+DEV+ Face to Face

Date: July 8, 2009 8:18 PM

Topic: +DEV+ Face to Face

Face to Face

“Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt” (Deut. 34:10-11).

Scripture Focus: Deuteronomy 34:1-12

God changed Moses the stuttering shepherd into a powerful speaker and national leader. His success story serves as an example to us that our past failures don’t have to doom our chances to be Jesus’ servants. God and Moses had a face-to-face encounter with clear instructions from God so there would be no misunderstanding.

Jesus calls us to follow Him as He did with Andrew and Simon, Philip and Nathanael, and the other disciples. They saw Him physically face to face; we see Him spiritually face to face in His written Word. We don’t become instant, mature believers when we respond to Him any more than the disciples did. Like them, we grow in our faith day by day. Jesus told His disciples to love each other as He loved them (John 13). He wasn’t talking about warm, fuzzy love, but love in action. That kind of love doesn’t magically appear in a Christian’s life immediately. But as we follow and obey Jesus, His love in us grows and those around us see evidence of our genuine Christlikeness.

Insight: Sharing our faith in Jesus is still the central mission for His people, demonstrating that we are devoted to a Person, not a cause.