We left the people of Israel so happy that God had remembered their affliction. They saw the signs and wonders that God gave Moses to show them, and although Moses was sure they were going to ask who gave Moses these orders, they never did ask God’s name. We left the Israelites worshipping God. In fact, I suspect that they worshipped so much that they began to neglect their duties as slaves. Word came to Pharaoh about their neglect of duty.

Pastor Don always tells us that right before we break free of anything the fire is heated up under the situation and things often look worse before they look better. That is a plan of satan to distract us from holding onto our confession of faith. We can get lost, start speaking negativity into the situation and end up stuck in our situation. The Israelites will, during their trek to freedom murmur against God, and the start of that murmuring is in this chapter. I need to remember that when things get really tough to start praising God.

Exodus 5:1-3 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ And Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.’ So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”

God’s plan was not for just a three day journey into the wilderness for a sacrifice, but after hundred’s of years of slavery, to ask for three days is not a large request. This shows just how unreasonable Pharaoh was, to not allow the people a chance to worship God. And Moses even suggested that if there was no worship pestilence or the sword would fall on the people. I am certain that that would not move Pharaoh to pity for he was bent on reducing the numbers of Israelites anyway, so what harm would a little pestilence do?

With elections around the corner this got me to thinking about leaders. While Pharaoh hardened His heart, God in His sovereignty knew that this was how Pharaoh would react. No matter what ruler, king, president, congressman, senator, local official is in power they are still under God’s sovereignty, and whatever they do (good or bad in our sight) will be used by God for His purposes and Glory.

The Pharaoh in Egypt claimed to be divine, to be god on earth. The Pharaoh believed that he did not have to submit to anybody, that he was divine. He had no intention of submitting to the God of the Hebrews or any god for that matter. But we will see that the God of the Hebrews, our beloved God, will show Pharaoh just how powerless the gods of the Egyptians are – for many of the plagues relate to the gods of the Egyptians, and they are under God’s control.

Exodus 5:4-9 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!” So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers saying, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”

Pharaoh, you may call the words of God false words, but we will soon see that God’s word is truth. Pharaoh tried to discredit Moses and Aaron in the eyes of the people by increasing their workload in response to their listening to Moses and Aaron. Instead of having straw supplied to make bricks, now the people will have to work extra hours to gather stubble to make bricks.

Brick was the material that the tower of Babel was built out of – the work and product of man’s hands and pride. Pharaoh’s mentality is the same mentality as that of the world today – remember Egypt is a type of the world – the mentality states that it is a waste of time to worship God. It is never a waste of time to worship.

Exodus 5:10-15 And the taskmasters of he people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: I will not give you straw. Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw. Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before? Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants?”

The people should not have been crying out to Pharaoh, they should have been crying out to God. They went to get direction from Pharaoh, when they should have listened to God. Don’t we do that in our lives when we are faced with difficulty. I know that so often I seek a person to help me with a situation, when I should take it to God first. At times God will direct me to a person, but I should have gone to God first. We can end up running around in circles unless we focus on the ultimate source of everything – God. God can order our steps and help us to get out of the situation better than we can in our own efforts.

I was also thinking about what will remain in our lives – not the work done by hands, not the hay and straw that will be burnt away – only the pure Gold of God will remain.

Exodus 5:16-19 “There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, “Make brick!” And indeed your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, “Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.” Therefore go now and work, for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks. And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.”

What is brought to my mind is that these people were forced to make idols (of brick) for the Pharaoh while he called them idle. It is not idle to worship God. I was brought to mind Rehoboam who was a King of Israel who put an undo burden on the people, increasing the yoke of their taxation, and the people rebeled. Here Pharaoh is trying to increase their burden. The way I see it they had two choices – side with God and defeat Pharaoh, or turn against God’s messengers and there would be consequences. They will murmur to Moses and Aaron, choosing the status quo and the unfair burden, complaining while doing so. The wandering in the wilderness will increase the people’s dependence on God, causing them to rely on God. Now they are not doing so, preferring instead to seek Pharaoh’s guidance in this. The other thought that came to mind is a time when the Israelites tired of manna and thought longingly about the wonderful food that they had in Egypt. Their memories were faulty because their time in Egypt was beset with hardship and intense work. The Egyptians were not so concerned about the health and wellbeing of the slaves. Yet our minds will play tricks on us and we will remember things that didn’t really happen.

Exodus 5:20-21 Then as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. And they said to them, “Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.

Isn’t that just like us, when our pastor tells us something to do and it seems that circumstances become more difficult, we want to blame the pastor, take out our frustrations on the pastor? What the people are doing is selective memory – just a few chapters ago the Israelites were having to kill their sons, drown them in the river – this desire of Pharaoh is not different – he was already bent on killing them. God would have judged the Israelite leaders and found them wanting – because Moses and Aaron were doing God’s will. Just because we obey God in a situation does not necessarily mean that the obedience will be well received by others, or that it will make our circumstances easier. We should not seek to please man (or fear to appear abhorrent to man) but rather to please God.

Exodus 5:22 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.”

I won’t keep you in suspense too long – believe it or not, God has an answer for Moses. I am so impressed that, instead of answering the people from the top of his head, Moses went to God first and asked God. He was not struck down for asking God a question – God does not mind questions. He asks a question many of us ask ourselves, why me? And from Moses’ perspective the situation certainly seems worse, but God does not deal in our realm of circumstances – His picture is far greater than what we can perceive. Not always does God give an answer to our why questions – perhaps a far better question is how can I…. or what should I…..How may not elicit a response from God, for we may not understand all the ramifications of what God is doing, and with us, I think God operates on a need to know basis.

Moses felt the same way that we sometimes do when God gives us a revelation or tells us to do something. We want to see instant results, forgetting that what we put in motion now has repercussions further down the road. We may not see results immediately, we may never see results, but that is not our concern – our concern is to obey God.

I have to be honest with you, as I am writing these words, God is convicting me because I too look at situations as Moses did, as the Israelites did, and at times as Pharaoh did. God is helping me to see that I need to look at Him, trust Him, and obey Him.

Hoping you have a blessed day!

Heather

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Last night as my finger hovered over the “submit” button, the power failed in our house and I lost the entire post. I really am pretty good about saving mid post, but it was late and my fingers were typing fast. If you haven’t had a chance to visit the site of one of our area pastors, I am again including the link to David Cordeau’s site. He has an incredible testimony on this site and talks about his missionary work in Cambodia and with Veterans. While we were talking yesterday, he mentioned that he is a bit vague when he talks about Cambodia so that the safety of those who are there aren’t compromised.

So we have been following the history of Moses. At this stage of life he is probably around 80 years old. Having fled from Egypt after killing a slavemaster, he has been in Midian tending sheep. We have seen that being a shepherd is valuable training for many of the Biblical leaders, teaching courage, caring, providing, and being aware of God and nature. God presented Himself to Moses in a burning bush and began to give Moses instructions about freeing the Israelites. Moses tried his hardest to convince God that he was not the man for the plan, but God knew otherwise. God gave Moses three signs and wonders to show to the people and Pharaoh. Moses was instructed to begin the process of liberating the Israelites, whom God considers His children,  by presenting these signs and wonders. God also revealed His wonderful name I AM THAT I AM to Moses. God has revealed more of Himself to Moses, and now we are going to see what Moses will do.

