3/30/2008 7:25 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Pharaoh hardened his heart to God’s power.
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 8:16-19
Message of the verses: “16 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats through all the land of Egypt.’" 17 They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats through all the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened after the frogs had died so now God sends the next plague, and that plague is gnats. These gnats came out of the dust of the ground, as God created them out of the dust and they went all over all of the Egyptians and their animals. Their magicians could not produce this plague and so they went to Pharaoh and told him that this was the finger of God who did this, however as God had said Pharaoh’s heart was still hardened, and it was getting harder all of the time. Later on in this story of the destruction of Egypt God told Moses that He could have just destroyed their life, but by not doing that these Egyptians would be a witness to what had happened to them, thus all of this would cause others to fear the Lord and also fear the Israelites whenever they would go into the promises land to conquer it.
The word “gnats” is translated as lice in the AV and some scholars think it could have been mosquitoes, and any rate this was a miserable time for these Egyptians who always liked everything so clean.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: The term “finger of God” is used a number of times in Scripture and it refers to God giving the Ten Commandments, the creation of the earth, and casting out demons, all of these refer to God’s power. I am surely in need of God’s power to teach Sunday school this morning and so I ask the Lord to give me His power to do His work this morning.
My Step of Faith for Today: I trust the Lord to give me the resources to bring honor and glory to Him this morning through the teaching of His Word in Sunday school class this morning. I trust the Lord to do this because I am weak through the thorn in my flesh, and His grace is sufficient for me for His power is perfected in my weakness.
Memory verse for the week: Philippians 3:8
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Pharoah Hardens His Heart to God's Mercy (Ex. 8:8-15)
3/29/2008 8:43 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Pharaoh hardens his heart to God’s mercy:
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 8:8-15
Message of the verses: “8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Entreat the LORD that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD." 9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "The honor is yours to tell me: when shall I entreat for you and your servants and your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, that they may be left only in the Nile?" 10 Then he said, "Tomorrow." So he said, "May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. 11 "The frogs will depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people; they will be left only in the Nile." 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had inflicted upon Pharaoh. 13 The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courts, and the fields. 14 So they piled them in heaps, and the land became foul. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”
This starts a new section in Dr. Wiersbe’s book entitled “Pharaoh hardens his heart against God,” and in the introduction of this section he writes about what it means to have a person harden their heart before the Lord and what it means to have God harden a person’s heart. “It means to see clear evidence of the hand of God at work and still refuse to accept His Word and submit to His will. It means to resist Him by showing ingratitude and disobedience and not having any fear of the Lord or of His judgments.”
When God hardens a heart: “Does this mean that God was unfair and that Pharaoh shouldn’t be held responsible for what he did? No, for the same sun that melts the ice also hardens the clay. It all depends on the nature of the material.”
Now I will move on to talk about the verses in today’s SD: This section speaks of what happens after the plague of frogs came upon Egypt and how it was handled by Moses and Pharaoh and of course the Lord. As stated in yesterday’s SD Pharaoh’s magicians could not remove the frogs, only duplicate this plague and so Pharaoh had to seek out Moses and Aaron to get rid of the frogs, so he did so but he did something interesting when Moses asked him when it was that he wanted the Lord to get rid of these frogs. Pharaoh did not say get rid of them right away, he told Moses that he wanted rid of the frogs the next day. Dr. Wiersbe points out two possible reasons as to why Pharaoh chose the next day. Pharaoh may have thought that they would leave early and thus it would not be as Moses and Aaron said. Pharaoh may have announced it to many people as to what Moses and Aaron said and if that failed then they would seem like frauds. Pharaoh did not know how it was that God would rid Egypt of these frogs, perhaps he thought that they would just hop right into the Nile and they would be gone, but he may not have been expecting that they all die thus causing a bigger problem.
I have two verses highlighted in yellow in today’s section of verses, and these two verses help to sum up much of this section. Verses 10b and 15 speak to my heart as I read through this section this morning.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: One has to be careful as to how one prays for like in this section today Pharaoh’s request should have been more specific and maybe his nation would not have to clean up millions of dead frogs. Psalm 66:13-14 read as follows, “I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you—vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.” Pharaoh did not follow what this Psalm said, but I must remember that to do according to this Psalm.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Make my prayers more specific, and also remember to praise the Lord when He answers my prayers. To trust the Lord in aiding me to get together my Sunday school lesson for tomorrow.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Pharaoh hardens his heart to God’s mercy:
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 8:8-15
Message of the verses: “8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Entreat the LORD that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD." 9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "The honor is yours to tell me: when shall I entreat for you and your servants and your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, that they may be left only in the Nile?" 10 Then he said, "Tomorrow." So he said, "May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. 11 "The frogs will depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people; they will be left only in the Nile." 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had inflicted upon Pharaoh. 13 The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courts, and the fields. 14 So they piled them in heaps, and the land became foul. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”
This starts a new section in Dr. Wiersbe’s book entitled “Pharaoh hardens his heart against God,” and in the introduction of this section he writes about what it means to have a person harden their heart before the Lord and what it means to have God harden a person’s heart. “It means to see clear evidence of the hand of God at work and still refuse to accept His Word and submit to His will. It means to resist Him by showing ingratitude and disobedience and not having any fear of the Lord or of His judgments.”
When God hardens a heart: “Does this mean that God was unfair and that Pharaoh shouldn’t be held responsible for what he did? No, for the same sun that melts the ice also hardens the clay. It all depends on the nature of the material.”
