Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was." Exodus 20:18-21
Picture yourself as amongst the people of Israel that followed Moses out of Egypt. You have watched the Lord divide the Red Sea so you could pass through on dry land, you then watched God crash the walls of water down on Pharoah and his pursuing army, you saw God change bitter water to water that was drinkable with a piece of wood and you watched Him bring water from a rock when you were thirsty. You were given quail and manna from heaven in the midst of your hunger. And you saw God deliver you in the midst of attack from the hands of the Amalekites. You have mode it through so much to be at this place…at the foot of Mount Sinai and in the presence of the Almighty God…the God who has displayed His power to you throughout your exodus.
Moses has gone up the mountain and into the presence of God. You stand and await his return, warned to not step onto the mountain unless you wish to experience God’s judgment. And now, as you await Moses’ return, the sky begins to loudly rumble with thunder and flash with lightning. You hear a trumpet but can’t see the player. Mount Sinai is before you and is in smoke. Can you see where you would be trembling in fear? What an experience that must have been.
Well, Moses comes to them. What a relief this must have been to the fearful people of Israel. They long for some word that might assure them but they are afraid of God and His possible judgment upon them. Were they to perish like Pharoah and his army? Would God lift up Mount Sinai as He lifted the waters of the Red Sea and send it crashing down on them? They pleaded with Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." And what does Moses say to the people right away? He says, "Do not be afraid."
Question: Is there anything that you’re afraid of today? Are you facing a time in your life where you’re experiencing trials, challenges, uncertainties, poor health, addiction, or any other form of hardship? Do you fear tomorrow and your future?
If you are experiencing anxieties, fears, stresses, or worries, know that God is just a prayer away from you…waiting to hear you and send you a very important message…"Do not be afraid." This message is spoken 65 times in the bible and always at a time when the listener was in dire need of assurance and hope.
God’s word also has within it what I believe is the prescription for stress, anxiety, worry and fear. He speaks through the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi. I pray these words will be of comfort to you not only today but forever more. The Lord said through Paul, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Essentially, God is saying, "Don’t shoulder the burdens of life as if you have no source of help. Trust Me. Have faith in Me. I am all capable, all powerful, and all willing. There is nothing beyond the work of My Almighty Hands. Lay your burdens at my feet. Lift up your needs to me in prayer and let Me handle what is weighing you down. Set yourself free to be able to do My will for you. Experience liberation from your burdens and find peace through Me…a peace unlike no other…a peace that transcends all understanding. And once you find that peace, I will protect your heart and mind in My Son, Jesus." Can you hear Him speaking to you? Trust Him…and do not be afraid.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
BE SATISFIED
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17
The last of the Ten Commandments handed down to Israel from God via Moses had to do with the matter of coveting. Webster’s dictionary defines the verb "covet" with the following meaning:
1. to wish for earnestly. 2. to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably. 3. to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another.
In the case of Israel, they weren’t to covet (or desire) "anything that belongs to (a) neighbor." This included their home, wife, servants, or livestock. It’s interesting to note that this final commandment of the set actually serves as a reinforcement to a few others already mentioned. For coveting what another has can lead to adultery, stealing and even murder. Using the political example from yesterday, a candidate that is behind in the race could covet the position of the leader so much that they would be willing to bear false witness against the leader. Mud slinging and smear tactics seem to be normal operating procedure in most campaigns. Anything to get ahead, even if you have to sin in the process. All because you covet what another person has in their favor.
Question: Do you covet or have you ever coveted? Have you ever envied another because they seemed to "have more" than you? Have you ever found yourself wishing you could be another person just to have what they have…whether that be fame, good looks, success, wealth, or love? I think if we’re all honest, we will all say there has been a time when we have coveted and thus violated yet another of God’s commandments. So why do we covet despite the Lord telling us not to?
I think the simple answer is that we are in the world, even if we are not of it. And this world we live in is a "me and I" society. People typically only care about themselves and this leads to a selfish heart…a selfish heart that wants it all, even if it has to be at the expense of someone else. Indeed, we are a people who simply can’t be satisfied with what the Lord has blessed us with. Instead, we are constantly wanting more and more, whether we can afford it or not. This is why personal indebtedness is a national epidemic these days. People have to have things even if they can’t afford them. No cash…no problem. That’s why they made credit cards. So we go for the gusto because creditors are willing to "spot us" the money in advance so we can have what we want right now. We get that purchase high and can’t seem to get enough of it. And then the credit card bill arrives and brings its "sticker shock" with it. If shopping on credit is a high then the ensuing bill is the hangover that follows.
So how do we deal with this problem of being covetous? Here are two tips:
1. Appreciate the blessings the Lord brings to you and be satisfied. When we seriously step back and take account of our lives and the lives of our families, we can either yearn for more than what we have or count all the many blessings God has given us. He would expect us to do the latter and if we do so, we will find ourselves content and thankful rather than dissatisfied and complaining.
2. Simplify your life. We get so caught up in materialism that we forget our spiritualism. Possessions or the quest for them take us over and begin to possess us. And that materialistic possession too turns into an obsession and we are led to the most negative consequences of coveting. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) If your heart is on materialism, then you’ll be on a perpetual treasure hunt for more and more "treasure". If your heart is truly on Jesus, then He will be your treasure and you will seek to be like Him. One thing is certain, Jesus didn’t get caught up in materialism. Why? Because he was so busy saving souls to settle down and get caught up in possessions. His magnificent obsession was to obediently carry out the Will of His Father…a Will that would have Him suffer and die just so we might be saved. To simplify our lives, we need to realize and confess that having Jesus as our treasure is all we really need. And He’ll give us just what we need to carry out His will as stated in the Great Commission...nothing more, nothing less. Keep life simple…keep your life immersed in Jesus and make Him your One and only desire.
When it comes down to it, the gift of the Lord’s mercy and grace we receive daily…the mercy and grace that never fail and are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)…is all that we need. We should rejoice and be glad in every day that the Lord makes and give thanks for all the things He has done for us through His goodness and love. For a spirit of thanksgiving in and through the Lord will trump the spirit of Satan’s coveting every single time. Remember the words of David…"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want." (23rd Psalm) Why don’t we find our selves wanting and coveting? Because in the Lord we have everything we need. Believe this and be satisfied.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17
The last of the Ten Commandments handed down to Israel from God via Moses had to do with the matter of coveting. Webster’s dictionary defines the verb "covet" with the following meaning:
1. to wish for earnestly. 2. to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably. 3. to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another.
In the case of Israel, they weren’t to covet (or desire) "anything that belongs to (a) neighbor." This included their home, wife, servants, or livestock. It’s interesting to note that this final commandment of the set actually serves as a reinforcement to a few others already mentioned. For coveting what another has can lead to adultery, stealing and even murder. Using the political example from yesterday, a candidate that is behind in the race could covet the position of the leader so much that they would be willing to bear false witness against the leader. Mud slinging and smear tactics seem to be normal operating procedure in most campaigns. Anything to get ahead, even if you have to sin in the process. All because you covet what another person has in their favor.
Question: Do you covet or have you ever coveted? Have you ever envied another because they seemed to "have more" than you? Have you ever found yourself wishing you could be another person just to have what they have…whether that be fame, good looks, success, wealth, or love? I think if we’re all honest, we will all say there has been a time when we have coveted and thus violated yet another of God’s commandments. So why do we covet despite the Lord telling us not to?
I think the simple answer is that we are in the world, even if we are not of it. And this world we live in is a "me and I" society. People typically only care about themselves and this leads to a selfish heart…a selfish heart that wants it all, even if it has to be at the expense of someone else. Indeed, we are a people who simply can’t be satisfied with what the Lord has blessed us with. Instead, we are constantly wanting more and more, whether we can afford it or not. This is why personal indebtedness is a national epidemic these days. People have to have things even if they can’t afford them. No cash…no problem. That’s why they made credit cards. So we go for the gusto because creditors are willing to "spot us" the money in advance so we can have what we want right now. We get that purchase high and can’t seem to get enough of it. And then the credit card bill arrives and brings its "sticker shock" with it. If shopping on credit is a high then the ensuing bill is the hangover that follows.
So how do we deal with this problem of being covetous? Here are two tips:
1. Appreciate the blessings the Lord brings to you and be satisfied. When we seriously step back and take account of our lives and the lives of our families, we can either yearn for more than what we have or count all the many blessings God has given us. He would expect us to do the latter and if we do so, we will find ourselves content and thankful rather than dissatisfied and complaining.
2. Simplify your life. We get so caught up in materialism that we forget our spiritualism. Possessions or the quest for them take us over and begin to possess us. And that materialistic possession too turns into an obsession and we are led to the most negative consequences of coveting. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) If your heart is on materialism, then you’ll be on a perpetual treasure hunt for more and more "treasure". If your heart is truly on Jesus, then He will be your treasure and you will seek to be like Him. One thing is certain, Jesus didn’t get caught up in materialism. Why? Because he was so busy saving souls to settle down and get caught up in possessions. His magnificent obsession was to obediently carry out the Will of His Father…a Will that would have Him suffer and die just so we might be saved. To simplify our lives, we need to realize and confess that having Jesus as our treasure is all we really need. And He’ll give us just what we need to carry out His will as stated in the Great Commission...nothing more, nothing less. Keep life simple…keep your life immersed in Jesus and make Him your One and only desire.
When it comes down to it, the gift of the Lord’s mercy and grace we receive daily…the mercy and grace that never fail and are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)…is all that we need. We should rejoice and be glad in every day that the Lord makes and give thanks for all the things He has done for us through His goodness and love. For a spirit of thanksgiving in and through the Lord will trump the spirit of Satan’s coveting every single time. Remember the words of David…"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want." (23rd Psalm) Why don’t we find our selves wanting and coveting? Because in the Lord we have everything we need. Believe this and be satisfied.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
JESUS, THE TRUTH
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." Exodus 20:16
I have a confession to make. I really dislike politics.
That means I am really not enjoying things right now as we are in the heat of a year when we will elect out nation’s next president. Currently, we’re just in the primary stages as each party tries to determine who they will select to run in the general election. Television, radio and the newspapers are just abuzz with every single facet of every single candidate in every single race in every single state. It’s definitely political saturation. And I guess this wouldn’t be a bad thing and maybe it would even be a little more tolerable for me if political behavior were a little more civil.
But it just isn’t that way. No…politics today is an exercise in verbal and information guerilla warfare between candidates and their camps. The acidic rhetoric flows freely from one to another and keeps stoking the flames of dissent and distraction…distraction from the real matters we should be concerned with. Like whether a candidate can really properly represent our country…our state…our county or city…or our district depending on the election and the jurisdiction. One thing is certain…in answering the question as to whether a person is suitable to properly represent me…I need to test them against a lot of standards which would include this ninth commandment…"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."
So what constitutes false testimony? Here are a few things and their definitions:
a. slander - 1 : the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another's reputation 2 : a false and defamatory oral statement about a person . Synonyms include libel and defame.
b. gossip – 1 : a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others 2 a: rumor or report of an intimate nature b: a chatty talk c: the subject matter of gossip
c. lying – 1 : marked by or containing falsehoods
d. false accusation - 1 : a false charge of wrongdoing
e. smear – 1 : a usually unsubstantiated charge or accusation against a person or organization —often used attributively as in smear campaign
Question: How well have you adhered to this commandment? Can you see where participating in any of these acts is damaging to another…to your neighbor? And often times, that’s the very intent in the first place. We speak in these ways because we WANT to degrade, defame, insult, embarrass or damage someone and their reputation. Rest assured of this, there is nothing of Jesus Christ or the Father in speaking this way. So if you say you’re a Christian and you are doing any of the above, then stop now because you are slandering the very name of Jesus through your actions. Remember what Jesus said, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life." (John 14:6) He is THE TRUTH. And we can have THE TRUTH in us if we open our hearts and minds to Jesus and accept Him in. One thing is certain, if we do this, our days of false testimony will be over.
