# You Can’t Get a Moses Without Waiting

Category: Faith & Trusting God
Key Passage: Deuteronomy 34:10
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: October 26, 2022

Moses, let me just say a word before we get into this thing. I like to a little bit just see the humanity of some of these great Christians in the Bible, not to try to bring them down, but to encourage us. There’s hope for us. Anybody, I’ll tell you, you feel like those things? You’re like, “Hey, you know.”

We’re going to do that a little bit with Moses here and there, but I want to realize this was a great, great man. And by they don’t fall for somebody. I say, well, there’s no such thing as great men. No, there is. Jeremiah 55, I will give me to the great men. And Moses was a great man. He really was.

I thought about this scripture, talking about Moses, is Deuteronomy 34:10: “And there rose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” That’s God’s opinion. God said, man, this man, Moses, never been a man like him before, and the prophet’s old tale. He’s just awesome. This is a great man we’re studying, but he is a man.

That kind of gives me hope. I don’t know about you. We’ll talk about these things for a minute, but just a way of review. Two weeks ago from tonight, we talked about Moses. He was born at a time when the Egyptians were over the Israelites. The Egyptians were fearful that the Israelites would take over. So if it was a male child, remember the two housewives that were over the housewives? Man, kill them. They weren’t doing it. And so what’s the problem there, you know? And they said, well, those women are lively and they’re already given birth. And they’re just an excuse; they don’t want to kill those boys. And God bless them because of their faith.

And then Dad, Amram, what a name, you know, Amram, that was dad. And Jochebed, the mom of Moses. They hid Moses for three months by faith. Hebrews 11 tells us. And really that first week we just talked about how you can’t get a Moses without faith. Faith has got to be involved in there.

Then last week we talked about, you know, they hid Moses in that basket by faith, by the bank there, and Pharaoh’s daughter just happened to come at the right time, you know, and probably the only person humanly that could save Moses, Pharaoh’s daughter.

She got that basket eventually, and she opened the lid, and the Bible says Moses, a three-month-old boy, he just cried. And boy, that heart, the Bible says she had compassion on him. And his sister, she was over there, marry him, and she ran, “Hey, you want me to get somebody watching the baby?” And she said, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” And so, you know, she ran home got mom. And I think Pharaoh’s daughter knew that’s a biological mother. A lot of times you see it just by looking at the face, you know.

“I’ll nurse that baby,” and so on, and she said, “All right, you take the baby and you take care of him, and I’ll pay you to do it.” Wouldn’t that be great, moms? All you moms out there? Man, you did all those dirty diapers. Nobody ever paid you. It’s just not fair, is it? I’ll tell you what, now, you know. And she got paid to do it, and we don’t know how old Moses was. I would say at least three years old, someone would go up to 12 years old. We don’t know. It’s all kind of just hearsay, but I think maybe eight years old, who knows.

But eventually, she took Moses to Pharaoh’s daughter. Remember we looked at last one, he became her son, you know, after he grew. So there’s some time there, and that’s when she named him Moses. And then he was raised in Egypt with all the Yales. That doesn’t mean people are yelling. I’m talking about the University of Yale right now, you know, Harvard and all those universities of Egypt, the best they had, and had that education. And remember, he was mighty in words and deeds? I mean, that’s Moses, and he was mighty in words and in deeds. I think he’d probably been given some leadership already, and Egypt did good with it, mighty in deeds.

And when he was 40 years old, he made a decision. He said, “No, no, I’ve lived that life. There was sin involved.” Remember we looked at it over there in the New Testament because later on talks about sin. It’s pleasure for a moment; it’s short-lived. So the sin involved in, and he said, “Hey, look, he refused to be called Pharaoh’s son.”

He said, “I don’t want to be associated with that. I don’t want to be called it. I’m a Hebrew. I’m a Hebrew that follows Jehovah. I don’t want anything to do. I refuse to be called Pharaoh’s daughter’s son.” And we said you can’t get a Moses without separation. You just can’t. And you can’t get a great Christian like that without some separation. There must be. You’re not going to get close to God without some separation. You just can’t do it. First John says, “Hey, we’re fooling ourselves if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness.” You just can’t do it.

