Friday, September 30, 2011

Commander

Josh 5:14a "So He said, 'No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped...".

Joshua was near Jericho and he spotted a Guy in the distance. This Guy was ready for battle with His sword drawn. Now Joshua was no wimp. God had told him not to be afraid and he wasn't. He boldly went up to this Guy and asked a pointed question: "Are You for us or against us?" Joshua wanted to know if this Guy was going to oppose them or was He going to fight with the children of Israel? I am guessing that if this Guy said that He was going to fight for the other side, Joshua may have had an issue with that and who knows what he would do…maybe take Him on right there…right then.

This Guy's response: "I am the Commander of the army of the Lord and I have come." The word for Commander means prince, captain, chief, and get this: "Ruler of rulers". This was no ordinary guy. This was no human warrior. This was One who was in charge of all of the armies of heaven who ruled over all. And Joshua was looking at Him face to face. Joshua's response? Worship. He fell on his face and did something that only God deserves. I am sure that Joshua remembered the commandments that God gave to Moses: "You shall have no other gods before Me."…so what was he doing worshiping this Commander? He was worshiping God. He was worshiping the visible God. He was worshiping God who appeared in the flesh. He was worshiping Jesus. And Jesus came.

Nothing has changed. Jesus is the Commander of all of the armies of heaven. Jesus is the Ruler of rulers…and Jesus alone deserves our worship because He is God. The thing is, the Commander of the armies of heaven came to deliver Joshua and the children of Israel, and He has come to deliver us. Like I said, nothing has changed. This blows me away. The Commander of the armies of heaven, the Ruler of rulers came. He came to earth. My wife and I just read it last night. He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself of no reputation and took on Himself the form of a servant and He humbled Himself and became obedient and died on a cross. Unreal. The Commander of the armies of heaven came. The One who alone deserves our worship came. The One we should fall on our faces in front of came…and walked with men, and talked with men, and taught men, and laughed with men, and cried with men, and encouraged men and died for mankind.

He needs to command my life and I need to worship Him. Nothing has changed.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

A Pile of Rocks

Josh 4:21,22,24 "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones' then you shall let you children know saying, 'Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land'...that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever."

What are we doing, as Dad's, that make our kids ask questions about our faith?

God had a plan for Joshua to share with the people…build an altar of twelve stones. I am sure that these stones were not little pebbles that twelve guys from each tribe picked up and placed in a pile. They were big rocks that they had to put on their shoulders to carry. It is not indicated how the rocks were arranged, but I think that Joshua set them up to look like a pyramid, because he "set up" these rocks. They were to be a reminder. They were to be a testimony. They were to be a prompter of questions. The questions would come from the kids who were not yet born. When they saw the pile of rocks they would ask the question: "What are these stones?" The answer: "God worked…". The result of the answer: "All the people of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever." Dad's prompting their kid's to ask questions. The answer to the question brings the reality of God into children's lives and has far reaching consequences throughout the entire earth.

I wonder what happened to that pile of rocks? I wonder if the children's questions eventually stopped? I wonder how this affected our world?

Back to my original question: What are we doing, as Dad's, that make our kids ask questions about our faith? Are we setting up any pillars? Do we have any signposts? Is there anything that we are doing or that we have done where our kids look and say: "Why?"

This is a challenge to me: When God works, establish a memorial. When I see the mighty hand of God at work, create something. It might be a pile of rocks. It might be a tree that is planted. It might be a plaque that is put up. It might be a letter that is written. The point: When God works, do something visible so that my kids and my grandkids can ask: "Why did you do that?" When they ask, I can tell them the about the mighty hand of God so they can tell their kids and they can tell their kids…so the world will know.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Get Ready

Josh 3:5 "And Joshua said to the people, 'Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.'"

This was it. This is what these people had waited for. This is what they had anticipated for forty years.

As a kid I loved Christmas Eve. I still do. Christmas Eve you have all this pent up anticipation. You know that your Mom and Dad have spent the last month or more getting ready for this day. You know that the next day is going to be special because of the gifts or the meal or family. (And that is just what we have made it. The anticipation really should be because Jesus came that day and it began a new chapter in God's deliverance for all of us.) So, Christmas Eve you can barely sleep even though your parents tell you to go to bed.

Just think of the pent up emotion all of these people had. These were the children of those who originally left Egypt. They had been in the wilderness for forty years. They saw miracles. They saw war. They saw Moses meet with God. They received the word of God. And now? Now they were going to finally get to the place that God had promised them. And what were they going to do to get ready to go in? Sanctify themselves. Consecrate themselves. Dedicate themselves. Be set apart. Why? Because God was there. Because God was at work. Because God was going to do wonderful, marvelous, extraordinary things…tomorrow. Talk about Christmas Eve! How could they sleep? How could they endure the excitement? And the way that they got ready was making sure that they were holy.

