A letter to my Toronto City Representative on the Rob Ford Case: Do We Need to use a Taser on an already Powerless Person?

Greetings David (Shiner):  Thank you for your email below and your desire to receive some input from some of your constituents on Monday's important vote .  Here goes:

First, I understand that you may or may not see things as I do, and also that you have to satisfy the majority of your constituents, not just me.  So, please note I do not expect you to vote on this one in support of the way I see it, especially since there are many aspects to the issue at hand.  Clearly, this is only input and you need to feel free to use your God-given logic in addition to the input to direct you in how to cast your vote.

Second, I want you to know that I spend a good part of Saturday morning reading both the Toronto Star's and the National Post's perspectives on the issue and especially the upcoming vote.  So, this is not just a gut reaction.

Now, for my input:

Generally speaking, I would ask that you consider taking the higher and more difficult route of NOT voting in favour of stripping Mr. Ford of his budget and the related items as outlined in the motion being voted on this Monday.  I noticed you, at least along with Norm Kelly, were not part of the undersigned supporting the motion.  I also noticed that five of those that did sign to support the motion have difficulty following simple instructions themselves -- like "print" your name on the left, sign on the "right".   Is this the calibre of leadership we have at City Hall?   I know it's petty but their approach to this whole thing including standing with their back to the mayor when he speaks, and pretending to be smoking pot while he speaks, is totally childish.  I am ashamed of the majority of our Council.

And now my rationale:

First, there is doubt that this motion would stand legally (as compared to the two motions of this past week).
Second, if Mr. Ford does pursue legal action, this will further bring the whole City down in the eyes of the world.
Third, a motion like this is vindictive rather than necessary (the Council has already taken the necessary actions to protect itself and the City from harm).  A motion like this simply says "we the Council are incapable of dealing with a difficult in-house situation ourselves."  So, we cut the man off at the knees, and if that won't do it, we get the Premier to do it for us.

I do not in any way support Mr. Ford's actions.  However, no one has had the courage to charge the Mayor formally with any criminal act so far.  The people elected the Mayor, the people should have the right to fire him.   Until he is charged and perhaps found guilty, only the people can take away his ability to perform Mayoralty duties and responsibilities as this motion would do.  Otherwise, where do we stop with the next Mayor we don't like?  As one article said today, "What if the next Mayor had religious beliefs we do not like?"   Can the council strip him of his/her responsibilities?  I hope not.

I would also caution against Mr. Kelly receiving some much "convenient trust" from all the councillors all at once without really proving himself.  Laying one's hands on someone like that to take over so quickly often comes back to haunt people. 

I hope you find this helpful.  I will be following the events from Regina on Monday where I will be working with one of my clients.   All the best.

To summarize, "Do we really need to 'tase' this man who clearly has personal problems?"  

Sincerely,

Ken Godevenos, Toronto

Thanks for dropping by. Sign up to receive free updates. We bring you relevant information from all sorts of sources. Subscribe for free to this blog or follow us by clicking on the appropriate link in the right side bar. And please share this blog with your friends. Ken Godevenos, Church and Management Consultant, Accord Consulting.  And while you’re here, why not check out some more of our recent blogs shown in the right hand column.  Ken.

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A Part in Bringing the Enemy Down; Seeing the Dead on the Seashore -- Exodus 14:26-31

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”  So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into (or in respect to) it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.  And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.  But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.  Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  And when Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.
 
Earlier that morning, God looked down and made ‘chariot driving’ difficult for the Egyptians (see verse 25 in this same chapter).  In fact, it became so difficult that they started to turn around in desperation, fleeing for their lives, and abandoning their pursuit of the Israelites.  But physical salvation was not to be found that day.

The Children of Israel had crossed the Red Sea, the Egyptians were retreating, Moses had safely ended up on the other side and now God tells him to stretch out his hand over the sea behind him and by so doing have the waters return to their original state, the consequence of which would be the destruction of the Egyptians.

