Loving Others

Monday Readings:
      Exodus 21:22-25  God honors life. These verses indicate that if the mother or the child dies the punishment is life for life - capital punishment. The following verses show just how important people are to God. Even the loosing of a tooth was punishable. We are created in His image and He expects us to respect people. Even the very hairs of our head are numbered.

Dear Lord, Thank you for caring about me. Help me to care about others even as You do. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tuesday Readings:
      Exodus 22:21 The Israelites knew what it was like to be persecuted and enslaved. God commanded them to be kind to strangers, to treat others as you would want to be treated.

The Thanksgiving season is upon us. We think of all the reasons we have to be thankful. Why did we come here? Was it not because of religious persecution? Others came to escape burdensome taxes. Others for freedom to live and work as they saw fit. We were strangers in a strange land. Should we not show love and grace to others who come to us if they abide by our laws?

Father, help us be a merciful people, but for the grace of God we would be in their same condition. In Jesus name. Amen.

Wednesday Readings:
      Exodus 23:4,5; Matthew 5:44 God commands us to have pity on our enemy and his animals. Animals were money in Biblical times. We are to help in their time of trouble. Be a good neighbor.

      If we are kind to others, even our enemies, we may win them to the Lord. We may make peace. We will know we have done right, which is really all that matters.

Father, help me treat others like You treat me - with loving-kindness and forgiveness. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thursday Readings:
      Exodus 24:8 Moses sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices over the people. The Israelites  and all people have broken God's laws. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. ( Hebrews 9:22. ) This was the symbol of the blood of Christ upon their hearts. The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin.

I wonder how the people felt when they were sprinkled with animal blood? Today we would see this as nasty. But, a bleeding wound cleanses the wound so it can heal without infection. The blood of Christ cleanses us so our lives can be healed of the corruption of sin.

Dear Father, thank you for the sacrifice of Your Son to cleanse us from all sin. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Friday Readings:
    Exodus 25:2 God asked Moses to speak to the people to give a freewill offering, an offering of love, not grudgingly nor of necessity. An offering of things needed to build the tabernacle.

What things are needed to build up the kingdom of God, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, love? Can we as Christians give these things

willingly? Is the increase of the Kingdom of God at the foremost of our daily lives?

Father help us willingly give our, time, money, and efforts to the upbuildment of Your kingdom.

Want you offer suggestions of ways to show the mercy of God to our neighbors and our enemies? May you be blessed for your work for God's kingdom.



Love in Jesus name,

Gail

Trust and Obey

Monday Reading:
     Exodus 16:23-26; Philippians 4:19
God wanted the Israelites to trust Him to supply all their needs. He wanted to give them a day of rest, but it was also important that they understand God would supply all their needs.

What does God want me to trust Him with? This week I had a scare. The doctors could not find any reason for my sudden black out other than mild dehydration. That should be enough to be thankful and move on, but there is that nagging feeling that it might happen again. Am I really putting my trust in God? Or am I depending on doctors or others to tell me why without believing God always has a plan to use me for His honor and glory.

Lord Jesus, help me rest in You that you are working all things for my good. Help me to obey in all things and believe You in all things. In Christ name. Amen.

Tuesday Reading:
     Exodus 17:7; Hebrews 13:5
When things didn't go perfectly for the Israelites, they doubted whether God was with them. Their doubts actually were a way of making God a liar and His Word of non effect.

How often do I doubt if God is with me when things don't go like I think they should? How can I doubt that the God who created the universe would fail to watch over me. He promises never to leave me  or forsake me.

Father, help me trust Your goodness and Your wisdom in all things. In Christ Jesus name. Amen.

Wednesday Reading
      Exodus 18:21; Joshua 1:7-9
Moses was suppose to choose men of courage to judge the people's causes. Men who would fear God and not be afraid to render justly without covetousness.

"Men of courage, where are you?" I can clearly hear Alex Kendrick call to the audience in the movie Courageous. Where are the people who will stand for righteousness and morality, unafraid of public opinion. Men and women of courage, God calls us now.

Father, help us to be men and women of courage, who stand for righteousness in a sin-filled world. Help us to not be afraid of what people will say or do to us, but rather fear what will be the  results if we keep quiet in such a time as this. In Jesus name. Amen

Thursday Reading
      Exodus 19:4
God reminds the people how He carried them out of Egypt with love and care and bare them on eagles' wings.