I am always impressed that God waited for the perfect moment to free the Israelites. When this rag tag band of Israelites (wait a moment that is Battle Star Galactica), moved to Egypt due to a famine, God knew that was the best place for Him to begin fulfilling His promise to Abraham. God knew that under the Egyptians, the 70 Israelites would be safe and could begin to multiply their numbers to be as many as the stars in the sky as God had told Abraham his descendants would number. They were safe under Pharaoh’s armies and fed. Once the Pharaoh that Joseph served under died, the memory of Joseph faded from the Egyptian’s minds and they started being threatened by the increasing number of the Israelites. Slavery and harsh treatment was their lot. Of course, if the Israelites had listened to their oral history, the fact that they were slaves for so long would not have come as a surprise. Genesis 15:13-14 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.”

I find great encouragement in this, for God is true to His Word. He will not lie. Granted 400 years seems a long time to wait, but God did what He said He would do. This reminds me of Daniel and Nehemiah who also remembered a similar promise of God about deliverance of the Israelites from bondage – they could count the years and started praying at the end of that allotted time period that God would do what He said He would do. Jesus walked into Jerusalem at the exact timing that God predicted.

I have to teach myself to remember that when God gives a promise it is for a certain time, and that timing is His. It may be my lifetime or my children’s lifetime or my distant relative’s lifetime, but God will keep His word. We know that the Partiarchs are blessed, according to Hebrews because they believed a promise that they did not see fulfilled in their lifetimes, but they chose to believe God. It is good to believe God.

Exodus 4:18 So Moses went and turned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

I love this about Moses. He was 80 and he still was humble enough to go and ask his father-in-law’s permission to leave his shepherding job to return to Egypt. THAT is the mark of a good leader. When God gives a new call, the leader makes sure that the current position is filled, then moves to where God called Him. The humility of Moses makes it possible for God to trust him with great responsibility. If we do not obey in the little things, God cannot trust us in the big things. I have to remember this when I submit to my husband or to others around me, that instead of being irritated when their instructions do not always seem the best, it is also a lesson in humility. God can use even challenging circumstances to refine us for what He wants us to do.

Exodus 4:19 Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

God is so good, the one big fear I am certain Moses had was walking into the local scribes’s office and seeing his face on a wanted poster. Moses had fled because of the murder of the slavemaster, and he had a price on his head. But now the men who sought his life are dead. I am glad that God relieved Moses’ fear about this before Moses walked into Pharaoh’s courts. But to Moses’ credit, he was going to do what God told him to do even if it could have cost his life. This brings to mind another time that God tells someone the same bit of information – Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had fled from Herod’s attempts at killing all infants. Once he died it was safe for the Holy Family to return to their home. They had fled to Egypt. It has dawned on me that perhaps because Egypt has been a refuge many times for Israel that that is why God will preserve them during the tribulation mentioned in Revelation. For whomever helps Israel will be blessed by God.

Exodus 4:20 Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Another illustration of Jesus – the wife and sons on a donkey – humble donkeys play such a part in scripture. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on an ass, Balaam has a talking to by one, a jawbone is used by Samson to defeat Philistines. I love how God uses the simple things to confound the wise.

Exodus 4:21-23 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.’”

I had such a challenge with these few verses when I first read the Bible. I thought it was really cruel of God to harden Pharaoh’s heart. So I brought that up to Pastor Don in one of my attempts to discredit God’s love of men – I contended that God loved some people but that He didn’t love others and I was one of those others that He didn’t love. Pastor Don pointed out that there were many times that Moses came before Pharaoh, and in the first times it was Pharaoh who hardened His heart, and later after Pharaoh made it quite clear that he wanted a hardened heart God honored that request. Just like we, if we keep rejecting God, will one day have that desire to reject God honored. God will keep trying, but at some point He will not force Himself where He is not wanted. It will break His heart, but He will honor our desire. When God predicted this, he knew that that was what Pharaoh was going to do, but that is because God is outside of our dated time frame. God knows the end from the beginning, sees all at once what we have progressively revealed to us. God will never force Himself on us if we do not want Him. He will wait patiently, hoping that we come to our senses, and He will send messengers and people into our lives to try and help us to see that we really need God. God is not the great abandoner that I once thought He was.

Also, notice that God tells up front the price of disobedience. For Pharoah if he keeps the Israelites in bondage and does not let them God, God will kill his firstborn son. God never does an action without ample warning of consequences for disobedience.

Exodus 4:24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him.

Say what????? God met Moses seeking to kill him????? Didn’t God just tell Moses to go and do his will? Again, I thought here is another example of the fickleness of God. But let’s see what the situation is.

Exodus 4:25-26 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!” because of the circumcision.

Now it is more clear. God had instructed Abraham and all of his descendants that as a sign of their obedience to God they were to circumcise their males. Moses had not done this with his sons, and because of this act of disobedience, God would not have been able to use Moses. A leader who represents God must be careful to obey God. Disobedience could have led to Moses’ death (physical or spiritual). Zipporah, a pagan wife, knew of this practice of circumcision, and being a godly wife, stepped in and corrected the situation. It was a distasteful act to her, but it preserved her husband’s life. Moses was again in right standing with God and God could use him.

My parents used to tell me, do as I say, not as I do. It is not a great saying because so often people do what they see their parents doing. Our testimony and leadership is compromised when we make compromises in our lives. Be sure our sins will find us out. That is why Pastor Don always tells us to make sure we are prayed up, confessed up, and have repented for our sins. Because if we haven’t, while God can still use us, it can end up hurting us. In today’s day and age, there are so many pastors and priests who are being called out for their sins – be it child molestation, lifestyle sins, or theft. God needs representatives that do not compromise Him. When a saint is caught in a sin, it compromises the Gospel message. People begin to think that all Christians are like that. When we give into sin, when we compromise on what God has told us to do, we become spiritually dead and blind. Samson saw that when he dishonored the Nazirite vows and disobeyed God, Saul discovered this when he did not do what God told him to do and he lost his kingship to David. I have to keep reminding myself that so often my actions are the only gospel that people will see. It is so important to remain in right standing with God.

Exodus 4:27 And the LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him.

Beautiful! God promised Moses that He would bring Aaron to him, and God honored that promise. It dawned on me on reading this that it also says something about Aaron. That Aaron listened to God, and was willing to obey God, even to the point of going to the wilderness.

Exodus 4:28 So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.

This agrees with Exodus 4:16 where God told Moses that Aaron would be his spokesperson, but that Aaron would get these words from Moses, who got them from God. There would be an order of revelation God to Moses to Aaron to whomever Aaron was instructed to speak these words.

Exodus 4:29-31 And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Well the signs and wonders did convince the Israelites and they believed. They were very grateful that God had “visited” the children of Israel and noticed their afflictions, so they bowed their head and worshipped. This is worship that is connected with the signs and wonders. Unfortunately the signs and wonders will soon be forgotten when Pharaoh reacts to the situation and increases the Israelites’ hardship. Their worship will turn to anger when deliverance is not immediate.

Isn’t this just like us? We pray to God, and then when times are tough we begin to blame God for our situation. How often on the television do we hear about “acts of God?” What I am learning is that when God moves on a situation in my life often the circumstances seem to worsen, and it is at this time that praise and worship is crucial – for it is only through praise and worship that the situation will change. It is the sacrifice of praise. Satan always tries to take away our victory before we fully claim it, and he does it through the guise of difficult circumstances. The fact that Pharaoh increased their difficulties shows that on some level he knew that he was defeated in this. It is much the same today, satan knows his days are numbered and he is turning up the heat on God’s followers, hoping that some will turn away from the truth of God. If we hold fast to our confession of faith, if we trust God in spite of circumstances, satan will finally leave us alone and move on to easier prey. I just had the three word thought come in my mind: PRAY or PREY. Let us pray and hold onto the truths of God no matter what our circumstances try to get us to think.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Heather

Last night I typed a whole entry on the second half of Exodus 4 and as my finger was reaching toward “submit” our power went out and the computer died. My entry vanished. It was a good entry that I will type later after church (at least I think it was she says smiling)

Perhaps it was Because God wanted me to post this site for you by itself. Yesterday in Barnes and Noble and I met one of our area’s pastors. This man is a missionary that goes into many countries iu Asia at great peril to his life to bring the gospel and heal the people. He said that he is pretty vague about where he goes in Asia to protect the lives of the people there.

