Phil Meade – NorthStar Church Blog

Digging Deeper: Fruits of Your Labor

Phil Meade on August 15, 2025

⁴¹So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls . . . And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acts 2:41, 47b (ESV)

¹³For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ¹⁴How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Romans 10:13-15 (ESV)

FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR

My goal in writing this week’s Digging Deeper was to encourage each of us to examine our own spiritual life. What areas in your life do you need to walk away from? Listen to the convicting voice of the Spirit, allowing His power to strengthen your faith. Build on that faith by digging deeper into God’s Word. Let that knowledge transform your heart to be more like Jesus every day.

Take your faith out for a walk—practice kindness, generosity, and love.
Finally, fortify your faith in community. Join a small group. Serve together. Worship together. There is strength in numbers—the body of Christ grows, and the faith of individual members deepens.

As Mike reminds us frequently, the Christian life is not meant to be a solo flight. If God’s only purpose in salvation was the act itself, you wouldn’t still be here on Earth reading this. As we see in the passages from Acts, at least three thousand souls were added to the early church in one day (v. 41), and many more were saved in the days that followed (v. 47b).

Having strong faith is a gift, but as James writes, “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). Works must accompany our faith. It does us no good to build, strengthen, and fortify our faith, only to leave it sitting on the mantle. If the new converts in the early church had departed that day and never shared their faith, where would the church be today?

One of my favorite passages in Scripture is the progression we find in Romans. I love the logical flow from “What shall we do?”—to calling on the name of the Lord—to Living Sent. Peter checked off every box in his sermon on that special day:
He lived sent—he preached the Gospel—people heard the good news—they believed—their cry of “What shall we do?” was answered—and they were saved!

We should all strive to be those “beautiful feet” that carry the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are crying out for an answer. Get on your feet, and take those new spiritual “muscles” out into the world. You may not save three thousand, but heaven rejoices with just one!

Digging Deeper (er):

Colossians 1:10; 1 Peter 4:10; 2 Peter 1:5-9

Phil Meade is a father of 3, and grandfather of 5. He has a Masters Degree in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NS. He retired after 8 years as an Air Force pilot, and 33 years as a Delta pilot.

Digging Deeper: Fortify My Faith

Phil Meade on August 14, 2025

⁴²And they devoted themselves to . . . the fellowship . . . ⁴⁴And all who believed were together and had all things in common . . . and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people

Acts 2:42a, 44, 46b-47a (ESV)

FORTIFY MY FAITH

Forgive me for sounding like the “get off my lawn” blue-hair, but I believe what is severely lacking in society today is a sense of community. We leave our garage in the morning and return in the evening, shutting the door behind us. We communicate in short messages, post emojis on social media, or fail to interact with one another entirely.

I was on a layover years ago, enjoying a sunny walk through the campus of Vanderbilt University. I witnessed two college students walking closely side by side—heads down, buried in their phones. For all I knew, they were texting each other as they walked!

As mentioned yesterday, if the early church had exhibited the same attitude I observed on that campus, we would not be the body of Christ we are today. The early church came together, having “all things in common” (v. 44a). These were Jews from all over the region, in Jerusalem for Pentecost. Their heritage may have been the same, but they each brought with them pieces of the culture they lived in. They came for fellowship (v. 42a), communal meals, and to worship and praise God (vv. 46b–47a).

John Phillips comments:

The oneness of the early church was organic oneness, not organized oneness. There was a mutual caring and concern for other believers. There was a spontaneous coming together of like-minded believers—in love with the Lord, in love with each other, in love with lost souls.

Notice the common word in the last sentence—love! Love was the recurring theme that fortified the faith of those early believers. You and I are from different backgrounds, have unique stories, and may disagree on many things. The one thing we must share is our love for Jesus, our love for the body of Christ, and our love for those who need to hear the message of the Gospel.

As the writer of Ecclesiastes notes:

“Though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Webster’s defines fortify as: “to give physical strength, courage, or endurance; to add mental or moral strength; to protect or strengthen against attack.” Living in community will strengthen and fortify our faith, protecting us against the attacks of the enemy.

The writer of Hebrews reminds his readers to:

“Stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV).

Digging Deeper (er):

John 17:20-23 (High Priestly Prayer); 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Peter 3:8

Digging Deeper: Exercise My Faith

Phil Meade on August 13, 2025

⁴⁵And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶And day by day, attending the temple together…

Acts 2:45-46a (ESV)

EXERCISE MY FAITH

Exercise! For some of you, this is a four-letter word! For others, it’s an obsession. Most of us fall somewhere in between those extremes. I think we can all agree that exercise is not only good for our physical bodies but also for our emotional well-being. Exercise builds strength, endurance, and discipline. But have you ever thought of your faith as something that needs to be exercised?