Now I will move on to talk about the verses in today’s SD: This section speaks of what happens after the plague of frogs came upon Egypt and how it was handled by Moses and Pharaoh and of course the Lord. As stated in yesterday’s SD Pharaoh’s magicians could not remove the frogs, only duplicate this plague and so Pharaoh had to seek out Moses and Aaron to get rid of the frogs, so he did so but he did something interesting when Moses asked him when it was that he wanted the Lord to get rid of these frogs. Pharaoh did not say get rid of them right away, he told Moses that he wanted rid of the frogs the next day. Dr. Wiersbe points out two possible reasons as to why Pharaoh chose the next day. Pharaoh may have thought that they would leave early and thus it would not be as Moses and Aaron said. Pharaoh may have announced it to many people as to what Moses and Aaron said and if that failed then they would seem like frauds. Pharaoh did not know how it was that God would rid Egypt of these frogs, perhaps he thought that they would just hop right into the Nile and they would be gone, but he may not have been expecting that they all die thus causing a bigger problem.
I have two verses highlighted in yellow in today’s section of verses, and these two verses help to sum up much of this section. Verses 10b and 15 speak to my heart as I read through this section this morning.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: One has to be careful as to how one prays for like in this section today Pharaoh’s request should have been more specific and maybe his nation would not have to clean up millions of dead frogs. Psalm 66:13-14 read as follows, “I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you—vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.” Pharaoh did not follow what this Psalm said, but I must remember that to do according to this Psalm.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Make my prayers more specific, and also remember to praise the Lord when He answers my prayers. To trust the Lord in aiding me to get together my Sunday school lesson for tomorrow.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Frogs (Ex. 8:1-7)
3/28/2008 9:11 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Plague #3: Frogs
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 8:1-7
Message of the verses: “1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 "But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs.
3 "The Nile will swarm with frogs, which will come up and go into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and on your people, and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls. 4 "So the frogs will come up on you and your people and all your servants."’" 5 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the streams and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’"
6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 The magicians did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up on the land of Egypt.”
Whenever the Ten Commandments were given to Moses the first one spoke of not having any other God other than the God of Israel as their God. All of these plagues and also the sign of the rod turning into a snake were against the gods of the Egyptians. “In Egypt the frog was a fertility symbol; and Heqet, the goddess of resurrection, fertility, and childbirth, had the head of a frog.”
God told Moses to tell Pharaoh that if he did not let His people go that there would be frogs everywhere, including in their bedrooms and even in their beds, but of course Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he did not let God’s people go and so came the frogs. Again the magicians duplicated this plague, but again the magicians could not make the frogs go away so in the end Pharaoh would have to call Moses to rid the land of frogs.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: All of these plagues teach me that I am not to have any idols in my life, for these plagues were directed against the false gods or idols that Egypt worshiped. An idol is something that comes between me and the worship of God and nothing is to come between my worship of God.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to continue to trust the Lord to teach me contentment, to trust the Lord to teach my wife contentment, and to trust the Lord in our job situation and in or investment situation with Andrew Lech.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient to you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; so that when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Plague #3: Frogs
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 8:1-7
Message of the verses: “1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 "But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs.
3 "The Nile will swarm with frogs, which will come up and go into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and on your people, and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls. 4 "So the frogs will come up on you and your people and all your servants."’" 5 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the streams and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’"
6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 The magicians did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up on the land of Egypt.”
Whenever the Ten Commandments were given to Moses the first one spoke of not having any other God other than the God of Israel as their God. All of these plagues and also the sign of the rod turning into a snake were against the gods of the Egyptians. “In Egypt the frog was a fertility symbol; and Heqet, the goddess of resurrection, fertility, and childbirth, had the head of a frog.”
God told Moses to tell Pharaoh that if he did not let His people go that there would be frogs everywhere, including in their bedrooms and even in their beds, but of course Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he did not let God’s people go and so came the frogs. Again the magicians duplicated this plague, but again the magicians could not make the frogs go away so in the end Pharaoh would have to call Moses to rid the land of frogs.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: All of these plagues teach me that I am not to have any idols in my life, for these plagues were directed against the false gods or idols that Egypt worshiped. An idol is something that comes between me and the worship of God and nothing is to come between my worship of God.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to continue to trust the Lord to teach me contentment, to trust the Lord to teach my wife contentment, and to trust the Lord in our job situation and in or investment situation with Andrew Lech.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient to you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; so that when I am weak, then I am strong.
Sign # 2 Water Turned into Blood (Ex. 7:14-25)
3/27/2008 10:31 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Sign # 2: Water turned into blood
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 7:14-25
Message of the verses: “14 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go. 15 "Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent. 16 "You shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now." 17 ‘Thus says the LORD, "By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. 18 "The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile."’" 19 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’" 20 So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 21 The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt. 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. 23 Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house with no concern even for this. 24 So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. 25 Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.”
There were ten plagues that God used to convince Pharaoh to let Israel go and three of these plagues were not announced by Moses and Aaron. The plagues increased in their intensity with the last plague, the death of the first born of all Egyptians, convincing Pharaoh to let Israel go. Pharaoh’s magicians could duplicate the first two of these plagues and the first sign, but that is far as they could go. These signs or plagues were done against the gods that Egypt worshiped and by only duplicating these first three plagues and not being able to stop any of them they proved that Israel’s God was God indeed.