What do I expect God to do tomorrow? What do I anticipate that God will do in the near future? Whatever it is, I need to get ready. And the way that I get ready is to do something now…be sanctified. Be set apart. Be holy. Be dedicated. Live my life completely and totally dedicated to God, and then watch Him work. When this happens, I will be able to walk into the promised land of His work. He will do unbelievable, extraordinary, mighty things and I will get to be a part of it. Do I believe it? Do I expect it? Do I anticipate it? It will show in how I live my life now.

Am I ready?

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Hearing Things

Josh 2:11 "And as soon as we heard these things our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath."

Isn't it weird, but sometimes when you hear certain things, it impacts you emotionally? Just look at the stock market. That whole thing is driven by what people hear and emotion. If people hear that things are crashing in Europe, the stock market in the U.S. takes a plunge. Why? Because what people hear makes them cautious. It instills fear in them so that they pull their money out before everyone pulls their money out and they lose a ton.

The people in Jericho heard things and it impacted them emotionally. What did they hear? They heard about the Red Sea incident and how God had parted it and killed the Egyptian army. They heard about what the children of Israel did to Sihon the king of the Amorites and Og the king of Bashan. Those two guys were dumb and they thought that they could confront and do battle with the Israelites. They found out that this was not a wise decision when they and their people died and the children of Israel took possession of their land. (Num 21). When the people in Jericho heard about these things their hearts melted. They dissolved. They wasted away. They grew fearful and lost any courage that they may have had. This came about as a result of what they heard. This came about because of what God did for Israel. This came about because the people of Jericho understood that it was the "Lord your God, (that) He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath."

I wonder why people's hearts don't melt today? Probably because they are not hearing things. They are not hearing about the amazing things that God is doing. Rumors are not flying around about the power of God. And because of this, they are not realizing that "He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." Why aren't they hearing about it? Probably because we who are experiencing it are not opening our mouths and telling it. Oh, we don't have Red Seas and we don't have defeated kings, but we do have changed lives. We do have restored relationships. We do see some people that God heals in amazing ways. And we do have the miracle of miracles…a resurrected Savior. Why don't we talk about this? Why don't I talk about this? God give us courage to open our mouths so others lose theirs.

When we do, people will hear and know that "He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath."


 

Monday, September 26, 2011

First things First

Josh 1:9,10 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua was getting ready to go in and take the land. God had promised Moses and the children of Israel that they were going to possess everything that they walked on, from the wilderness to the Euphrates to the Great Sea to the going down of the sun. How in the world were they going to do that? Meditate on God's word and obey it. How were they going to defeat the people that the spies saw in the land who were huge? Meditate on God's word and obey it.

I am sure that the temptation was to take their eye off the word of God and look at the massive task ahead of them. I am sure that they were tempted to not spend time in the word and just work. I mean, they had a ton of work ahead of them. They had enemies to defeat. They had land to take. They had houses and businesses to build. Meditate on the Book of the Law? Spend time chewing on God's word? Who has time for that? There is too much to do. Yet God's direct communication to Joshua was this: Meditate on the Law of God. Obey the Law of God. Get your priorities straight. "For then…". This is cause and effect. This is putting the cart before the horse. This is doing things right. Meditate on God's word. Muse over it. Concentrate on it. Think about it. Don't let it go. But beyond that, when you know what it says to do something, do it. Then the property will come. Then prosperity will come. The word for prosperous also means progress. You will see growth. You will see movement in people's lives. You will see God at work. And then you will have success. The word for success actually means "prudence, insight, wisdom". Just make sure you have your priorities straight…the Word of God first, then property…progress…wisdom.

And when that happens, you will not need to fear. Just be strong and courageous. Trust God. He will do it because He is with you.

So, how do I possess the land? How do I defeat my enemies? How do I help lead people? How do I gain wisdom? How do I raise a godly family? How do I educate my kids? "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

Sunday, September 25, 2011

God Does Not Stutter

Ex 40: 19,21,23,25,27,29 "as the LORD had commanded Moses."

Kind of an interesting address for a part of a verse. This make me think of two things. First, God had communicated clearly to Moses. He told him what needed to be done and how to do it. There was no question. There was no hesitance. There was no doubt on the part of Moses. God did not stutter. He specifically told Moses what He wanted.

I love this…the fact that God communicates with man. I don't just love it, I am astounded by it. That God, that Jehovah, that the LORD, that the One who made everything, who controls everything, who oversees everything, who had no beginning and no end, who is the Alpha and the Omega, that this God would even stoop to talk to a man. But He did and He still does. And the thing is, He still does not stutter. He continues to make His ways and His desires clear to us. In Moses' day, it was face to face. That would just blow me away. "Now in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son." Heb 1:2 Jesus came to talk to us, to meet with us, to communicate with us, to show us the Father. And then look at this: "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." John 16:13 Here is part of the Godhead who is speaking, who is telling, who is communicating. God talking to us. And then this: "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." I Thes. 2:13 God still speaks through His Son, through the Holy Spirit and through the Word of God…and He does not stutter. If I let Him, He will clearly reveal to me what He wants. I just have to spend time with Him and listen.

