The Good Guidance of G-d

0:00 A venu subhasha Mayim Our Father in Heaven Lord. I Thank you for Rabbi Sean and his diligence to pursue you and to study your word our ass that you would speak to us speak to Camilla today. Through what you have impressed upon Rabbi Sean's heart. Lord we bless you and Praise You In yeshua's name? I mean amen Thank you wrapari. wonderful job Camilla It's beautiful. You have your Bibles with you? I will be in Exodus 7 today if you want to. Turn there ahead of time.

0:46 Camila it is an honor to celebrate this Milestone with you. You are five years old when I met you. And now you have become about mitzvah. I was impressed today when I heard you read from the Torah and deliver your trash. Yet eight years ago. I already thought you were impressive. My children were five and seven years old at the time. And they didn't get along too often. Their interests were so different. However, I noticed that when you were around them the dynamic changed. typically, if one of them found a friend the other would be completely disengaged and Val

1:32 and I would need to find some kind of solution. When you were around, however, it was different. Both of my children would be completely content and happy with each other. There you were sitting in the middle of them and somehow able to relate successfully with each of them simultaneously. You single-handedly engage the task that Val and I can hardly manage together. Yeah. Even at such a young age you possessed a deep knowledge of human dynamics. You would sit with my kids during services. Oh, yes.

2:18 Every time you are there. They were exceptionally well behaved. It baffled me how you were able to accomplish this so easily. I wanted to figure out how this all happened. One day I noticed that you would be relating to both of my children. And David started to annoy you. You rebuked him firmly and clearly. And he listened to you. Then you continued playing with both of them. I picked my jaw up off the ground marveling at such miraculous ability coming from a five year old. You're five. another time

3:03 I was at a bar mitzvah celebration in the community. And it was a nice relaxed time in the evening. People were mingling and eating food. There were some pool tables on one side of the room. I made my way over there and began shooting pool with some of the teenagers now. I am nothing special when it comes to playing pool. I played a bit as a teenager, but that's about it. However The young guys around the pool table didn't seem to have any familiarity with the game. So I found myself explaining what the cue ball was and how to play 8 Ball. The guys were listening to some degree, but did not seem to be able to pick up the concepts.

3:49 We organized a game but it was moving painfully slow. Camila You found your way to the pool table in the middle of this drudgery. You must have been about eight years old at the time. You watched us play for a few minutes and asked some questions. I explained the game to you and asked if you wanted to try it out. You absorbed each principle and within about three minutes you defeated every opponent at the table. Once again, I was picking my jaw up off the floor wondering how you were able to learn so quickly and defeat a group of boys who are five years older than you with such a small amount of guidance.

4:35 So here I am again. Pleasantly surprised with the work of God in your life. Camila you possess maturity and wisdom beyond your years. It is a gift from the Lord yet. You have embraced it. You have shown exceptional kindness and Grace. Somehow from the age of five years old you possessed parenting skills that Val and I have not yet acquired. At the age of eight you demonstrated an ability to listen and apply principles that teenagers could not grasp. And here you are at 13 reading from the Torah and sharing words of wisdom with the kahela. I am honored to be here to celebrate this day with you and I Marvel at the astounding works of

5:23 God that he is doing in your life. I have entitled my message the good guidance of God. It comes from Exodus 7 verses 1 through 7. in your Torah portion I would like to demonstrate three principles from this text. First Camila you are called to be a representative of God upon the Earth. second God will make himself known in your life. one way or another And lastly, I want to challenge you to commit yourself to a life of obedience to the Lord. God's guidance is good. As you follow after him. You will find that his plan is better than anything. You can

6:10 ask dream or imagine. I will Begin by reading Exodus chapter 7 verses 1 through 3. My outline can be found on the YouVersion app. I'm reading from the Tree of Life version. before I do that and just as Rabbi Ari did a few minutes ago. I want to recognize the loss of a Pioneer in our movement who has passed on January 13th. Mark Greenberg is the co-founder of the Tree of Life Bible. He has served the Lord his family and our movement Faithfully for many decades. As I read from this beautiful translation. Once again, I give thanks for Mark's life. And the way