God will show Pharaoh and all of Egypt that He is God, the self existent One, through these ten plagues as He said to Moses in verse seventeen of this chapter. I don’t know if any of the Egyptians actually believed in the Lord because of these plagues that were done to them, but they all surely got more evidence than needed to convinces them that Israel’s God is truly God.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I hope that I will never be hard hearted enough to have to go through what Egypt went through to understand that God is trying to get my attention. I am sure that there are times when my heart is hard to the things of the Lord, when I have not given Him all of me and that is what He wants me to give Him. The LORD’s name means the self-existing One, which means that He needs nothing in order to exist, however if I act like I don’t need anything in order to exist, then I am sinning because I am trying to be like God.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to worship the Self Existing One.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Sign # 2: Water turned into blood
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 7:14-25
Message of the verses: “14 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go. 15 "Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent. 16 "You shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now." 17 ‘Thus says the LORD, "By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. 18 "The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile."’" 19 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’" 20 So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 21 The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt. 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. 23 Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house with no concern even for this. 24 So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. 25 Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.”
There were ten plagues that God used to convince Pharaoh to let Israel go and three of these plagues were not announced by Moses and Aaron. The plagues increased in their intensity with the last plague, the death of the first born of all Egyptians, convincing Pharaoh to let Israel go. Pharaoh’s magicians could duplicate the first two of these plagues and the first sign, but that is far as they could go. These signs or plagues were done against the gods that Egypt worshiped and by only duplicating these first three plagues and not being able to stop any of them they proved that Israel’s God was God indeed.
God will show Pharaoh and all of Egypt that He is God, the self existent One, through these ten plagues as He said to Moses in verse seventeen of this chapter. I don’t know if any of the Egyptians actually believed in the Lord because of these plagues that were done to them, but they all surely got more evidence than needed to convinces them that Israel’s God is truly God.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I hope that I will never be hard hearted enough to have to go through what Egypt went through to understand that God is trying to get my attention. I am sure that there are times when my heart is hard to the things of the Lord, when I have not given Him all of me and that is what He wants me to give Him. The LORD’s name means the self-existing One, which means that He needs nothing in order to exist, however if I act like I don’t need anything in order to exist, then I am sinning because I am trying to be like God.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to worship the Self Existing One.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
The Sign of the Sepent (Ex 7:8-13)
3/26/2008 10:47 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: First Sign: Moses’ Serpent
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 7:8-13
Message of the verses: “8 ¶ Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 9 "When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Work a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’" 10 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. 12 For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”
This is the first sign that God had Aaron perform before Pharaoh, and he was able to do the same thing through his magicians, who probable did these things in the power of Satan. Snakes were part of the religion in Egypt in particular the cobra, which was a symbol of immortality. The first three sign that were done in the presence of Pharaoh were duplicated by his magicians so Pharaoh was not as impressed as he should have been and he hardened his heart.
“Satan is a counterfeiter who ‘plants’ imitation Christians in this world. Paul called them ‘false brethren’ (2Cor. 11:26). Satan has an imitation gospel (Gal. 1:6-9), a counterfeit righteousness (Rom. 10:1-2), and even counterfeit ministers who spread his lies (2 Cor 11:13015). Satan will one day produce a false Christ who will deceive the whole world (2 Thes. 2:1-12).”
“Satan opposes God’s work by imitating it, and in this way he mimeses the power and glory of God.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I have been taught in my study God’s Word that Satan is a powerful being and that he can do even false miracles to impress people. He is a liar and is the father of lies and so it is best for me to know about him so that I do not fall into the traps that he sets for me as a believer. By God’s grace and the Spirits power He will keep me from doing that.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: First Sign: Moses’ Serpent
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 7:8-13
Message of the verses: “8 ¶ Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 9 "When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Work a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’" 10 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. 12 For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”
This is the first sign that God had Aaron perform before Pharaoh, and he was able to do the same thing through his magicians, who probable did these things in the power of Satan. Snakes were part of the religion in Egypt in particular the cobra, which was a symbol of immortality. The first three sign that were done in the presence of Pharaoh were duplicated by his magicians so Pharaoh was not as impressed as he should have been and he hardened his heart.
“Satan is a counterfeiter who ‘plants’ imitation Christians in this world. Paul called them ‘false brethren’ (2Cor. 11:26). Satan has an imitation gospel (Gal. 1:6-9), a counterfeit righteousness (Rom. 10:1-2), and even counterfeit ministers who spread his lies (2 Cor 11:13015). Satan will one day produce a false Christ who will deceive the whole world (2 Thes. 2:1-12).”
“Satan opposes God’s work by imitating it, and in this way he mimeses the power and glory of God.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I have been taught in my study God’s Word that Satan is a powerful being and that he can do even false miracles to impress people. He is a liar and is the father of lies and so it is best for me to know about him so that I do not fall into the traps that he sets for me as a believer. By God’s grace and the Spirits power He will keep me from doing that.
God Tells Moses to Speak to Pharoah (Ex. 6:28-30)
3/25/2008 8:36 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: God tells Moses to Speak to Pharaoh
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 6:28-30
Message of the verses: “28 Now it came about on the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "I am the LORD; speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you."
30 But Moses said before the LORD, "Behold, I am unskilled in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me?"
1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 "You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. 3 "But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 "When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst." 6 So Moses and Aaron did it; as the LORD commanded them, thus they did. 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh.”
After the genealogies of Moses and Aaron were given in the previous verses God speaks to Moses telling him to go to Pharaoh what He will tell him to speak. Moses was probably still discouraged because of the confrontation that he had with the leaders of the tribes of Israel and so he tells the Lord again about his problem with speaking and says that because of this Pharaoh would not listen to him. It is possible that Moses’ problem was stuttering and because he was upset that would make him stutter even more, at any rate this was an excuse.