Coincidently, I had just been reading the personal account of George W. Bush with respect to his announcing America’s attack on Afghanistan on Sunday, October 7,2001.  “On my orders,” he said, “the United States military has begun strikes against Al Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Talban regime in Afghanistan.”  He goes on to write, “I felt the gravity of the decision.  I knew the war would bring death and sorrow.”  And in light of that, I wonder how Moses must have felt.  What has he really thinking at that point?  I know what I would have said.  “God, you accomplished salvation for your people.  We are safe and sound across the Red Sea.  Must we destroy our enemies in such a final and irreversible manner?”  Yet God, the God that saved them, said, “Stretch out your hand.”  And Moses did.

I wonder also if there is a lesson here with respect to our own role in destroying the Enemy.  I do not intend here to solve the age-old dilemma between Christian doves and hawks when it comes to war, although I do have my own personal thoughts on the matter.  But I do want to point out that in this particular case, if there is a lesson to be learned, it is this:  First, make sure that the enemy you are helping to fight is God’s Enemy, not just yours.  Make sure he/she is an enemy that is acting against what God stands for, openly defying His Holiness and authority.  And secondly, make sure that the action you are taking is clearly God’s undeniable orders to you to act in a certain way.  “Moses, stretch out your hand.”  But even though Moses played a key part in what took place, there is no room for any doubt in the fact that it was God who did the saving.

The Bible says that not one Egyptian, not one chariot, not one horse, survived.  God calls every man to forgiveness, righteousness, and ultimately, salvation.  In fact, He gives us many chances.  Pharaoh and his cabinet had at least ten and they rejected each one.  So, when it was time to act in a final manner, God did just that.

There is a sentence in the middle of the passage above (vs. 29) that is a repeat to a great extent of verse 22 earlier.  It speaks of how the sons of Israel walked through the Red Sea on dry land.  When I read these repetitive accounts in Scripture, I often wonder if there is a real purpose.  I ask myself that even though this is a God-inspired text, written in this case by Moses many years later, whether or not he could have benefitted from a skilled editor.  But in each such case, I land on the side of the argument that says God also inspired the repetition and He has a purpose for it.  If this entire account of a true event had some prophetic parallelism (and I believe it does) to what God’s Children will experience individually throughout history and collectively on the day of Christ’s return, then this particular piece of repetition is clearly intended to reinforce that believers will be treated differently (“But the sons of Israel…”) and that we will have safe passage, protected on all sides, and be safely escorted to eternity with God.  What a day that will be for each of us.

The Bible says, “Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.”  Not a pleasant sight at all even if these corpses had belonged up to that moment in time to the perpetrators from which the children of Israel were fleeing for their lives.  Those of us who truly value life still find it somewhat disturbing when our enemies are eliminated especially through gruesome deaths.  In light of the recent typhoon in the Philippines that killed thousands, one of our national paper’s yesterday reminded us of the hundredth anniversary of a fatal storm in the Great Lakes and published a picture of dead bodies washed ashore near Goderich, Ontario on the eastern coast of Lake Huron in November 1913.  It caught me by surprise.  We are more used to it these days with the reports from natural disasters and wars coming to us live on television.  But I have to think that there was still some element of shock for the Children of Israel in seeing their enemies lying dead on the seashore.  Perhaps there is coming a day when we will see those that have rejected God dead.  I do not look forward to it at all.  But I also cannot ignore it for my God is indeed a holy God, a righteous God, a God Who gives us many chances to accept His free gift of salvation.  But a time comes when we have rejected once too often.
Clearly, the Israelites recognized that God did the saving that day.  There was no human way possible to explain it otherwise.  Whether it was a miracle or not is not the issue.  The fact is that it was accomplished only by the mighty power of God and His interference with nature.  He delivered on His promises that His people would be set free from their bondage in Egypt and from the Egyptians themselves.  Our job as readers thousands of years later is to focus on that great power of His to save, a power that is ever the same even today.  And as we do, the natural human outcome that we display cannot but be anything different than how the Children of Israel felt after their experience.  The Bible says, “they saw His great power, they feared the Lord (I believe with reverence), and they had great honor and esteem for His chosen servant.”

As you focus on this short passage of Scripture ask yourself, “Have I seen this great and mighty power and evidence of God’s presence in my life?  In the world?”  And if you have, then ask yourself, “Have I reacted in the way I really should?  Do I have the adoration and commitment to God and His servant, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that I should have?  Have I accepted God’s free gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus?” 