6:56 that the Lord has guided him and enabled him and his memory to be a blessing. Exodus 7 verses 1 through 3 read as follows So, I don't know I said to Moses. See I have set you as God to pharaoh. And Aaron, your brother will be your prophet. You are to speak all that I command you and Aaron your brother is to speak to Pharaoh so that he will let beneus trial go out of his land. Yet I will harden Pharaoh's heart and multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. You are called to be a representative of God

7:43 upon the Earth. Doesn't that sound Grand? Gator up the universe would want you to be his representative upon the Earth. It might feel like a prideful thing to think or say. Surely if you go around telling people that you are God's representative. They might not warm up to you so quickly. So, how can you understand this concept? God told Moses that he has made him like God to pharaoh and that Aaron would be his prophet. This begs many questions. First how can God make someone else

8:29 like God? Did Pharaoh believe in God? Didn't Pharaoh see himself as God? If Moses was like God, why did he need his older brother's help? to begin the bondage of the Jewish people under Pharaoh sets the stage for this epic drama. Pharaoh was considered a god upon the Earth. Pharaohs were regarded as Divine rulers by the people. Pharaoh was viewed as a mediator between the gods and the world of men. This would serve to blur the lines of distinction between God and His creation and raise the

9:15 question as to whether there was one God or many gods. Notice that God tells Moses he will make him as God or like God to pharaoh. He doesn't say. Well moisture today is Shabbat. I'm going to rest. Your God now have fun. God never relinquishes his authority. He has never replaced by Moses. Rather he is making Moses the intermediary between God and Men. Rather than Pharaoh as the intermediary between the Gods and Men. Moses is put into position as the

10:01 intermediary between the people and the one true God. As far as Pharaoh is concerned Moses will be like God. Thankfully. Unlike Pharaoh Moses does not struggle with the God complex. Moses never equates himself with God if anything Moses has the opposite issue. When God calls Moses Moses responds with numerous objections as to why he shouldn't be counted worthy of the call. He says that the people won't believe him when he speaks in God's name. Then he says that he's not a good public speaker.

10:47 Then he begs God to choose someone else. God answers every one of Moses objections in his faithfulness. He performs wonders and even sends Aaron to assist Moses in the work. Hear God shows us that the best leaders often are at the ones who are trying to be leaders. furthermore it shows us that God loves teamwork. He desires to include Moses in his plan. He's happy to include Aaron as well. Even Pharaoh could have joined God's plan if he desired to. He didn't but he did have the opportunity to choose.

11:34 God loves to collaborate with people. We sing the song his name matovaniah. Tahimgamya. behold how good and pleasant for brothers to dwell in unity We may normally think of this in terms of hey, it's really nice when the people of God get along with each other. And I agree it's nice and it's a fair application of that sum. However in its original context it seems probable to me that King David was referring to this very relationship between Moses and Aaron.

12:20 biological brothers who serve together in harmony after all the short Psalm refers to Mount Zion and oil on Aaron's head coming down upon his beard. I think it is rare and special to find biological siblings that love one another and serve God together with complimentary giftings and callings. So we see that God desires for his people to partner with him and fulfilling his purposes on the Earth. We can't all be Moses, Camila. There was only one of those. Yet there's only one like you. God has made you uniquely to fulfill his purposes. Should you choose to accept

13:07 his instructions? God has placed you in a specific context. specific family and in a specific time for a specific purpose I understand that at age 13, it is difficult to know your purpose in life. Frankly, it's difficult at 40 and Moses is finally getting his marching orders at age 80. however As you look back at Moses life. You can see God's plan from the beginning. in one sense Moses has matured. But in another sense, he hasn't changed much. I like to observe the lives of others who have done great things.