Paul often uses exercise metaphors when addressing the various churches he had planted. He reminds the church in Corinth:

“I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified”
(1 Corinthians 9:26–27).

Paul also encourages his protégé Timothy to keep fighting, finish the race, and—through it all—keep the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).

Let’s look at how the members of the early church exercised their faith to bless not only one another, but also their surrounding community.

First, they sacrificed their worldly possessions for the cause (v. 45a).
Boice notes:

They shared their goods because they were generous, and they were generous because they had learned generosity from God. God had been generous with them. So because God had been generous with them, they were determined to be generous with one another.

Generosity is not one of the “easy” virtues in life. We are all born selfish, so generosity takes some serious discipline and exercise. Try it—you may find that joy is your reward!

Second, they looked for needs and fulfilled them (v. 45b).
How often in our daily lives do we miss opportunities to bless someone through our generosity? We must exercise our hearts and train them to be receptive to those in need.

Lastly, we must exercise our faith daily (v. 46a).
This may include serving, joining a small group, or attending worship services. The Christian life is not meant to be done alone. Jesus surrounded Himself with people and only isolated Himself for prayer and spiritual renewal. The early church would never have grown without community—a topic we’ll touch on more tomorrow.

Put down the remote, turn off your device, get off the couch, and get out there and exercise your faith! As Paul reminds Timothy:

“Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come”
(1 Timothy 4:7b–8).

Physical exercise is important—but spiritual exercise is eternal!

Digging Deeper (er):

1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Proverbs 24:5; Romans 12:1

Digging Deeper: Build Up Your Faith

Phil Meade on August 12, 2025

⁴²And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…

Acts 2:42a (ESV)

BUILD UP YOUR FAITH

Yesterday we saw how the answer to one simple question changed the lives of countless people. Upon conversion, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the life of the believer. His role, as we noted yesterday, is not only to convict but also to enlighten. Jesus reminds His disciples that the Holy Spirit will come and “teach them all things” (John 14:26). To grow our faith, we must learn the things that form the foundation of our faith. There is no better place to find these building blocks than in God’s Word.

What is the one source you use to learn how to accomplish a new task? For most people, I’m guessing the answer would be YouTube. I’m not the most mechanically inclined, but I can do a few things around the house or under the hood. When my pickup needed a new starter, I was able to replace it with the help of a detailed video I found on YouTube. I used what I learned not only to get the job done, but also to build on my auto mechanic skills.

I like to equate getting to know Jesus with getting to know a romantic interest. When we meet someone who attracts us, we want to spend time with them, converse with them, learn their character, and ultimately trust them based on their actions and faithfulness. The same should be true of our relationship with Jesus.

Spending time with Jesus can take many forms. The important thing is to take the time—not out of obligation, but out of a desire to get to know Him better. Converse with Jesus in prayer and meditation. Learn God’s character by reading about His Son. We learn most about Jesus by studying the Word of God and listening to or reading the teachings of others. The more you learn about God, the more your faith will grow. You will trust Him, and you will know—unflinchingly—that He is faithful!

In the early days of the church, the believers were new to their faith. Many were Jewish converts who had a foundational knowledge (Old Testament) of God. Others—Gentiles—were coming from a pagan worldview. All new believers had to rely on the teaching of others to grow in their faith (v. 42). The same is true today, whether we are new to the faith or mature.

I have struggled at times with a disconnect between head and heart. I love to read, research, and ponder the breadth and depth of God. The eighteen months I spent earning my Master’s in Theological Studies was a grueling yet highly rewarding experience. I use the knowledge I gained during those studies in various endeavors, including writing what you are currently reading. My struggle occurs when I don’t take what I’ve learned and apply it in life’s various moments. Sometimes I feel like the “man in the mirror” from the book of James (1:22–25)—a “hearer,” and not a “doer.”

The early Christians started out as babes, surviving on milk alone. By learning about the character of God, they were soon able to eat solid food. Eventually, they used their strengthened faith to share the good news with others. They became doers!

Digging Deeper (er):

Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16

Digging Deeper: What Shall We Do?

Phil Meade on August 11, 2025

¹When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place . . . ⁵Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Acts 2:1, 5 (ESV)

³⁶Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” ³⁷Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself”

Acts 2:36-39 (ESV)

WHAT SHALL WE DO?

