Obedient (Exodus 39:42)

(Verse chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 39-40 & Psalm 15 & Acts 12)

“The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”  Exodus 39:42

What lessons are there for me in this Scripture?

The Israelites are frequently reverse role models but in regard to building the tabernacle and its surroundings, they were positive role models.  God gave Moses specifics for construction and the Israelites complied.

Similarly, I must do what God wants me to do.  I must seek His will with all my heart.  I can do nothing of lasting value apart from Him.  Why do I attempt it?

Much of what God wants me to do is extremely obvious.  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.”  There are so many practical ways to get this done.  I want to deserve God’s blessing therefore I must do what He tells me to do.

Knowing His Word tunes me in to His directives.   Why have I stopped memorizing Scripture?  I need His Word hidden in my heart.

James Otis was born on February 5th.  God gave him the opportunity to be a leader in the American Revolution.

I’m not going anywhere without You! (Exodus 33:15)

(Verse chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 33-34 & Psalm 16 & Acts 9)

“Then Moses said to Him, ‘If Your Presence doesn’t not go with us, do not send us up from here.”  Exodus 33:15

What lessons are there for me in this Scripture?

Moses is the terrific role model here.  He recognizes the importance of having God with him and acts accordingly.  He knows the consequences and he is adamant about his not going anywhere without God.

I want God with me.  Why would I want to live independently?  Utter folly and a spiritual disaster waiting to happen.  I need Him every second.

I need to give Him opportunity to direct me.  I can’t be on the way to somewhere and be asking for His help.

“Lord, what do You want me to do.  Open doors.  Close doors.  I want Your course to be clear to me. I do not want to go anywhere, or do anything, without Your being with me.”

“And how blessed all those in whom You live, whose lives become roads you travel” – Psalm 84:5.

James Joyce was born on February 2nd.  God gave him the ability to write.

Reasoning with God (Exodus 32:11,14)

(Verses chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 32:11,14

“But Moses sought the favor of the Lord His God.  Then the Lord relented and did not bring on His people the disaster He had threatened.”  Exodus 32:11,14

What lessons are there for me in this Scripture?

I can interact with God.  Moses does it here and Israel is spared a punishment they deserved.

There are people in my life who will face eternal separation from God if they don’t recognize the consequences of their sin and accept God’s forgiveness.  I must stand in the gap between these folks and God and beg Him to spare them until their relationship is right with Him.

God knows everything about  everything, so “certainties” can be changed.  I must seek Him at all times.  I must know that He is a God of love and second chances.  There is no one in a situation beyond His reach.

Clark Gable was born on February 1st.  God gave him the ability to act.

Tell His Story (Exodus 18:8)

(Verse chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 17-20 & Acts 3)

“Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.”  Exodus 18:8

What lessons are there for me in this Scripture?

I have His story to tell.  How can I be silent?  Only if I am unaware or ungrateful.  I am aware of His great deeds because I have been reading His Word daily for seventeen months.  Great and marvelous things happen all the time.

Good things happen in my life all the time.  Were they independent of God?  Did I do them on my own?  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.  It’s God’s grace.  He is with me, for some unknown mysterious reason, no matter what goes on.

I must be quick to praise Him in all circumstances.  I want to represent Him, functioning only in His will.  Abiding in Him.  Trusting Him fully.  Then everything will be praiseworthy.  I won’t categorize things as “good” or “bad.”  If He is with me then everything I do will be Godly.

I must be quick to credit Him and even quicker to abide in Him entirely.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27th.  God gave him the ability to compose music.

Grumble (Exodus 16:8)

(Verse chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 14-16 & Acts 2)

“You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”  Exodus 16:8

What lessons are there for me in this Scripture?

When I complain, I am actually complaining about God.  I don’t’ directly reference Him but if I follow the trail down to where the “problem” came from, I find God.

The Israelites were following Moses and Aaron.  God was somewhere away from them as far as they were concerned.  Moses is trying to direct their attention to the fact that God is in charge, not the two of them.  Instead, the Israelites see humans in charge and are fair weather followers.

When I am abiding in Christ I have no reason to complain.  Whatever happens is a “good and perfect gift.”  I live in a fallen world where bad things happen.  I am not in charge and He Who is in charge knows what is best for me.

Abner Doubleday was born on January 26th.  God gave him the insight to invent baseball.

Who Gave? Makes? Gives? (Exodus 4:11-13)

(Verses chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 3-5 & Luke 22)

“The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth?  Who makes him deaf or mute?  Who gives him sight or makes him blind?  Is it not I, the Lord?  Now go: I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’  But Moses said, ‘O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”  Exodus 4:11-13

What lessons are there for me in this Scripture?

If God is for me, who can be against me.

What does the Lord want me to do?  In His strength I can do it.  I must not rely on my own strength.  I must recognize my feebleness without Him.

To belittle the reaction of Moses is to forget that there but for the grace of God go I!  Do I quickly step into His Ways?  Can I stop running ahead of Him or going too slow?

I need to totally rely on Him every second.  Can I delete functioning on my own strength from the equation?

After hearing of Moses’ continued resistance, the Lord was “angry.”  I cannot put myself in such a terrible position before God.

“What, O Lord, do You want me to do?  In Your strength/timing, I will do it.”

Carl Henry was born on January 22nd.  God gave this theologian great insights.

Obedience

waves (Anguilla)

(Verse chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 39-40 & Psalm 15 & Acts 12)

“The people of Israel did what God has commanded Moses.  They did it all.”  Exodus 39:32

Obedience to God’s instruction is important.  My ways are not His Ways unless I’m tuned into His instruction.  Much of what God wants me to do is clearly defined and basic.  As a start, I must take action there.  Why waste time floundering in the uncertain when the certain is so easily discerned?

Awe

beach rock (Anguilla)

(Verse taken from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 17-20 & Acts 3)

“Don’t be afraid.  God has come to test you and instill a deep and reverent awe within you so that you won’t sin.”  Exodus 20:20

God is great but do I respect His greatness by my actions?  Do I fear the consequences of my sin?  Do I realize that my sins separate me from Him?  His wonders are awesome.  His anger at the waywardness of His people is attention getting.  I must respect Him for Who He is  –  God.

Complaints

beach (Anguilla)

(Verse chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 14-16 & Acts 2)

“Who are we in all this?  You haven’t been complaining to us – you’ve been complaining to God!”  Exodus 16:8

Complaining.  So easy to do when this world revolves around me!  How could I be inconvenienced?  What are others thinking?  The eye-opener here is that the actual recipient of my dissatisfactions is God.  He is in charge.  Often His Ways are not my ways.  He’s the driver.  I’m along for the ride to wherever He chooses to take me.. Obstacles along a Godly walk are His doing for reason/purposes I may never understand.  I must stop complaining about how God is treating me.

I’ll Be With You

birds (Anguilla)

(Verses chosen from today’s Bible reading – Exodus 3-5 & Luke 22)

“What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
“I’ll be with you,” God said.

I must attempt nothing without God’s approval and companionship.  If He is with me then the obstacles lose their power over me.  That which seems impossible falls into place if that is God’s plan.  His Ways must be my ways.  Why would I want to stray from His Way?