I know you will be blessed by reading his testimony at this site: www.cordeauinternational.com

He is planning another trip in January, so I know he will appreciate your prayers for his mission.

Heather

We are so blessed to have wonderful teachers at our church. Pastor Jerry Moore, Pastor Don’s older brother,  is visiting from California and he taught today’s Bible study.  What is good about having other teachers is that each person brings the Word of God to us in a way unique to their personality, and if a message does not reach a person one way, perhaps another way of presenting the message will bring understanding. Each person gleans from the Word and often what one person doesn’t notice another person does.

Pastor Jerry’s method is to present scriptures and leave the field open to comments. So the discussion is often lively. Today we started out with a lot of praise reports. I love hearing what God does in people’s lives for it builds my faith to trust God in similar situations in my life.

Pastor Jerry mentioned that sometimes when God blesses us with a healing we have to struggle to hold onto the healing. Satan loves to send people into our lives to try and convince us that we really hadn’t received a healing, or to put a spirit of doubt into our minds.

He then mentioned some things about denominationalism. And mentioned that he has read the Catholic book of martyrs and Fox’s book of martyrs. And what is interesting is that who is considered a martyr in one book is often portrayed as a heretic in the other. Satan is hoping to create a spirit of division in the church, and setting Christian against Christian. He also mentioned that an interesting book is called Trail of Blood and it is able to be read on the internet.  Pastor Moore keeps wanting to teach a Bible study on the history of the church, but today God did not allow him to do so. I am glad for a pastor that chooses to obey God rather than his own inclination. The truth is that many Christians from different denominations have served the church with dedication, devotion, faithfulness and courage. We get so caught up in traditions that we “feel” are true, and start tearing apart others who do not have the same traditions. While this is not a blanket permission for going off on wild tangents, many of the differences between denominations are not so huge. We need to unite as a Body of Christ, an Army of God, to stand against satan. It is in satan’s best interest to see such division in the church today. Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the LORD said: “In as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.” We need to assess what is man’s order, and what is God’s order and obey God.

Pastor Moore gave us a handout with a few quotes one was: “You don’t just sin, you choose to sin.” We have a choice to do an action or to not do an action. Mostly we make excuses for what we do, trying to rationalize why we are doing something that is not God’s best for us. We can choose to love, choose to forgive, choose to repent when we have made a wrong choice. Or we can choose to do what we want in the flesh. We don’t just accidentally fall into sin.

Next quote: “The word “no” is more than just a defensive posture or choice of preference it is often an expression of your values – a character indicator….Resist the devil – resist temptation- resist enticements –back the devil down… There is to be no discussion – no consideration given.”

It takes courage to say “no” when everyone else is doing something. It takes character to choose not to do what God doesn’t want us to do, to stand up for what is right. We know that if we resist the devil he will flee. By resisting temptations and enticements we back the devil down. Many people in the Bible study loved the phrase “back the devil down.” and Pastor Moore said it would be a good title for a song. We should stick to God’s truth, not open ourselves to discussion or debate about an issue that is not of God, when we open ourselves up for discussion or debate it weakens our stance and makes it easier for satan to keep enticing us. We cannot give consideration to things that are not of God.

We deal with the what if’s too much. Adam and Eve sinned because they thought about what if they did eat the forbidden fruit. It was a sin of pride, to want to be like God. Satan will use any tactic, lust of flesh, lust of eyes and pride of life to tempt us to disobey God. Today in new age thinking people state that they are blessed by something – but they do not mention God. It isn’t politically correct to mention God. So the blessing could have come from any source in their minds. The only person who sets a standard for us should be Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:13-18 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us — a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged  by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment. But ‘he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.’ For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the LORD commends.

Next quote: “You can’t get even with momma without hurting yourself.”

To be honest, we couldn’t figure out what that meant. Pastor Moore told us that so often today people are stating that they have various problems in their life because of poor parenting or a bad situation in our past. We cannot let a hurt from our past dictate what we do in our present. When we do something in retaliation for our past, what happens is that we end up hurting ourselves. It doesn’t hurt the person who hurts us, it just hurts us and our walk with God.

“Sin ain’t your friend….”

Sin will try to lure you into its trap. It starts out with velvet threads and hooks you in until you are totally in chains to sin. And sometimes the line between sin and not sinning is very slim. Don’t forget that satan presents himself as an angel of light, he appeals to the senses, to the flesh and emotions. He will plant a desire and set criterions which will lure us. Often when we react out of frustration or emotions we have fallen into satan’s trap. And the Judgment of God is immediate. The second Adam and Eve ate that fruit, they were separated from God. To remove the separation you need to repent, to turn and do what is right in God’s sight and ask God for forgiveness. Remember, the wages of sin is death.

Pastor Jerry mentioned that in Judges so often the people did evil in the sight of God, and God would then let the people be led to bondage until they repented, called out to God, and he would send a judge to rescue them, but so often they would then fall back into that same old, same old cycle. The last verse of Judges is very sad, Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

We know how dangerous it is when we do what is right in our own eyes. And today many of the new age teachings are spouting off that we are gods, that we have a new revelation that no one else has seen, that there are many paths to god, etc. It “feels right” so do it.

We then got into a discussion about forgiveness. We need to forgive others. Sometimes when we have had someone hurt us, we forget that we too have hurt others. No one is without sin. And when it is tough to forgive, Pastor Jerry suggested that we pray for those we need to forgive. When we are interceding for others, the barriers that have kept us from forgiving are reduced. And Pastor Jerry also pointed out that we need to forgive ourselves.

GOD DOES JUDGE

Acts 17:31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.

Pastor Jerry told us that there are many today who are trying to state that God isn’t going to judge. He asked us if we have heard any false teachings on this. Examples given were God is love and a loving God would not condemn a person to hell. Or God will forgive everyone. This is not true. God will Judge and it clearly states that Jesus will judge. If we are blinded by the lies we will find out the truth when it is too late to do anything about it.

We then read Romans 2:1-24: here is a link: Romans 2 and there were a few comments made during the reading that I am going to share. Romans 2: 1-4  it is far easier to judge another person than to judge yourself. But God will hold us accountable for how we judge others. If we are judging a person in a situation, we better make sure that we are walking in God’s righteousness in that situation because God will judge us to the same degree of standard that we judge others.

Someone mentioned that often we hold other people to a high level of accountability and cut ourselves some slack. We can make an excuse as to why we did what we did, but then expect the other person to follow exactly what God said. We really need to reverse this – to hold ourselves to a higher level of accountability and cut the other person some slack.

Our hardness and impenitent heart regarding sin will incur God’s wrath and reveal God’s righteous judgment. God will render to each according to their deeds.

No one will stand before the throne of God and say that God is unjust, He has perfect justice. We, on earth, cannot judge perfectly for we have limited understanding, but God knows all about the situation and His judgment is just. Verse 11 For there is no partiality with God. All will be held to the same perfect standard. And the only way that we can pass judgment is through the shed blood of Jesus, for He alone provides covering for our sins.

