NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FROM THE WORD OF GOD

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and advise one another with all wisdom, as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:12-17

Several years ago, I was asked to deliver the message at a church service just before New Year’s Day. The Lord placed the following on my heart as I was thinking about what He would want our resolutions to be for the New Year. He gave me ten resolutions from Paul’s words to the church in Colosse. I pray they will be a blessing to you as get set to enter 2008. Feel free to share with others and may the Lord richly bless you and yours in all things. I will continue our journey through Exodus tomorrow.

Ten resolutions for 2008 from the Word of God:

10. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

How many of you are very selective in the things you wear? Most people are. Dressing properly takes time and careful consideration over style and color of what we’ll don. We want to ensure we look the best as we enter a world where others will see us.

So how well do we also select the way we clothe ourselves with our attitudes and demeanors? Do we take as much time to properly prepare ourselves before we go out and let others see what we look like on the inside? Look at the things that God’s word says should be part of our inner wardrobe:

- Compassion which consists of affection, tenderness, pity, and mercy
- Kindness which can include courtesy, favor, good deeds and goodwill
- Humility…a spirit of mildness, humbleness, surrender and modesty
- Gentleness which involves sensitivity, friendliness and politeness
and
- Patience…one’s ability to remain calm, composed, cool under pressure

So how well dressed are you on the inside? In this new year, maybe a makeover might be in order.

9. Bear with each other

What does it mean to bear with one another? Can you think of someone right now who just seems to get under your skin? Someone who annoys you to no end?

Resolve in the new year to be more tolerant. To respect others. To stop looking so closely at a person’s shortfalls in spite of ignoring all of yours…for we’re all flawed and imperfect when we get down to the truth of the matter.

So seek to be more understanding of others and strive to resolve differences when they occur. Seek to rebuild bridges instead of burning or tearing them down. Pray for those who you differ with and seek reconciliation in the year ahead.

8. Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

We all know what forgiveness is…putting it into action is often the real problem.

If left to our own devices, we could easily wiggle our way out of forgiving some people by deciding who we wanted to forgive and who we didn’t want to. We would turn forgiveness into a selective process.

That’s why scripture had to put down strict guidelines to govern our forgiveness. Hear the word of God from verse 13: Forgive as the Lord forgave you. WOW! This takes all the guesswork out of forgiveness. For we must forgive everyone without exception. If you doubt that, then I ask if there has been anything you have done that the Lord has not forgiven you for? The first steps to inner healing when you are burdened with anger or hatred toward another is to say the words I forgive, then resign to pray for that person as being just like you…a sinner who is only saved through the amazing grace of God through Jesus Christ. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

7. Over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity.

The package of prior resolutions all revolve around love which is central to the greatest commandments of Jesus. Remember His answer when asked about the greatest commandments? He said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." Then He said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:36-40)

If you truly love God with all that you are, you will easily embody compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with and forgiving one another, all in the name of love through the One who showed and taught us what love is all about. So when you unwrap the gift of this new year, take off the ribbon of love that is on the gift of Jesus and see what is inside the package. In it are priceless treasures in and of the Savior…the Christ who we should be seeking to be like in every way. And the first thing we see when we look at Him is love. So put Him on your heart…wear Him with pride…and let love rule supreme in you this coming year.

6. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts

In a world full of violence, confusion, problems and constant change, peace is sometimes very hard to come by, isn’t it? I think that’s why we were given the words of God found in Philippians 4:6-7:
"Do not be anxious about anything but give your concerns to God in prayer and petition and with thanksgiving. So you might find the peace of God that transcends all understanding and your hearts and minds will be guarded in Christ Jesus."

In 2008, God would want us to remember that He is the only One who is fully able and ready to handle any problem we have. And when we truly lay our burdens at His feet and allow Him to work awesome miracles in our lives, then we can fully experience that peace that transcends all understanding...a peace that will ensure our hearts are guarded by Christ Jesus. I pray that peace will rule your hearts and the hearts of all creation in the new year.

5. Be thankful

There’s a popular saying that says, "Count your blessings...and when you get done, count them again." Too often, we lose sight of all the great and awesome things the Lord has done in our lives. In fact, just me being here writing this and you being where you are reading it is a blessing in its own right and something we should be greatly thankful for.

For it’s only due to God’s love and mercy and grace that we are here, even though we are all undeserving sinners before Him. It’s easy in life to curse our circumstances at any one time but if we truly stop and take an account of how very blessed we have been in our life, we can keep our attitude focused and centered on thanksgiving and praise unto the One who gives us every good and perfect thing from above.

Be thankful…in all circumstances.

4. Let the word of God dwell in you richly

How good are you at time management? Our days seem to get ever more busier as we run from obligation to obligation…from event to event. There seldom seems to be enough time in the day. In fact, too often as we arrange and prioritize our time, we schedule so much that we squeeze the most important things out…like quiet time with the Lord in prayer and scripture reading.

For God blesses us with time. We all get 24 hours a day and He expects us to invest it wisely. Yet, too often we skip giving some of that time to Him every day and jump into life lacking the wisdom, guidance and strength we need to make it through situations we encounter. We often sit in dismay and depression…lost and in need of help, even when that help is just a few minutes of prayer or bible reading away.

Friends…all the wisdom, strength and guidance we need is fully found in the bible...God’s Holy Word…His instruction manual on life given to us to help us make it day by day by day. When we read it, study it, and pray over it, then it comes to dwell in our hearts and minds, illuminating our path as we walk down the path of life. I believe that God would say to us in 2008...make time for my word so you know what you’re doing with the life and time I have provided…and let that word live in your heart and mind forever more.

3. Teach and advise one another with all wisdom

We can only do this if we have wisdom within us. And that wisdom is not our own wisdom or worldly wisdom but the wisdom that comes from the Father above.

This resolution only happens when we adhere to the last resolution and let God’s word dwell richly within us. Our study of Holy Scripture will lead to spiritual wisdom as it takes hold within our hearts. Then, God would say, "Don’t keep My word to yourself but rather take the learning you have received from Me and use it to teach one another." In fact, Jesus gave us that instruction in His Great Commission. He told us to "teach others to obey all that He had commanded." (Matthew 28:20)

So we learn His commandments and understand His expectations only by reading the Bible, meditating on our reading and then putting it into action. The call in 2008 is for us to be proactive in our teaching others about Jesus using the wisdom God places within us.

2. Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God

Do you have a favorite song? What is it about that song that makes it your favorite? Most often, it is because the song makes you feel good. It has a way of elevating you above whatever might be happening in your day and brings joy to you for the moment you listen to it.

Personally, I have found that music has an effect on the soul unlike any other medium. Whether it is a praise and worship song, a contemporary Christian song or a classic hymn, spiritual music is a gift from God that brings us into the attitude of worship and adoration unlike any secular song can. In 2008, examine the music you’re listening to. Does it glorify God? Does it edify you spiritually?

My prayer would be that you truly sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your heart toward God. And when you lift your voice up, do so in a way that the Lord will feel your fullest gratitude. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

1. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him

Is there anymore suitable number 1 resolution that God would have for us in 2008 or any other year for that matter?

For in this resolution, there is no gray area…no exception…just the requirement for us all to do everything in the name of Jesus and all the while giving thanks to God for the indescribable gift of salvation and eternal life through His Son who He gave freely to pay the price for our sins.

Once again I ask, is there any greater resolution we could make for the new year? And is there any more challenging resolution for us to carry out in such a sin-filled world?

The good news is that we can meet this challenge…just as we can meet any challenge…through the power and strength of the Christ within us. Truly, we can "do all things through Christ who strengthens us." (Philippians 4:13).

In this new year, I pray we will live out the verses of this word of God from Colossians. For if we do, we will find ourselves in the very spirit of God’s will for us in Christ Jesus!

I look forward to a great year ahead in the Lord and wish all of you a very Happy New Year!

In Christ,

Mark

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AN UNCOMPROMISING RESOLUTION

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"Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.' " Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go." Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword." But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!" Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working." Exodus 5:1-5

"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the water and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground where they are. " 'But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.' " And the Lord did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace and into the houses of his officials, and throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land." But Moses said, "That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the Lord our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? We must take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, as he commands us." Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me." Moses answered, "As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only be sure that Pharaoh does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord." Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, and the Lord did what Moses asked: The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go." Exodus 8:20-32

After the onslaught of gnats, Pharoah still refused to give into God. So God refused to let up on His pressure on Pharoah and the Egyptian people. This time, He once again sends Moses to confront Pharoah and to give him the following message:

"This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground where they are. But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow."

Well, as expected, Pharoah refused to let Israel go and so the Lord sent "dense swarms of flies…into Pharaoh's palace and into the houses of his officials, and throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies." Can you imagine a plague of flies? I mean, one or two can be pesky and drive a person crazy but swarms and swarms of them had to create a situation that was unbearable. You know flies like to land on things…like people and food…and some flies are of the biting variety. Just as the gnats had gnawed at the spirit of Egypt, so now did the flies. And it did something that we hadn’t seen up to now. Pharoah decided to allow the Israelites to carry out their sacrifices without expecting anything in return.

But we see that Pharoah isn’t ready to concede completely. The request from the Lord through Moses was for the people to be allowed to journey three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to God. Not allowing them to do so would lead to possibly being struck by plagues and this had become a reality for Egypt. But Pharoah still wanted his own way. He tells Moses and Aaron that they can go and "sacrifice to your God here in the land." Moses argues against Pharoah’s idea saying, "That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the Lord our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us?"

Whether he knew he was doing it or not, Pharoah’s proposal would have placed the Israelites in grave danger for they would be sacrificing the very animals that the Egyptians worshipped. As soon as the Egyptians saw them killing these sacred animals, they would carry out the death penalty on the Israelite people. And so this is why Moses insists that "we must take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, as he commands us." Just as Moses had told Pharoah in Chapter 5 of Exodus, so again he tells him. Moses is unwilling to sacrifice the desires of God in order to appease the mighty ruler Pharoah.

Well, we could almost script how this encounter will end without reading the scriptures. Pharoah agrees to let Moses and the Israelites go into the desert for their festival and sacrifices to God and then wants Moses to pray for him…hoping once again that he might get rid of the current plague through the intercessory prayers of Moses. And again, the prayers worked as the flies disappeared. And, as we have seen before, Pharoah goes back on his word and does not allow the Israelites to go to the desert to conduct their festival of sacrifice unto God.

There are several matters that stand out in this passage that have broad application to our daily Christian walk:

First, God sets apart and protects His people in accordance with His will. We see as the plague of flies rained down on Egypt that the people of Israel are not afflicted likewise. This is because the place where they lived, Goshen, was not affected by the swarms. Surely Pharoah took notice of this and we should as well. Always keep in mind that we serve a Lord who loves us and watches over us…in good times and in bad.

Second, never underestimate the power of intercessory prayer. For the second time now, we see how Moses is able to pray to God on behalf of Pharoah and the Egyptians, petitioning for mercy and helping elicit an end to a time of great difficulty, first from the frogs and now from the flies. As we lift up the needs of others, God does listen and He does answer in accordance with His will.

Finally, we see that we are expected to stand firm on God’s commands. Moses was commanded to lead the Israelites on a three day journey into the desert to hold a festival with sacrifices offered before God. Pharoah countered that proposal with one that would have had the Israelites conduct their sacrifices in Egypt. This offer was not just unacceptable because it created a potentially dangerous conflict between the Egyptian and Israelite peoples. It was simply unacceptable because it wasn’t what God wanted done.

Question: How often do we face circumstances where someone tries to get us to compromise our Christian values? How often are we tempted to go along with the ways of the world, turning away from the commandments of the Lord?

The truth is that we are under constant attack. Satan wants to do nothing more than get us to compromise ourselves and invalidate everything we do in the name of the Lord. As Christians, we are always under the microscope as others watch to see what we do, what we say and how we think. Giving into the world really shows that there isn’t anything that separates us from it. In other words, one might wonder, "What makes a Christian any different than anyone else?" And thus, one might also wonder, "Why should I be interested in this Christianity thing?"

We simply can’t allow ourselves to waver from God’s word and will in our lives. We can’t afford to live any differently than Jesus Himself lived. For at the root of the word "Christian" is the word "Christ". How are you doing in showing others that you seek to live like Him without compromise? As we get set to enter a new year, may we commit ourselves to be an uncompromising people when it comes to living just as Jesus did. There couldn’t be a better resolution to make.

