CHEERFUL GIVING

 

CHEERFUL GIVING

Ex. 35:20-21 So all the people left Moses and went to their tents to prepare their gifts. If their hearts were stirred and they desired to do so, they brought to the LORD their offerings of materials for the Tabernacle and its furnishings and for the holy garments. NLT

What strikes me about these verses is that the Lord doesn’t ask for what we don’t have and He doesn’t force anyone to give. The Lord does not want His children to give with anything but a cheerful heart. A gift given without love is not an acceptable gift to the Lord. Regardless of the gift, don’t bother if it’s given begrudgingly.

Also, notice that the people went home and prepared their gifts that they were going to give. I wonder how much thought and preparation we do when we give our gifts to the Lord. Do we think about the Lord at all before we give of ourselves and our resources to Him? Do we pause long enough to realize just how good the Lord is to us all the time? Do we realize that if it were not for the Lord and His faithful love for us, we would be dead in our sins without hope or life? Each gift we bring to the Lord ought to be a gift of love and gratitude.

The people gave with a purpose. They saw the bigger picture of what the Lord was doing and bought into it. We too need to look at the bigger picture. We give in response to God’s purposes and not for ourselves. Whether we are sharing financially, our talents, our time, or our hearts, we do it as unto the Lord. We make ourselves available to the Lord in love and gratitude.

The people gave with an attitude. Those who gave had a real desire to give. They gave so much that Moses had to tell them to stop giving! Oh, but that we would have such a desire to give!

The Lord invites us to give. It is our choice as to whether or not we will accept His invitation. He blesses those who give with a cheerful heart. When God’s people give as they should, there is never a lack of resources to get done what the Lord wants to do in the Church and world.

HOW DO YOU WORSHIP GOD?

 

HOW DO YOU WORSHIP GOD?

Ex. 34:8 Moses immediately fell to the ground and worshiped. NLT

How do you worship God? Do you stand, sit, or bow down before Him? Most of us sit most of the time, whether it is in church or at home. We like it that way. It is most comfortable for us. Sometimes it is too comfortable and we find ourselves dozing off. We are easily distracted in our comfort. We even complain sometimes because we aren’t comfortable enough. It’s too hot, too cold, the seats aren’t soft enough, or they are too soft. The music is too loud or not loud enough. It’s too modern or not modern enough. The pastor speaks too loud and long or not loud enough or long enough. We like our comfort and have grown to expect it. But, is comfort conducive to worship?

Moses was so overpowered by being in the presence of God that he immediately fell to the ground and worshiped Him. When was the last time you were so struck by being in the presence of God that you were driven to your knees? Does it strike you like it does me that rarely do we fall on our knees anymore before God? I remember with fondness those times in worship when you couldn’t do anything else but fall on your knees because God was in the house. What has happened? Has God changed to the point where we no longer need to be awestruck and humbled before Him, or have we changed?

How many churches today even have an altar in which we can come and bow before God? When was the last time a call was given for people to gather together in humility before God? Can we honestly say that we have worshiped if we have not been humbled before God? Isn’t it about time that we returned to our knees before God? What will it take for us to be overcome by the knowledge we are in the presence of a holy God? Will we ever see the days again in which we see ourselves as the sinners we are and fall before God in repentance?

When we return to our knees, we will then see a mighty revival sweep over our churches and our land. Revival is not a relic of the past; it is the greatest need of the Church today.

SIN'S CONSEQUENCES

 

SIN’S CONSEQUENCES

Ex. 34:5-7 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and called out his own name, “the LORD,” as Moses stood there in his presence. He passed in front of Moses and said, “I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so, I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations.” NLT

God identified Himself as the Lord. Moses knew exactly what God meant. God is the ruler over all life. He is the one who determines the longevity of life. He determines the order of life. He determines the events of life and nature. He is in control and all life depends on Him. God is Lord; there is no one else. He stands alone in power, knowledge, holiness, and majesty.

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, rich in unfailing love, and faithfulness. It is who He is. He forgives every kind of sin and every kind of rebellion. Yet, sin is sin and He does not ignore it. God treats us better than we deserve. He goes out of His way to embrace us and help us. He honors those who come to Him with repentant hearts. He helps those who sincerely strive to not sin against Him. But, God cannot let us get by with sin. Even though He forgives sin, there often are many consequences of sin we have to live with. We see it in the world, and we see it in our personal lives.

The Lord does not remove the consequences of sin from us. We have to live with the scars of sin and the damage that has been done because of our sin. There are broken relationships that remain broken. There are people injured for life because of things they do. There are people driven from faith because of sin. There are health issues that do not go away. There are financial obligations that must be dealt with because of sin. There are ministries and marriages destroyed because of sin. Sometimes the consequences of sin are long-lasting. They linger not only in our lifetime, but they affect generations to come.

Sin is nothing to play around with. God forgives the humbled and broken heart, but He allows the consequences of sin to linger. We must take sin seriously. We must do all we can do to leave behind us a legacy of righteousness. There is no greater gift that you can pass on to the next generation than that of a life lived rightly before God.