This judgment, verse 12 applies to both Jew and Gentile, there is no one exempt from judgment. We will all be judged. We cannot – verse 17 boast that we are Jewish, or Christian and therefore will not have to be judged. And then he talks to pastors and religious people and asks them verses 21-24 You therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

Today we see this in the media. When a spiritual leader, a pastor or someone representing Christianity gets caught in a sin, the media goes into a frenzy, for they use that to discredit Christianity. Although some Christian leaders sin, that does not mean all Christians are like them, but satan will use the sins of those Christians to discredit God.

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

We will be following God’s commands because of love for God, not fear of the law. Because we are new creations in Christ we are now dead to sin.

Next note from Pastor Jerry: GOD DOES FORBID – He abandons nations, kings, people…and turns them over to the gods they have chosen and rejected HIM for – the gods, the demons, they have preferred over HIM….

John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Jeremiah 7:22-27 For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.” Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day. I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them. Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you.  Pastor Jerry had cited Jeremiah 7:22-34 through Jeremiah 8:1-8 the remainder of this passage talks about how God will judge the people and the fact that the land would be desolate because of their disobedience.

There are perils for false teachings, for Jerusalem was into perpetual backsliding, and they refused to return to God, holding fast to their deceits. The passage ends with Jeremiah 8:8 How can you say, ‘ We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. We will be accountable if we are false teachers or if we do not study the word and listen to the teachings of false teachers.

We started running out of time, so Pastor Jerry gave us the following scriptures to read on our own.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE

Job 20:5-9, Job 27:8,9

JUDGMENT WON’T SAVE YOU

Exodus 34:6-7 And the LORD  passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and fourth generation.”

When we sin, even after we are forgiven by God, there can still be seed left from the sins. Our kids could observe our sinning and imitate our past sins. We need to pray for a crop failure. For even though God will forgive us, we may still have repercussions in the flesh for the sins we committed. For example, if we break a law, we may still have a physical penalty, even though God has forgiven us. But God can intervene and cause a crop failure in the reaping and sowing equation.

Pastor Jerry’s notes: Multi Level Sinning – One sin leads to another….
Sin – The tool used to get what we desire….

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
Romans 12: 1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

God offers mercy, he forgives our iniquities, and brings us to Himself through the sacrifice of Jesus. Don’t let satan fool you into thinking that God doesn’t judge, or that God is an unrighteous judge. God is a judge with perfect judgment.

Hope you enjoyed this study, Pastor Jerry is here for a short visit, then is going back to California. He will be missed.

Heather

Pastor Ted taught last night’s Bible study on patience. I love it when God, as the “A TEAM” says, has a plan come together. In the Beth Moore study that I am doing, I am in the week that is covering patience. Perhaps there is a message there for me? You see I want patience and I want it NOW she says stamping her feet! Just joking, but patience is an important fruit of the Spirit, for it allows us to wait until God’s timing. God does not work within our time frame.

Pastor Ted pointed out that so many move from one place to another, but not all move for the right reasons. Some choose to move because they are wanting a better church, a bigger house, more money, better climate. If the call to move is because of the carnal mind’s idea of moving it may be out of order. If the move is in answer to God’s requests, that is a different story.

Adam and Eve in the garden moved. God called out to them, “Where are you?” He didn’t ask that question because God didn’t know where they were, but because they had moved outside of God’s perfect will for them. They were not where God had put them, and they had lost the dominion over the earth. They had a promise and they moved out of that promise because of disobedience and they left the promise because of circumstances.

So often, when circumstances become difficult for us, we scramble around trying to find a solution in our flesh instead of standing on the promises of God. When we are moving because of difficult circumstances we are reacting out of fear.

We either move because of destiny (God ordained) or fear (circumstances). Fear brings you to possibilities, trusting in God brings you to His promise. Possibility is not a promise. Fear keeps us in bondage.

Pastor Ted pointed out that we often spend several hours in church in an atmosphere of praise and worship, then we hit the parking lot and the atmosphere disappears. What we are needing to do is to maintain that atmosphere of praise and worship in our daily lives.

When we react to circumstances we are in the dimension of TIME, when we praise and worship and focus on God we are in the dimension of ETERNITY.

Time and Eternity do not coincide. When we are in eternity (praise and worship) then the circumstances are not as important. When we get bogged down by circumstances we lose sight of eternity.

God shows us a vision and a dream (foresight), but if foresight is not in line with our insight (inner thoughts and feelings) it can produce fear. If we begin to fear we start being limited by our circumstances. What we need to do is to trust God, to know that the dream He gave us will come to pass (if not in our lifetime, in the lifetime of our kids – example David/Solomon and the temple). We may not see how it is going to come to pass, but God is ABLE.

For us, our life on earth is short, but a vapor. Satan knows this, and tries to detract us from doing God’s will during the short time we have on this earth. He does that by producing fear and getting us to react to our circumstances rather than to what God is telling us.

As it says in Job, satan is wandering to and fro on the earth. He is seeking whom he may devour. Now his time is also short, and he knows that his end is final, so satan will not waste time with someone who is holding strong to God’s promises. He will look for those who fear, who are weak in faith, who are looking at circumstances. Those who are strong in faith, who worship, who focus on God would waste satan’s limited time, so he will pass on by them to look for easier prey.

Faith failed produces fear, which then causes us to speak negatively, leaving us open for a cycle of fear.

God has a plan for everyone, and he gives us each dreams and visions. When we walk through our life, we will have hills and valleys, when we get a vision it must be walked out – it is a process. Faith is eternal, so faith NOW IS. When we walk out the process towards God’s vision for us we cannot allow ourselves to be distracted by the past. Our present will become the past, and you will never see the past in the future. Our promise from God is set in eternity. The past will never catch up to the promise because it is in a different dimension. The promises of God are yes and amen. We are all in the process of walking out the promise.

Joseph had a dream, and he did not understand that the prerequisite to the promise was the pit. I am certain that he wondered about his dream while he was in the pit and the time in the pit must have seemed like an eternity.  He probably could not figure out how the pit would lead to his dream of leadership. But God’s Word will not return void. We don’t know the day, or the hour, but God’s promise is coming. Eternity will invade time and God will do what He said He would do.

The devil was thinking that Joseph would be killed in the pit (for Joseph was of the lineage of Jesus), and the fruit of the bondage of Joseph would be the palace.

PATIENCE produces the PROMISE.

Joseph’s story is the same as ours, when God gives us a promise, we must patiently walk it out, sometimes on mountaintops, other times in the valley, but God’s promise will happen. God cannot lie.

Joseph’s brothers would still get judged for what they did. They will reap what they sowed.

With Job, the devil tried to get Job to deny God. God allowed satan to invade Job’s life, taking away the hedge of protection. Job did not know why God permitted this, but He still would not curse God. Job chose to stand on the promises of God, that God is who he says he is.

When we are faced with difficulties we must stand in patience (not as a target, but an active standing). And the devil will work at trying to get us to move off of God’s perfect plan for our lives. If satan gets us to move, he then has authority over us. If we stand on God’s promises and focus on God, satan has no power over us. God’s plan is for us to endure and see the promise. If we respond to circumstances we are out of God’s will for us. God says to be still and know that I am God.

Satan wants to keep us in the past, but to move forward to eternity we have to keep focused toward God. How do we sustain the glory of God through praise and worship throughout our day, how do we avoid being distracted by satan, what do we do when we think there is no way out of a situation? God will let satan at times test us to help us to see where we stand in faith.