Friends, it is never too late.  God’s angel is before you and your enemies have been kept at bay until now.   But ultimately you get to choose if you are in the group of God’s creations that were represented by the Children of Israel or in the group represented by the Egyptians.  It is my prayer you make the right choice.

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[Are you looking for a speaker at your church, your club, school, or organization? Ken is available to preach, teach, challenge, and/or motivate. Please contact us.]

Thanks for dropping by. Sign up to receive free updates. We bring you relevant information from all sorts of sources. Subscribe for free to this blog or follow us by clicking on the appropriate link in the right side bar. And please share this blog with your friends. Ken Godevenos, Church and Management Consultant, Accord Consulting.  And while you’re here, why not check out some more of our recent blogs shown in the right hand column.  Ken.

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It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

A Curling “Rink’s” Dream Sweeper -- Exodus 14:21-25

--> Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.  And the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.  Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.  And it came about at the morning watch, that the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.  And He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”
 
“The Lord swept back the sea.” For those of you who participate in the sport of curling, you might well be saying, “Wow, could we ever use a sweeper like that on our rink!”  This was indeed God working with the forces of nature (wind in this case) that He Himself created to move the water out of the way so His children could escape their enemy on dry ground.  Amazing.

However, before God interacted with nature, He waited on Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea.  God did not need help, but at this point, when it came to the Children of Israel, God wanted two things.  First, He wanted His people to be reminded of who their God-appointed leader was.  Second, He wanted that leader, Moses, to have ultimate trust in, and reliance upon, God.  So, He waited until Moses stretched out his hand over the sea.

The Bible says God swept back the sea using a strong east wind.  And that wind blew all night dividing the waters and separating them with dry land.  The Bible says the waters acted as walls on either side of the cleared passage.  Scientists have been trying to explain this for years.  Some rely on it being a “sea of reeds” and that it was incorrectly interpreted as the Red Sea.  And of course, to them reeds only grow in very shallow water that easily could allow the Israelites to pass.  Okay, but did that equally shallow water cause the drowning of the entire Egyptian army?  Sorry, that argument does not, pardon the pun, “hold water”.  I choose and believe in, as an explanation, the miraculous intervention of God with the nature He created.

I have learned, though not early enough, that taking up a pursuit that was against God’s will, as the Egyptians did, is bound to fail.  There was no way the Egyptians could succeed and there is no way any one of us could succeed when we intentionally go against what we know is the will of God.  Whether you are chasing something immoral, or something for your own pride or ego, even something that would be nice to have but not expedient for you as a Christian, stop for a moment and determine honestly if you have the assurance it is indeed God’s will for your life.  If so, keep at it.  If not, drop it.  Success will only come if God is in it.  Failure and often disaster is bound to result if He is not.  Even if you have all the resources possible to bring it about as Pharaoh had all his horses, all his chariots, and all his horsemen, the pursuit is doomed.  Just ask the Egyptian army pursuing the Israelites.

So how did it come about?  In the morning after the night during which the angel of God and the pillar of cloud prevented the Egyptians from attacking the Israelites, God looked down on the Egyptian army and caused great confusion among them.  He caused their wheels to swerve as they pursued the Israelites making the chariots very difficult to drive and direct.  Realizing the predicament they were in (like wagon trains getting stuck in the muddy ruts of dirt roads), the Egyptians came to two realizations.  First, they had to turn back and flee for their lives.  And second, God was fighting against them on behalf of His children.

That is the goal of the Christian when he or she is in trouble.  Follow the instructions given by God, have full reliance on Him, and live in such a way that the Enemy will flee from you as he realizes that God is fighting on your behalf.  Whether it is your circumstance or that of the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, God does look down and He will not be mocked.  In fact, when we look at what is going on in the world today especially in countries like America that should know and do better when it comes to what God expects, we can be sure that God is looking down and ultimately He will not be mocked.  When the time comes in accordance with His schedule He will act.  But right now, He is simply causing or allowing great confusion to envelope society.  It is during these times, that He provides His clear and direct guidance only to those that seek Him through a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ.

And when God causes confusion, our world society keeps going further and further into the mire of hopelessness, losing its bearings, and doomed for an eternity without God because it chose to pursue what God did not want for them.  We are seeing great evidence of that everywhere we look.  Morality, ethics, standards, holiness, integrity, and accountability “have left the building!”