It’s little wonder that the bible speaks so negatively about the tongue because of its potential for transmitting evil. Scripture says, "Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." James 3:5-10
Indeed, brothers and sisters…this should not be. With Jesus…THE TRUTH…in us, it won’t be. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Monday, January 28, 2008
AMAZING GRACE
My wife and I attend Bayside Baptist Church in Virginia Beach VA (please stop by and worship with us if you're ever in the neighborhood).
This morning, we watched a quick video concerning the song Amazing Grace, one of my most favorite hymns. I wanted to share this with you and hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMF_24cQqT0
In Christ,
Mark
This morning, we watched a quick video concerning the song Amazing Grace, one of my most favorite hymns. I wanted to share this with you and hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMF_24cQqT0
In Christ,
Mark
HAVE YOU STOLEN FROM ANOTHER?
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"You shall not steal." Exodus 20:15
At face value, this eighth commandment would seem pretty easy to interpret. This is because we most often identify the word "steal" with taking something that doesn’t belong to you from another person.
People always seem to be looking to steal money from another. Maybe it’s taking a few dollars from someone’s pants pocket or wallet. Sometimes it’s just about stealing an entire wallet or purse. It’s little wonder that the bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)
Shoplifters steal items from a store without paying. The property they steal still belongs to the store because they have yet to purchase the item. Yet, they take it and leave the store at a loss.
Today, we are dealing with the problem of identity theft. People steal our personal information and then pose as us to steal from us again as they obtain money and materials at our expense.
Question: Have you ever stolen anything?
Let’s dig a little deeper into this matter of stealing…this matter of taking something away from another.
For stealing isn’t always about tangible, material items, is it?
When we commit plagiarism, we steal another person’s music or words.
When we intentionally try and hurt another person physically or emotionally, we steal away their health. We also steal away their joy and happiness and peace.
When we murder someone, we steal away their life…and leave a hole in the hearts of all who loved them.
When we abuse or neglect another person physically or verbally, we steal away their dignity and esteem.
When we commit adultery, we steal another person’s spouse and their love.
When we lie to another, we steal away their trust.
Question: Again, have you ever stolen everything?
Once again, I think most of us, if not all of us, have found ourselves failing to meet God’s expectation for our lives. Can you imagine what it would be like if our requirement for salvation was to perfectly adhere to God’s law? Who would be able to stand? I don’t even want to think about that scenario for it would be a place where we would all be without hope.
All the more reason to give thanks and praise to our Savior Jesus…the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world through His blood shed on Calvary. For He set us free from our certain condemnation and set us on a narrow path of righteousness to go forth and help free the captives of this world from their sins and into the redeeming, resurrecting light of Christ. Indeed Satan tried to steal us from everlasting life to join him in damnation but Jesus rescued us and said, "No, Satan. You shall not steal…for this child of God belongs to Me and thus belongs to the Father. Be gone."
Do you know Jesus in your life? Or have you let Satan steal Him from your heart? The good news is that what was stolen from Jesus can be reclaimed. For the Lord is your rightful Owner and is ready to take you back to Him. If you know Jesus, hold onto Him as your most valuable possession and NEVER allow anyone to steal Him from you. If you lost Him in your life or have never found Him, seek Him and you will find Him. And when you find Him, hold on tight and never let go!
Friends, is this not good news for us? Is it not the good news that sets us free? For if the Son has set you free, then you are free indeed." (John 8:36) Rejoice and be glad in this. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"You shall not steal." Exodus 20:15
At face value, this eighth commandment would seem pretty easy to interpret. This is because we most often identify the word "steal" with taking something that doesn’t belong to you from another person.
People always seem to be looking to steal money from another. Maybe it’s taking a few dollars from someone’s pants pocket or wallet. Sometimes it’s just about stealing an entire wallet or purse. It’s little wonder that the bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)
Shoplifters steal items from a store without paying. The property they steal still belongs to the store because they have yet to purchase the item. Yet, they take it and leave the store at a loss.
Today, we are dealing with the problem of identity theft. People steal our personal information and then pose as us to steal from us again as they obtain money and materials at our expense.
Question: Have you ever stolen anything?
Let’s dig a little deeper into this matter of stealing…this matter of taking something away from another.
For stealing isn’t always about tangible, material items, is it?
When we commit plagiarism, we steal another person’s music or words.
When we intentionally try and hurt another person physically or emotionally, we steal away their health. We also steal away their joy and happiness and peace.
When we murder someone, we steal away their life…and leave a hole in the hearts of all who loved them.
When we abuse or neglect another person physically or verbally, we steal away their dignity and esteem.
When we commit adultery, we steal another person’s spouse and their love.
When we lie to another, we steal away their trust.
Question: Again, have you ever stolen everything?
Once again, I think most of us, if not all of us, have found ourselves failing to meet God’s expectation for our lives. Can you imagine what it would be like if our requirement for salvation was to perfectly adhere to God’s law? Who would be able to stand? I don’t even want to think about that scenario for it would be a place where we would all be without hope.
All the more reason to give thanks and praise to our Savior Jesus…the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world through His blood shed on Calvary. For He set us free from our certain condemnation and set us on a narrow path of righteousness to go forth and help free the captives of this world from their sins and into the redeeming, resurrecting light of Christ. Indeed Satan tried to steal us from everlasting life to join him in damnation but Jesus rescued us and said, "No, Satan. You shall not steal…for this child of God belongs to Me and thus belongs to the Father. Be gone."
Do you know Jesus in your life? Or have you let Satan steal Him from your heart? The good news is that what was stolen from Jesus can be reclaimed. For the Lord is your rightful Owner and is ready to take you back to Him. If you know Jesus, hold onto Him as your most valuable possession and NEVER allow anyone to steal Him from you. If you lost Him in your life or have never found Him, seek Him and you will find Him. And when you find Him, hold on tight and never let go!
Friends, is this not good news for us? Is it not the good news that sets us free? For if the Son has set you free, then you are free indeed." (John 8:36) Rejoice and be glad in this. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Sunday, January 27, 2008
THE DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF LUST
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28
"Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,
for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished." Proverbs 6:25-29
Our society is spinning out of control sexually. It seems more and more that we’re bombarded with sexual, promiscuous imagery whether it’s on television, at the movies, on the internet, in fashion or in magazines. The world can’t get enough sex. It obsesses over it and craves more and more of it. And Satan is always ready to keep fanning the flames of our desires. Consider these statistics:
** Conservative infidelity statistics estimate that "60 percent of men and 40 percent of women will have an extramarital affair. These figures are even more significant when we consider the total number of marriages involved, since it's unlikely that all the men and women having affairs happen to be married to each other. If even half of the women having affairs (or 20 percent) are married to men not included in the 60 percent having affairs, then at least one partner will have an affair in approximately 80 percent of all marriages.
** 2 out of 3 women and 3 out of 4 men admit they have sexual thoughts about co-workers.
** 86% of men and 81% of women admit they routinely flirt with the opposite sex.
** 75% of men and 65% of women admit to having sex with people they work with.
** It is estimated that 53% of all people will have one or more affairs during their lifetime.
** The National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families states that "approximately 40 million people in the United States are sexually involved with the Internet.
** In a MSNMC survey, one in 10 respondents said they are addicted to sex and the Internet, according to an online survey of 38,000 Internet users.
** Only 46% of men believe that online affairs are adultery.
These are just some of the numbers and when you consider the number of people who would not be honest in admitting sexual immorality, they are epidemic. One thing is for certain…lust is burning a hole in our hearts, minds and souls and is putting us in disfavor with God.
It’s little wonder then that God said, "You shall not commit adultery." In biblical times, the adulterous actions were primarily physical in nature. If you had sex with someone else’s wife, you committed adultery. And that was the definition of adultery until Jesus came and expanded it, just as He did the commandment on murder.
For Jesus said, "I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Wow! OK…men. Anyone who has not committed adultery under Jesus’ definition? If so, I would like to meet you. I think if we’re truly honest with ourselves, we can remember a time when we were just on fire for a beautiful woman we saw on television, in the movies, in print, on line, in the workplace or maybe just while shopping. We seem to have an innate weakness to sex and Satan seeks to exploit that in us. And ladies, this applies to you too. I’m sure you have looked at a handsome man and started to feel a bit ablaze around him. For all of us, Jesus gets to the root of the issue. He attacks lust. For lust is the beginning symptom or adultery just as anger is the root symptom of murder. Address and correct the root and the action doesn’t happen.
So how do we address and combat our lustful tendencies?
The bible gives us an awesome example in Joseph. You’ll recall that he was Jacob’s favored son but his brother’s hated brother. In fact, they hated him so much that they sold him off as a slave to a group of Ismaelites and then told their father that he had been killed.
Well, Joseph ended up being purchased by one of Pharoah’s officials, Potiphar, and did such a great job that Potiphar placed Joseph in charge of his household. All was looking great for Joseph except for one thing: Potiphar’s lusting wife. Scripture tells us that she saw Joseph as "well built" and "handsome." So she approaches him and wants him to have sex with her, a classic example of adultery. But Joseph rebuffs her advances and makes a powerful statement when he says, "How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And it wasn’t that Joseph just said what he said. He backed it up with his actions. Scripture tells us, "He refused to go to bed with her or even be with her." In other words, Joseph distanced himself from the source of seduction.
Question: Since we all can probably be found guilty of violating the adultery commandments of God and Jesus, how could we do such a wicked thing and sin against God? The answer…because we’re sinners but we can’t use that as an excuse. We need to realize our shortcomings, repent of our failures, receive God’s forgiveness, and then take positive action to repeat failing again. Like Joseph, we need to refuse to be in the presence of what might tempt us toward sexual failure. If it’s in the television shows you watch, stop watching them. If it’s in the movies you watch, stop watching those movies. If it’s the internet, put in controls that will block access to pornography and other sexual materials. If it’s in magazines, cancel your subscription or stop buying them.
Just as easily as we make the choice to be unfaithful, we can likewise make the choice to be faithful. The truth of the matter is that God ordains relationships and blesses us with the chance to share special love with one another. Once we marry, He permits us to take that love to a higher plane when we can consummate our love for one another physically and emotionally through sexual relations. It’s not that the Lord didn’t want us to have sex but He wanted us to have it in the proper context. It was meant to be special and reserved for a man and woman in marriage…an act only shared with one another.
So what do we do with this commandment and the expansion given by Jesus? Well, just like the commandment on murder, we are to embrace it…cherish it…obey it. For Jesus knew that the root of adulterous action came in the way of lust. Remove the lust within and you can eradicate adultery. The Lord is standing by to help you accomplish this. Trust Him, love Him and allow that unadulterated love to spill over to your personal life. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28
"Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,
for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished." Proverbs 6:25-29
Our society is spinning out of control sexually. It seems more and more that we’re bombarded with sexual, promiscuous imagery whether it’s on television, at the movies, on the internet, in fashion or in magazines. The world can’t get enough sex. It obsesses over it and craves more and more of it. And Satan is always ready to keep fanning the flames of our desires. Consider these statistics:
** Conservative infidelity statistics estimate that "60 percent of men and 40 percent of women will have an extramarital affair. These figures are even more significant when we consider the total number of marriages involved, since it's unlikely that all the men and women having affairs happen to be married to each other. If even half of the women having affairs (or 20 percent) are married to men not included in the 60 percent having affairs, then at least one partner will have an affair in approximately 80 percent of all marriages.
