 Many of you guys, you know who I am. You know me tonight as maybe your daughter, maybe as your sister. You might know me tonight as your leader and you might know me tonight as your friend. But I wanna ask you tonight that whatever you may know about me that you will put it aside. And tonight I ask you to give me your heart. I believe that God has placed a message on my heart and I wanna share my own heart with you tonight. So I ask that you'll give me an exchange. Put aside what you know about me and give me your heart. Today we live in a generation without faith and without hope. What I mean by that is you can look all around the world and you can see and hear all about violence. You can hear about war. You can hear about disease that is spreading. You can hear about all these negative things and you can turn on the news and you'll be very hard pressed to find anything positive in the news, am I right? It is so hard to turn on the news and see something positive happening because all you hear is this bad thing is happening. This negative thing is happening. These people are dying by this terrorist group. These people are passing away and perishing because of this disease that is spreading all over the continent of Africa and we are so used to hearing bad news. And because of that our generation is filled without faith and without hope. And we as Christians, as the people of God, we ourselves have taken to that same kind of a mindset. And it's something that's happened within the church today because we watch the news, we hear all those bad things and the problem is is that we have allowed ourselves to believe the things that we hear. We've allowed ourselves to be misled by the negativity. We have allowed ourselves to be influenced by the negative things that are happening around us and we have been persuaded by it. We've been persuaded by the negative things. And tonight I want to share with you a little bit of my heart. I wanna share with you from a story tonight about Moses. Yes, our generation, we have heard many negative things. Yes, we know that things are going on around us. There are people who are dying every single day from horrible things. You hear these days right now about people who are dying by the thousands and by the millions by terrorist groups who are going around just ready to kill people. So sure some of you guys have heard the group ISIS. You've heard of other groups like the Boko Haram who are just out there to destroy the lives of innocent people. And it's very easy to be discouraged by information like this. Our generation is on information overload and all of this information is negative information. And it's easy to ask the question as Christians, well where is God in all of this? And I wanna ask you this question tonight in return. The question really is, is where are we? Because it's really easy to look around and be persuaded by the negative things that are happening around us. And we as Christians, we have begun to believe that same negativity because we look at the situation we say, oh I wish I could help, but really there's not a whole lot that I can do. So what do we do instead? We complain, we talk about it, we think about it, we murmur about it, and we do all these things but we don't do anything about it. Because the church today has become crippled by the negativity that is happening around us. Instead of seeing beyond the situation and allowing God to use us to make a difference, we believe the lie that maybe we can't do it, that maybe we're just not good enough, that you know what, I'm too weak. But the Bible says that instead of criticizing our sixth society, that we should do good to change the bad that we see. If we see negativity, then the Bible says that we should do good to be opposite of that. The Bible says that we are to be the light of the world. Why is that? We're to be the light of the world because we know one thing about light, that where there is the presence of light, that darkness has no hiding place. And you and I, it is our job to bring the light. We know that Jesus Christ is the light. The Bible says that he is the way, the truth and the life, and that he is the light of this world. And if he's the light of the world and he is with us, then we must shine his light in order to expel and expose every single darkness that is around us. But we are young people here. And it's so easy to see all of the negativity and say, you know what, there's nothing I can do about it. I wanna help people. I see that my friends every single day, I talk with them and their situation is a terrible situation. Their family members are sick, they're dying. You hear this bad news about, maybe some of you guys are in high school and your friends are breaking up with each other and their hearts are broken and all this stuff. And you wish that you could help them but you think, you know what, there's not a whole lot that I can do for them because I myself, I'm going through some stuff. I myself, I'm weak. I have weaknesses. I have problems. You know, I, I'm just not good enough. But I wanna share with you a story and a scripture tonight from the book of Exodus in chapter three. And it's the story of Moses. And it's just a little snippet, a little excerpt from his life that I wanna share with you that I believe will encourage you just a little bit. If you can open with me, we're gonna take our reading from Exodus chapter three starting in verse one. Okay, so it's gonna be from verse one and we're gonna read to verse 12. One day, Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire in the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn't burn up. This is amazing, Moses said to himself. Why isn't that bush burning up? I must go see it. When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush. Moses, Moses, here I am, Moses replied. Do not come any closer, the Lord warned. Take off your sandals for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord told him, I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is the land flowing with milk and