One More Time

O.T. #159  "One More Time"
Oct. 31, 2013
Exodus 11-Part 1
Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country.  Exodus 11:1

LET IT GLOW

How many times do I have to lend this to my neighbor? One more time? Really?
In Matthew 5:42 and 44 Jesus answers, Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

The nine plagues of God upon Pharaoh and their Egyptian gods ended. Each plague showed God to be more powerful than their man-made gods. He displayed miraculous signs among them. If you missed studying them, I advise going back and reading the previous posts. The nine plagues were: water turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock dying, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness.  Today we study about the final and tenth plague. All of this was done so the Hebrews would know that God is the LORD.

Plague #10 Death of the Firstborn

The LORD told Moses that He was bringing one more plague, one more blow. During the process, Moses probably didn't know how many plagues there would be. This time was different. The Hebrews would actually be let go and Pharaoh would thrust  them out. This is the first mention of the word thrust.
Thrust means  drive out from a possession. (Strong's Concordance)

Sounds like good news to me-after being slaves for over 400 years, the Hebrews would finally get to leave for their Promised Land. However, God took drastic measures for this to be accomplished.

New Living Translation says it this way, In fact, he will be so eager to get rid of you that he will force you all to leave.

Are you eager to leave this world and go into the everlasting one? Where will you be spending your eternity-heaven or hell? Do we stop to think about it? Do we ask others?

LET IT GROW

The Israelites were instructed to  borrow (meaning to request in Hebrew) from their Egyptian neighbors articles of silver and gold. The LORD had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites. Also, Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt and was respected by Pharaoh's officials and the people alike. No longer was Moses looked down upon and ignored. Thus, these gold and silver articles would be the Hebrews' wages during all those years of slavery. Also, these items would be used for the building of a temple in the wilderness.

Do we share with our neighbors when they request something? Better yet, do we give to the Lord when He requests something of us?

LET IT GO

Let go of anything that is more important than God.

When He asks something of us, gladly let go of it.

Lend to and love my neighbor.

Darkness

O.T. #158  "Darkness"
Oct. 30, 2013
Exodus 10-Part 3
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.  Exodus 10:22-13

LET IT GLOW

When I was a child, we were not surrounded by cities with such a population growth as now. Their street lights were not lighting up our sky. It was dark on my country road back then. The moon and stars were so noticeable in the sky that they were the light in the darkness. It was not so for the Egyptians during the ninth plague. All stayed dark for three days and nights. How bad would that be?No cooking food, no working, no normal life.

Plague #9 Darkness

The plagues seem to have occurred in a pattern of sets of three, with the third happening without a warning. So it was for the ninth plague, The Egyptians had no warning of three days of darkness, no light.

The Egyptians had four sun gods-Re, Aten, Atum, and Horus. Our Jehovah God showed His supernatural power over them.

How dark was it? Verse 23 of NIV says No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

Light is not a physical property; it is an aspect of God's character. In judgment, God can withdraw His presence so significantly that the void remaining is darkness which may even be felt. Seemingly, God did not even allow artificial light sources to work. the Egyptians would attempt to use candles and lamps but were unable to produce light.  (David Guzik)

God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5 NIV)

Is God the light of our life or do we let sin keep our heart dark?

LET IT GROW

Pharaoh sought to compromise with Moses, ultimately God, a fourth time. He was willing to let the Israelites go and serve the LORD, but they had to leave their flocks, herds, and other possessions behind in Egypt. Remember, the Egyptians lost their livestock in plague 5, so the king wanted those of the Israelites.
Moses refused to leave their animals behind because those were to be used in sacrifices and offerings unto God. (verse 25) God requires all we possess, without compromise.
Do we surrender all we have to Him? Do we use what we have for His glory? Do our possession possess us or do we possess our possessions? Can we easily let go of anything and everything if and when God requires it?

Then Pharaoh's words to Moses were final when he promised Moses death if he ever saw Moses' face again. In turn, Moses agreed that he would never appear before the king again. (verse 29)

Charles Swindoll says, "This account of divine judgment has not been recorded and preserved simply for the sake of history. Events such as these have been written for our instruction in godly living (1 Cor. 10:1-11). Two life-changing thoughts stand out:
When God judges, He does a thorough job.
When god blesses, He holds nothing back.

Friend, if you haven't placed your trust in Jesus as your Savior, I pray you will today. Simply ask Him to forgive you of your sins and believe in your heart that Jesus is the Messiah.
Christian friend, are you living a godly lifestyle? Or is your lifestyle ungodly, awaiting discipline from the Almighty? The light of His mercy is waiting for your repentance.

LET IT GO

Allow God's light to shine in my life.

Surrender my lifestyle to Him so it honors God.

Grasshoppers

O. T. #157  "Grasshoppers"
Oct. 29, 2013
Exodus 10-Part 2
Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again.
Exodus 10:14b

LET IT GLOW

I remember one dry summer having grasshoppers all over the place outside, it seemed. Walking in the grass, they would jump; they were sitting on fence posts; eating up anything that was green, although fields were dry and brown like straw. They would leave evidence of their presence by spitting brown stuff, which we called tobacco, but it wasn't. Then at night you could hear their noise. It was horrible. That was back in 1980, the year of the drought. It was bad enough just visiting home where it happened, much less living among them. (We had moved to college earlier in the year.)
I can't imagine having grasshoppers in your house and other buildings, as the Egyptians experienced.
By the way, this is the first mention of locust or locusts.

However, God keeps His promises. What He says He will do, He does it. Pharaoh and Egypt have experienced seven awful plagues of devastation. God demonstrated His awesome power to the world. Also, Israel would later look back and speak of God's greatness, power, protection, and loving kindness during this time. Then came plague number eight...

Plague #8 Locust

Again, Moses and Aaron are sent to Pharaoh with a warning from God. This time it will be locusts if he will not let God's people go to worship Him in the wilderness.

This is the first mention of locusts. Locusts are  grasshoppers, according to Strong's Concordance;
it is a variety of voracious grasshoppers or cicadas, in Webster's Dictionary.
Cicada, (si-ka'da), is an insect that makes a shrill sound by vibrating certain membranes, as defined by Webster's Dictionary.

What is the warning to Pharaoh if he refuses again?

• God would bring locusts into Egypt the next day.
• Locusts would be so many that they would cover the ground so it is unseen.
• They would devour what little is left in Egypt after the hailstorm, even the trees.
• They would fill all the houses and offices of the Egyptians.
• The locusts will be worse than any of their ancestors had ever seen.

Grasshoppers are okay for fishing bait, catching perch, but not for house guests.
Do we have unpleasant house guests? That is, in our house, or life, do we have a bad attitude, unforgiveness, jealousy?
Are we letting anything eating up our faith in God?

LET IT GROW

"How long will this man be a snare to us? " Pharaoh's officials asked him that question.

Strong's Concordance defines a snare as a noose for catching animals; a hook for the nose; a trap.

This is the first mention of the word snare.

Pharaoh's attendants persuade him to come to terms with Moses. He will allow the men to go, falsely pretending that this was all they desired. He swears that they shall not remove their little ones. Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children to serve him.
Pharaoh would have taken hostages from the Israelites for their return, by holding their wives and children in captivity. (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible)

Do we let Satan snare us, trap us in a sinful way of life?

In light of the destruction, Pharaoh's servants relent, persuading the king to let the Hebrews go. It is Pharaoh who puts stipulations on the permission, compromising by letting only the men go. Really, only the men need to go worship?

God won't bargain; He holds all the negotiating leverage. Things are to be done God's way, not our way. Often times we "give in" to God, without fully submitting to Him. We do a task part way. That's so we can hop around it like a grasshopper.

The next morning the east wind blew in the locusts on Egypt destroying the plants and trees. Verse 15 says, They covered all the ground until it was black.

Is our heart black with sin as the ground was in Egypt? Jesus can cleanse it if we only ask Him to.