THE LORD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS

 

THE LORD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS

Ex. 34:5-7a Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and called out his own name, “the LORD” as Moses stood there in his presence. He passed in front of Moses and said, “I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion….” NLT

Hear what the Lord has to say about himself. He is merciful and gracious. He is slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. He forgives every kind of sin and rebellion. Here are just a couple of thoughts to ponder.

It takes a lot to get the Lord angry with us. Oh, He does get angry, but it takes a lot. He doesn’t treat us with an iron hand, but with mercy and grace. God is love and He never fails to love us. Everything that He does He does because of His love for us. We may not understand how what comes our way is an act of love, but it is. God knows what lies before us and allows us to go through situations today that prepare us for our tomorrows. He knows us better than we do and is always striving to help us to get to where we need to be. Also, there is no sin that is greater than God’s ability or desire to forgive. We may spurn His love and prevent Him from forgiving us, but if we turn to Him for repentance, He can and will forgive us.

God is the Lord, the ruler over all that is. He is ruler over heaven and earth. He is ruler over all the heavens and everything therein. No one or anything can take away His lordship from Him. He forever has been and always will be Lord. He is the giver and sustainer of all life. Every knee that has ever graced this world shall bow before Him. Every knee in heaven bows before Him. He is the one and only exalted one. The Lord is His name, merciful, patient, forgiving, and gracious, both now and forever.

Are you doing anything that might stir up God’s anger against you? Do your actions and thoughts betray your profession of faith in Him? Do you have unconfessed sin that is eating away at your righteousness? Do you speak hurtful words to others that demean, damage or destroy them? Let us examine our hearts today and see if there is anything there that might be stirring up God’s anger against us. He is rich in unfailing love and is faithful to us, but we can make Him angry with us. Only the pure in heart shall see God.

 

THE PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH DAY

Ex. 31:12-13 The LORD then gave these further instructions to Moses: “Tell the people of Israel to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you forever. It helps you to remember that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.” NLT

We have come a long ways since the Lord gave these instructions to Moses. And….I don’t think we have helped ourselves at all. It is no longer widely accepted that there is a need to set aside a day of the week to restore our bodies and souls. Sunday is treated like any other day of the week. Somehow we have gotten the idea that as long as we crowd the Lord somewhere into our busy schedules we are alright. We don’t regard the Lord’s Day as a sign of the covenant between us and God.

God made a covenant with man, that if we acknowledge Him and embrace Him as our God that He would be with us and make us holy. He would make known to us our sin, convict us of it, forgive us for them when we repent of them, forget they existed, and take up residence in our hearts. His promise to us is that if we repent of our sins and let Him be our Savior and Lord He would never leave us or forsake us. God promises us that if we submit to His authority over us that He would take care of us and get us safely home to heaven.

When we observe the Lord’s Day, we are acknowledging these things. We are declaring that God is our God and we love and respect Him enough to set aside a day in our week when we will focus on Him and all He has done, is doing, and shall do in our lives. It is a day of soul refreshment. It is a day of worship first and foremost.

The Lord gives us a day of rest and restoration so that we do not lose sight of Him and our need for Him to have control of our lives. He desires to make us holy, but before He can do it we have to get away from the rush of life and let Him. We reap what we sow and our lack of concern to obey God in setting aside a day for Him makes us shallow and an unholy people. The Lord takes our need to be holy before Him seriously, and so should we. Observing the Lord’s Day is one way in which we show the Lord that we do. We can only be at our best when we rest in Him.

DON'T JUST SAY IT; DO IT

 

DON’T JUST SAY IT; DO IT.

Ex. 24:3 When Moses had announced to the people all the teachings and regulations the LORD had given him, they answered in unison, “We will do everything the LORD has told us to do.” NLT

What really strikes me about the Israelites’ statement is how shallow it really was. Moses had just given to the people all the things God had told him. God had given the people clear direction on how to live lives that were pleasing to Him. He assured them that if they lived life His way they would be blessed by Him and taken care of.

The Israelites had just witnessed God’s display of power and heard His voice at Mt. Sinai. They knew beyond any doubt that God was near and how they should respond to Him. They vowed as one that they would obey God and do everything that He had told them to do. Yet, we read on and within days they went back on their word to Him and worshiped at the feet of the golden calf Aaron had made for them while Moses was up on the mountain to get further instruction from the Lord.

It is not good enough to pledge our allegiance to God; we must do what we say we will do. Mouthing words don’t mean a thing if they don’t result in actions. When we tell the Lord we will stop doing a particular sin and keep on doing it, we go deeper into sin and things only get worse between us and the Lord. When we vow to do something for the Lord and don’t follow up on it, we are worse off than we were before.

Take seriously what you vow to do before the Lord. He hears your vows and holds you accountable for them. When you do not keep your vows, it is sin and draws you away from God. Remember, God knows your thoughts and hears your words. He demands that you be a person of integrity and keep your vows to Him. God doesn’t just ignore what you say to Him and pretend like it doesn’t matter. Do what you say you will do and God will bless you for it.

DO YOU FEAR GOD?

 

DO YOU FEAR GOD?