** 2 out of 3 women and 3 out of 4 men admit they have sexual thoughts about co-workers.
** 86% of men and 81% of women admit they routinely flirt with the opposite sex.
** 75% of men and 65% of women admit to having sex with people they work with.
** It is estimated that 53% of all people will have one or more affairs during their lifetime.
** The National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families states that "approximately 40 million people in the United States are sexually involved with the Internet.
** In a MSNMC survey, one in 10 respondents said they are addicted to sex and the Internet, according to an online survey of 38,000 Internet users.
** Only 46% of men believe that online affairs are adultery.
These are just some of the numbers and when you consider the number of people who would not be honest in admitting sexual immorality, they are epidemic. One thing is for certain…lust is burning a hole in our hearts, minds and souls and is putting us in disfavor with God.
It’s little wonder then that God said, "You shall not commit adultery." In biblical times, the adulterous actions were primarily physical in nature. If you had sex with someone else’s wife, you committed adultery. And that was the definition of adultery until Jesus came and expanded it, just as He did the commandment on murder.
For Jesus said, "I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Wow! OK…men. Anyone who has not committed adultery under Jesus’ definition? If so, I would like to meet you. I think if we’re truly honest with ourselves, we can remember a time when we were just on fire for a beautiful woman we saw on television, in the movies, in print, on line, in the workplace or maybe just while shopping. We seem to have an innate weakness to sex and Satan seeks to exploit that in us. And ladies, this applies to you too. I’m sure you have looked at a handsome man and started to feel a bit ablaze around him. For all of us, Jesus gets to the root of the issue. He attacks lust. For lust is the beginning symptom or adultery just as anger is the root symptom of murder. Address and correct the root and the action doesn’t happen.
So how do we address and combat our lustful tendencies?
The bible gives us an awesome example in Joseph. You’ll recall that he was Jacob’s favored son but his brother’s hated brother. In fact, they hated him so much that they sold him off as a slave to a group of Ismaelites and then told their father that he had been killed.
Well, Joseph ended up being purchased by one of Pharoah’s officials, Potiphar, and did such a great job that Potiphar placed Joseph in charge of his household. All was looking great for Joseph except for one thing: Potiphar’s lusting wife. Scripture tells us that she saw Joseph as "well built" and "handsome." So she approaches him and wants him to have sex with her, a classic example of adultery. But Joseph rebuffs her advances and makes a powerful statement when he says, "How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And it wasn’t that Joseph just said what he said. He backed it up with his actions. Scripture tells us, "He refused to go to bed with her or even be with her." In other words, Joseph distanced himself from the source of seduction.
Question: Since we all can probably be found guilty of violating the adultery commandments of God and Jesus, how could we do such a wicked thing and sin against God? The answer…because we’re sinners but we can’t use that as an excuse. We need to realize our shortcomings, repent of our failures, receive God’s forgiveness, and then take positive action to repeat failing again. Like Joseph, we need to refuse to be in the presence of what might tempt us toward sexual failure. If it’s in the television shows you watch, stop watching them. If it’s in the movies you watch, stop watching those movies. If it’s the internet, put in controls that will block access to pornography and other sexual materials. If it’s in magazines, cancel your subscription or stop buying them.
Just as easily as we make the choice to be unfaithful, we can likewise make the choice to be faithful. The truth of the matter is that God ordains relationships and blesses us with the chance to share special love with one another. Once we marry, He permits us to take that love to a higher plane when we can consummate our love for one another physically and emotionally through sexual relations. It’s not that the Lord didn’t want us to have sex but He wanted us to have it in the proper context. It was meant to be special and reserved for a man and woman in marriage…an act only shared with one another.
So what do we do with this commandment and the expansion given by Jesus? Well, just like the commandment on murder, we are to embrace it…cherish it…obey it. For Jesus knew that the root of adulterous action came in the way of lust. Remove the lust within and you can eradicate adultery. The Lord is standing by to help you accomplish this. Trust Him, love Him and allow that unadulterated love to spill over to your personal life. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Saturday, January 26, 2008
HAVE YOU MURDERED?
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"You shall not murder." Exodus 20:13
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." Matthew 5:21-22
"Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him." 1 John 3:15
As we have stepped through each of the first five commandments, I think you would agree that none of us have fared well in upholding them properly. At least for me, I have fallen before the Lord for forgiveness after examining each one, praying that He might refine me and help me be stronger in obedience. Maybe He has done the same for you.
Well I came to this sixth commandment and said to myself, "YES! Finally a commandment that I have kept and not violated because I know I have not murdered anyone." And that would have been valid if it weren't for one slight problem…that being the rest of the Bible.
For we see that Jesus, God's One and Only Son, chimed in on the subject of murder in His Sermon on the Mount, the first teachings that He gave to His new disciples…disciples that were firmly rooted in the Law handed down to Moses from God. I'm sure they too felt they were innocent of murder as they sat and listened to Jesus teach. But then Jesus said something that had to get everyone's attention. He said, ""You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell."
Wow. Now wait a minute Jesus. Are you saying that if I just get angry with or insult someone that is akin to murdering them? If this is true, who can be innocent?
Exactly. None of us are innocent. None of us are vindicated by this commandment after Jesus expanded it. And further, we see the verse from First John, chapter 3, that tells us "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him." We are all convicted unless you can say with all honesty that you have never been angry or held hatred for someone. If you have, I would like to meet you because I have never met anyone yet who hasn't failed in this area.
So what are we to do with these passages and the words of God and Jesus? The answer is…embrace them. Cherish them. Obey them. Jesus knew that the root of murderous actions came in the way of anger and instigation. Remove the anger and hatred within and you can eradicate murder. This is why so much emphasis was placed on emotions we see played out every day. As Christians, we need to model Christ and there were no murderous thoughts inside Him. Instead of preaching hatred, He preached love and even told us that the second commandment after loving God was to love your neighbor as yourself.
What is in your heart today? Do you harbor anger and hatred for anyone or anything? If so, fall to your knees right now and ask the Lord to take these feelings from you replacing them with the love of Jesus, the only true and pure love…a love that would have us die for others, not kill them. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Friday, January 25, 2008
HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12
The first four of God’s Ten Commandments deal with how we are to relate to God. The next six instruct us on how we are to act toward one another. As we can see in verse 12, the fifth commandment is centered on the matter of honor and, in this case, specifically honoring your father and mother.
For as far back as I can remember, I was taught to respect my father and mother. I was blessed to have wonderful parents who raised a little western Pennsylvania baby through childhood, into adolescence and finally into adulthood. Throughout those formative years, my parents expended every ounce of their energy to teach me the difference between right and wrong as well as obedience to their rules and expectations. I learned quickly that as long as I did what I was supposed to do, life was good. But if I got out of line…well…maybe it’s best to not get into that. Just trust me when I say that I discovered it was better to be obedient.
As I grew older and into adulthood, I realized that the way I acted in life was a direct reflection on my parents and I was driven toward always ensuring I didn’t discredit them in any way. I had and will always have the utmost respect for them and have always felt that I can best show my respect by becoming the best that I can be. Through the Lord’s work in my life, another of the foundations laid down by my parents, I feel like I’m succeeding in reaching that goal.
Actually, true respect to your father and mother is a by-product of the respect you first develop for your heavenly Father, the very One who placed you into the care of your parents in the first place. If you don’t respect the Lord, you won’t respect others either. Nor will you respect yourself.
And what reward awaits those who honor, not only God above, but their parents as well? God’s word tells us it’s so we "may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." In the case of Israel, this was Canaan. In the case of modern day believers like us, the place we reside is the place and space that the Lord has given us…and we should rejoice and be glad in it.
Truly, we can never do enough in the way of honoring our parents. God commands it and they deserve it. Where do you stand?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12
The first four of God’s Ten Commandments deal with how we are to relate to God. The next six instruct us on how we are to act toward one another. As we can see in verse 12, the fifth commandment is centered on the matter of honor and, in this case, specifically honoring your father and mother.
For as far back as I can remember, I was taught to respect my father and mother. I was blessed to have wonderful parents who raised a little western Pennsylvania baby through childhood, into adolescence and finally into adulthood. Throughout those formative years, my parents expended every ounce of their energy to teach me the difference between right and wrong as well as obedience to their rules and expectations. I learned quickly that as long as I did what I was supposed to do, life was good. But if I got out of line…well…maybe it’s best to not get into that. Just trust me when I say that I discovered it was better to be obedient.
As I grew older and into adulthood, I realized that the way I acted in life was a direct reflection on my parents and I was driven toward always ensuring I didn’t discredit them in any way. I had and will always have the utmost respect for them and have always felt that I can best show my respect by becoming the best that I can be. Through the Lord’s work in my life, another of the foundations laid down by my parents, I feel like I’m succeeding in reaching that goal.
Actually, true respect to your father and mother is a by-product of the respect you first develop for your heavenly Father, the very One who placed you into the care of your parents in the first place. If you don’t respect the Lord, you won’t respect others either. Nor will you respect yourself.
And what reward awaits those who honor, not only God above, but their parents as well? God’s word tells us it’s so we "may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." In the case of Israel, this was Canaan. In the case of modern day believers like us, the place we reside is the place and space that the Lord has given us…and we should rejoice and be glad in it.
Truly, we can never do enough in the way of honoring our parents. God commands it and they deserve it. Where do you stand?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Thursday, January 24, 2008
SO WHEN IS THE SABBATH ANYWAYS?
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." Exodus 20:8-11
I wrote on this subject several days ago in "A Matter of Rest" (January 13th) and had some excellent feedback. One asked me a very good question: Isn’t the Sabbath on Saturday and, if so, why does the majority of Christian churches worship on Sunday? His inquiry challenged me and so I did a little digging. This is what I found out.
First of all, we need to remember that days back in biblical days were observed slightly different to what we observe today. Each day actually began at sunset and would extend 24 hours until sunset the next day, far different from our midnight to midnight days.
Second, the scriptures clearly point to the Sabbath, the seventh day designated as a day of rest and made holy being on Saturday with the day starting at sunset on the sixth day, a day we know as Friday. Consider this passage from Luke 23 and 24: "Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus"
Preparation Day was the day before the Sabbath and we read where Joseph and the "women who had come with Jesus from Galilee" went to the tomb and saw Jesus laying in it, dead and awaiting preparation for burial. The women returned home to prepared spices and perfumes but, the bible says, "they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment." Then "on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus." The first day of the week was Sunday and the women go to the tomb early in the morning only to be shocked in finding the tomb empty. Jesus had risen from the grave. This was the premise for Easter sunrise service being traditionally observed annually on Easter Sunday morning but it doesn’t disprove that the Sabbath is Saturday because it can’t be disproved. It is on Saturday and is a day that we are commanded to rest and keep holy.
How well do we do that each and every week? Not very well I’m afraid. But Christians, myself included, head to church on Sunday mornings to worship the Lord and do keep that day holy, even resting on that day. Sunday if often referred to as the Lord’s Day to mark the resurrection of Jesus. Many scholars believe the origin came in the New Testament as Jesus’ disciples gathered regularly on the first day of the week to break bread. Thus the Christian church saw that day as set apart for fellowship and worship and established the first day of the week as the day of worship and rest.
So thus is the spark of debate and question. If we are going to honor the scriptures then we need to obey God in all things and at all times. There’s a danger in picking and choosing which commandments not to honor and this fourth commandment calls us to reassess how we’re living in obedience to His word. The women stopped and rested on the Sabbath before going to the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body for burial with their spices. We should follow their suit…and do so because God said so when He said, ""Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." Amen.
