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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center">"<font size="3"><b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE" MINISTRIES</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font size="3"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b><font size="3">Tel:
253.874.4265 -- Email: <a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></font></b></p>
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<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">www.2rbetter.org</a></font></b></p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font size="3"><u><b>2009-01-25
- EXODUS 18 - GOD CONFIRMS JETHRO'S COUNSEL</b></u></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b>1. 18:5-6 (18:1-6) JETHRO: RE-UNITES MOSES' FAMILY.
"And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his two sons and his
wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the
mount of God: <font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1">6</font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">
</font>and he said unto Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, am come
unto you, and your wife, and her two sons with her." </b><span style="">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 to Kingdom Principles! </span><b><i>Hallowed be your
:name.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b>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. <font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1">11</font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">
</font>Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; yes, in the
thing wherein they dealt proudly against them."</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3">What a wonderful testimony to You, Father! <i><b>Your
:kingdom come.</b></i> </font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b>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." </b><span style="">Jethro
served here like Melchizedek as priest to You Father, the Most High
God! We cannot honor You enough! </span><b><i>Your :will be done, as
in heaven, so on earth.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b>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. <font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1">18</font>
You 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." </b><span style="">How
strange that it often takes a stranger to point out to us Father, the
impracticality of our ways. When we fall short in wisdom, make us
open like Moses to the wise counsel of others. </span><b><i>Our
:daily :bread, Give us this day.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b>5. 18:19-20 JETHRO: COUNSELS MOSES TO SHARE
APPLYING TORAH. "Listen now unto my voice, I will give you
counsel, and God be with you: be you for the people to Godward, and
bring you the causes unto God: <font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1">20</font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">
</font>and you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall
show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they
must do." </b><span style="">Here is wise
counsel indeed, which you Father, later confirmed. </span><b><i>And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b>6. 18:23 (18:21-23) JETHRO: COUNSELFS 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</b><span style="">
a wise word! What deference to You Father, from an outsider. We
should learn to walk in truth, no matter from where its source. </span><b><i>And
bring us not into temptation.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b>7. 18:24 (18:24-27) THE LORD: CONFIRMS COUNSEL OF
JETHRO. "So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and
did all that he had said." </b><span style="">
You Father, confirmed that Jethro's word was Your Word! And this word
acted upon brought blessing to Moses and Israel. We should praise You
when Your counsel through others brings blessing. </span><b><i>But
deliver us from the evil </i><span style="font-style: normal;">one.</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><u><b>NOTE:</b></u><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
</b></span></i><b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">CONCLUSION
- 18:21 (18:21-23) FOUR QUALIFICATIONS FOR SMALL GROUP LEADERS.
"Moreover you shall provide out of all the people </span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;">able</span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
men, such as </span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;">fear
God</span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
</span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;">men of truth</span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
</span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;">hating unjust gain</span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">;
and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of
hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." </span></span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">We
note these four qualifications. All four are needed; but without
</span></span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">ability,</span></span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
the following three could not function. </span></span></span></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">The
early church met in homes, and were small groups not larger than
50-100 at the most. Many homes were larger in those days, and could
accommodate a number of families. One elder assisted by his 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.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">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.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">There
is a church in the SeaTac Metroplex with 10,000 members - but in that
church there are 500 groups of some 8-10 in each 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.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">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 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.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">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 or "clean"
their fish.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Look
again at the 4 points Jethro shared with Moses that equips for good
and effective leadership: </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">"Competent;</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
God-fearing; honest and incorruptible. Would to God such conditions
were required for our political leaders today!</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">But
such qualifications are highly important for small home groups today.
A returned missionary from Israel has spelled out the low-standard of
church members in many of the American and Canadian churches of
today. Paul also complained about the believers of his day in Hebrews
5:11 (5:11-6:8) </span></span></span><b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">"For
when by </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">reason
of </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">the
time you </span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;">ought to
be teachers</span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
you have need that some one teach you the rudiments of the beginning
of the oracles of :God, and are become such as need </span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;">milk</span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
not </span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;">solid food</span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">."
</span></span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">He
then lays out 6 foundation truths that must be solidly laid and
understood, before going on to become "</span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">perfect
men."</span></span></u></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Let
us </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">prepare
today</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
for God's visitation prior to the return of His Son. Jethro and the
thoughts above can be helps in this direction. - Jim Watt</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><br>
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