And then tonight, for just a little bit tonight, you can’t get a Moses without some waiting. And this is the part I just don’t like. To wait. Anybody don’t know? I don’t like that stuff. I mean, it’s patient stuff. Man, that’s for the birds, you know. I mean, it’s waiting, but you can’t get a Moses without waiting.

And let’s look at that for just a little bit tonight. We’re going to read from verse number 11 down through verse number 15 of Exodus chapter number two tonight. And would you please stand, if you’re able to, would you please stand just to show the word of God respect and to wake—oh, we won’t mention any names. We wouldn’t do that to Andrew Bird or anything like that, you know. He was up here believing in some prayer. He’s not sleeping, amen.

Exodus 2, verse number 11, verse number 11. It was actually Timson, not Andrew Bird, but anyway, verse number 11: “And it came to pass in those days when Moses was grown—now we know from Acts 7 that when he was 40 years old—that he went out unto his brethren and looked on their burdens, and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw there was no man, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.”

Can I just say time out for a second? That just doesn’t seem like a smart move. If you’re going to hide a dead body, you know, in Egypt, the sand, the windstorms come. I mean, those dead bodies just, you know, I mean, that doesn’t make sense to me. Anybody ought to think like I do? That’s to bury that body about 10 foot down. I’m like, Moses, why the sand? I mean, you know, if you’re going to do that, it’ll bear it. Anyway, that’s just the way I think, all right? Hopefully, I don’t think like me. That’s a good thing if you don’t.

Verse number 13: “And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together. And he said to him that did the wrong, ‘Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?’” And he said, “Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?” Well, we’ll learn tonight the Lord did. Let him a little bit later on. We’ll talk about that.

“‘Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killest the Egyptian?’ And Moses feared and said, ‘Surely this thing is known.’”

Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.

Would you pray with me that God would just give us some wisdom tonight? Would you do that as I pray the same? No, Lord, we come to you. We sure need you tonight. Father, I ask that you would speak to every individual. All the lives are different. You know all that, Lord. And give each individual what they need from you. Lord, at your church, you take control. We’ll thank you and praise you for what you do, Lord. Father, we ask for these things in the name of Jesus. We pray. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

Moses, Moses, I think from a very young age, knew that God had called him to deliver Israel out of Egypt. He knew that from a very young age. Look if you will, keep your finger there, but look if you will over in Acts chapter number seven. Acts chapter number seven.

And would you look in verse number 23? And I want you to see this: Moses knew it. The Bible never tells us how Moses knew it, but he knew it. He knew God had a calling on his life to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt. We’ll find it right here in Acts chapter 7. Would you look in verse number 23 of God’s word? When you’re there, would you say amen?

Good deal. Verse number 23: “And when he was full 40 years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. We just read about that. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him that was oppressed and smote the Egyptian.” Watch this: “For he supposed his brethren, the Hebrews, the Israelites, his brethren, would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they understood not.”

So when Moses was 40 years old, Moses knew that God was going to use Moses to deliver the children of Israel. I don’t know where it came from. I tend to think it came from when he was very young with his biological appearance. We don’t know. But we know when he was 40 years old, he knew that God had put his hand on him to deliver him, to deliver the children of Israel by his hand. He knew that.

By the way, it’s amazing how God works so often in a child’s heart. It’s amazing. Moses knew it. He just knew it. Now, let me say something about what he did. He went out and used, you know, his people. He sees this Egyptian, probably slave master, and he’s abusing this other Israelite, and Moses goes out there.

Now, he looks both ways. Let me say something. Some will say, “Well, Moses did it by God’s leadership.” I don’t think so, for it. Well, this God got empowered him to do? Look back over there in Exodus 2, if you would. We’re going to go back between Acts and Exodus. So maybe keep your finger in one in each, you know.

And look over there in Exodus chapter number two. Let’s just kind of read this thing here. Look at verse number 12, if you will. “And he looked this way and that.” Now maybe, maybe God was leading him, but he wanted to hide it from the other Egyptians, but I don’t think so. But he’s looking around. That’s kind of what we do when we’re going to do something wrong. We look around, see who’s watching, you know. “And look this way and that way, and when he saw there was no man.” By the way, it doesn’t say when he didn’t see any Egyptians, no man—Egyptian or Hebrews. “I’m going to do it,” and he slew—I mean, he killed the guy. He doesn’t say that, you know, “Well, he just tapped him and he accidentally tapped his own place and he fell over there.” He slew the guy. He killed the guy. He slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. I mean, he’s trying to hide this thing. Typically, you try to hide your sin.