In verse one of chapter seven God tells Moses that He will make him as God to Pharaoh, and the Hebrew word is Elohim and means god and is sometimes translated as angles. God is telling Moses that he will represent God to Pharaoh and that Aaron will be his prophet and to the speaking to Pharaoh, however later on Moses will be the one doing the speaking.
In verse three God tells Moses that He will harden the heart of Pharaoh in order to multiply His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened on his own at first and then God completed the process of hardening Pharaoh’s heart in order to prove to him and the people of Egypt and also the people of Israel that He was God. These signs and wonders were also against some of the god’s that were worshiped by the people of Egypt and also some of the sons of Israel were also worshiping these gods and so through these signs and wonders God would show them that He alone was God and worthy of their worship.
Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord and did as He told them to do and verse seven gives the ages of Moses and Aaron when this process began.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I can understand somewhat how Moses felt and why he gave his excuses to the Lord about his problem of not being able to speak. If his problem was stuttering I am sure that he was very embarrassed about it and did not want to stutter in front of Pharaoh, for they would surely make fun of him for doing so. I sometimes make the excuse of having IBS in order not to do something for the Lord and the reason is it is embarrassing to me. The more things that I do in service to the Lord the more confident I become in serving Him in different ways, mainly in speaking in front of people.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to trust the Lord to give me wisdom and patience in order to do a good job on my work on our bathroom. I do not want to get into a hurry just to get it done, but have the desire to take my time and do a good job.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My faith is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; so that when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: God tells Moses to Speak to Pharaoh
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 6:28-30
Message of the verses: “28 Now it came about on the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "I am the LORD; speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you."
30 But Moses said before the LORD, "Behold, I am unskilled in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me?"
1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 "You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. 3 "But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 "When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst." 6 So Moses and Aaron did it; as the LORD commanded them, thus they did. 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh.”
After the genealogies of Moses and Aaron were given in the previous verses God speaks to Moses telling him to go to Pharaoh what He will tell him to speak. Moses was probably still discouraged because of the confrontation that he had with the leaders of the tribes of Israel and so he tells the Lord again about his problem with speaking and says that because of this Pharaoh would not listen to him. It is possible that Moses’ problem was stuttering and because he was upset that would make him stutter even more, at any rate this was an excuse.
In verse one of chapter seven God tells Moses that He will make him as God to Pharaoh, and the Hebrew word is Elohim and means god and is sometimes translated as angles. God is telling Moses that he will represent God to Pharaoh and that Aaron will be his prophet and to the speaking to Pharaoh, however later on Moses will be the one doing the speaking.
In verse three God tells Moses that He will harden the heart of Pharaoh in order to multiply His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened on his own at first and then God completed the process of hardening Pharaoh’s heart in order to prove to him and the people of Egypt and also the people of Israel that He was God. These signs and wonders were also against some of the god’s that were worshiped by the people of Egypt and also some of the sons of Israel were also worshiping these gods and so through these signs and wonders God would show them that He alone was God and worthy of their worship.
Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord and did as He told them to do and verse seven gives the ages of Moses and Aaron when this process began.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I can understand somewhat how Moses felt and why he gave his excuses to the Lord about his problem of not being able to speak. If his problem was stuttering I am sure that he was very embarrassed about it and did not want to stutter in front of Pharaoh, for they would surely make fun of him for doing so. I sometimes make the excuse of having IBS in order not to do something for the Lord and the reason is it is embarrassing to me. The more things that I do in service to the Lord the more confident I become in serving Him in different ways, mainly in speaking in front of people.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to trust the Lord to give me wisdom and patience in order to do a good job on my work on our bathroom. I do not want to get into a hurry just to get it done, but have the desire to take my time and do a good job.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My faith is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; so that when I am weak, then I am strong.
Genealogy of Moses & Aaron (Ex. 6:14-27)
3/24/2008 8:30 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Genealogy of Moses and Aaron
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 6:14-27
Message of the verses: “14 ¶ These are the heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. 15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. 16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath and Merari; and the length of Levi’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel; and the length of Kohath’s life was one hundred and thirty-three years.
19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses; and the length of Amram’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah and Nepheg and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri. 23 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25 Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites according to their families. 26 It was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, "Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts." 27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the sons of Israel from Egypt; it was the same Moses and Aaron.”
It may seem like a odd place to put the genealogy of Moses and Aaron, but God has a purpose for everything that He does and because He is the Author of Scripture there is a reason for this portion being here. I would suppose that the background of Moses and Aaron are so important because of how God was going to uses them, and therefore the genealogy is put here. God prepared Moses and Aaron for the position He gave them, and for the job that He gave them to do, and thus it is important for the readers of the Scripture to see just where it was that they came from, for whose family they came from.
Jeremiah 1:5 reads as follows: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Dr. Wiersbe points out that , “God’s calling means God’s enabling, and what He begins He always completes.” Eph. 2:20, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Philippians 1:6 reads as follows: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: The verse in Ephesians that is quoted above has always been very meaningful to me because I firmly believe that God has a plan for my life, and in that plan He has work for me to accomplish and those works have been planned for me to do have been prepared by God for me to accomplish for His honor and glory. The verse in Jeremiah has also had a great deal of meaning for me for most of the same reasons as the verse in Ephesians. God is in control of my life and for that I am glade.
