http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2025-27&version=NIV
“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” – Exodus 25:8
In today’s reading God provides very specific instructions regarding the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the place where God would dwell among his people. The word sanctuary means a place set apart – a place made Holy by the divine presence of God. And God had very specific instructions for the construction of a place that is set apart for him.
But how do these instructions apply to my life? Why were they important enough for God to inspire man to write them and then include them in his Holy word? I believe the answer is found in asking this simple question – Where is the God’s sanctuary located today? Is it Second Baptist? First Baptist? The Crystal Cathedral? Let’s go to the Word for the answer. It says this:
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? – 1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19
That’s right, my friends – while under the Old Covenant, God’s dwelling place was in the tabernacle and later the temple, behind a curtain that separated us from being directly in the presence of God, a place only a consecrated priest could enter. But under the New Covenant, because our Great High Priest made a way – because the curtain of separation was torn by his death that atoned our sins once and for all – the place made Holy by the divine presence of God is your very body!
That is such an amazing truth! The tabernacle moves from a place we God to worship to the reason that we worship! And because our body is the sanctuary of God, the instructions God gives for building it are important. So let’s take a look at what we can learn about creating a dwelling place for God in our hearts.
First, read Exodus 25:1-9. God wanted material used to build his dwelling place to be received “from each man whose heart prompts him to give”. A little inside tip from Mary Ann Bridgewater again tell us that the Hebrew word fro prompts is nadab, which means to be willing. This root has the flavor of an uncompelled, free movement of the will for divine service or sacrifice.The gifts where to be presented with a willful heart – hearts stirred up and incited to action – hearts that where willing to sacrifice all they had that was needed to build the tabernacle. Their all was dedicated to Him.
Is your heart stirred up – willing to sacrifice and devote your all to Him. Will you yield your heart to a God who desires to make it his dwelling place?
Next, notice that in Exodus 25: 23-30, instructions are given for a table that would hold the bread of the presence. My study Bible says “The bread represented a perpetual bread offering to the Lord by which Israel declared that it consecrated to God the fruits of its labors, and by which the nation at the same time acknowledged that all such fruit been provided by God.”
As the dwelling place of God, are you will to offer yourself daily before his throne, giving him your first fruits – the best of your labor – knowing that it is the Lord that gives you the gifts that you need and moves you to “will and to act according to him good purpose”. Are you willing to give your all to him?
Exodus 25:31-40 gives detailed instructions for the lamp stand. Again, my study Bible explains that “the lamps represented the glory of the Lord reflected in the consecrated lives of the Israelites”. Is the glory of the Lord reflected through the light of your life? In Matthew 5:14-16 we are called the light of the world and given the command to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”.
As a last example of how are lives are to be a sanctuary for God, let’s look at the brazen altar in Exodus 27:1. It was an elevated altar where priest offered sacrifices of atonement. Because Jesus was our perfect atoning sacrifice, we should worship daily at His altar. We offer our bodies as living sacrifices. We worship in Spirit and in truth. We lift up the name of our Lord and Savior for who He is and what He has done. We offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.
When we are intentional in our time of worship, there is a power of the supernatural God – we are filled with his presence and our lives are set apart to serve Him only.
Amen and Amen!
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2022-24&version=NIV
“Come up to Me on the Mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction.” - Exodus 24:12
I am a big fan of learning from the wisdom of others. I am continuing to glean wisdom and insight from the fields of those who have gone before me, tilled and planted the fields, providing a rich harvest of understanding. I pray that from these sources you will be enlightened, for the commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes (Psalm 19:8).
The first field we’ll visit belongs to Mary Ann Bridgewater, a fellow Houstonian, member of First Baptist, and friend of a friend who wrote Building a House of Prayer – an amazing study. She provides the following insights – most of which are her exact words – a few are paraphrased – I’ll try to keep her words in italics:
God had a plan for Moses. God wrote the instructions for Moses and delivered them to him. If you, out of obedience, daily answer the call from god to come up to Him, you will receive ongoing instructions for you life that are higher than your ways and thoughts, and you will know the plans of action God has for you life.
The phrase ‘come up’ is often used to denote traveling from a lower elevation to a higher one. You no longer have to live your life at a lower level, conforming to the ways of the world. When you daily ‘come up’ to spend time along with God, He will take you to a higher level spiritually. god wants you to withdraw to read His Word, meditating and listening to His voice speak to your heart, and then to pray the Word. You will be taken higher with God. What happens when you go higher?
You will be empowered to see the way God, the creator of the Universe sees. Like Moses, you will be given spiritual insight to information and instruction from god. He will fill you up and set you on fire with His light.
