Today's reading: Exodus 17, 18, 19; Psalm 23, 53, 83, 113, 143; Proverbs 23
Exodus 17:12-13, "But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword."
Our text today is one of my favorite Old Testament passages. As the Israelites fought Amalek they would prevail as long as Moses' hands were up. This makes me think of prayer. We are told to "lift up holy hands" in I Timothy 2:8. We know that Amalek is a picture of the flesh. Moses' actions of lifting up his hands could represent prayer. What an awesome picture!
If we are going to have victory in our lives then we need to be people of prayer. I don't mean we offer a "Now I lay me down to sleep..." kind of prayer either. We need to put our all into prayer. So many people just flippantly pray and then don't get what they pray for. We must pray in faith, believing that God is able and will do for us what we ask Him so long as it is in His will for our lives.
I like the picture of Aaron and Hur also standing with Moses. We need others to pray for us also. We need others to pray with us for the needs that we have. I know that I would be a lot worse off if it were not for the prayers of God's people on my behalf and for my family also.
So how is your prayer life? Are you Aaron or Hur to someone? I hope so.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
January 22, 2010
Today's reading: Exodus 14, 15, 16; Psalm 22, 52, 82, 112, 142; Proverbs 22
Exodus 14:13-15, "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:"
I remember growing up, the first time I was left at home alone. It was an exciting time for me. In my mind I was growing up. We lived in an apartment on the far west side of Indianapolis.
Fear is an amazing thing. It can paralyze even the biggest of men. I know because that night as I stayed alone for the first time I was crippled by fear. I stood in the same spot the entire time. My footprints were so smashed into the carpet that I think it took some time of redirecting the fibers to get them straightened back up.
Unlike the children of Israel, I did not have a commandment to "stand still" but I did. I stood there and rocked back and forth from the left to the right and from the right to the left.
So, what are you afraid of? I know in our lives we are facing some "giants". We feel like the Egyptians are closing in on us just like the Israelites of our passage. We know that God will work this out for His glory and our good whether we "feel" like it or not. We do not need to fear because God who is the same yesterday, today and forever will deliver us just like he did His children in our passage.
Your King James version Bible tells you 62 times "fear not". So friend, what has you paralyzed with fear?
Exodus 14:13-15, "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:"
I remember growing up, the first time I was left at home alone. It was an exciting time for me. In my mind I was growing up. We lived in an apartment on the far west side of Indianapolis.
Fear is an amazing thing. It can paralyze even the biggest of men. I know because that night as I stayed alone for the first time I was crippled by fear. I stood in the same spot the entire time. My footprints were so smashed into the carpet that I think it took some time of redirecting the fibers to get them straightened back up.
Unlike the children of Israel, I did not have a commandment to "stand still" but I did. I stood there and rocked back and forth from the left to the right and from the right to the left.
So, what are you afraid of? I know in our lives we are facing some "giants". We feel like the Egyptians are closing in on us just like the Israelites of our passage. We know that God will work this out for His glory and our good whether we "feel" like it or not. We do not need to fear because God who is the same yesterday, today and forever will deliver us just like he did His children in our passage.
Your King James version Bible tells you 62 times "fear not". So friend, what has you paralyzed with fear?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
January 21, 2010
Today's reading: Exodus 11, 12, 13; Psalm 21, 51, 81, 111, 141; Proverbs 21
Psalm 51:8, "Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice."
Our text today reminds me of a sheep that has his leg broken by the loving shepherd to keep the sheep from wandering away. As I was reading this I thought of the times that I had walked away from God's will for my life. It is not a pleasant experience. As we saw yesterday that sin only has pleasure for a time and then the chickens come home to roost.
I see and hear of so many people that say they know Christ as their Saviour but they live a life that is contrary to His Word and His Will that it makes you wonder. Especially, if they seem to just breeze along in life. Maybe they need to take a check up from the neck up? Maybe they have never truly in faith trusted Christ as their Saviour.
I am told that the shepherds would literally break a leg of a sheep or lamb that would wonder away from the fold or herd. This is horrible! Is it really? You see the shepherd loves his sheep and takes utmost care of them. If a sheep continues to wander off the loving shepherd would break a leg so that this sheep could not run off. Then when it healed the sheep would not run off again because he remembered the consequences.
Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd of the sheep (you and I). When we as His children wander off, so to speak, He will break a leg so to speak (literally in some cases) to get our attention and get us back on the straight and narrow path.
How's your leg? Is it healing?
Psalm 51:8, "Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice."
Our text today reminds me of a sheep that has his leg broken by the loving shepherd to keep the sheep from wandering away. As I was reading this I thought of the times that I had walked away from God's will for my life. It is not a pleasant experience. As we saw yesterday that sin only has pleasure for a time and then the chickens come home to roost.
I see and hear of so many people that say they know Christ as their Saviour but they live a life that is contrary to His Word and His Will that it makes you wonder. Especially, if they seem to just breeze along in life. Maybe they need to take a check up from the neck up? Maybe they have never truly in faith trusted Christ as their Saviour.