Well, Pharaoh  desperately summons Moses and Aaron, saying that he had sinned against God and them, wanting them to forgive him, and pray to the LORD their God to take away the deadly plague. (verses 16-17)
Then God caused a west wind to carry the locusts into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. (verses 18-19).

If they were planning on chocolate covered grasshoppers for dessert or barbecued grasshoppers for supper, they missed their chance.
How mighty is our God!
Troubles come, troubles go at His bidding. How strong is our faith to endure through them?

LET IT GO

Watch out for snares and locusts.

Turn to the Lord Jesus and His Word.

How Long?

O. T. #156  "How Long?"
Oct. 28, 2013
Exodus 10-Part 1
And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve me.  Exodus 10:3

LET IT GLOW

There have been times that I have asked, "How long?"
How long do I have to endure this? How long before this prayer is answered? How much longer will this continue? How long before...
God asked Pharaoh how long... Want to see what it was about? Read on, dear friend.

Why is all of this happening-seven plagues upon the Egyptians and their king, their livestock, their crops, their food supplies, their land?
It was so:

• God could perform His miraculous signs among them; (verse 1)
• the Israelites would tell their children and grandchildren how God dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how He performed His sign among them; (verse 2)
• the children of Israel would know that God is the LORD; (verse 2)
• we could share the mighty works of God and encourage the future generations to come.

Have you seen any miraculous works of God? I certainly have experienced them.
Last December, my sister in law went into the hospital for heart surgery, which was successful, but other complications developed, and though she almost died, she is came home 4 months later and is doing well.
Recently, after 6 weeks of walking pneumonia and asthma, I recovered. I spent 3 weeks in bed, unable to do very little due to such breathing problems. I still contend with the asthma. However, the Lord has given my breath back to me.
What about you? Are you sharing the wonderful works of God with your family?

LET IT GROW

Moses and Aaron went to the Pharaoh and delivered the message from God. It included the question, "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me?"  (NIV, verse 3)

The word humble, in the Hebrew language is anah (pronounced aw-naw'), and means several things. The definitions applied in this Scripture is submit self, weaken. (Strong's Concordance)
In Webster's Dictionary, humble can mean low in station, unimportant, lowly; meek or modest in manner; abase.

Pride was at the heart of the problem, so Pharaoh's problem was a matter of pride. He didn't want to give into God. Do we ever have that problem?

God gave Pharaoh an opportunity to:

1. hear the truth (Gen. 8:10); there is no one like the LORD our God;
2. repent of his sins (Gen. 8:19); his magicians recognized the plague of gnats as the finger of God;
3. submit unto Almighty God (El Shaddai) during all 7 plagues;
4. reconsider and obey, which is God's grace. 

Likewise, we have the opportunity to hear repent, submit, and obey Jehovah God.
However, are we?

1 Peter 5:5c, NIV says, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
1 Peter 5:6, NIV says, Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

LET IT GO

of my sins;
my ways;
my stubbornness.

Then repent, submit, and obey God.

Tell my  children and grandchildren of the miraculous deeds of God.

God's Handiwork or Work of God's Hand?

O.T. #155  "God's Handiwork or Work of God's Hand?
Oct. 25, 2013
Exodus 9-Part 3
So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.  Exodus 9:24

LET IT GLOW

Have you experienced or seen the mighty wonders of God lately?
Yesterday I traveled down the mountains for a meeting in the capital city of my state. I saw beautiful red leaves which had already changed from green. They seem to be the early ones in the fall process. The setting sun shining brightly upon the red trees made them glisten.  Only God could make such a marvelous sight. How can people pass by them and not proclaim God's glorious handiwork? I often say, "Look, Lord, at such a beautiful tree." As though He hasn't seen it all along. Maybe He chuckles at my finite mind.
Well, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, which was a very smart man, I am sure, seemed to pass by the work of God's hand upon his life. It was in the form of plagues instead of beauty.

God forewarns Pharaoh about His seventh plague coming if he does not release the Israelites so they can worship God. So far we have read about the water turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock died, boils on people and animals. I think of all the devastation that has occurred. Isn't anyone going to try to talk some sense into this king? Haven't the people suffered enough due to this man's pride?
Egypt's fish and other meat supply was demolished, frogs and insects everywhere, even the pain of the boils. How terrible to live in Egypt. Except for the land of Goshen, the Hebrews were not effected by today's plague.
How strong is our faith?


LET IT GROW

PLAGUE #7 Hail

It was a grievous hail that Egypt had never seen.

Rain itself is infrequent in Egypt, and then only along the Mediterranean coast and rarely south of Cairo. Hail would be a very unusual occurrence in Egypt. (Falwell)

What do we know about this hailstorm, the work of God's hand?

• It was the worse hailstorm on Egypt that had ever been witnessed. (verse 24)
• Thunder, lightning, and rain accompanied the hail. (verse 23)
• It struck all that was in the field, man and beast, plants and trees. (verse 25)
• It was escaped only by the land of Goshen. (verse 26)
• It prompted a momentary repentance and another promise of release from Pharaoh (verses 27-28)
• All four crops were important economic resources-flax and barley, yet the wheat and rye were not up out of the ground so they were not effected. (verse 31-32)
• Upon the ceasing of the hail, Pharaoh reneged on his word, sinned again and hardened his heart, and did not let the Hebrews leave. (verse 34) (Swindoll)

The hailstorm attacked the gods of Egypt which they worshipped:
Set-god of storms,
Nut-a sky goddess,
Osiris-a god of crops and fertility,
Seth-protector of crops.
[Resource: Moses, God's Man For a Crisis, by Charles Swindoll, from a chart written by John D. Hannah, using various sources listed on page 56 in Swindoll's Bible study guide]

Do we experience the work of God's hand on  our lives and just pass by it without recognizing it?
Or do we marvel at His handiwork?
What a Mighty God we serve and worship!

LET IT GO

Open my eyes to see the work of God in my life.

Praise Him for His beautiful creation.

Let go of any hardness in my heart.

Love God and others.

Look for red trees in my life today.

Boils

O. T. # 154 "Boils"
Oct. 24, 2013
Exodus 9-Part 2
And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.  Exodus 8:9

LET IT GLOW

I have not had a boil on my body, but I have had a painful sore that made it difficult to sit. It required surgery when I was in the ninth grade. It was so embarrassing to carry a pillow to sit on in my classes at school following the surgery. I can't imagine having painful boils covering my body, as the Egyptians had.

Just to review, we have read about Pharaoh and the Egyptians experiencing five plagues-water turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, and death of livestock. God used these plagues as an attempt to get the king, Pharaoh, to let the children of Israel leave Egypt and go a three-day journey into the desert for sacrificing unto God. Pharaoh kept refusing.
Then without warning, like the third plague, Moses had received instructions from God to relay to Pharaoh.

Plague #6 Boils

What happened during this time?

• God told Moses and Aaron to throw handfuls of soot/ashes from a furnace into the air in the presence of Pharaoh.
• It would become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils would break out on mean and animals throughout the land. The dust could have been from a lime kiln or a brick-making furnace. What was used in the oppressive labor became a source of a health hazard for the oppressors.
• Moses and Aaron obeyed God and He kept His Word-boils came on man and beast.
• Pharaoh's magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils on them.

Verse 9 in KJV uses the phrase  a boil breaking forth with blains, which  indicates an inflamed painful boil or abscess, breaking into a running sore, according to The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.

A boil, according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, refers to an ulcer, something inflamed.

Doesn't it sound very painful to have these sores all over your body? Job had these to contend with, also.
Do you have hard feelings, unforgiveness, or bitterness toward someone that is a sore spot in your life? Does it keep festering up as a sore inside your heart or mind? Maybe it happens whenever you see the person that hurt you, when you think about them, or hear their name? It can be a painful sore spot if you don't get it worked out or forgiven. Have you taken it to Jesus? He had the power to heal when He was on earth and He still has that same power.

LET IT GROW

This plague was directed at the Egyptian god Imhotep, the god of medicine.

The Egyptian magicians had no cure or special spell to remove the plague of boils. In fact, they were affected, also.