And then this: Moses responded. God gave Moses specific plans on how to build the tabernacle and Moses did it exactly the way God commanded. This was not an option. Moses didn't say to God: "I don't like where you put the altar, let's move it over here." There were no design options for Moses. He did it exactly the way God told him to do it.

When God clearly speaks, when He clearly directs, when there is no hesitance, when there is no doubt, when God speaks with specificity we/I better do exactly what He says. I need to remember that He is God…I am not…and he does not stutter.


 

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Partnering

Ex 38:22,23 "Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that that Lord had commanded Moses. And with him was Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer, a weaver of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine linen."

I have never realized it before, but there is a ton of information in the book of Exodus about leadership and teamwork. This verse is just an example. God told Moses to grab a skilled guy, Bezalel, and put him in charge of putting the tabernacle together. Now Bezalel had a great heritage. He was the grandson of Hur. Remember Hur? When Moses went on the mountain the original time, he told the people that they had Aaron and Hur to lead them. Obviously, Hur was a leader and his grandson got to see that.

Not only that, but this guy had unbelievable talent. Just look at all that he did, all the intricate work that he handled. God had given him the wisdom to figure out how all of this would work together. The measurements, the chemistry of it all, melting of gold and silver and bronze and layering it on acacia wood and making all of the items that needed to be made. It was an unbelievable task, but Bezalel was up to it because God had given him the ability.

But look at this, even though Bezalel was more than competent to do this work, he did not do it alone. "And with him was Aholiab…". Bezalel needed a partner. He needed a guy who also had skill who could come along side and encourage, and help, and work. His man was Aholiab who was a skilled engraver and designer and weaver. Where Bezalel may have been weak, Aholiab was strong. And where Aholiab was weak, Bezalel was strong. They fed off one another.

As I think about this, partnering is huge. Any time anything significant is done, it is not done by one guy. That guy or that woman has a partner. Someone who can come along side and encourage and help and work. Many times you don't know about that partner. Many times it is the "silent partner", but their presence is vital. If Steve Jobs did not meet Steve Wozniak, Apple computers would probably not be in existence. D.L. Moody had Ira Sankey. The Wright brothers had each other. Thomas Edison had a business partner but no one knows his name. Does anyone know who Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick is? (Beth Moore's research assistant.) Paul had Barnabas…and Silas…and Timothy. It is starting to sink into this thick head of mine. We need each other. We need someone who comes along and helps us in work and in ministry…frankly, in life.

I am thankful for many who have partnered with me. My wife is the best you could get. She is the one who encourages, and helps, and corrects. She is absolutely my best partner. I am thankful for guys who have been with me, it seems, forever. In leading worship it has been Terry McCann. There is no way I could do what is done without this guy. He is an unbelievable talent. He arranges, and changes keys and leads the band…and he is a friend who holds my feet to the fire. In ministry it is the guys I work with as elders. Randy, and Dave, and now Todd. These guys keep me in line and I know that they have my back…and I am thankful.

Moses and Bezalel and Aholiab teach us this…there are no lone rangers. We need each other. When we partner, watch what God does.


 

Friday, September 23, 2011

Stop…Enough!

Ex 36:6b,7 "And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done--indeed too much." (NKJV)

You can say all you want about these people's stiff necks, but you can't ignore their willing hearts. Kind of weird how people can change so rapidly, yet this is what happens when God is at work. This is what happens when we pray. This is what happens when God's vision is clearly communicated. And what a problem to have! Too much money…too many materials…STOP! The people actually had to be held back from giving. Even when there was more than enough they still tried to give more and Moses had to ask them to refrain from giving because they had more than they needed.

We are on the brink of making some significant decisions in our church. God has blessed us with a nice facility that we are renting, but this is going to eventually come to an end. We have to do what Moses did and get our plans in order. We have to spend time with God and allow Him to direct where we go from here. As He develops this vision, we need to pray. We need to ask that He would work in all of our hearts so that we can see a willingness, a stirring in all of our lives so that the result is generosity. We need to select men and women who are skilled in what they do to put this stuff together. God directed Moses to do this with Bezalel and Aholiab. These guys were skilled. They had wisdom. They knew how to take what the people gave and put it together to create the tabernacle that God showed to Moses. We have to do the same. We have to trust people who have the skill and wisdom to oversee this. The interesting thing is this: Once Moses delegated this responsibility to these men, he let them do it. He did not interfere. He trusted them. Then finally, once we spend time with God, when we are all prayed up, and when those with wisdom have been selected, the vision is then shared with the people. In Moses' case, the people's hearts were moved and they gave more than what was needed and he had to stop them.