It is my prayer and hope that some (perhaps that includes you) will get the message to stop their “pursuit” before the wheels of their lives swerve into an eternity without God.  They can get out of their circumstances. God is there for them just as He is for those that already love Him and have made His Son their Lord and Master.  It is never too late.  May I suggest that you reach out to Him right now in prayer and then seek out a friend, or a relative, or a pastor/minister that already has that relationship with Him, and say, “I’m ready to yield my life, my will, to Him; will you help me?”  Let God sweep your life clean for eternity.

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[Are you looking for a speaker at your church, your club, school, or organization? Ken is available to preach, teach, challenge, and/or motivate. Please contact us.]

Thanks for dropping by. Sign up to receive free updates. We bring you relevant information from all sorts of sources. Subscribe for free to this blog or follow us by clicking on the appropriate link in the right side bar. And please share this blog with your friends. Ken Godevenos, Church and Management Consultant, Accord Consulting.  And while you’re here, why not check out some more of our recent blogs shown in the right hand column.  Ken.

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It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

God’s Protection Services -- Exodus 14:19-20

And the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.  So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night.  Thus the one did not come near the other all night.


Whenever I read these two verses lately, I cannot help but think of all the bodyguards that today’s politicians, celebrities, and senior businesspersons have.  Millions and millions of dollars are spent annually protecting these people from harm, kidnapping, and even assassination.  Yet the best protection for our lives is totally free of charge.  God’s protection services come with only two requirements.  Follow the path He has laid out for you as His child and rely totally on Him.

But let’s look closer at His methods.  He employs angels who strategically place themselves between the perils we fear and us.  Sometimes they go before us to lead us and sometimes they go behind us to protect us from surprise attacks.  He is in full control of His armies.  And when the world entraps us into utter despair, God is there.

While the angels’ primary concern was to protect the children of Israel, the pillar of cloud was more of a physical barrier to the Egyptians preventing them from attacking.  Although it is often too hard for us to understand it in our times of trouble, the fact is that God’s protection services are twofold – they take care of us while at the same time dealing with our enemies.

The angels moved from being in front to being behind the Israelites.  The pillar of cloud had provided light for them.  Together they had led them under God’s direction to the Red Sea.  The path to be followed at this point forward was clear – difficult, requiring great faith, but clear.  Put another way, they could not get lost.  Thus, it was totally safe for the angels to move behind them.  And the light from the pillar of cloud, once it moved to being behind them as well, could now shine from behind to provide some light, but also be utilized as a “blinding light” to the enemy, preventing them from being able to see the children of God.  Finally, as one commentator stated, that same pillar that was preventing the Egyptians from striking the Israelites could also have saved them had they, even at that point, heeded God’s warning to let His people go.

The passage ends by stating that “one did not come near the other all night” – the parties did not interact all night.  God’s angel and His pillar of cloud kept them apart.  They were safe.  All they had to do was stay on the path He identified for them and trust Him.

Hidden in all of this is a very difficult lesson for Christians to learn and accept.  It is this:  God is at work for our good even though He may choose for a time to keep from us the kind of evidence we would prefer to see of His presence -- blessings, joy, peace, etc.  It is when we are deeply troubled and distressed – mentally, socially, physically; when we see no way out; when the path ahead of us seems to be nothing but utter destruction and ruin – it is then we need to realize that God’s Protection Services are working overtime for us.  Stay the course.  Look up.

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[Are you looking for a speaker at your church, your club, school, or organization? Ken is available to preach, teach, challenge, and/or motivate. Please contact us.]

Thanks for dropping by. Sign up to receive free updates. We bring you relevant information from all sorts of sources. Subscribe for free to this blog or follow us by clicking on the appropriate link in the right side bar. And please share this blog with your friends. Ken Godevenos, Church and Management Consultant, Accord Consulting.  And while you’re here, why not check out some more of our recent blogs shown in the right hand column.  Ken.

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It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Giving back to Pastors in the GTA, Ontario area.