I am told that the shepherds would literally break a leg of a sheep or lamb that would wonder away from the fold or herd. This is horrible! Is it really? You see the shepherd loves his sheep and takes utmost care of them. If a sheep continues to wander off the loving shepherd would break a leg so that this sheep could not run off. Then when it healed the sheep would not run off again because he remembered the consequences.
Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd of the sheep (you and I). When we as His children wander off, so to speak, He will break a leg so to speak (literally in some cases) to get our attention and get us back on the straight and narrow path.
How's your leg? Is it healing?
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
January 20, 2010
Today's reading: Exodus 8, 9, 10; Psalm 20, 50, 80, 110, 140; Proverbs 20
Exodus 8:10, "And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God."
In our verse today we see Pharaoh returning an answer to Moses. God is showing Himself to be God by hardening the heart of Pharaoh. You remember the story. Moses tells Pharaoh that God said, "Let my people go." and then Pharaoh does not uphold his end of the deal by not letting them go.
All of the different plagues that God sent against Egypt were aimed at one of their many gods that they served. One by one God was showing them that the many gods they worshiped were powerless and nothing.
Sometimes it could be the same with you and I. What? Yes, I believe that sometimes we are just like Pharaoh. We harden our heart when we think the sin we are partaking in is pleasurable. The Bible tells us that sin is only pleasurable for a season (Hebrews 11:25). When the chickens come home to roost it is not very pleasant.
Notice that Pharaoh did not ask for immediate relief from the frogs. I have heard of a man who preached a very famous message titled, "One More Night With the Frogs". His text is our text today. We love sin so much that we will be content to live in it just one more night to have just a little more pleasure. Far too many of us want to sow our "wild oats" and then pray for total crop failure. It does not work that way.
Another night with the frogs? I hope not.
Exodus 8:10, "And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God."
In our verse today we see Pharaoh returning an answer to Moses. God is showing Himself to be God by hardening the heart of Pharaoh. You remember the story. Moses tells Pharaoh that God said, "Let my people go." and then Pharaoh does not uphold his end of the deal by not letting them go.
All of the different plagues that God sent against Egypt were aimed at one of their many gods that they served. One by one God was showing them that the many gods they worshiped were powerless and nothing.
Sometimes it could be the same with you and I. What? Yes, I believe that sometimes we are just like Pharaoh. We harden our heart when we think the sin we are partaking in is pleasurable. The Bible tells us that sin is only pleasurable for a season (Hebrews 11:25). When the chickens come home to roost it is not very pleasant.
Notice that Pharaoh did not ask for immediate relief from the frogs. I have heard of a man who preached a very famous message titled, "One More Night With the Frogs". His text is our text today. We love sin so much that we will be content to live in it just one more night to have just a little more pleasure. Far too many of us want to sow our "wild oats" and then pray for total crop failure. It does not work that way.
Another night with the frogs? I hope not.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
January 19, 2010
Today's reading: Exodus 5, 6, 7; Psalm 19, 49, 79, 109, 139; Proverbs 19
Psalm 49:7-8, "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)"
I remember a few months ago standing in the emergency room while our son laid in the bed. It haunts me still. I see him laying there just looking around and not making any noise. I come nearly to tears just thinking about it. This was a "hellish" experience for my wife and I. Neither one of us want to go through that again. I hope to never have to again.
One thing I remember thinking over and over again was that I just wanted to trade him places. I wanted to be the one to take the needles in the arm (this is huge for me because I hate needles with a passion). I remember wanting so badly to take his place so that he did not have to experience what he was going through. Unfortunately, I could not take his place
It is the same with salvation. There are people in my life that I want to be saved so badly that I would trade them places just so that I could get saved for them. God does not operate this way. I need to just rest in the fact that He has everything under control. My job is to trust Him. I don't need to trust Him over and over again for salvation. That is a one time event. That is what our verse means by "and it ceaseth for ever:". You cannot get saved over and over again.
It is my belief that if you believe that you can loose it then you never had it to begin with. I know I will take some flack for that but when you add works to your faith then it ceases to be faith. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone with nothing added or subtracted.
I hope you have trusted Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation. If you have not there is no time like right now to do that. If you don't know how, I would love to show you.
Psalm 49:7-8, "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)"
I remember a few months ago standing in the emergency room while our son laid in the bed. It haunts me still. I see him laying there just looking around and not making any noise. I come nearly to tears just thinking about it. This was a "hellish" experience for my wife and I. Neither one of us want to go through that again. I hope to never have to again.
One thing I remember thinking over and over again was that I just wanted to trade him places. I wanted to be the one to take the needles in the arm (this is huge for me because I hate needles with a passion). I remember wanting so badly to take his place so that he did not have to experience what he was going through. Unfortunately, I could not take his place
It is the same with salvation. There are people in my life that I want to be saved so badly that I would trade them places just so that I could get saved for them. God does not operate this way. I need to just rest in the fact that He has everything under control. My job is to trust Him. I don't need to trust Him over and over again for salvation. That is a one time event. That is what our verse means by "and it ceaseth for ever:". You cannot get saved over and over again.
It is my belief that if you believe that you can loose it then you never had it to begin with. I know I will take some flack for that but when you add works to your faith then it ceases to be faith. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone with nothing added or subtracted.