13:53 It always fascinates me to see that they were usually doing the same kinds of things since childhood. Perhaps just on a smaller scale. This is why instead of asking young people what they want to be when they grow up. It may be better to see what they are passionate about today and to consider how that might inform their future. Oftentimes the gifts that God has given an individual are apparent even in childhood if we are willing to discover them and take them seriously. Camila in addition to making us his Representatives. God also sets up chains of command.

14:40 God's word brings order into chaos God told Moses to relay his instructions to Aaron who would speak to Pharaoh resulting in Israel being given permission to leave Egypt. A big part of following God is being able to submit to Authority. There are those who will give you good instruction. And those who will lead you astray? Part of walking out. Your calling is learning how to discern the voice of God through others. As you study the scriptures. You will grow in your understanding of the voice of God. This will make it easier for you to discern credible voices around you.

15:26 Your parents trusted teachers and good friends can serve as God's mouthpiece as you encounter life seasons. Of course the people in your life will sometimes disappoint you as we all fall short of God's glory. However, as you seek the Lord, he will use all kinds of methods to speak to you. God can use teachers police officers friends enemies animals and even the weather to get your attention if you are listening for his voice. What's so funny about this passage? Is that after God tells Moses that he is going to make him like God to Pharaoh. He then tells Moses that Pharaoh is not going

16:13 to listen to him. Moses would get to experience God's frustration firsthand. Life would be a lot easier if we just listen to God, but we don't. That's what got us into this mess in the first place. After Moses reluctantly accepted God's instruction. His first mission would be to confront a ruler who would not listen. But didn't it say that Pharaoh would let the people go. Well as in most human situations, it's complicated. Even Pharaoh wasn't Pure Evil. He had a heart. At times he seemed sympathetic or

16:59 even repentant. Yet ultimately he hardened his heart. At other times in the text it says God hardened his heart. The best way I can explain this to you. God allows us to walk out our choices, even when they go against his purposes. This is why it is often helpful for us to think a second time before responding to challenges that we face. Ultimately, God will establish his purposes whether we are for him or against him. As for us however life will be far better if we partner with God rather than opposing his purposes.

17:45 The choice to follow God often comes through tiny decisions that we make on a daily basis. Although there will surely be pivotal moments in your life where you will be faced with big decisions. The smaller daily choices that you make will add up and actually have more of an impact most likely. Additionally as you grow in your ability to make good decisions about small things. You are also training yourself and making it easier to make big decisions and getting better at hearing the voice of God. Exodus 7 verses 4 through 5 read but Pharaoh will not listen to you. So I will lay my hand upon Egypt and bring

18:32 forth my armies my people beneus Royale. out of the land of Egypt by great judgments The Egyptians will know that I am Adonai when I stretch out my hand against Egypt. And bring out benaisrael. from among them God will make himself known in your life one way or another. God made himself known through the life of Moses who followed his guidance. God also made himself known through pharaoh who seemed like he was on the verge of following God momentarily, but ultimately rejected the Lord. attending a stock service in person or online doesn't guarantee

19:18 that you are following God. people attend synagogue for various reasons some people come because their life has been dramatically Changed by the hand of God, and they desire to hear from him and gather with his people. Some people come because they were taught it is the right thing to do. like a moral obligation some people come because their parents bring them and they have no choice. if this is you I want to check perhaps you've never had the encounter that your parents or your grandparents have had.

20:04 Have you spoken to God in your own words? I want to challenge you today. To ask God to show himself to you. It doesn't have to be a big scene. You don't have to raise your hand or anything. You can simply say to God. within yourself Please show yourself to me. Perhaps you just came to support Camilla at her bat. Mitzvah. That's actually a valid reason to come to synagogue. If you find yourself here for the Bat Mitzvah or some of the reason or you don't even know why you came. I want to challenge you to make the most of the opportunity. Maybe you've had an encounter with God a long time ago, but your relationship has

20:51 grown a bit stagnant. You don't have to make a scene. You don't have to raise your hand or anything. Just tell God that you'd like to commune with him again. I believe that you are not created randomly. You were made in the image of God. There are qualities and circumstances in your life that make you unique from everyone else. There are difficulties. As there are in any good story. God is test paternity they're with him. purposes for your life

21:37 I'm convinced that as you set your heart on following the Lord's guidance. To reveal a plan in your life. That is greater than your plan. He will shine through you if you let him. Moses in spite of his weaknesses and fears and concerns allowed God to shine through him. It changed history. We're still talking about it today. God revealed himself through Pharaoh, too. Pharaoh became an enemy of God as Rabbi Ari mentioned We don't remember his name. Only his position as pharaoh. And his opposition to the Lord.