You will be empowered to hear and know God’s voice. Check out Proverbs 8:4-16 to see this truth written in the word of God. The more time you spend with God the more you will intelligently discern His voice. God speaks through his Word. He speaks through friends who are of wise counsel, through pastors, through family – and we know He is speaking through others when what they say is truth from God’s word.
You will possess the mind of Christ. Isaiah 55:8-11 says that His thoughts are not our thoughts, but that God’s word goes out and yields seed for the sower (which is how we ended up in Mary Ann’s field) and bread for the eater. His word does not return void, but will accomplish the purpose for which it was sent.
One a side note the word of God has amazing power to transform and renew your mind so you can discern God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2). Russ mentioned on Sunday that he prays this over himself every day - and last month I started doing the same. It’s an amazing word that has power to transform you prayer life – I encourage you to give it a try. Okay – back to Mary Ann’s list of what happens when we answer the call to go up:
You will be empowered to speak the truth with boldness – 1 Corinthians 2:13-14
You will be empowered to possess a pure heart – 2 Timothy 2:19-21
You will be empowered to have servant’s hands – Psalm 144: 1-2; 90:17)
You will be empowered to walk in step with the Spirit of God – Proverbs 4:11-12; Galatians 5:25.
Yes, my friends, there is immense power when we go up to the mountain to meet with God. The understanding we gain their can be absolutely transforming. The last thing I want to share is new understanding I gained today through the word as I went up to the mountain.
To end today, let’s take a look at Exodus 23:29-30. Here God explains to Moses that he will take care of every aspect of the Israelites being able to take possession of the land, including dealing with their enemies and driving out the people who now are in the land. He says “But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and wild animals to numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”
As I was reading Mathew Henry’s commentary on these verses (you can find it at crosswalk.com), he explained that in bringing the people to the promised land, he would do this in wisdom, so that the Canaanites remained until Israel had grown into a people and could fill the land. The lesson as it applies to our life – God often delays mercies (i.e. – the promises he has for our life) because we are not ready for them. Canaan has room enough to receive Israel, but Israel is not numerous enough to occupy Canaan.
That being said, when you consider the promises or desires of your heart that you are waiting on that seem long delayed, do you wonder where God’s compassion is? Perhaps it is time to shift focus and realize that God is abundantly compassionate, merciful, and loving in the delay. He wants to bring you to the promised land when you are fully equipped – He wants to promised land to be everything we dreamed it to be – and nothing less. Come up to the mountain of God, see God’s view. Let Him speak truth about His love, His promises, His sovereign wisdom. Then rest and let Him bring you into the land.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Things of God Revealed and Hidden
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2019-21&version=NIV
I grew up with the understanding drilled into my head in confirmation classes that the Old Testament is the Law and the New Testament is the Gospel – that the Old Testament points us to the need for a savior and the New Testament points us to our Savior. I think that those divisions perhaps simplify things to much. Why? Because the Old Testament is filled with promises of God’s rescue and saving grace, His great love for his People, and His provision, and most importantly His immense grace and mercy for a rebellious people. Yes, there is definitely much gospel in the Old Testament.
Together the Old and the New Testament reveal God’s Holy, Sovereign, and Loving plan. Today’s scripture gives us a picture of a powerful God, a Holy God, a perfect God – a God of great glory. Today’s reading gives us a picture of a God who knows how imperfect we are and who will lovingly provide Perfection for us. Today we get just a glimpse of how much we don’t know and understand about our mysterious God because his ways are hidden from us, but how little that matters when we walk in faith in who He is. He is, after all, the I AM.
I confess that today I’m using the wisdom of someone who knows much more than I do. I receive a magazine called Table Talk, published for Ligonier ministries and R.C. Sproul. And so the words of wisdom I share are the words of R.C. Sproul. On a side note, Sproul wrote a book called The Holiness of God, that I highly recommend. Here is what he has to say about Exodus 19:
“Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.” Exodus 19:18
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 lays the foundation for the monarch in Israel and the Davidic ruler, explaining that the only legitimate king of God’s people is the one who keeps His law. This law was revealed in shadowy form at Mr. Sinai under the terms of the old covenant, and Sinai is an important motif that we find developed throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled under the new covenant.
Sinai first appears in Exodus 3, although in that chapter it is called Mr. Horeb, which is another name by which the mountain is known. God first revealed Himself to Moses on Sinai, when He called him to go to the pharaoh, and it is Sinai to which the people of Israel came and received the Law after being liberated from Egyptian slavery. As such, Sinai could be considered the mountain of the Lord’s revelation, since our Creator disclosed Himself there.