I pray that this is what we will see as we move forward…that we will have to say: "Stop…enough." When this happens we don't get the glory. The guys who direct the project do not get the glory. God gets the glory because He is the One we spent time with. He is the One who directed. He is the One who answered prayer. He is the One who gives wisdom. He is the One who moves in hearts.


 

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Stirred and Willing

Ex 35:21 "Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments." (NKJV)

After Moses received the commandments from God the first time; after he smashed the original tablets because he saw that people were worshipping a golden calf; after he went back, experienced God's grace, and received new tablets…the time came for the tabernacle to be constructed. Now, this could not happen without money and supplies. Somehow, someway out in the middle of nowhere they had to come up with the wood and cloth and gold that they needed to put this all together. How did it happen? Did God provide it like He provided the manna and the quail? No. This is where the people came in. This is where commitment came in. This is where the rubber met the road and people had to give from what they had.

This could have been a tough assignment for Moses. I mean, he has a bunch of complaining, stiff necked people that he is dealing with. Now he is going to ask them to give up their stuff? How is this going to work out? Even though they had seen God's miracles in the past, they still griped and whined. Were they going to do the same thing when Moses asked them to give their gold and cloth and possessions? Apparently not. Even though God did amazing miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in feeding them and quenching their thirst, God did an even more amazing miracle this time…He worked in people's hearts so they gave willingly.

Two things happened: 1. Their hearts were stirred; 2. Their spirits were willing. First, their hearts were stirred. I have written about the word for heart before. It is "leb". It actually means the inner man. What drives us. What motivates us. What gets us going and prompts us to act. Their inner man was stirred. The word for stirred is cool. It is "nasa" and it means lifted up and carried away. (I wonder if the North American Space Agency knows this…possibly.) These people's inner man was lifted up…it was carried away. They got excited about the possibility of having a place where God would actually come and meet with them. Second, their spirits were willing. The word for spirit here is actually mind. God had to work in their inner man, but then He also had to bring that to their mind so that they would eventually do something. Their minds were willing or impelled, incited, compelled. They could not help it. Once their inner man was lifted up, once their minds were incited, they had to give. And they did.

Leadership in the church always wonders how to motivate people to give. Do you browbeat them? Do you beg? Do you pass the plate over and over again? Do you have capital campaigns? Do you draw pictures? How do you do it? You don't…God does. This has to be a work of His Spirit in the lives of people. He has to lift up their hearts. He has to incite their minds. He performs this miracle. These people got excited and gave, I believe, because they saw what God was going to do. Moses had to communicate it, but God did the work in their lives. We have to do the same. We have to communicate God's vision to people so that they can see what He is going to do, and then we have to pray like crazy that He will perform a miracle and stir spirits and move hearts.

I wonder how much time we spend praying about this? I wonder how well we communicate what is on His heart?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

God’s Character

Ex 34:6,7 "And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed: 'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generations.'" (NKJV)

I wonder what part of me I want people to remember? I wonder what is it about my life, or my character, or my accomplishments that are compelling? If I could sum up what I am like, what would I say?

God didn't have any problem with this. After Moses temper got the best of him and he smashed the tablets that had the 10 commandments on them, God in His grace said: "Come on back. I will make some new ones." (I just thought about this, but my Dad showed the character of God when I was a kid playing tennis. I got mad one day because I lost a match and I smashed a new tennis racquet on the ground. What did my Dad do…yell at me? No. One day I went to my room and what was sitting in it? A brand new "Grand Slam" tennis racquet. He basically said: "Come on back, I will give a new one.")

Anyway…when Moses came back to get the brand new, spanking clean, freshly cut tablets what did God do? He proclaimed who He was. Now God could have said anything. He could have said that He was the Creator of the universe. He could have said that He was powerful and righteous and holy and wise and…but He didn't. He, instead centered on what He is relationally toward us. He is merciful. He is gracious. He is patient. He excels and overflows with goodness and truth. He is forgiving.

As I look around at this world, these character qualities of God jump out. His mercy and grace and patience and goodness and truth are evident everywhere. The very fact that I am here demonstrates it. The very fact that this world exists demonstrates it. The very fact that our society and our godless culture still stand demonstrates it. We are all sinners. We all deserve God's wrath. The children of Israel did and we do too…but God says: "No…I am patient. I am not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." He is patiently waiting for us to wake up. He patiently waits for me to wake up and in doing this He extends His mercy and His grace and goodness.

But…and this is a big "but"…He is also just toward the guilty. I mean we are all guilty, but He wants to extend forgiveness toward us for all of the iniquity and transgression and sin that we commit. When we turn that away, when we do not accept his mercy, grace, goodness, forgiveness He then extends His justice. The scary thing is, it doesn't just impact me. It impacts my kids, and my kid's kids and their kid's kids. The way I live, my obedience or disobedience does not just affect me, it will affect my children and grandchildren.

God wanted Moses to know Him in His grace and mercy and forgiveness, but remember His justice. Nothing has changed.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Face to Face

Ex 33:11a "So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." (NKJV)

I love this about God…He is so personal. He wants to communicate with us and He speaks to us. How amazing is that?

