“¹⁰Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. ¹¹Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?” – Numbers 11:10-11 (ESV)

Moses was having a difficult time of things as God was dealing with the Israelite people. The people were complaining profusely as they were missing some of what they had while slaves in Egypt. They were not happy with their freedom and with their NEEDS being met and so they were complaining and not doing anything to change their situation. As such Moses was hearing it all and was overwhelmed and needed help. So he asked for that help from God.

“¹⁴I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” – Numbers 11:14-15 (ESV)

Now there is a lot to unpack with regard to this full passage about the complaining and the next, but the focus of my study is one of asking for help and receiving. God heard Moses’ plea for help and in the next two verses demonstrated His love by providing that help.

“¹⁶Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ¹⁷And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.” – Numbers 11:16-17 (ESV)

Moses asked and God provided the solution. Divide the burden among elders or as mentioned in Exodus 18, “able men”. God would take some of the burden that was on Moses and place it upon those men so as to relieve His servant Moses.

Now the lesson learned here is about how often do we continue to “go it alone” and not ask for the help we need. This year, my word is “Self” as I look to relieve myself of some of the burden and off-load things to others so that I can focus on me and my mission and purpose for the LORD. As such it is important for me to ask for help when I need it, and that does not mean just from those that are here in the world with me. I should be asking for help from God and know that he wants to and will provide for my needs.

How is it that you approach things each day? Are you working to “go it alone”? What if you were to ask for help from those around you and especially from the LORD?

About a year ago I was studying the word “chose” and came to the passage in Exodus 18 where Moses was given advice to delegate his work to others. This morning I was led to that same passage as I study the word “able”.

I should be allowing and empowering those around me to do more of the work, at least the small things, so that I can focus my attention on the bigger things and those things that God has in store for me.

“²⁵Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.” – Exodus 18:25 (ESV)

Delegating things out does free up time and attention for other things, that is when they are delegated to those that want to and will do the work. You see, just moving things to someone else, so you do not have to do it, is not delegating, it is dele-dumping and the quality of the work will surely suffer. As Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, recommended, we should be choosing “able men” to do the work. These “able men” are those that not only have the position but also have the skills and desire to do the work. They should be asked and not told what is needed to allow for the opportunity to understand and buy into the very idea of the work, and not just to do something else. Working to get the right person for the job and not just someone to do the job is the approach that should be taken.

I have led teams in the past and in doing so have taken both the, “if you want something done right, do it yourself” approach as well as the “here, do this” approach, and neither of them fared to well. Either I worked myself silly “trying” to get everything done, and alienating my team, or I worked the team silly and offered nothing in return for the work done. It was not until I began asking for help and explaining why and what was in it for all that the team began to respond and improved performance for all was realized. I analyzed and discussed with each person to determine the right job for each of them and I found the “able men” for each task that freed me up to do the work that only I was able to do.

God has tasks for each of us and those tasks are designed to grow His kingdom. But, they are also tasks chosen for us to take advantage of the gifts He gave us. We are to buy into the tasks as we are chosen as “able men” for those items that allow God to continue His work in the areas that only He can do the work.

What areas have you deprived others of doing work? When work is being separated, what is the process for determining who does that work? What if you sought the “able men” instead of just someone to do the work, what are your thought on the success of the items and those chosen?

God provides for me, even when I am not so sure that He will. And even when I may not see what He is doing.

“⁵And he brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the starts, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’” – Genesis 15:5 (ESV)

Here is God speaking with Abram, who is a bit concerned that an heir for all that he has will not come from his own lineage. Abram was without an heir and was getting up in age and could see not prospects of that being solved. And so was coming to grips with someone of his household inheriting all that he had accumulated.

God was not done yet. He was fully faithful to His servant Abram. He promised him more offspring than he could count, by making him the father of nations. God was giving something that could not be seen by the human eye. Abram could not see it, but believed.

“⁶And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6 (ESV)

God’s blessings on my life are not something that I can always see. I am just here to continue with doing the work of and for God. He continues to work in my life and provide for me and my family. I am not able to see, nor count the blessings He is heaping on me with my human eyes. I have to have an eye for and on Him to even begin to see the blessings. Counting them on the other hand is not possible. Just as Abram was unable to count the stars in the sky as to the heirs he would have, I am unable to count them as a representation of the blessings God gives to me.

When you look at your life, are you able to see all the blessings God provides for you? What are just some of them? Can you count them all?

“²⁴No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…” – Matthew 6:24 (ESV)

I have studied this verse a number of times over the past few years and each time I am led to something a bit different. Here this morning, I am reminded that I can be devoted to only one at a time.

