Exo 18:5 (NIV) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of God. Exo 18:8-9 (NIV) Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the LORD had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.

Jesus, sometimes I will talk about every subject in the world except what God has done for me. But, help me understand that a major part of why God does wonderful things for me is so I have exciting things to tell others. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law was a priest of Midian to false gods. He didn’t know about the one true God. Help me see that Moses’ commitment to God and his resistance to being silent about Him introduced Jethro into the wonderful life with God.

Exo 18:10-11 (NIV) He (Jethro) said, “Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” Jesus, it’s a wonderful thing when others commit their lives to God. But, help me always keep in mind that it is impossible for them to do that until I pray and ask God to empower me to share. Empower me to resist Satan as he does his best to keep me silent.

Exo 18:1 (NIV) Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. Jesus, there were people who heard about what God had done and were telling others about those things just as news bearers. Help me see that they aren’t like those who have experienced the actual events. I have personally experienced You as my Lord, Savior, and King. When news is shared by those who aren’t Christians, they will contaminate the message and add their opinions. Many add very derogatory things to the news they share. They will add lies, hatred, mixture, and all kinds of human concepts to the news.

Exo 18:12 (NIV) Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God. Jesus, help me see that this is the way commitment spreads. The more God does for me in my life, the more wonderful things I have to share with others. Show me that just as much as I need these wonderful miracles, so do they. Because Moses shared, Jethro was given a whole new opportunity to live with and share the one, true, living God.

Exo 18:13-15 (NIV) The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.

Jesus, once I start sharing You with the people around me, help me understand that they will start wanting to learn how to live the Christian life. They don’t know the principles of the Bible yet. They will have many personal issues that they need applied to the Word of God. It is good that they get general information that will EVENTUALLY be broken down and applied to their life. But, make it clear to me that their immediate needs, problems, struggles, and challenges MOTIVATE them to learn the principles of the Bible.

Mat 5:6 (NIV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Jesus, when am I most receptive to learning the Bible principles? When do I have a hunger and a thirst for getting answers for how to live life God’s way? Help me realize that I have my greatest hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God when I believe it will solve a major problem in my life. Show me that when there is no real challenge in my life, I read my Bible, pray, attend church, listen to good Christian music, read good Christian books, and seek Biblical information on a much more casual way.

Mat 6:33 (NIV) But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Jesus, if I think money will solve a major problem I have, I might seek money first. But, if I am committed to God, and if I am resisting all thoughts that put my desires to solve my problems through something other that God and His Word, I will seek God and His Word with intensity.

Exo 18:14 (NIV) When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and laws.”

Jesus, help me understand that this wasn’t these people’s first time to have a problem that were coming to Moses. They had been solving their problems on their own for years. Help me see that the thing that had changed was a new commitment to God. They were resisting all their procedures for solving their own problems. They wanted to learn how to solve their problems through the principles of God. Help me realize that this was a wonderful change in their lives. So, they were standing around from morning till evening waiting for an answer to their problems through Moses.

Jesus, as I share the things that God is doing in my life, people start to commit their thoughts and feelings to God. They start wanting to get their problems solved through God rather than through their body’s, the world’s, and the devil’s ways of solving them. Help me see that my own life’s victories through God help them start coming to me. They will start asking me questions. Let me understand that, that is the moment when I can teach them how to take their problems to God.

Exo 18:17 (NIV) Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good.” Exo 18:21-22 (NIV) But select capable men from all the people--men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain--and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.

Jesus, it is a very enjoyable experience helping people learn how to apply the Biblical principles to the struggles of their lives. But, help me see that as I start helping people, they will tell others about how they are being helped, and they will want help too. If I am not teaching the principles of the Bible WHILE I am applying the Bible principles, I will get worn out. You were training people WHILE You were helping people. By the time You left this planet, Your disciples were trained and able to change the world.

Exo 18:20 (NIV) Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. Jesus, as I am helping the general public get their problems solved, help me be giving my more responsive, more spiritual, and more righteous people the responsibility of helping others. Teach me that the moment I do, those who are humble and only want to share the principles of God will realize they need leadership training. That will be their hunger and thirst for righteousness. Help me teach them how to lead Biblically so they will be listening because they want to help people the right wat.

• Teach them the decrees and laws: Jesus, in a general way, help me teach them the overall principles of the Bible. Show me that the only way for them to be interested in learning is, for You to empower me to help them see that the Bible is the answer to all of life. As these leaders realize that their human advice won’t work in Christianity, they will want to learn those Scriptures that apply to every possible situation.


• Show them the way to live: Jesus, help me keep in mind that the new leaders will automatically want to teach what they know. They won’t realize they have to live it before they can teach and apply it to others. Help me show them that they would be hypocrites, if they teach something they aren’t living. Plus, help me show them that they won’t be able to help others solve their problems because they won’t know how to solve their own problems. Empower me to help them live everything I am LIVING and TEACHING them.


• Show them...the duties they are to perform: Jesus, help me and my trainees to understand that knowing how to live it is different than knowing how to share it. Help me expose myself and the leaders to the way You trained and developed Your disciples. Help me follow the methods and procedures You used to develop Your leaders. Help me follow Your life, message, ministry, and METHODS.
  
  Jesus, You created a hunger and a thirst in those You worked with. You developed a curiosity in them to be able to hear of the Spirit of God. When You asked them questions like: “Oh you of little faith. Why did you doubt?” You were helping them want to find out something that they weren’t all that concerned about before the question.