Michael Ngubane
We greet the brethren this Sunday morning - the day we worship our Lord and put everything else aside and sit at His feet. We are all united even though we not all in one place physically. We witness that God is working and we thank Him. He works in exalted ways and the gospel is going forth. There is a team in Switzerland and Germany proclaiming the gospel. The team that we prayed for, has returned. They were in Romania for services. They will share how the Lord worked and kept them.
Ruth Combrink. It was a privilege attend a family conference in Romania. Noami and I were with Baba and Mama Hlongwane and Khoza. It was a first time we were in Romania without Rev Stegen. There were many memories. Rev Stegen was the pioneer who took out the big trees and the roots and made a road for the gospel. We can go on the road he prepared. He said that we must run faster than he did. He has prepared the way, and it was a challenge for us.
The conference theme was taken from John 4 and it was amazing to experience this word in the people who attended the conference.
14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14.
It was the first time since COVID that so many visitors attended. It was wonderful to see their thirst, how they receive the living water and how it changes their lives. We counselled people until late every night. Old and young came with what hindered their relationship with the Lord. May we not get used to the living water but have a thirst for it. It is inspiring to see the young people serve the Lord and spread the gospel. The work has grown in Romania.
Bruno Hlongwane. It was a privilege to go to Romania and take the gospel. The Lord worked through people who are nothing. This country was ruled by Communism and the people have been through much suffering, but God sets people free. Many came from neighbouring European countries. Some travelled up to 11 hours to get there. There were about 360 people who attended and when Hans Koller asked how many people had known Rev Stegen, about half of the group raised their hands. God is working there and Mr Koller continues with God’s work in that place. Whenever we spoke, it was in English which made it easier for translation. People used this way to unburden their hearts. The Koller family made sure that we had everything we needed. They served us amazing food.
I noticed an 11-year-old-boy who waited while people counselled. He did not leave as people came and went. He waited until the last person had left at about 1am. Then he accompanied us to our sleeping quarters. The people’s hearts are open, they want the gospel. We should be on fire more than anyone else so that we can take the gospel to others.
Before we left SA for Romania, we prayed with the older coworkers. They sent us with the following text: 8 Finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 1 Peter 3:8
Those words built us. We were to be united so that the people would see Christ in us. Be of one heart, in mind. That helped us very much. We had the same goal of humility and submission to the next person. It was wonderful to be with Baba’s daughters and Baba Khoza. He is a humble man.
Michael Ngubane
We are thankful to hear such wonderful tidings. Rev Stegen walked ahead of us. He was the pioneer. We give God all the praise.
Our text for today is from Exodus. This is a well-known portion where the Lord revealed Himself in the burning bush. May the Lord help us that we will pay attention to what God says and receive it.
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, Exodus 3:1-7
A leguaan stays in water but inside mud. When it comes out of the water it is filthy because it stays in the mud. A leguaan is not pretty but it is also covered in mud. Are things going well where you stay? Do you mix with the right people? Why are people drawn to you? Because of the water you have or because of the mud.
There is water, that if you have drunk it, you will not thirst again. Craving for anything else has gone. You are satisfied. What draws people to you? Do you have another kind of calling? This is the challenge for the people who live here face. Do we see the great treasure God has given us? Has it dawned on us what kind of gospel this is? Is there anything greater than what the Lord has given us in this revival? This gospel parts a man from sin. It is the truth as the Bible teaches. A spade is called a spade. We should live lives that show that this gospel has done its work.
How can you live here in sin and filth? How can you live here but your life does not show revival, it shows dirt, dust and mud like the leguaan? We should be able to take this light to the dark world. You cannot say that is someone else’s job, it is yours. You may have heard and seen but it does nothing to you. Get out of the mud and into the water so that you can get clean. You cannot live in the mud and not get dirty. You cannot live with dirty talk, and it does not affect you.
Moses grew up in Egypt in the royal household. He was part of the royal family. He was the son of Pharoah’s daughter. He was in the palace, but he was selected. He was educated in the Egyptian ways, but he knew there was work that God wanted him to do and that God had said he must do. He did not know when, but he knew there was something God required him to do. Moses looked like an Egyptian. He dressed like one. He knew his position. Although he lived for many years in Egypt, he did not forget who he was and where he had come from. It is easy for someone to forget their origin and where they were born. It is easy for a young person to forget the teachings they were raised under. It is easy to be swept aside and forget where you came from. You may be in another country and forget that you are a Hebrew.
The children of Israel who were exiled in Babylon cried out as they remembered their home. We might find ourselves in another country, but we should not forget what we have been taught and where we have come from. When the children of God remembered Zion, the enemy asked them to sing the songs of Zion. How could they sing songs of Zion in Babylon?
You might be here, but the enemy has taught you how to sing and dance to other music. He plays around with you. The heathens see you move your head in time to the music and they help you. They know where you come from and that you should not behave in that way. You are corrected by people who are not Christians.
Moses did not forget that he was a Hebrew. His father-in-law was a priest of Midian. Moses worked faithfully for his father-in-law so he could marry his wife. The ancient brides were expensive. The men had to work for their brides and show that they were willing to go through difficulties to obtain a bride. They had to show that they had a backbone.
Moses remembered what he was supposed to do. He did not take his royal position and flaunt it. He remembered what he was supposed to do. He had to remain faithful in the work he had been given. Moses was trained in humility. He humbled himself under authority. It was irrelevant how much work he was required to do and what he had to do. If you receive instructions from a younger person or a woman, just do what you are supposed to do. Humble yourself. You will lose out if you come with your own mind. Not that when a younger person tells you what to do, you don’t like it, and you cannot submit. We need to learn to submit to the authority put above us that gives us our work every day.