An eagle carries food and materials for her nest in her talons. The eagle carries her nestlings on her wings. It is with love she drops below and teaches them to fly, catching them on her wings. She never grips them in her talons. God bears us gently through life, allowing scary times to help us learn and grow but always ready to swoop beneath and lift us up, ever caring for us as He does for Israel.

Father, help me remember that Your plan is to help me grow, not harm me. Help me trust You as an eaglet trusts the loving wings of its mother. In Christ Jesus name. Amen.

Friday Reading
      Exodus 20:25; Titus 3:5
God wanted an alter built with unhewn stone. God made the stone and the animal that was to be offered. It was not the Israelites hard work of hewing stone that was going to impress God, but a heart of obedience.

I see a picture that our deeds do not make us righteous - only the righteousness of Jesus given in our stead. God can do all kinds of things. He doesn't need our help or our work for our salvation. He has already given His Son. His only requirement is our repentant heart for our sin that caused Jesus' death on the cross.

Father, help me remember all things were made by You and are in Your control. Help me remember my job is to obey Your word. Thank you, in Jesus name. Amen.

Blessing

Gail

Won't you leave a comment to help us know how God is teaching you to trust and obey?

Visuals from God

God uses pictures and the five senses to help the Israelites and the Egyptians see what God was doing. The plagues, the Red Sea and the Twelve Wells of Water were all "visuals" God used to make His plan understandable for all the people. Take a few minutes each day to read the Exodus chapter and see the "visuals" God used for the Hebrews, then watch what He puts in your life to help you understand His plan.

Monday
     Reading: Exodus 11:10

Pharaoh would not listen to the warnings and plagues. He refused to let the Israelites go. The leadership of the land was bringing woe upon the Egyptian people. The children of Israel were discouraged by all they saw happening around them. They thought Moses and Aaron were bringing more problems on them. Moses and Aaron were standing for the Word of God.

Are we standing with Christian leaders who are trying to speak out? Do we know the truth of God's Word? Are we so busied by work and pleasure we can't really appreciate those who are trying to influence our leaders to stop unrighteous laws? Are we standing for the unborn, for marriage, for families? Where are we people of God?
         
Father, help us examine ourselves and see how we can make a stand for You and Your Word. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tuesday
      Reading: Exodus 12:14; John 13:1-30.

Moses instructs the children of Israel in preparing for the Passover. He tells them this will be an ordinance for ever.

The Jews still celebrate the Passover but they do not understand the symbolism. They are in part blinded. But do we not also celebrate the Passover as an ordinance? When we celebrate the Lord's Supper we are still celebrating the Passover. Christ gave us this example as He celebrated Passover with His disciples in the upper room. We have the complete understanding that Jesus is our Passover Lamb. His blood was upon the cross and it is His blood that covers our sin. It was His body that was broken for us.      

Lord Jesus, thank you for being the Sacrifice for our sin. Amen.

Wednesday
       Reading: Exodus 13:8,9

Moses instructed the people to teach their children why they would celebrate the Passover every year. They would have the food in their hands and the knowledge in their minds through the seeing of the things they were doing. The food gave the taste and the smell. The recitation gave the hearing. All five senses were incorporated into the meal to solidify the meaning of the celebration. The generation that actually experienced the first Passover would soon pass. It was important to pass down the meaning to the next generation.

As we celebrate the Lord's Supper we have the bread and the cup in our hands. It is before our eyes to implant in our minds. It is in our mouths and the reciting is in our ears. The cup gives its sweet odor. We use all five senses to solidify the meaning of Christ sacrifice from generation to generation.

Farther, as we try to impart the meaning of the sacrifice of Your Son to our children, help us see the importance of making the telling part of all of our senses, that our children might have the fullest of understanding. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thursday
     Reading: Exodus 14:27; Romans 6:23

When Moses stretched his staff over the Red Sea it parted for the people to cross. When he stretched it out again it closed upon the Egyptians. The water that saved the Israelites destroyed the Egyptians.

We have the option of allowing Jesus, the Water of Life to give us salvation or rejecting Him and allowing His wrath to destroy us in the darkness of hell. If you are still weighing your options don't wait too long.

Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your free gift of salvation to all who will receive You. Amen.

