both in the line of David. When He was crucified, it was under a sign proclaiming Him “King of the Jews” (Matt. 27:37). And the last book of the Bible opens by identifying Him as the “ruler of the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As with David, God has promised us many things within His plan of salvation. Keeping these promises close to our hearts can strengthen our faith. Good verses to memorize include Romans 1:16-17; Ephesians 1:13-14; and Hebrews 9:28. In Christ, we have a “living hope . . . an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade,” and we are “shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 3:7-19
Encourage one another daily . . . so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. - Hebrews 3:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the card game Euchre, two partners are paired against another team of two. When the cards are dealt, one player can decide to forego the help of his partner and try to “shoot the moon” to win all the rounds by himself.

In the Christian life, there is no “shooting the moon.” Especially in our individualistic culture, we tend to overemphasize the part of salvation in which individuals find forgiveness for their sins and a relationship with God. But the Bible is clear that salvation includes more than this. God isn't redeeming for Himself isolated, disconnected individuals—He's making for Himself a holy nation. Our final reflection on, “Deliver us from the evil one,” calls our attention to the corporate nature of the Lord's Prayer. The Lord's Prayer is first of all the prayer of God's people offered collectively: “Our Father,” “Give us,” “Forgive us,” “Lead us,” and “Deliver us.”

We are called to live in community; this impacts not only our understanding of personal needs and our interpersonal relationships, but also our struggle against temptation and sin. Praying for God to “deliver us from the evil one,” means embracing one of the greatest protections God has given us: each other.

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we protect each other from self-delusions. Sin is deceptive (v. 13). We usually sin because we rationalize our behavior. We convince ourselves it's no big deal. Our heart and will surrender to the excuses of our mind, and only someone else can point out our self-deceit. A loving brother or sister needs to say, “You've got it all wrong. And you're headed for disaster.” In addition to admonition, we need encouragement when we're ready to throw in the towel.

One of the best and hardest parts of Christian discipleship involves our relationship with other believers. Sometimes it seems easier to go it alone. But that misses our calling as part of the body of Christ, the great building of God (see 1 Cor. 3).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you have significant relationships with other believers? Do you have the kind of friendship where you wouldn't feel threatened if your friend challenged a decision you'd made? Do you have someone to turn to when you're feeling discouraged? To whom are you willing to expose your “sinful, unbelieving heart?” Pursue a friendship with a brother or sister in Christ with whom you could go to some of these deeper levels. As you seek to encourage each other in faithfulness to God, be transparent in that relationship.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 18
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. - James 5:16-17
TODAY IN THE WORD
So that's how it's done! We marvel at the performance of great athletes: Andre Agassi's agile footwork on the tennis court, Tiger Woods' powerful drives from the tee, Mia Hamm's stamina up and down the soccer field. They show us how the game should be played.

So that's how it's done! Elijah prayed, and through the enduring voice of Scripture we see that Elijah embodies so many of the lessons we've learned this month. The prayer of Elijah in our reading today couldn't sound more different than the prayer of the pagan priests of Baal.

Elijah found his confidence for prayer in the God to whom he prayed. There was no need for dramatic displays or rhetorical flourish, such as the priests of Baal used. Instead, there is a quiet, sure address to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. There is concern exclusively for the glory of this God and for His rule tobe established on earth. “Let it be known today that you are God in Israel” (v. 36). Elijah's entire request is summed up in one phrase: “Answer me” (v. 37).

Our key verse from James tells us that this kind of prayer, the kind of prayer that the Lord Himself taught us to pray—the kind that Elijah prayed—works. It affects the world. It makes a difference. Something mysterious takes place as we pray. God is no less sovereign in the universe, and yet He allows Himself to be moved by the prayers of His people. He acts in response to a request made of Him.