Are you a Pastor in the GTA, Ontario?   Three of us want to give something back from our expertise to those who lead our churches.  Take a look:

Church Leaders Forum

You are invited to join Ken Hall of Robertson Hall Insurance, Andrae Marrocco of Dickinson Wright Lawyers, and Ken Godevenos of Accord Consulting on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. for an information session on the latest insurance, legal and employment issues facing the church. This is an invitation only event (requests for additional attendees can be made before the event) as such events are intentionally kept to a small number to facilitate open discussion.

Hosted by Dickinson Wright LLP at:
199 Bay Street, Suite 2200
Commerce Court West (southwest corner of King & Bay)
Toronto, Ontario, M5L 1G4
[Please note that this is a secure building & all visitors must register in the lobby.]

Meeting Agenda

10:00 a.m.      Registration and refreshments

10:25 a.m.      Welcome and introductions - Andrae Marrocco

10:30 a.m.      Part A: What you need to know about being insured - Ken Hall  (includes Q&A)

10:50 a.m.      Part B: What you need to know about your employees - Ken Godevenos (includes Q&A)

11:10 a.m.      Part C: What you need to know about recent changes in the law and the church - Andrae Marrocco (includes Q&A)

11:30 a.m.      Participants verbal feedback and suggestions for future events - Ken Godevenos

11:40 a.m.      Thank you and adjournment - Andrae Marrocco

11:45 a.m.      Feel free to network with your colleagues with more coffee!

RSVP (required): Mary Smythe at 416-777-4040 or by email: msmythe@dickinsonwright.com

For more information, please contact:
Andrae Marrocco’s office at 416-777-4046

We look forward to having you join us on November 21st.


Biographies

Kenneth A. Hall is President of Robertson Hall Insurance and specializes in insurance protection and risk management advice for over 5,500 churches and Christian charities across Canada.  His “Facing the Risk” series of articles highlights the current issues facing Christian charities and their leaders, including abuse prevention, board governance, counselling services and injury prevention.

Andrae Marrocco is a seasoned lawyer whose practice spans advising clients on sophisticated international transactions to everyday legal matters. This versatility allows Andrae to advise churches on both simple and complex legal issues with great insight and in a practical and creative manner.

Serving on the leadership team of his local church as a credential holder, Andrae has a deep understanding of Christian doctrine, the mission of the Church and the fundamental principles by which it functions. Moreover, he appreciates the realities, dynamics and requirements of the day-to-day operations of churches.

Andrae brings an innovative, insightful and solutions-focused approach to providing legal advice that is informed by his Christian perspective. He is dedicated to the expansion of the Church and has the understanding, passion and qualifications necessary to assist churches in achieving their mission.

Ken Godevenos is President of Accord Resolution Services Inc. and an experienced speaker, facilitator and seminar leader. He is an active member of WorldatWork, having served as Canadian President, American Board Director, and Chairman of the International Committee.

Ken also serves as President of SCA International, a Canadian Christian Mission, responsible for staff and volunteers working across the country both independently and from four year-round Ministry Centres, and working primarily with Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.

Author of Human Resources for the Church: Applying Corporate Principles in Spiritual Settings, a 432 page handbook for Pastors, Executive Pastors, as well as Church Board- and HR Committee- members.  The book was published and is available through Essence Publishers or from SCA International.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

JIHAD VS. TERRORISM defined by Islamic Authorities.

Last night on our way home from spending an evening with my son and daughter-in-law, we somehow got into the discussion of the current American President and what I consider his obvious love for Muslims. I made a mistake. I probably, in hindsight, should have used the word "Islam" rather than Muslims. My bad.

It turns out some very good friends of theirs are peace-abiding, loving, Muslims who are not at all in favor of what Islamic Extremists are doing. I tried to explain that I do love and care about the individual person who happens to be a Muslim as much as I care for one who is not. That was not the issue. (They felt I was painting them all with a broad brush to say the least.)

The issue, at least as far as I was concerned, was what the Islam faith actually stands for. Me arguing that, if the Koran is followed accurately, Islam stands for the forcing of Islam on the whole world and the installing of Sharia Law globally. They were arguing that it does not and that there are other parts of the Koran (albeit written earlier in the life of Mohammed) that make it, in the words of both recent conservative and liberal American Presidents, a "religion of peace". Everyone, including Presidents, have the right to their own opinion. I was arguing that it is anything but in its purest sense since Islam scholars take the later writing of Mohammed to nullify any earlier writing where there is a contradiction.