honey, the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Parasites, Hivites and the Jebusites now live. Look, the cry of the people of Israel has reached me and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abused them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt. But Moses protested to God, who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt? God answered, I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain. Interesting, when I read that story, you hear that God is telling them, I hear the cry. He's telling Moses, I hear the cry of my people and I'm telling you Moses to go. Before I go into that, I wanna give you a little bit of a backstory into Moses' life because he has a very interesting life. Now Moses, he was supposed to die when he was born because he was living during a time where Pharaoh had commanded that all of the Hebrew boys under the age of two were to be killed because Pharaoh did not want anybody to raise up as a deliverer because he had heard about some prophecies. But Moses' life was miraculously saved during that time. And instead of growing up in a Hebrew family, he found himself in the Egyptian palace. Now Moses grew up in the Egyptian palace. He was supposed to die, but his life was miraculously spared. He grew up in the Egyptian palace as a Hebrew person. Now imagine, he's a Hebrew, he knows he's a Hebrew and he's amongst only Egyptians. By the time he became a young adult, he began to have an identity crisis because he realized that he didn't belong. He realized that I am a Hebrew amongst all of these Egyptians and he saw that his people were now slaves. He saw that they were using brick and mortar to make all of these things and they were harshly treated by the Egyptians. And he began to feel like I don't belong here in the palace. So he decides that he's gonna leave the palace and he goes and he tries to make friends with the Hebrews. He thinks, okay, I'm going to abandon the Egyptians. Surely my people will accept me. And he goes and he tries to make friends with the Hebrew people, but they don't want anything to do with him. They don't want to accept him. They say, get out of my face. He even went as far as to kill an Egyptian soldier, maybe perhaps in a way to win their own affection. But it didn't work because now the Hebrews called him a murderer. So he was supposed to die at birth. He was a Hebrew and outcast living with Egyptians. Then he tries to go and live with all the Hebrew people and become a Hebrew, but they too rejected him and called him a murderer. So what does he do? He flees the land and he runs away to Midian. This is a nearby town, a nearby place where he decides, I'm just gonna run away from everything and everyone because I don't belong. My life would have been better off if I just would have died with all of the rest of those Hebrew boys. My life would have been way better off because these people, nobody will accept me. I'm rejected by men. I'm rejected now by the Egyptians. I don't belong there. I'm rejected by the Hebrew people. They don't want anything to do with me. And now they see me as a murderer as well. So what did he do? He ran away. And now Moses finds himself in Midian, just trying to live his life. Just let me just live the rest of my life. Not gonna do anything. Just stay here, live in peace. And suddenly he sees a burning bush and it catches his attention. Suddenly he finds himself having a real legitimate encounter with God Almighty. And what is God saying to him? He said, Moses, I hear the cry. You ran away from Egypt, but I hear the cry of my people. I see how harshly the Egyptians are treating my people. And like I was talking about earlier, it is so easy to see the negative things going on around us and to say, where is God in all of this? I wanna let you know tonight that God hears the cry. But he's looking for somebody that he can send. And I wanna ask you tonight, can God send you? Interesting thing about Moses is when God confronted him and God met him and he showed himself to him in the most miraculous of ways, as a burning bush and the bush was not consumed. And he spoke to him in a voice that was a fearful voice even. He said that Moses, you can't come any closer until you take off your shoes because you're standing on holy ground. Moses had a serious and legitimate encounter with God. But the interesting thing is what Moses said to God. He said, who am I? Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? I left his house, I ran away from the Pharaoh. I said, I don't want to have anything to do with you. He said, who am I to lead the people of Israel? They don't want anything to do with me either. They've rejected me and now they call me a murderer. How can I lead these people? It's better if I just stay here. But the interesting thing is that God did not say, you know what, Moses? You're right. I feel sorry for you. The people rejected you. You left Egypt. You're here. It's better if you just stay here and live in peace. You're safe and you won't ever have to do anything again. But the interesting thing is that that's not what God said. He said, Moses, I hear the cry of my people. I know what is happening to them. I can see what is going on. They're enslaved and they are in bondage and I need you to go and save them. I need you to go and rescue them. Me? Who me? God, you've got to be kidding me. I am too weak. I have weaknesses. I have flaws, God. Can't you see that? I'm a murderer. I have a past. I've been rejected by men. These people want nothing to do with me, but I want to tell you tonight that man's rejection will promote God's direction in your life. I want to tell you tonight, like Moses, maybe you feel like you're weak. You've paid attention to your flaws. You've believed the lie of the enemy that says you're not good enough to be used by God. Moses thought the same thing. He even went as far to tell God in Moses chapter four. I'm gonna read it for you in verse 10. Moses said, but Moses pleaded with God, oh Lord, I am not very good with my words. I never have been and I'm not now. Even though you have spoken to me, I get tongue tied