I believe that we as a society are misguided into thinking that we are able to pour ourselves into just about anything at any time. And I feel like most of us have heard many people, even possibly ourselves, indicate that we/they are great at multi-tasking. And we are led to believe that it is possible and important to be able to do so. In reality, as humans, we are only able to focus on one thing at a time. Our brains are not capable of splitting our energy into multiple complex tasks all at once.

I know that you are thinking about how we can drive and sing along to the music and carry on a conversation as we go, but really, your driving is a habit and the singing does not really take that much brain power, so your focus is really on the conversation.

So how does this relate to the verse above. You see, I have to remember that I am only able to devote my full energy and work to only one thing at a time and that should be God and God alone. When I am devoted to God, all else is either accomplished by habit or will be a part of His plan, and all else gets neglected as not important. If I were to turn the tables and focus on the “all else” then God will be neglected and my service to Him is non-existent. It is up to us to find and focus on what is really important.

“²¹For where you treasure is, there you heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21 (ESV)

I am growing each and every day. I am allowing myself to be devoted to God more and more as the days go along. I have to continue this path and remember that with God as my “treasure”, my “heart” will be with Him. Devoted to just one and that one is God.

How are you finding yourself as pertains to multi-tasking? What is it that takes up all of your focus? Are you devoted to just one, and what if that one were God?

“¹⁴And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.” – Titus 3:14 (ESV)

Paul is wrapping up his letter to Titus and in doing so is giving final instructions. This verse is telling of instructions that we should all take to heart. As Christians, it is our duty to do the works of God that He has for us. Those works will be inherently good. And those good works will be used to help those in need. And when helping those in need, we will be fruitful.

It is not enough to do good works, as Paul writes, we are to devote ourselves to them. A good work may provide temporary relief, but our devotion to do and maintain good works is where we find the permanent relief from the difficulty surrounding us. It is in that devotion that the fruitfulness is really manifested.

I think of the farmers that plant seed and then water, and fertilize, and weed, and prune, and then harvest. Just planting the seed is not enough to get the full fruitfulness of the crop. The planting is just the beginning. It is the devotion to the work that the crop is realized for the results that are being sought.

What does it look like for you and good works? Are you continuing to do the good work? What if you devoted yourself to the good work to be fruitful?

Every morning I sit here and study God’s Word. I dive in and then share my thoughts through this media. I never would have thought this that began as a simple accountability exercise would be in its 5^th year and shared world-wide. My private thoughts and study are now for the world to see, what a public statement.

But, what about away from this media and outside the time that I sit and study God’s Word. Am I devoting my public self to God and the spread of the Gospel as I am here in private?

“¹³Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect the gift you have, which was give you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. ¹⁶Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” – 1 Timothy 4:13-16 (ESV)

I may be selfish with my proclamations of the Gospel. I may be keeping everything bottled into my morning private time with the thoughts that I am somehow being public. It is up to me to be more open at all times with my sharing and not just in the private of my home and on Sunday mornings in the church. It is time to be more outward in my faith and share with all, the glory that God has given me. It is time for me to share with all who I am and what God has tasked me. I have to take the time to “practice these things” and “persist” to “save both yourself and your hearers”.

Paul makes it clear to Timothy the actions he is to be taking in his ministry and I have to take my cues from Paul’s words to Timothy. I have to practice and persist in all that I do to bring the Gospel to all every chance I can. Both in my private times and public self I am to be all that God has in store for me.

What does your private look like compared to your public? What is it that all can see? What if you were to be as bold in public as you are in private, practicing and persisting to bring the gospel?

The verses I was led to this morning are titled “Principles for Marriage”. Whereas the verses open on the physical relationship between husband and wife, the principle I was brought to relates to devotion to one another.

“⁵Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer, but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” – 1 Corinthians 7:5 (ESV)

In our relationship with our spouse, are to be devoted to one another so much that nothing separates us, except that time we are devoting to God. That time is for God and we I am devoted to Him in prayer, temptations of the world are left outside. I am not subjected to the world as my attention is on God and in pleasing, praising, and glorifying Him.

When I am not in commune with God, I must be devoted to Lori. I must be with her and beside her as often as I can to stave off the temptations of the world. When focused on my wife, how can I be tempted by others or things of the world. Together we are stronger and will be the accountability partners needed.

“¹⁸For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.” – Matthew 18:20 (ESV)

I and my wife Lori are together and as stated my Jesus above, He is with us. And with Jesus with us, Satan cannot reach us. The temptations of the world are around us, but with our focus on God and each other, we are protected.

What about your devotion, where does it lie? Are you devoted to one another? What if your devotion to one another was so strong and only deviated from to devote to God in prayer?