My Steps of Faith for Today: To get to know God better, to continue to learn contentment.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties; for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Genealogy of Moses and Aaron
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 6:14-27
Message of the verses: “14 ¶ These are the heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. 15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. 16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath and Merari; and the length of Levi’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel; and the length of Kohath’s life was one hundred and thirty-three years.
19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses; and the length of Amram’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah and Nepheg and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri. 23 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25 Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites according to their families. 26 It was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, "Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts." 27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the sons of Israel from Egypt; it was the same Moses and Aaron.”
It may seem like a odd place to put the genealogy of Moses and Aaron, but God has a purpose for everything that He does and because He is the Author of Scripture there is a reason for this portion being here. I would suppose that the background of Moses and Aaron are so important because of how God was going to uses them, and therefore the genealogy is put here. God prepared Moses and Aaron for the position He gave them, and for the job that He gave them to do, and thus it is important for the readers of the Scripture to see just where it was that they came from, for whose family they came from.
Jeremiah 1:5 reads as follows: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Dr. Wiersbe points out that , “God’s calling means God’s enabling, and what He begins He always completes.” Eph. 2:20, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Philippians 1:6 reads as follows: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: The verse in Ephesians that is quoted above has always been very meaningful to me because I firmly believe that God has a plan for my life, and in that plan He has work for me to accomplish and those works have been planned for me to do have been prepared by God for me to accomplish for His honor and glory. The verse in Jeremiah has also had a great deal of meaning for me for most of the same reasons as the verse in Ephesians. God is in control of my life and for that I am glade.
My Steps of Faith for Today: To get to know God better, to continue to learn contentment.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties; for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
God Encourages Moses (Ex. 6:9-13)
3/23/2008 2:52 PM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: God’s encouragement to Moses: Speak to Pharaoh again.
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 6:9-13
Message of the verses: 6 "Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 ‘Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 ‘I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the LORD.’" 9 So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.
10 ¶ Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 11 "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out of his land." 12 But Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, "Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am unskilled in speech?" 13 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.”
In this section of Scripture God says “I will” seven times, and “I am” three times to Moses. The “I am” in these sections is God name which in English is Jehovah and means “The self-Existent One.” These are wonderful promises that God is giving to Moses and to the children of Israel, yet when Moses goes and speaks to the son’s of Israel they will not listen to him, and the reason that they do not listen to him is was “on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.” I want to bring up the story of Job here because Job too was going through a very bad time, loosing all his children, his possessions, and then his health, but he did not act towards the Lord the same way that the children of Israel were acting.
God then charges Moses and Aaron to go back into speak to Pharaoh, telling him that God wants him to let the children of Israel go, but Moses responds by telling God that the sons of Israel were giving him a hard time due to the severe treatment that they were going through by the Egyptians.
“Moses and the elders had given up, but God hadn’t given up on Moses.” “In times of despair, it’s best to ignore our feelings and simply do what God tells us to do, leaving the consequences with Him.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: It is difficult to go through a lot of problems in life, as I can speak from experience, but I cannot give up on God and the promises that He has given to me, for He has said that “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” The Spirit of God is the One who will provide comfort in times like these and then God will receive the glory.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to learn more about God, to know Him better as I go through the trials and tests that He has sent my way. I want to receive His grace each day from Him for as Paul writes His grace is sufficient for me.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with my weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: God’s encouragement to Moses: Speak to Pharaoh again.
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 6:9-13
Message of the verses: 6 "Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 ‘Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 ‘I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the LORD.’" 9 So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.
10 ¶ Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 11 "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out of his land." 12 But Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, "Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am unskilled in speech?" 13 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.”
In this section of Scripture God says “I will” seven times, and “I am” three times to Moses. The “I am” in these sections is God name which in English is Jehovah and means “The self-Existent One.” These are wonderful promises that God is giving to Moses and to the children of Israel, yet when Moses goes and speaks to the son’s of Israel they will not listen to him, and the reason that they do not listen to him is was “on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.” I want to bring up the story of Job here because Job too was going through a very bad time, loosing all his children, his possessions, and then his health, but he did not act towards the Lord the same way that the children of Israel were acting.
God then charges Moses and Aaron to go back into speak to Pharaoh, telling him that God wants him to let the children of Israel go, but Moses responds by telling God that the sons of Israel were giving him a hard time due to the severe treatment that they were going through by the Egyptians.
