EXODUS 6:6-8 - GOD'S PERFECT PROMISES - MEN'S PERFECT EXCUSES

INTRODUCTION:

ILLUSTRATION: http://net.bible.org/illustration.php?topic=509  (Accessed 4/6/08)

Ten Most Used Excuses

1. I forgot. 2. No one told me to go ahead. 3. I didn't think it was that important.

4. Wait until the boss comes back and ask him. 5. I didn't know you were in a hurry for it.

6. That's the way we've always done it. 7. That's not in my department. 8. How was I to know this was different'

9. I'm waiting for an O.K. 10. That's his job-not mine.

Bits and Pieces, November, 1989, p. 18

ILLUSTRATION: http://net.bible.org/illustration.php?topic=509  (Accessed 4/6/08)

Deion "Prime Time" Sanders, outfielder for the Atlanta Braves and cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons, is the only athlete to have hit a Major League home run and scored an NFL touchdown in the same week.

Sanders grew up on the mean streets of Fort Myers, Fla., where exposure to some would-be athletes spurred him to make a success of himself. He explains: "I call them Idas. ‘If I'da done this, I'd be making three million today .If I'da practiced a little harder, I'd be a superstar.'

They were as fast as me when they were kids, but instead of working for their dreams they chose drugs and a life of street corners. When I was young, I had practice; my friends who didn't went straight to the streets and never left. That moment after school is the moment we need to grab. We don't need any more Idas.

Mike Lupica in Esquire

1 - WHO AM I - THE EXCUSE OF PAST FAILURES

Exo 3:11  And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

ANSWER - I WILL BE WITH YOU

Exo 3:12  And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

2 - WHAT SHALL I SAY - THE EXCUSE OF PAST LIFESTYLES

Exo 3:13  And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

ANSWER - SAY I AM HAS SENT YOU

Exo 3:14  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

Exo 3:15  And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Exo 3:16  Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:

Exo 3:17  And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

3 - THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE ME - EXCUSE OF IRRELEVANT TESTIMONY

Exo 4:1  And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

ANSWER - WHAT IS IN YOUR HAND - ROD, TRIBE, AUTHORITY, SUPPORT OF LIFE

Exo 4:2  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

4 - I AM NOT ELOQUENT - EXCUSE OF LACK OF GIFTEDNESS

Exo 4:10  And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

ANSWER - WHO MADE YOU

Exo 4:11  And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

1 Sam 2:6-9  The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

2 Cor 5:17-18  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

5 - SEND SOMEONE ELSE - EXCUSE OF LACK OF CONFIDENCE

Exo 4:13  And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

ANSWER - I WILL TEACH YOU - I WILL BE WITH YOUR MOUTH

Exo 4:14  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

Exo 4:15  And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

6 - WHY DID YOU SEND ME - EXCUSE OF INFERIORITY

Exo 5:22  And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

ANSWER - I WILL - 7 I WILLS OF GOD

Exo 6:6  Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

Exo 6:7  And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

Exo 6:8  And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

7 - THEY DIDN'T LISTEN - WHO AM I - EXCUSE OF FEAR

Exo 6:12  And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

ANSWER - GOD CHARGED - COMMISSIONED, COMMANDED OR PUT IN ORDER

Exo 6:13  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

John 1:10-14  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

CONCLUSION:

EXCUSE FREE WORLD.ORG

1 - The number one thing holding you back from you living the life of your dreams is your excuses.

2- "And the excuses that hold you back the most are the habitual excuses you habitually make but never notice."

3 - "Before you can ever hope to build the life of your dreams, you must stop manufacturing excuses."

4 - "Unconsciously, everyone wants to improve both themselves and their lives. So once you start becoming aware of the excuses you were habitually making , you'll automatically start making less excuses and start generating more positive results."

5 - Find a way to recognize every excuse you make each day and record it on a note card.

6 - At the end of the day read the excuses you used that day and do not repeat them the next day.

7 - Repeat this for 21 days and your excuse cycle will be broken