Pharaoh was unwilling to acknowledge the total sovereignty of the God of Israel. This is the first time that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Previously, Pharaoh had hardened his own heart.

The purpose of the plagues was to teach Pharaoh and the Egyptians (and the Israelites as well), that there is none like God in all the earth. (verse 14) This series of supernatural calamities were to cripple one of the greatest nations on earth. (Falwell)

John MacArthur said that God was carrying out His purpose through Pharaoh; Pharaoh was personally responsible for his actions as the command of verse 13 implies.

A similar thing will happen during the latter days according to Revelation 16:2.

Do we turn to doctors with medicine or to the God who provides healing and the ingredients for the medicine for our healing?


LET IT GO

Don't let things fester inside of me; take it to God.

When I am sick, take it to God.

If my heart is sin sick or my body is physically sick, take it to God.

Cows

O.T. #153  "Cows"
Oct. 23, 2013
Exodus 9-Part 1
And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.  Exodus 9:6

LET IT GLOW

As I write this, my neighbor's cows are in our yard again, pooping and making deep prints, making a mess of our well-groomed yard. How ironic that today's lesson is about the plague on the Egyptians' cows and livestock. How tempting it is to pray for the same thing for my neighbor's stock. It is hard to keep a "love your neighbor" attitude, I must admit. I would like to have a few steaks from them today, since this has happened countless times. So I have a BA-bad attitude that needs changing, Lord Jesus. So does Pharaoh.

Four times God gave Pharaoh warning about the plagues to come, but he refused to let the Hebrews leave Egypt. Now another plague is coming, to prove God is greater and more powerful than the Egyptian gods.

Apparently stabled livestock did not succumb to the pestilence. Although incredibly severe, some animals were still alive afterwards for Egypt to continued without total loss to an economy which depended on domesticated animals. A few months later, the seventh plague killed some cattle still in the field.(MacArthur)

Plague #5 Livestock

What did the Lord do?

• He sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go so they could serve Him.
• If Pharaoh refused to let them go, the hand of the LORD would bring a terrible plague, murrain, upon the cattle in the field, horses, donkeys, camels, sheep and goats. (NIV) Murrain means a pestilence according to Strong; signifies a deadly disease according to Falwell. 
• The children of Israel would have nothing die.
• The appointed time for the plague was the next day.
• It happened as the LORD had said.

Do we refuse to let go of anything that the Lord wants?

LET IT GROW

The MacArthur Bible Commentary informs us:

This was the first time personal property was targeted. Livestock was very valuable to the Egyptians. Whatever the exact nature of this pestilence-anthrax, murrain, or other livestock disease-it was clearly contagious and fatal. Religious implications were obvious:

• Egypt prized the bull as a sacred animal with special attention and worship being given to the Apis bull, the sacred animal of the god Ptah.
• The goddess Hathor, represented by a cow, or a cow-woman image, was worshiped in several cities.

Does this sound familiar? We have a religion in our day that does the same thing, worshiping cows while people starve for food.

Pharaoh had to check on the Israelites situation-none of their livestock was killed. Yet, his resistance and disobedience continued with a hard heart.

Did you notice that when the previous four plagues occurred, Pharaoh asked Moses to entreat the LORD so He would remove the plague? When all the animals died in the fields, there was no reason to ask.

What we make an idol of, it is just with God to remove from us. This proud tyrant and cruel oppressor deserved to be made an example by the Just Judge of the universe. (Matthew Henry)

Are there any idols in our life that we need to let go?

LET IT GO

Check my heart.

Grow in faith in Jesus.

Forgive my neighbor and love him as Jesus does.

To What Are You a Slave?

O.T. #152  "To What Are You a Slave?"
Oct. 22, 2013
Exodus 8-Part 3
Thus sayeth the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve Me.  Exodus 8:20b

LET IT GLOW

I kicked the habit of drinking Dr. Pepper for over a year. Gradually, I have yielded, and went back to drinking it. Well, my body can't handle the acid in the drink, so I have been having some physical problems. It is my own doing, my sinning, my fault, I have to confess. I have become a slave to it, instead of resisting and being a slave to God, using my body for His glory. To what are you a slave ?
Job, money, liquor, drugs, self, material things, power? Maybe you are not.


Plague #4 Flies

Wasn't it bad enough to have water turned to blood for a week, have frogs everywhere for a day, and gnats for however long they lasted? No, Pharaoh did not let the Hebrew slave go three days into the wilderness to make sacrifices unto their God. I am no better than Pharaoh-being a slave to my little god of a soda drink. How about you, friend? Are you a slave to something? It is time for us to kick the habit and let God be our Master of our body. Don't you agree?

We aren't told how much time elapse between the plagues. We aren't told if the Hebrews/ Israelites were effected by the first three plagues. There are pros and cons concerning that. Well, we are told that the Hebrews, who lived in the land of Goshen, would be unaffected by the swarms of flies.
What a blessing! If they did endure the blood, frogs, and gnats, it would have been a relief to not have the flies. Personally, I believe that the Hebrews in the land of Goshen were not effected by any of the plagues except for the tenth. Why would God punish them with the same plagues as the Egyptians?

We may not know how many times the Lord has protected us, this side of heaven-automobile accidents, diseases, sicknesses, discouragements, etc.
Do we thank Him for all His protection?

God says, ...thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. (verse 22b)

Do we recognize God as the Creator of the earth and everything in and on it?

We do know that God forewarned Pharaoh about plague #4. (verse 21) The Bible forewarns us of what is to happen in the last days, and still some will not believe in Jesus as Savior.

LET IT GROW

Remember, these plagues are God's way of shooting down the gods that the Egyptians and Pharaoh worship and believe in. So you know me, the word geek, had to look up the word flies/fly.

Fausset Bible Dictionary says the old Egyptian word fly retained in Coptic abeb, a bettle seems related. The sun god in Egypt was represented in the form of a bettle; thus their sin would be made their instrument of punishment. but the  flies, whether gnats, mosquitoes, or dog flies, literally "devour", conveying the well-known ophthalmia from one to another, and by the larvae entering beneath the skin and intestines, and generating deadly disease. Found in swarms about arms and canals of the Nile.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary says the swarms was translated as dog-fly, a bloodsucking insect.
The Egyptian deity was called Shu, Isis, or Uatchit. 

Liberty Bible Commentary says swarms of flies (arob in Hebrew); dog flies (kunomuia in Hebrew)could cause blindness. 

Whichever is right, it was a horrible plague for the Egyptians to endure. I don't understand this king. He is fighting against the King of kings and LORD of lords. He will not win. Just give up now before it gets worse, I say. But then, his hardened heart was his/Satan's doing.

This time, Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, saying he would let them go sacrifice to their God in the land (not the wilderness).

This was not acceptable. God is interested in complete obedience, not compromise. (Falwell)

In the NIV, Moses asks that if they offered sacrifices detestable in the Egyptians' eyes, wouldn't they stone the Hebrews. Moses still demands a 3-day journey into the desert for them.
Get this: Pharaoh offered to let them go into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord God, but they must not to far. Then his heart was hardened and he would not let them go.

Here we are again-Pharaoh will not let go of his slaves.
What will we not let go of so we can completely obey our God? What keeps us a slave to it so we are not a slave to God?

LET IT GO

So far, today I have not drank a Dr. Pepper, that is a step in the right direction.

More than 3 times a day I will have to yield my body to God-every time I want a drink of something.
I will offer it as a drink offering.

Be a slave to Jesus only.

Here a Gnat, There a Gnat, Everywhere a Gnat

O.T. #151  "Here a Gnat, There a Gnat, Everywhere a Gnat"
Oct. 19, 2013
Exodus 8-Part 2
Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.  Exodus 8:19

LET IT GLOW

Plague #3 Gnats

When we lived in the flatlands of our state, in rice country where water was standing in the fields, mosquitoes were everywhere, especially at dusk and evening time. They were so bad at biting us, the boys at our church could not play basketball outside because of them. If you mowed the lawn, you better spray repellent on you. We did not have outdoor evening activities or picnics because of them. In fact, trucks would spray the ditches of standing water to kill them. What a nuascience(misspelled). Their bites would itch until something was put on it. How terrible it must have been for the Egyptians. Here a gnat, there a gnat, everywhere a gnat or mosquito.