22:25 We cannot alter the plan of God. however, each of us has to make a choice to join him or oppose him. I'd like to take this a step further. I think that each of us. Has a bit of Moses and a bit of pharaoh within us. There is an active battle within your soul. Following God is not a one-time decision. Rather it is a continual choice. At times it is our greatest consolation and comfort. At other times it is our greatest test and sacrifice.

23:12 To put it at a human level. I got married 20 years ago. I married a college girl. You know what happened? She changed. You know what happened to me? I changed. And we're not even done changing. However, we have gone through the changes together. And this adds to the depth of our relationship. God doesn't change. However, God is infinite. So although he doesn't. use always appearing to us in new ways because there are no limits to his being we are changing.

23:57 You are changing. It is helpful for us to be aware of how we are changing physically mentally emotionally spiritually. While God does not change at times it feels to us like he is changing because we are encountering a new dimension of his being that we have never encountered before. And then to further complicate the matter. There is a battle within you. There is part of you. That is selfish. lustful hostile jealous angry greedy and destructive Don't worry, it's not just you.

24:43 We've all got it to some measure. It continually wants to destroy us and everyone around us. Don't be surprised. Perhaps you fallen into the mindset where you think the world is nothing but chaos greed and pain. Is this where you're at today? You don't need to raise your hand. How do you suppose Moses felt? He was 80 years old. He was persecuted since birth. His people were slaves in Egypt. He was well aware of his weaknesses. He was powerless to change a dark

25:29 depressing and dismal situation. He had plenty of reason to complain and he did. Yet there was something special in Moses that made him different than all the other complainers. There was something within Moses that yearned for more. I'm not talking about more money power and influence. There was something within Moses that yearned Beyond himself. He yearned for a greater purpose. He earned to encounter what existed Beyond his senses. He saw the darkness and felt the pain but also

26:16 longed for freedom. He longed for a greater encounter. He was aware that there was a Divine hand upon his life and he yearned to know the one who made him and sustained him. We're all encountering the same world in different ways. for instance Have you ever used Google? Maybe you use some other search engine. It doesn't matter. But what are you searching for? What's your search history? Is it good? Is it helpful? Is it encouraging? Is it helping you or harming you?

27:03 I was at the barbershop this week. As I was awaiting my turn there was a show playing in the shop. In this show teams are digging for gold. Team hates the other team and is trying to get rid of them so that they can get as much gold for themselves as possible. They're cursing at each other and they're even fistfights breaking out between grown men. It's television at its finest. As I was watching this I thought to myself. What if these teams of workers actually got along? What if they pulled their resources and equipment and use their efforts to help each other rather than harm each other?

27:48 There were wasting a lot of each other's time. I'll tell you that. I think they could be far more profitable in their business. However, I doubt anyone would want to watch a show where people just get along and help each other. It's not good for ratings. If we're not careful. We can become like schools of piranha. Of whatever negativity comes our way. Yet we shouldn't be surprised defeating on darkness and negativity causes us to be miserable people. Moses yearned for the presence of God he yearned for encounter with the most high.

28:34 Camilla when I was in school a teacher told me that generally speaking people will attain the thing that they strive after what are you striving for? When Moses found the Lord he found more than he could anticipate. He found joy peace, patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control. He found the fruits and Bounty of the spirit of God. He found Adventure calling purpose and Destiny. He found freedom for his people who were enslaved in Egypt. The amazing thing about serving the lord.