The lessons of prayer are all about God. We pray to a God who hears. He listens and answers according to His goodness and power. Prayer offers us no illusions about ourselves. We depend upon God for all that we are and all that we hope to do.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
This month, hopefully you've discovered a new-found confidence in God and a renewed desire to pray. We've unpacked Scriptures together to discover the richness of each phrase of the Lord's Prayer. And the Bible offers yet more lessons on prayer. Commit yourself to reading through the book of Psalms this next month or two. Write down what you learn about God and His kingdom, what you learn about yourself and your relationship with this God. Don't just read the psalms: use them as your prayer book!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Philippians 2:5-11
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 2:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Searching for a good book on leadership these days, one might come up with You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader, which affirms that everyone can be a leader. Or First, Break All the Rules, an endorsement of creative thinking and individualism. Or How to Get Anyone to Do Anything, a utilitarian, profit-oriented discussion of people and management skills. Or—and perhaps this was inevitable—The Complete Idiot's Guide to Leadership.

These books reflect views of leadership based in American culture. But what is a truly Christian view of leadership? What does the Bible have to say? This month's devotional study, “Portraits in Leadership,” offers answers by way of both narrative examples and expository passages. It's intended for all who lead (in any sphere of life) and all who follow.

The key Christian leadership distinctive is seen in today's reading: servant leadership. Whereas secular leaders want to have “strategic plans” and be “go-getters,” Christian leaders are first and foremost about God's will being done and His kingdom coming. Jesus set the example, and it doesn't look much like the “dynamic CEO”-types who appear on magazine covers. In fact, we might not even recognize what He did as leadership, though He led the way to eternal salvation (Col. 1:18-20).

Christ did not concern Himself with the position He deserved to occupy, but instead focused on the purpose of redemption for which God sent Him (v. 6). He came not as a king but as a servant. “Nothing” is a literary exaggeration—the point is that Jesus didn't conform to human expectations. Laying aside His glory, being born as a human being, taking a low social position, and obeying even unto death (v. 8 ) were not actions anyone expected from the Messiah (cf. Matt. 20:28). But from a bird's-eye perspective, it was part of God's grand plan for history!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Everybody seems to have an idea—if not a bestselling book—about how to be a successful leader. Around every corner there seems to be another step, another recommendation, another formula. As we consider what Scripture says about servant leadership, we're likely to find ourselves often swimming against the currents of popular wisdom and cultural tendencies. So it would be a good idea to begin this month by praying for a truly biblical understanding of what godly leadership is and how godly leaders should act.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 4:1-17
Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say. - Exodus 4:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
A study conducted by National Public Radio found that 43 percent of Americans identify public speaking as their greatest fear—even ranking it ahead of their fear of death! Another study reported that 70 percent of people list giving a speech as the thing of which they are most afraid.

Moses would have understood. The man standing in front of the burning bush was fearful of both public speaking and leadership in general. Once upon a time, he had been a prince in Egypt. He had known leadership firsthand. But his attempt to act on behalf of his people had landed him in exile, taking care of sheep. Now a nameless God wanted him to return to Egypt, oppose a powerful government, and lead Israelite slaves to freedom. Did the Lord have the right man? Moses didn't think so. No corporate talent consultant would have chosen him. No leadership aptitude test would have pegged him as the man for the job.

Moses objected first with a question: What if no one follows me? What if the people doubt you sent me? To strengthen his faith, God equipped him with several miraculous signs. These were meant not to entertain or awe, but to show His power, to inspire faith, and to remind the Israelites of their spiritual heritage (v. 5). The Lord assured Moses that they would help convince the people to follow him, and that His purpose and plan would surely move forward.

Moses also claimed personal inadequacy—that he didn't have the public speaking skills needed to function before Pharaoh. God's response was that He as the sovereign Creator would empower Moses as necessary. Though angry at Moses' continued stubborn resistance, He also graciously promised Aaron as a helper and “chief of staff.”