In Exodus 19, Moses gives us an inspired account of what happened at Sinai when the Israelites arrived. God made His presence known on the beginning of the third day, descending as fire and enveloping the mountain in lightning, thunder, cloud and smoke (vs. 16-19). This was truly an awesome sight, and it was meant to remind the people that the sovereign who set them free was no deity to be taken lightly. Other passages of Scripture tell us that angels were also present (Gal. 3:19), their submission to the Lord being a further indication of His glory and power. God’s holiness is also a powerful motif in His appearance to the people at Sinai, as the need for the people to be purified is stressed. They are also forbidden to touch the mountain lest they be destroyed (Ex. 19:9b-15).
Even though God have His people the Torah at Mt. Sinai, Exodus 19 also shows us how He remained hidden. As many commentators note, the presence of clouds and smoke indicated that our Lord concealed His full glory form the eyes of the people. God have His commandments, but He did not tell us everything there is to know about Him. This is an important principle to remember, for we are to learn that the Lord has revealed only what we need to know and that we have no business prying into our speculated about things not disclosed to us. As Marin Luther says, “Wherever God hides Himself, and wills to be unknown to us, there we have no concern.
We must not try to find answers to questions God never has answered (Deut. 29:29). The Lord has told us all we need to know in this present sinful age, trusting Him involves us acknowledging that there are some things we are not meant to know. When we realize that there are some things we are not meant to know. When we realize that there are some things God has not told us, we will not give pat answers to suffering or become discouraged when we cannot find answers to questions the Bible never asks.
For further study: Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 42:1-6; Daniel 12:8-9; Hebrews 2:1-4
Today's post submitted by Carol Bartels
I grew up with the understanding drilled into my head in confirmation classes that the Old Testament is the Law and the New Testament is the Gospel – that the Old Testament points us to the need for a savior and the New Testament points us to our Savior. I think that those divisions perhaps simplify things to much. Why? Because the Old Testament is filled with promises of God’s rescue and saving grace, His great love for his People, and His provision, and most importantly His immense grace and mercy for a rebellious people. Yes, there is definitely much gospel in the Old Testament.
Together the Old and the New Testament reveal God’s Holy, Sovereign, and Loving plan. Today’s scripture gives us a picture of a powerful God, a Holy God, a perfect God – a God of great glory. Today’s reading gives us a picture of a God who knows how imperfect we are and who will lovingly provide Perfection for us. Today we get just a glimpse of how much we don’t know and understand about our mysterious God because his ways are hidden from us, but how little that matters when we walk in faith in who He is. He is, after all, the I AM.
I confess that today I’m using the wisdom of someone who knows much more than I do. I receive a magazine called Table Talk, published for Ligonier ministries and R.C. Sproul. And so the words of wisdom I share are the words of R.C. Sproul. On a side note, Sproul wrote a book called The Holiness of God, that I highly recommend. Here is what he has to say about Exodus 19:
“Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.” Exodus 19:18
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 lays the foundation for the monarch in Israel and the Davidic ruler, explaining that the only legitimate king of God’s people is the one who keeps His law. This law was revealed in shadowy form at Mr. Sinai under the terms of the old covenant, and Sinai is an important motif that we find developed throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled under the new covenant.
Sinai first appears in Exodus 3, although in that chapter it is called Mr. Horeb, which is another name by which the mountain is known. God first revealed Himself to Moses on Sinai, when He called him to go to the pharaoh, and it is Sinai to which the people of Israel came and received the Law after being liberated from Egyptian slavery. As such, Sinai could be considered the mountain of the Lord’s revelation, since our Creator disclosed Himself there.
In Exodus 19, Moses gives us an inspired account of what happened at Sinai when the Israelites arrived. God made His presence known on the beginning of the third day, descending as fire and enveloping the mountain in lightning, thunder, cloud and smoke (vs. 16-19). This was truly an awesome sight, and it was meant to remind the people that the sovereign who set them free was no deity to be taken lightly. Other passages of Scripture tell us that angels were also present (Gal. 3:19), their submission to the Lord being a further indication of His glory and power. God’s holiness is also a powerful motif in His appearance to the people at Sinai, as the need for the people to be purified is stressed. They are also forbidden to touch the mountain lest they be destroyed (Ex. 19:9b-15).
Even though God have His people the Torah at Mt. Sinai, Exodus 19 also shows us how He remained hidden. As many commentators note, the presence of clouds and smoke indicated that our Lord concealed His full glory form the eyes of the people. God have His commandments, but He did not tell us everything there is to know about Him. This is an important principle to remember, for we are to learn that the Lord has revealed only what we need to know and that we have no business prying into our speculated about things not disclosed to us. As Marin Luther says, “Wherever God hides Himself, and wills to be unknown to us, there we have no concern.