Sometimes when we face a trial in our life – say a person who gets on our nerves and we try to escape the situation, we find ourselves back in the same sort of situation with another person. We can try to abort the process, avoid the test that God is providing for us, but we can rest assured that the same situation or test will keep occurring until we finally get it.

Pastor Ted then talked about Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. After an offer to build booths for the three figures, God told them to listen to His Son. Jesus was clothed in glory, the glory was not about the figures with Jesus, but about Jesus. Christ is the anointed one. We must seek Christ to sustain the glory.

So many go from church to church trying to follow revivals. They seek men who they think will help to produce a revival. They do not realize that real revival starts with oneself. We cannot mimic anyone’s anointing. It isn’t about denominations. It’s about God. God is seeking to tear down denominational barriers so that the focus is on God, on the anointing of Christ.

The anointing helps us to reverse bondage, to free ourselves from what is holding us back from fully embracing Christ in us, the hope of glory. We grow from faith to faith, glory to glory. When you are walking in the glory of God, that anointing on you is what attracts people to you. We have a promise and God moves us toward the promise.

People are looking for signs. God’s sign is His Word and the Spirit and the Word must agree. If you do not act on God’s Word, you are not going to be able to stand in faith.

We are to first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all the rest will fall into place. We are to SEEK GOD, not to seek what God can do.

Everybody is given a ministry. If we just sit with the knowledge of what our ministry is and don’t make plans and don’t walk it out, we are not doing our ministry. The church is lazy, we don’t want to work or walk out God’s plan for our lives. It isn’t given to us on a silver platter.

If we move toward God, He will move towards us. We are still in time, dealing with circumstances. God can bring eternity into our situation, but it takes us moving towards Him.

The healing anointing isn’t just about feelings (for example, feeling a tingling in our hands), the healing anointing is useless unless we lay hands on people for healing.

Where we miss it sometimes is when the presence of God comes and we just keep moving with our agenda. We keep with the program instead of staying and fellowshipping with God.

Peter understood this. He was the one that noticed that the fig tree died after Jesus cursed it. He was the one who got out of the boat and walked on water (and although he lost focus on Jesus and sank, he still walked towards Jesus and succeeded as long as he kept his focus on Jesus).

We are not living in the realm of time forever. We want what happens to us to make sense to our senses. But that is not God’s way. He wants us to move from the carnal to the spiritual. The Spirit is way ahead of where we are at, it is not linked to our circumstances or time.

John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan. In the Jewish culture it was tradition for the father to present his son to the temple with words like, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” Well Joseph was not Jesus’ earthly father, so when Jesus was baptized, God in heaven came down and presented his son with those words.  Jesus began a new priesthood.

When we focus on God and the Spirit it will mess up everything that we think we know. We will find that we can find peace in our circumstances and in the process, even though those who do not focus on God will see chaos.

Matthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, “Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.” Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, “Pay me what you owe!” So this fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you all. And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Pastor Ted pointed out that number 7 is the number of perfection, completion. So the disciple thought that that was a lot of forgiveness, the rabbis taught three times forgiving, so this was more than double. But Jesus wants more than the minimum. He wants us to have PATIENCE with those who trouble us, with those who need forgiveness. We were forgiven much by Jesus and He wants us to extend that forgiveness to others in our lives. It takes patience and perserverance to do so, but we need to begin to see others with the eyes that Jesus saw us with. We need to realize that God is in control. It is God who will judge. Everybody in our lives (the good, the bad, the ugly) is part of the process that God has ordained to bring us to His perfect plan for our lives. God will empower us to endure the process. And during our walk, part of the process is patience and forgiveness. Nobody will get away with anything, while we forgive them on earth, they will answer to God for what they have done. When we forgive and obey and have patience, eternity will interact with time and we will see the glory of God.

If God gives us a promise, no one on earth will be able to prevent that promise from occurring. The only way we can stop what God is trying to do is when we step out of the umbrella of His perfect will for us. God gives us the vision, and even if no one in our life sees the vision that God gave us or believes that it can occur, God is the giver of the vision, and He will make sure that that vision will come to pass. We cannot get distracted by circumstances, by what others say, think or feel.

Luke 21:16-19 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience, possess your souls.

The soul is the mind, will, and emotions of a person. We need to keep our souls focused on what God has said about our situation. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, all he spoke was “It is written…” in the scriptures. When everything seems to come against you and you don’t see how things are going to happen, we need to understand the process. Focusing on God will keep us focused on His promise for us, not fear, doubt and confusion. We are to occupy until He comes.

Romans 15:4-6 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

All that happens to us and all that was written in the Scriptures (which at that time was the Old Testament), is written for our learning. When we walk out our circumstances with patience focused on God, we are also showing others the goodness of God. How long is this process? We don’t know. We just know that God is faithful and trustworthy and will do what He says He will do.

Sarai did not know how God was going to quicken her dead womb to produce a child. The carnal mind cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. Everything that goes on in our lives God understands.

Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Sometimes it is helpful to find someone who has the qualities of faith and patience to imitate. “Be still and know that I am God.” We need to move toward the promise, but it is not good to move in response to circumstances. Move because God desires you to move in a particular direction, because of compassion or love.

The sound outside of Jericho was victory.
The sound inside of Jericho warning.

Sometimes we get comfortable with the carnal and think that we are ok, but we are not ok. We need to line up with God’s word and promises, and then we can keep joy in the midst of even dire circumstances. We will not have the joy of hope, but the joy of faith if we keep focused on God. We have to remember that the process leads to the promise.

This was a powerful teaching by Pastor Ted. I am hoping that it blesses you. It certainly impacted me and today on TBN there was also a pastor preaching the same material. I think it is an important message for our day and age.

Heather.

My eldest son spent seven hours on the computer doing three or four major projects, including a speech in Spanish. I am glad he worked so hard, but then my husband took over the computer for work. Soon we will be getting a splitter and that might make things easier. Right now it is too late to type up notes from tonight’s Bible study, I will get to them tomorrow afternoon, so you will have to have patience – by the way, guess what the topic of the Bible study was? Patience.

So I thought I would give you a few pictures for fun. The first one is a wedding picture from my father-in-law and mother-in-law’s wedding. And a very young Sid Caesar is in the picture, he used to play for my husband’s uncle’s band.

 

 

It is so exciting to me to hear your comments about Exodus, I am glad that it speaks as loudly to you as it does to me. I still wish that I could have been on the road to Emmaus because I am certain that Jesus would have spent a lot of time talking about Genesis and Exodus – hey, I am sure that He could spend hours pointing out where he is in every book of the Bible for that matter.

Today I was looking at the mountains as I was driving to school to pick up one of my kids and I saw the shadows of clouds on the mountain. The mountains have burst out in all the fall colors, the leaves are beautiful shades of red, yellow, green, brown – a veritable tapestry of color. Where the cloud’s shadow was though was devoid of color, dark. But once the clouds moved the colors were revealed by the light of the sun. Isn’t that just like us when we are in the midst of our troubles, we feel under the shadow, the world seems dark, but enter even the tiniest bit of light and God’s glory is revealed to us. No problem can last under the light of God’s glory. Soon the Israelites are going to see a tiny bit of God’s glory. They will seem to them to be gigantic miracles, but it is only the tiniest bit of God’s power and might. Pharaoh will begin to see who God is, and sadly he will choose to harden his heart.