My wise wife was able to bring a sense of closure to the discussion by re-crafting my words into something that was more palatable. She said, "What Dad is saying is that he believes there appears from circumstances we observe that Obama has an agenda to reduce America's power in a way that would facilitate the Islamic takeover of the world." Thank you darling.

This morning as I thought about the argument with my children, the article in the link below came to me on the Internet. It is a must read on the issue of "Jihad" vs. "Terrorism". I sent it to my son with these words:

"I did not go looking for this article. It came to me today because I was praying about how best to get the point I was trying to make across, at least to you. Please read it carefully throughout when you have time -- with a good drink (coffee will do just fine) in your hand. Don't get angry -- just read it. Especially the part at the end which addresses the very question of why moderate Muslims do not speak up.
Love, Dad.
p.s. is it possible that some of my concern (although you feel 'que sera sera' and I agree to a point spiritually speaking) -- but is it possible, that part of my concern has to do with my love for my children, their spouses, my grandchildren, those living and those still to come by God's will -- and what they may have to go through if we don't take a stand now?"

I share the article with you the reader and I hope you share it with others, especially your loved ones. And don't forget to comment on it.

p.s. And no one should get upset -- after all, the article is primarily a quote from Islam's own authorities.

Jihad vs. Terrorism

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Man, Here’s Your Role and Here’s Mine, and the Reason -- Exodus 14:15-18

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?  Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.  And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.  And as for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.  Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”
 
After Moses tells the children of Israel to “just stay silent” and watch God at work, the Lord has a word for Moses himself.  You can imagine what Moses was going through listening to the complaining Israelites, seeing the Egyptians and their chariots closing in on them, and then having to tell his people that everything will be fine.  There must have been a lot of crying, and a lot of crying out to God, in private.  And thus God says to him, “Why are you crying out to me?”  There’s a time to pray, a time to cry out, but there’s also a time for action.  Too many Christians stop at the crying stage or worse still they get stuck at crying out to God.  It is one thing to ask for God’s help, it is another to hold Him responsible for your situation.

God tells Moses to simply tell the Israelites “to go forward”.  Have you ever been in a situation where you are in so far that the only way to end it is to go through with it – to move forward?  Sometimes God allows us these experiences, only to see His Hand at work later on.  Some of you may have sensed a hesitation to allow your child to marry their chosen partner, but you “moved forward”, and God has blessed that marriage more than you could ever hope for.  Sometimes, you wanted to change your mind about a new job, but you hang in there, “moving forward” and God has blessed you.   We move forward as we sense His direction, do our part, and then God does His.   This passage of Scripture is very clear about those steps.

Tell the people you’re leading to move forward.  Then do your part.   Moses had to lift up the staff he was holding in his hand and stretch it out over the sea for it to divide, so that the sons of Israel could cross it on dry land.  Wow.  Clearly God did the dividing of the sea, but there were two prerequisites in this case.  First, the entire congregation had to “move forward” towards the dangers of the water before them.  Any move like this is part risk, part faith for the Christian.  The more grounded we are in our dependence on God, the less the risk and the more the assurance that He will intervene.
The second prerequisite was that Moses, as leader, had to do his part.  He had to exercise His faith – God had proven Himself to Moses when God was preparing him.  But he had to do it in the way he was being instructed.  It would not work any other way.  He couldn’t do “his own thing”.  He had to lift up the walking stick he was holding and hold it over the sea.  Sometimes, people are asked to take risks, to move forward into battle, to accept the new tightening of economic belts that must be done, to suffer, to forfeit their wages and go on strike, etc., while their leaders all continue living their lives of luxury.  It amazes me how some leaders have the gall to pass legislation on their people but exempt themselves from it.  Godly leaders, be it in government or in the church, do their parts among their people not above them.

Clearly God wants the people to move forward, the leaders to act in accordance with His instructions.  Then God said to Moses, “And as for Me, behold, I will . . ..”  God says, “Get the people to move forward, do your part, and then I’ll do mine.”

