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John Cennick (1718-1755)
Sensational lay preacher
Though trained as a land surveyor and writing instructor, John Cennick once was asked to fill in for an absent preacher. He wrote, "I was naturally fearful of speaking before such a company, having never done such a thing as this."
But when he preached, "tears fell from many eyes." When he stood to preach again the next Sunday, 4,000 people gathered. Though never ordained, he soon became one of the top preachers of his day.
George Whitefield soon asked Cennick to be headmaster of a school for coal-mining families. In 1744, Whitefield gave him charge of his Moorfields congregation and the Calvinist branch of Methodism. The responsibilities proved too much, though, and coincided with a shift in theology. By late 1745, Cennick joined the Moravians and became a missionary to Ireland.
Before long, as one historian put it, "All walls and windows [of his meeting house] were covered with people, and Cennick had to go in at the window, creeping over the heads of the people to reach his pulpit."
"George Whitefield," Christian History, Issue 38.
EXODUS 4
Forty years before, Moses was sure he could solve his people’s problems; but now that God had called him, he was sure he would fail. He could give no reasons for disobeying God, but he certainly had plenty of excuses. “An excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie,” observed Billy Sunday. But God gave Moses everything he needed for success. All he had to do was trust the great I AM.
Credentials.If we give God what we have, He can use it for His glory: a rod, a sling (1 Sam. 17:40), a net (Luke 5:1—11), or a little lunch (John 6:9). He can even use the hand if nothing is in it!
Companion.God already had Aaron prepared and on his way to meet Moses. While Aaron at times created some problems for Moses, he was still a valued helper in the work. He was the speaker, and Moses was the doer. But in time, Moses himself became a great orator.
Commission. God spoke to Moses and gave him the instructions and encouragement he needed (vv. 19-23). Before he arrived in Egypt, Moses knew that his work would be difficult and that Pharaoh would oppose him.
Chastening. Moses was chastened by God and almost died because he had failed to make his child a son of the covenant (Gen. 17:10). How could Moses lead Israel if his own family was not dedicated to God? (See 1 Tim. 3:5.)
Conviction. Moses was sure nobody would believe him; however, when the elders saw the signs and heard the message, they believed and bowed to worship God.
When you face a tough job and you are afraid that you will fail, remember Moses. God keeps His promises, no matter how you feel or how people respond.
With the Word - Warren W. Wiersbe
Thomas Nelson Publishers
Nashville
“Used by permission of Thomas Nelson, Inc.”
Exodus 4:1-31
Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The Lord did not appear to you'?"
[2] Then the Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?"
"A staff," he replied. [3] The Lord said, "Throw it on the ground."Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. [4] Then the Lord said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. [5] "This," said the Lord, "is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob--has appeared to you."
[6] Then the Lord said, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow.[7] "Now put it back into your cloak," he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.
[8] Then the Lord said, "If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second. [9] But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground."[10] Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
[11] The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? [12] Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." *
[13] But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."[14] Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. [15] You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. [16] He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. [17] But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it."
[18] Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive."
Jethro said, "Go, and I wish you well."
[19] Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead." [20] So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
[21] The Lord said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. [22] Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, [23] and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.' "
[24] At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. [25] But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. [26] So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)
[27] The Lord said to Aaron, "Go into the desert to meet Moses." So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. [28] Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform.
[29] Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, [30] and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, [31] and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