The first plague upon Egypt was water turned into blood for a week; the second plague was frogs for one day. The first two plagues had warnings, but the third plague was not. There was no forewarning before the third, sixth, and ninth plagues.

The third plague was that of turning the dust of the land into lice. The word lice is generally taken to be a type of stinging gnat quiet common to the vicinity of marshlands near the Nile River. (Falwell)

The Hebrew word translated "gnats" or "lice" was used to name a tiny, black insect that would penetrate the nostrils and ears of its victims and sting them. They covered man and beast. (Swindoll)

These tiny, stinging gnats were barely visible to the naked eye. The Egyptian deity was called Hathor, and/or Nut. (MacArthur)

What a horrible thing for the people to endure. Remember, Jehovah God was showing His power is stronger than the Egyptian gods.
Are there little things, sins, that we do that keep us from serving God to our fullest?


LET IT GROW

When the Egyptian magicians could not duplicate this, they exclaimed to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not listen to anyone. The Word doesn't say how long the gnats lasted.

David Guzik had this to say about the third plague:

This plague struck at the heart of all the Egyptian worship, especially the priests. They were extremely scrupulous about hygiene and ritual cleansing and an infestation of lice made them unable to worship their gods.

This plague was also upon every beast. The gods of Egypt would not receive the sacrifice of lice-infested animals, so this stopped their sacrificial system.

Satan's power was limited when the magicians would not duplicate the plague. They knew there was a power greater than their own, yet it wasn't a power they honored nor served.

Pharaoh did not even heed the analysis of his own advisers.

Do we take advice from our preachers, from the Word of God?
Do we recognize when the hand of God is on our life?

Another time someone saw the hand of God was in Daniel 5 after Belshazzar took the vessels from the sacred Temple of God.

LET IT GO

Look for the hand of God in my life.

Don't let little things bother me.

Confess those "little" sins.

Bed, Bath, and Bowls

O.T. #150  "Bed, Bath, and Bowls
Oct. 18, 2013
Exodus 8-Part 1
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD."
Exodus 8:8 NIV

LET IT GLOW

When I was a child, my neighbors had a secluded pond I the woods next to us. My brother and friends would go frog giggin' at night to kill bull frogs. He used a long handled wooden pole with three metal prongs, a spear, on the end. Off they would go frog hunting in the hot summer night with the moonlight, a flashlight, and a burlap sack. They would clean the catch by cutting off their hind legs and skinning them. Mom would fry the for supper the next night. Mmmm. Lest you say yuck, frog legs taste like a white piece of chicken. In fact, some catfish restaurants around here have them on their menu.
That's my experience with frogs, croaking on a hot summers night. I can't imagine green, slimy frogs croaking and hopping in your bed, bath, and bowls like the Egyptians had.

Plague #2-Frogs

God sent Moses and Aaron back to Pharaoh so he would let the Hebrew slaves go to serve Him. Pharaoh was given another chance to repent, for he was forewarned about the frogs, but refused the request again. Maybe the plague of water turned into blood didn't effect the king very much. Perhaps he had milk or fruit juice to drink. The Word doesn't say.

According to verse 3, frogs were hopping everywhere:

• in the bedroom,
• their beds,
• servants' houses,
• upon the people,
• in the ovens,
• in the bowls, kneading troughs for bread,
• and of course in the Nile River where they bathed, though Scripture doesn't say so in this verse, but does in verse 11.

Ladies, can you think of having these critters in your house and kitchen? What a noise! It would be worse than a cricket in the house. You couldn't sleep, eat, or even talk without frogs.

These sacred frogs were not killed either. Yes, I said sacred. The Egyptians worshiped the frog. God showed them the foolishness of worshiping a frog-god. If they wanted to worship frogs instead of Him, God would give them all the frogs they wanted. Doesn't God have a sense of humor.

Here's what David Guzik had to say about this frog-god:

• It was a female goddess named Heqt.
• Frogs reproduced rapidly.
• Frogs were common around the Nile River.
• Being amphibians, they are a part of two worlds, land and water.

I can't figure out why Pharaoh's magicians would want to duplicate the act, making more frogs for them to endure. I suppose it was to prove their power.

LET IT GROW

What happened next? Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. He said it all in our key verse 8 above.
Did he just acknowledge that God had the power to take away the frogs when he told them to pray to the Lord? Did he make a deal with God-take away the frogs and he would let the Hebrews go to offer sacrifices unto God?

Do we make deals with God-if You will...then I will ...? Isn't it a dangerous thing to do? Can we make a deal with God? Perhaps God knows and understands our finite minds and reasoning.

Back to the story-Moses left it up to Pharaoh as to when God should rid them of the frogs.
Tomorrow. Really? Why not today? Why not now? Tomorrow get rid of the frogs. How ridiculous is that when the opportunity is the present?
Aren't we like Pharaoh? Instead of taking advantage of God's blessings by obeying Him now, we put it off until tomorrow. Ouch! Pardon me while I spend time on my knees confessing my sin of half obedience.

Moses asked Pharaoh to set the time for the termination of the frog plague so that Pharaoh would know that it was God who ended it. (Falwell)

It happened as Pharaoh said, so he would know that there is no one like the LORD our God (verse 10).  The sudden death of millions of frogs. What a stinky stench all over the land. Only frogs remained in the Nile River, where they should be.

Pharaoh did not keep his word to release Israel, but he hardened his heart instead.
Do we keep our word to others, to the Lord Jesus? How merciful our Lord is! It doesn't take frogs in my house to show me my disobedience, just on a page.

How about you friend? Have you told the Lord you would do something when He asked you, but you have yet to do it, like me?

By the way, Revelation 16:13 mentions three evil spirits that look like frogs.
Revelation 11:6 mentions the waters being turned into blood when the two witnesses prophesy for Jesus. some of these plagues will occur again in the end times.

LET IT GO

of worldliness and pride and turn to God for mercy.

Obey what He asked of me, not tomorrow, but today.

Maybe I should buy a ceramic frog to remind me that half obedience is actually disobedience.

No Water

O.T. #149 "No Water"
Oct. 17, 2013
Exodus 7-Part 3
And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.  Exodus 7:21

LET IT GLOW

There have been times that  we had no water for our house nor for the cattle to drink on our farm. Sometimes it was due to an electrical outage.  Several times the electricity was off to the pump due to ice and snow storms, and a tornado. A couple of winters it was off for a week at a time, so we used a generator. Then there were a couple of times that our pump stopped working and we had to replace it or parts. That was when we quickly called the man who fixes pumps. He was so good to come as soon as possible. In the mean time, we either hauled water from our son's house or we just stayed with them in their upstairs. When I didn't have water, I seemed to be thirsty a lot. I couldn't bathe, wash clothes, nor flush. You don't miss it until it is gone.  It is rough being out of water for 7 days. The Egyptians experienced it, too. Why?

After the staff and snake episode, Pharaoh did not let the Hebrews leave Egypt. He hardened his heart. God told Moses to take his staff and go down to the Nile River and wait for Pharaoh there.

Apparently Pharaoh habitually went to the river for washing or, more likely, for the performance of some religious rite. Three times Moses would meet him at this early morning rendezvous to warn of plagues, the first, fourth, and seventh. The Nile River was the sacred waterway of the land, whose annual ebb and flow contributed strategically and vitally to the agricultural richness of Egypt. Hymns of thanksgiving were often sung for the blessings brought by the Nile, the country's greatest, single economic resource.  (John MacArthur)

So the warnings of the coming 1st, 4th, and 7th plagues occurred at the river bank. the Warnings for the 5th and 8th plagues happened at the palace. (An interesting tidbit)

Moses was to say the same thing to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt-God said for you to let His people, the Hebrews, go into the desert to worship Him. This time, it was added, "But until now you have not listened. By this you will know that I am the LORD." (verses 16c and 17a NIV)

In verses 17-18, Moses spoke God's warning of the water turning into blood and the fish dying.
Pharaoh said nothing.