Bonus question: Did you know the word "Sabbath" is used 112 times in the bible?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." Exodus 20:8-11
I wrote on this subject several days ago in "A Matter of Rest" (January 13th) and had some excellent feedback. One asked me a very good question: Isn’t the Sabbath on Saturday and, if so, why does the majority of Christian churches worship on Sunday? His inquiry challenged me and so I did a little digging. This is what I found out.
First of all, we need to remember that days back in biblical days were observed slightly different to what we observe today. Each day actually began at sunset and would extend 24 hours until sunset the next day, far different from our midnight to midnight days.
Second, the scriptures clearly point to the Sabbath, the seventh day designated as a day of rest and made holy being on Saturday with the day starting at sunset on the sixth day, a day we know as Friday. Consider this passage from Luke 23 and 24: "Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus"
Preparation Day was the day before the Sabbath and we read where Joseph and the "women who had come with Jesus from Galilee" went to the tomb and saw Jesus laying in it, dead and awaiting preparation for burial. The women returned home to prepared spices and perfumes but, the bible says, "they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment." Then "on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus." The first day of the week was Sunday and the women go to the tomb early in the morning only to be shocked in finding the tomb empty. Jesus had risen from the grave. This was the premise for Easter sunrise service being traditionally observed annually on Easter Sunday morning but it doesn’t disprove that the Sabbath is Saturday because it can’t be disproved. It is on Saturday and is a day that we are commanded to rest and keep holy.
How well do we do that each and every week? Not very well I’m afraid. But Christians, myself included, head to church on Sunday mornings to worship the Lord and do keep that day holy, even resting on that day. Sunday if often referred to as the Lord’s Day to mark the resurrection of Jesus. Many scholars believe the origin came in the New Testament as Jesus’ disciples gathered regularly on the first day of the week to break bread. Thus the Christian church saw that day as set apart for fellowship and worship and established the first day of the week as the day of worship and rest.
So thus is the spark of debate and question. If we are going to honor the scriptures then we need to obey God in all things and at all times. There’s a danger in picking and choosing which commandments not to honor and this fourth commandment calls us to reassess how we’re living in obedience to His word. The women stopped and rested on the Sabbath before going to the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body for burial with their spices. We should follow their suit…and do so because God said so when He said, ""Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." Amen.
Bonus question: Did you know the word "Sabbath" is used 112 times in the bible?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
VERBAL WORSHIP
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." Exodus 20:7
The first three of God’s commandments are centered on one very important word: worship. The first commandment tells us who we should worship (God and God alone), the second commandment tells by what means we are to worship (no idols) and now the third deals with verbal worship. In other words, how well do we respect and honor God with what we say?
The third commandment leaves no doubt as to how we are to speak when it comes to God. For we’re told to "not misuse the name of the Lord your God" or else we will not be held guiltless. So how do we misuse God’s name? Here are a few ways:
1. Profanity. When we curse in the name of God, we misuse His name. Plain and simple. There is a very popular two-word profanity that starts with God (you can figure it out) but certainly is not holy and of God. I have to what God thinks about us commanding Him to damn anything. I can’t imagine He holds us in favor for it.
2. Swearing by His name. Have you ever had someone tell you something and then say, "I swear to God?" They say it as if we would never believe them unless they invoke the name of God to back them up. This is simply misusing and abusing the name of God and we aren’t to ever swear by His name. Leviticus 19:12 tells us, "Do not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord." These are words that are valid, viable and valuable because they flow from the very mouth of the Father…and tell us not to swear falsely in His name.
3. When we falsely teach. This is a matter of absolute, critical importance because there are many people in our world who claim to be teachers…some are faithful servants of the Lord who He speaks through to the edification and education of others. But there are also false teachers out there…ones who would use God’s word to frame their own agenda and not God’s. When we instruct that God said something that He didn’t, we dishonor and discredit Him…and just as worse, we get believers trusting in a truth that is far from true. Ministry and discipleship are serious matters and our obligation after Jesus gave us His great commission. We simply can’t afford to not get it right when it comes to teaching others from the word of God.
4. Some say they are on a mission from God when they aren’t. I remember the classic movie, "The Blues Brothers", and the scene where the two musicians are converted to the Lord while visiting a church. From that point on, they were determined to raise enough money to save a Catholic home where Jake and Elwood were raised. After their epiphany, they would tell people that they were on a "mission from God" when asked what they were up to…and in many instances they were. Others however, consistently invoke God’s name to justify their actions when God hadn’t had anything to do with them. They might say, "God told me to do this" or "God told me to do that" when He has done no such thing. I’m not saying that God doesn’t tell people to take on a task for Him but we should be very careful and prayerful about discerning truth from lies.
Question: How is your verbal worship? Is God being honored and exalted by the words you speak? If not, you need to step back and reassess your Christian walk and way. The Lord blessed us with a plethora of good words to use and speak. We just need to use them to His glory.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." Exodus 20:7
The first three of God’s commandments are centered on one very important word: worship. The first commandment tells us who we should worship (God and God alone), the second commandment tells by what means we are to worship (no idols) and now the third deals with verbal worship. In other words, how well do we respect and honor God with what we say?
The third commandment leaves no doubt as to how we are to speak when it comes to God. For we’re told to "not misuse the name of the Lord your God" or else we will not be held guiltless. So how do we misuse God’s name? Here are a few ways:
1. Profanity. When we curse in the name of God, we misuse His name. Plain and simple. There is a very popular two-word profanity that starts with God (you can figure it out) but certainly is not holy and of God. I have to what God thinks about us commanding Him to damn anything. I can’t imagine He holds us in favor for it.
2. Swearing by His name. Have you ever had someone tell you something and then say, "I swear to God?" They say it as if we would never believe them unless they invoke the name of God to back them up. This is simply misusing and abusing the name of God and we aren’t to ever swear by His name. Leviticus 19:12 tells us, "Do not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord." These are words that are valid, viable and valuable because they flow from the very mouth of the Father…and tell us not to swear falsely in His name.
3. When we falsely teach. This is a matter of absolute, critical importance because there are many people in our world who claim to be teachers…some are faithful servants of the Lord who He speaks through to the edification and education of others. But there are also false teachers out there…ones who would use God’s word to frame their own agenda and not God’s. When we instruct that God said something that He didn’t, we dishonor and discredit Him…and just as worse, we get believers trusting in a truth that is far from true. Ministry and discipleship are serious matters and our obligation after Jesus gave us His great commission. We simply can’t afford to not get it right when it comes to teaching others from the word of God.
4. Some say they are on a mission from God when they aren’t. I remember the classic movie, "The Blues Brothers", and the scene where the two musicians are converted to the Lord while visiting a church. From that point on, they were determined to raise enough money to save a Catholic home where Jake and Elwood were raised. After their epiphany, they would tell people that they were on a "mission from God" when asked what they were up to…and in many instances they were. Others however, consistently invoke God’s name to justify their actions when God hadn’t had anything to do with them. They might say, "God told me to do this" or "God told me to do that" when He has done no such thing. I’m not saying that God doesn’t tell people to take on a task for Him but we should be very careful and prayerful about discerning truth from lies.
Question: How is your verbal worship? Is God being honored and exalted by the words you speak? If not, you need to step back and reassess your Christian walk and way. The Lord blessed us with a plethora of good words to use and speak. We just need to use them to His glory.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
MAKE NO IDOLS
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:4-6
God first commanded His people to have no other gods before Him. He then followed immediately with His second commandment saying, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them…"
Question: Do you know what God looks like? Of course, your answer will be like the Israelites at Mount Sinai…of course not. So given that, no mere man or woman could ever form an idol in His image. Nothing but God was to be bowed down to and worshipped…and no one but God is to be bowed done and worshipped today. And yet, we are very much in the idol business, aren’t we? And maybe, you have been enticed into worshipping any or all of them.
What idols do we have in the world? Well, how about athletes, television and movie stars, music performers, politicians, or models? Even ministers, pastors, priests and evangelists are revered, worshipped and idolized. Indeed, we have many idols…in fact, America even has a show on television by the name, "American Idol."
All this makes me start to wonder how God feels about us and the way we bow down and worship so many other things outside of Him but then I don’t have to wonder too long because I only take one look at His word and find out how He feels. For He says, "I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments." Do you want to inflame God’s wrath upon not only yourself but generations thereafter? Then, violate this command and worship idols…lifting other gods before Him. If you wish to be a person in God’s favor, then uphold this command and stop worshipping things of the world. Focus on God and God alone…worship God and God alone…aspire to emulate God and God alone…and bow down to God and God alone. For He and He alone is worthy of all our praise.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to end up on God’s bad side. I would much rather experience His love…an unending love poured out on those who love Him and follow His commandments…commandments that are just as valid today as they were over 2,000 years ago when they were first given to Moses and Israel. Do away with any idols in your life…and fully experience the joy of the One who deserves our full attention both now and in every day he blesses us with.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:4-6
God first commanded His people to have no other gods before Him. He then followed immediately with His second commandment saying, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them…"
Question: Do you know what God looks like? Of course, your answer will be like the Israelites at Mount Sinai…of course not. So given that, no mere man or woman could ever form an idol in His image. Nothing but God was to be bowed down to and worshipped…and no one but God is to be bowed done and worshipped today. And yet, we are very much in the idol business, aren’t we? And maybe, you have been enticed into worshipping any or all of them.
What idols do we have in the world? Well, how about athletes, television and movie stars, music performers, politicians, or models? Even ministers, pastors, priests and evangelists are revered, worshipped and idolized. Indeed, we have many idols…in fact, America even has a show on television by the name, "American Idol."
All this makes me start to wonder how God feels about us and the way we bow down and worship so many other things outside of Him but then I don’t have to wonder too long because I only take one look at His word and find out how He feels. For He says, "I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments." Do you want to inflame God’s wrath upon not only yourself but generations thereafter? Then, violate this command and worship idols…lifting other gods before Him. If you wish to be a person in God’s favor, then uphold this command and stop worshipping things of the world. Focus on God and God alone…worship God and God alone…aspire to emulate God and God alone…and bow down to God and God alone. For He and He alone is worthy of all our praise.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to end up on God’s bad side. I would much rather experience His love…an unending love poured out on those who love Him and follow His commandments…commandments that are just as valid today as they were over 2,000 years ago when they were first given to Moses and Israel. Do away with any idols in your life…and fully experience the joy of the One who deserves our full attention both now and in every day he blesses us with.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Monday, January 21, 2008
NO OTHER GODS
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the Lord said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them." Moses said to the Lord, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.' " The Lord replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them." So Moses went down to the people and told them. And God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 19:16-25, 20:1-3
Three days after God commanded Israel to consecrate and prepare for His coming, He arrived at Mount Sinai...with awesome majesty, authority and fanfare. Scripture tells us that "there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast... ." This was not just any ordinary day but it was a day when the Lord had come in glory and power...and "everyone in the camp trembled."
So "Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain," a mountain that was "covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder." It had to be quite a spectacle.
God called Moses to the top of the mountain and repeated His warning saying, "the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them." We read that only Aaron was permitted to come to the mountain and Moses "went down to the people and told them." The stage was now set for God to deliver His guidance to Israel and He begins by saying, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
God's words were in the format typical of a king who would first recite an introduction that would identify who he was and his level of authority. This would be followed by a statement that would remind the people about something good the king had done for them. Finally, the king would give guidance to his people.