In Christ,

Mark

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THE FINGER OF GOD

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"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,' and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats." They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came upon men and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. And the gnats were on men and animals. The magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said." Exodus 8:16-19

Lying in the face of God is never a good idea. Pharoah didn’t quite understand that when he promised to let the people of Israel go to conduct sacrifices to God if Moses would pray for God to remove the curse of the frogs. We know that Pharoah never intended to make good on his promise and he didn’t. Moses prayed, God delivered and all the frogs died but Pharoah continued to harden his heart and hold the Israelites captive. So God just continued to punish Egypt as we see in today’s scripture.

This time, God didn’t warn Pharoah about what was to come. He just told Moses to have Aaron once again use the powerful staff to "strike the dust of the ground", turning "all the dust throughout the land of Egypt" into gnats which swarmed and "came upon men and animals". Imagine how this must have been for Egypt. Hordes and hordes of swarming, flying, biting gnats, as plentiful as the grains of dust …everywhere. There was no escaping them. It had to make the bloody water and frog invasion seem almost tolerable by comparison. But there was something else very different about this latest curse from God…something that sent a powerful message to Egypt that seemed to register with everyone except…you guessed it…Pharoah.

For no matter how hard they tried, the magicians of Pharoah could not "produce gnats by their secret arts". They had been able to reproduce the water changing to blood and the creation of frogs but could not come up with the gnats. So they went to Pharoah with only one explanation for their inability to replicate what had happened. They told him, "This is the finger of God." In other words, there was no other explanation for what had happened than God. The God…Lord of the people of Israel…and Lord of the Egyptians, even if they didn’t understand or acknowledge it. Still…despite the evidence present in the gnats that bit away at him, his family and his people…despite the inability of his magicians to duplicate what God had done...despite the magicians’ testimony that the gnat invasion was from the finger of God…despite all this…Pharoah still hardened his heart and would not listen…just as the Lord had predicted.

Yes…the magicians realized it and we should as well. The finger of God is powerful and able to do the miraculous.

This very same finger will inscribe the two stone tablets of the testimony before they’re given to Moses by the Lord on Mount Sinai. (Exodus 31:18). These tablets will list the commandments of God that Moses will deliver to the Israelites…what we better know as the Ten Commandments.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus mentioned that He drove out demons by the finger of God while telling His listeners that the kingdom of God had come to them. (Luke 19:20) And indeed, through Jesus it had, just as He comes to us today.

Question: Do you ever consider the finger of God and the power it holds in your life? This finger that wrote commandments on a stone tablet can write a new way of life onto a stone-hard heart. This finger that drove out demons can still do it today. What is demonizing your spirit today as we get set to enter a new year? Illness? Financial issues? Relationship problems? Addiction? Don’t you want relief? Then turn to the only One who can help…One who is Almighty, All Powerful, All Able, All Willing and All Loving…the One who promised He would never give you a burden you couldn’t bear…as long as you turn to Him and His strength…a strength and power that can come with just a touch from His finger. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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FALSE GODS

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"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. The frogs will go up on you and your people and all your officials.' " Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.' " So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land. But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord." Moses said to Pharaoh, "I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile." "Tomorrow," Pharaoh said. Moses replied, "It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God. The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people; they will remain only in the Nile." After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the Lord about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields. They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said." Exodus 8:1-15

Well, seven days of blood in place of Egypt’s water wasn’t enough to convince Pharoah to heed God’s commands so the Lord sends Moses back to Pharoah saying, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. The frogs will go up on you and your people and all your officials.' " And so the frogs did come in great numbers just as God has said they would after "Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt." Scripture tells us they "covered he land." And this led Pharoah to ask Moses and Aaron to pray and ask for the frogs to be taken away in exchange for him allowing the Israelites to go and offer sacrifices to their Lord.

Well Moses, after telling Pharoah that he will "know there is no one like the Lord our God" after "the frogs…leave you and your houses, your officials and your people," cries out to the Lord the next day and we read where the frogs all died "in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields." The Egyptians "piled (the frogs) into heaps, and the land reeked of them." You would think that these events would have been enough to sway Pharoah but, once again, he "hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said." He also didn’t keep his promise to allow the Israelites to offer their sacrifices. Two plagues were obviously not enough…and the Lord had further plan for Pharoah and his wickedness.

Maybe you’re wondering…why did the Lord choose frogs? Well, just as the Nile was sacred to the Egyptians, so were frogs. They were thought to possess divine powers and the Egyptians actually worshipped a goddess named Heqet who had the form of a woman but with a frog’s head. They believed that she breathed life into the bodies created by her husband, the god Khnum, from the earth’s dust. Thus, it was against Egyptian religious law to kill a frog and now they had more than they knew what to do with. God had once again turned one of the Egyptian false gods into a curse against them.

This made me think a little bit about us and our culture today. How many false gods do we worship today and does God use these false gods as a curse against us? Consider these points and ponder:

We are a society obsessed with money. Typically, people are not very good stewards of what the Lord has blessed them with and actually, most people don’t even acknowledge that their money is gift from God in the first place. Well, we have worshipped money so much that we can it even when we don’t have it. It’s a little thing called credit. So we spend and spend and spend and get more and more in debt. Soon, we can’t buy anything else because our credit has worn out and we can’t pay our credit because we don’t have enough real money to pay off the borrowed money. Our worship of money as a false god becomes a curse to us.

And I could add possessions under this category as well because typically, we’re using our credit to get anything and everything we want. Notice I said "want" and not "need." There is a distinct difference even though most people don’t see one today. Everything is a need whether they really need it or not. And before long, a person will learn that unchecked, possessions will end up possessing you.

Let’s look at another false god…alcohol and/or drugs. We’re near a new year and most people will be ready to go out and party. You can bet that alcohol or drugs or both will be enjoyed in mass quantities as we usher in a new year…a year full of hope but also a year that will see the carry over of any unresolved issues of the year prior. Maybe debt has piled up…maybe a broken relationship is lingering…maybe you’re unemployed…whatever the issue, it doesn’t disappear with the new year. Yes, we are a people who have our share of problems. Too bad we rarely turn to the only One who can truly help us. Instead, we often turn to substance abuse…seeking escape from all that burdens us. We’re so desperate to feel good that we turn to a drink or a hit or a toke…anything to help us get that high. And when we get over that high, we find that our problem are still right there waiting for us so maybe we do a little more to feel better. And as our body gets acclimated to the alcohol and drugs, we find we need more and more to reach that high…and soon we find that we can’t live without artificial stimulants…in other words, we’re addicted to them. Worshipping to the false gods of alcohol and drugs leads to the curse of addiction.