I hope you have trusted Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation. If you have not there is no time like right now to do that. If you don't know how, I would love to show you.
Monday, January 18, 2010
January 18, 2010
Today's reading: Exodus 2, 3, 4; Psalm 18, 48, 78, 108, 138; Proverbs 18
Exodus 2:19, "And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock."
Moses is a great study in the Scriptures. If you want to be a leader then you should study the life of Moses.
In our passage today we find these daughters of the priests of Midian trying to water their father's sheep. There was one problem. Some of the shepherds would run them off and water their own livestock and it would take these women a long time to get the flocks watered.
One day a deliverer was there. When these shepherds started their usual routine of running off the women Moses stood up for them. Good for Moses! It was such a help to these women that they returned back home in record time. Their father even asked them how they got home so soon.
They explained that an Egyptian helped them ward off the shepherds. Wait a minute! an Egyptian? I thought we were talking about Moses? Yes, we are talking about Moses. You see Moses had been educated in Egypt and lived there also. He was probably wearing Egyptian clothing and his speech was probably still that of the Egyptians. He had come out from them but he still appeared to be one of them.
If people look at you today what would they think? Would they think you are a Christian or would they see someone that is just like them? I hope when people look at me they see someone who tries to live a life that honors Jesus Christ and is not about me but Him. How about you?
Exodus 2:19, "And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock."
Moses is a great study in the Scriptures. If you want to be a leader then you should study the life of Moses.
In our passage today we find these daughters of the priests of Midian trying to water their father's sheep. There was one problem. Some of the shepherds would run them off and water their own livestock and it would take these women a long time to get the flocks watered.
One day a deliverer was there. When these shepherds started their usual routine of running off the women Moses stood up for them. Good for Moses! It was such a help to these women that they returned back home in record time. Their father even asked them how they got home so soon.
They explained that an Egyptian helped them ward off the shepherds. Wait a minute! an Egyptian? I thought we were talking about Moses? Yes, we are talking about Moses. You see Moses had been educated in Egypt and lived there also. He was probably wearing Egyptian clothing and his speech was probably still that of the Egyptians. He had come out from them but he still appeared to be one of them.
If people look at you today what would they think? Would they think you are a Christian or would they see someone that is just like them? I hope when people look at me they see someone who tries to live a life that honors Jesus Christ and is not about me but Him. How about you?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
January 17, 2010
Today's reading: Genesis 49, 50; Exodus 1; Psalm 17, 47, 77, 107, 137; Proverbs 17
Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."
I heard a man tell of a town in Kentucky that was experiencing a drought so bad that even the catfish had tics. That is bad. He said that the Methodist Church began to issue rain checks. Wow, that is bad too.
While telling how bad the drought became he told of an elderly lady who had run out of food and would pray daily as she sit on her front porch swinging. Her neighbor was a non-believer. He thought he would play a joke on her. He went to the store and bought a bag of groceries and set them on her porch. He watched from the bushes as she came out and found them. She began to praise God for His wonderful provision in such bad times. All of a sudden the man jumped out of the bushes and said, "Ha,ha! I bought those groceries. It was not your God." This lady simply bowed her head and said, "Lord, I want to thank You for providing these groceries and using the devil to do it."
Sometimes we have the best laid plans for our lives and we are happily going through life. Then suddenly something happens and we are now going a different direction or doing something different. We think, "What happened?"
Maybe we did not synchronize our calender with God's calender. God uses things in our lives to direct us. Most of the time we do not even see it until we are right there.
Look at Joseph. I am sure that he was wondering what God was doing sending him to Egypt and all that happened. As we see, God had a wonderful plan and Joseph just had to trust Him. Notice that Joseph was a better person for his experiences and not a bitter person.
Friend, in your life are you better or bitter? Sure about that?
Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."
I heard a man tell of a town in Kentucky that was experiencing a drought so bad that even the catfish had tics. That is bad. He said that the Methodist Church began to issue rain checks. Wow, that is bad too.
While telling how bad the drought became he told of an elderly lady who had run out of food and would pray daily as she sit on her front porch swinging. Her neighbor was a non-believer. He thought he would play a joke on her. He went to the store and bought a bag of groceries and set them on her porch. He watched from the bushes as she came out and found them. She began to praise God for His wonderful provision in such bad times. All of a sudden the man jumped out of the bushes and said, "Ha,ha! I bought those groceries. It was not your God." This lady simply bowed her head and said, "Lord, I want to thank You for providing these groceries and using the devil to do it."
Sometimes we have the best laid plans for our lives and we are happily going through life. Then suddenly something happens and we are now going a different direction or doing something different. We think, "What happened?"
Maybe we did not synchronize our calender with God's calender. God uses things in our lives to direct us. Most of the time we do not even see it until we are right there.
Look at Joseph. I am sure that he was wondering what God was doing sending him to Egypt and all that happened. As we see, God had a wonderful plan and Joseph just had to trust Him. Notice that Joseph was a better person for his experiences and not a bitter person.
Friend, in your life are you better or bitter? Sure about that?
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