Seven times Moses is going to argue with God about why he cannot do what God has ordained for Him to do. God will get angry with Moses’ lack of faith, but in the end, God does provide a way for Moses to do what God wants him to do. God does not give up on us, even when we fear to do what God equips us to do. I am slowly learning that God gets the most glory when we are called to do what we could not do in our own power. I just get too caught up in the fear of failure to fully step out in faith. But I also know that God is building my faith and allowing me to take more chances.

Exodus 4:1 Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, The LORD has not appeared to you.”

I typed this and started chuckling – how often I run scenarios in my head, if I do this, then they will say that, if I say this, they will …. Moses, wake up – this is the ALMIGHTY GOD, don’t you think He knows what they will do, and God even told Moses in chapter 3 that THEY WILL LISTEN TO YOU. Of course, it is easy to say this from our perspective, but for Moses, he does not have our hindsight, and remember, he did run away to the wilderness because of killing that Egyptian slave master, and for all he knows there is a price on his head. I think that we so often figure God cannot use us for whatever reason, when He tells us that He wants us to do a particular task. But that is a lie from the pit of hell – satan is the one who is vested in us having so much doubt that we are paralyzed and do not do what God wants us to do. If God tells us to do something we can count on the fact that He knows we can do it and He will give us the power to do it.

Exodus 4:2 So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”

God will equip us for what we have to do. Moses was a shepherd, and he had a shepherd’s rod in his hand. God will use what is in our hands and hearts to serve His purpose. This is the wonderful kindness of God. God knows Moses is worried, so God will now equip him with tools to do God’s will. The first is the Rod. Samson had his jawbone, David a slingshot. For us it may be a keypad, or babysitting, or baking pies, etc. Anything we have, with God’s enabling, will do mighty wonders. He uses what we have at hand. When we struggle to see where our talents lie, it is easy – it is what we are best at doing. Some have talents for helps, others are teachers, others have financial strength, or the gift to carry a tune (definitely not one of my talents, for I have a voice only God can love). What comes easy for us is a good clue to where our talents lie.

Exodus 4:3 And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.”

Now this act of casting the rod on the ground will be imitated by Pharaoh. The rod will produce a serpent (remember satan is a serpent). The rod was Moses’ tool of ministry, for he was a shepherd (as Jesus was a shepherd of men), and the rod was used to protect, prod the sheep, give the sheep comfort – think of Psalm 23. In order to be effectively used by God, Moses has to be willing to cast it down at God’s command. Had he held onto the rod and not been willing to obey God, it would not be an effective tool. Any tool of ministry is only as good as our ability to use it in obedience to God. But one thing that I think there is always a danger of is the fine line between ministry and making ministry an idol. I think that anything, even the good things, can become idols if we take our focus off of God and onto the thing.

Exodus 4:4-5 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand.) that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has appeared to you.

Remember, Jesus is the head, not the tail. Satan is under our feet, and his head will be crushed by Jesus. We will see Pharaoh’s magicians replicate this rod turning into a snake. The main difference between Pharaoh’s magicians and Moses is that Moses gains control of the rod through God’s power

Exodus 4:6 Furthermore the LORD said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow.”

Remember that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Our heart is our history – it shows where we are and where God has brought us. When Moses brings out his leprous hand we need to remember that we will see that leprosy is a symbol of sin. It eats away at you, destroying your being – in that day there was no cure for leprosy and until Jesus came only one person received a healing from leprosy, even though there are several chapters in Leviticus that detail restoration when leprosy is healed. It takes Jesus to fully free us from sin. When we reach out to other people, the best tool to reach them is our story – our testimony. For it shows what God has done in our lives and gives them hope that He will do in their lives as well.

Exodus 4:7-8 And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. Then it will be, if they do not believe you,  nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign.

The only cure for sin is through the shed blood of Jesus, through God. We are going to see that much of what Moses does requires trust and dependence on God. What God is desiring is a relationship with us. It isn’t the signs and wonders that matters the most, but our ongoing walk with God.

Exodus 4:9 And it shall be if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.

When Jesus’s side was pierced water and blood came out and poured out onto the land. The Egyptians felt that life came from the water – and God will be showing them that what they trusted for life, really led to death. Sin leads to death and it is only when the blood is shed by Jesus that we have hope for life. By the way, waters turning to blood will also occur in Revelation during the period of tribulation – where those on earth will see this occur, because God is still hoping that they will come to Him and be saved.

We are going to see that Pharaoh did not become impressed with the signs that Moses does at God’s command. Moses has been given powerful signs, but still doubts that he is the one God should use.

Exodus 4:10 Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither before not since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

Oh Moses, God loves to use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, stuttering or slowness of tongue is no obstacle to God, who created all that there is. So often we limit God and what God can do through us by our unbelief and selfhood. I do it far too much. I need to continue to remember who I am in Christ – it is far greater than my limited perception of myself.

Exodus 4:11 So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

God points out that He can do what is necessary to help Moses with His problem, but Moses will not accept that.

Exodus 4:12-13 “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” But he said, “O my LORD, please send by the hand of whomever else, You may send.”

Moses is telling God to send someone else. Sometimes I want to do that when God is having me do a particularly difficult task, use someone else. The trouble is that God knows who is the best for a particular situation. Moses has a love for the people and is a powerful intercessor. He mostly (except in one important instance) follows God’s directions totally, and is very obedient and humble. This is what God needed to do the tasks at hand. It could be very dangerous to be given the power to perform signs and wonders if the person has a bent toward pride, for pride could have led to his downfall. Moses keeps his focus on God, and at one point mentions that he would rather stay were he is if God was there, than to move someplace that God was not. That is the kind of love and devotion that God needed to get this task done. God is bigger than any limitation we may think we have to doing God’s will.

Exodus 4:14-16 So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you he will be glad in his heart.. Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.

I wonder what Aaron was doing during the time Moses was in the wilderness. Don’t forget, Moses not only has a brother, but a sister. God must have known that Moses would have fear regarding his ability to speak clearly and arranged this meeting with Moses and Aaron. But God has given the hierarchy. Moses would hear directly from God and relay the messages to Aaron, who will then tell the people. What surprises me is that when Moses breaks out into prayer and talks with the people in future chapters, he has no problem speaking. This problem that Moses feared did not occur. Yet, Aaron will be a high priest.

Exodus 4:17 And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.

So Moses and Aaron have received their commission from God. Armed with rod and the Words God will put in their mouths, they will begin the process of freeing the Israelites. It seems an impossible task, but don’t forget that Moses was singularly equipped to intercede for the Israelites, and would also know all the rules and customs of the Pharaoh’s court for he grew up in that court. But he was raised by his Hebrew mother, so also knows the ways of the Israelites. The adventure will begin, if Moses is not killed first by God’s anger for a moment of noncompliance with God’s covenant. When we set out to serve God, we need to be so careful to obey God. Disobedience can take us to places we don’t want to go, and can interfere with our ability to really do God’s will.

Sometimes when God begins to move in a situation of bondage in our lives, things seem to get worse before they get better. We are going to see that this happens in the lives of the Israelites when Pharaoh makes their situation even tougher. It is good to know that when our situations get more challenging it is most probably because God is in there getting ready to make a major change.

Have a blessed night!

Heather

Well, Moses turned aside for the burning bush and met the great I AM WHO I AM. He was worried what he would say when the people would ask who sent him. We found out that God answered Moses, giving him His Name so that there would be a relationship, but when Moses met with the people, they never asked that question. We know that God knew that they wouldn’t ask, but He still went out of His way to make sure Moses had what he needed to carry out God’s mission. What I love is that we see the I AM mentioned at other times:  by Jesus; and even with the Angel of the Lord that visited Samson’s mother to inform her of her pregnancy. What a great God, I AM,  we serve.