We must not try to find answers to questions God never has answered (Deut. 29:29). The Lord has told us all we need to know in this present sinful age, trusting Him involves us acknowledging that there are some things we are not meant to know. When we realize that there are some things we are not meant to know. When we realize that there are some things God has not told us, we will not give pat answers to suffering or become discouraged when we cannot find answers to questions the Bible never asks.
For further study: Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 42:1-6; Daniel 12:8-9; Hebrews 2:1-4
Today's post submitted by Carol Bartels
Day 34: Exodus 16-18
Today’s passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2016-18&version=NIV
Today’s passage is yet another amazing illustration of our God as a provider. In the wilderness, he produced a daily supply of manna to eat and brought forth water from a rock to drink. He continued to build a faith in His people, teaching them that they could count on and trust in Him. We also see God as a different kind of provider. We see him provide for Moses by using other people in his life. God equips Moses with a community to pray with him and with a wise mentor to give good counsel.
In chapter 17 we see God fighting another battle for His people when the Israelites are attacked by the Amalekites. Moses comes up with a battle plan. First, he sends Joshua to gather some men and fight the Amalekites, but he knew that wouldn’t be enough. He needed a two pronged attack, so he armed himself with prayer. He stood on the hill during the battle and lifted his hands to the heavens with the staff of God in hand and he prayed. He knew that this battle would not be won without God. God had shattered his enemy before, and Moses knew that it would be God who would lead them to victory against the Amalekites.
Notice in this battle, the amount of community involvement. Not only did Joshua choose men to fight with him against the Amalekites, but Moses, chose Aaron and Hur to pray with him. Exodus 17:11 says “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.” But Moses couldn’t possibly hold his hands up in prayer during the entire battle. Verse 12 & 13 go on to say “When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” This is such a beautiful picture of support! These are the kind of people I want to surround myself with. Friends of strong faith who will hold me up when I’m in the middle of a battle. Friends who will stand beside me and help me lift my hands up in prayer when I grow weary. Imagine if Moses had the kind of friends that Job had. They might have discouraged him by saying “you’re in this wilderness battle because you’re a bad leader and God is punishing you.” Or even worse, what if Moses had a wife like Job. She might have said “Curse God and die, I’m tired of this battle”. Instead, God surrounded Moses with people of faith who would support him as he reached out to God.
We see another illustration of the importance of wise Christian friends in chapter 18 when Jethro visits with Moses. He saw that Moses was falling into the trap of overextending himself. Moses was wearing himself out acting as judge for all of the people. Jethro gave Moses some wise advice: Delegate; you can’t do it all; you’ll wear yourself out and then you’ll be no good as their leader (Ex 18:17-23). If only we all had a mentor like Jethro to step in and point out when we are heading down the path of wearing ourselves out. Whether you’re running a Bible study, acting as team mom, caring for a parent or raising a child, it can be easy to wear yourself out if you don’t choose some trustworthy, god fearing people to rally around you and help lighten your load. Pay attention to the people God puts in your life. He puts them there for a reason!
It is so important that we surround ourselves with wise and faithful mentors and friends. I know that when I first moved back to Houston after a 3 year stay in California, I prayed that God would provide me with some good Christian girlfriends and he did so abundantly. I am so blessed that when I am in a period of wilderness, I can call on my friends to hold me up and stand beside me in prayer. If you are lacking in a circle of Christian friends, pray that God will provide you with friends and a mentor to support you in your walk. Pray that he will open doors to a community of faith and bless you with a circle of sisters or a band of brothers that will give you godly counsel and support you in your battles. This is a prayer that God loves to fulfill. I will be praying for you too!
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Today’s passage is yet another amazing illustration of our God as a provider. In the wilderness, he produced a daily supply of manna to eat and brought forth water from a rock to drink. He continued to build a faith in His people, teaching them that they could count on and trust in Him. We also see God as a different kind of provider. We see him provide for Moses by using other people in his life. God equips Moses with a community to pray with him and with a wise mentor to give good counsel.
In chapter 17 we see God fighting another battle for His people when the Israelites are attacked by the Amalekites. Moses comes up with a battle plan. First, he sends Joshua to gather some men and fight the Amalekites, but he knew that wouldn’t be enough. He needed a two pronged attack, so he armed himself with prayer. He stood on the hill during the battle and lifted his hands to the heavens with the staff of God in hand and he prayed. He knew that this battle would not be won without God. God had shattered his enemy before, and Moses knew that it would be God who would lead them to victory against the Amalekites.