Moses was unlike most of the people who he was leading. They did not have this privilege. They were not able to go up on the mountain and directly receive the word from God. They were not able to be hid in a crevice in a rock and then see the back of God…but Moses was. The people were dependent on Moses because they knew that he had a direct line of communication with God. Moses was a guy that had a special place in God's heart. Moses was a friend of God. God held conversations with him. God enjoyed spending time with him.

The wild thing to me is this: I can be like Moses. We all can be like Moses because of what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus broke down any barrier that was there between us and His Father. The veil of the temple was ripped in two from top to bottom. Because of the work that Christ did in dying for us, we now have direct access to God…and He wants this. He wants me to talk to Him, and He wants to talk to me. He wants to speak to me face to face. He wants these times that I spend in the morning to be times that I read His word, grab His word and let Him speak to me through His word.

I don't normally quote stuff, but a lady in our church sent a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer that I read this morning and it fits. Here is a part of what Bonhoeffer said to his brother in law in a letter:

"First of all I will confess quite simply – I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions, and that we need only to ask repeatedly and a little humbly, in order to receive this answer. One cannot simply read the Bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to inquire of it. Only thus will it reveal itself. Only if we expect from it the ultimate answer, shall we receive it. This is because in the Bible God speaks to us…Only if we will venture to enter into the words of the Bible, as though in them this God were speaking to us who loves us and does not will to leave us along with our questions, only so shall we learn to rejoice in the Bible…"

Amazing how God works and brings things together: "the LORD spoke to Moses…" and "in the Bible God speaks to us". How is it that we do not spend time in it? How is it that we don't read it and dig? How is that we then wonder why God is not communicating with us? Duh! God wants to talk to me and He will if I let Him. Dig deeper.


 


 

Monday, September 19, 2011

Begging God

Ex 32:11a "Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God...". (NKJV)

While Moses was on the mountain with Joshua, the people we down below sinning. He had no clue. He was up there in communion with God, probably in wonder and amazement and awe. The people, however, were wondering what had happened to this guy and decided to revert to what they had seen in Egypt…the worship of an inanimate object.

The thing that gets me is Aaron. I mean, here is this guy who was with Moses, who was Moses' spokesperson, who saw the miracles and wonders that God had brought about, who courageously stared down Pharaoh with his brother, and all he needs is a little push from a group of people, and he is creating a golden calf for them to worship? What's with that? I think it is a reminder to me of how easily we can get swayed and taken off of our own path in pursing God and His desire for us. No one is above this. No one, even people who are supposedly stable in their faith and walk and who are leading people, is immune from making one bad decision and seeing horrible consequences.

So here is Moses, in the middle of spending time with God and God has to inform him about what is going on. Not only that, but God basically says: "I am tired of these obstinate people…I am going to destroy them and make you a great nation." You know, kind of like Noah and the people back then. Now this is very heavy stuff. What does Moses do? He could have thought: "Hey cool, I get to start it all over again. I will be the father of a great nation…me, big cheese, lasting legacy. I can't stand these people either. All they do is complain and give me grief. Go for it God." But he didn't. Instead, his heart was for these people. He cared about these people (and so did God…God knew what Moses was about to do.). So Moses' reaction: "Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God." Pleaded means "make sick". It also means to beg. Moses was sick over the situation and it caused him to go to God in prayer and beg God for mercy. This was no "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer. This was no repetition of a certain magical prayer. This was no "bless my family" prayer. This was heartfelt, genuine, passionate, fervent, in your face prayer.

When is the last time I prayed like that? When is the last time I had such a burden that all I could do was go to God and beg?

Prayer is such a privilege. I just think about it as I write. It is an audience with God. It is getting God's attention about stuff that is on my heart. It is going to this God that I have been writing about, who is awesome and holy and powerful and grabbing His authority and saying: Please God…do something…work in Your might." And then watching what He does.

God answered Moses' prayer. He did not destroy them. He spared the great majority of the people and left any destruction up to Moses through the priests. And He continued to endure these people who continued to complain.

Moses' prayer and God's patience and power…My prayer and God's patience and power. He still wants to work.


 

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Appointments with God

Ex 30:6 "And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you." Ex 30:36 "And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you." (NKJV)

This is kind of an extension on what I wrote about yesterday. Not only does God want to settle down with us messed up human beings, He also wants to meet with us. He did it back in the OT with Moses and the priests, and I am convinced that, more than ever, God wants this for each of His priests (each believer) today.

The word for "meet" is cool. It means to "meet by appointment", "to fix, to appoint, to assemble, to meet, to set (and get this) to betroth". (Strongs)

I am not really fond of meetings. It seems like the business world is full of them. You have to get together with people to set agendas, to establish policies, to work out calendars, to determine goals, etc., etc., etc.. And the same is true in church life. I know, I was just involved in a three and a half hour meeting with our Elders last night. If we could get things done without meetings, it would be wonderful…but we can't. We have to meet. We have to get our heads together. We have to bounce ideas off of one another. We have to get the council and advice of others. The weird thing is, even though sometimes these meetings are painful, we get things done and we develop our relationship with those we meet with. We seem to develop a bond…a camaraderie…a common vision.

