The Wake-Up Call — "Skincare on Sinai" (Feb 12, 2026)

Host: Andrew Forrest (Senior Pastor, Asbury Church, Tulsa)
Theme: Exploring spiritual transformation through Exodus 34, focusing on how intimacy with God shapes us, drawing from Moses’ shining face after encountering God on Mount Sinai.

Episode Overview

This episode of The Wake-Up Call centers on the transformative power of spending time with God, inspired by the account of Moses descending from Mount Sinai with a radiant face in Exodus 34. Host Andrew Forrest urges listeners to recognize how what we love—and what we focus on—shapes who we become. The reflection draws connections between ancient scripture, modern distractions, and the longing for genuine spiritual brightness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thursday Rhythm and Preaching Practice

• Andrew shares his Thursday routine: focusing solely on sermon preparation with no meetings or appointments, using the evening service as a “director’s cut” for his Sunday message.
  • “Thursdays for me are all about preaching in the evening… I use Thursday evening as sort of like the director's cut version of the sermon, like a dress rehearsal. I try different things out.” [00:27]
  • The Thursday service is informal and personal—stories might be shared that won’t be broadcast online.

2. Delving into the Bible’s “Slow Parts”

• The current teaching series takes the church through the Bible using the One Year Bible plan, landing now in the latter chapters of Exodus.
  • Andrew intentionally chooses less flashy passages to show “all the Bible has something to offer us, particularly maybe these slow parts of the Torah.” [01:19]

3. Prayer & Invitation to Focus on Jesus

• A recited prayer invites the community to dedicate their hearts, minds, eyes, and bodies to Jesus each day.
  • “Jesus, I belong to you. I lift up my heart to you. I set my mind on you. I fix my eyes on you. I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice. Jesus, we belong to you.” [02:05]

4. Scripture Reading: Exodus 34:29-35

• The passage describes Moses descending Mount Sinai with his face shining, unknowingly transformed by close communion with God, leading to both awe and fear among Israel.

5. Reflection: “You Are What You Love”

• Andrew highlights the mysterious transformation Moses experienced: “Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.”

  • The repeated biblical emphasis on Moses’ unique intimacy with God illustrates how deep friendship with God yields visible spiritual radiance.

• The Shaping Power of Focus:

  • “You are what you love. That is, who or what you focus on and spend time with shapes you. This is obvious, but it's important to say.” [04:37]
  • Drawing from Philippians 4:8, Andrew challenges modern Christians to fill their minds with what is true, honorable, and praiseworthy rather than constant news cycles or social media.
  • “It affects us, it shapes us, and not in a good way.” [06:03]

• Mission Trips as Spiritual Intensives:

  • Andrew notes that people often love mission trips because all day is focused on God, from devotions to service—creating a unique environment for transformation.

6. The Two Exoduses: Out of Egypt & Egypt Out of Us

• The journey out of Egypt is paralleled by the internal transformation needed afterward: “The first part of Exodus is the Lord getting the people out of Egypt. The second part is about the Lord getting Egypt out of the people.” [07:47]

  • God’s desire is inward transformation into the likeness of Jesus, resulting in internal joy and external effectiveness.

• The Enemy’s Tactic: Distraction

  • Andrew warns about how distraction is a tool to prevent Christians from spending transformative time with God: “I'm convinced that one of the enemy's great tactics today is to distract Christians from spending time with the Lord.” [08:24]

7. Call to Action and Encouragement

• “So what are you waiting for? Spend time with the Lord today.” [08:30]
• Closing prayer asks for God to “polish us so we can more effectively reflect your light so that others will see us and give you glory.” [08:53]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Moses’ transformation:
  “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai... his face was shining. Moses spends time with the Lord in a unique way.” [03:39]

• On the impact of our focus:
  “Who or what you focus on and spend time with shapes you… If you spend time with violent, vulgar companions, then you will become violent and vulgar.” [04:40]

• On modern distractions:
  “It is really important in the age of social media and all the constant news updates when we're glued to our phones or to cable news. It affects us, it shapes us, and not in a good way.” [06:03]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Thursday preaching routine: [00:27]
• Reflection on "slow parts" of the Torah: [01:19]
• Opening prayer: [02:05]
• Scripture reading (Exodus 34:29–35): [02:47]
• Key reflection – "You Are What You Love": [04:37]
• Application to mission trips: [06:26]
• On inner transformation ("getting Egypt out of us"): [07:47]
• On the danger of distraction: [08:24]
• Call to action and prayer: [08:30–08:53]

Journal Prompts Shared

• Why does the Bible always describe the Lord with the language and imagery of light?
• Why is it so hard to spend time with the Lord? Could distraction and anxiety be tools the enemy uses to keep us from prayer?
• When Jesus is on the mount of Transfiguration, he shines bright. Do you think there's a connection between Moses’ shining face and that detail?

Memorable Closing: Hymn “Sweet Hour of Prayer”

• The episode concludes with verses 1 and 2 of "Sweet Hour of Prayer" (hymn 440), sung together, reinforcing the message of drawing near to God.
  • Notable lyric:
    “With such I hasten to the place where God my Savior shows his face and gladly take my station there and wait for the sweet hour of prayer.” [10:40]
• Andrew reflects: “What a beautiful idea. O Lord, be close to us today. Strengthen our hearts. Make us shine with your presence and for the awakening.” [10:58]

Tone and Atmosphere

The episode blends relatable storytelling, scriptural depth, gentle exhortation, and devotional warmth—encouraging both seriousness and delight in spiritual transformation. Andrew’s tone is invitational and pastoral throughout.

For Listeners:

If you’re seeking encouragement to invest intentionally in your time with God and wondering how that might transform your life, this episode offers both challenge and hope—reminding us that as we look to Him, we become radiant with His light.