1. Prayers From the Pit Praying From the Pit of Burnout Exodus 18 Exodus 18

2. Hebrews 11:27 He endured because he saw Him who is invisible

3. Exodus 3:1-3 (ESV) Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

4. Exodus 3:1-3 (ESV) And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”

5. The problem of the church in America today is the problem of God. The problem of the church in America today is the problem of God. “If God decided to take his Holy Spirit from the world, the church wouldn’t know the difference.” – A. W. Tozer, Christian Missionary Alliance Pastor “If God decided to take his Holy Spirit from the world, the church wouldn’t know the difference.” – A. W. Tozer, Christian Missionary Alliance Pastor

6. Moses is entering pit of burnout. Burnout occurs when, in sheer exhaustion and frustration, one looses all hope of meeting the standard which is imposed on us (either by one’s self, others, or both), and simply give up. Burnout occurs when, in sheer exhaustion and frustration, one looses all hope of meeting the standard which is imposed on us (either by one’s self, others, or both), and simply give up.

7. Burnout is like sinkholes

8. Here Comes the Family Jethro is returning Moses family Jethro is returning Moses family Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

9. Here Comes the Family Jethro is returning Moses family Jethro is returning Moses family Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons.

10. Here Comes the Family Jethro is returning Moses family Jethro is returning Moses family The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”).

11. Here Comes the Family Jethro is returning Moses family Jethro is returning Moses family Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. (Exodus 18:1-5 ESV)

12. Here Comes the Family Jethro and Moses demonstrate mutual respect Jethro and Moses demonstrate mutual respect And when he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,”

13. Here Comes the Family Jethro and Moses demonstrate mutual respect Jethro and Moses demonstrate mutual respect Moses went out to meet his father-in- law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. (Exodus 18:6-7 ESV)

14. Here Comes the Family Jethro demonstrates good character Jethro demonstrates good character Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way,

15. Here Comes the Family Jethro demonstrates good character Jethro demonstrates good character and how the LORD had delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. (Exodus 18:8-9 ESV) (Exodus 18:8-9 ESV)

16. Here Comes the Family Jethro and Moses shared a spiritual passion Jethro and Moses shared a spiritual passion Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under

17. Here Comes the Family Jethro and Moses shared a spiritual passion Jethro and Moses shared a spiritual passion hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.”

18. Here Comes the Family Jethro and Moses shared a spiritual passion Jethro and Moses shared a spiritual passion And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God;

19. Here Comes the Family Jethro and Moses shared a spiritual passion Jethro and Moses shared a spiritual passion and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father- in-law before God. (Exodus 18:10-12 ESV) (Exodus 18:10-12 ESV)

20. Moses is evaluated The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said,

21. Moses is evaluated “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?”

22. Moses is evaluated And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” (Exodus 18:13-16 ESV)

23. Moses is evaluated Two things Moses did as a good judge: Two things Moses did as a good judge: He inquired of God. He inquired of God. He made them know God’s statues and laws He made them know God’s statues and laws

24. The Evaluation Report Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. (Exodus 18:17-18 ESV)

25. The Solution Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.

26. The Solution Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times.

27. The Solution Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

28. The Solution If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

29. The Solution So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

30. The Solution And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country. (Exodus 18:19-27 ESV) (Exodus 18:19-27 ESV)

31. The Solution Burnout is avoided through delegation – but before delegation comes prayer. Burnout is avoided through delegation – but before delegation comes prayer. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.

32. Bottom Line: Prayer is essential to maintain a healthy balance between the needs of my soul and the responsibilities of my life.

33. Nine Practical “Next Steps” Find a Jethro. Find a Jethro. Prayerfully determine the things which should be under your control but are not, and ask God to help you bring them under control. Prayerfully determine the things which should be under your control but are not, and ask God to help you bring them under control.

34. Nine Practical “Next Steps” Determine the abilities God has give you and plan how you will best utilize them for God’s kingdom. Determine the abilities God has give you and plan how you will best utilize them for God’s kingdom. Establish goals for your life, and form a plan as to how you will, by God’s grace, reach them. Establish goals for your life, and form a plan as to how you will, by God’s grace, reach them.

35. Nine Practical “Next Steps” Establish a plan for both your private world and for your public world responsibilities, and determine not to neglect either. Establish a plan for both your private world and for your public world responsibilities, and determine not to neglect either. Determine the priorities which will govern those things you will do and those which you will turn down. Determine the priorities which will govern those things you will do and those which you will turn down.

36. Nine Practical “Next Steps” Seek to differentiate between the crises of your life and the calling of your life, and then minimize the former and maximize the latter. Seek to differentiate between the crises of your life and the calling of your life, and then minimize the former and maximize the latter.

37. Nine Practical “Next Steps” Determine to facilitate the responsibility of others, especially by encouraging and equipping them to do what they do best. Determine to facilitate the responsibility of others, especially by encouraging and equipping them to do what they do best. Desire to grow in both faith and humility. Desire to grow in both faith and humility.