“Moses and the elders had given up, but God hadn’t given up on Moses.” “In times of despair, it’s best to ignore our feelings and simply do what God tells us to do, leaving the consequences with Him.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: It is difficult to go through a lot of problems in life, as I can speak from experience, but I cannot give up on God and the promises that He has given to me, for He has said that “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” The Spirit of God is the One who will provide comfort in times like these and then God will receive the glory.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to learn more about God, to know Him better as I go through the trials and tests that He has sent my way. I want to receive His grace each day from Him for as Paul writes His grace is sufficient for me.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with my weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
God Knows What The Israelites are Going Through (Ex. 5:22-6:8)
3/22/2008 12:18 PM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: God knows what the Israelites are going through
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:22-6:8
Message of the verses: This is the third reason that God gives to Moses in order to encourage him: God assured Moses that He felt the burdens of His people and was working on their behalf. Chapter 6 and verse 5 reads, “Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.” Verse 24 of Chapter 2 reads as follows, “So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
The foreman and also the rest of the slaves who were working to make bricks for the Egyptians were not totally trusting in the Lord for their deliverance for they are the ones who went to Pharaoh instead of going to the Lord in prayer and trusting the promises that God had already given them, that is that He would deliverer them from their captivity.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: “Whenever we feel the Lord has abandoned us and doesn’t really care, we need to remember His assuring works, ‘Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.’ (1 Peter 5:7)
My Steps of Faith for Today: I trust that the Lord will lead and guide Sandy and I as to whether or not we should go on this job to Hawaii or to stay home. I know that it seems to me that we have little choice in this matter because of our finances, but I want to do what it is that the Lord has for me to do, for His plans are perfect.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: God knows what the Israelites are going through
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:22-6:8
Message of the verses: This is the third reason that God gives to Moses in order to encourage him: God assured Moses that He felt the burdens of His people and was working on their behalf. Chapter 6 and verse 5 reads, “Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.” Verse 24 of Chapter 2 reads as follows, “So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
The foreman and also the rest of the slaves who were working to make bricks for the Egyptians were not totally trusting in the Lord for their deliverance for they are the ones who went to Pharaoh instead of going to the Lord in prayer and trusting the promises that God had already given them, that is that He would deliverer them from their captivity.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: “Whenever we feel the Lord has abandoned us and doesn’t really care, we need to remember His assuring works, ‘Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.’ (1 Peter 5:7)
My Steps of Faith for Today: I trust that the Lord will lead and guide Sandy and I as to whether or not we should go on this job to Hawaii or to stay home. I know that it seems to me that we have little choice in this matter because of our finances, but I want to do what it is that the Lord has for me to do, for His plans are perfect.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Why Have You Sent Me PT-2) (Exodus 5:22-6:8)
3/21/2008 10:31 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Moses: “Why have you sent me?” Part II
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:22-6:8
Message of the verses: Verses will not be posted on this SD since they are the same as yesterday’s verses.
The second way that God encouraged Moses was by reminding him of His covenant name “Jehovah.” This gets a bit confusing here because of what verse three of chapter six says, “And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.” The patriarchs knew God as “El Shaddai” the all-sufficient and all-powerful God. They also knew the name Jehovah, but really did not know that name like God told Moses about it while he was at the burning bush. This name Jehovah as it is used in most English Bibles is a word in the Hebrew that has no vowels in it. (Hebrew words do not contain vowels in them and when they are translated into English the vowels are added so the words can be pronounced). Getting back to the point of this SD and that is that God now associates He name with the covenant He would make with His people, (6:4), “I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned.” This name for God, Jehovah, is the special name of God that associates Him with Israel and His covenants, and because it is so special to them they will not even pronounce this name and so when they read it in the Scriptures they use the name Adonai (Master). I have read that the reason they do not pronounce this name is because of the third commandment, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” They are afraid of when pronouncing His name that they would some how take it in vain so they never pronounce the name.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: God gave four encouraging reason to Moses in this section, and God can encourage me through these same reasons that He gave to Moses. Yesterday I learned that there were great promises in this section and today I have learned about the name that is pronounced Jehovah, which is His covenant giving name and means that He will always keep His covenants he has made with man. I am speaking of the covenants that have no conditions in them.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Remember that God is the all powerful God, and the God who keeps His covenants.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Moses: “Why have you sent me?” Part II
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:22-6:8
Message of the verses: Verses will not be posted on this SD since they are the same as yesterday’s verses.
The second way that God encouraged Moses was by reminding him of His covenant name “Jehovah.” This gets a bit confusing here because of what verse three of chapter six says, “And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.” The patriarchs knew God as “El Shaddai” the all-sufficient and all-powerful God. They also knew the name Jehovah, but really did not know that name like God told Moses about it while he was at the burning bush. This name Jehovah as it is used in most English Bibles is a word in the Hebrew that has no vowels in it. (Hebrew words do not contain vowels in them and when they are translated into English the vowels are added so the words can be pronounced). Getting back to the point of this SD and that is that God now associates He name with the covenant He would make with His people, (6:4), “I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned.” This name for God, Jehovah, is the special name of God that associates Him with Israel and His covenants, and because it is so special to them they will not even pronounce this name and so when they read it in the Scriptures they use the name Adonai (Master). I have read that the reason they do not pronounce this name is because of the third commandment, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” They are afraid of when pronouncing His name that they would some how take it in vain so they never pronounce the name.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: God gave four encouraging reason to Moses in this section, and God can encourage me through these same reasons that He gave to Moses. Yesterday I learned that there were great promises in this section and today I have learned about the name that is pronounced Jehovah, which is His covenant giving name and means that He will always keep His covenants he has made with man. I am speaking of the covenants that have no conditions in them.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Remember that God is the all powerful God, and the God who keeps His covenants.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Why Have You Sent Me (Exodus 5:22-6:8)
3/20/2008 10:53 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Moses: “Why have you sent me?”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:22-6:8
Message of the verses: “22 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? 23 "Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all."
1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land." 2 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD; 3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them. 4 "I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. 5 "Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. 6 "Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 ‘Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 ‘I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the LORD.’”
In verses twenty-two and twenty-three Moses pretty much challenges the Lord of not keeping His promises that He had made to Moses and to all the children of Israel and then the Lord begins to answer Moses’ questions and give him assurance that He was in control and that He would keep His promises in His own way and in His own time.
Over the next day or so, Lord willing, I will answer the question, “How did the Lord encourage His struggling servant?” First I want to write down a quote from Dr. Wiersbe’s book on Exodus: “God’s chosen servants must expect opposition and misunderstanding, because that’s part of what it means to be a leader; and leaders must know how to get along with God, pour out their hearts, and seek His strength and wisdom. Spiritual leaders must be bold before people but broken before God (see Jer. 1) and must claim God’s promises and do His will even when everything seems to be against them.”