Look at verse number 14. This is the day later, and he comes out, and this Hebrew is talking to him, and he said, “Who made thee a prince and a judge over us, and tendest thou to kill me?” Well, it don’t sound like there’s some innocent act to me. No, even though the other Hebrew said, “Thou intendest to kill me, as thou killest the Egyptian.” And Moses feared.

As we say in Tennessee, he got scarred. I mean, he was scared to death. You know, I mean, he just, he just scared. How do they say it in Shaboo, Miss Angeles? Shaboo, how do they say? Yeah, but how do they say feared down there? Fear? Oh, I just feared. All right, I thought we might have a new interpretation or something down there. But he’s scared, you know. Yeah, why? He did something wrong. And he says, “Surely this thing is known.”

Just trying to say, Moses messed up. I think it’s fairly obvious. I don’t think it was premeditated murder. He went out to kind of view what was going on. Act 7:24, we were over there, we just read it, “And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him that was oppressed and smote.” I don’t think it was premeditated murder, but he slew the fellow. He messed up.

Now, we just read it, Moses thought that the Israelites would understand. Go back, go back over there to Acts 7, if you were, Acts 7, verse number 25. We’re flipping back and forth between Exodus and Acts. You’ll find it in Hebrews also. I don’t think we’ll go over there tonight, but God gives us a lot of details and you look between all these. But Acts 7, verse number 25: “For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they understood not.”

Now, he knew what he was supposed to do, and he thought the other Israelites would kind of accept it. All right, Moses is the man that’s going to deliver us, but they didn’t get it. They didn’t understand it. They didn’t realize what was going on. Moses hoped they would.

Now, let me just get a thought here, and then we’re going to get down, kind of going, but let me just stop for just a second, get a thought over this thing of how Moses, probably when he was young, but we know at least by the time he’s 40, he knew his calling in his life. My old preacher, Dr. J.B. Buffington, Lakeland, Florida, Calvary Baptist Church, he was an old WWII pilot. He’s in heaven now. He preached for us years ago. But Dr. Buffington, he—he was at the board at BIMI, Baptist International Missions Incorporated, I think it is, been around forever. And probably the largest, the largest independent Baptist mission board there is. And he was involved in that very much.

And I remember him went one time to a board meeting where they were interviewing potential missionaries. And he came back. And when he came back, he made this statement. I’ll never forget it. He said, “It’s amazing. Out of all the people we interviewed, over half of them, God was already speaking to their hearts to be a missionary by the time they were nine years old.” Wow.

I mean, that’s not just somebody that kind of—these are guys that are going before the mission board to be missionaries. And over half of them by the time they were nine years old, they had something in the heart or God was pulling them that way. And I say that to say, don’t ever take light what God is doing in the heart of a child. You just never know.

I forget years ago we had a guy named David. I remember the—I can’t remember the family’s name, the husband’s—a civil engineer. You remember the Taps? The Taps? Remember? I remember the Taps. Michael Taps. Some of you know them, the Taps. Oh my goodness. Wow. Wow. It’s been years ago. The Taps. Some of you are shaking your heads over there. Yeah, remember David? He was just a little fella. He was maybe, I don’t know, seven, eight years old. And, uh, and I never forget one day he—he—he came up and he put his finger. He was just one of those boys, he was just a little bold, and he put his finger. He said, “One day I’m going to preach in your pulpit.” I said, “All right, I’m going to hold you to that.” I heard it’s like 16, 18 years old, something like that. I want to meet him and talk to him about that, you know. But never take it lightly what God’s doing. You just never know.

Moses knew, and now the children of Israel didn’t understand it, but Moses knew it. Can I say this: when God gives you a dream to do something for him, don’t pour water on it. No, I’ll have nothing to it. No, they’re ever coming. No, God might be doing something in your heart. Don’t take that lightly.

Joseph dreamed dreams, and it took over 20 years for those to be fulfilled. Remember Joseph of his dream, son and the moon, stars, all that? 20 years. By the way, Moses, now he didn’t get to fulfill this until he was 80, 40 years later from this point here. And you just never know some of those dreams that God put in your heart.