29:20 Is that when we set our own agenda aside and get on board with what God is doing in us and around us? We find greater purpose than we can ask or imagine. We have the opportunity to partner with the creator of the universe. God will make himself known in your life one way or another Camilla. You only need to decide whether you will follow his guidance or paddle in your own Direction. Exodus 7 verses 6 through 7 read us follows So Moses and Aaron did as Adonai commanded them. Moses was 80 years old and Aaron 83

30:06 years old. When they spoke to pharaoh. commit yourself to a life of obedience to the Lord perhaps you're thinking. Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83 when they heard from the Lord. I'll just wait until I'm on my deathbed and like Steph Curry with 0.2 seconds left. I'll put up my shot make it right with the big man upstairs and spend eternity feasting laying on clouds and listening to Steely Dan being played on Harps by Plump toddlers with wings. I'm being silly here. But I suspect that there are some who think I'll get

30:53 right with the Lord. later Right now I'm having too much fun serving myself. Unfortunately, most people don't live to be 80. Well, I don't wish to dampen your day with the three leading causes of death. I will say that the odds are not in your favor to have a buzzer-beater opportunity. furthermore the reason that Steph Curry can shoot the buzzer beater is that he is practiced that shot consistently since he was six years old and his team knows that he has the greatest chance to succeed. greatest three-point shooter in NBA history Do you know what his three-point shooting percentages?

31:42 about 43% He makes it less than half of the time. Perhaps watching too many movies has caused us to be disillusioned to the point that we think that at the very last moment with 0.2 seconds left with our last amount of strength. We will attain the prize. Yeshua said it this way. Not everyone who says to me Lord. Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. But he who does the will of my Father in heaven? Many will say to me on that day. Lord Lord didn't prophesy in your name and drive out demons. oracles in your name

32:28 Then I will declare to them. I never knew you. Get away from me you workers of lawlessness. This tells us. That our relationship with God in the world to come. Has a lot to do with our relationship with God. today if you are not walking in relationship with the Lord. Don't deceive Yourself by thinking that it will be different tomorrow. We have a tendency to continue doing what we have always been doing. It's our character. And it becomes our destiny. If you don't want your past to become your future.

33:15 I encourage you. To welcome God's presence and guidance into your life. He has the power to break the chains that bind us. However, we must make a choice to let him set us free. We have the choice to allow and pursue God's Deliverance. These verses teach us that obedience to the Lord is a lifelong process. Israel we're delivered from Egypt. them Yeshua is very name means salvation. It is his character it is who he is. If we are walking with Yeshua, we should

34:00 expect that. He will lead us into new levels of Freedom as we continue to walk with him over the passage of time. as I mentioned earlier Moses and Aaron were 80 and 83 when God gave them these directives. They were not young though. They still had plenty of life ahead of them. This tells us that old age is not an excuse for disobeying God. God understands where you are in the journey. Even though we do not. The picture of Aaron and Moses serving together is a model for how our relationships can be with our siblings peers. And

34:45 even the people of God. This doesn't mean that Aaron and Moses never had disagreements. However, we can see their commitment to one another and their desire to serve the Lord together. In conclusion Camilla. I want to encourage you to follow the guidance of the Lord. Understand that you are called to be a representative of God upon the Earth. Recognize that God will make himself known in your life one way or another. Choose to embrace his call rather than fight it. commit yourself to a life of obedience to the Lord you have done an excellent job to prepare yourself thus far.

35:32 May you experience a rich fulfilling and exciting life with the Lord as you continue your journey into adulthood. May the Lord smile upon you all the days of your life. I'm so proud of you. Now it's time to celebrate. Mazel Tov Camila and shabbat shalom May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you. And give you peace. Give our recognize.

36:22 my right Here, I don't knife and of Alexa the vehicle. America he sarunai panavalaka. There are some left. Shah low beam Yeshua, Michigan in the name of our Messiah Yeshua shabbat shalom muscles of Camilla