The Day of Pentecost has arrived. In the Old Testament, Pentecost—the Feast of Weeks, the Day of the Firstfruits—was celebrated 50 days after the Sabbath of Passover (see Leviticus 23). In the New Testament, Pentecost is synonymous with the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4). Peter, accompanied by the other eleven apostles, is speaking in Jerusalem to a group of believers—the original one hundred and twenty. At the sound of the events surrounding the coming of the Spirit, Jews from all nations living in Jerusalem gather to investigate (vv. 2:5–6).

Peter gives a sermon—quoting from the prophet Joel and King David—that stuns his audience (vv. 14–35). He ends his message by gently reminding the “House of Israel” that Jesus is both “Lord and Christ.” He then proceeds to not-so-gently remind them that they were the ones responsible for crucifying Jesus (v. 36). These words “cut to the heart” of the listeners and prompt them to ask a life-changing question: “What shall we do?” (v. 37).

When life hits rock bottom, the most common question we ask is, “What can I do?” I used to lead a divorce recovery group, and I heard that question more times than I can count. While I couldn’t give a specific answer to each situation, I could offer one that has worked for me on numerous occasions: when you hit rock bottom, look down to your “firm foundation”—the “rock” on which you stand. (I can hear your melodic voice, Seth!)

Peter answers his audience’s question with: “Repent and be baptized . . . in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (v. 38). A simple question, answered by a seemingly straightforward response. Easy in theory—more difficult in practice. Enter the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit has many roles. One of these is to transform (regenerate) the heart of a non-believer, allowing them access to the saving grace of Jesus—as is displayed in this narrative. Another role is conviction. The Spirit convicts us of our guilt, leading us to repentance. Repentance is simply turning the other way. David Guzik states, “You can’t turn towards God without turning from the things He is against.”

As we begin digging deeper into A World-Changing Faith, I challenge you to examine your own life. What areas are causing you to ask that simple question? The answer is just a prayer away. Change the world by allowing the Spirit to change you from within!

Digging Deeper (er):

Luke 3:8-14; Luke 10:25-37 (Good Samaritan); Mark 10:17-22

Digging Deeper: Be a Humble Servant

Phil Meade on May 9, 2025

“When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses”

Exodus 14:31 (ESV)

BE A HUMBLE SERVANT

The Israelites are safely on dry land, and the Egyptians lie dead on the shore. The story concludes with:

“When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses” (Ex. 14:31, NLT).

God heard their cries, and they were redeemed. Their faith in the Lord—and in Moses—was restored. Unfortunately, this faith did not last. Because of their sins, the current generation (including Moses) would not live to inhabit the Promised Land.

The phrases “fear the Lord,” “fear God,” and “stand in awe” occur more than fifty times in the Bible (ESV). We, who are His creation, should have a healthy fear of the One who is all-powerful and who spoke the world into existence. Oftentimes, the word “fear” in the Bible is rendered as “awe” or “reverence.” God should be held in awe, and we should be humbled by the chasm that exists between the God of the universe and our helpless selves. Fortunately, as we saw in Part 1 of this series, God provided a way to bridge that chasm through the person of Jesus Christ.

We should be in reverent fear and awe of our powerful God. In love and obedience, we should humbly serve Him. As the writer of Proverbs notes:

“The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor” (Prov. 15:33).

Jesus came in the flesh not only to provide a way to salvation and give us a glimpse of the character of God, but also to give us an example of a humble servant. As the apostle Mark wrote:

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Webster’s Dictionary defines humble as:

not proud or haughty; not arrogant or assertive;
a spirit of deference or submission;
ranking low in a hierarchy or scale.

Do you know someone who thinks they are the humblest person they know? (For those of you who know me—no pointing fingers in my direction!) Humility is advanced Christianity. Humble servitude is post-graduate-level stuff. Paul reminds the church in Philippi:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3–4).

Moses is described in the Bible as a “humble” man, a great “prophet,” a “man of God,” and a “friend of God,” who spoke “face to face” with God.

Let the lessons from the life of Moses be:

God will equip you for the task He has at hand;
When God calls, do not waver;
Trust in God—He will provide a way;
Get off the bench and get in the game;
Humbly serve in the role that God has placed you in.