Do we listen and know that God is the Supreme God, Elohim and Almighty God, El Shaddai?

If we listen to what He has to say to us, we might receive a warning of something to come.


LET IT GROW

Then Aaron struck the water of the Nile with his staff and it turned into blood in front of Pharaoh and his officials.

The Nile River was worshiped as a god since it was the source of life in Egypt (Deut. 11:10-12), and when Moses turned it into blood, God showed His power over the river. (Wiersbe)

It wasn't just the Nile River that was changed into blood; the streams and canals, ponds and reservoirs, wooden buckets and stone jars of water, also; even areas not touched by the natural flow of the river. The Egyptians could not drink the water for seven days. That's how long the plague lasted. It was virtually impossible for the people to find fresh water to drink (verses 18, 21, 24) during those seven days.

The word blood (dam in Hebrew pronounced dawm), refers to that which when shed causes death of man or an animal; it can also refer to the juice of the grape, fig. (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance)

In Liberty Bible Commentary, Jerry Falwell said:

The word blood occurs over 150 times in the Pentateuch, and is always used of real biological blood, except in two passages (Gen. 49:11 and Deut. 32:14) where it speaks figuratively for the "blood" of the grape. If Moses had simply meant that the Nile would turn "red," he could have used any of several words to signify that color.

The Egyptian magicians did the same thing and Pharaoh's heart became hard, then he went back to his palace. He did not even take it to heart. He didn't even contemplate what he saw happen.
Do we listen to what God's Word has to say to us and take it to heart? God means business. He cannot lie. His Word is true.

the Egyptian people even tried digging around the Nile River for drinking water. When the blood turned back into water, in a single day, it should have been a miraculous thing to Pharaoh, but his hard heart took no notice.

I hope we do not have such a hard heart that we can't see God's miracles around us.

Here is some new information which I found out and wanted to share. 

John Phillips, in his book, 100 Old Testament Sermon Outlines, concludes:

Pharaoh hardened his own heart long before God hardened it for him. The hardening process is traced to Pharaoh up through the first five plagues. After the sixth, God hardened Pharaoh's heart for him. Space was given him for repentance after the seventh plague; thereafter, Pharaoh proving adamant, God hardened his heart until He met him in judgment at the Red Sea.

That is plague #1, water turned into blood. How many plagues or miracles does it take to turn our heart to God? It took 9 more for Pharaoh.

LET IT GO

Listen to God and know that He is LORD.

Look for warnings and heed them.

Maintain a soft heart.

Modern Plagues

O.T. #148 "Modern Plagues"
Oct. 16, 2013
Exodus 7-Part 2
The LORD told Moses to speak to Pharaoh for Him:
For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like Me in all the earth. Exodus 9:14

LET IT GLOW

Do you ever wonder if aides, cancer, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wars, are the judgment of God upon our nation? I do. Are these modern plagues to soften our hearts and turn to Him? After all, we allow abortions, marriages of homosexuals, abuse, etc. Is our nation becoming a modern Sodom and Gomorrah? What is next? God has been so patient with us, yet are we turning to Him in repentance and mercy?

When God speaks, He expects His subjects to sit up, listen, and obey. If they stubbornly refuse, then they risk becoming objects of His wrath. Because Pharaoh elected to rebel against the divine King, he opened the door for ten destructive expressions of God's fury. (Swindoll)
We call these expressions plagues. The word is not used until 9:14, but we call them the ten plagues.

In Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, plague refers to a pestilence; defeat; slaughter; or stroke.

What do we already know about the plagues that are coming?

• God predicted the plagues to Moses back in 3:19-20 at the burning bush.
• He revealed that Pharaoh would refuse to let the Hebrews go free.
• God would strike Egypt with a series of miracles, thus they were a part of God's plan before Moses returned to Egypt.
• Pharaoh's nature required the plagues. God prophesied the Pharaoh would reject the plea to let the Hebrews go worship God in the wilderness (5:1-2).
• Pharaoh's heart was stubborn in 7:14.
• In order to get Pharaoh's attention, God delivered devastating wonders, due to his deep-rooted rebellious nature.
• Staunch disobedience of Pharaoh called for a severe judgment of God.
• At the end of the tenth plague, Pharaoh finally heeded Moses' words for God, "Let My people go."

The obvious miraculous nature of the ten plagues cannot be explained by identifying them with natural occurrences to which Moses then applied a theological interpretation. The specific prediction of, as well as the intensity of, each plague moved it beyond being normal, natural phenomena.
(John MacArthur)

Have we been given fair warning? We know that eternity is coming when we die. Then we will stand before God as our Judge or Savior. Our soul will either enter Heaven or Hell for all eternity, forever. Sweet friend, are you prepared for that day? You can avoid the judgment by asking Jesus to be your Savior, to come into your heart, to forgive you of your sins. Then you will be in heaven.
Will you make the choice right now?


 LET IT GROW

As we prepare for the ten plagues to come upon Egypt, we observe that each plague affected all of the Egyptians, not the Hebrews in Goshen (except for the 10th). None of the plagues softened Pharaoh's heart. though he finally let the Hebrews leave after the last plague, he later pursued them so he could bring them back. Thus, Pharaoh never did repent of his disobedience to God.

Does this make us realize that our sins effect others and our loved ones? Is our heart soft or hard because of our sins?

LET IT GO

Keep my heart soft, confessing my sins.

Love God with all my heart, soul, and mind.

Witness with a kind heart, not a judgmental one.

Pray for our nation, families, each other.

Who is the Greatest One of All?

O.T. #147 "Who is the Greatest One of All?"
Oct. 15, 2013
Exodus 7-Part 1
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "When Pharaoh says to you 'Perform a miracle,' then say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,' and it will become a snake."

LET IT GLOW

Who is the greatest one of all? We don't need a mirror to tell us who is the greatest one of all, as in the children's story Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
No, we know and believe that God is the greatest one of all. But not all people know and believe that. Certainly God proved it to Moses, Aaron, the children of Israel, and Pharaoh and his magicians. Want to know how? Read on, friend.

God showed His power in performing a miracle of turning a rod or staff into a snake. He did it before Moses (4:2-9), He did it for Israel and Aaron (4:30-31), and now to Pharaoh in 7:10. It was God's sign of His authority.
This was the second time that Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, trusting and obeying God. Of course, Moses already knew ahead of time that Pharaoh would not let the Hebrews leave Egypt without the plagues being performed by God.

So when Pharaoh requested a miracle through Moses and Aaron, they knew what to do. God had already given them directions-throw down Aaron's staff, rod, before Pharaoh, and it would become a snake. That's just what the brothers did. However, that wasn't proof enough for this king, that God was all-powerful and King of the universe. Nope, he had to bring in his wise men, sorcerers, and Egyptian magicians to perform the same act. Can't you see his cocky head move as he gave the order? Perhaps he loved a challenge or had seen what his men could do through the power of Satan. I don't know.

Magic and sorcery played a major role in the pantheistic religion of Egypt. Its ancient documents record the activities of the magicians, one of the most prominent being the charming of serpents. These men were also styled "wise men" and "sorcerers," the learned men of the day and the religious as well (2cor. 11:13-15). The loss of the magicians' rods in this fashion gave evidence of the superiority of God's power when Aaron's rod gulped their down.  (John MacArthur)

Does God have to prove to us His power in our lives before we trust and believe in Him? He wants us to love Him not for what he can do for us, but for Who He is-El Shaddai, Almighty God, Elohim, Supreme God, our Savior.

LET IT GROW

The story didn't stop there. Oh, no. Something happened that these proud onlookers did not expect-God caused Aaron's staff, which was a snake at the time, to swallow up the other ones. What a magnificent performance by God!
Yet seeing was not believing, for Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the Hebrews leave Egypt to worship this Almighty God.