Ex. 20:20 “Don’t be afraid,” Moses said, “for God has come in this way to show you his awesome power. From now on, let your fear of him keep you from sinning!” NLT

Do you fear God? A proper fear of God helps to keep us from sinning. Most of us don’t fear God as we should. To fear God means we respect Him, revere Him, and respond accordingly. By the way most professing Christians live, I don’t believe there is much respect for God. We have brought God down to our level. He has become not much more than a superman to us. Because God took on flesh and blood, we have humanized Him. We befriend Him to the point where we no longer understand the majesty and mystery of God.

God has revealed himself to us in the personhood of Jesus, but God is far more than what we know about Him. There is a mysterious aura about God that is impossible to grasp this side of heaven. He is greater than creation in His power and glory. He is the one who designed creation and made it happen by the mere utterance of His spoken word. He is the one who has given mankind the ability to reason and think. He is the one who knows what He has created, why He has created it, and what He is going to do with what He has created. God knows the mind and heart of man and holds us up to His holy standard. He will hold us accountable for what we do with what we know about Him. He is the one before whom we will stand to give an account for what we have done with Jesus. We must learn to appreciate just who God is and how to respect Him.

We also must revere Him. We must not go through the motions of worship, but truly worship Him. We must strive to focus on Him. We must look to Him as our God. We must seek Him with hearts intent on connecting to Him. We must not let others distract us from being still before God and reveling in His presence. We have confused worship with entertainment. We pep up our services and messages thinking that they are worship. While it is good to be excited about our God, excitement cannot replace reverence. In the stillness of the soul we connect with God. We need to rediscover the value of waiting on the Lord. We need to learn how to be quiet and listen for God to speak.

When was the last time you were still enough to hear God in worship or even in your private devotions? Is all the chatter and busyness before our worship services conducive to reverence before God? Do we even think about God before we begin to worship Him?

It is only when we learn to fear God that we will know His power and gain victory over sin.

A HELPING HAND

 

A HELPING HAND

Ex. 17:12-13 Moses’ arms finally became too tired to hold up the staff any longer. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side, holding up his hands until sunset. As a result, Joshua and his troops were able to crush the army of Amalek. NLT

I have always liked these verses. They speak to me about my need for others in my life. I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to want to do things on my own. I don’t like to admit I need help. I don’t like to call on others to come to my aid. Yet, I do need help. I am not superman. I cannot do all that needs to be done. I cannot do all things.

I have discovered it is okay to admit I am sometimes helpless to help myself. Whether it’s in the church or in my personal life, I am much better off and find I can do much better in life, if I simply humble myself and ask for help. Wisdom tells us that many hands make for light work. It also enables far more work to get done. At the root of why we sometimes are so independent is our lack of trust in the ability of others to do things like we think they should be done. We think we are the only ones capable of getting things right. It’s much easier to just do it ourselves. Yet, experience teaches us that it’s just not true.

Pride also gets in the way. When we get the idea that we are just fine and don’t need anyone’s help, we have a false impression of our worth, let alone our capabilities. No one is beyond the need for a helping hand. There are simply many things others can do better than we can. It is good for us to rely on others to help us get through whatever we are dealing with in life.

Sometimes we need help from others, and sometimes we need to be the ones doing the helping. It is good when we reach out and help someone in need. It not only helps them, it helps us as well.

If you have a problem with trusting in the abilities and integrity of others or are too proud to let others help you, perhaps you need to take it to the Lord and ask Him to help you overcome your mistrust and pride. We hinder what God wants to do through us when we try to go it alone.

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

 

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

Ex. 16:35 So the people of Israel ate manna for forty years until they arrived in the land of Canaan, where there were crops to eat. NLT

The Israelites were on a forty-year journey through the wilderness going to the Promised Land. It took them forty years because of their failure to trust God and go in and take possession of the Promised Land when they were camped at Kadesh-Barnea. God assigned them one year of wanderings for each day their spies were in scouting out the land because they discouraged the people from going in and taking possession of the land God had promised to give them.

Even though they were under God's discipline, He took care of their daily needs. God provided water and food for them all along their journey. For forty years the Israelites began each day gathering up manna for their food. Every day was a reminder to them that God is faithful and true to His word. The supply of manna did not stop until they had set foot on the Promised Land where they could then eat of the crops of the land.

What an awesome God we serve! He watches over His children and supplies their daily needs. We may not always have what we want, but we will always have what we need. God is always true to His word and when He says not to worry about your daily food, shelter, and clothing, He means it. Trust God without wavering and He will take care of you all the days of your life. No matter how rough things may get, do not stop trusting in God and He will take care of you and see you through until you get home to heaven where He is waiting to help you.

THE SABBATH DAY

 

THE SABBATH DAY

Ex. 16:27, 29a  Some of the people went out anyway to gather food, even though it was the Sabbath day.  But there was none to be found.  "Do they not realize that I have given them the seventh day, the Sabbath, as a day of rest?”  NLT

     God provided enough food for the Israelites for each day.  Every family had just enough and nothing more so that they would learn to depend on Him for their daily bread.  God told them to daily go out and gather their food and to gather double the amount on the sixth day because there would be no food provided on the Sabbath day, a day of rest and worship.  But of course, some of the Israelites did not listen and went out to gather more food, only to discover that there was none. 