and my words get tangled. He was really trying to convince God that he wasn't good enough. He was trying really hard to convince God that he was too weak. And I want to tell you, you don't have to convince God. He already knows all of your weaknesses. He knows where you came from. He knows your past. He knows your faults and he knows your flaws. But God says, I still want to send you because God does not use your past to determine your future. Because I want to tell you tonight that a murderer from yesterday can be today's deliverer. Whatever your past may be, God will not use your past to determine what you can do for him, what you were able to do for him. You might have weaknesses, yes. You might make mistakes, yes, we all do. But I want to tell you tonight that God is not looking for a perfect person. It would be impossible because there is no perfect person. If God was looking for a person, then there would be no one, and I mean no one, that God could use. So who does he have? He has you and I. And the thing is, is that we have become so used to the lie of the enemy that now we've been saved, we've been living our life, but we're living fear of our past. It's so easy to look back into yesterday and say I made so many mistakes. I can't go to these people. They know who I am. They know me by my past. They know where I've been, they know where I've done. You can go to your schools, you can go to your coworkers, you can go to your family members, and you can say I can't tell them about Jesus. They know where I've been. They know who I am and they know where I've come from. That's exactly what Moses was saying as well. He was saying these people, that you are calling me to rescue. They only know me as a tongue-tied murderer who runs away from his problems. How am I supposed to rescue them, God? The interesting thing is that God said, don't worry because I will be with you. Don't worry about what you're gonna say because I will instruct you on what to say. And he said when they ask you who has sent you because they will ask you who sent you, he says tell them that I am brought you to them. You cannot do anything on your own strength. And we know that to be true because we look and we say I have weaknesses, I have faults, I have flaws. And we oftentimes let those things stop us and hold us back from doing what God has called us to do because God has a purpose for us. And he has outlined his purpose for us as his children in Matthew 28, 19 that says therefore, go and make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God has given us a command, the way that he has given Moses a command to go. He says go and fulfill my purpose. And the interesting part in Exodus chapter four, what Jesus or excuse me, what the Lord responds to Moses. After Moses said I'm not good with my words, even talking to you today, I'm getting tongue tied. In verse 11 it says, then the Lord asked Moses, who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak? Here or do not hear? See or do not see? Is it not I the Lord? Now go, I will be with you as you speak. And I will instruct you in what to say. God wasn't gonna let Moses get out of this. God was not going to let Moses give up. Moses came from a really rough past. He had a really rough beginning. You know, from the palace to the Hebrews, murdering somebody, he had a pretty bad reputation amongst the people. But like I said before, that God will not use your past to determine your future and what you will do for him. We often ask ourselves, who am I to be used by God? Who am I that God would want to use a person like me? A person full of weakness? A person full of flaws? A person who makes mistakes? But I am here to tell you tonight who you are. The Bible says in Romans chapter eight, verse 16, that the Holy Spirit joins with our spirits to declare that we are children of God. If you are a child of God, then you must fulfill his purpose for you, which is to win souls and make disciples. That's what God has called us to do. And if you are a child of God, he has promised that he will equip you with his promises, with everything that he has given us. The Bible says, Jesus said in the book of John, he said, where I'm going, you cannot go, but don't worry, I'm not gonna leave you alone, because I am sending you the advocate. His name is Holy Spirit, and he will help you in your weakness. Your weaknesses today as a Christian are not like other people's weaknesses. The issues that you face today are not like others' issues. The problem that you have today is not like other people, because your problem is not meant to impair you, but to improve you. Your problem is meant for your belief, so that in your weakness that you will learn to run to God so that he can become your strength. Moses said, I don't have any great talents. I can't speak. Every time I speak, my mouth gets tongue tied. These people see me as a tongue tied murderer who runs away from their problems. How can you use me, God? I have no talent. I can't do anything. It's better if I just stay away. But Moses' story encourages me so much, because through his story, I see that my God chooses grace over talent, and he chooses weakness over strength because his power is made perfect in my weakness. That's what the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 12, 9, when Paul is talking about a thorn in his flesh, because Paul encountered the same kind of issue. He said, God, I have a thorn in my flesh. I have something poking me, something bugging me, something that's trying to stop me. Please remove this thorn, make me better. And God responds to him and he says, my grace is all you need, because my power is made perfect in weakness. I wanna tell you that your weakness is not like any other, because as a Christian, your weakness is meant for your belief so that you will learn to run to God and to receive his strength, to receive his power. So the end of the day, when God has stamped your work and you have made it, you will know that it was not because of you, but it was only because of the Holy Spirit working in you. And like Paul, you