It was neither Aaron nor miraculous signs, however, that would make the ultimate difference in Moses' leadership. God had promised, “I will be with you” (3:12). Moses would dare to lead only because God stood by His side.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Exodus 3-4 record a conversation between God and Moses. Did you know that you, too, can keep a record of your conversations with God? A spiritual journal or diary can be an excellent way to keep track of the ways God works in your life over time—needs He's met, comfort He's given, prayers He's answered. Writing in it can become a key part of your daily devotions. If you haven't yet acquired this helpful habit, today would be a great day to start!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 14:10-31
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. - Exodus 14:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Kentucky Fried Chicken, now KFC, is very serious about Colonel Sanders's “secret recipe.” The handwritten recipe is locked in a safe at company headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, with backup copies in safe deposit boxes at undisclosed locations. Not even the company's president knows what the recipe contains. Only a few people do, and KFC keeps their names secret as well as swearing them to secrecy. Two companies supply the herbs and spices, but only in incomplete portions, and neither knows the other's identity. KFC feels that the Colonel's recipe is a key to its success in serving about eight million customers a day worldwide.

If people can go to such lengths for a fried chicken recipe, we ought to be at least as interested in biblical leadership secrets such as the one revealed in today's narrative. We've fast-forwarded from yesterday's reading to the start of the Exodus. God had set the people free, but the Egyptians were making one last grab at keeping their slaves. Pharaoh and his army pursued the Israelites to the shore of the “Yam Suph,” or “Sea of Reeds.” Scholars now believe this was the southern part of Lake Menzaleh, a large lake fed by the Nile River and located somewhat north of the modern-day Red Sea.

From a military perspective, the Israelites were hopelessly trapped. As people do in such situations, they complained, made sarcastic remarks, and jabbered senseless plans about giving up. Moses' contrasting response illustrates perfectly our year's theme, “We've Come This Far By Faith”: “Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today . . . The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (vv. 13-14).

What was Moses' dynamic plan? To do nothing. To wait and see what God would do. Moses led by standing still and trusting God to save them. And He did, opening an impossible way of escape. Faith is always the best leadership plan (v. 31)!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you in a Red Sea dilemma today? Are you feeling hopeless? Is your back to the wall with no way out and the enemy closing in? Then do nothing! Have faith, stand and wait, and see what God will do. He'll fight the battle for you. He'll make a way where there was no way before. As Psalm 55:22 says: “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 18:5-26
The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. - Exodus 18:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
We all understand the idea of a “bottleneck.” Pouring liquid from a bottle can only go as fast as the size of its neck. The idea can also be applied to traffic—it slows down where the number and size of lanes decreases. In our jobs, if a number of decisions must pass through the same person or the same office, we begin referring to them as a “bottleneck.” Things slow down there.

Moses had become a “bottleneck” to Israel. Even with his God-given leadership abilities, there was only so much he could do in the available hours of the day. He was doing his best, but it wasn't enough. His father-in-law Jethro saw the problem clearly and offered a straightforward solution: Delegating. This third lesson in leadership from the life of Moses might not be as dramatic, but it is no less important.

Jethro had probably not been a follower of the one true God before this. But the testimony of his son-in-law converted him, as shown in his praise to the Lord and the burnt offerings he made (vv. 9-12). Almost immediately, God used him to give Moses timely advice about delegating. A single leader could not possibly make all the decisions required under the circumstances. Others needed to be trained, developed, and entrusted with responsibilities. Moses thought that because he was the one who knew God's commands, he must personally be the one to apply them to all cases. Perhaps he didn't see any alternatives, or perhaps he enjoyed feeling important. Jethro pointed out that without changes the work would never be finished and Moses would collapse from exhaustion.

The structure for sharing leadership responsibilities was simple and logical. Capable and honest men were selected to share the load. Moses taught them how to apply godly principles to specific issues. They were organized hierarchically, with Moses as the “Supreme Court” for the most difficult cases. With God's blessing, the new plan succeeded.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Delegating or dividing up responsibilities seems to be a timeless principle of leadership development. Are you doing this in your family devotions or church small group? Responsibilities for leading music, teaching, praying, planning special events, and providing goodies should not all fall on one person's or couple's shoulders. Lighten your load and give everyone the opportunity to get involved. If you're not in a position to make such changes directly, tactfully offer this advice to those who can.