     The people were slow learners; they still did not take God at His word.  They still did not understand that God says what He means and means what He says.  When God declares what is going to happen, it happens.

     God made it very clear that the Sabbath was to be a day of rest and spiritual renewal.  No work was to be done in it.  They were to spend the day reflecting on God's goodness and greatness.  They were not to fill the Sabbath with so many activities that they did not rest or have time to reflect.

     Not a whole lot has changed over the years.  We seldom set aside a Sabbath day of rest for reflection in our busy lives.  We cram as much as we can into our day as we can around our worship services.  Some even barely take the time for worship at all.  We watch the clock and can't wait until the service is over so we can beat the crowd to dinner or get to our next thing.  By the end of the day, we are so exhausted that we are not ready to start a new week.

     When will we learn to listen to God?  We need a day of rest and reflection for our bodies and souls' sake.  We need a day where we can replenish our souls, get close to God, and prepare ourselves for the days that lie ahead.  God knows best; wise is he who listens to God and keeps a Sabbath day of rest faithfully in their weekly schedule.

LISTEN TO GOD

 

LISTEN TO GOD

Ex. 16:19,20  Then Moses told them, "Do not keep any of it overnight."  But, of course, some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning.  By then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell.  And Moses was very angry with them.  NLT

     The Israelites had complained about water they had found that was undrinkable and God healed it so they could drink.  They ran out of water and complained and the Lord provided water from a rock.  They complained about a lack of food and God provided quails and manna.  He told them how they were to treat it, not leaving any of it overnight, but of course, some did not listen.  They were notorious complainers instead of humble followers of God.

     It never fails.  When we don't listen to God, unnecessary and bad things happen.  God has good reasons for what He says and we would be wise to not try the patience of God and ignore what He says.  We create our own problems when we ignore God.  One of life's most important lessons is to simply learn to listen to God.

     If things aren't going so well for you and you know that you have failed to listen to God, confess to the Lord what you have done and repent of it.  You will not be content with life and know His peace until you do.  God knows best always what should be done and the sooner you listen to Him the better off you will be.

I WILL EXALT THE LORD

 

I WILL EXALT THE LORD!

Ex. 15:2  “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my victory.  He is my God, and I will praise him, he is my father's God, and I will exalt him!”  NLT

     Moses and the Israelites had just crossed the Red Sea and the Egyptian soldiers had drowned in it.  Moses led the Israelites in an anthem of praise for God had kept His word to them and led them safely out of harm's way.  It is a great reminder to us to praise the Lord when He works wondrously in our lives and leads us through our difficulties.

     The Lord is my strength.  It is through Him alone that we are able to overcome what we face in life.  He gives us the stamina to persevere no matter how overwhelmed we may become by life's circumstances.

     The Lord is my song.  He gives us a song to sing as we let Him have His way with us.  To Him alone belong our praise and adoration.  There should always be a song in our hearts unto the Lord.  If you have no song to sing, you need to get your eyes back on the Lord and not your circumstances.  He is our victory.  Praise the Lord!

     The Lord, He is our God!  Let us never cease to praise Him.  Let us always sing for joy unto the Lord.  Lift Him up from the inner depths of your soul.  Give Him the glory that He alone deserves.  Mighty is the Lord our God.   He is our strength and shield.  He watches over us and takes care of us.  To God be the glory!

CHRIST, OUR LIGHT

 

CHRIST, OUR LIGHT

Ex. 14:19-20 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to a position behind them and the pillar of cloud also moved around behind them. The cloud settled between the Israelite and Egyptian camps. As night came, the pillar of cloud turned into a pillar of fire, lighting the Israelite camp. But the cloud became darkness to the Egyptians and they couldn’t find the Israelites.  NLT

     What a difference there is in being in Christ’s protective care and not being in Christ! When we live in Christ, He is there to show us the way to Him. When we are not in Christ, we live in darkness and cannot see our way to God. God does not leave His children in the dark. What may appear to be darkness to the world is indeed light to God’s children.

     Also, what may appear to be darkness to us who are in Christ is really no darkness at all. It is an opportunity to see what the Lord can do and what we can do in Him. It is good for us to go through times of darkness so that we can grow in our confidence in God’s love and ability to help us.

     We live in a world surrounded by darkness. Those who are a part of the world are groping around trying to find their way. They have no idea where they are going. They are clueless as to why they are here or even who they are. They are grasping for something that makes sense of the life they live. They are troubled by us who are not like them. They cannot see what we see. They don’t understand what we understand about life and eternity. They reject us and rebel against us because misery loves company and we do not keep them company. Those in the darkness don’t come into the light because they don’t want their deeds to be exposed. Deep down they understand that God is and they fall short of the glory of God. They know that He is holy and they are not. They are driven to justify themselves and thus they reject God.

      Stay in the Light and you will never have to wonder where you are at or where you are going.  He is the Way and He will show you the way.  He is the Truth and He will make it known to you.  He is the Life and as long as you stay in Him you shall live.  Christ is our pillar of cloud and fire and no one will ever find their way to God apart from Him. 