The fact that God wants to have a meeting with me is astounding. I know that I have always heard that we all need to have a "quiet time". What is meant by that is that we need to spend time in God's word and prayer. This is huge in a believer's life. This thing called a "quiet time" is really not quiet at all. It is an appointment with God. It is a time when God has a meeting with me, where I can see what He is thinking, where we can develop that bond, that camaraderie, that common vision. Calling it an appointment with God puts the emphasis where it should be…on God. He wants to "meet by appointment". He wants this time even more than I do. The God of all eternity wants to meet with a guy who is so goofed up it isn't even funny…so I can get to know Him better…so I can start to think like He does…so I can become like Him in my words, actions and attitudes. Wow.


 

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Dinner with God

Ex 29:46 ""And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God."

Ever get the idea that God wants to drive something home? Obviously, everything that He says in His word is vital and should be emphasized, but He still seems to nail some things repeatedly. In Exodus He wanted His people to get this lesson: "I am the LORD" I know that I have written about this before. Just look at Ex 6:2, 7:5, 8:10,10:2. Early in the book of Exodus God was establishing something…He was the LORD. He was the eternally existing One. He was the only One.

Last night during prayer meeting a woman in our church read a great portion of scripture that emphasized that God alone was the Lord, that there is no one anywhere that can compare with Him. Really when you take the time to really think about this, there is no one, there is nothing, there is absolutely not a person or thing on this earth or anywhere else in all of creation that can compare to God. He alone is majestic. He alone is in control. He alone has all power. He alone can create out of nothing. He alone is all love and all justice and all mercy.

And the amazing thing is this: "I am the LORD…their God." This God who does not have any rivals wants to be associated with a group of people. "I am their God…I am their Lord…they are mine and I am theirs." Did He have to do this? Did He have to decide to connect Himself with a bunch of sinful, complaining, imperfect people? I don't think so, but He chose to do this. And He still does. He still wants to be our God…He still wants to me my God. Even though He is the LORD, He humbles Himself to be connected to me.

And He wants to dwell with me. He wants to live with me. It reminds me of Rev 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears My voice and opens the door I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me." Many have painted the picture of Jesus standing at the door of our hearts knocking and the door does not have a handle on the outside. He is just out there waiting for us to respond. I have never really thought of this before but the LORD, the God of all creation, the God of all power, the God of all eternity who lives in unapproachable light, approaches us. He wants to have fellowship with us. He wants to come and share His meal with us. He wants to be our God. He desires to be my God.

Thank You LORD.


 

Friday, September 16, 2011

A Detail Oriented God

Ex 28:41b "You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests."

God is a detail oriented planner. If He wasn't, this world and its intricacies would be a mass of confusion. From DNA and its structure to the massive universe that He has created, it is clear that He cares about details.

Exodus 25 through 31 shows just how detail oriented God is. As I read about how the tabernacle was to be made, and measured, and appointed, as I see how the garments of the priests were to be created, God reveals that planning and order and structure are important to Him.

Why? Because He is holy. He is set apart. He is perfect. And what He wants is holiness. Just look at the verses in Ex 28: "You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and beauty." V2 "So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons that he may minister to Me as priest." V4 "You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: 'HOLINESS TO THE LORD'." V36 And now this verse: Anoint, consecrate, sanctify them that they may minister to Me as priests. Aaron and his sons, the guys who were chosen to be priests were to be holy. They were to be smeared (anoint), filled (consecrate) and separated (sanctify). These guys were supposed to be unlike anything or anyone else around them because they were the ones who were ministering to God.

This takes me back to I Pet 2:9 "You are a…royal priesthood…". Or four verses before that: "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." This whole thing is switched around. No longer is it Aaron and his sons, it is all of us. It is me. I am a priest that ministers to God that offers up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Since I am a priest, I should be anointed. I should be consecrated. I should be sanctified. I should be smeared with oil. I should be filled and prepared. I should be separated and set apart. I should be holy…unlike anything or anyone else around me. Am I? Do I live in such a way that my life is clearly ministering to God? Or do I blend in?

I am not talking about being weird or strange. I am talking about living a life that is different. My speech should be different. My habits should be different. My interests should be different. The use of my time should be different. My attitudes should be different. What I care about should be different. My marriage should be different. How I raise my kids should be different. The way I use my money should be different. My work habits should be different. Am I? Am I an anointed, consecrated, sanctified priest that ministers to God.