Now keep in mind, this happened before the 10 plagues. Pharaoh had his chance to change his mind. Come to think of it, the Word does not say that any of his people tried to persuade him, either. Hmm.

Do we not see the great wonders that God performed when He created the things of nature which are all around us? Who made the trees, the flowers, the oceans, the sun and moon, the mountains, the grass, the dirt we walk on? Better yet, who made the us? Jehovah God, the only One.
Will you believe in Him today? Have you surrendered to Him today?
the God who spoke everything into existence loves us and wants a relationship with each of us. I can't comprehend it, but by faith believe in Him.

Psalm 136 repeatedly says, O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.

LET IT GO

Thank You heavenly Father for all the beautiful things You have made and blessed us with.

For all that You provide, I thank You.

Bless Your holy Name.

Never Too Old

O.T. #146  "Never Too Old"
Oct. 14, 2013
Exodus 6-Part 3-7:5
Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded them.  Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.   Exodus 7:6-7


LET IT GLOW

In my mother's family, her dad lived to be over 90 years of age and her sister lived to be over 100 years of age. They endured so much hardship during their lifetimes-the depression, 2 world wars, Korea and Viet Nam wars. Yet they raise their families through them. However, I don't recall them sharing things that the Lord Jesus did for them. Oh, I know they were believers, reading the Word and attending church. I don't want it said of me the same thing. I want my grandchildren to hear of the many ways God has worked in my life and my husband's life. How about you? We are never too old to share Jesus.

Moses spoke to God about their circumstances. He felt like a failure since Pharaoh refused to free the Hebrews the first time Moses and Aaron confronted him. So Moses went to the Lord in prayer.
What was the Lord's answer?

• I am the LORD.
• Speak to Pharaoh all that I say.
• I have made you (Moses) a god to Pharaoh and Aaron thy prophet. Moses stood before Pharaoh with divine authority, as a god in Pharaoh's eyes when Jehovah did all those miraculous signs.
• I command you and you tell Aaron what to speak to Pharaoh.
• The message is for Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land.
• I will harden Pharaoh's heart and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
• Pharaoh will not hearken unto you.
• I will stretch forth My hand upon Egypt and their people will know I am the LORD.

Does the Lord ever tell us to speak to someone about all the wonderful things He has done for us?
Do we pray for our family, neighbors, state, nation, and church? Are we watching for signs of God working around us?

LET IT GROW

We are never too old to work for Jesus, nor to tell of all the great things He has done in our life.  Moses was 80 years old at this time and Aaron was 83 year old. Moses lived to be 120, so his life was only 2/3 over. Man's normal life span was 70-80 back then.
The Egyptian records show that service beyond 100 was not uncommon. (Falwell/Connell)

Look at all that these two men accomplished during the later part of their lives. What is our excuse?
If I only have 10-20 more years to live, I want to do my best in serving God and share what a wonderful, faithful, merciful God He has been to me.
We are never too old to share Jesus. Let's not waste another day, hour, or minute, dear friend.

By faith Moses and Aaron did what God commanded them. They went back to Pharaoh a second time. We will see what happened not posting.


LET IT GO

No more excuses, share my experiences with Jesus.

Tell how He has worked so wonderfully in my life.

Do what God commands me and leave the results to Him.

Love people to Jesus today.

A Stick Up

O.T. #145 "A Stick Up"
Oct. 11, 2013
Exodus 6-Part 2
And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD.  Exodus 6:2

LET IT GLOW

Last spring, I came up with a unique idea for collecting money for our home missions offering. I dressed up in a western, cowgirl outfit, covered my mouth with a pink bandana, and got a big stick. I went around to our Sunday School classes dressed like a bandit, holding my stick up in the air, saying, "This is a stick up for home missions offering. I am part of Annie's gang (Annie Armstrong) and empty your pockets for our missions offering." We met our goal and more for the offering, while everyone got a big laugh out of my performance. I said all that to say, sometimes we have to stick up for what God wants accomplished, even if we do look silly. Moses needed reassurance so he could stick up for God's plan.

Moses wanted to give up after the first setback. God wanted Moses to keep plugging away; not looking at Pharaoh, the children of Israel, nor even himself, but to look to God and God alone. God had some work to do in Moses, for discouragement was ahead of him. God was building endurance in Moses, the ability to stick with God's plan and even when it doesn't seem to work. This is faith; that is patient endurance in the LORD.
Moses had to understand that this was God's will, not merely a few suggestions for Israel and Pharaoh. This was His divine command that would be accomplished one way or another.
[Resource: David Guzik's Bible Commentary]

God reminded Moses that He is the I AM and that He will do what He said, deliver his children from slavery in Egypt. Of course, it is easier for us to understand since we can read the rest of the story, but Moses was living it.

Less we point our finger at Moses and tell him to cut it out and get going, we become discouraged too when things don't turn out like we thought, even when we obeyed God. That's where we have to walk by faith and not by sight. We need to remember that God is the Great I AM and what He says He will do, He will do. I don't think I am alone in this.


LET IT GROW

In the rest of chapter 6, we read of the families of Jacob, called Israel. They were among the 70 who went to Egypt during the famine, when Joseph was second in command and the agriculture administrator. The Word focuses on the tribe of Levi, whose sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Bringing down the generations of Kohath, Amram was his son, the grandson of Levi. Then Amram is mentioned as the father of Mariam, Aaron, and Moses.

Israel spent 440 years in Egypt before Moses returned with a message from God.            
           

Falwell says there was probably another Amram, which fathered Moses and Aaron. However, it is possible, by my calculations, that this Amram, who lived 137 years, is the father of Moses and Aaron. Levi lived 137 years, Kohath lived 133 years, and Amram lived 137 years. Their sons could have been born-if each were 130 years old when each son was born, then 130 x 3 =390 years. Although, Moses was 40 when he left Egypt the first time.

Anyway, God had Moses write this genealogy down in chapter 6. If you are interested in history, you can read what happened to some of these men later on by going to John Gill's Commentary at lightsource.com.

We also read about Aaron's family, of the Levi tribe, who became priests later.

Well, the stage is set: Pharaoh refused God's command, and now God would send His judgments on Egypt. He would fulfill His promise to judge the nations that persecuted the Jews (Gen 12:3). He would reveal His power, His wrath, and His greatness, showing that the gods of Egypt were false gods, and that Jehovah alone is the true God. (Wiersbe)

Get ready. The ten plagues are coming in chapter 7.

Do we need reminded of what a powerful God we serve?

Proverbs 18:24 says, A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

That friend is Jesus Christ. Is He your best friend, Savior, Redeemer, Provider, Almighty God?

LET IT GO

Keep plugging away, doing God's will, even when it looks like nothing is happening.

Stick to God's plan so He sticks to me.

Walk by faith, not by sight, with our focus on Jesus.

Who is to Blame?

O.T. #144 "Who is to Blame?"
Oct. 10, 2013
Exodus 5-Part 4, 6-Part 1
And they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."  Exodus 5:21

LET IT GLOW

Blame. Who is to blame? Does it really matter who's fault it is? Love doesn't hurt others. When she made fun of me, to the max, I was stunned, speechless. I considered her a friend. Words can stab you in the heart, even cut it out. Later, I thought of a come back, but glad I didn't think of it at the moment nor say it. It would have brought me down to her level. Love is kind. She was low on love and kindness that day. So I pray for her. It is God who can change hearts. I want to be an over comer, as the song goes. I want to love in spite of the ugly way others treat me.

How did Moses handle it when he and Aaron were blamed for the Hebrews added burden?
Moses went to the Lord for answers. Why did You send me? How will Pharaoh listen to me when the people won't? The Lord didn't leave Moses in the pit of despair.