And let’s add sex to this category as we can obsess over it so much that we end up seeking it any place we can get it…often leading to broken relationships, venereal diseases, AIDS…any of a number of problems. We have taken something God intended to be beautiful and we have abused it…cheapened it…and worshipped it. And the false god of sex has led to people who can’t get away from pornography …people who turn to rape to satisfy their sex addiction…people who can’t stay faithful in relationships.

I could keep going but I think the point has been made. We’re worshipping just as many false gods today as they did in the days of the Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans. And know that God is no more pleased with people today than He was back then. He might not be turning our waters into blood or sending frogs across our nation but He has other ways to send us signs. Maybe you are experiencing those signs in your own life.

Question: Are you worshipping any false gods in your life? If so, now is the time to turn to the only One worthy of worship…the only One worthy of praise…the only One who can show you true joy, peace and contentment in life...the only One who can help you in whatever your circumstance. Won’t you come to the Lord today and worship Him and Him alone? Won’t you come to Him and accept His only Son Jesus as your personal Savior? Today is the day you can turn your life in the right direction forever. And there isn’t a better way to start the new year than with God and Jesus first and foremost in your life.

In Christ,

Mark

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LIVING WATERS

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"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the water. Wait on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. Then say to him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert. But until now you have not listened. This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.' " The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs'-and they will turn to blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars." Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt. But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river. Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile." Exodus 7:14-25

Moses and Aaron have just performed the first of what will be several magnificent acts of God intended to convince Pharoah to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. You’ll recall that the staff of God was cast down in front of Pharoah and became a snake which then swallowed up all the other snakes that came from Pharoah’s wise men, sorcerers and magicians. Yet, despite what he witnessed, Pharoah refused to allow Israel free. So the Lord sends Moses and Aaron to show yet another sign of His Almighty Power, this time turning the Nile and all streams, canals, ponds, reservoirs…into blood. They were instructed to wait until Pharoah goes out into the water and then change it. So Moses and Aaron do just as God commanded and all the water in Egypt turned to blood.

Can you imagine this? Think of what it must have been like to have no water to drink…just blood. We also read where all the fish died. Water and fish, two life sustaining resources were now gone. Scripture also states that the waters and dead fish gave off a terrible stench. Indeed, death was in the air as Pharoah’s stubbornness had brought great suffering on his people. The blood of Israel, so harshly treated under Pharoah’s oppression, was now visible to all, represented in the bloody waters of Egypt.

Another important point to consider is that the Egyptians worshipped the Nile. They treated the river as a god and now their god was rendered useless by the true God. What once was full of life and promise was now full of death and destruction. And this is what happens to those who choose to worship false idols today as well. God always has the final word and exposes the powerless nature of any other purported power.

Well, despite the mighty sign that God had sent, we read where the "Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts" leading to Pharaoh's heart hardening once again. He "would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said" and "instead…went into his palace and did not take even this to heart." Just as Pharoah had been unimpressed by the staff turning into a snake and swallowing all the created snakes, neither was he impressed by the waters of blood. We’re told that his magicians were able to do the same thing but senses it was all a farce. If the magicians had true power, couldn’t they have turned the waters back into water from the blood. The truth of the matter was that the magician were just that…illusionists who could turn a good trick but did nothing of substance.

So Pharoah returned to his palace, no doubt where he had some clean water stashed away to drink. He need not be concerned about his people as long as he and his family were cared for. Such is the attitude of someone with a hardened heart.

Question: Do you know someone who has a hardened heart? Maybe you have had one at some time in your life. I know I have. A hardened heart refuses to allow you to love another. A hardened heart takes a person into a bad attitude about life. A hardened heart can create a selfish spirit…one with little or no compassion for the welfare of others. And a hardened heart can lead one to refuse to trust in the only one who can take their hardened heart away.

Pharoah’s hardened heart took away the life sustaining water needed by the Egyptian people. Our hardened heart today takes away Jesus from our life…the only One who can bring us life sustaining water…the only One who can quench our thirst for life and lead us to help others to the water as well. For we are doomed in death without the living water found in Christ Jesus. For Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." And the woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." (John 4:13-15)

Question: Where are you in your life today? Are you closer to Pharoah’s hardened heart and the bloody, death-filled, stenching waters of Egypt? Or have you found the living water of Jesus Christ…through which you will never thirst again…through which you will find eternal life? Come to Jesus who has just come to us in Bethlehem…and live forever. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a miracle,' then say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,' and it will become a snake." So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said." Exodus 7:8-13

Earlier in Chapter 7, Moses and Aaron had been sent back to Pharoah by God, this time with more than just a request to let the Israelites go to participate in a sacrifice to God. This time, they were to "tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country." In other words, leave for good. God further tells them that "though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he (Pharoah) will not listen to you." In other words, despite their best intentions to convince Pharoah…despite God’s best efforts, he would still stubbornly refuse to listen. God then promised to "lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord…" There had been enough talk...enough words spoken. God was ready to begin acting.

As we pick up in chapter 7, we see the first actions begin to happen. God commands Moses and Aaron to throw down the staff of God before Pharoah. Of course, Moses knew already that this staff carried with it special power. Recall that it turned into a snake at the burning bust when Moses met God. Now, the staff was once again used to show God’s almighty power.

For we read that "Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake." Undaunted by this, Pharoah then summons his "wise men and sorcerers and the Egyptian magicians" who "did the same things by their secret arts." Each one summoned by Pharoah threw down their own staff and they also became snakes. Surely at this point, Pharoah was puffed up and gloating that he had showed up these two men who said they had been sent by God. He had to be thinking that this God was no more powerful than his gods and the magic his men could work. But he was soon to witness how very wrong he was.

Because just as the staffs of the wise men, sorcerers and magicians turned into snakes, they were swallowed up by the snake from Aaron’s staff. God’s power had reigned supreme over Pharoah’s. Actions had spoken louder than words. Yet we read that Pharoah didn’t relent just as God had predicted. We read that his "heart became hard and he would not listen to them." The stage was set for God to up the ante and the pressure on Pharoah to comply with His wishes.

Question: Have you ever faced someone like Pharoah…someone that refused to believe in God despite the awesome works of His power being done around them? Maybe you have been like that at sometime in your life. For we seem to have a difficult time believing mere words and expect God to show us signs, just as people did throughout the bible. We seem to be more like Thomas…wanting to put our fingers into the holes in Jesus’ hand and side before we believe. All this despite God and His Son continuing to do miracles all around us every day.