God cares about details and He cares about the details of how I live my life as His priest. Pretty convicting.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

The Big Ask

Ex 25:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering." (NKJV)


 

I wonder if Moses was afraid to ask people for money? I know that this is tough. My wife had a meeting with some women last night about our ladies ministry in church and she was talking about raising funds. One of the women said: "Don't put me in charge of that. I don't want anything to do with fund raising." Why is that? Because asking for money is hard. And why is it hard? Because we are so consumed with keeping it for ourselves. This is such a sensitive subject that we very rarely talk about it.


 

But look at this. God told Moses to "speak to the children of Israel that they bring Me an offering". The word for speak there means "speak, declare, converse, command, warn". This was not an option for Moses. God wanted him to open his mouth and challenge people to give. Now it wasn't necessarily money that they gave back then. It was gold, silver, bronze, thread, linen, skins, wood, oil, spices, precious stones. It was things that they would want to hang on to…but it did not matter. God was getting ready to build a place for Himself to dwell and the challenge needed to be made.


 

The response: Willingness from the heart. How cool is that? People were motivated from the inside, from their inner man, and they responded and gave. Moses was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights and a lot of things happened on the ground during that time (which is coming) and when he came down and challenged the people to give, they responded generously with a willing heart. "Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting…" 35:21 "They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought…" 35:22; "The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women who hearts were willing…" 35:29


 

I love how this is echoed in the NT. "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Cor 9:7 There is that heart thing. There is that inner man motivation.


 

Why did they respond this way? Because Moses asked. Because Moses spoke. Because Moses challenged, Moses probably shared the vision of what God showed him…and God moved in hearts.


 

We can't be afraid to ask. We can't be afraid to challenge. We can't be afraid to converse. We can't be afraid to warn. Just speak and watch God move.


 

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Praying for My Pastors

Ex 24:17 "The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel."

There is a new song that we sing at church that was written by Christy Nockels called: "A Mighty Fortress". It's first line is: "Our God is a consuming fire, burning holy flame with glory and freedom." This is what the children of Israel experienced. The glory of God. Moses and Joshua went up the mountain to be in the presence of God, and what did the people see? The glory of God. They didn't see God, they just saw the top of the mountain and it looked like it was being consumed by fire. The people saw that the presence of God was not something sweet and simple and felt good. No, it was hot. Bright. Massive. Devouring. Something to be feared. Something to stand back in awe.

I know that I just wrote about how God wants our fellowship. How He desires relationship. How He calls us a holy nation, His chosen people, a royal priesthood. (9-9-11 post.) And He does. He wants personal closeness. But I think that we in the modern church have emphasized that to the point where we forget about the glory of God. The massiveness of God. The awesomeness of God. The power of God. The fear of God. "Our God is a consuming fire, burning holy flame with glory and freedom. Our God is the only righteous Judge ruling over us with kindness and wisdom." (Nockels) There is a balance. God is loving, but God is also just. God is kind, but God is also powerful. God is merciful, but God is also a righteous Judge. And when we truly see His glory, we will be awestruck.

This leads me to think of how this happened. Moses and Aaron and Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel lead the way. They went to the mountain and worshipped. Then only Moses and Joshua actually approached God and got the closest. When Moses went up into the mountain a cloud covered the mountain and the glory of the Lord appeared. The thing that hits me is that I really need to pray for my pastors. The leaders of people can approach, but it can all boil down to the spiritual condition of a few. When those that God has placed in leadership approach God, commune with God, live in the presence of God, learn from God, walk with God, see God then the people that they lead will see the glory of God. If those in leadership just go through the motions, people will not experience that God is a consuming fire. But if those in leadership have a genuine walk with God and spend time in His presence, people will see. People will experience the glory of God. People will be awestruck.

This is how I will pray: That my pastors will be so consumed with living in the presence of the Holy that His glory is revealed to everyone who watches.


 

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Assurance

Ex 23:20 "Behold I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared."

I love how God has it all together. When uncertainty hits us, and it will, He knows what is going on. He has it all under control. He will keep us and He will bring us.

The children of Israel were out in the wilderness with no clue where they were going. All they knew was that they were follow a pillar of fire and a cloud and now they had to follow a bunch of laws that God had just laid out. God was pretty clear in what He wanted. There is no one who could say that they had not been informed or warned. Just do what He said and follow where He lead. It should not be all that difficult. (In fact, when you look as many of the laws, you can see the foundation for what we have codified today.)

And here was God's promise. I am sending an Angel before you. Now it is interesting, this Angel was not like any normal angel. The people had to obey Him and they should not provoke Him for God's Name was in Him. Now who could this be? I am thinking Jesus. Jesus was the Messenger who was going to go before them. And Jesus was going to keep them in the way and bring them to the place that God prepared for them.

There are two aspects of what this Angel was going to do that I need to hang onto. He was going to keep them in the way.

He was going to keep them, He was going to guard them. As they went along their journey, He was going to uphold them and protect them. He was going to guard their lives. How cool is that? I think the same promise that God gave the children of Israel He gives to me today. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go, I will guard you with my eye." Ps 32:8 God is always there. He is always guiding and protecting and guarding and keeping along this journey we call life.