Digging Deeper (er):

John 4:34; 1 Samuel 12:24; Deuteronomy 10:12

Digging Deeper: Get Up and Go

Phil Meade on May 8, 2025

“Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward”

Exodus 14:15 (ESV)

GET UP AND GO

The Israelites are surrounded on both sides. Going backward means slavery. Going forward means drowning—unless a miracle happens. They cry out to Moses to rescue them, and Moses assures them that God will fight for them (Ex. 14:14). God hears the cries of the people and asks Moses,

“Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward” (Ex. 14:15).

God is telling His people to trust in Him—and get up and go! The writer of Hebrews notes,

“By faith he (Moses) left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:27).

By faith in the “invisible,” Moses gathered the people and left, trusting God to provide a path.

Our faith in God must be active, and trusting Him should result in taking that first step. Faith believes that God is who He says He is. Trust believes that God acts in the ways He promises. You cannot have one without the other. James wrote, referring to Abraham,

“You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works” (Jas. 2:22).

Abraham knew enough about God to trust Him—even to the point of sacrificing his son and heir. Daniel reminds us,

“The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action” (Dan. 11:32b).

The book of James, though relatively short, contains some very powerful messages. My favorite part is the final section of chapter 2, titled “Faith Without Works Is Dead” (Jas. 2:14–26). James notes that faith without works is a “dead faith” (v. 17). When someone asks us about our faith, most of us can find the words to explain why we believe what we believe. However, James takes it a step further, stating,

“Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (v. 18b).

In other words, what good is faith if no action is taken on its behalf?

We all know the ending of the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. God protected them until they were safely on the opposite shore. Then He caused the waters to return, drowning their Egyptian pursuers (Ex. 14:21–29). The people trusted God to save them, and their trust was rewarded by a faithful God.

One final question: What is holding you back from moving forward?

I still remember a scene from the final film in the original Indiana Jones saga. Indy must cross a bottomless abyss with no visible bridge to provide a path. He takes a step of faith into the void—and discovers an invisible stone bridge spanning the chasm. Think about the times when God has been faithful to you during your own seasons of indecision. The trust built during those countless encounters should give you the confidence to take that next step of faith—whatever area of life is causing you to waver.

Digging Deeper (er):

Proverbs 16:3; Proverbs 21:5; 1 John 3:18

Digging Deeper: Trust in the Lord

Phil Meade on May 7, 2025

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord”

Exodus 14:13a (ESV)

TRUST IN THE LORD

As we saw yesterday, the Israelites were frozen on the shores of the Red Sea. They did not trust Moses—and by proxy, God—and they wavered in their decision to enter the waters. We’ll leave that part of the story for a moment and step back to their days of captivity in Egypt.

Moses delivers God’s message to Pharaoh, but things have not gone as he expected. Moses addresses the Lord, saying,

“O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me?
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all” (Ex. 5:22b–23).

The people are still suffering at the hands of their Egyptian masters. The king of Egypt refuses to let them go—but he is about to learn a very tough lesson. God reassures Moses that He is in control. He tells him,

“Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country” (Ex. 6:1, NIV).

Ten plagues later, the people are freed from their bondage.

We now return to the edge of the Red Sea. Moses answers the people’s indecision with,

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.
For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Ex. 14:13b–14).

The deep waters of the Red Sea lie ahead, and the entire Egyptian army lies behind. And Moses instructs the people to “only be silent.” The Psalter reminds us that God is our “refuge and strength.” Though the seas may “roar and foam,” the “Lord of hosts is with us.”

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46).

I don’t know about you, but I struggle with the whole “be still and be silent” dynamic. I’m analytical, a problem-solver. Trusting in the abilities of others is sometimes a challenge for me. With God, however, it all comes down to trust. Before we can act, we must believe that God is trustworthy. As the writer of Proverbs notes,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Prov. 3:5–6).

For the Israelites, their “straight path” to safety and freedom could only be traversed by putting their faith and trust in God. He alone had the power to separate the waters of the Red Sea.

It ultimately comes down to obedient faith. Obedient faith leads to action, which builds trust, which results in stronger faith and unwavering obedience—and the cycle continues. Ask yourself: Who do you trust when you’re facing obstacles on all sides? Are you “leaning on your own understanding,” or will you

“Taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him” (Ps. 34:8)?

Take heart—God is more than worthy of your trust. As we will discuss tomorrow, trusting in the Lord will get you “off the fence” and moving along the path He provides.

Digging Deeper (er):

Hebrews 11:6; Psalm 112:7; Psalm 143:8

Digging Deeper: Stop Wavering, Decide

Phil Meade on May 6, 2025

^12 “Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness”

Exodus 14:12 (ESV)

STOP WAVERING, DECIDE

We all have those moments in life when we must decide on a course of action. It may be a job change, a change of residence, a change in a relationship, or one of a myriad of other large (and not-so-large) decisions. William James, often called the father of American psychology, noted, “There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.”