Notice in this battle, the amount of community involvement. Not only did Joshua choose men to fight with him against the Amalekites, but Moses, chose Aaron and Hur to pray with him. Exodus 17:11 says “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.” But Moses couldn’t possibly hold his hands up in prayer during the entire battle. Verse 12 & 13 go on to say “When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” This is such a beautiful picture of support! These are the kind of people I want to surround myself with. Friends of strong faith who will hold me up when I’m in the middle of a battle. Friends who will stand beside me and help me lift my hands up in prayer when I grow weary. Imagine if Moses had the kind of friends that Job had. They might have discouraged him by saying “you’re in this wilderness battle because you’re a bad leader and God is punishing you.” Or even worse, what if Moses had a wife like Job. She might have said “Curse God and die, I’m tired of this battle”. Instead, God surrounded Moses with people of faith who would support him as he reached out to God.
We see another illustration of the importance of wise Christian friends in chapter 18 when Jethro visits with Moses. He saw that Moses was falling into the trap of overextending himself. Moses was wearing himself out acting as judge for all of the people. Jethro gave Moses some wise advice: Delegate; you can’t do it all; you’ll wear yourself out and then you’ll be no good as their leader (Ex 18:17-23). If only we all had a mentor like Jethro to step in and point out when we are heading down the path of wearing ourselves out. Whether you’re running a Bible study, acting as team mom, caring for a parent or raising a child, it can be easy to wear yourself out if you don’t choose some trustworthy, god fearing people to rally around you and help lighten your load. Pay attention to the people God puts in your life. He puts them there for a reason!
It is so important that we surround ourselves with wise and faithful mentors and friends. I know that when I first moved back to Houston after a 3 year stay in California, I prayed that God would provide me with some good Christian girlfriends and he did so abundantly. I am so blessed that when I am in a period of wilderness, I can call on my friends to hold me up and stand beside me in prayer. If you are lacking in a circle of Christian friends, pray that God will provide you with friends and a mentor to support you in your walk. Pray that he will open doors to a community of faith and bless you with a circle of sisters or a band of brothers that will give you godly counsel and support you in your battles. This is a prayer that God loves to fulfill. I will be praying for you too!
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Day 33: Exodus 13-15
Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2013-15&version=NIV
This passage in Exodus shows how God accomplished what he set out to do. After the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites break out in a song full of praise and hope. In Ex 12:12, God revealed through Moses that He was about to “bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt”. Now, after the exodus, Israel proclaims in song, “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord?” (Ex 15:11). They have seen that the gods of Egypt are nothing. They have seen that God is Lord over life and death, provider of all things, giver of mercy, protector of His people, but full of wrath toward those who come against Him. Also, in Ex 6:7, God said that Israel would know that He was the Lord their God, who brought them out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. Now, after the exodus, the Israelites sang, “He is my God, and I will praise him” (Ex 15:2). The Israelites have definitely taken a turn in their faith. They now have seen God fight their battle for them just as Moses said He would (Ex 14:14). Notice, however that although God fought their battle for them, they had to do their part. They must have been terrified crossing that body of water as the wind blew a path for them. They had to step out in obedient faith in order for God to rescue them.
In Ex 15:13 the song turned from thanks for shattering the enemy (15:6) to hope in the future - "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.” The exodus became a symbol and source of hope for Israel’s future deliverance. We too, can look forward to redemption and deliverance from this world of sin through our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Later, in Ex 15:22, we saw another change. When things were good, the Israelites were quick to praise the name of the Lord, but after going three days without finding water, they were back to grumbling again. It’s interesting that they had just praised God for his mighty manipulation of the waters in the Red Sea, but shortly after they did not trust Him to provide water to drink. They looked to Moses to provide for them, failing to cry out to God for their provisions. This is a trap we often fall into as well. We fail to apply our faith in our daily walk. We say we trust Him, but then when it comes time to show it, we turn to man instead of God. God took this opportunity with the Israelites as a teachable moment. After He made the water sweet and drinkable, the Lord said to the Israelites, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." (Ex 15:26). God is asking them to trust Him. He wants them to be obedient and to come to know Him through the trials in Egypt and in the wilderness. We, too, can grow in our knowledge of God’s character and come to know him more fully through his leadership during our struggles in the wilderness. Having experienced His faithfulness during our times of wilderness, we can hope in the future fulfillment of His promises.