As a child of God, it is my duty to fulfill the work that God has in store for me. I am there to do His work and I should be devoting my time to His work and not the work that I think is what God wants of me and my time.

“²And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables, ³therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’” – Acts 6:2-4 (ESV)

These verses are eye opening to me in that busy work in the name of God, may not be the work He has in store for me. Just like the 12 apostles, they were doing great work by serving meals to those in need. They were doing good work in the name of God. They were staying busy with the work, but soon realized that may not be the plan God had in store for them. They took the opportunity to offload, or delegate the work to others that were suited for that at the time and returned to the work they were tasked with by Jesus in Matthew 28:

“¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

I have tasks that God has planned out for me and it is my duty to fulfill those tasks. I must devote myself to those tasks and in doing so, will be glorifying God all along the way.

I may not fully know what those tasks are, and that is the reason to dive in feet first and do the work in the name of God. As I am doing the work of God, I must remain in prayer and study to find my full purpose and as my relationship with God grows, so will my view of the tasks He has in store for me. I am to be in communication with Him at all times seeking to devote myself where He would have me.

What is your plan for the work you are doing for God? Are you constantly moving about doing more and more? What if you were to find that one place through prayer and study where you could devote to Him?

“²⁵Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass that you should turn fortified cities into heaps of ruins,” – 2 Kings 19:25 (ESV)

And upon hearing this, I am overjoyed at God’s plan. I will be an overwhelming, resounding success and no one will be getting in my way that I will not conquer. My head is swelling and I am reaching god status thanks to God.

But, that is only the beginning of the plan as I will soon find out, not that I am told, but due to my arrogance, I am blinded by what I see as the end result.

“³²Therefore this says the LORD concerning the kin of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. ³³By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the LORD. ³⁴For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” – 2 Kings 19:32-34 (ESV)

What a turn of events. I was granted all the power to conquer “fortified cities” and now I am not going to be able to take the city of Jerusalem? But I was told, and there was this plan?

The thing I take away here is that God’s plans are more intricate that we could ever imagine. He knows our heart and therefore knows the ultimate outcome, whereas we are only able to see that which is in front of us and that He allows us to see in the moment. I have to remember that God is leading the plan and I am but just a part of that plan set to do the work He has for me. I may feel as though I understand, but God’s plans are not always what they seem. He gives us just enough to accomplish the part in that moment and once we have, we move on to the next with the full goal of pleasing and glorifying Him at every turn. When we do, the plan as we see it will become clearing as we go and we will realize the ultimate goal and result of God’s plan when we arrive.

How have your plans not finished the way you thought they would? What thoughts have you given to how the plan started and how you arrived at the finish? What if you just took on your part of God’s plan as opposed to believing you know where He is going or taking you?

You read that right. God’s plan has been in the works for thousands of years. It all began prior to the creation and is still playing out today. Talk about waiting for and letting things develop over time, it has been over 2000 years just on this side of the birth of Jesus Christ. And, there is no way for us to know when His plan will be fully complete, so it could continue for thousands of years longer, or not.

“⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” – Ephesians 1:7-10 (ESV)

There is so much to unpack in those verses, but where my eyes were brought this morning is in verse 10 and the plan set in place “for the fullness of time”. This is where I must hang my hat to know that God’s plan is ultimate and we are just working in that plan until it is completed. That completion time is unknown, although once all is united “in Him” it will be done.

In the world we are a part of, there seems to be this desire to have all things “right now” and as such, the satisfaction of receiving is lost. Thinking of Christmas time and how often is it that the gift given is thrown to the side because the newer version launches the next week. Or the promotion received at work is received after the third month on the job and the satisfaction is lost the next week when the next promotion is seen to be years away.

I have the privilege of serving God at a church plant in Boerne, Texas. As the church is less than one year old, the growth has been phenomenal thanks to God. As it goes, I was able to have a great lunch with our pastor a bit ago and was blessed to appreciate the satisfaction of that growth and hear it in Jared’s words. He was overjoyed with the growth, and quick to indicate that in spite of that growth, the approach to the vision would remain slow so as to improve the depth discipleship of every member of the church and the community we serve. The alignment to God’s plan is amazing.

If God can have a plan in the works for millennia, I believe a plans for me that take 10 years or so is not so out of the question and should be something that I strive for. I have to remember that it is the plan and the journey more so than just reaching the end that will bring the satisfaction, peace, and joy to me and more importantly to God.

Where is your focus on satisfaction, the end result, or the journey? How much satisfaction, peace, and joy are you getting at the end result? What if you were to have a plan that is in the works for tens of years instead of tens of days?