First part of the answer to the question is that God spoke to Moses and gave him great promises (Ex 6:1-8). It is presumed that God spoke audibly to Moses since there was no written Word like there is today for people to read. God tell Moses four times in this section that “I am the Lord, and He also used His covenant name “Jehovah” seven times and God also said “I will” seven times. God is telling Moses that He is in control for God is not only sovereign but He is also responsible for what is going on, not only in this but in all things. I realize that this is hard to understand seeing how many things that happen both then and now are not good, but God has a plan and nothing will stop that plan from being carried out. The rest of the story is seen in the last chapter of God’s Word. God repeats His promise to bring Israel out of their bondage in Egypt, a promise He will keep.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I have been looking at the story of God bringing Israel out of Egypt as encouragement and in its similar ways of our investment with Andrew Lech. In this section I can see God’s Sovereignty and responsibility as He continues the process of delivering Israel from Egypt. God is sovereign in our investment issue and He is responsible for it too. I know that there are things that I too am responsible about this, but it seems clear to me that God had a desire for this to happen in order to, in my case, mold me more into the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29).
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to know God better so that I can trust Him more and then I will be learning more about contentment.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:910
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with disappointments, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Moses: “Why have you sent me?”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:22-6:8
Message of the verses: “22 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? 23 "Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all."
1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land." 2 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD; 3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them. 4 "I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. 5 "Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. 6 "Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 ‘Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 ‘I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the LORD.’”
In verses twenty-two and twenty-three Moses pretty much challenges the Lord of not keeping His promises that He had made to Moses and to all the children of Israel and then the Lord begins to answer Moses’ questions and give him assurance that He was in control and that He would keep His promises in His own way and in His own time.
Over the next day or so, Lord willing, I will answer the question, “How did the Lord encourage His struggling servant?” First I want to write down a quote from Dr. Wiersbe’s book on Exodus: “God’s chosen servants must expect opposition and misunderstanding, because that’s part of what it means to be a leader; and leaders must know how to get along with God, pour out their hearts, and seek His strength and wisdom. Spiritual leaders must be bold before people but broken before God (see Jer. 1) and must claim God’s promises and do His will even when everything seems to be against them.”
First part of the answer to the question is that God spoke to Moses and gave him great promises (Ex 6:1-8). It is presumed that God spoke audibly to Moses since there was no written Word like there is today for people to read. God tell Moses four times in this section that “I am the Lord, and He also used His covenant name “Jehovah” seven times and God also said “I will” seven times. God is telling Moses that He is in control for God is not only sovereign but He is also responsible for what is going on, not only in this but in all things. I realize that this is hard to understand seeing how many things that happen both then and now are not good, but God has a plan and nothing will stop that plan from being carried out. The rest of the story is seen in the last chapter of God’s Word. God repeats His promise to bring Israel out of their bondage in Egypt, a promise He will keep.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I have been looking at the story of God bringing Israel out of Egypt as encouragement and in its similar ways of our investment with Andrew Lech. In this section I can see God’s Sovereignty and responsibility as He continues the process of delivering Israel from Egypt. God is sovereign in our investment issue and He is responsible for it too. I know that there are things that I too am responsible about this, but it seems clear to me that God had a desire for this to happen in order to, in my case, mold me more into the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29).
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to know God better so that I can trust Him more and then I will be learning more about contentment.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:910
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with disappointments, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Why Have You Send Me Part II (Exodus 5:22-6:8)
3/21/2008 10:31 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Moses: “Why have you sent me?” Part II
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:22-6:8
Message of the verses: Verses will not be posted on this SD since they are the same as yesterday’s verses.
The second way that God encouraged Moses was by reminding him of His covenant name “Jehovah.” This gets a bit confusing here because of what verse three of chapter six says, “And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.” The patriarchs knew God as “El Shaddai” the all-sufficient and all-powerful God. They also knew the name Jehovah, but really did not know that name like God told Moses about it while he was at the burning bush. This name Jehovah as it is used in most English Bibles is a word in the Hebrew that has no vowels in it. (Hebrew words do not contain vowels in them and when they are translated into English the vowels are added so the words can be pronounced). Getting back to the point of this SD and that is that God now associates He name with the covenant He would make with His people, (6:4), “I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned.” This name for God, Jehovah, is the special name of God that associates Him with Israel and His covenants, and because it is so special to them they will not even pronounce this name and so when they read it in the Scriptures they use the name Adonai (Master). I have read that the reason they do not pronounce this name is because of the third commandment, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” They are afraid of when pronouncing His name that they would some how take it in vain so they never pronounce the name.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: God gave four encouraging reason to Moses in this section, and God can encourage me through these same reasons that He gave to Moses. Yesterday I learned that there were great promises in this section and today I have learned about the name that is pronounced Jehovah, which is His covenant giving name and means that He will always keep His covenants he has made with man. I am speaking of the covenants that have no conditions in them.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Remember that God is the all powerful God, and the God who keeps His covenants.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Moses: “Why have you sent me?” Part II
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:22-6:8
Message of the verses: Verses will not be posted on this SD since they are the same as yesterday’s verses.