Romans 5:2-5 says “…And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us”. Just like the muscles in our body, we must exercise our faith in order for it to grow and it is during times of wilderness that we our faith is exercised. As we see with the Israelites, building a great faith is a process. It doesn’t just happen over night. As we move in and out of the paradise and wilderness periods of life, our faith grows as we watch God’s mighty hand at work. He brings us out of slavery, shatters the enemy, and provides for our needs. Through it all, He asks that we trust Him through our obedience. As we see in the book of Moses, huge blessings follow faith and obedience.
Are you in a wilderness period of life right now? Ask that God open your eyes to His presence. Cry out to Him for help instead of looking for help in worldly leaders. Pray that he will grow your faith and use this struggle as a teachable moment in your life, drawing you closer to Him.
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
This passage in Exodus shows how God accomplished what he set out to do. After the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites break out in a song full of praise and hope. In Ex 12:12, God revealed through Moses that He was about to “bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt”. Now, after the exodus, Israel proclaims in song, “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord?” (Ex 15:11). They have seen that the gods of Egypt are nothing. They have seen that God is Lord over life and death, provider of all things, giver of mercy, protector of His people, but full of wrath toward those who come against Him. Also, in Ex 6:7, God said that Israel would know that He was the Lord their God, who brought them out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. Now, after the exodus, the Israelites sang, “He is my God, and I will praise him” (Ex 15:2). The Israelites have definitely taken a turn in their faith. They now have seen God fight their battle for them just as Moses said He would (Ex 14:14). Notice, however that although God fought their battle for them, they had to do their part. They must have been terrified crossing that body of water as the wind blew a path for them. They had to step out in obedient faith in order for God to rescue them.
In Ex 15:13 the song turned from thanks for shattering the enemy (15:6) to hope in the future - "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.” The exodus became a symbol and source of hope for Israel’s future deliverance. We too, can look forward to redemption and deliverance from this world of sin through our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Later, in Ex 15:22, we saw another change. When things were good, the Israelites were quick to praise the name of the Lord, but after going three days without finding water, they were back to grumbling again. It’s interesting that they had just praised God for his mighty manipulation of the waters in the Red Sea, but shortly after they did not trust Him to provide water to drink. They looked to Moses to provide for them, failing to cry out to God for their provisions. This is a trap we often fall into as well. We fail to apply our faith in our daily walk. We say we trust Him, but then when it comes time to show it, we turn to man instead of God. God took this opportunity with the Israelites as a teachable moment. After He made the water sweet and drinkable, the Lord said to the Israelites, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." (Ex 15:26). God is asking them to trust Him. He wants them to be obedient and to come to know Him through the trials in Egypt and in the wilderness. We, too, can grow in our knowledge of God’s character and come to know him more fully through his leadership during our struggles in the wilderness. Having experienced His faithfulness during our times of wilderness, we can hope in the future fulfillment of His promises.
Romans 5:2-5 says “…And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us”. Just like the muscles in our body, we must exercise our faith in order for it to grow and it is during times of wilderness that we our faith is exercised. As we see with the Israelites, building a great faith is a process. It doesn’t just happen over night. As we move in and out of the paradise and wilderness periods of life, our faith grows as we watch God’s mighty hand at work. He brings us out of slavery, shatters the enemy, and provides for our needs. Through it all, He asks that we trust Him through our obedience. As we see in the book of Moses, huge blessings follow faith and obedience.
Are you in a wilderness period of life right now? Ask that God open your eyes to His presence. Cry out to Him for help instead of looking for help in worldly leaders. Pray that he will grow your faith and use this struggle as a teachable moment in your life, drawing you closer to Him.
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Day 32: Exodus 1012
Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+10-12&version=NIV
As we move into chapters 10-12, the plagues continued. Pharaoh responded with immense pride in defiance of what the Lord called Israel to do. In Egyptian culture, Pharaoh had all the power and was worshipped as a god. Pharaoh was full of pride and couldn’t bear to release his slaves to go sacrifice to another God. He had no need for God until the plagues got to be too much. With each plague, he would repent and ask Moses to pray to God for forgiveness. He would promise to let them go and as soon as things were back to normal, in defiance of the Lord, Pharaoh would try to determine the terms of the release of God’s people. I think we are quick to believe we aren't like Pharaoh, but who among us hasn't gone before God begging for relief and making promises about what we will do if he delivers us, only to fall back into our own patterns when relief comes. We can definitely learn a lesson from Pharaoh!
In chapters 11 & 12, we reach the final and most horrific plague, the death of every first born. This plague is different from the others, not just because of its gravity, but because this time, God asks His people to demonstrate their faith. In past plagues, God had made a distinction by protecting Israel’s land, livestock and people from the effects. This time, they are called to act faithfully in order for the Lord to “pass over” them during the tenth plague. They must follow God’s directions in the sacrificing a lamb for a Passover feast.