NOTHING TO FEAR

 

NOTHING TO FEAR

Ex. 14:13-14  But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid.  Just stand where you are and watch the LORD rescue you.  The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again.  The LORD himself will fight for you.  You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!"  NLT

     What caused the Israelites to be afraid?  They looked behind them and saw the Egyptians coming.  They were not seasoned warriors and Pharaoh and his troops were an imposing force.  They looked around them and there was nowhere to go.  The Red Sea loomed ahead of them and the Egyptians were closing in.  They cried out in desperation, wishing that Moses had not gotten involved and led them out of Egypt.

     Is there anything behind you (perhaps in your past?) that is making you afraid?  If you fix your eyes on the Lord and trust Him, there is nothing to fear.  He forgives us of all our past when we ask Him to and breaks its hold on us.  With the Lord's help, you can move on victoriously from whatever it is that may make you afraid.

     Does what is before you make you afraid?  Do you see no way through what looms ahead?  Are you overwhelmed by the seemingly impossibility of going through what is ahead?  Fear not; put your trust in the Lord and He will lead you through.  There is nothing you may be facing that is too difficult or large for the Lord to handle.  He will make a way for you if you will but call on Him and let Him lead the way.

     The Lord himself will take your hand and lead you forward to the Promised Land.  Watch and see what He will do for you.  Our God is a mighty God and He will get you where you need to go.  Let Him lead the way, keep your eyes focused on Him, and you will never again be afraid of what is behind you or before you.

WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD

 

WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD

Ex. 12:13   “Then the blood you have smeared on your doorposts will serve as a sign. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. The plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.”  NLT

     “When I see the blood, I will pass, I will pass over you.”  Growing up as a kid, we used to sing that song a lot. It still ministers to me. God in His mercy and love for His people provided a way out of certain death. God had had enough of the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart. He had had enough of the suffering of His people at the hand of the Egyptians. The Day of Judgment had come. All of the first-born sons in Egypt would die. Only those who were covered by the blood would be spared.

     It is the shedding of blood that saves us. God instilled life in the blood of all living creatures. It was in the shedding of Christ’s blood that eternal life could be given. His life was not tainted by sin so His death was accepted by God as sufficient for our salvation. Only those whose souls are washed in the blood of Christ can be saved. When God looks upon our souls, He looks no deeper than the righteousness and holiness of Christ. Jesus is our shield from God’s wrath. For our protection, we must never step out from behind our Shield. If we do, our sins are exposed and we become objects of His wrath.

      Notice that in order for the blood to protect the Israelites from certain death it had to be applied in God’s prescribed way.  In order for the blood of Christ to save us, it must be applied to our hearts in the way God prescribed.  We must confess our sins, seek Christ’s forgiveness, give Him permission to change us anyway we need to be changed and then live for Him. 

     “Thank you, Lord, for your life-giving blood. Thank You for giving up your life on earth on the cross that we might be saved. Thank you, for shielding us from God’s wrath with your righteousness and holiness. And, thank You for never stopping to be our Protector and Savior.”

NEVER TOO OLD

 

NEVER TOO OLD

Ex. 7:6-7  So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them.  Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three at the time they made their demands to Pharaoh.  NLT

     These verses bless me.  As we grow older we are led to believe that our usefulness goes away.  The world would have us to believe that there is nothing more that we can do to be productive members of society.  We are pitied by those who are younger and more active.  We become outcasts just waiting to die.  But, it need not be that way.

     Moses and Aaron were both at least eighty years old when the Lord sent them to Pharaoh to deliver the Israelites.  Think about it.  Here were men eighty years old who were willing to become national leaders and put their lives on the line to do so.  At an age when most would look for rocking chairs to sit in and whittle their lives away, Moses and Aaron were just getting started.  They would go on to lead the nation of Israel through the wilderness for another forty years!

     No matter how old you may be or feel like you are, there are still many things you can do for the Lord.  Your role may change from what it was in your younger years and you may have to adapt physically, but there are things yet for you to do.                     

     There are ministries in and outside of the church that are waiting for you.  Ask the Lord today what it is that you should be doing for Him and then with Him as your strength and helper, get busy and do it.  You can make a huge difference for the Lord, no matter how old you may be.

FREE FROM BONDAGE

 

FREE FROM BONDAGE

Ex. 6:6-7 "Therefore say to the Israelites, "I am the LORD, and I will free you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with mighty power and great acts of judgment. I will make you my own special people, and I will be your God. And you will know that I am the LORD your God who has rescued you from your slavery in Egypt." NLT

Are you in bondage today? Is there some sin that you just cannot shake? Do you have a past that you cannot shake free from? Are you being oppressed by others? Are you beaten down and to the point where you just are tired of it all? If so, hear what God told the Israelites many years ago.

The Lord will help you. He is all-powerful. He is able to set you free from whatever it is that has you in bondage. His promise is that He will redeem you with His mighty power. He will become engaged in your struggles and help you overcome them. You do not have to remain in bondage any longer. He can, and will, set you free if you will call on Him and let Him have His way with you.

