 Day 5: "Get Someone Else to Ride This Trail" - When You Just Don't Want To
Scripture Reading: Exodus 4:13-16 "But he said, 'Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will.' Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses..." Trail Talk: After all God's patient answers and mighty promises, Moses finally just said, "Send somebody else." That's when God got hot under the collar, because this wasn't about Moses' inadequacies anymore—it was about his unwillingness. Sometimes our excuses aren't really about not being able; they're about not wanting to. Moses had been given everything he needed, but he just plain didn't want to do the job. That's when excuses stop being reasons and start being rebellion. But the good news is Moses eventually quit making excuses and saddled up for the ride of his life. Campfire Questions:
0 Comments
 Day 4: "I Ain't Got the Gift of Gab" - When You Feel Outgunned
Scripture Reading: Exodus 4:10-12 "Then Moses said to the Lord, 'Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent... for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.' The Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth?... I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.'" Trail Talk: Moses claimed he couldn't speak well—maybe he stuttered or had some other speech problem. That's like a cowboy saying he can't ride because he's bowlegged! But God reminded Moses who made his mouth in the first place and promised to be right there helping him find the words. Your weaknesses don't disqualify you from God's service—they're often where His strength shines brightest. That stammering tongue, that shy nature, that lack of fancy education—God can use it all. He specializes in making champions out of underdogs. Campfire Questions:
 Day 3: "They'll Think I'm All Talk" - When You're Worried About Your Reputation
Scripture Reading: Exodus 4:1-9 "Then Moses said, 'What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, "The Lord has not appeared to you." Trail Talk: Moses was worried about his credibility. "What if they don't believe me? What if they think I'm just spinning tall tales?" So God gave him some mighty impressive signs—a staff that turned into a rattlesnake, a hand that turned white as snow then healed, and the promise to turn water into blood. We all worry about what others think. Will they respect us? Believe us? Follow us? But here's the deal: when God calls you to something, He backs up His calling. Your job isn't to convince folks through smooth talking—it's to be faithful and let God handle the rest. Campfire Questions:
 Day 2: "I Don't Know What to Say" - When Your Tongue Gets Tied
Scripture Reading: Exodus 3:13-15 "Then Moses said to God, 'Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel... What shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'... 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Trail Talk: Moses was making excuses faster than a cutting horse changes direction. His second excuse? "I don't know what to tell these folks." Now hold your horses—this is coming from a man who had the finest education Egypt could offer! How many times have we used this same line? "I can't witness to my coworker—I don't know what to say." "I can't encourage that struggling friend—I might say the wrong thing." Sometimes our "ignorance" is just fear wearing a different hat. God didn't give Moses a 10-volume set of theological books. He gave him His name and His promise. That's all Moses needed, and it's all we need too. When we step out in faith, God provides the words. Campfire Questions:
 Day 1: "I Ain't the Man for This Job" - When You Feel Like a Busted Saddle
Scripture Reading: Exodus 3:11-12 "But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?' And He said, 'Certainly I will be with you...'" Trail Talk: Moses had been riding the range for 40 years, tending sheep instead of leading armies. When God called him to face down Pharaoh—the most powerful man alive—Moses felt about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Sound familiar? Sometimes we look at what God's asking us to do and think we're not cut out for the job. Maybe you feel called to witness to that tough neighbor, lead a Bible study, or step up in church leadership, but you keep thinking, "I ain't the right cowpoke for this." Here's the truth straight from the horse's mouth: God don't pick folks based on their resume. He picks 'em based on their heart. And when He calls you to ride, He promises to ride alongside you. That's better than any qualification you could have. Campfire Questions:
 Day 5: Callin' a Spade a Spade