Just like we saw foreshadowing in the story of Joseph, here in the Passover story, we also see revelation of what is to come in our Deliverer, Jesus Christ. In this Passover, God’s people were required to act in faith in order to be delivered from death of the firstborn. We too, are delivered by our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Galatians 3:14 says “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Also, in this Passover, deliverance from death of the firstborn comes through the blood of a sacrificial lamb. John 1:29 says “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” We have the ultimate deliverance from death and are offered eternal life through the blood of Christ, our sacrificial lamb.
I am so thankful that God provided a Deliverer in Jesus Christ for us. Take some time to meditate on his good and perfect gift. Are you aware of someone who has allowed pride or other sin to harden his or her heart toward God’s love? Be faithful in your daily prayer, that they will come to know God as their Deliverer and share in this amazing gift!
Psalm 18:1-2 “I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
As we move into chapters 10-12, the plagues continued. Pharaoh responded with immense pride in defiance of what the Lord called Israel to do. In Egyptian culture, Pharaoh had all the power and was worshipped as a god. Pharaoh was full of pride and couldn’t bear to release his slaves to go sacrifice to another God. He had no need for God until the plagues got to be too much. With each plague, he would repent and ask Moses to pray to God for forgiveness. He would promise to let them go and as soon as things were back to normal, in defiance of the Lord, Pharaoh would try to determine the terms of the release of God’s people. I think we are quick to believe we aren't like Pharaoh, but who among us hasn't gone before God begging for relief and making promises about what we will do if he delivers us, only to fall back into our own patterns when relief comes. We can definitely learn a lesson from Pharaoh!
In chapters 11 & 12, we reach the final and most horrific plague, the death of every first born. This plague is different from the others, not just because of its gravity, but because this time, God asks His people to demonstrate their faith. In past plagues, God had made a distinction by protecting Israel’s land, livestock and people from the effects. This time, they are called to act faithfully in order for the Lord to “pass over” them during the tenth plague. They must follow God’s directions in the sacrificing a lamb for a Passover feast.
Just like we saw foreshadowing in the story of Joseph, here in the Passover story, we also see revelation of what is to come in our Deliverer, Jesus Christ. In this Passover, God’s people were required to act in faith in order to be delivered from death of the firstborn. We too, are delivered by our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Galatians 3:14 says “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Also, in this Passover, deliverance from death of the firstborn comes through the blood of a sacrificial lamb. John 1:29 says “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” We have the ultimate deliverance from death and are offered eternal life through the blood of Christ, our sacrificial lamb.
I am so thankful that God provided a Deliverer in Jesus Christ for us. Take some time to meditate on his good and perfect gift. Are you aware of someone who has allowed pride or other sin to harden his or her heart toward God’s love? Be faithful in your daily prayer, that they will come to know God as their Deliverer and share in this amazing gift!
Psalm 18:1-2 “I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Day 31: Exodus 7-9
Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%207-9&version=NIV
In Chapters 7-9 we see God’s amazing power as He begins unleashing the plagues across Egypt. Back in chapter 6, God told Moses that he wanted to reveal himself to his people in a way that He had not revealed Himself to the patriarchs. He wanted to reveal Himself as a Mighty, powerful, redeemer who delivers his people from the yoke of slavery. He wanted them to know that they are his people and that He is their God.
As I read about the plagues, there was one phrase that bothered me. The Lord hardened the Pharaohs heart. It just didn’t sit right with me, because the God I know and worship doesn’t harden hearts. He doesn’t use people like puppets to show His mighty power. He desires that we all know Him as our Lord. He desires to have an eternal relationship with us. He desires that we accept his free gift of grace and repent of our sins and confess with our mouth that He is our one and only Savior. So why would he harden someone’s heart?
As I prayed about this, my mind went back to a verse we looked at earlier this week. Ezekiel 36:26 says: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Here’s the thing about a heart of flesh and a new spirit…no where in the Bible does God give it to anyone who does not want it. We, like Pharoah, are all born sinners (Romans 3:23), but Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. That gift must be accepted and is lost if it is rejected. We just have to believe in Christ Jesus as our Savior to receive our free gift of everlasting life. (John 3:16), then our hearts are softened (Ez 36:26), then we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), then we begin our transformation into the likeness of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The Lord is a persistent God and He gave Pharaoh many opportunities to repent and change his ways, but after a time, God rejected Pharaoh, hardening his heart permanently. The original Hebrew text during the first 6 plagues say that the Pharaoh’s heart was already hardened. God didn’t harden Pharaohs heart until after the 6th plague.