Well, there was little doubt that this was a king but not just any king...for the Lord is the King of Kings and He tells Israel, "I am the Lord your God." His authority was not just spoken. He was and still is the King of all. The people had witnessed His Almighty Power and Might more than one time and He reminds them of this as He tells them what He has done for them.
For God reminds Israel that He was the God who brought them out of Egypt and the slavery they suffered while there. As the people remembered this, they had to have remembered the way they were delivered from Egypt...staring down certain capture as they looked at a sea that stood between them and freedom...a sea that God divided to allow them to cross over and escape their pursuers before destroying their oppressors by way of the same sea as He sent it crashing down upon Pharoah and his army. The people would also remember how God brought them quail and manna to prevent their starvation...water from a rock to prevent their dehydration. Indeed, the people of Israel would not have made it to this point and time had it not been for God.
Question: As you prepare yourself daily for the task of seeking God's will, do you take account of all He has done for you...how He has delivered you to this point and time?
God had identified Himself and reminded His people what He had done for them. He was now ready to give them guidance...a guidance that was known in Hebrew and Greek circles as "The Ten Words." We know them better as The Ten Commandments...the law for Israel delivered from God to Moses for the people on Mount Sinai. The first four commandments highlighted how the people should live toward God while the remaining six carried instruction on how they were to live with one another. And His words are just as valid and viable today as they were then.
The first of God's ten commands was simple and to the point..."You shall have no other gods before me." God was God...The One and Only God. The Maker of Heaven and Earth. The Author of All Creation. Nothing rivaled Him. Nothing was worthy of worship and honor but Him.
The people of Israel had already witnessed a polytheistic nation in Egypt. It would not be the last time that they would be in the midst of people who worshipped false gods. God was trying to drive the point home that He was God and God alone. Unfortunately, we will see later where some of Israel quickly forget this first and primary commandment. Equally unfortunate is that we have forgotten it today as well.
For we worship false gods today just as much as the people who lived under God well over 2,000 years ago. If you don't believe this, ask yourself if you or anyone else worship anything else in life outside of God. There are any of a number of "gods" we can prescribe to...money, sex, celebrity, alcohol or drugs, food, television, video games, work and success...I could go on and on. Ask yourself this question...What do you invest most of your time in? What most occupies and governs your every action, your every word spoken, your every thought? If it's anything outside of God, then you may need to reassess your life priorities. He expects us to place Him and His Son Jesus above all things in our life. They have given us their all in delivering us to this time and place. God expects us to give Him the same, worshipping Him always...for all things are in and through Him.
Thanks be to God for His power, goodness, mercy, grace, and, most of all, His love. Why would we want any other God before Him?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the Lord said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them." Moses said to the Lord, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.' " The Lord replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them." So Moses went down to the people and told them. And God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 19:16-25, 20:1-3
Three days after God commanded Israel to consecrate and prepare for His coming, He arrived at Mount Sinai...with awesome majesty, authority and fanfare. Scripture tells us that "there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast... ." This was not just any ordinary day but it was a day when the Lord had come in glory and power...and "everyone in the camp trembled."
So "Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain," a mountain that was "covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder." It had to be quite a spectacle.
God called Moses to the top of the mountain and repeated His warning saying, "the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them." We read that only Aaron was permitted to come to the mountain and Moses "went down to the people and told them." The stage was now set for God to deliver His guidance to Israel and He begins by saying, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
God's words were in the format typical of a king who would first recite an introduction that would identify who he was and his level of authority. This would be followed by a statement that would remind the people about something good the king had done for them. Finally, the king would give guidance to his people.
Well, there was little doubt that this was a king but not just any king...for the Lord is the King of Kings and He tells Israel, "I am the Lord your God." His authority was not just spoken. He was and still is the King of all. The people had witnessed His Almighty Power and Might more than one time and He reminds them of this as He tells them what He has done for them.
For God reminds Israel that He was the God who brought them out of Egypt and the slavery they suffered while there. As the people remembered this, they had to have remembered the way they were delivered from Egypt...staring down certain capture as they looked at a sea that stood between them and freedom...a sea that God divided to allow them to cross over and escape their pursuers before destroying their oppressors by way of the same sea as He sent it crashing down upon Pharoah and his army. The people would also remember how God brought them quail and manna to prevent their starvation...water from a rock to prevent their dehydration. Indeed, the people of Israel would not have made it to this point and time had it not been for God.
Question: As you prepare yourself daily for the task of seeking God's will, do you take account of all He has done for you...how He has delivered you to this point and time?
God had identified Himself and reminded His people what He had done for them. He was now ready to give them guidance...a guidance that was known in Hebrew and Greek circles as "The Ten Words." We know them better as The Ten Commandments...the law for Israel delivered from God to Moses for the people on Mount Sinai. The first four commandments highlighted how the people should live toward God while the remaining six carried instruction on how they were to live with one another. And His words are just as valid and viable today as they were then.
The first of God's ten commands was simple and to the point..."You shall have no other gods before me." God was God...The One and Only God. The Maker of Heaven and Earth. The Author of All Creation. Nothing rivaled Him. Nothing was worthy of worship and honor but Him.
The people of Israel had already witnessed a polytheistic nation in Egypt. It would not be the last time that they would be in the midst of people who worshipped false gods. God was trying to drive the point home that He was God and God alone. Unfortunately, we will see later where some of Israel quickly forget this first and primary commandment. Equally unfortunate is that we have forgotten it today as well.
For we worship false gods today just as much as the people who lived under God well over 2,000 years ago. If you don't believe this, ask yourself if you or anyone else worship anything else in life outside of God. There are any of a number of "gods" we can prescribe to...money, sex, celebrity, alcohol or drugs, food, television, video games, work and success...I could go on and on. Ask yourself this question...What do you invest most of your time in? What most occupies and governs your every action, your every word spoken, your every thought? If it's anything outside of God, then you may need to reassess your life priorities. He expects us to place Him and His Son Jesus above all things in our life. They have given us their all in delivering us to this time and place. God expects us to give Him the same, worshipping Him always...for all things are in and through Him.
Thanks be to God for His power, goodness, mercy, grace, and, most of all, His love. Why would we want any other God before Him?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Sunday, January 20, 2008
CONSECRATION PREPARATION
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. And the Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain." After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations." Exodus 19:9-15
God is speaking to Moses from Mount Sinai and has spoken to His beloved Israel through Moses, reminding them that He expects them to remain obedient to Him and His commands. You’ll remember that the people respond by saying, "We will do everything the LORD has said." (Exodus 19:8) This is all a pre-cursor to God delivering His commandments to Israel…the guidance we know as the Ten Commandments. But before the Lord could deliver His important instruction, He needed Israel to be prepared to receive it for these commands would be nothing like they had been given up to this point.
So in our scripture, we see the Lord tell Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people." Consecration simply means devoting oneself toward the worship of God…an action that requires not only commitment but preparation as well. In the case of Israel, their preparation period was to last three days but regardless of the period, one thing is certain: proper worship of God requires preparation. In support of this, here are two important points to glean from this passage:
1. God expects our best. In the case of the people of Israel, they were to "wash their clothes and be ready by the third day"…for the Lord’s arrival. God required that their clothes be clean. He also requires clean hearts and minds as well as clear ones. Why else would the Lord tell the people of Israel to "abstain from sexual relations?" Because devotion during sexual relations is channeled between a man and a woman…God is not the focal point of the passion. Truly, God expects us to enter into worship undistracted and ready to center our attention on Him. How well do you do in this area? Do you find yourself entering into worship distracted?
2. God expects our focus. Focus typically requires adjustment, especially if you want to get a picture that is crystal clear. God wants us to receive His message crystal clear and so we need to adjust ourselves to make sure we’re best equipped to receive what He has to say. God mandated that the Israelites spend three days getting focused. Typically, we have at least three days if not more between our formal worship. How well are you focusing on coming into the Lord’s presence each week?
Like Israel, God demands that we be consecrated as we worship Him…setting everything within us aside to center on Him and Him alone.
The Israelites were in the presence of absolute holiness and were not even allowed to set foot on the mountain where God was residing. God would come to them and inform them when they would be allowed on the mountain.
For us, we too enter His holy presence as we attend weekly worship. But unlike Israel, we are freely allowed to come and enter into the presence of the Lord. There are no disqualifiers…no alarms that go off for sinfulness that might cause us to be rejected and unworthy of entering into the Lord’s presence. No, the invitation to worship is free to all just as the gift of salvation is available to all. Why? Because in Jesus Christ, God gave us His best. He was focused on us His children. Nothing was going to distract Him or His Son from saving us from sure destruction by Jesus bearing our sins on the cross. His blood cleansed us all…washed our sin-stained clothes, leaving us clean and consecrated before the Father.
Indeed, God, in giving Jesus as a spot-less, unblemished, sacrificial Lamb, showed us His willingness to give His all for us…His absolute best. The least we can do…as an act of gratitude, thanks and praise…is give Him our best in return. I pray this week and from here forward, we might all take the matter of consecration and proper worship preparation more seriously…because it is a serious matter…and God commands it.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. And the Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain." After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations." Exodus 19:9-15
God is speaking to Moses from Mount Sinai and has spoken to His beloved Israel through Moses, reminding them that He expects them to remain obedient to Him and His commands. You’ll remember that the people respond by saying, "We will do everything the LORD has said." (Exodus 19:8) This is all a pre-cursor to God delivering His commandments to Israel…the guidance we know as the Ten Commandments. But before the Lord could deliver His important instruction, He needed Israel to be prepared to receive it for these commands would be nothing like they had been given up to this point.
So in our scripture, we see the Lord tell Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people." Consecration simply means devoting oneself toward the worship of God…an action that requires not only commitment but preparation as well. In the case of Israel, their preparation period was to last three days but regardless of the period, one thing is certain: proper worship of God requires preparation. In support of this, here are two important points to glean from this passage:
1. God expects our best. In the case of the people of Israel, they were to "wash their clothes and be ready by the third day"…for the Lord’s arrival. God required that their clothes be clean. He also requires clean hearts and minds as well as clear ones. Why else would the Lord tell the people of Israel to "abstain from sexual relations?" Because devotion during sexual relations is channeled between a man and a woman…God is not the focal point of the passion. Truly, God expects us to enter into worship undistracted and ready to center our attention on Him. How well do you do in this area? Do you find yourself entering into worship distracted?
2. God expects our focus. Focus typically requires adjustment, especially if you want to get a picture that is crystal clear. God wants us to receive His message crystal clear and so we need to adjust ourselves to make sure we’re best equipped to receive what He has to say. God mandated that the Israelites spend three days getting focused. Typically, we have at least three days if not more between our formal worship. How well are you focusing on coming into the Lord’s presence each week?
Like Israel, God demands that we be consecrated as we worship Him…setting everything within us aside to center on Him and Him alone.
The Israelites were in the presence of absolute holiness and were not even allowed to set foot on the mountain where God was residing. God would come to them and inform them when they would be allowed on the mountain.
For us, we too enter His holy presence as we attend weekly worship. But unlike Israel, we are freely allowed to come and enter into the presence of the Lord. There are no disqualifiers…no alarms that go off for sinfulness that might cause us to be rejected and unworthy of entering into the Lord’s presence. No, the invitation to worship is free to all just as the gift of salvation is available to all. Why? Because in Jesus Christ, God gave us His best. He was focused on us His children. Nothing was going to distract Him or His Son from saving us from sure destruction by Jesus bearing our sins on the cross. His blood cleansed us all…washed our sin-stained clothes, leaving us clean and consecrated before the Father.
