Exodus 18

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

May 20, 2011


 *FEB 6 - EXODUS 18 - JEHOVAH: CONFIRMS JETHRO'S COUNSEL*


 *1. 18:5-6 (18:1-6) JETHRO: RE-UNITES MOSES' FAMILY. “And Jethro, Moses'
father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the
wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God; 6 and he said unto
Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, am come unto you, and your wife, and
her two sons with her.” *Jethro knew it was not good for a husband to live
alone. We thank You Father, for the sense of duty in Moses' father-in-law,
and his obedience. *Hallowed be Your :Name!*


 *2. 18:10-11 (18:7-11) JETHRO: REJOICES OVER MOSES' REPORT. “And Jethro
said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has delivered you out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from
under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that Jehovah is greater than
all gods; yes, in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them. *What
a wonderful testimony to You, Father! *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 18:12 JETHRO: AS PRIEST SACRIFICES TO GOD. “And Jethro, Moses'
father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came,
and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before
God.” *Jethro served here like Melchizedek as priest to You Father, the Most
High God! We cannot honor you enough! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so
on earth.*


 *4. 18:17-18 (18:13-18) JETHRO: COUNSELS MOSES TO SAVE STRENGTH. “And
Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The thing that you do is not good.
18You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with
you: for
the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it yourself
alone.” *How strange that if often take a stranger to point out to us ,
Father the impracticality of our ways. May we like Moses be open to the wise
counsel of others. *Our :daily :bread give us this day.*


 *5. 18:19-20 JETHRO: COUNSELS MOSES TO SHARE TORAH. “Listen now to my
voice, I will give you counsel, and God be with you: you be for the people
to Godward, and you bring the causes unto God: 20 and you shall teach them
the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must
walk, and the work that you must do.” *Here is wise counsel indeed, which
You Father, *later confirmed*. *And forgive us our :debts, as we also have
forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 18:23 (18:21-23) JETHRO: COUNSELS MOSES TO TRAIN JUDGES. “If you shall
do this thing, and God command you so, then you shall be able to endure, and
all this people also shall go to their place in peace.” *What a wise word.
What deference to Your Father, from an outsider! Blessings come from walking
in whatever source You choose to send us counsel! *And bring us not into
temptation!*


 *7. 18:24 (18:24-27) JEHOVAH: CONFIRMS COUNSEL OF JETHRO. “So Moses
listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.” *You
Father, *confirmed* that Jethro's word was *Your* Word! And this word acted
upon, brought blessing to Moses and Israel. It is good for us to see Your
wisdom in application, even though coming through another. *But deliver us
from the evil one.*


 *NOTE**: 18:21 (18:21-23) FOUR QUALIFICATIONS FOR SMALL GROUP LEADERS.
“Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear
God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be
rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of
tens.” *We note these four qualifications. All four are need, but without *
ability* the following three could not function.


 The early church met in homes, and were small groups not larger that 50-100
at the most. Many homes were larger in those days, and could accommodate a
number of families. One elder assisted by the wife looked after these
smaller groups. Each of these elders met regularly, representing the elders
in the gate of the city, composed of the 5-fold ministries of Ephesians
4:11.


 When Jesus fed the 4000 and 5000 as recorded in the Gospels, He had the
disciples seat the men in groups of 50's and 100's, along with their
families.


 There is a church in the Seattle/Tacoma Metroplex with 10,000 members - but
there are 500 groups of some 8-10 in each group that meet weekly; and under
a leader, study the sermon outline given by the pastor the preceding Sunday.
Over 60% of the members have entered the Kingdom of God under the ministry
of this church, and are discipled through the home groups. The Jethro
concept as given to Moses is well-known, and adapted for our times.


 In John Wesley's day in the 1700's - some 70,000 converts met weekly in
groups of 8, and followed a mutual-help time, following a few practical
goals, plus 52 sermons outlining the basic theology of the early Methodists
through “Wesley's Doctrinal Standards”. One British Sociologist said that
apart from Wesley's Class Meetings, the French Revolution of 1789 would have
leaped the English Channel and brought its devastation and guillotine to
Great Britain. Lenin was so impressed with the still functioning Class
Meetings of the early 1900's, that he adapted them and incorporated them
into the Cell Groups of Communism.


 Today - God is about to visit the Church again with Revival and
Reformation. To achieve a safety net for these new “fish” - churches must
prepare to help one another disciple of “clean” these fish!


 I was encouraged by an email that recently came commending my teaching on
putting the “Word of God in the Bible” ahead of “dreams, visions and
prophecies” - when considering God's view point on these issues. Here is
that word : “Hi - You needn't be sorry for speaking like this. Finally
someone has the audacity to confront compromise. Too many people are walking
around, saying, The Lord showed me this, and he spoke that, and this dream
means this, etc. etc. When will we start teaching the young ones the Bible?
The verse for my 11 year old daughter at school is, *“And you shall teach
them diligently to your children; You shall talk about them when you travel,
when you sit at home, when you get up and when you lie down.” * (Paraphrased
it is a COMMAND, not a suggestion. I love that verse. It helps me as a
parent to keep my focus on teaching my children the ways of the Lord!!!
Thanks” - (A friend from Canada). J.A.Watt



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