Are you a habitual “fence-sitter”? In my much younger days, I was an instructor pilot in the T-38—a high-speed Air Force trainer. When you’re moving at speeds approaching the speed of sound, making a quick and correct decision is vital. My best students were the ones who made timely decisions. Quite often, they made the wrong decision—that’s what I got paid to do: keep us safe and alive—but I was never upset with the decision they made. With time and experience, they learned how to make the right ones. The students who struggled most were the ones who froze. They were so afraid of making the wrong decision that they made no decision at all—not ideal when you’re doing 600 MPH. They wavered.

We pick up the story of the Israelites’ flight from Egypt in Exodus chapter 14. Moses is leading the people as they approach the shore of the Red Sea. The Egyptian army is closing fast on their heels, and the people cry to Moses:

“Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?
Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’?
For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness” (Ex. 14:11–12).

The people begin to waver, paralyzed by fear of the approaching army. They long for their days in captivity. Unable to decide to trust in the Lord and move forward, they contemplate making a terrible decision—to return to their former life of slavery.

Scripture is replete with the contrast between freedom and slavery. We are called to give up the yoke of slavery that sin entangles us with and to rest in the freedom that Jesus gave His life for (Eph. 5:1). As Peter notes, “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Pet. 2:16). Paul reminds the church in Rome, “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).

What situation in your life is on hold because you cannot decide? Are you afraid of making the wrong decision? Welcome to the human race. But I challenge you—like my former students—to recognize that indecision is, itself, a wrong decision. I am not suggesting making a hasty decision just for the sake of acting. But if your current situation is untenable, choose freedom over slavery. Take it to God. Our faith is an active faith. God will show you the pathway, but you must decide to take the first step. Then stand in awe as God parts the troubled waters you’re in and leads you to the Promised Land!

Digging Deeper (er):

Psalm 118:5; Isaiah 30:21; Deuteronomy 30:19

Digging Deeper: God Will Equip, God Will Send

Phil Meade on May 5, 2025

²⁰Now may the God of peace . . .²¹equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight

Hebrews 13:20a, 21a (ESV)

GOD WILL EQUIP, GOD WILL SEND

In part one of the “Greatest Hits” series, Mike noted that the serpent twisted the words of God to implant doubt in the mind of Eve (Gen. 3:1–5). She began to doubt the word of God and acted out of her own self-interest. The fall from grace was the result, and humanity was forever tainted with the burden of sin.

Fast forward a few millennia to the arrival of Moses. Moses was a simple shepherd for his father-in-law when God called him—from a burning bush—to lead His people out of bondage and into the Promised Land (Ex. 3:7–9). God said, “Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:10, ESV). Did our future hero jump at the chance? You be the judge:

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Ex. 3:11).

Moses is no different from the rest of us. When God called him to this monumental task, his first thought was to doubt his qualifications for the job. Yet God would not be deterred—He is God, after all! God replies, “But I will be with you” (Ex. 3:12). One would think that if God promises to be with you, what argument can be made against Him? Moses, however, is not yet convinced.

As Exodus chapter 3 concludes, God explains to Moses who He is (“I AM WHO I AM”) and instructs him on what to say to the elders of the people and to Pharaoh. Moses, however, is not so anxious to “put his yes on the table.” He answers God, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’” (Ex. 4:1). God, as always, has an answer. He gives Moses two signs and tells him, “If they will not believe you . . . or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign” (Ex. 4:8).

Moses is still not convinced he is the man for the job. He tries a different argument, stating, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue” (Ex. 4:10). God once again deflects Moses’ argument, replying, “Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak” (Ex. 4:12).

Finally, Moses runs out of arguments. He simply pleads, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else” (Ex. 4:13). God has heard enough, and He is angry. He asks Moses, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well… You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do” (Ex. 4:14a, 15).

The writer of Hebrews reminds his audience that God will “equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight” (Heb. 13:21a). Paul tells the church at Ephesus, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10, NIV).

When God calls you to work for His kingdom, do not doubt. Your first thought may be, “I am not worthy enough or talented enough”—and you would be correct. Fortunately for us (and for those we encounter), God is all that is required. He has promised to equip you. Put your “yes on the table,” and go!

Digging Deeper (er):

2 Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 4:13; Joshua 1:9