And what was it exactly that God would do for the Israelites at that point?  He would harden the heart of Egyptians so that they go into the sea after the Israelites.  Wait a minute, God, that’s not exactly a good deal for these people, is it?  I mean here they do their part by going “forward” and Moses their leader does his part, and then you promise to make the Egyptians chase them into the water.  And here’s where real faith comes into the picture.  You see, from a purely human perspective, God was going to make matters worse.  But from His own ‘big picture’ perspective, what was about to ensue would honor Him and all the Egyptians (likely the ones who remained back in Egypt since these ones were about to drown) would know that He is the Lord.

There’s a role for those we lead, there’s a role for us, and then God does His part.  We cannot presume to know the outcome of an event that is still in progress.  In English, we use the phrase “it’s not over until the fat lady (opera singer) sings (her closing aria)” when a situation appears to be nearing its conclusion.  Wikipedia says, “(The phrase) cautions against assuming that the current state of an event is irreversible and clearly determines how or when the event will end.”  Though some like to attribute a feminine gender to the Almighty, I do not, and in no way am I suggesting this colloquialism applies to God.  The simple point is that our God works in surprising and marvelous ways His wonders to perform and most importantly, to have His name honored.  The better we know Him, the less speechless we will be when we see the glorious surprise ending He will bring to the situation.  Your current situation is not always what God has in mind as the final outcome.

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[Are you looking for a speaker at your church, your club, school, or organization? Ken is available to preach, teach, challenge, and/or motivate. Please contact us.]

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Children of Israel, “Just Keep Silent.” -- Exodus 14:13-14

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear!  Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.  The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”
 
As I began to unpack these two little verses, I found them to be full of powerful phrases that deliver some very commanding lessons.

Those of you who have been following my writings know that I never miss an opportunity to reflect on the Bible’s use of the word “but”.  And up until now, if my memory serves me correctly, the emphasis for the most part, has been on the “but God” phrases.  Man wanted to or planned to do one thing, but God had other ideas and that was the end of that.  Here in the beginning of Exodus 14:13 we have the word ‘but’ but this time it is used in conjunction with Moses – But Moses.  Here we have men wanting to do one thing and one man – a man of God mind you – had a different idea.  We will find a number of such characters through the Scriptures and not unlike the fictional characters that go against a trend in many a book, these men of real history become our ‘Biblical heroes’.  I believe God still develops and uses such men and women today.  They are those who go against the trend of secular society.  They do not all become famous by any means, but they make a difference.  And furthermore, they help advance the plan of God for mankind.  And many do not always know of them.  Sometimes they are national presidents like Lincoln or generals like Washington, but more often they are leaders in their small church, or in their business, their classroom, their club or union, or even among their own family.  Sometimes they are men and women just like you and I.
What matters to God and thus to our relationship with Him is that first of all we know when we are to be that leader, and secondly, that we do the right thing when it is time to speak up or act.  Are you there?

In the previous verses we learned that the people became scared when they heard the hooves of the Egyptian horses pulling their armed chariots towards them, but Moses stands out, perhaps alone with only half-hearted moral support from Aaron, and implores them to do just the opposite – “Do not fear!”  Just exactly how does that work?  How do you tell a person that is afraid not to be?  And even if he/she wanted to heed your instruction, how exactly do they go about it?

My 8-year-old grandson is a growing boy.  On thing he has not grown out of just yet however is his fear of being alone on a single floor in the house, or sometimes even in a room.  We have tried to go through various (and vary creative) exercises with him proving that there is nothing to fear, but somehow we have not succeeded in convincing him.  When he is sent to retrieve something (that he himself wants) from the basement or to go upstairs and take a shower, you will often hear him continuously talking to us or singing out loud so we can hear him and thus allow him to sense the connection with others.  Convincing him not to be afraid is not something I have been able to accomplish yet.

Recently we lost our newborn grandson just six hours after he was born.  How do we tell his loving mother and father not to be afraid, saying “the next time will be just fine”?  As a matter of fact, how do I tell my wife that?  Or closer to home still, how do I really tell myself that?  Fear is not something that is easily overcome with words – especially the words of another person.  Telling people “not to fear” when they’re afraid is about as helpful as telling someone “because!” when they ask “why?”.  It just does not cut the mustard – it just does not succeed in its intent nor meet the other person’s expectations.