Friday
     Reading: Exodus 15:27; Romans 1:20; I Cor. 3:6,7

The children of Israel journeyed to Elim where they camped by twelve wells of water that fed seventy palm trees. The Old Testament is filled with symbolism. Here were the twelve tribes camped out. They needed the water for their own thirst but God was also showing them that they had the spiritual water that the seventy nations of the world needed. Those seventy palm trees were feeding off the twelve wells. All the world needs the Water of Life that came through the Israelites.

Does God still use symbolism to teach us of Himself and the work He has for us to do? Romans tells us that all of creation tells His story so that everyone is without excuse. But we, who are Christians actually carry the water to give the rest of the world.  Look around and see how many things tell us of the Trinity. Egg shell, white, yolk. Sun ball, light, heat. Roots, stem, leaves. The list could go on and on.
 Search the night sky for the Big Dipper. That constellation used to be named the Ploughman. A farmer sowing and plowing. Remember how one plants another waters and God gives the increase?

Father, help us see You in all the world around us and remind us to plant and water and watch for You to give the increase of souls. In Jesus name. Amen.

Remember to read each complete chapter of Exodus every day. You may see something different than what God has shown me. Please leave a comment. We'd love to know how God is working in your life.

Blessings,

Gail

 

Light verses Darkness

Readings: Exodus 6:30; Phillipians 4:13
     In this chapter, God made seven promises to Moses (vs. 6-8, I will). Then in verse 30 Moses can't see how Pharaoh is going to listen to him. He thinks he's just a nobody.

     Often times God asks us to do things we can't do. Moses knew Pharaoh wouldn't listen to him, but he forgot that God was in charge. God was working out His plan by using Moses. If Moses thought he could make Pharaoh listen, then God would not have gotten the credit, the glory as we say in the church. Same with us. If God asks us to do something too hard, then He will get the glory, the credit, when His will is accomplished.
    The modern versions of Phillipians says "who strengths me". Christ does give us strength to do His will, but the KJV and Geneva say "which strengtheneth me". We gain confidence to trust Christ to work through us when we allow Him to begin to use us. Christ strengthens us, and the doing strengthens us, just as healthy food gives us strength and running or lifting weights strengthens our muscles to do more. Do what God asks even when you know you can't.

Readings: Exodus 7:12,21,22; I John 4:1
     Moses and Aaron begin to perform miracles before Pharaoh, but Pharaoh's magicians can do the same thing. Pharaoh's heart is hardened because he is deceived. Satan can seemingly work miracles. He can make his way look just as good as God's to the unsuspecting world.
     I John 4:1 tell us to try the spirits to see if they are of God because there are so many false prophets out there in the world. So how do we try the spirits? By the Word of God. We must make a habit of reading and memorizing so when we see things; movies, preachers, books, etc., we will know if it lines up with the Word or is it just one of Satan's tricks.

Readings: Exodus 8:28; Acts 4:19
     Pharaoh decided to let the people go and worship but they couldn't go very far, just a little way. Doesn't that sound like the government today? When our nation was first founded, we had freedom to worship. The founding fathers encouraged the people to read the scriptures and pray. Now they tell us we can be religious but we have to leave our religion at the door when it comes to school and work. It needs to be private worship. When the children of Israel first went to Egypt, Joseph was second only to Pharaoh and the Hebrews were given the best land for cattle. Over time they became slaves and now are told don't go too far.
     Peter and John faced hard choices as well. They were taken before the council for preaching Jesus and healing a man. They had to make the choice to continue to preach or obey the law. What choices are we making? Are we being shut down?

Readings: Exodus 9:27-28
      Pharaoh in his time of crisis calls for Moses to pray for him saying "the Lord is righteous". Yes, when things look bad or troubles come everyone calls for the preacher and the deacons. The government calls on everyone to pray. But what happens as soon as the trouble is passed? 911 is a good example of how people were called to God and to prayer but in a few weeks when the trouble settled down.....  

Readings: Exodus 10:22,23; Matthew 22:13
     The plague of darkness was upon the Egyptians. For three days they didn't move. Imagine how scary, a darkness so thick it can be felt, the cries of children who cannot be comforted from the fear of the dark. The adults feared as well. Horror, a tiny taste of outer darkness. A separation from the Light, from God. God's people were comforted in the Light.
    Jesus says when the wicked are cast into outer darkness there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
     Jesus, I thank You that You are my Light. That with You there is no separation. Thank You that there is no fear in Christ Jesus. Amen.

What things is God showing you from His Word this week? Please leave your comments that we all might grow, speaking the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

Blessings,

Gail