Scripture Focus: Genesis 3:12c, 13c "...and I ate... and I ate." Additional Reading: 2 Samuel 12:13, Psalm 32:3-5 Cowboy Wisdom: Finally, both Adam and Eve admitted they ate the fruit, but they never called it what it was—flat-out disobedience to God's clear command. They used fancy words to make their sin sound smaller than it was. We do the same thing. Instead of sayin' "I lied," we say "I stretched the truth." Instead of "I stole," we say "I borrowed without askin'." Instead of "I cheated," we say "I took a shortcut." Instead of "I got drunk," we say "I had a few too many." But there ain't no healin' in pretty words. There's only healin' in honest confession. When King David got caught in his sin, he didn't dance around it or make excuses. He looked the prophet Nathan square in the eye and said, "I have sinned against the Lord." And you know what happened? Nathan immediately replied, "The Lord also has taken away your sin." Until we call sin what it is, we can't experience the forgiveness and freedom God offers. Fancy words keep us trapped in shame because they prevent us from fully acknowledging what we need forgiveness for. Jesus is the only person in history who never tried to pass the buck. Instead, He took the blame for our sins on that cross. He offers to trade our guilt for His grace, our rottenness for His righteousness. But we gotta be willing to own our sins before we can hand 'em over to Him. A straight-shootin' cowboy calls a spade a spade and takes his medicine like a man. Questions for Reflection:
 Day 4: The Devil Made Me Do It (And Other Tall Tales)Scripture Focus: Genesis 3:12c-13
"...she gave me from the tree, and I ate... The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Additional Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:13 Cowboy Wisdom: Every good cowboy story has a villain, and both Adam and Eve were quick to cast theirs. Adam blamed his circumstances—wrong place, wrong time, wrong woman. Eve went straight for the snake: "The serpent deceived me." It's the classic "the devil made me do it" defense. Now, don't get me wrong—the devil is real as a rattlesnake and twice as dangerous. He'll tempt you, lie to you, and try to lead you astray. But here's what he can't do: he can't make you sin. He can dangle the bait, but you choose whether to bite. We use the same excuses today: "I was at the saloon and someone bought me a drink." "I was stressed about the cattle prices, so I lost my temper." "Everyone else was cuttin' corners, so I did too." "My situation was so bad that this seemed like the only way out." But a real cowhand knows that circumstances don't make choices—people do. You might find yourself in a tough spot, ridin' through a storm, or dealin' with ornery cattle, but how you respond is always up to you. God promises that He'll never let you face more temptation than you can handle, and He always provides a way out. Sometimes that escape route is as simple as walking away, sayin' no, or calling out to the Lord for help. Questions for Reflection:
 Day 3: Pointin' Fingers at the AlmightyScripture Focus: Genesis 3:12b
"The woman whom YOU gave to be with me..." Additional Reading: Job 40:8, James 1:13 Cowboy Wisdom: If throwin' your partner under the horse is low-down, then what Adam did next was lower than a snake's belly. He had the gall to point his finger at God Almighty Himself. "The woman whom YOU gave me"—as if the Creator of the universe was somehow responsible for Adam's poor choices. That's like blamin' the rancher for giving you a good horse when you're the one who chose to ride into the canyon during a flash flood. God gave Adam the perfect partner, the perfect home, and clear instructions. But when Adam chose to ignore those instructions, he tried to make it God's fault. We do this too. When life gets tough or when we make bone-headed decisions, sometimes we shake our fist at heaven. "If God really cared about me, this wouldn't have happened." "God could've stopped me from messin' up." "Where was God when I needed Him?" But here's the straight truth: God doesn't tempt us to do wrong. He's not the author of sin or the cause of our poor choices. When we try to blame the Almighty for our mistakes, we're not just passin' the buck—we're driving a wedge between us and the only One who can truly help us. A good cowboy respects the boss, especially when that boss is perfect, loving, and always has our best interests at heart. Questions for Reflection:
 Day 2: Throwin' Your Partner Under the HorseScripture Focus: Genesis 3:12a
"The man said, 'The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.'" Additional Reading: Exodus 32:21-24 Cowboy Wisdom: Out on the range, your partner's life might depend on you, and yours on them. You watch each other's backs, share the hard work, and stick together through thick and thin. But when Adam got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he threw Eve under the horse faster than you could say "giddy-up." Think about it—this was the same woman Adam had been praising just a chapter earlier, callin' her "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." But when the heat was on, all that sweet talk went out the window. Instead of protecting his partner, he made her the scapegoat. We do the same thing, don't we? When we get caught doin' wrong, we point to our spouse, our kids, our coworkers, or our neighbors. "Well, she told me to do it." "He made me mad." "They were doin' it too." But that's the talk of a yellow-belly, not a true cowpoke. Aaron pulled the same stunt when he made that golden calf. He blamed the people, blamed Moses for being gone too long, and even blamed the furnace for somehow cookin' up that idol all by itself. Everyone was at fault except him. A real cowboy protects his partner, especially when times get tough. He doesn't throw 'em to the wolves to save his own hide. Questions for Reflection:
|
RSS Feed