Preparing to Worship

Monday Readings:
      Exodus 26:14 The Israelites were receiving instructions as to how to put the tabernacle together. The covering for the tabernacle were to be a linen covering, a goat skin and then a covering of a ram skin dyed red and lastly a badger skin. Hmm. The goat skin to remind them of the scape goat who took their sins into the wilderness (Jesus took our sins as far as the east is from the west) and the ram skin died red. The blood sacrifice that Jesus made at Calvary. The Hebrews couldn't miss seeing God's love and sacrifice in the tabernacle at every turn but often they did ignore and forget God's love.

Are we paying attention to the things Jesus wants us to see in our daily lives? Why not begin a list in your journal of the ways God is demonstrating Himself to you?

Father, thank you for placing things in our lives that demonstrate Your love and care for us every day. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tuesday Readings
     Exodus 27:20 The command was to bring pure olive oil, the first press, to burn in the lamp to cause it to burn always.
Jesus, the Light of the World will shine always. May we bring our best, be our best so others see Christ in us.

Father, may we always let our light shine before men that they may see our good work and glorify our Father in heaven. In Christ name. Amen.

Wednesday Readings
     Exodus 28:9-12, 15-21. The two onyx stones upon Aaron's shoulders bearing the names of the tribes if Israel and the stones on the breastplate, one for each tribe show us the burden Aaron was to carry for the Hebrews. God gave Israel visually for their understanding and for our understanding.

What burdens are you carrying on your heart? Why not write down the names of friends and love ones God is laying on your heart. Place it in a place you will see and remember to pray for them - on a mirror, or dresser, in your Bible, in a pocket, on a journal page, etc.

Father give us burdens for people that Your kingdom may come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Christ name. Amen.

Thursday Readings
      Exodus 29:13 The fat around the liver and kidneys were to be burned on the alter.

Animal fat has been rendered for centuries to use in soap making and candle making. This fat around the kidneys and liver contains the least meat. It is very white when rendered and also makes the best fats for cooking. It won't have a meaty smell. God requires purity. These fats burned on the alter melted down into the ashes. When the priests emptied the ashes, they then needed to wash off the ash. Soap at the time had not been invented but God was washing them in a way we can now see as lye soap. The lye from the ash, the fat from the alter and the water work together to create soap. God was purifying the priests without even their understanding. We really don't know how God purifies us when He forgives us and cleanses us from all sin. We just know He does.

Father, thank you for Your forgiveness and cleansing. I John 1:9. In Jesus name. Amen.

Friday Readings:
      Exodus 30:23-25 God gives directions for the anointing oil -myrrh, cinnamon, sweet calamus, cassia, and olive oil.

Mmmmm! It's that time of year when we love the comforting smell of cinnamon and spices in apple pies and pumpkin pies and all the other good autumn cooking. Just think how wonderful the tabernacle must have smelled. Oh how wonderful to come into His presence to worship and relax and forget about the world outside with all the wonderful smells within.

Father help us to be reminded of Your sweet and loving care when we smell the wonderful baking this season and may we come into Your presence with Thanksgiving. In Christ name. Amen.

Let us in on your family worship during this most thankful season by leaving a comment.

Blessings,

Gail

Journeying

 

 

As we begin a journey through Exodus, please read the chapter and then find the verse that God wants to use to speak to you. It may not be the verses God has shown me. If we all share things, we will all grow. Thanks so much for taking time to visit and please leave a comment.
                                            Blessings on your studies. Gail


Reading: Exodus 1:17; Matthew 10:28,29
      Because the midwives had more fear of God than of Pharaoh, they let the male children live. They still had a fear of Pharaoh or they would not have lied to him, but God forgave them and blessed them for sparing the lives of the Hebrew children.
       Most of the people reading this were probably born after the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in the US. Though abortion is a choice many young women fear that for them there is no choice. There has been 56 million abortions in this country since that decision was handed down by the supreme court. Read that number again - 56 million babies have died.  Thankfully places like Carolina Pregnancy are there to show these women that their babies can be spared. There is help and there is hope. We all need to be there for these women to show them the better choice and to offer them hope and forgiveness if they are in a post abortion situation. God blessed the Hebrew midwives for saving lives.
     Father, May we also fear God and care about people enough to save little lives. In Jesus name we ask. Amen.

Reading Exodus 2:11,12 ; Philippines 4:13
      Moses knew his upbringing that he was destined to be a man to help his people. He wanted to deliver his people. But God's timing is not our timing. Moses was trying to do God's will through his own strength. It is never through our strength that God's will is accomplished. We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us to do more but it must always be in God's timing. I am weak but He is strong.
      Lord Jesus, give us wisdom to wait upon you. Amen.

Reading Exodus 3:7-10; II Peter 3:9
      God saw and God knew what was happening to his people. Finally after 40 years the timing was right. The Hebrews were there for a reason, for a witness and the task was not always easy.
      Today many Christians around the world face imprisonment, torture and even death but God is allowing this for a reason, for a witness because He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
      Lord Jesus ,when I face adversity, help me see Your will in it that I might be an effective witness for you. Amen.

Reading Exodus 4:24-26; Ephesians 5:20-33
      Moses failed to lead his family in the ways of God. God was ready to kill him until his wife relented. God expects husbands, fathers, Christians which includes wives and mothers, to follow His guidelines. He expects fathers to instruct families.
     Lord Jesus, awaken the Christian fathers to their responsibilities to lead their families. Help the mothers to be subject to their Godly leadership. Amen.

Reading: Exodus 5:22,23; Matthew 11:29,30
      Moses and Aaron make their request before Pharaoh which caused Pharaoh to put more work on the people. The people became disgruntled with Moses and Aaron. Moses couldn't understand what went wrong, but, note,  Moses was praying about the matter.
     God sometimes allows things to get worse before they get better. Shouldn't we do like Moses? Wait patiently and  pray about it.
     Lord Jesus, help us to take your yoke and bear the burdens, staying faithful in prayer, knowing You are the great deliverer. Amen.

Roses and Rain

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

The arching pink rosebush in my yard blossomed in all her glory this morning. By noon the rain weighted her down, her blossoms scattered on the ground. She needed the rain. It had been more than a week since our last rain. Everything was parching. I knew tomorrow would bring the sunshine, the canes would lift again and new blossoms would open. She would be more beautiful than ever. Had the rain never come, the blossoms would have dwindled and the leaves would have spotted and died.

We are so much like the rosebush. Life can be going along just great until some major event comes along and bends us low with its burden of cares. Maybe its finances, or sickness, or a big bump in the marriage road, whatever, it just may be that God intends to use this burden for our good. This rain event will ultimately help us grow and be a greater witness than we ever would have been without the trial. When I think back to the many things we have gone through as a couple and with the children, I can see how each storm has brought us low and then lifted us up, closer to God, to each other and better witnesses. It’s always nice when the storm passes, but rest assured another will come along and we will ultimately be glad for the growth it will bring.

Father, help us to see the storms of our life are part of your loving purpose to help us grow.

In Jesus name. Amen.