Moses realizes that in order for the Hebrews to “not be afraid”, they need to do something.  So he gives them further instruction.  “Stand by and watch.”  At the time when the people wanted to act, perhaps run or put up white flags, or they wanted someone to fight hard for them because of their fear of death, their leader says, “Stand by and watch.”  Yes, that is correct.  The lesson for us is simple – when our lives are in danger and we have taken the physical, practical means of protection that are ‘humanly’ possible, our job is to then “stand by and watch”.  Are you kidding me?  No.  The secret, however, is in “what” we watch for.

Moses told the Israelites to stand by and watch “the salvation of the Lord”.  In other words, watch how God will do wonders and how you will be saved.  In the case of the Hebrews, we know how the story goes and we will cover that in greater detail further along in our study.  Moses was telling them to have confidence in God’s ability to save. But this instruction can also be applied to how we face our fears.  Do you and I have the confidence that God can save us from whatever befalls us?  Are we in such a relationship with God that whether we live or die physically is less important than the fact that we will live spiritually with Jesus in eternity?  Are we prepared like Paul who tells us, in Romans 12:1, to present our bodies a “living sacrifice” (implying physical death) as our “reasonable act of service and worship” (implying spiritual life)?

And then Moses adds these three words -- “for you today”.  What God would be doing, He would be doing for the Hebrews.  And He would be doing it ‘today’.  You see, when the child of God faces “fear”, God is able to address it “for him/her, today”.  By that, I do not mean to say that my grandson will immediately be able to freely go down to the basement without any lights being on nor do I mean my children will be able to say, “God has told us that our next pregnancy will be perfect.”  I pray it will be, but that is not the guarantee God is giving us.  By God addressing our fear today, for us, we mean that God has the means whereby we can rest assured and safe in His arms, knowing He is with us, knowing He has enabled us to face the past and knowing He will continue to enable us to face the future, no matter what it is, and that one day, all wrongs will be corrected, all illnesses will be healed, all losses will be restored a hundredfold.  Our job is to “stand by and watch.”

Moses told the Hebrews that God was doing this “for them”.  They would never see their enemy again and he adds the word “forever” for emphasis.  Are you there?  Do you have an ‘enemy’?  Is it fear?  Is it some sin?  An addiction?  Whatever or whoever it is, God is able to deal with it or him/her.  Just trust Him and obey Him.  Then stand by and watch.

I love the last sentence of this short passage.  “The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”  There seems to be a condition attached, but it is one that makes the process work.  When God fights for us, He expects us to keep silent.  In one sense, that is physically the easiest thing to do.  Technically no effort is required – just breathing.  But for some of us still very much attuned to our old human nature, it is the hardest thing to deliver.  Keeping silent is no easy instruction.  But here is what I have discovered.  If I do not keep silent, God works things out in such a way that I have no choice but to be silent, so He can go about His business.  You see, my “speaking up” and not remaining silent, only delays the desired outcome (humanly speaking) and makes the journey more difficult.  Let’s “keep silent” in these situations.
 
At the time of writing, the whole world is watching and waiting to see what will be done with the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.  Such weapons are seen as totally taboo by almost all of the world’s powers as agreed to after World War I.  Even their limited use approximately a century later does not bode well for the world.  Every effort must be made to ensure that no one will use them again.  But how is that to be done without the shedding of more blood?  God calls us to “stand by and watch”.  I do not say that glibly.  I think we all owe it to mankind to do our part in our sphere of influence to deter evil, but when we have exhausted our human means, as the world seems to have, only God can make the difference.  Better to have Him on board from the start.  Is the message that Moses gave to the Israelites, the message that says “stand by and watch” – is that the message that God has for you and I today – be it in global matters such as Syria, or in a very personal matter that only you and God know about?

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[Are you looking for a speaker at your church, your club, school, or organization? Ken is available to preach, teach, challenge, and/or motivate. Please contact us.]

Thanks for dropping by. Sign up to receive free updates. We bring you relevant information from all sorts of sources. Subscribe for free to this blog or follow us by clicking on the appropriate link in the right side bar. And please share this blog with your friends. Ken Godevenos, Church and Management Consultant, Accord Consulting.  And while you’re here, why not check out some more of our recent blogs shown in the right hand column.  Ken.

________________________________________________________________________

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.