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?