The Lord wants you to be free. He wants you to be His own. He wants you to be able to enjoy being in fellowship with Him. He wants you to know that He is the one who rescues and redeems. He wants you to know life at its very best. He wants to set you free. Will you let Him have His way with you today?

I DON'T KNOW THE LORD

 

I DON'T KNOW THE LORD

Ex. 5:2 "Is that so?" retorted Pharaoh. "And who is the LORD that I should listen to him and let Israel go? I don't know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go." NLT

Pharaoh was a stubborn, proud, arrogant, and defiant man. He was on top of the world and had all he could ever want, except a heart at peace with God. Pharaoh had at his disposal the Israelites. They were forced labor and were not treated very well at all. They cried out to the Lord and he raised up Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh and demand that he release the Israelites so they could go and worship and serve the Lord.

Pharaoh did not acknowledge the Lord at all. He essentially told Moses and Aaron that he did not care about the Lord or what He demanded. His response is typical of the world today. Most people do not know the Lord and don't care to know Him. They defy His authority over them and do what they want to do. Some are so defiant that they try to rid all discussions of God from the public arena. As a result, believers find it increasingly difficult to live in the world.

We need to be smart and take care of our souls so that we don't fall prey to those who would try to silence us or destroy our witness. We must always strive to stay close to the Lord so that we don't cave in to the pressures around us. We must be well-armed with the Word of God, so we don't get led astray by those who preach and teach a different message. Satan is on the prowl in the world and will do all he can do to stop the Gospel from being believed and preached. Stay on your toes, keep your eyes focused on the Lord, and let your light shine brightly for the world to see.

BE NOT AFRAID

 

BE NOT AFRAID

Ex. 5:1 After this presentation to Israel's leaders, Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. They told him, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says, ‘Let my people go, for they must go out into the wilderness to hold a religious festival in my honor.' " NLT

Moses and Aaron were on a mission from the Lord. They were told to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. God had told Moses ahead of time that it wouldn't be easy, but in time their mission would be successful.

Moses was raised in the courts of Egypt. He knew the ins and outs of how Pharaoh ruled his people. He knew about Pharaoh's power and arrogance. He knew that Pharaoh would not take kindly to him since he had fled from his presence 40 years earlier after killing an Egyptian. Moses was at the time a marked man. Yet, Moses did not let his fears of Pharaoh keep him from obeying the Lord's command.

I wonder how often we let our fears hinder us from obeying the Lord. Are there people you know about, or know personally, that intimidate you to the point where you do not talk to them about the Lord? Perhaps you work where there are very few believers around and you find it much more comfortable to be quiet and not face the wrath or ridicule of the non-believers. Perhaps you have a low self-esteem and it's crippling you to the point where you are too afraid to let your faith be known.

Jesus was not afraid of those who threatened Him daily. He was not afraid to face God's wrath for your sins. He was not afraid to stand up to Satan and totally disarm him so that he could no longer hold you in bondage for your sins. Shouldn't we at least be willing to face those we fear to tell them of God's love for them? How can we claim to love Him if we live in fear of man instead of God? Jesus, God's perfect love fleshed out, casts out all of our fears if we will but let Him. Will you let Him today?

GOD'S APPOINTMENT

 

GOD'S APPOINTMENT

Ex. 4:27-28 Now the LORD had said to Aaron, "Go out into the wilderness to meet Moses." So Aaron traveled to the mountain of God, where he found Moses and greeted him warmly. Moses then told Aaron everything the LORD had commanded them to do and say. And he told him about the miraculous signs they were to perform. NLT

God hand-picked Aaron to be the spokesman for Moses when Moses did not step out boldly and do what God had called him to do. Moses was not sure whether or not he was up to the task and tried to convince the Lord to pick someone else. Moses was God's chosen voice to go before the leaders of Israel and Pharaoh, but He chose Aaron to speak for Him instead so that Moses would willingly obey Him. I wonder how many times the Lord has had to choose someone else to do what He has given us to do because we are afraid or unwilling to do it.

Aaron did not know what was about to happen when the Lord told him to go and meet up with Moses, but he went right away. He did not know where to find Moses, but God led him to him. The wilderness was a big place and if God had not directed him, he could have wandered around for a long time trying to find Moses. But, because Aaron let the Lord lead him, he went right to where Moses was.

Do not minimize God's appointments. God arranged the meeting between Aaron and Moses. They would work together to set the Israelites free from their bondage. God had wondrous miracles to perform and they would be His vessels to do them. God sometimes brings people together to work together to do great things for Him and bring Him honor and glory. Who is it in your life that you should be working with to serve the Lord?

IS GOD ANGRY AT YOU?

 

IS GOD ANGRY AT YOU?

Ex. 4:14a Then the LORD became angry with Moses. NLT

This short statement causes me to pause and think. God became angry with Moses. Why? Moses kept making excuses as to why he couldn’t obey God’s call on his life. God had prepared Moses for this moment of service. He had 80 years of life under his belt. He was ready to step up to the plate and lead the Israelites out of Egypt because God had made him ready. But, Moses tried to convince God that he was not the man. Instead of trusting God, he let his fears control him. I wonder if we too make God angry when we try to find excuses for not obeying him.