Charles Swindoll, in his Bible study guide, Moses, God's Man For a Crisis, shares ways that God consoled and counseled Moses with these truths:

• "I Am." It was 5 times that God reminded Moses "I am the Lord (YHWH)." (verses 2, 6, 7, 8, 29) Moses needed to stay focused on Him. When times turn from bad to worse for us, we need to focus our attention on the Lord (Heb. 12:1-3). Dwell on His sovereignty, goodness, power, justice, compassion, love, and wisdom. Because of who God is, we can be confident that He is in control of our circumstances.
• "I will." It was 7 times that the Lord addressed Moses' need by zeroing in on how He would intervene in his situation. 
• God promised Moses that He would: 

           -bring him out from under the burdens of the Egyptians;
           -from their bondage; redeem him with an outstretched arm and with great judgments;
           -take them for His people; be their God; bring them to the land sworn to Abraham, Isaac,  
            Jacob;
           -give it for them to possess. 

Swindoll summarizes God's message to Moses: "Because I am who I am, I will always do what is best for you."
God expected Moses to accept this truth and get back to his appointed mission (verse 10-11).

Isn't there always enough blame to go around? Who is to blame? Bring it on down to home-am I to blame? Or am I suffering for the cause of Christ, doing His will?

The Israelites looked to Pharaoh for help rather than to the Lord who had promised to deliver them (5:15-19). Believers who are out of fellowship with God bring grief to their leaders instead of help.
(Wiersbe)

                 
LET IT GROW

So what do we do when life gets us down? Don't retreat into a pit of self-pity. Stand fast on God's nature and His promises. Look to Him for strength and victory. Tough times are designed by God for our good, not for our detriment.

Swindoll gives us some principles:

• Circumstances that turn against us force dependence.
• Circumstances that force dependence teach us patience.
• Circumstances that teach us patience make us wise.

Are our struggles building character in our life? What lesson is God trying to teach me through this problem?

Matthew 5:11-12 says, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

The word revile means defame, rail at, taunt in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance; abuse in speech or writing in Webster's Dictionary.

Is there anyone who is abusing you with words, making fun of you, or defaming you?

In I Peter 2:22-23, Peter is referring to Jesus: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously.

I Peter 3:17 tells us It is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

Sometimes comments don't deserve an answer or defending, just prayer.

I hope you are encouraged, friend. I know I needed it.
Jesus loves you.

LET IT GO

Trust in the God who can do all things.

Bring my troubles to the foot of the cross and leave them there.

Let God take revenge for the wrong done me.

Work on self control, keeping my mouth shut.

Tale of the Bricks

O.T. #143  "Tale of the Bricks"
Oct. 9, 2013
Exodus 5-Part 3
And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle, therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.  Exodus 5:8

God therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet, shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.  Exodus 5;18

LET IT GLOW

Do you recall the tall tales we used to read when we were children? Ones like Paul Bunyan and Babe, Pecos Bill, and John Henry.  They were fun to read and we could use our imagination of being there with them.

Have you ever heard of the tale of bricks? I did not recall it, yet I have read through the Bible. I think of a tale as a rumor, or a made up story with a meaning.
Webster Dictionary defines a tale as a narrative of events, real or imaginary.

That is not what the Hebrew word is referring to in our two key verses, though. It is completely different from our modern use of the word tale.

According to Young's Concordance, tale (mathkoneth in Hebrew), means measure, quantity, in verse 8; it means a weight, measure, token, in verse 18.

When Moses and Aaron went to the king of Egypt, Pharaoh, they informed him what the LORD God said: Let His people go so they could hold a feast in the wilderness (which was only partly true); Let us go a three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. (verses 1 and 3)

What was Pharaoh's response to their request?

• He didn't know the LORD and he wasn't letting Israel go.
• He commanded the taskmasters (slave drivers) of the people and their officers (foremen) to no longer provide straw for making the bricks. The Hebrews were to now gather the straw used.
• He required the Hebrews to make the same number of bricks as before, not reducing the quota.
• He accused the Hebrews of being lazy, so that was why they cried out wanting to go sacrifice to their God.
• He ordered the work harder for the men so that they kept working and to pay no attention to their lies.

What resulted? The Hebrews could not maintain the same quota of bricks made as before. The taskmasters (slave drivers) beat the Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's taskmasters. So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh. They blamed his own people for the requirements not being met. Nothing changed the king's mind.

 The foremen blamed Moses and Aaron for the added burden.
Verse 21b NIV says, You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.

Do things seem to go from bad to worse for you sometimes? Most likely we have all had those days.
Yesterday was mine-my new mouth piece I wear at night for TMJ wasn't ordered last week, so I have headaches and a sore jaw, enduring for another week; my glass of tea spilt on my blouse as I bent over to feed my cats (I was going to a meeting at the church); I worn my waste-length hair down and  a woman said it made me look like a witch; I had a confrontation with a friend. All that happened before noon, mind ya. But the rest of the day was okay. I had lunch with a girlfriend.


LET IT GROW

Charles Swindoll enlightens us:
Everything went wrong. Pharaoh rejected his request and tightened the screws of oppression on the Hebrews. Even his people turned against Moses blaming him for their increased labor. Moses did the right thing-he went to talk to the Lord about this.

Moses asked two familiar questions:

• Why? Moses was warned by God that matters would go from bad to worse before they got better (3:19-22). He didn't understand that the Lord was working out HIs plan in this way. The lord told Moses that under compulsion Pharaoh would let them go and drive them out of his land (6:1). The Hebrews didn't believe things would get better. ( Instead of trusting in the Word from God, they trusted in their feelings or outward appearances. Falwell)
• How? The further act of rejection sent Moses back to the Lord in prayer. Moses blamed his lack of eloquence for his failure (6:12). If he couldn't persuade his own people to listen to him, Pharaoh would not heed his words (28-30). 

Was Moses wallowing in the pits of despair? Have you ever been there with Moses?
I don't like leaving us down there, so visit tomorrow's post and read about God's response.
Don't you know it was a tale of the bricks that Moses shared with his sons and grandchildren.
Aren't you glad that Moses wrote these events down. We will see the light of hope for him.

Do we ask why or how of the Lord when things go from bad to worse for us? I think it is a human response. However, do we go to the Lord for answers to our dilemma or problem? Do we listen for His solution?

LET IT GO

Take my problems to the Lord, listening for His answer.

Keep my eyes on Jesus, not my problems.

Trust Him to work things out for my good and His glory.

Who is the LORD?

O.T. #142  "Who is the LORD?"
Oct. 8, 2013
Exodus 5-Part 2
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.  Exodus 5:2

LET IT GLOW


In verse 3, Moses only asked Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, for a three-day weekend for the Hebrew people to hold a feast unto their God. This was to test Pharaoh's heart. God gave him a chance to agree to something small and to have his heart softened before the big request came. (David Guzik)

Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice? Pharaoh asked that question as well as to let Israel go?

Pharaoh did not have the right heart, but he did ask the right question. Moses asked Who am I? (Ex. 3:11) The relevant question isn't who Moses is, or who Pharaoh is, but who God is.

Many ask that same question. Who is the LORD?
In verse 2, LORD is Yhovah, Jehovah, which means Self-Existent or Eternal. (Strong's Concordance)

He is God, who is, was, and is to come. He is the only true, living God. (Others gods are created by man.) God is the Creator of all things; He has always existed, which is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend, since we live in a world of created things and beings.

Jehovah, they (Moses and Aaron) made mention of, which, whether he (Pharaoh) took for the name of a deity, or of a king, whose ambassadors they declared themselves to be, was a name he had never heard of before; and this being expressed and pronounced, shows that this name is not ineffable, or unlawful to be pronounced, as say the Jews. Pharaoh knew of no superior monarch to him, whose orders he was obliged to obey in any respect, and particularly in this, the dismission of the people of Israel out of his land, though it was but for a short time. (John Gill)

Each Pharaoh was said to be the child of the sun; he was a friend to the greatest gods of Egypt and sat with them in their own temples to receive worship alongside them. Pharaoh was nothing like a public servant; the entire public lived to serve the Pharaoh. His power and authority were supreme and there was no constitution or law or legislature higher or even remotely equal to him. Pharaoh was more than a man; he consider3ed himself a god, and the Egyptians agreed. (David Guzik)

Wow! How they were deceived into worshiping the king as a god. Sounds like a method of control and power over the people, to me. Better yet, a scheme of Satan to detour people from worshiping the One True God, Jehovah.