can say, if I must boast, I will only make my boast in the Lord, because I know that it is all because of him and it's all because of grace. I'm so glad that my God chooses grace over talent and he chooses weakness over strength because then that means that I have a chance. Then that means you and I have a chance to do something great, to fulfill something great in life. You have a purpose and God has called you to fulfill his purpose and the way and the manner in which you and I fulfill that purpose, it's going to be different. Maybe God has called you into ministry. Maybe God has called you to be the next great worship leader. Maybe God has called you to be a doctor so that you can help people. Whatever God has called you to do, it's so that you can fulfill his purpose, to win souls, make disciples, because ultimately our purpose is so that we will not go to heaven alone. Moses, if he stayed in Midian, he would have gone to be with God alone. But God said, I hear the cry, Moses. I hear the cry, Brittany. He's saying, I hear the cry of my children and I can't stand to see it anymore. And Moses, I don't care that you are weak, I'm sending you. He said, I will be with you. I will stand with you and I want to tell you tonight that you with God are the majority. That whoever, whatever people may think about you, whatever situation or circumstance you may be facing, whatever weakness you may have, it is so that you will learn to run to God and with God, nothing is impossible. And like Moses, you can lead his people out of their slavery and into freedom. You can lead these people out of bondage into freedom. This is what God has called us to do because he's heard the cry. You may ask, who am I to do this? I want to tell you that you are a child of God. You are called to do great things. You have a great and mighty purpose and you will do great and wonderful things. Jeremiah 33.3 says that God has said that I will show you great and mighty things that you do, excuse me, that you do not know. If you simply call upon me and we can do it here tonight. So maybe you're like Moses and you're standing in Moses' position. You say, you know what? It can't be me. I have too many weaknesses. I have too many flaws. I have too many things going against me. My past is too bad and I have a bad reputation. But I want you to remember that God chooses grace over talent. Or maybe you're thinking I'm like Paul and I have a thorn in my flesh and that thorn could be anything. It could be a sickness. It could be setback, limitation. It could be temptation of any kind. You name it. That thorn could be anything. But I want to remind you that God said my grace is all you need and my power is made perfect in weakness. Tonight, God is ready to give you the grace to overcome. That whatever weakness that you may be facing, whatever problem that may be standing before you that is trying to stop you from fulfilling your purpose in life. That God says that I am ready to give you my grace. Amen. Amen. So tonight, you guys, just a short message, just a little bit of my heart. I wanted to encourage you just a little bit because we have a great purpose to fulfill. In our church, in our vision, the thing that we talk about the most and that you'll hear over and over and over again is salvation of souls. You hear it because it's our heart. Why? Because that is the heartbeat of God for people to be saved because he hears the cry and he wants you to hear the cry He wants you to be the answer. God has called you to be a solution to people's problems. God has called you to rescue them and he's looking for somebody not who has great strength, not who has great power because you will see that every single champion of faith in the Bible had something in common. Every single one of them had a weakness but every single champion of faith learned to turn their weakness into strength by running to God and allowing God to change their lives. And tonight, I want to encourage you with that that we're gonna take time to pray, to seek after God and to thank him that God chooses grace over talent, that he chooses weakness over strength because then people like you and me, we can do great and mighty things for God. He's not looking for perfect people because those perfect people do not exist but he's looking for people like you and me who will say yes. And you look at the life of Moses and you see all that he accomplished. He was afraid, he thought he was so weak and he thought he couldn't do it but he finally broke down and said, okay God, I'll go. And he went and what happened to him? What happened to Moses? He saw the most miraculous things that you and I could ever dream of. Moses was weak and he said, I can't go to those people. They only know me by my past but he went back to Egypt and he saw the most miraculous signs and wonders and the people of Israel followed Moses and they came to the Red Sea and the same Moses who said, I am a murderer, I am tongue tight, I run away from my problems. He faced the biggest problem of his life which was the Red Sea. And he boldly and confidently with God on his side commanded that Red Sea to be split. The same man who said, I can't talk is the same man who spoke to the sea and he said, you must be split. And he led the Israelites through that Red Sea and all the Egyptians behind him drowned in that same sea. Moses saw miracles. Moses led these people for 40 years through the wilderness and he brought them to the Promised Land just as God promised. Imagine if Moses would not have gone. Imagine if he would have let his weakness stop him from fulfilling the plan of God. He never would have seen a miracle and the people of Israel would have never made it through the Red Sea, made it through the wilderness let alone make it to the Promised Land. So I wanna encourage you tonight, do not allow your weaknesses to stop you. Your weaknesses are meant to cause you to run to God so that you can receive your strength from him and as you do that I promise you you will see the miracles of God. Jesus said, if you only believe you will see the glory of God.