You know, it’s very common. I don’t necessarily want it in some ways. I don’t like to lose anybody. But if God’s leading you there, praise the Lord for it. But, you know, a lot of people nowadays, they save and they work, and they retire, and they’re financially set, and then they go to the mission field. And for 15 years, they work as missionaries. You know, that happens a lot nowadays. And sometimes it’s a dream God put in their heart years ago. And you just never know.

And if God’s put something in your heart, no, no, it’s just right at all. You know, a lot of businessmen, they already make a good living. They’re all right, but they want to make more, not for themselves, but to give it to the church. You know, this church was started; a very wealthy man gave a good amount of money to help start this church years ago. And maybe a dream God puts in a man’s heart and someone’s heart just to—not for myself, I’m already set—but I like to do that so I can give to God’s work somewhere. You know, a lot of families, God puts a dream in their heart years ago, and they raise their kids, they forget about it all, and they raise their kids, their kids grow up and move out, and they adopt kids, or they foster children, foster parents. And I’m not saying—I’m just—I’m not saying for you what, and I don’t know, but if God puts a dream in your heart, Moses knew it. Moses knew it.

And sure of Israel didn’t get it, but Moses knew it. I think about some people, they retire so they can work in the church. “Pastor, you don’t have to hire a maintenance man or this, that, or the other, or ladies to this sector.” And some people just do it. I’m not saying for you, I don’t know, but if God’s put a dream in your heart, don’t take that lightly. Moses had that dream in his heart. He knew what God was going to do.

Now, here’s really the problem. Here’s the main problem. Moses knew what God wanted him to do, but Moses was going about it his own way. Moses knew he was supposed to deliver the children of Israel, but Moses was doing it his own way, and he just going to kind of bowl his way in and deliver the children of Israel, and of course, he fell flat on his face. But he was doing God’s will, but he was doing it his way. That’s so important. Just because it’s God’s will, I still must do it God’s way.

God’s got a—he’s got a plan. God’s very particular. He’s very opinionated. He has the right to be opinionated; he’s God. Everything about it. God’s got opinion about everything. He really does. And he’s always right. And it’s not just me doing God’s will; it’s me doing God’s will, God’s way.

You know, nowadays you can—you could probably get a crowd into church if you bring a rock and roll band in and, you know, you play some good music and you shorten down the message and don’t give an invitation on it. You’ll probably build a church. Now, is it God’s will for church houses to be full? Sure it is. Is that God’s way? No. See? So I do God’s will, God’s way.

David—he was gone that the ark had got taken by the Philistines over there, the Philistines’ country, and—and—and he said, “I’m going to bring the ark of the covenant back over to the city of God, to Jerusalem.” Now, was that a good thing? Help me out. Was that a good thing or not? Oh, yeah. Was that God’s will for the ark to be there in Jerusalem? Yes, it was. Yes, it was. No trick question here. Yes, it was God’s will.

But he was doing it his own way, and the Philistines went—that’s where they had carried on the cart, and David over here was carrying on the cart. Remember what happened? It shook, and others reached out there to steady it, and what happened? Boom, those are dead. So it’s not just doing God’s will; it’s doing God’s will, God’s way.

Moses, he knew God wanted him to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt. He’s right. God uses him later on to do that, but he was not doing it God’s way.

Hey, let’s try to bring it home maybe a little bit. Get maybe in a marriage situation. And you get one spouse that’s going to church, the other that’s not. Well, you may be able to—sometimes I call it like a chicken—you just peck on them, peck on them, peck on, you know, “Come to church, come to church.” And sometimes you better come to church and all that. You might be able to get them come to church, but they’re probably going to resent it when they come. Be mad as the hornets when they come. Or you can do it God’s way: Love her—love her like she is. Submit to him, not just sin, but let him lead. And God works in their hearts. See, it’s the difference of doing it your way or God’s way.

Y’all out there tonight? Y’all quiet tonight. I mean, I know we’re all tired tonight. How many got up early this morning? How many got up early this morning? I was out this morning, and I was walking down a wood line over here, and Dixie was back in the woods back there chasing the deer. And I’m telling you, maybe six foot in front of me, those two deer, man, just flew by me. And I thought, “Whew, praise the Lord, I wasn’t six foot up there. They’d knock me clean over, man. They’d have to clean my clock, amen.” And so anyway, praise the Lord for that. Trying to get you awake out there is what I’m trying to do, all right? Now, you know. But, yeah, we’ve got to do it God’s will, God’s way.