Indeed, God, in giving Jesus as a spot-less, unblemished, sacrificial Lamb, showed us His willingness to give His all for us…His absolute best. The least we can do…as an act of gratitude, thanks and praise…is give Him our best in return. I pray this week and from here forward, we might all take the matter of consecration and proper worship preparation more seriously…because it is a serious matter…and God commands it.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Saturday, January 19, 2008
WILL WE DO EVERYTHING THE LORD SAYS?
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, "We will do everything the Lord has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord." Exodus 19:1-8
Three months. This is how long the more than 600 hundred thousand Israelites had journeyed since leaving the Red Sea. They had endured thirst, hunger and attack as they arrived at the "Desert of Sinai" where they camped…in front of the mountain." And they had experienced the awesome, miraculous, delivering power of God every step of the way.
Scripture tells us "Moses went up to God" on the mountain and the "Lord called to him" saying, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' " Indeed, the Lord had carried Israel "on eagles' wings" this far to himself...dividing the Red Sea for their passage and destroying Pharoah and his army…sending quail and manna for food…providing water from a rock…and bringing victory in battle against the Amalekites with His staff lifted high above the head of Moses.
You’ll recall that Mount Sinai is one in the same with Mount Horeb…the mountain where Moses had his encounter with God at the burning bush. It’s on this mountain where God will make His covenant with His beloved Israel, just as He had made covenants with Abraham, Noah and Jacob prior. God was about to pass on His guidelines for living through Moses and the key to Israel’s future would lay in how well they obeyed the Lord’s commands. Thus why God placed an emphasis on obedience when He told Moses, "if (Israel) obey(s) me fully and keep(s) my covenant, then out of all nations (Israel) will be my treasured possession."
Well…we read where Moses "summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak," carrying out what the Lord had told him to do. And in response, the "people all responded together, ‘We will do everything the Lord has said" and Moses "brought their answer back to the Lord" who was no doubt pleased even though He knew well in advance that Israel would disappoint Him in disobedience many times beyond their promise to not do so.
Question: As you get set to enter into another day of worship, how well have you paused to take account of all that God has done for you in your life? Have you recognized that He has "carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to (Himself)" and this time and place? Have you revisited all His expectations and commandments so that you can ensure you’re living properly…serving Him in a way that is pleasing to His sight and reaffirming that you "will do everything the Lord has said?"
God came to the holy mountain of Sinai to address His people and tell them what He expected. In turn they were to do as He commanded. In church…the holy meeting place of God’s people…God comes to those who believe and trust in Him and addresses them. In turn, we are expected to do as He commanded as well as what He command today. My prayer for all of creation this day is for us all to say with one voice, "We will do everything the Lord has said"…and then really do it. There is nothing else that would please the Father more. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, "We will do everything the Lord has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord." Exodus 19:1-8
Three months. This is how long the more than 600 hundred thousand Israelites had journeyed since leaving the Red Sea. They had endured thirst, hunger and attack as they arrived at the "Desert of Sinai" where they camped…in front of the mountain." And they had experienced the awesome, miraculous, delivering power of God every step of the way.
Scripture tells us "Moses went up to God" on the mountain and the "Lord called to him" saying, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' " Indeed, the Lord had carried Israel "on eagles' wings" this far to himself...dividing the Red Sea for their passage and destroying Pharoah and his army…sending quail and manna for food…providing water from a rock…and bringing victory in battle against the Amalekites with His staff lifted high above the head of Moses.
You’ll recall that Mount Sinai is one in the same with Mount Horeb…the mountain where Moses had his encounter with God at the burning bush. It’s on this mountain where God will make His covenant with His beloved Israel, just as He had made covenants with Abraham, Noah and Jacob prior. God was about to pass on His guidelines for living through Moses and the key to Israel’s future would lay in how well they obeyed the Lord’s commands. Thus why God placed an emphasis on obedience when He told Moses, "if (Israel) obey(s) me fully and keep(s) my covenant, then out of all nations (Israel) will be my treasured possession."
Well…we read where Moses "summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak," carrying out what the Lord had told him to do. And in response, the "people all responded together, ‘We will do everything the Lord has said" and Moses "brought their answer back to the Lord" who was no doubt pleased even though He knew well in advance that Israel would disappoint Him in disobedience many times beyond their promise to not do so.
Question: As you get set to enter into another day of worship, how well have you paused to take account of all that God has done for you in your life? Have you recognized that He has "carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to (Himself)" and this time and place? Have you revisited all His expectations and commandments so that you can ensure you’re living properly…serving Him in a way that is pleasing to His sight and reaffirming that you "will do everything the Lord has said?"
God came to the holy mountain of Sinai to address His people and tell them what He expected. In turn they were to do as He commanded. In church…the holy meeting place of God’s people…God comes to those who believe and trust in Him and addresses them. In turn, we are expected to do as He commanded as well as what He command today. My prayer for all of creation this day is for us all to say with one voice, "We will do everything the Lord has said"…and then really do it. There is nothing else that would please the Father more. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Friday, January 18, 2008
THE IMPORTANCE OF DELEGATION
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?" Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws." Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves. Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country." Exodus 18:13-27
You’ll recall that Moses was leading a group of "about six hundred thousand men…besides women and children…(and) many other people…as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. (Exodus 12:37b-38). You will also remember that this group was as large as the total population of Alaska or North Dakota. (Blog entry: Wait On The Lord…January 5th, 2008).
Now, imagine you’re leading this group and trying to keep everyone satisfied. We’ve already seen signs that at least a portion of the group lack sincere faith in the God who miraculously delivered them from Egypt. In fact, you’ll remember that those grumblers actually considered it better under oppression and slavery than free and fulfilling the Will of God. They question your leadership and consistent thorns in your side. There are also other disagreements as well among the people. In order to keep the peace, you decide you must do something. So you choose to serve as a judge over any dispute so you can resolve issues and hopefully maintain some sense of unity and accord amongst your people. Can you imagine resolving all disputes among over 600,000 people? Truly, it was not a very well conceived plan and was destined to fail miserably unchecked.
Enter Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. Older and much wiser, he advises Moses to "be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." Jethro sees that Moses is about to set himself up for failure and quickly does two things.
First, he tells Moses that his concern is valid. The people need to be heard and represented before God. They also needed instructed on the decrees and laws…on the way they should live to fulfill their duties.
Secondly, Jethro lets Moses know he can’t succeed in this plan working alone. There are way too many people and he couldn’t possibly hear every dispute in any one single day. Moses needed to select "capable men from all his people… and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens." In other words, Moses needed to delegate authority, assigning selected representatives over manageable divisions of his people so all concerns were addressed. And this didn’t mean that Moses had to surrender the unique, holy responsibility for Israel that God had placed on him. For they were to "bring every difficult case" to Moses for decision while solving the simple cases themselves. In the end, Moses would be "able to stand the strain, and all (his) people (would) go home satisfied."
Question: How often have you been overwhelmed by taking too much on? We have a tendency to want to do it all ourselves, afraid to share the strain of our responsibilities with others. Maybe you’re a homemaker who has to do every single chore around the house so it is done just right and find yourself driven to the point of exhaustion every day. Or maybe you’re a worker who can’t seem to find enough hours in a day to complete all assignments or initiatives so you consistently work countless hours of overtime at the expense of your family life and your own physical and mental well being. And in both of these cases and countless others like them, tasks become a greater priority than the only One who can help guide and advise you through them to success. We find ourselves neglecting our spiritual life at the expense of worldly satisfaction or success.
Thank goodness God sent Jethro to Moses to help ensure he could "stand the strain" of his immense responsibility. And thank goodness we have this account in the Word so we too can be advised. Is the Lord speaking to you this day? Are there places in your life where you need to delegate and seek help toward accomplishing responsibilities? In the case of the homemaker, chores can be distributed to other family members and all you need to do is check to make sure the work is getting done. In the case of the worker, portions of your assignment or initiative could be shared by other fellow co-workers who would do their respective parts in support of collective success. Either way, the job gets done all the same and one finds they have more time on their hands to give attention to their own physical and spiritual well being. There is time freed up now for prayer and bible study. You can get to bed sooner to ensure you have adequate rest to get through the next day. So many benefits…but you have to delegate to realize them.
Well, we read where Moses listened to Jethro and "did everything he said." He "chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens…(and) they served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves." A pending disaster had been averted because Moses listed to wise counsel.
Question: Has someone told you of late that you need to take a look at your life and try to free more time up for family, spiritual fulfillment and rest? Do you try and burn the proverbial candle at both ends and in the middle? I have to confess to you that I need to get better in this area. This scripture and my wife (my modern day "Jethro") are just what I need to remind me that I’m just one person and can break down under the strain of my responsibilities. I see the need to make some changes in this new year to free up more time for my family, myself and my God. I can accomplish it by delegating more just like Moses did. How about you? Where do you stand?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?" Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws." Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves. Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country." Exodus 18:13-27
You’ll recall that Moses was leading a group of "about six hundred thousand men…besides women and children…(and) many other people…as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. (Exodus 12:37b-38). You will also remember that this group was as large as the total population of Alaska or North Dakota. (Blog entry: Wait On The Lord…January 5th, 2008).
Now, imagine you’re leading this group and trying to keep everyone satisfied. We’ve already seen signs that at least a portion of the group lack sincere faith in the God who miraculously delivered them from Egypt. In fact, you’ll remember that those grumblers actually considered it better under oppression and slavery than free and fulfilling the Will of God. They question your leadership and consistent thorns in your side. There are also other disagreements as well among the people. In order to keep the peace, you decide you must do something. So you choose to serve as a judge over any dispute so you can resolve issues and hopefully maintain some sense of unity and accord amongst your people. Can you imagine resolving all disputes among over 600,000 people? Truly, it was not a very well conceived plan and was destined to fail miserably unchecked.
Enter Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. Older and much wiser, he advises Moses to "be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." Jethro sees that Moses is about to set himself up for failure and quickly does two things.
First, he tells Moses that his concern is valid. The people need to be heard and represented before God. They also needed instructed on the decrees and laws…on the way they should live to fulfill their duties.
Secondly, Jethro lets Moses know he can’t succeed in this plan working alone. There are way too many people and he couldn’t possibly hear every dispute in any one single day. Moses needed to select "capable men from all his people… and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens." In other words, Moses needed to delegate authority, assigning selected representatives over manageable divisions of his people so all concerns were addressed. And this didn’t mean that Moses had to surrender the unique, holy responsibility for Israel that God had placed on him. For they were to "bring every difficult case" to Moses for decision while solving the simple cases themselves. In the end, Moses would be "able to stand the strain, and all (his) people (would) go home satisfied."
Question: How often have you been overwhelmed by taking too much on? We have a tendency to want to do it all ourselves, afraid to share the strain of our responsibilities with others. Maybe you’re a homemaker who has to do every single chore around the house so it is done just right and find yourself driven to the point of exhaustion every day. Or maybe you’re a worker who can’t seem to find enough hours in a day to complete all assignments or initiatives so you consistently work countless hours of overtime at the expense of your family life and your own physical and mental well being. And in both of these cases and countless others like them, tasks become a greater priority than the only One who can help guide and advise you through them to success. We find ourselves neglecting our spiritual life at the expense of worldly satisfaction or success.
Thank goodness God sent Jethro to Moses to help ensure he could "stand the strain" of his immense responsibility. And thank goodness we have this account in the Word so we too can be advised. Is the Lord speaking to you this day? Are there places in your life where you need to delegate and seek help toward accomplishing responsibilities? In the case of the homemaker, chores can be distributed to other family members and all you need to do is check to make sure the work is getting done. In the case of the worker, portions of your assignment or initiative could be shared by other fellow co-workers who would do their respective parts in support of collective success. Either way, the job gets done all the same and one finds they have more time on their hands to give attention to their own physical and spiritual well being. There is time freed up now for prayer and bible study. You can get to bed sooner to ensure you have adequate rest to get through the next day. So many benefits…but you have to delegate to realize them.