So…where do you stand in your faith? Are you like Pharoah, refusing to believe despite God’s best efforts to display His power and majesty? Or are you living each day in wonder and awe of our Father who reigns and rules with omnipotent authority over all His creation? How does God see you right now in regard to your feelings toward Him? When He looks into your heart, what does He see? For you can talk a good game but remember He can see inside to your heart…something no one else can do. And when He does, remember your actions speak louder than words. May He find us all genuine in our faith and trust in Him.

In Christ,

Mark

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NEVER QUIT

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country." But Moses said to the Lord, "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?" Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it." Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh." Exodus 6:9-12, 7:1-7

God has spoken once again to Moses at the beginning of Chapter 6 and reassured him that he would do as he said He would. For He was a God who kept His promises and he referenced Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of examples of ancestors who He saw through difficult times. This time would be no different with the Israelites as they bore the burden of the Egyptian oppression.

So Moses goes back to the people of Israel to tell them what God has told him but he has to be disappointed as the Israelites "did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage." I often wonder if this doesn’t happen to us as well today. We try to encourage others who are going through difficult times and hope to help them be uplifted and encouraged only to be rebuffed. The pain and anguish from the person’s particular suffering is too much for them to overcome and no person is going to make them feel any better. Maybe you have been there yourself at some time in your life. I know I have. So I can understand how someone would not be terribly receptive to words of encouragement that offer little more than faith in something that is yet to come. Yet…we, as servants of God are not to give up even as we face discouragement…even as we face rejection. We are never to quit in carrying out what God wants us to do.

For Moses, after he is rejected by the Israelites, is immediately approached by God again who commands him to "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country." But Moses has had enough. He cries out to the Lord, ""If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?" Moses doubted himself and his ability to properly carry out what God asked him to do.

Question: Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever felt inadequate in carrying out God’s will? I can tell you that this is the weapon that Satan uses against us more than any other when it comes to attempting to thwart us in carrying out the Great Commission and helping minister to others. For Satan wants us to feel inadequate…like we don’t size up…like we don’t have the skills to succeed.
He gets us to forget that we’re not doing anything by our own strength but only the strength of the Lord within us. He gets us to feel like we’re in this ministry all alone, trying to make us forget that the Lord is right there with us. He wants us to feel ineffective when people reject our attempts to minister and blinds us to the reality that everyone has a free will and their rejection of us isn’t an indicator of our inadequacy but rather a person’s stubborn resistance to trust in the Lord to take care of their problem. Satan would say give up. God says, "Never quit…no matter what."

We see that the Lord never quits on Moses, even when he quits on himself. He tells Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it." In other words, Moses and Aaron will speak a lot of words that Pharoah will reject but God will have the last word…and it is His word that will gain the final victory of deliverance for Israel…just as His final word grants us victory today.

For Jesus is born today in the town of Bethlehem…born not only to live and teach us all we could ever hope to learn about living life the way God expects…but also born to die, bearing our sins on the cross, defeating death and opening the way to eternal life through His resurrection. God, through Jesus had the final word over Satan, as He conquered death and the grave, entering into life forever at the right hand of the Father. The good news is that through Jesus Christ who comes to us this day, we need never lose hope…for we all have the victory now and forever.

So on the Christmas day and for every day forth as we enter a new year and beyond, stay encouraged in your work for the Lord. Stay empowered by His strength to make it through whatever challenges might come your way. And never….never quit. God is with you, no matter the circumstances…no matter the difficulties. Trust and believe in the victorious Lord you serve and thanks be to Him for the gift of His Son Jesus…our Savior, Redeemer and Friend. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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BLESSED ASSURANCE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country." God also said to Moses, "I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord." Exodus 6:1-8

In Chapter 5 of Exodus, we saw where Pharoah didn’t know God by his own admission and the Israelites and Moses didn’t trust God by their actions. Moses concludes the chapter asking God why He has brought additional trouble to the people of Israel while not showing up to rescue them.

At the start of Chapter 6, we see the Lord’s response to Moses…one of blessed assurance. For God reaffirms that Moses will see what the Lord will do to Pharoah and notice that God says that Pharoah is the one who will let the people go. In other words, it won’t be God doing the releasing but Pharoah himself. God would just make things so miserable for Pharoah that it will be in his best interest and the interest of his people for Israel to be allowed to leave.

God also reminds Moses of His track record through Jewish history and how He was with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob…all ancestors of Moses. He reminds Moses how He was with them and how He remembered His covenant with them, delivering them to the land of Canaan, just as He had promised He would do with the Israelites after rescuing them from their Egyptian bondage.

In fact, the Lord makes special mention of the suffering Israelites in Egypt saying, "I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant." He tells Moses to go back to the Israelites and speak for Him, reminding them of His promise. Moses was to tell them God said, "I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord." In His words, God provided a blessed assurance for the people of Israel and for us as well. Specifically, He promised:

1. That He remembered His covenant. Always remember that God remembers His promises. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He has promised us that He would never allow us a burden we couldn’t bear. He has promised to always be with us. He has promised us that nothing is impossible with Him. And He has promised to never destroy us, even though through our sinfulness we deserve it…just take a look next time after a rain and look for the rainbow…a still visible sign of the covenant He made with His people after Noah, the ark and the great flood, well over 2,000 years ago.

2. That He is the Lord. Almighty. Omnipotent. All willing. All able. All loving. He is Creator and Miracle Worker with nothing being beyond the work of His hands. Although the Israelites thought they could never escape their captivity…although Pharoah thought that no power could exceed his own…although Moses doubted that God would actually do what He said He would do…God is God and will work in His own time and place in accordance with His will. He will ALWAYS prove His nay-sayers wrong and show that He and He alone is God.

3. That He will deliver and redeem. He promised He would deliver the Israelites out of the bondage of the Egyptians just as He promises to deliver us from the bondage of sin today. Our promise of redemption came through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ… the same Jesus we will celebrate tomorrow as He is born to Mary and Joseph in a lowly manger in Bethlehem. This Son was born to save…to die for our sins and bring the chance for eternal life…to bring hope to a hopeless world. The good news, my friends, is that He still brings hope today. Thanks be to God and Merry Christmas.

In Christ,

Mark

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DO YOU KNOW GOD?