What do we do to make God angry? God makes it clear that He gets angry over sin. Do we make Him angry when we chose to delve into sin? Do we make Him angry when we take Him for granted? Does He get angry when we show Him so little respect? Is He angry over our futile attempts to “worship” Him? Does He get angry when we so freely toss His name around, like He was one of us? Does He get angry over our lack of interest in pursuing holy lives? Does He get angry when we let the allurements of sin captivate us instead of Him? I wonder to what extent we make God angry. Are you making God angry?

Living in relationship with God requires much from us. We have to work hard to keep ourselves properly connected to Him. God is with us, but He is not one of us. We must never forget that. God is holy, Jesus is holiness personified, and the Spirit is holiness empowered. We must fight the tendency to lose respect for God. We must fight the tendency to not revere Him. We must fight the urge to sin against Him. We must fight the fears that would cause us to not obey and serve Him. Let us resolve to give the Lord the best of our hearts and lives. Don’t give God just cause to be angry with you.

WHO ME?

 

WHO ME?

Ex. 3:11 “But who am I to appear before Pharaoh?” Moses asked God. “How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?” NLT

I can identify with Moses. I have often wondered about my ability to do what God has given me to do. I have looked in the mirror of my life and knowing what I know about me has caused me to question my ability to do God’s bidding. And therein lies our problem. We look at ourselves and see our limitations instead of looking at God and seeing His abilities. I have never lacked the ability to do God’s bidding when I step out in faith and trust the Lord to help me. If I had not trusted the Lord to help me, I probably would never had ended up in the ministry, even though I knew that it was what God wanted me to do. He enabled me to do it. There were others who said I would never make it. Over 50 years later I am still doing it. With God, all things are possible.

Don’t question what God has given you to do. He knows you better than you do. He knows what you are capable of with Him as your strength and power source. He can see in you what you cannot see. He is in your future as well as your present. Who are you to do what seems like the impossible? You are God’s child called to serve Him. You are chosen by God to do great things for Him. You are gifted by God to do His bidding, whether you can see it or not. You have an important role to play in God’s kingdom.

It’s not a matter of ability; you can do all things through Christ who gives you the strength, power, and ability to do them. It’s a matter of the will. Will you trust the Lord today and obey Him? Will you set out to do what He has given you to do? Obey the Lord and watch how He will bless many others through you.

It is Satan who casts doubt in us. He does not want us to trust in what God can do. He doesn’t want what God wants for us. He will use every means possible to keep us from being the servants God wants us to be. You have a choice to make. Are you going to trust God and do what He has given you to do, or are you going to listen to Satan and find excuses for not doing it?

The Lord has great plans for you. He knows what you are capable of. Trust Him. He will not let you down. You can do anything He gives you to do through Christ who strengthens us and the Spirit who enables us.

PAY ATTENTION

 

PAY ATTENTION

Ex. 3:4 When the LORD saw that he had caught Moses’ attention, God called to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. NLT

The Lord caught Moses’ attention. I wonder how often the Lord has to work to catch our attention. We often have a tendency to get distracted and wander away from God. When we do, He has to do something to get us back on track and focused on Him. Maybe you can think of ways that have happened for you.

We are far more likely to pay attention and hear from God during our times of need. When our needs are exposed and we realize that we can't do anything to satisfy them, we think about God and cry out to Him. When tough times come our way and we see no way out, we turn our eyes heavenward. When sickness comes that threatens to turn our lives upside down, we turn to God. When we sin against God and feel the shame and guilt of it, we turn to God. When we get too comfortable with God and no longer revere or respect Him like we should, God has to get our attention. God will work in a multitude of ways to help us refocus our hearts on Him.

We need to recognize what is going on when God is trying to get our attention. Why is it necessary for God to have to get our attention? What do we need to change in order for us to be more in tune with God in our lives? Are we taking the needed time in His Word to hear what God has to say? Do we pray enough so that we can hear and recognize His voice when He speaks? Do we want to know what God wants us to hear, understand, and do?

Sometimes we let our circumstances dictate how we feel about ourselves, life, or God. Instead, we need to turn our eyes upon Jesus and look in His wonderful face. We need to pause in His presence and renew our love and commitment to Him. We need to pause and listen to what He desires to say to us. We need to be like Moses and respond to God when He calls us.

It’s interesting that God called Moses by name. God knows us by name! Think about it. You are known personally by God. He does not mistake you for someone else. He knows exactly who you are and where you are at all times. You are a somebody to God!

Don’t get so wrapped up in the busyness of life that you no longer can hear the voice of God calling you. Don’t get so wrapped up in yourself that you can’t hear Him. Don’t get so wrapped up by life’s circumstances that you can’t hear Him.

God is calling your name today and he has something important for you to hear. Will you pause and listen?

GOD'S CHOSEN VESSEL

 

GOD’S CHOSEN VESSEL

Gen. 50:19-21 But Joseph told them, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God to judge and punish you? As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of my people. No, don’t be afraid. Indeed, I myself will take care of you and your families.” And he spoke very kindly to them, reassuring them. NLT

Jacob had died and now Joseph’s brothers became afraid. Joseph had the power and authority to make life miserable for them. In most people’s eyes, they were justified in their fears. The natural thing to do would be to get even with them for what they had done. But, Joseph was not like most people; he was a child and servant of God.