Now, look if you will over in Proverbs 14. Keep your fingers where they’re at. You’re going to run out of fingers. Well, I’ll run out of fingers before you run out of fingers, so we’re good, amen. Proverbs chapter number 14. We’re looking at verse number 12. By the way, this is found two times in the Bible, both in Proverbs. We just look at one of them. But Proverbs 14 and verse number 12 there.

Once you find that, would you say amen? Amen. Good deal. Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Did you notice there was a way that seemeth what? Right? “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is ways of death.”

So God, or he leads us to do something, but I want to do it in my way, even if I think it’s right to do. I better check with what God says is right to do. Because there is a way which seems right, right? We’ll see how that marriage is doing about a year or two down the road, day. There is a way which seems right. You know, anybody help me out? Who knows? You’ll know it. Some of you know, what’s the theme of the book of Judges? Somebody tell me, what’s the theme of the book of Judges?

Right. Every man did that which is right in his own eyes. You read the book of Judges. You get over there towards the end of the book of Judges in some of those stories, you’re like, “Wow, that is so messed up. He cut her into 12 parts and mailed her out all over there.” I mean, the UPS system, wow, man, come on. That’s thinking. That’s a mess. Anybody know the story I’m talking about in the book of Judges? You’re like, “Wow.” Towards the end, why? It just got worse and worse because every man did that which is right in his own eyes. That’s where our society is a lot. And we’re going by the polls. Well, what does a poll say? I don’t care what the polls say. I care what God says.

So it’s not just me doing God’s will; it’s me doing God’s will, God’s way, not even if I think it’s the right way. I better check with what God says the right way. See? So important. You heard about the lady they were praying that the bar board closed down, and both of their praying, prayer and praying, finally it burnt down. And somebody went to Sister So-and-so, “Did you burn that thing down?” And she said, “Well, I put feet to my prayers,” you know. Yeah.

It’s not just doing what God wants, but are doing God’s way. It’s so important. Well, my husband needs to take some trash out. Now, I agree, I agree. But yelling and screaming it, you better take it. Give him a look, you know, you better take it out. That’s not always God’s way.

Or you say, “I need my wife to be sweeter.” Well, you browbeat her, yelling at her. She’s not going to get sweeter for any—if she does because I’d love to God—but you’re not going to have what you want then. It’s not going to be the relationship you want. Doing it God’s way.

You know, even disciplining children. You can discipline children, and when it’s all said and done, you’re a little bit farther apart from them; they close up; they don’t want to have anything to do with it. Or you can do it God’s way, and when it’s all over, you’re closer to them. That’s what God wants. I’m telling you, there’s a way to do God’s will, God’s way.

Moses, he was doing what God born, and he was trying to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt, but he was not doing it. Did you ever think about it? Moses never asked God how to do it? Never recorded this scripture. Never find it: Moses out, “Lord, how do you want this thing doing?” You don’t find that. Moses went out and he saw the oppression and he said, “Well, I’m going to do something about it.”

God’s ready to guide you in how to do his will. He calls you to do something, and he’s got a way to do it. I’ve already mentioned it. He’s very opinionated. He knows everything. You ever think about God’s a know-it-all, but he really knows it all? I mean, he does know it all. And he’s ready to guide you, not just in what he wants, but how he wants it.

This has been a blessing, but would you look over your proverb, look over in Psalms 32 and verse number 8? This has been such a—this is a good verse here. Psalm 32, look at verse number 8, would you please there? Psalms 32 and verse number 8 of God’s word. Psalms 32 and verse number 8. There’s a wonderful verse here. Maybe a good verse to memorize. Psalm 32:8: “I will instruct thee, O, I like that, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye.” What about that?

Many of you know it: James 1:5. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not. And it shall be given.” By the way, he says he upbraided them not. If Ted goes to God, say, “Lord, I need some wisdom.” God does, “Ah, you big dummy, don’t you know better than that?” God never upbraids you for him. He said, “I’m glad you’re coming and asking for wisdom. I got some for you.” He’s willing to tell you how to do his will.