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"Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.' " Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go." Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword." But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!" Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working." That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies." Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.' " So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw." The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?" Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way? Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people." Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.' Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks." The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, "May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us." Moses returned to the Lord and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." Exodus 5

Chapter 5 of Exodus starts with Moses and Aaron going before Pharaoh after meeting with the Israelite elders as God had commanded. They tell Pharoah, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.'" And Pharoah responds with "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go." But we read that Moses and Aaron persist and they repeat their words to Pharoah saying, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword." Notice that the second time Moses an Aaron add specific consequences that could come if they disobeyed God. Pharoah wasn’t impressed. He sarcastically replies, ""Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!…Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working." In other words, Pharoah was saying, "What part of ‘no’ did you not understand? Stop wasting my time and holding up your people from their work." But he was about to do something even worse than just speaking some crass words.

For we read that Pharoah began to oppress the Israelite people even more. He ordered his "slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people" to "no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies." The Israelites had been tasked with making bricks to build the structures for Pharoah’s empire and had always been given the material to do the work. Now, Pharoah ordered straw withheld from the Israelites forcing them to find their own to make sure the bricks could be made. Further, they still had to maintain the same quota of bricks. All this was intended so the Israelites would "keep working and pay no attention to lies." Pharoah thought they were lazy and were using the proposal to go and offer sacrifices to God so they would not have to work. So the orders were carried out and conditions worsened for the people of Israel. Something had to happen to relieve the situation.

So the Israelite foremen decided to go to Pharoah and issue an appeal on behalf of the Israelites. They asked Pharoah, "Why have you treated your servants this way? Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people." Once again, Pharoah showed no sympathy and told the foreman, ""Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.' Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks." Rebuffed by Pharoah, the foremen go to Moses and Aaron, expressing their anger and frustration over the increased oppression of Pharoah. The foremen tell them "May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us." In other words, what was currently happening was all the fault of Moses and Aaron. Had they not went to Pharoah in the first place, none of this would have happened. Their words definitely had an adverse impact on Moses.

For Moses then went before the Lord and said, ""O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." In other words, Moses wants to know why God sent him there to do this. There has been no positive outcome and instead of rescue, there has only been increased hardship.
In this chapter, we see three main players and all three have the same problem: they don’t truly know and trust God.

Pharoah is intentionally bringing hardship on the Israelite people because he fears their numbers and wants to keep them under control so they can’t threaten his rule. By his own admission as he speaks to Moses and Aaron, he doesn’t know the Lord. And it’s obvious. Because if he did, he would have listened to Moses and Aaron. He is soon to find out that there is a God and a God who will bring as much hardship to Pharoah as he is bringing to God’s chosen people. Pharoah doesn’t know God now but he is going to know him soon in a big way.

The Israelite foremen also didn’t really know and trust God. They showed a problem that many people of faith have had throughout the ages. For it’s easy to have faith when things are going right but the challenge in life is maintaining faith when times get hard. Those who truly know and trust God never waver in their faith, no matter how hard it gets. The foremen not only falter after being rejected by Pharoah but then rain curses down upon Moses and Aaron hoping the Lord would judge them. Perhaps they should have been just as concerned with the Lord judging them for their unfaithful attitude.

And then we have Moses. You’ll remember that Moses wavered when God told him that he was to go and lead His people of Israel out of Egypt. There were already clear signs that Moses didn’t truly trust God in his heart, even though he had been closer to God than anyone else in this current matter. And yet we see Moses, rattled and bothered by the visit from the Israelite foremen, going before God and questioned God. In essence, he asked God where He was in the midst of all this. After all, hadn’t Moses and Aaron done what He told them to do. And yet, things had gotten worse, not better…and Moses wondered why God had not appeared to rescue His people yet. Moses showed an impatience that is not uncommon. We want God to do everything right away and when we want Him to act. And in doing so, we miss the things He is trying to do in and through us in the midst of suffering and hardship.

Question: Do you know God? I mean, do you really KNOW God? Do you trust in Him fully…knowing and trusting in all His assurances and promises as found in His word? Do you even know His word so you can know His promises? My prayer, this holiday season and into the year to come, is that we all come to KNOW God better. That we learn through His word that He is always with us and is doing a good work even when we’re going through tough times. I pray for stronger faith, enduring patience and a steadfast faith that doesn’t waver but instead stays firm, no matter what our circumstances.
Do you know God? Only you hold the answer to that question for yourself.

In Christ,

Mark

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THE ONLY APPROPRIATE RESPONSE

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"The Lord said to Aaron, "Go into the desert to meet Moses." So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform. Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped."
Exodus 4:27-31

How do you respond when you realize that the Lord has cared for you in the midst of difficult times? In our scripture today, we see the only appropriate way to respond as we study the actions of the elders of Israel.

We pick up in Chapter 4 right after Moses narrowly escaped death at the hands of an angry God who saw Moses as disobedient because he had failed to circumcise his son…a violation of the covenant God made with Abraham years earlier. It took the quick action of Moses’ wife Zipporah to save him as she quickly circumcised the son with a flint knife…an action that led God to allow Moses to live. He departs Moses and we see where He immediately appears to Moses’ brother, Aaron.

The Lord tells Aaron to "go into the desert to meet Moses" and Aaron obeys meeting Moses "at the mountain of God" where he greets his brother with a kiss. Moses then shares with Aaron everything that the Lord had told him, including "all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform." You’ll recall that Moses had the "staff of God" in his possession.

Then Moses and Aaron go to the elders of the Israelites just as God had commanded and we read where it was Aaron who spoke to the elders sharing with them "everything the Lord had said to Moses." Moses meanwhile "performed the signs before the people," using his staff, showing his hand in and out of leprosy as he took it in and out of his cloak and turning the water of the Nile to blood." Scripture tells us that after the words and actions of Aaron and Moses, "they believed…and bowed down and worshiped" hearing and understanding that "the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery." The elders rejoiced in a God who cared for them enough that He would deliver them from their hardship.

Question: Do you know this same God…the God who cares and loves you…the God who wants the best for you…the God who sees everything you’re going through and is with you in good times and bad? Do you know He hears your every cry, your every praise, and your every prayer? Do you know that He knows your every need and is ready to deliver you in due time in accordance with His will and purpose?

If the answer to these questions is no, then I pray for you and hope you will turn your heart, mind, soul and strength over to God. He will show you His love and lead you to the place of worship…trust in that.