The second way that God encouraged Moses was by reminding him of His covenant name “Jehovah.” This gets a bit confusing here because of what verse three of chapter six says, “And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.” The patriarchs knew God as “El Shaddai” the all-sufficient and all-powerful God. They also knew the name Jehovah, but really did not know that name like God told Moses about it while he was at the burning bush. This name Jehovah as it is used in most English Bibles is a word in the Hebrew that has no vowels in it. (Hebrew words do not contain vowels in them and when they are translated into English the vowels are added so the words can be pronounced). Getting back to the point of this SD and that is that God now associates He name with the covenant He would make with His people, (6:4), “I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned.” This name for God, Jehovah, is the special name of God that associates Him with Israel and His covenants, and because it is so special to them they will not even pronounce this name and so when they read it in the Scriptures they use the name Adonai (Master). I have read that the reason they do not pronounce this name is because of the third commandment, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” They are afraid of when pronouncing His name that they would some how take it in vain so they never pronounce the name.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: God gave four encouraging reason to Moses in this section, and God can encourage me through these same reasons that He gave to Moses. Yesterday I learned that there were great promises in this section and today I have learned about the name that is pronounced Jehovah, which is His covenant giving name and means that He will always keep His covenants he has made with man. I am speaking of the covenants that have no conditions in them.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Remember that God is the all powerful God, and the God who keeps His covenants.
Memory verses for the week: 2Cor. 12:9-10
9. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Why Should I Obey the Lord (Exodus 5:1-3)
3/18/2008 5:44 PM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Pharaoh: “Why should I obey the Lord?”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:1-3
Message of the verses: “1 ¶ And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’" 2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go."
3 ¶ Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.’”
God had promised Abraham that his descendents would live in a foreign country for 400 years and be treated harshly, and then God would rescue them from where they were living and bring them into the Promised Land. This message would have been passed down from generation to generation for all of these years and therefore these people should be looking for a person to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, which I think some of them were doing. Now comes the first confrontation with Pharaoh and first of all he believes that he is a god himself, and second he probably has never heard of the God of Israel, but perhaps he has from the slaves in Israel. Pharaoh has a source of free labor and he surely does not want to loose them and so he must have thought that Moses and Aaron were just trying to trick them into allowing the Israelites to escape and he wanted nothing to do with that.
Moses does at first ask Pharaoh to allow the children of Israel to go into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord, but does not tell them how long, and then he tells Pharaoh that they want to go three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord, however this would not be enough time to go to Mt. Sinai and so I am not sure as to why he said three days. Perhaps because of his conversation with the Lord he knew that Pharaoh would not allow this.
Moses tells Pharaoh that if they would not go into the wilderness that God would fall upon them with pestilence or with the sword. This statement is somewhat confusion to me because God would eventually fall on Egypt with judgments and not Israel, although God did judge Israel for sins they committed while in the wilderness and at Mt. Sinai. If Pharaoh would have believe Moses and Aaron concerning the judgments’ from God he may have let them go just because he would not have wanted to loose his workforce.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I think that what I can learn from this section of Scripture is that you have to start somewhere, and maybe at first you will not get exactly what you want you still have to work at it and then when failure comes you have to go back to the Lord and ask for more direction and then continue on until the process is completed with the help and guidance of the Lord.
God seems to be giving me directions to continue to work on this project to get our funds back from Andrew even though there has been many failures and setbacks, but to keep on praying and to keep on asking advice and wisdom from God and then be faithful to the Lord by doing what He is leading me to do.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to show me the steps he want me to follow in order to be used by Him in order to receive our funds back from Andrew.
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Pharaoh: “Why should I obey the Lord?”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Exodus 5:1-3
Message of the verses: “1 ¶ And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’" 2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go."
3 ¶ Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.’”
God had promised Abraham that his descendents would live in a foreign country for 400 years and be treated harshly, and then God would rescue them from where they were living and bring them into the Promised Land. This message would have been passed down from generation to generation for all of these years and therefore these people should be looking for a person to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, which I think some of them were doing. Now comes the first confrontation with Pharaoh and first of all he believes that he is a god himself, and second he probably has never heard of the God of Israel, but perhaps he has from the slaves in Israel. Pharaoh has a source of free labor and he surely does not want to loose them and so he must have thought that Moses and Aaron were just trying to trick them into allowing the Israelites to escape and he wanted nothing to do with that.
Moses does at first ask Pharaoh to allow the children of Israel to go into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord, but does not tell them how long, and then he tells Pharaoh that they want to go three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord, however this would not be enough time to go to Mt. Sinai and so I am not sure as to why he said three days. Perhaps because of his conversation with the Lord he knew that Pharaoh would not allow this.
Moses tells Pharaoh that if they would not go into the wilderness that God would fall upon them with pestilence or with the sword. This statement is somewhat confusion to me because God would eventually fall on Egypt with judgments and not Israel, although God did judge Israel for sins they committed while in the wilderness and at Mt. Sinai. If Pharaoh would have believe Moses and Aaron concerning the judgments’ from God he may have let them go just because he would not have wanted to loose his workforce.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I think that what I can learn from this section of Scripture is that you have to start somewhere, and maybe at first you will not get exactly what you want you still have to work at it and then when failure comes you have to go back to the Lord and ask for more direction and then continue on until the process is completed with the help and guidance of the Lord.
God seems to be giving me directions to continue to work on this project to get our funds back from Andrew even though there has been many failures and setbacks, but to keep on praying and to keep on asking advice and wisdom from God and then be faithful to the Lord by doing what He is leading me to do.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to show me the steps he want me to follow in order to be used by Him in order to receive our funds back from Andrew.
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