Well, we read where Moses listened to Jethro and "did everything he said." He "chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens…(and) they served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves." A pending disaster had been averted because Moses listed to wise counsel.
Question: Has someone told you of late that you need to take a look at your life and try to free more time up for family, spiritual fulfillment and rest? Do you try and burn the proverbial candle at both ends and in the middle? I have to confess to you that I need to get better in this area. This scripture and my wife (my modern day "Jethro") are just what I need to remind me that I’m just one person and can break down under the strain of my responsibilities. I see the need to make some changes in this new year to free up more time for my family, myself and my God. I can accomplish it by delegating more just like Moses did. How about you? Where do you stand?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Thursday, January 17, 2008
THE POWER OF TESTIMONY
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land"; and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh." Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of God. Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons." So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God." Exodus 18:1-12
It had been a long while since Moses left Midian and his father-in-law Jethro. You’ll remember that Moses had fled Pharoah after killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. He ended up in Midian and, after protecting the seven daughters of a priest named Jethro from a group of shepherds at a well, Moses was welcomed to stay with Jethro and his family. This led to his marriage to Zipporah and the two sons she bore, Gershom and Eliezer.
You’ll also remember that Moses, while tending Jethro’s flock, encountered God in the burning bush on Mount Horeb. It was there that Moses was sent by God to free the Israelites from Pharoah and Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land…an act that He was now carrying out with God’s help and providence, just as God had promised when He said He would be with Moses during the deliverance. We read in our scripture that Moses had sent Zipporah and his two sons back to Midian and Jethro, no doubt to protect them from any hardship that might come their way during the exodus. Now, Jethro had journeyed to see Moses and reunite him with his family after he "heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt."
Moses, seeing Jethro and family coming, went "to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent." It’s obvious that Moses respected his father-in-law a great deal, never forgetting his loving hospitality in a time when he was facing Pharoah’s wrath and separation from his Hebrew family. You’ll remember Moses feeling like he was an "alien in a foreign land". Jethro had helped him feel like family and less like an alien. Moses now extended his hospitality as he welcome Jethro into his tent.
Once there, we read where "Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them." This led to Jethro being "delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians" as he proclaimed, "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God."
I hope you recognized a remarkable truth in that part of today’s passage: testimony about what the Lord has done for us leads others to a spirit of worship and praise. I find myself ever increasingly inspired by the testimonies of all the people who read my blog entries and tell me how the word of the Lord touched their heart in a special way. There is so much encouragement packed into every story shared. I can see fully how Jethro was brought to know that the Lord is greater than all other gods because the same thing happens to me and countless others every single minute of every single day. Rest assured that not a second goes by in this creation where the work of God is not being lifted up, praised and worshipped by somebody. Is this not reason to rejoice and praise Him right now? My friends, God is good…all the time. He has blessed us abundantly and immeasurably. He is always with us…just as He promised. And He loves us without condition or limit. This is our God…the same God of Moses and Jethro and every man or woman who has ever walked this earth since creation. Won’t you tell someone about Him today and every day thereafter that He blesses you with. For He and only He is worthy of our worship and praise. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land"; and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh." Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of God. Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons." So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God." Exodus 18:1-12
It had been a long while since Moses left Midian and his father-in-law Jethro. You’ll remember that Moses had fled Pharoah after killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. He ended up in Midian and, after protecting the seven daughters of a priest named Jethro from a group of shepherds at a well, Moses was welcomed to stay with Jethro and his family. This led to his marriage to Zipporah and the two sons she bore, Gershom and Eliezer.
You’ll also remember that Moses, while tending Jethro’s flock, encountered God in the burning bush on Mount Horeb. It was there that Moses was sent by God to free the Israelites from Pharoah and Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land…an act that He was now carrying out with God’s help and providence, just as God had promised when He said He would be with Moses during the deliverance. We read in our scripture that Moses had sent Zipporah and his two sons back to Midian and Jethro, no doubt to protect them from any hardship that might come their way during the exodus. Now, Jethro had journeyed to see Moses and reunite him with his family after he "heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt."
Moses, seeing Jethro and family coming, went "to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent." It’s obvious that Moses respected his father-in-law a great deal, never forgetting his loving hospitality in a time when he was facing Pharoah’s wrath and separation from his Hebrew family. You’ll remember Moses feeling like he was an "alien in a foreign land". Jethro had helped him feel like family and less like an alien. Moses now extended his hospitality as he welcome Jethro into his tent.
Once there, we read where "Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them." This led to Jethro being "delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians" as he proclaimed, "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God."
I hope you recognized a remarkable truth in that part of today’s passage: testimony about what the Lord has done for us leads others to a spirit of worship and praise. I find myself ever increasingly inspired by the testimonies of all the people who read my blog entries and tell me how the word of the Lord touched their heart in a special way. There is so much encouragement packed into every story shared. I can see fully how Jethro was brought to know that the Lord is greater than all other gods because the same thing happens to me and countless others every single minute of every single day. Rest assured that not a second goes by in this creation where the work of God is not being lifted up, praised and worshipped by somebody. Is this not reason to rejoice and praise Him right now? My friends, God is good…all the time. He has blessed us abundantly and immeasurably. He is always with us…just as He promised. And He loves us without condition or limit. This is our God…the same God of Moses and Jethro and every man or woman who has ever walked this earth since creation. Won’t you tell someone about Him today and every day thereafter that He blesses you with. For He and only He is worthy of our worship and praise. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
THE POWER OF LIFTED HANDS
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation." Exodus 17:8-16
The Israelites had traveled freely through the desert in their journey to Canaan…until now. As we see in our scripture, they face their first conflict with another people, the Amalekites, who attack them Rephidim. Moses, in response to the attack, commands Joshua to "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."
So "Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered" while "Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill." How did the battle go for Israel? Well, that depended on the hands of Moses for we read that "as long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning." In other words, it was a battle where both sides seemed evenly matched…except for one very significant difference: Israel had God on their side. And as long as Moses had his hands raised up, Israel found victory over "the Amalekite army with the sword", even if Moses had to have some help from Aaron and Hur to keep his hands raised. Can you imagine having to hold your hands up for the duration of a battle? It would be nearly impossible for anyone to do without assistance. Good thing Moses had help.
After the victory, the Lord told Moses to "write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." And Moses then "built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner" and said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation." The Lord wanted Joshua to remember the events of this special battle, where lifted hands had led to power from God to conquer the Amalekites and find victory.
Question: What about you? Do you sometimes feel defeated in this world, overcome by the enemy whether it be man or Satan or both? Do you find yourself in a war that seems to be even most of the time…with you equally winning sometimes and losing other times? Well friends, there is good news for us, just as there was good news for Israel in their desert conflict with the Amalekites. For we are not fighting through life alone…God is with us. And we find all the strength and power we need to make it through anything, if we just lift our hands to the "throne of the Lord"…high in the sky to where he abides with our Savior Jesus on His right hand. When we reach up, He reaches down to us and gives us the ability to overcome…all from the power and might of lifted hands. Praise God for His goodness and might…power, provision and providence…mercy, grace and love. Alleluia!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation." Exodus 17:8-16
The Israelites had traveled freely through the desert in their journey to Canaan…until now. As we see in our scripture, they face their first conflict with another people, the Amalekites, who attack them Rephidim. Moses, in response to the attack, commands Joshua to "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."
So "Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered" while "Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill." How did the battle go for Israel? Well, that depended on the hands of Moses for we read that "as long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning." In other words, it was a battle where both sides seemed evenly matched…except for one very significant difference: Israel had God on their side. And as long as Moses had his hands raised up, Israel found victory over "the Amalekite army with the sword", even if Moses had to have some help from Aaron and Hur to keep his hands raised. Can you imagine having to hold your hands up for the duration of a battle? It would be nearly impossible for anyone to do without assistance. Good thing Moses had help.
After the victory, the Lord told Moses to "write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." And Moses then "built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner" and said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation." The Lord wanted Joshua to remember the events of this special battle, where lifted hands had led to power from God to conquer the Amalekites and find victory.
Question: What about you? Do you sometimes feel defeated in this world, overcome by the enemy whether it be man or Satan or both? Do you find yourself in a war that seems to be even most of the time…with you equally winning sometimes and losing other times? Well friends, there is good news for us, just as there was good news for Israel in their desert conflict with the Amalekites. For we are not fighting through life alone…God is with us. And we find all the strength and power we need to make it through anything, if we just lift our hands to the "throne of the Lord"…high in the sky to where he abides with our Savior Jesus on His right hand. When we reach up, He reaches down to us and gives us the ability to overcome…all from the power and might of lifted hands. Praise God for His goodness and might…power, provision and providence…mercy, grace and love. Alleluia!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
IS THE LORD AMONG US OR NOT?
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?" But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?" Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." The Lord answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" Exodus 17:1-7
As we start Chapter 17, we see a common theme rise up again: the Israelite people aren’t happy about their circumstances and they are openly complaining. This time, the problem is water again. You’ll recall the first time that they came upon water but it was too bitter for them. So the Lord gave Moses a piece of wood that sweetened the water once it was placed in it. This time, there is no pool of water around…and no magic piece of wood. But the complaints of the people were all the same. No matter how many miracles they had witnessed up to this point…the aforementioned wood, the quail, and the manna…the people refused to just trust that God would take care of them. After all, hadn’t He done so every step of the way after they departed Egypt. Yet, the people of Israel wondered, ""Is the Lord among us or not?" We sense Moses’ frustration in the scripture as he says, "What am I to do with these people?" This caused me to wonder if God didn’t feel the same way about the people of Israel…and possibly the way that He feels about us today as well.
For we too so often fail to show our faith and trust in a God who loves us, protects us, guides us, and provides for our needs in accordance with His will. He promised He would never leave us nor forsake us.. He promised He would never give us a burden we couldn’t bear. He reveals to us miraculous works each and every day. If you don’t believe that, think about how many babies are born daily. Each is a miraculous work of creation…God’s awesome way of replenishing His population. That baby started as a single cell and emerged as a living, breathing child of the Most High God! There isn’t anything more amazing than that to me and God truly does show us that He is indeed present and very active in the lives of His people.
Question: Do you believe and trust that the Lord will hear your prayers and provide for you in accordance with His will for your life? Do you recognize the miracles He performs each and every day? Or do you complain persistently about anything and everything? Do you think and act as if God has somehow abandoned you…leaving you lonely and wondering, ""Is the Lord among us or not?"
Well, the good news is the Lord is among us and always has been. He performs works of wonder all around us. We need to just open our eyes, ears and hearts to realize and recognize Him at work. Whether He needs to make water flow from a rock or a child flow from the waters of a mother’s womb, either way, He is present…He is actively working in our lives and the lives of others…and He is among us, right where He has always been. Thanks be to God for that.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?" But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?" Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." The Lord answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" Exodus 17:1-7
As we start Chapter 17, we see a common theme rise up again: the Israelite people aren’t happy about their circumstances and they are openly complaining. This time, the problem is water again. You’ll recall the first time that they came upon water but it was too bitter for them. So the Lord gave Moses a piece of wood that sweetened the water once it was placed in it. This time, there is no pool of water around…and no magic piece of wood. But the complaints of the people were all the same. No matter how many miracles they had witnessed up to this point…the aforementioned wood, the quail, and the manna…the people refused to just trust that God would take care of them. After all, hadn’t He done so every step of the way after they departed Egypt. Yet, the people of Israel wondered, ""Is the Lord among us or not?" We sense Moses’ frustration in the scripture as he says, "What am I to do with these people?" This caused me to wonder if God didn’t feel the same way about the people of Israel…and possibly the way that He feels about us today as well.
