Application
Guide: “When Doing Right Turns Out Wrong” (Ex. 5:1-6:9)
July 31st,
2005: Rob Loy, a long-time member of
College Park, walked through the account of Moses and Aaron’s first encounter
with Pharaoh and its consequences. After a brief overview of Moses’ life, Rob
presented a message that not only taught that obedience does not always result
in personal success, but that God’s perspective of our circumstances is often
radically different than our own.
- God’s
ways are not our ways. We make
a mistake when we assume God operates by our rules and must fit into what
we deem to be logical…The Bible is FULL of stories of God acting in ways
that make no sense to man.
- Consider the type of man (80 yr.-old Moses) God
chose to accomplish his purposes. What are some ways our culture – and
the church – views leadership potential in a way that is contradictory to
God’s ways or what we see in the Bible? What is comforting and
encouraging to you about the example of Moses?
- What are some ways or situations you are personally
struggling with the fact that God’s purposes and plans work out different
from your own? In what ways do you try to put God in a box and make him
cater to your own interests?
- Has there ever been a time in your life when you
felt like you were obeying God and yet your circumstances grew worse?
What did God teach you as a result of this trial? What promises of God
did you have to focus on to help you keep living for him?
- God’s
perspective is not our perspective. His perspective on our
lives is from an eternity not bound by time. God understands that this life
is not all there is – when eternity is the goal, trials on this earth have
a different look.
- How differently would Moses have reacted if he
could have seen the events through God’s eyes? Would he have believed his
suffering at the hands of Pharaoh and the Israelites was worth it?
- Why does God not
reveal his perspective to us? What good is in the fact that we are
blind to God’s perspective? How does this bring further glory to God?
- Is it possible for us to know God’s mind on our
circumstances (cf. Ps. 16:7-8, 11; Eph; 6:6; 1 Thess. 4:3-8; 5:16-18; 1
Pet. 4:2). Are there areas of our lives in which it is possible to have
God’s perspective (cf. 1 Cor. 1:11-16)? What can we do to (as much as is humanly
possible) see our life through God’s eyes?
- This
life is not about our happiness. God is
far more concerned with our faith than our happiness. Those who aim at
their own happiness never find it – those who aim for God’s glory find
true contentment and joy and an eternal happiness that dwarfs anything on
this earth (cf. Ps. 37:4).
- What are some areas of life in which you have
bought into the idea that your happiness, comfort, and safety is of
utmost importance? What about your perspective needs to change in these
areas? Do you really believe that suffering for God is better than
personal happiness?
- When is it easiest for you to think about yourself
and your own needs more than God’s glory? What can we do to better live
life with God’s priorities in the center rather than our own?