Don’t you sometimes wish that you could see a burning bush? Sometimes God gives us tangible things, but I remember once asking Pastor Don why some people seem to have such dramatic things happen after their salvations and God was so seemingly silent in my life. He pointed out to me that faith grows stronger when we listen for that still small voice, that signs and wonders do not always make for great faith. Sometimes people depend on the signs and wonders, and then when the signs and wonders cease their faith suffers. I have to tell you, God does speak if you listen. Today was an example in point. I was having a bit of difficulty with my middle son, and driving to pick him up after school I was praying, talking to God about the situation, crying, and then giving him over to God. I then rebuked satan, when the Holy Spirit showed me that the difficulty was probably due to the fact that I had taught Friday’s Bible study, and satan wanted to make sure that I was distracted and not effective. So I told satan that My God was bigger than him, and that satan’s place was under my feet. I then praised God. When I got to the school I asked God to make sure I could smile and not sound choked up because of the tears I had been crying. He did that, and when my son got in the car, he apologized for being a jerk (I had said nothing but Hi, how was your day?) and he has been sweet all night. I think that for us, so often we need to look for those God moments, not the dramatic burning bush kinds, but the ones that happen all the time that go unnoticed. I have to tell you, I spent the evening thanking God. I think that sometimes we pray and forget to thank.

Anyway we stopped at Exodus 3:15.

Exodus 3:16 God tells Moses, “Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, “The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, ‘I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey’”

Here we finally get the full name – The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. God has been building up this name over the time He spent with the Patriarchs. Each time God reveals Himself we get a tiny bit more of a picture of Him. I have to be honest, I know that what little we know of Him is a smattering of His greatness. I can’t even imagine what it will be like when we finally meet face to face. Before I got saved, I used to think Heaven would be boring – not so. There will be so much to learn and see. This passage used to bother me a bit because God saw what was happening to the Israelites, and because of my past (see link to my testimony) I used to think, if God is seeing what is going on, why doesn’t he DO SOMETHING. What I did not realize is that I was seeing things from my own little perspective, and not seeing the whole picture of what God sees. Sometimes the things that seem so wrong, turn out so wonderful in the end. In one of the future chapters of the Bible, God points out that he left some of the enemies of Israel in place to tend the land and keep the wild animals out. When the Israelites moved in, the land was ready for them. God had preserved the people from famine, he kept them safe from enemies when they were a small tribe of about 70. In Egypt, although conditions were difficult when they were made slaves, the armies of the Egyptians kept the tribe from being wiped out, and kept them safe to grow into large numbers. Now all the conditions necessary for God’s next step are in place, and the Israelites soon will begin the trek to the Promised Land. How often we think we know what is in our best interests, we tell God what to do, how to do it, when to do it. And thank God, He often does not listen to our pleas and accommodate us, for He truly does know far more than we do, and has a perfect sense of timing.

Exodus 3:18 Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, “The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us and now, please, let us go three days journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

Soon we are going to hear Moses tell God that he is not a public speaker, and Moses will beg for Aaron to help him – Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Moses had just stepped out on his own in faith. I bet, when he needed to speak for God, God would have taken care of his stuttering. Here God is telling Moses, Moses they WILL LISTEN TO YOU. And God tells Him what to say. I find it interesting that it is three days journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to God. I can only think of Jesus and three days in the tomb, Jesus the perfect sacrifice.

When I first met Pastor Don, I had finished reading the Bible once, and was beginning again. One of our first discussions had to do with the fact that I thought that God had hardened my heart like He had hardened Pharaoh’s heart. I also thought it was rather heartless of God to do such a thing to Pharaoh, the all-powerful God making it impossible for Pharaoh to have a softened heart. Pastor Don pointed out that God does not force obedience on anyone, including Pharaoh, and the first few times that Pharaoh’s hardened heart is mentioned – Pharaoh is the one doing the hardening. After a time, God honors Pharaoh’s desire to have a hard heart, and in the end gives him his wish. I have to tell you, I am so grateful that God held out on me until I could come to Him for salvation. I know that there is a time in each and every person’s life where God will give them the desires of their heart, and if that desire is to walk away from God and serve satan, so be it. I just hope that people find Jesus before they make that one last decision that is so eternal life-threatening. God does know what Pharaoh is going to do because He knows the end from the beginning, but God still gave Pharaoh free will. Oh the discussions we could have about predestination and free will. Problem is we see all these things with our three dimensional mind, and God is so far above and removed from that three dimensional limitation.

Exodus 3:19-20 But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.

God is telling Moses the agenda. We will see that each of the plagues that God sends to Egypt attack the “sovereignty” of one of Egypt’s gods. And also, if you have studied Revelation, you will see similarities in the plagues, for many of them will be repeated. Remember that Egypt is also a symbol of the flesh.

We saw with Joseph, how God prospered Potiphar and Egypt for Joseph’s sake. Now the Israelites have been serving Egypt as slaves, not being paid for their work. God will make sure the Israelites have back-pay and then some. Israel will not leave empty handed.  Verse 21-22 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells  near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.

See, God has the whole thing planned out. The Egyptians prospered under the Israelites so that they can provide the Israelites with what they need.

I am going to stop here, but I have to tell you that Moses’ reaction in Chapter 4 probably mirrors our reactions when God tells us something to do that seems beyond our ability. I love the fact that Moses talks his concerns over with God, and God takes the time to answer Him. I sometimes wonder if we dicker too much with God if He will then go somewhere else to get the task done. But I am praying for more obedience and trust in my life, so that God uses me to His utmost for His glory.

Hoping you have an incredible day!

Heather

Today the Kassler Family ran the whole church service. They have been members for six years and soon their family is relocating to Florida. They will be very missed by our church. Bill Kassler did the Bible study today, and his whole family did praise and worship, and his wife spoke the sermon which showed how God led them to move to Florida. We know they will come back to visit, but it is sad to see someone that is integral to our church family leave.

Before Bill spoke, Pastor Don read to us parts of a recent Time Magazine article written by Robert Putman (SP?) who talked about One Man’s Loneliness.

Pastor Don read Matthew 24:4-12 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these things are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many, and because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

And then we looked at 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come; for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

The scriptures given were prophesy of things to come, and what is happening today shows that the prophesies are the truth. Video games provide images of people we don’t know, and yet we can hurt them freely in video games. Pastor Don talked about how during World War II and the Korean war only about 10% of soldiers fired their weapons. When the Vietnam war came about the army realized they had to do something to increase this percentage, so instead of targets that the earlier soldiers had, the targets were replaced with pictures of people to shoot at, and during the Vietnam war 50% of the soldiers fired their weapons. It is no wonder at the increase of violence today with all the images of violence that bombard our senses.

Then Pastor Don pointed out that the trend today to separate oneself from the church and worship solo is a dangerous trend, it is one satan likes for we are weaker when we are alone than when we are in groups.

In the Time magazine article it stated that today there is a 1/3 drop of the number of people that the average American feels that they can discuss important matters with. Baby boomers are more socially narrowed than their parents, and baby boomers’ children are even more isolated. One of the reasons can be TV, computers, and video games.

The side effects of social isolation are: kids fail to thrive, crime increases, politics worsen (lack of love for others), generosity shrinks, and death comes sooner. In fact due to isolation the same number of years is knocked off of a person’s life as what is knocked off of a smoker’s life.

Pastor Don pointed out that by attending church and fellowshipping with others we can live longer and happier lives.

