Lord in Tough Times

Father, we're gathered together to hear you,  so speak Lord.  

Tune our spiritual ear to hear you.

Last time that I spoke here.  

I had a broken heart at the Global Leadership Summit. My wife's sister had just died, and I was hurting.  

I had just preached her funeral.  

My wife sat right there, and we were brokenhearted.  

I was frustrated with God.  I was broken and tired.  God pushed me onto the stage with a broken heart.  

We grieved for the next 6 to 9 months. 

Then, I received an e-mail from Pakistan.

A preacher from Pakistan said that he was thinking about taking his life at the Global Summit.  

While at the summit listening to Albert Tate, the pastor said my life was changed. 

I realized that we have a good God who causes us to go through hard things.  

When we go through hard things, God is still good.  

Even with a broken heart God stills calls us to be obedient because He's with us.  

If you're going through a difficult  time, read this story of Moses.  

Exodus 3:1 Living Bible (TLB)

3 One day as Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro,the priest of Midian, out at the edge of the desert near Horeb, the mountain of God, 

2 suddenly the Angel of Jehovah appeared to him as a flame of fire in a bush. 

When Moses saw that the bush was on fire and that it didn’t burn up,

3-4 he went over to investigate. 

Then God called out to him, “Moses! Moses!”

“Who is it?” Moses asked. 

5 “Don’t come any closer,” God told him. 

“Take off your shoes, for you are standing on holy ground. 

6 I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

(Moses covered his face with his hands, for he was afraid to look at God.)

7 Then the Lord told him, “I have seen the deep sorrows of my people in Egypt and have heard their pleas for freedom from their harsh taskmasters. 

Moses was coming out of one of the biggest mistakes.  

He didn't look like his parents, but he looked like one of the slaves.  

One day he killed an Egyptian to save a slave.  

The next day Moses saw two slaves fighting, and they asked him are you going to kill us too?  

Pharaoh found out.  

He tried to arrest him.

Moses ran and was in hiding.  

Moses thought it was over, and it was done.  

What was the end was only the beginning.  

God says that He has a purpose for your life.  

As long as you have breath in your body, you still have a purpose. 

Moses got married.  

Had children. 

Was working when God called him.  

Moses thought that I just got myself together.  

I don't need to begin again.  

I'm good.  

I'm comfortable.  

God said Moses I didn't call you for this.  

I'm calling you for something greater.  

The Spirit was pushing him for his greater purpose. 

God said that you need to take your shoes off because you are standing on holy ground.  

He has called us from work to worship.  

God said that its not about you working. It's about me working in your life.  

You need to experience the power of my worship. 

Don't get so familiar with God that you forget to take your shoes off.  

You can't do life without worship.  

You aren't going to be able to do it alone.  

You've got to feel my presence.  

It's me that driving.  

It's not your checkbook, but my provision.  

Take your shoes off Moses, so you can feel my holy ground between your toes.  

Stand in My power that's greater than you.

Take your shoe off because I don't want you to track that dung of your past into my presence.    

You're going to be standing in the presence of Pharaoh.  

That's a piece of cake as compared to me. 

Recapture the wonder and awe of your God.

I've come to remind you today.  

Your Father owns all the land.  

You ought to be in awe of Him.  

Do you know who your Father is?  

God didn't speak until Moses moved.  

Moses saw the bush on fire, but God waited on Him.  

The fire didn't consume it.  

It intrigued Moses.  

Moses moved, and then God spoke.  

Is God waiting on you to move?  

God saw Moses take a step, and then God responded.  

Take a step into obedience then listen for God's voice in your heart.  

Some of you are holding on and waiting on God.  

Take a step in obedience, and then watch Him to act.

Moses hears his assignment, but Moses spouted out his insecurities.  

Moses said that you want me to do the thing that I'm weakest in!  

God doesn't want your strengths  but your weaknesses.  

If you use your strengths, you'll say that you did it, but if you use your weaknesses, you'll know that it's God.  

The fact is that I'm tired and weary, but the truth is that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strengths. 

Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.  

Church you may have been through a hard time, but Church all things work together for the good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). 

Give God praise as you hold on a little while longer.  

God needs us to show up because there are lost people. 

God thank you for your Spirit that keeps us fighting when we want to quit.  

We've got a great big God to carry us on. 

Praise to God in Jesus's name.   

Romans 10:9-10 Living Bible (TLB)

9 For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

10 For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation.

             

Albert Tate, speaking at Willowcreek Church