If the answer to these questions is yes, then you, like the Israelite elders, should be believing in Him, bowing down before Him and entering into an attitude of unending worship and praise unto Him…a holy attitude or gratitude. For this and this only is the appropriate response to God for His goodness…for His grace and mercy…and for the gift of His Son, soon to be born as our Savior in the lowly manger in Bethlehem. Alleluia!

In Christ,

Mark

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EXPEDIENT ATONEMENT

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive." Jethro said, "Go, and I wish you well." Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead." So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand. The Lord said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.' " At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met {Moses} and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched {Moses'} feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. So the Lord let him alone." Exodus 4:18-26

God has sent Moses back to Egypt to act as His spokesperson, first to the elders and people of Israel and then to Pharoah. Before he returned, Moses went to his Midianite father-in-law, Jethro, and tells him to "Let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive." We read that Jethro allows him to go and heads back to Egypt with his wife and sons on a donkey and the "staff of God in his hand." God instructs Moses that "all the men who wanted to kill you are dead" in Egypt. He also tells him that "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do." God then tells Moses that He will "harden (Pharoah’s) heart so that he will not let the people go" and Moses will tell Pharoah "'This is what the Lord says: ‘Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'" Through His words, we see where God is forecasting the future to Moses. But there is one part of the future that God fails to mention and it is in Moses’ immediate future.

For we read that "at a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him." Is this not an amazing reversal of attitude that God shows for Moses? I mean, in one instance, He’s talking about all the important things that He wants Moses to do in the future but then completely reverses field and wishes to take away Moses’ future all together. What could possibly cause God to be so angry? At the heart of the matter is disobedience.

You see, Moses failed to follow one very important aspect of Hebrew religious custom when his son was born for he failed to circumcise him. You’ll recall from Genesis 17 that circumcision was a sign of God’s covenant with His people and God said in verse 13 that "Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant." Obviously, Moses’ son was too young to dictate his own circumcision so God’s wrath fell on Moses. What could save Moses from God? Well, it took some quick action by his wife.

We read where Zipporah "took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it, saying, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me." You see, circumcision was not part of Midianite culture and the act was repulsive to Zipporah. Yet, she loved Moses enough to save him through conducting the circumcision herself. Her actions led to the Lord letting Moses alone. He was spared.

Our scripture today offers us some critical life application points:

1. We are to stay obedient to God’s commands. Moses knew the Hebrew culture and customs. Yet, he decided to not adhere to them, possibly because he was in the midst of a different culture. Nonetheless, God expected him to stay true to the covenant and when he failed to, he ended up in poor favor with God. This leads to point 2.

2. God hates disobedience. God didn’t just want to punish Moses. He met Moses and "was about to kill him." Yes, we serve a loving God but He is also our Supreme Judge and can issue the death sentence if He so chooses. Thus, if you’re openly sinning in disobedience to God’s word and will, you had better turn it around quickly or else. And this leads to point 3.

3. Expedient atonement can save you. I think I can say with full confidence that without Zipporah’s actions, Moses would have been killed and we would have seen someone else lead Israel out of Egypt. Her quick and decisive action in circumcising her son appeased God and saved her husband.

Question: In what ways are you being disobedient to God’s will, word and way for your life? Do you take for granted the power of God…a power that can be exhibited in wrath and anger just as easily as it can be shown in love? Do you not think that God could meet you somewhere and kill you because you chose to disrespect Him?

Like Moses, we too live in a world that has a completely different set of principles and customs than what God expects us to have as His servants. And just as Moses was influenced adversely by living amid the Midianites, so too can we be affected adversely by living in the world and for the world vice being in the world but not a part of the world’s principles because we have a higher set of standards…God’s standards. If you’re living in violation of God’s will, turn from your ways immediately. We saw in Zipporah’s quick circumcision of her son an expedient atonement. She quickly righted the wrong and God honored that. What do you need to expeditiously atone for today? Don’t delay in getting right with God. Your very future could be at stake.

In Christ,

Mark

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TRUST THE LORD

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"Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The Lord did not appear to you'?" Then the Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied. The Lord said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. "This," said the Lord, "is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you." Then the Lord said, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow. "Now put it back into your cloak," he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. Then the Lord said, "If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second. But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground." Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it." Exodus 4:1-17

Moses had a problem and it is a problem that is not uncommon in believers and non-believers alike. He didn't believe that God could truly do what He said He could do. Moses had witnessed the bush that burned but never was singed, a sign of God's miraculous power…a power that made the unconventional conventional…the impossible possible. He had heard the voice of God speaking directly to Him, assuring Him that He would be with him as he went to Egypt to carry out His will and showing Moses that He had a plan to ensure that Moses' work would be a success. Yet, despite all this, we read Moses saying to God, ""What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The Lord did not appear to you'?" God has said to Moses, ""The elders of Israel will listen to you." He didn't say, the elders may listen to you. He said they WILL listen. But Moses was the one who wasn't listening very well. Yet, we see a very patient God dealing with him in the midst of his unbelief…or at least the Lord was patient initially.

Question: How much are you like Moses…still unwilling to trust and believe despite all of God's promises and assurances found in His word…and despite all the power He reveals every day in the miracles and wonders He performs?

Well, as Chapter 4 of Exodus begins, we see that the Lord continues to show Moses the depth of His miraculous power in an attempt to get Moses confident that he could carry out what the Lord was asking him to do. He tells Moses to throw down his staff and we read where the Lord turns it into a snake and then back into a staff as Moses grabs it by the tail. He then tells Moses to stick his hand into his cloak and then withdraw it. Moses does so only to find his hand afflicted with leprosy which miraculously disappears when he sticks his hand back into his cloak. Two miracles…two awesome displays of the Lord's ability to make anything happen that He wishes. And still He gives Moses a third option if the first two don't work. He tells him to "take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground." Surely, this would have been more than enough to convince Moses. But it wasn't.

For Moses comes up with another excuse as to why he can't do what the Lord wants, saying "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The Lord has yet another response to Moses telling him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." In other words, God made Moses and every other man and woman in creation. He was the One who crafted every part of the body to carry out special functions…He was the One who ordained them to work in harmony to carry out His will. So as He tells Moses, "Who gave man his mouth?", He's talking to us as well. We need only seek Him to get the words to speak from the mouth He gave us. We need only seek the path He wants us to walk with the feet He placed under us. We need only trust in Him to do whatever he wants to do in and through us…and know that it will always work out to His glory.