One of our members pointed out a song in our old hymnals (we use foils for most songs). And we sang it together. Upon further research I realize it is a song sung by the Gaithers, but I had never heard it before. It is so beautiful that I wanted to share it with you.

CHORUS:

I’m so glad I’m a part
Of the Family of God
I’ve been washed in the fountain
Cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus
As we travel this sod,
For I’m part of the family,
The family of God.

You will notice we say brother
And sister ’round here.
It’s because were a family
And these folks are so dear.
When one has a heartache
We all share the tears
And rejoice in each
Victory in the family so dear.

CHORUS

From the door of an orphanage
To the house of the King
No longer an outcast,
A new song I sing,
From rags unto  riches
From the weak to the strong
I’m not worthy to be here    
But praise God I belong!

The Bible study by Bill Kassler – Finding Jesus in the Old Testament

(Heather’s note: already I like it for that is one of my favorite pastimes, searching out Jesus in the scriptures).

2 Chronicles 20:20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa, and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”

It is not enough to just believe in God, we need to be born again, to have the Holy Spirit within us. To have Christ in us, the hope of glory. The Jewish people have God, but they do not have the revelation of the Holy Spirit. We must believe God, believe His prophets and you shall prosper.

Isaiah 29:9-10 Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. For the LORD has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.

There are problems in the church today, and they had problems in the temple. The prophets of Isaiah’s day were not speaking the Word of God. They were saying what the people wanted to hear (we see this today in the church as well). God blinded the eyes of the prophets and the seers so that they would not be destroyed.

Isaiah 29:11-12 The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot for it is sealed.” Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this please.” And he says, “I am not literate.”

The whole vision of the Messiah was already there for those with eyes to see, but in Isaiah’s day, they were blinded to the truth. They would not see what God has done.

Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the LORD said: “In as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.

This is a sad passage, the parents and leaders of the people were focused on the commandments of men – their interpretation of God’s law, not focused on God or obeying from their hearts for love of God. The people did not do the commandments because they feared punishment from their peers, but in reality when a person sins it brings death. If they obeyed God, knowing that sin brings death, that would keep a person wanting to keep the commandments.

Isaiah 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.

The foolish things of the earth will confound the wise. God had to do this because His people (the Israelites had lost it), and so God would end up offering the Messiah to the Israelites, but then eventually the Word of truth would be spread to the Gentiles for a season.

Isaiah 29:15-16 Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD, and their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?” Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; for shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me”? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

We cannot hide what we are doing or thinking from God. He sees us.

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.

Praise God for Jesus.

Isaiah 60:2-3 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people, but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

When Jesus came to give His light to the world, it was refused by His people, so a cloud has come and darkness. God then gave the light to the Gentiles, but when He comes back, he will again reveal himself to the nation of Israel.

Isaiah 60:4-5 Lift up your eyes all around and see: They all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

We lift Jesus up. Believe in God and you’ll be established. Believe in His prophets and you will prosper.

Isaiah 60:10 The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you.

The sons of foreigners are gentiles. Much of the New Testament is written in Greek and that helped spread His light through the world. Thank God for favor and mercy and God’s forgiveness through Jesus.

Isaiah 60:11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.

Jesus is so good, so good, so good! (Heather’s note: this reminds me of the New Jerusalem description in Revelation where the gates are always open, no evil enters, and it is always light by the light of the Son and His Father.)

Isaiah 60:14-16 And the sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations, you shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, and milk the breast of kings; you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty one of Jacob.

If you refuse to listen to the prophets you will not prosper. Without the revelation of the Holy Spirit and Christ in your heart you will not prosper.

2 Corinthians 3:14-16 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

What we know because we have had the veil taken away is a treasure. It is a treasure that Jesus spoke about in a parable of the woman searching for the coin or a pearl of great price. Many Churches today still have a veil for they haven’t had the revelation that is given by the Holy Spirit. When the veil from the Old Testament is removed we will see how clearly Christ is portrayed throughout all the Old Testament. On the Road to Emmaus, Jesus revealed himself in the scriptures (Old Testament) to his disciples.

According to the historian Josephus, there were many men named Jesus on the earth, but only One Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

Many churches prefer to focus on the New Testament and the Words of Jesus, but they neglect the Old Testament. Much is revealed about Jesus in the Old Testament too, when we read the Old Testament with our eyes opened by the Spirit of God.

Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

We know that is Jesus, for only Jesus has spoken God’s words and done all that God commanded Him.

John 5:39 You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me.

Jesus even pointed out that the Old Testament (Scriptures) testified of Him, but the people of His day were blinded to that truth that walked among them.

John 5:40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

Has Jesus been trying to reveal Himself to you? Have you totally received Him into your heart? Do you know Him as your savior? Are you willing to Come to Him?

1saiah 11:1-5 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears, but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.

I don’t want to refuse the Lord or His call. When we come to Him this is what we receive. Jesse is a forefather to Jesus, and this was established from before the foundation of the earth. When we come to Christ and receive the Holy Spirit, we receive wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel and might, and the fear (awe) of the LORD. But Jesus will also come again to Judge the earth. But when Jesus walked with His disciples, they did not understand His ministry of forgiveness. They asked Him if He wanted them to call down fire and brimstone on those who refused to listen. Jesus told Him that that was not His mission at this time. He was exhibiting might with mercy.

Isaiah 11:10-11 And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and his resting place shall be glorious. It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Assyria and Egypt, from Pathros and Cush, from Elam and Shinar, from Hamath and the islands of the sea.

The branch is established, and now a root. Bill gave the example of a strawberry plant that sends out runners, and then the runners take root.

Jesus died and was raised from the dead at the FEAST OF PASSOVER. When Jesus comes again there is a second feast, the FEAST OF TABERNACLE (Christ with us), and then there will be a third feast, The FEAST OF THE HARVEST (where the wheat and chaff will be judged and separated).

John 5:19-23 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does, and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgement to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father who sent Him.

Do not be mistaken, there will be judgment.

Isaiah 7:9b …If you will not believe surely you shall not be established.

This was a wonderful treasure hunt for Jesus in the Old Testament. I am sorry to see this family leave, but wish them happiness and joy in their new home.

Heather

1 Peter 3:15

I have to tell you that this morning God showed me something so wonderful in my morning Bible Study. Right now I am doing the Beth Moore study called Living Beyond Yourself which has to do with the fruit of the Spirit. This week we are studying about God’s Peace.

We had to read Ephesians 2:14-22 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity , that is, the law of commandments, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

I then got to thinking about the Temple in Jerusalem

Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing ; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Acts 4: 8-12 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel; If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

I started thinking about how, before we are saved, it is sometimes described that we have a “God-sized hole” in our spirits. That we are seeking frantically for something that can only be filled with Jesus. When the Temple was built, a stone was rejected, cast down a hill. In 1 Kings 6:6 And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

The stones were precisely cut and finished away from the temple site, then brought to the temple. The stones fit together, but there was one odd-shaped hole in the temple – that was the spot where the cornerstone was fitted – they searched for the stone and found it cast aside as a “mistake.” When it was found the whole temple was built. We do that with Jesus in our lives – cast Him aside for various reasons. Then we live our frantic lives trying, in our own power, to find joy and happiness and peace. When all else fails, when we come to the end of ourselves, then we seek out Jesus. And surprise of all surprises, He is EXACTLY what we needed to complete our temples (our bodies are a Temple to God), and it is only through Jesus that we will find that peace and joy and happiness.

Thank God we have a savior who can fill that God-sized hole in our hearts!

Have a blessed Sunday.

Heather