First Chronicles 28:9 says “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever”. Also take time to read Romans 1:18-32, Paul tells of how God made Himself clearly visible to the people and they still would not glorify Him as God or give thanks to Him. The result was that God gave them over to their sinful nature and darkened their hearts. By the 6th plague, I think we can all agree that Pharaoh had rejected God and it was at this point that God rejected him.
God knew Pharaoh would reject him. He knows the thoughts we will have before we have them. He knows the very number of hairs on our heads at any given time. When he told Moses that He would harden Pharaohs heart, he wasn’t taking away Pharaohs free will. He was foretelling of the choices he would make.
I am so thankful that we are not puppets on a string in a supernatural performance. We have the freedom of choice to accept or reject God. He is a very persistent God who doesn’t just reveal Himself to us in some small way and move on. He revealed Himself in some pretty amazing ways to Pharaoh during the plagues, but he still chose to reject God. If God has been tugging on your heart, don’t ignore it. Ask Him to show Himself to you and watch for it. Romans 10:17 says Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Because we now have the Word of God, He most likely won’t reveal Himself through miraculous signs or plagues. We have access to Him through the Bible and through the Holy Spirit who he sent to us after the resurrection of Christ. If you don’t know Christ as your Savior, pray that your eyes be opened to His glory through the reading of His Word and your interaction with others and the beauty of His creation. I am praying for you as well.
Today's blog by Kelly Coxe
In Chapters 7-9 we see God’s amazing power as He begins unleashing the plagues across Egypt. Back in chapter 6, God told Moses that he wanted to reveal himself to his people in a way that He had not revealed Himself to the patriarchs. He wanted to reveal Himself as a Mighty, powerful, redeemer who delivers his people from the yoke of slavery. He wanted them to know that they are his people and that He is their God.
As I read about the plagues, there was one phrase that bothered me. The Lord hardened the Pharaohs heart. It just didn’t sit right with me, because the God I know and worship doesn’t harden hearts. He doesn’t use people like puppets to show His mighty power. He desires that we all know Him as our Lord. He desires to have an eternal relationship with us. He desires that we accept his free gift of grace and repent of our sins and confess with our mouth that He is our one and only Savior. So why would he harden someone’s heart?
As I prayed about this, my mind went back to a verse we looked at earlier this week. Ezekiel 36:26 says: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Here’s the thing about a heart of flesh and a new spirit…no where in the Bible does God give it to anyone who does not want it. We, like Pharoah, are all born sinners (Romans 3:23), but Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. That gift must be accepted and is lost if it is rejected. We just have to believe in Christ Jesus as our Savior to receive our free gift of everlasting life. (John 3:16), then our hearts are softened (Ez 36:26), then we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), then we begin our transformation into the likeness of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The Lord is a persistent God and He gave Pharaoh many opportunities to repent and change his ways, but after a time, God rejected Pharaoh, hardening his heart permanently. The original Hebrew text during the first 6 plagues say that the Pharaoh’s heart was already hardened. God didn’t harden Pharaohs heart until after the 6th plague.
First Chronicles 28:9 says “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever”. Also take time to read Romans 1:18-32, Paul tells of how God made Himself clearly visible to the people and they still would not glorify Him as God or give thanks to Him. The result was that God gave them over to their sinful nature and darkened their hearts. By the 6th plague, I think we can all agree that Pharaoh had rejected God and it was at this point that God rejected him.
God knew Pharaoh would reject him. He knows the thoughts we will have before we have them. He knows the very number of hairs on our heads at any given time. When he told Moses that He would harden Pharaohs heart, he wasn’t taking away Pharaohs free will. He was foretelling of the choices he would make.
I am so thankful that we are not puppets on a string in a supernatural performance. We have the freedom of choice to accept or reject God. He is a very persistent God who doesn’t just reveal Himself to us in some small way and move on. He revealed Himself in some pretty amazing ways to Pharaoh during the plagues, but he still chose to reject God. If God has been tugging on your heart, don’t ignore it. Ask Him to show Himself to you and watch for it. Romans 10:17 says Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Because we now have the Word of God, He most likely won’t reveal Himself through miraculous signs or plagues. We have access to Him through the Bible and through the Holy Spirit who he sent to us after the resurrection of Christ. If you don’t know Christ as your Savior, pray that your eyes be opened to His glory through the reading of His Word and your interaction with others and the beauty of His creation. I am praying for you as well.
Today's blog by Kelly Coxe
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