For we too so often fail to show our faith and trust in a God who loves us, protects us, guides us, and provides for our needs in accordance with His will. He promised He would never leave us nor forsake us.. He promised He would never give us a burden we couldn’t bear. He reveals to us miraculous works each and every day. If you don’t believe that, think about how many babies are born daily. Each is a miraculous work of creation…God’s awesome way of replenishing His population. That baby started as a single cell and emerged as a living, breathing child of the Most High God! There isn’t anything more amazing than that to me and God truly does show us that He is indeed present and very active in the lives of His people.
Question: Do you believe and trust that the Lord will hear your prayers and provide for you in accordance with His will for your life? Do you recognize the miracles He performs each and every day? Or do you complain persistently about anything and everything? Do you think and act as if God has somehow abandoned you…leaving you lonely and wondering, ""Is the Lord among us or not?"
Well, the good news is the Lord is among us and always has been. He performs works of wonder all around us. We need to just open our eyes, ears and hearts to realize and recognize Him at work. Whether He needs to make water flow from a rock or a child flow from the waters of a mother’s womb, either way, He is present…He is actively working in our lives and the lives of others…and He is among us, right where He has always been. Thanks be to God for that.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Monday, January 14, 2008
REMEMBERING GOD'S BLESSINGS
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. Moses said, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.' " So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come." As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony, that it might be kept. The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan." Exodus 16:31-35
God had commanded the Israelite people to rest on the Sabbath day, the only day of the week that they would not be able to collect the manna, the daily bread that the Lord had provided to keep the people of Israel fed as they traveled through the desert. Scripture tells us they would eat "manna forty years, until they…reached the border of Canaan." But God wasn’t finished giving the people His guidance.
For right at the end of Chapter 16, we hear the words of the Lord from Moses as he says, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Take an omer (approximately two quarts) of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.' " So Aaron, after Moses’ request, puts the manna in the jar as directed and maintained it until the Lord gave His ten commandments on the two stone tablets that would be known as the "Testimony".
There are two very important points to illuminate in this passage that were important then for Israel and they are equally important for us today.
First, God wants us to never forget His goodness and providence. Why did He command for some manna to be collected and saved for generations to come? It was because God didn’t want His mighty, miraculous works forgotten…not in the present…and not in the future. For when the Exodus generation became older, they would surely tell the younger generations what the Lord had done for them…how He had sent this unique food called manna…a bread that was "white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey." And just in case that they questioned their testimony, then the jar of manna could be shown…a remnant and physical evidence that supported the Lord’s mighty acts of mercy and deliverance.
Question: Have you saved any evidence of God’s goodness toward you, something that you can use in a testimony to future generations? What present day "manna" can you share with others?
Second, the Lord wants us to testify about Him. To share accounts of how He has helped us in times of need. God isn’t glorified before others when we remain silent and keep stories of His goodness to ourselves. He expects us to share our testimonies with others so they too can see how very much God blesses His children. I don’t know about you but I am consistently inspired by the testimonies of others as they tell of what God has done for them. It’s no wonder why God expects us to testify about Him.
Question: Have you shared your testimonies lately? Have you told others all the things God has done for you? You may want to consider writing your testimonies down so that they might be able to be passed to future generations. Through your words and accompanying actions, you can help lead others to a lifestyle of service and worship centered solely on the Lord…our Redeemer and Friend.
Keep in mind that God richly blesses us to not only answer our needs in whatever the circumstance…not only to remind us of His power and provision…but also to share with others. Won’t you tell someone about all the awesome things that God has done for you today?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. Moses said, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.' " So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come." As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony, that it might be kept. The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan." Exodus 16:31-35
God had commanded the Israelite people to rest on the Sabbath day, the only day of the week that they would not be able to collect the manna, the daily bread that the Lord had provided to keep the people of Israel fed as they traveled through the desert. Scripture tells us they would eat "manna forty years, until they…reached the border of Canaan." But God wasn’t finished giving the people His guidance.
For right at the end of Chapter 16, we hear the words of the Lord from Moses as he says, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Take an omer (approximately two quarts) of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.' " So Aaron, after Moses’ request, puts the manna in the jar as directed and maintained it until the Lord gave His ten commandments on the two stone tablets that would be known as the "Testimony".
There are two very important points to illuminate in this passage that were important then for Israel and they are equally important for us today.
First, God wants us to never forget His goodness and providence. Why did He command for some manna to be collected and saved for generations to come? It was because God didn’t want His mighty, miraculous works forgotten…not in the present…and not in the future. For when the Exodus generation became older, they would surely tell the younger generations what the Lord had done for them…how He had sent this unique food called manna…a bread that was "white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey." And just in case that they questioned their testimony, then the jar of manna could be shown…a remnant and physical evidence that supported the Lord’s mighty acts of mercy and deliverance.
Question: Have you saved any evidence of God’s goodness toward you, something that you can use in a testimony to future generations? What present day "manna" can you share with others?
Second, the Lord wants us to testify about Him. To share accounts of how He has helped us in times of need. God isn’t glorified before others when we remain silent and keep stories of His goodness to ourselves. He expects us to share our testimonies with others so they too can see how very much God blesses His children. I don’t know about you but I am consistently inspired by the testimonies of others as they tell of what God has done for them. It’s no wonder why God expects us to testify about Him.
Question: Have you shared your testimonies lately? Have you told others all the things God has done for you? You may want to consider writing your testimonies down so that they might be able to be passed to future generations. Through your words and accompanying actions, you can help lead others to a lifestyle of service and worship centered solely on the Lord…our Redeemer and Friend.
Keep in mind that God richly blesses us to not only answer our needs in whatever the circumstance…not only to remind us of His power and provision…but also to share with others. Won’t you tell someone about all the awesome things that God has done for you today?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Sunday, January 13, 2008
THE MATTER OF REST
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, "This is what the Lord commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any." Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day." Exodus 16:21-30
God has once again provided for His beloved Israelite people bringing quail and manna from heaven to feed them. The manna was as plentiful as the morning dew and the people gathered as much as (they) needed with twice as much gathered on the sixth day. Why? Because God designated the seventh day as a "day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord" and no manna would be found on the seventh day. This is why twice as much was gathered on the sixth…so the people would have something to eat on the holy Sabbath day.
Of particular interest is the use of the word Sabbath in today’s scripture. It is the first time the word is used in the bible and the matter of the Sabbath was not only important to God and His people then but it still is. The question is…how important is it to us?
The origin of the word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbath meaning "to rest". Of course, this isn’t the first time we see the word rest in the bible, is it? For we can go all the way back to the creation account in Genesis:
"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (Genesis 2:2-4)
Thus, the concept of resting on the seventh day because it was holy in Exodus was just a continuation of God’s word in Genesis. If God could rest from His work, then man could rest from his as well and God not only expected it, He was about to command it as part of the ten given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
We see in scripture where there was advance preparation needed to rest on the Sabbath. God directed the Israelites to "bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning." Before, if the Israelites tried to save their manna for the next day they would find it spoiled and maggot-ridden. But not on the Sabbath for "they saved it (the manna) until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it." Moses told them "Eat it today because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any." And it was so.
Yet, we read where some people didn’t listen. There were still a faction of the Israelite people who remained stubborn and disobedient. Scripture tells us that "some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none." They didn’t rest as directed and we sense they didn’t gather enough manna for two days on the sixth day either assuming they would be able to get some on the seventh day, although God said otherwise. This did not make the Lord happy. He asked Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." Moses had to be frustrated as a leader of the Israelites because he couldn’t control their actions. He was leading in the midst of sinners who had free will to do what they wanted to do.
I can understand how frustrated the Lord and Moses must have been because I find myself as frustrated today with this matter of rest on the Sabbath. Today, we see the sacred, holy Sabbath treated as if it were just another day. People work, sporting events are held, shopping centers and restaurants are open. There is more than ample opportunity for a person to do as much as they want to do on the Sabbath whether you observe it on Saturday or Sunday. The Lord’s call to rest falls too often on deaf ears even though His requirement and expectation hasn’t changed. Like so many things, Satan is always at work in our world trying to tempt and move people further and further away from obedience toward the Father. And he is succeeding…big time.
Question: How well are you upholding the Sabbath in your own life? Do you respect and respond to God’s call to rest? Do you keep everything that you do on the Sabbath holy…restricting your actions to worshipping and praising the Lord?
I know I could use a lot of improvement in this matter of resting on the Sabbath day. With the Lord’s help, it’s one of the matters I want to clean up in my spiritual life in 2008. Will you consider joining me? For God not only expects it, He commands it.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, "This is what the Lord commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any." Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day." Exodus 16:21-30
God has once again provided for His beloved Israelite people bringing quail and manna from heaven to feed them. The manna was as plentiful as the morning dew and the people gathered as much as (they) needed with twice as much gathered on the sixth day. Why? Because God designated the seventh day as a "day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord" and no manna would be found on the seventh day. This is why twice as much was gathered on the sixth…so the people would have something to eat on the holy Sabbath day.
Of particular interest is the use of the word Sabbath in today’s scripture. It is the first time the word is used in the bible and the matter of the Sabbath was not only important to God and His people then but it still is. The question is…how important is it to us?
The origin of the word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbath meaning "to rest". Of course, this isn’t the first time we see the word rest in the bible, is it? For we can go all the way back to the creation account in Genesis:
"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (Genesis 2:2-4)
Thus, the concept of resting on the seventh day because it was holy in Exodus was just a continuation of God’s word in Genesis. If God could rest from His work, then man could rest from his as well and God not only expected it, He was about to command it as part of the ten given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
We see in scripture where there was advance preparation needed to rest on the Sabbath. God directed the Israelites to "bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning." Before, if the Israelites tried to save their manna for the next day they would find it spoiled and maggot-ridden. But not on the Sabbath for "they saved it (the manna) until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it." Moses told them "Eat it today because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any." And it was so.
Yet, we read where some people didn’t listen. There were still a faction of the Israelite people who remained stubborn and disobedient. Scripture tells us that "some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none." They didn’t rest as directed and we sense they didn’t gather enough manna for two days on the sixth day either assuming they would be able to get some on the seventh day, although God said otherwise. This did not make the Lord happy. He asked Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." Moses had to be frustrated as a leader of the Israelites because he couldn’t control their actions. He was leading in the midst of sinners who had free will to do what they wanted to do.
I can understand how frustrated the Lord and Moses must have been because I find myself as frustrated today with this matter of rest on the Sabbath. Today, we see the sacred, holy Sabbath treated as if it were just another day. People work, sporting events are held, shopping centers and restaurants are open. There is more than ample opportunity for a person to do as much as they want to do on the Sabbath whether you observe it on Saturday or Sunday. The Lord’s call to rest falls too often on deaf ears even though His requirement and expectation hasn’t changed. Like so many things, Satan is always at work in our world trying to tempt and move people further and further away from obedience toward the Father. And he is succeeding…big time.
Question: How well are you upholding the Sabbath in your own life? Do you respect and respond to God’s call to rest? Do you keep everything that you do on the Sabbath holy…restricting your actions to worshipping and praising the Lord?
I know I could use a lot of improvement in this matter of resting on the Sabbath day. With the Lord’s help, it’s one of the matters I want to clean up in my spiritual life in 2008. Will you consider joining me? For God not only expects it, He commands it.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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