God has a knack for turning the evil intentions of man into good. God had a job for Joseph to do and He worked things out in such a way that Joseph ended up in the right place at the right time to do the right thing to enable God’s promise to His children to be fulfilled. God’s greater plan was to create a nation of people who He could call His own. He included Joseph in His plan. Joseph was placed in Egypt to become the go-to person for people to survive the severe drought and establish a safe place for Jacob’s family to live and prosper instead of dying because of the drought. God used Joseph to preserve His people. Joseph understood his role and humbly used his role to take care of his brothers and their families.

Blessed is he who understands that who and what they are in life are a part of God’s plan to redeem souls. You are in a unique position to influence people for Christ that no one else can. God has made you the way you are with the gifts you have to make a difference for Him in the world. Blessed is he who humbly serves the Lord with all his heart, mind, and soul in a lost and dying world.

GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE

 

GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE

Gen. 45:4-5 “Come over here,” he said. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don’t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.” NLT

Joseph had ascended to the highest-ranking position in Egypt next to Pharaoh himself. He was in charge of food distribution and had been dealing with his brothers. They had not recognized him, but he had recognized them. He had treated them harshly, but not in a mean-spirited sort of way. His brothers had come back a second time to buy grain to live on. They had brought with them their youngest brother, Benjamin, with them. It was the only way they would be able to purchase grain from Joseph.

Joseph had removed himself from their presence a couple of times because he had been overcome with emotions. He was now at a point where he felt he could be reunited with his brothers and so he told them who he was. Now, it would have been easy for him to have taken advantage of the situation and gotten even with them for what they had done to him years before. But, Joseph did not hold a grudge against them. He saw it as part of God’s plan for his life. He understood that God had orchestrated his life and that everything that had happened to him was a part of God’s plan of fulfilling His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We might say that he was an optimist rather than a pessimist.

God does have a plan for each of our lives. We may not think that our life experiences are a part of His plan, but they are. Everything we go through in life works together for our good and fit into His plan for us. He works things out for our good. God knows where He wants us to be in our faith walk and works to get us there. There are important lessons for us to learn in all of our experiences, both good and bad, that help us to become the best we can be in Christ. Blessed is he who sees his living as good and beneficial for him as he strives to fulfill God’s plan for his life.

TRY TO DO SOMETHING

TRY TO DO SOMETHING!

Gen. 42:1 When Jacob heard that there was grain available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another?” NLT

Jacob and his sons were caught up in the middle of a severe drought that had settled in on their part of the world at that time. It was a drought that God had revealed to Pharaoh in his dreams. Joseph was able to understand and interpret the dreams for Pharaoh. As a result, Joseph was elevated to a position in Egypt second only to Pharaoh, to oversee the grain surplus and impending drought.

Word soon reached Jacob that there was grain in Egypt and so he had a family pow-wow. He chided them for not doing something about their situation. Their food supply was rapidly being depleted and yet they were still hanging around home. Jacob asked them why they were standing around looking at each other instead of taking the initiative and going to Egypt to buy some food.

How do you respond when there is an obvious solution to problems you may be having? Do you stand around looking lost, or do you assume responsibility and seek to resolve the problem? You will never solve problems or overcome troublesome times by doing nothing to help yourself. You need to get busy and address the issues and try to find a solution for it. You may, or may not be, successful in your efforts, but at least you will have the satisfaction of trying, which in my opinion, is a success all by itself. It is far better to try and fail than it is to fail to try.

GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

 

GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

Gen. 41:14-16 Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was brought hastily from the dungeon. After a quick shave and change of clothes, he went in and stood in Pharaoh’s presence. “I had a dream last night,” Pharaoh told him, “and none of these men can tell me what it means. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams, and that is why I have called you. “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God will tell you what it means and will set you at ease.” NLT

Pharaoh was ruler over Egypt. He was the most powerful, rich, and influential person in Egypt. He lived a life of luxury. Yet, he was a troubled man. Pharaoh had two dreams and no one could explain them to him. He was surrounded by learned men who served as his counselors and catered to his needs. His cupbearer had spent time in prison with Joseph and had a dream two years earlier that God gave Joseph the meaning of. He remembered what Joseph had done and told Pharaoh about him. Pharaoh quickly called for Joseph to be brought to him out of the prison.

It was a day that Joseph had been longing for. He did not like being locked up and had asked the cupbearer to remember him, but he had been forgotten. What is important for us to know is that Joseph did not moan and groan about his situation. He continued to do positive things and helped whomever he could.

Joseph had a chance to draw attention to himself. Many in his situation would have done just that. After all, didn’t he deserve a break? But, Joseph did not see it that way. He saw it an opportunity to again bring God honor and glory. He directed the attention to the Lord and gave Him the credit for what he was able to do.

Let us always do the right thing and give the Lord the honor and glory. It is not about us. Anything that we can do we can do because of what God has done in us, gifted us to do, and given us opportunity to do for Him. May our passion always be to draw attention to our Lord and not us.