Moses was trying to do what God wanted to do, but he was doing it the wrong way.

Now, last thing, we’re going to be done. We’re not going to be long, I don’t think, tonight. That’s the last point. It takes a long time, you know? Y’all are just so quiet out there. I tell you what, y’all with me tonight? You with me this? Good deal, good deal. I’m glad you’re there. Brother Josh is awake up front on the front row. That’s a good thing. I’m glad for that because if he snores, he’s close to me out here, you know. But let’s think about this. Moses, he was doing God’s will—already impressed on his heart, you’re going to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt. That’s what he’s trying. He’s trying to deliver this Israel that was getting beaten by this Egyptian. But he wasn’t doing it God’s way, and he wasn’t waiting on God’s time. Timing is so important. Timing is just crucial when you’re doing God’s will.

Can I just say this first of all: Moses himself was not ready. He was far from ready at this point. God’s will to use him to deliver the children of Israel, but Moses, he was so far—first of all, he didn’t wait for God’s leadership. He just went out there to view, all right, let me see how my brother are doing, and it goes up and he looks around, and he sees this guy beating up on this Israelite. He didn’t wait for God’s leadership. Man, he just goes to the tyrant and he kills the guy.

Well, 40 years later, he’s just doing what God told him to do, and God shows up and gives him leadership. Remember the burning bush? But here, right here, he’s not waiting on God. He’s not waiting for leadership. I mean, just going out there, just boom, doing his own thing. Of course, it ends up in fear. That’s where it ends up. He’s so fearful, and that’s what it said.

You want to look over there in Exodus 2. Look back over there, Exodus 2. And, oh, let’s see here. Verse number 14: “Exodus 2 and 14.” Y’all there? “Exodus 2 and 14.” “And he said, ‘Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killest the Egyptian?’ And Moses feared, and said, ‘Surely this thing is known.’”

“Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses, but Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh.” I mean, just, just, he’s fearful, and he runs. He wasn’t ready.

Now, later on, would you go over to Hebrews 11 real quickly? We are going to go over there one time. I don’t think we’re at all, but we’re going to go over there one time. Hebrews 11, look in verse number 27. Hebrews 11, verse number 27, there. And we’ll find out what happens here. Hebrews 11 and verse number 27.

You all there tonight? Amen? That’s a little weak. Hebrews 11:27, you’re there? Amen? Good, good. Verse number 27: “By faith, he forsook Egypt.” Wait a second. This is contradiction. Exodus 2 is saying fear. He fled. Over here, by faith he fled. Well, over here in Hebrews 11:27, he’s not talking about that 40 years old. He’s talking about 80 years old when God had him ready. When he had matured, when he waited for God’s instruction, when the ten plagues had come and God led to the mountain. The Bible never contradicts itself, never does. “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured.” He waited 40 years. “He endured as seeing him who is invisible.” When did he see him? Burning Bush. Burning Bush.

See, once God had Moses ready, man, he left Egypt in faith. First time, first word, he left in fear. Well, no, Moses wasn’t ready for him. God had a lot of growing to do on Moses. 40 years old, 40 years old, boy, Moses says, mighty in words and deeds. He got it all together. He’s educated. He fell flat on his face. You kind of say self-dependence, if you will. 40 years later, God calls him. Moses said, “I can’t do that. Who am I to tell him that sent me?” And God said, “I AM.” You see the difference? Moses wasn’t ready now. He had so much growing to do. He had so much learning to do. And God knew that.

By the way, so many times, God, “I want it right now. I want it right now.” God so often says, “Hey, I got things to work out in you that you don’t even know you need worked out.” Isn’t that the truth more often than not? That’s why it’s so wise if we wait on God. Because we—over there in Psalm 19—he said, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from a secret fault.” Usually we don’t know we have them. God knows. God’s timing is so very, very important.

Moses wasn’t ready. The children of Israel, they weren’t ready. Or was it? What is over there in Exodus 2:14? This guy, and he said, “Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?” Well, God had made Moses that. God had called Moses to deliver the children of Israel. He was the one going to lead him out of there. God did that. But the children of Israel weren’t ready for—they weren’t ready. Remember Moses read over there and asked—Moses supposed that they’d understand, “Hey, I have delivered the children of Israel.” The children of Israel didn’t understand that.