This text reveals that Moses was a champion of humility. He could do exactly what he was told. Moses understood the importance of dying to self and doing what he was told. There was no one as humble as Moses. He knew what it meant to humble himself under the hand of God.
It took time for Moses to learn. He spent 40 years in Egypt and what he learned there, remained with him. When Moses arrived at the place where the Lord wanted to use him, he was 80 years old. He did not deviate from what he had to remain faithful to.
The Lord revealed Himself through a burning bush. Moses was looking after the flock when he noticed a bush burning that was not consumed. He saw the smoke and fire and went aside. Then God spoke and called him by name, ‘Moses, Moses.’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ Moses realized that it was God. Moses was privileged to know God. Brethren, it is important that we know God. Do we understand when He speaks to us? Does God understand that we are His children? Our relationship with God should not confuse others. We know God and God speaks to us.
The Angel of the Lord spoke to him and said, ‘Moses, Moses, do not to come closer because the ground on which you are standing is holy. Do not come closer. Take off your shoes because the ground you are standing on is holy.’ Moses heard what he had to do. He understood that he needed to remove his shoes because the place where he stood was holy. Do you hear God speak to you? Many want to do something for Jesus, but can Jesus send you? Are your sandals covered in mud? How can you be used by God in that state? Do not draw near because the place where you stand is holy. Find out whether there is a blemish or a smell in your life. God wanted to use Moses, there is no doubt about it, but He did not want to use him in the state he was in. Many want to be used by God, but how can God use them when their sandals are filthy and smelly? When God says remove the sandals, He means that you should remove the sin that hinders God working because where you stand it is holy.
Moses did not go closer. Moses did not ask what sandals God was referring to. He did not tell God that he did not understand what God meant. He did exactly what God said in the holy presence of God. He understood that God was there.
Look at your shoes. What is on your shoes? What is the smell that comes from your sandals? There is a smell that follows a person if he stands on something that he should not. Go straight to the point. Deal with the things that part you from God. What are the things that you and God know? How can there be bitterness, but you expect God to work? You cannot be used by God if you are affected by the lusts of the flesh or you have an evil eye?
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. Psalm 24:3,4
Look at your hands and fingers. Are they clean? Are you ashamed about the way you treat yourself? You steal. You hit others. You use your hands for filth. How can you be used of God? Remove your sandals because the place you stand on is holy ground. The world needs the gospel but your heart must be pure and you must not be given over to lies. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the ones who do the work of God and have removed the sandals of sin and filth. Your problem may be that you cannot humble yourself. This is a rock in your path. Wife, you cannot submit to your husband. You take the way of the world of 50-50. You will end in hell.
Moses was humble and righteous, and he experienced hardship from the people he led. He learned how to be patient, vigilant and wait on the Lord.
God introduced himself to Moses as, ‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ God emphasises and confirms who He is. Brethren, if you do not know who you pray to, you are lost. When God introduced himself to Moses, Moses hid his face and he was afraid to look at God. He saw his holiness and splendor. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Person you speak to is the God of those men of God and He helped them. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is not just anyone, not any spirit, not an ancestor, He is God himself. Let us remove our sandals and anything that parts us from God. Remove what stands between you and God. Remove what is an abomination to him. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Let us remove the sandals. We need to make our lives right with Jesus because the place on which we stand is holy. This is a place of revival, God’s place. Remove the sandals from your feet. Remove your sin and filth. How long have you been in your filth? This does not please God. The one who does His will pleases God.
God then tells Moses what work he must do. The Lord said that he had heard the cry of his people and seen their suffering. God hears even if you have cried for a long time. God does hear. He sees and hears everything. He revealed to Moses that it was now the time for him to fulfill what he had been called to do. Moses did not argue or oppose God. He understood that he was speaking to God Himself. Allow God to speak and let our minds not hinder anything. ‘I have heard their cry, but Moses, now is the time to set them free.’ If we are not one with the Lord, we will not understand the time and His voice because we do not know Him. It is of the utmost importance to know God, the hour, time and situation and to understand the answer and that God is leading us into this or that. The sandals must be removed for that relationship to stand. When you speak to God, do you understand who He is? How do you treat Him? How do you speak to Him? When a child speaks to you, how do you expect the child to behave? How do you come to God? Do you come with all your heart and accept what He wants of you? Your sandals may be defiled? Have you made sure they are clean before coming to God? When it dawned on Moses what he had to do??
We should not become accustomed to God speaking. We should not treat God as a friend and as it suits us. Do we realise who He is? When we hear and speak, do we realise who He is and what He wants us to do? You cannot draw close to God. We cannot understand the majesty and holiness of God. He is in the holy of holies. What a privilege if God says, ‘Draw nigh to Me.’ Why do you run away when God calls you? ‘I want to save you,’ He says. Why don’t you come? ‘I want to give you a new life, today. I want to change your life. I want you to have a new name today. I want you to live a life that is a blessing. I want you to be a child of the Lord today,’ the Lord says. For how long will you dodge God? Blessed is the one who removes his sandals when the Lord speaks to hear what God says.
Conclusion. Sidlo Khoza. We thank God for what we have heard. This should make us tremble. Moses was told to remove his sandals because the ground was holy. Have we taken off our shoes- everything that defiles us and makes us unworthy of standing before God? If we have not, may we do it. God wanted to speak to Moses and explain things to him, but He could not if he had not removed what was wrong. After Moses had removed his sandals, God told him that He had heard the cry of His people. The God we serve hears and sees. Come to the Lord with whatever problem you have, and He will hear you. Maybe you have prayed for a long time, but God hears and knows your prayers and requests.