And yet, we, like Moses, still fail. We allow our fears to overcome our faith. We're afraid to speak about the Lord to others because we're afraid that we might be rejected or ridicules or persecuted. And so we remain silent even though the Lord wants us to speak out. We're also afraid to go where the Lord wants us to go. The way ahead is sometimes so uncertain with potential dangers. Once again, we allow our anxiety and fear to get the best of us. We stand still when the Lord is wanting us to move forward. I'm sure that we, like Moses, get the Lord angry…so much so that He burns against us because of our stubborn refusal to let go and let Him have control.

The Lord, angry and frustrated, finally tells Moses that He would speak through his brother Aaron as well as him, adding that anything that Aaron said would still be received as if it came from Moses himself. In other words, the Lord's will is going to get done whether one person speaks His words or another. Trust and believe that if you stubbornly refuse to trust the Lord to use you to accomplish His will, then He will just find someone to use instead. His will is going to be accomplished one way or another. I don't know about you but I don't want to let the Lord down…the same Lord who gave us everything, including His only Son so we might be saved from our sins. If He gave us His all, shouldn't we be willing to give Him our all as well. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and soul and mind. Know He will never lead you anywhere to do anything and not be right there with you. You are not alone. God has a plan. Surrender yourself to Him and His purpose.

In Christ,

Mark

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GOD HAS A PLAN

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' " God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation. "Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.' "The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.' But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. "And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians." Exodus 3:11-22

God has spoken to Moses from the burning bush, telling him he is going to be the one to lead the people of Israel from bondage and oppression to freedom and a "land flowing with milk and honey." When Joseph asks, ""Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?", you’ll remember that God assures him that he won’t go alone for He would be with him. Then God does something else for Moses. He gives him a plan.

For Moses, still doubting he could pull off what God wanted him to do, asked, ""Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" And God replied, ""I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you’…Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation. " Notice where God uses the famous forefathers of the Hebrew faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to validate who He is to the Israelite people. This would help Moses gain their confidence and cooperation. For God now was about to give Moses His plan.

Note that Moses doesn’t have to devise how he will carry out God’s will. God tells him exactly what to do. And He will do the same for you as well.

God tells Moses to "Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.' "The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.' But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. "And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians."

God instructs Moses and at each crucial step, he assures him what will happen. He tells Moses to go and gather the elders of Israel, sharing the message that God gave him. And God already guarantees Moses that ""The elders of Israel will listen to you." God and only God knows what will happen in the future before it happens. This is what also enables God to tell Moses to expect Pharoah’s rejection of his proposal…a rejection that will lead to God to "stretch out (His) hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that (He) will perform among them." This, God reassures will cause Pharoah to let Moses go and lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. So in the midst of Moses’ confusion, God entered in with a detailed plan for success.

Question: Are you going through a confusing time in your life? Are you wondering how God will use you to get through that time? Have you truly turned to God and asked Him to reveal His plan for you…the plan He wishes to use to see you through the confusion and to a place where you have endured the challenge and persevered to victory, not through your own works but through His work and guidance in your life? Rest assured of this, God has a plan. He has a plan for everything…and just like He was with Moses to see the plan through, so too is He with you…every step of the way. That’s good news.

In Christ,

Mark

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YOU ARE NOT ALONE

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"During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up." When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you." Exodus 2:23-25, 3:1-12b

Moses remained in Midian with his new family, an alien in a foreign land. We read that he has continued to help the Midianite family that took him in, "tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest…"

Meanwhile, we read that the Pharoah that wanted Moses dead has died himself but this had not brought relief for the people of Israel. Scripture tells us they still "groaned in their slavery and cried out" to God for help. And we read that God heard their cry and "remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob." Concerned about His chosen people, God decided to act. He would need someone to go forth for Him and He chooses Moses, deciding to get his attention in a most unique way.

For we read that as Moses "led the flock to the far side of the desert," he "came to Horeb, the mountain of God." And "there the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush." Seeing that the bush aflame but not burning up, Moses says, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up." It’s then that the Lord speaks to Moses from the bush telling him to "not come any closer" and "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." God then tells Moses, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." And at this we read that Moses "hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God." What a moment this had to have been for Moses…a God moment just as his forefathers had experienced. Now it was his turn to be used in powerful ways.

God goes on to tell Moses that He has heard the cries of His people who have been oppressed by the Egyptian enslavement. God is fed up with seeing His people suffer and now intends to rescue them but not by just applying His power alone to Pharoah and Egypt. No, He tells Moses, "I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

Wow! Can you imagine hearing this? Put yourself in the place on Moses. He couldn’t even save himself from the murderous intentions of Pharoah, instead having to run away to survive. And now, God was telling him that he was going to go and face Pharoah head on to save all of Israel. It’s no wonder that Moses is a little apprehensive and in disbelief. I mean God doesn’t tell Moses He will place a great army at Moses’ disposal to carry out this task of overthrowing the Egyptian oppression. No…there is no great army…just an army of one…Moses. We can understand Moses when he says, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" I’m certain any of us would have asked the same question. It’s God’s reply that is meant to grant Moses the strength to carry out His will…and His words are intended for us as well as we seek to carry out His will today. For God proclaims, "I will be with you."

Question #1: How is God calling to you today? Are you actively seeking for His signs for you every day? He may not burn a bush in front you but God does seek to get our attention through other abstract ways. Will we recognize Him when He seeks to communicate with us? Will we see everywhere that He takes us as possibly being sacred ground? For where ever God is present, that place is sacred and holy.

Question #2: If God is calling to you and you are listening, how well are you staying obedient to what He is calling you to do? How are you responding to His call for you to accomplish something that seemingly is impossible? Do you truly believe with all your heart in God’s promise that nothing is impossible with Him? (Luke 1:37)

Just keep in mind this truth from today’s scripture for it is one of the absolutes in scripture. In other words, it’s one thing we can always count on. Here’s the truth: God the Father and His Son Jesus are always with you. God the Father promised us that He would never leave us nor forsake us. He reaffirms this in His words to Moses as He says, "I will be with you." Jesus, at the end of His Great Commission, tells us that He will be with us even until the end of the age. Are these not awesome words of assurance and hope for us? How can we ever feel alone, forsaken, abandoned, or unloved if we always remember that we are never alone and never unloved by our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior, Jesus?

God was with Moses and He is with you and I as well. And this is good news for today, tomorrow and forever more. Rejoice and be glad in it. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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