Now 40 years later, what happened? God said, “I hear the cry of the children of Israel.” Man, they’re crying. “Lord, you’ve got to get us out of this bondage.” Timing. Timing is so important. I mean, Moses, you’re not ready; the children of Israel, they’re not ready. The timing of this whole thing—God’s got a plan here. You see, God knows all the pieces to the puzzle. We just know our pieces that we got in our hand. And there’s so many more pieces. God knows the right timing.

Our theme this year, “Rise Up and Be a Man.” I was wanting to build that building this year. God wasn’t ready. And that’s all right. We’ll just wait on the Lord. His time is going to be right. He’ll lead in his time. You say, “Well, you’re not right. You’re better.” That’s all right. I’ve been wronged plenty of times before. God knows the right timing. And we’ll just wait on the Lord. God’s time is always, always, always.

Humanly speaking, you ever think humanly speaking, Moses, I think it would have been better equipped at 40 years old. He had energy, he had education, he was mighty in words and deeds. But God didn’t work like that. “Not many mighty, not many of noble are called.” God chooses the foolish things of the world. It’s just in God’s time. Whatever it may be in your life, God’s timing is always, always perfect.

Would you look back over real quickly here? We won’t be long tonight. Look back over, if you would, to Exodus 2. I want you to see this last verse that we read. Exodus 2. Would you look at verse number 15 there real quick? Verse number 15? Last verse we read when we was reading our text verse. Exodus 2, verse number 15: “Now when Pharaoh heard this saying, he sought to slay Moses, but Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh.” Watch this: “And dwelt in the land of Midian.”

Do you realize that’s over there where Mount Sinai is? That’s where Moses was going to lead the children of Israel through that place. That’s where Moses one day was going to go over the mountain and meet with the Lord and get the Ten Commandments and all that. So God knew, “Moses, you need some time out there alone with me and just watch a bunch of sheep before you go. You try to eat all those children of Israel there.” God’s timing is always right. And so God had Moses run all the way over, backside of the desert, and God was getting Moses ready in 40 years. You can’t get a Moses without waiting. Nobody likes to wait on the Lord, but all his timing is always perfect. It’s always right.

It’s interesting how God finished this verse out, verse number 15: “But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.” Well, a well. It’s not a river; it’s just kind of said. What is Psalms 23? “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters.” God, Moses, you need to go out there in the backside of the desert. Just sat down by a well. I’m going to grow you. I’m going to let you sit down by the still waters. Well, there’s Psalm 23. “He leadeth me in paths of righteousness.” That’s after he laid down, and that’s after he’s by the still waters, and that’s after he’s restored. So now I said, “Moses, I’ve got to do some work on you first.” God’s timing is always right. It’s always right.

I thought about Brother Lloyd—Brother Lloyd that just taught the Bible Institute the last six weeks that we had it in the Victor Baptist Church. God’s used it, Brother Lloyd, in a great, great way. But you know, Brother Lloyd, he grew up in that church and went off to college and at Bible College and came back. And for years, Brother Lloyd, about 25 years, just youth pastor, drove a public school bus to supplement his income—25 years.

I never knew this until, oh, maybe a year, six months ago, nine months ago, I preached a marriage retreat for them over there in Gatlinburg. I was suffering for the Lord, had to go to Gatlinburg, preach a couple of trees. It was a rough thing, I tell you what, and went over there. And Brother Lloyd said this with his introduction one time. He said, “I remember way back when they started the church, I think maybe the second or third building, and he said, went to the storefront and Brother Lloyd preached for us.” And he said, “Man, we went in there, and it was so exciting, just a young church, a bunch of young Christians in the storefront.” He said, “Me and my wife left, and we wanted so bad to go start a church. Man, we’re just dying to go start a church.” But praise the Lord, he waited. 25 years. I never knew he wanted to go start a church. Maybe we talked over the year, but I didn’t know he wanted to do it when he went to church at one time. 25 years, just waited, just waited. And boy, God’s using so much now. Brother Tedder passed away a couple years ago, and boy, just God’s blessing that ministry down there. He waited. God’s timing always, always, always.