Friend, who is the LORD to you? Will you accept Him as your LORD? He is waiting for you with open arms of love. After all, Jesus died in your place so you don't have to pay for your sins, if you will only believe in Him and ask Him to forgive you of your sins and be your LORD.

LET IT GROW

Finally, Moses was doing God's will God's way. And what happened? Everything went wrong! Pharaoh rejected his request and tightened the screws of oppression on the Hebrews. Even Moses' own people turned against him, faulting him for their increased labors. (Swindoll)

Pharaoh refused the request. In fact, because of the request, he increased the work for the Hebrews. They now had to gather the straw which was used in making the bricks. It was more bondage for Israel! The sinner will either yield to God's Word and repent of their sins, when they heard it, or they will resist it, become hardened, and rebel against God's Word. Pharaoh hardened his own heart by resisting God's claims.

How will you react when you hear God's word calling you to repent of your sins and turn to God?
Are you obeying the voice of the LORD?

LET IT GO

Submit to the LORD Jehovah so He is LORD of my life.

Obey His voice and His Words.

Let go of what He wants from me.

Whatever it takes for my will to break, Lord.

Blame Game

O.T. #141  "Blame Game"
Oct. 7, 2013
Exodus 5-Part 1
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.  Exodus 5:1

LET IT GLOW

Am I at fault?  Is it my fault this didn't turn out right? So often I blame others instead of inwardly searching for the answer. It's easier that way, don't you think, to play the blame game? I tend to not take the responsibility for something failing. I am sorry, or I was wrong are not easy words to say for any of us. It being my fault is not under consideration. Or am I the only one? The Hebrews did. Shall we see when?

Seven times in these chapters, God says to Pharaoh, through His servants Moses and Aaron, "Let My people go!"  We read it in Exodus 5:1, 7:16, 8:1, 8:20, 9:1, 9:13, 10:3. This command revealed that Israel was in bondage, but God wanted them to be free so they could serve Him. This is the condition of every lost sinner. They are enslaved to the world, the flesh, and the devil (Eph. 2:1).

Of course, Moses knew that Pharaoh would not let the Hebrews leave right away. God had told him earlier that this would happen. He even knew that the first-born son of Pharaoh would die and God would perform many wonders for all to see that He is Elohim, Supreme God.

Moses repeated the demand by identifying Jehovah more commonly as The God of the Hebrews.
The Egyptians viewed Pharaoh as a god himself, and not merely a representative of the gods.
Pharaoh admitted to not knowing the God of the Hebrews. Maybe he figured God was just another one of the gods of the land.

Who is God to you? Is He a faraway God who lives in the heavens or a God who walks closer than a brother to you?

LET IT GROW

Charles Swindoll, in his Bible study guide, Moses, God's Man For a Crisis, says:

In this section of the narrative, a cycle of events is repeated three times. Each cycle is composed of an announcement, some reactions, expressed anger, and unjust blame.

          Cycle One: Moses and Aaron announce to Pharaoh the demand of God, put in a form of a request (verse 3). Pharaoh refused, due to his labor force being lost. So his blame increased the work load of the Hebrews.                                       

Cycle Two: Taskmasters and foremen carried out the new command, announced it to the Hebrew workers, who obediently responded. They couldn't keep up the same pace and gather straw, so the Egyptian taskmasters beat the Hebrew foremen, who blamed them for their peoples' failure (verse 14).  

Cycle Three: The Hebrew foremen appealed to Pharaoh, but were accused of being lazy, then commanded them to return to work with out any changes. Then the foremen blamed Moses and Aaron for the difficult situation.

Isn't that the way it goes so often? People react with anger and blame others if a project failed or a situation turned south. The Hebrews could not see that this was God's way of strengthening them in preparation for the long journey through the wilderness.

Can we see God's hand on our life when things don't go our way? Do we blame others instead of surrendering to God?

LET IT GO

So I am not a slave to anything, let go of the thing that has me in bondage, a slave to it.

Inwardly search my heart and ask God to also.

Don't get angry and blame others for what is my responsibility.

Seek forgiveness.

More Than Blood Brothers

O.T. #140  "More Than Blood Brothers"
Oct. 4, 2013
Exodus 4-Part 6
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.  Exodus 4:29


LET IT GLOW


It is so sweet to have my husband's brother serving in our church alongside with him. He was out of church for 20 years, but God brought him back into the fold. We prayed for him, talked to him, but he wasn't interested back then.. This brother is now teaching a Bible class and preaches when the door is opened. It is such a blessing to watch him grow spiritually. And to think, the Lord has allowed these two to serve Him together. They now share words from THE WORD. They are more than just blood brothers, but are spiritual brothers, also. Hey, that is what Moses and Aaron were, right?

God told Aaron ahead of time to go into the desert to meet his brother Moses. Moses is on his way back to Egypt when they meet at Mt. Sinai. It had been 40 years since these brothers had seen each other and talked. What a family reunion!  Can't you feel the joyous time they had?
I picture the two brothers growing up playing together when they could, even though Moses was in the palace. Perhaps they ran around together as teens or visited in the coffee shop together as adults. Of course, they lived on different sides of the fence-Moses was royalty, Aaron was a slave. Moses lived his first forty years there in Egypt, so I figure he kept a relationship with his family. However, by this time, their parents were probably both dead. Sister Miriam was still alive, though.

Who is this Aaron?

• He is the middle child, Miriam is the older sister and Moses is the younger brother.
• His parents were Amram, his priestly father, and Jochebed, his mother.
• He married Elisheba, and had 4 sons by her.
• His sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar (Ex. 6:16-23).
• He later became the high priest of Israel.
• He was called by God (Heb. 5:4).
• His budded staff was placed in the Ark of the Covenant.
• He becomes part of the leadership team: Aaron told all, while Moses performed all the signs given to him by God.

Aaron was more than a blood brother to Moses; he was also a close friend. Moses could share his deepest secrets with him, knowing that they would fall on understanding and appreciative ears. (Swindoll)

Are we an Aaron to someone, one that is trustworthy to keep a secret? Or do we have an Aaron in our life to which we can share our deep thoughts and can be trusted not to share? As other cross our paths, we should be that trusted friend they need.


Even as God had plainly revealed His will to Moses, He now made clear to Aaron his part in the divine plan, either by a human form, a voice, or by His Spirit. (Falwell)

Obviously, Aaron was ready to obey and follow God. He was willing to do his part in God's deliverance of his people. We don't read any excuses that he gave to God, like Moses did earlier. We don't read of any hesitation on Aaron's part. Of course, he had remained a slave in Egypt all those 40 years that Moses was gone. He now had hope of deliverance.
(I do wonder how he left Egypt, with permission from the Egyptians or if he snuck out. I suppose it doesn't matter, or the Word would say.)


LET IT GROW

Then Moses proceeded to tell Aaron "all the words of the Lord with which He had sent him, and all the signs that He had commanded him to do." (verse 28)
This is the first time Moses mentions to someone about the revelation he had received from God through the burning bush.

Verse 29 says, And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.

What happened when these two brothers got to their destination?

Verse 30 says, And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD who had spoken unto Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people.

The three miracles, signs, were the rod, leprous hand, and the water turned to blood, which the Lord did earlier for Moses in verses 1-9.

How did the elders react?
Verse 31 says they believed, bowed their heads, and worshipped.

The elders reverently had been trusting God to hear and answer their prayers and demonstrated their pleasure by humble worship. (Falwell)

It was just as God had told Moses earlier in chapter 3. Image that!

The same people who had once refused to follow Moses' lead now believed that he was God's instrument of deliverance. The difference was that now Moses was doing God's will God's way, not his way. We can experience similar results in our lives if we will only choose to trust in God and refuse to learn on our self-made crutches.  (Swindoll)

LET IT GO

Listen for my marching orders, then march.

Go and do what God tells me.

Watch God work in and thorough me, then give Him the glory and credit for the results.

Trust in the Lord completely to guide my paths.

Keep praying for straying family.