How many of you are like this? You get out of high school, you know, some get married about the day after high school graduation. Anybody don’t know what I’m talking about? Some don’t wait for that, you know. And then some go to college, halfway through, whatever, they get married. And some wait until they’re out of college and they get married. And I was out of college and all that, and it seemed like all my friends—I mean, you ever get tired of being in weddings because that cost to be in weddings? You know what I’m talking about? I mean, back then, you rented tuxes; you didn’t even get to keep them, you know. I mean, come on now, you know, a hundred bucks and it’s gone. And I’m like, everybody, all my friends are getting married. But praise the Lord, I waited for God’s timing. God gave me a wonderful wife.

And there’s going to be times you just wait. Nobody likes to wait. Moses, you’re not ready. Just wait. Yes, God’s giving you a call. Yes, you know it’s his will to lead the children of Egypt, but the time is not yet. And Moses fell flat on his face.

What if you just waited? We got married, and you know how it is. Everybody hates to rent. You know, rent, you throw away your money. Anybody ever hear that statement? Oh, my goodness, you know, been around since Moses—okay, we’re talking about Moses since Adam, you know—and we don’t want to do all that, but, you know, we were married 10 years before we got our house. But I’m glad we waited. And I believe we’re where God wants us to be at. And I’m thankful for the house. Ten years didn’t have a house. And I’m not saying it’s got to be like that for you. I’m not saying, but I’m just waiting. There’s a lot of ways to just waiting for God’s timing. It’s always perfect.

Can I say this? When you’re buying things, don’t go in crazy debt. Go in debt for your house; it’ll appreciate. Don’t get in debt for things that depreciate. And wait. We have an acre of land, and we cut more about an acre and a half of grass. And you know when we first moved over there? John, praise the Lord for a son that lived at the house at the time. He was using a push mower. And our neighbor saw it. They said, “You can’t make that boy cut the grass with the push mower.” I’m like, “Watch me,” you know. You do it. And praise the Lord, he was. And then the neighbors bought a ride-in mower down there for John and helped John and whatnot cut the grass. And eventually, boy, we stepped up. We got a ride-in mower that needed the engine. And that’s how I met David Jones. I bought an engine off of him. Amen. Been in—I was not in church now. I got cancer, but that’s how I met him. Get an engine, buy an engine from.

And I’m saying, we just, we just had to wait. Now, praise the Lord, the day came when my wife calls it my orange girlfriend—it’s our Husqvarna riding mower. Somebody say amen right there, you know. I mean, I don’t know, 22 horse and all that. It’s not as they were to agree, but it’s good enough for us, man. I tell you what, I haven’t been able to get a pop a wheelie on it. I’m working at popping a wheelie on it, you know. Man, we enjoy it more now because we waited.

Friend, I’m just saying, don’t like, don’t get it. “I got to have it.” No, you don’t have to have it right now. You’ll be all right with it without it. Wait for God’s timing. You can’t get a Moses without waiting. Oh, you can get a Moses that falls flat on his face and is running out of town scared out to death. But a mighty Moses that’s leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, and God’s brought his power in the ten plagues down, and he’s splitting the Red Sea—you can’t get a Moses like that without waiting. It just takes waiting.

Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage. He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Moses was actually doing what God wanted to do. He was delivering the children out of Egypt, but he was doing it totally wrong. And it wasn’t in God’s time. Old friend, God’s got it all together when he’s ready. When he’s ready, this statement helped me for years when we’re out of the ministry: “When God’s ready, he knows your phone number.”

“Well, I’m out in the backside of the desert, no service out there.” Oh, there’s bushes out there. God can take care of that, you know. Just wait. God can speak when he’s ready. Don’t get, don’t get, “I got a God, got it right there.” No, no, no, no. Just God knows. You probably got crowded to do, you know, none of. And the circumstances of the children of Israel, they didn’t understand at that time either. God, that puts a lot together.

And isn’t it amazing, Moses, when he’s ready 40 years later? What’s he doing? Is he doing some money wonderful thing? Everybody says, “No, he’s out there just out in the desert watching a bunch of stinky sheep.” Doing what God wanted to do. Following God’s will for him at the time. Doing the best he can. And God says, “I’m going to show up in a burning bush. Now’s my time.” Oh, you can’t get a Moses without somebody.

Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - You Can’t Get a Moses Without Waiting - Sunday PM 10262022