Then "I will bring you into the place which I have prepared." Now God was talking about bringing the children of Israel into the promised land, but He is still doing this. "I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2,3 Jesus is still in the business of preparing a place. He is still in the business of bringing us to that place. God promised it to the children of Israel and it happened. He promised it to those of us who are His children, and it will happen.

As we remember what happened ten years ago today, God is there. As we go through different life circumstances, God is there. God has not changed. He has it all together. He has it all under control. He will keep us and He will bring us. (Written on 9-11-11)


 

Monday, September 12, 2011

20/20 Vision

Ex 20:20 ""Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin." (NKJV)

I have thought about what it would be like to have 20/20 vision again. It is something that I kind of took for granted when I had it, but unfortunately as I got older I lost it. Now, I am very near sighted. I can read the smallest print around. But when it comes to seeing stuff in the distance, I desperately need my glasses. Oh, to be able to see things clearly again.

God was giving the children of Israel the ability to see things clearly in this chapter. Exodus 20 is known for laying out the 10 commandments. These were basic laws that God expected His people to keep. This was 20/20 vision from God's perspective. And it was all based in His character. Worship Him alone. Why? He alone is God. He alone is worthy. Don't take His name in vain. Why? His name is holy. Don't murder. Why? God is life. Don't steal and don't lie. Why? Because God is truth. Don't commit adultery. Why? Because God is pure. Don't covet. Why? Because God is all we need and He is the ultimate provider. Honor your Mom and Dad. Why? Because God is the ultimate authority. Every commandment that is laid out is centered in what God is like. This is basic stuff. This is 20/20 vision.

And look at what Moses said in 20:20 "Do not fear…but fear, so that you may not sin." Don't be afraid, but be afraid. Don't be terrified, but be terrified. How does this work? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The respect of the Lord? Yes…but also the terror of the Lord. I am afraid that we have forgotten what it means to be afraid. We have watered down what it means to fear the Lord. It actually means to be afraid. If I am afraid then I will respond a certain way. If I am afraid, I will be careful. If I am afraid, I will choose to make the right decision and do the right thing. If I am afraid, I will not sin. And If I don't sin, I don't have to be afraid. Fear but don't fear.

Beyond that, love…because love drives out fear. If I genuinely love, I will not sin because I do not want to disappoint God, and if I don't sin I don't have to be afraid of punishment. John put it this way: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (NKJV) I John 4:18

So spiritual 20/20 vision is this: Fear God and don't sin. If you don't sin you don't have to fear God. And if you genuinely love God you won't know what fear is. No more looking over my shoulder. No more waiting for the shoe to drop. No more wondering what the consequences will be. Just a life of obedience and no fear, just love.


 

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Up Close and Personal

Ex 19:4-6 "'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." (NKJV)

To think that God is close…that He is personal…that He is intimate…amazing. When God spoke to Moses He wanted him to convey to the people of Israel that He was a God who cared, who loved, who supported, who protected, who wants relationship. Just look at these words: "I bore you on eagle's wings." The word "bore" is a cool word. It means "carry, support, sustain, endure". God was a personal God with the children of Israel. He lifted them above all of the garbage that they were going through in Egypt and beyond and He was the One who sustained them. He was the One who supported and carried them.

Also: "I brought you to Myself." He is saying that He gathered these people to Himself. He brought them near. This is a God of relationship. This is a God who is close.

Also: "You shall be a special treasure to Me." You are valued property to Me. This is not a possessive thing. This is a heartfelt love that God has for those who were His.

Also: "You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." This was giving to Israel favored nation status. They were a dominion of rulers, a set apart people unto God.

Now this is what blows me away: I Pet 2:9, 10 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

Peter was telling a group of non-Jewish Christians the very thing that Moses was telling the children of Israel. You are chosen, you are special, you are a kingdom of priest…a royal priesthood. You are a special treasure…His own special people. You are a holy nation…and look at this, the same words you are a holy nation. God has given to the church the same favored status that He gave to the nation of Israel. God has come near. He has come close. He always has desired relationship.

And His desire for me is up close and personal, right now, in this place, at this time…and forever.


 


 

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Good Advice

Ex 18:20 "And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do." (NKJV)

I love good advice…sometimes. I say sometimes because there are times when I think that I know what to do and how to do it and no one can sway me. There is one word for that: stubborn. Frankly, a stubborn person, one who shuns the advice of others, one who does not let anyone else in to give their opinion or help is called one thing: a fool. "Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words." Prov 23:9 There are times when I am a fool and there are times when I am wise. How I wish I were wise all the time because "…in the multitude of counselors there is safety." Prov 11 and Prov 24.

Moses got this. For a while he thought he could do it all himself. He was trying to solve all of the people's problems all alone. I am not sure if he did this because he didn't trust anyone else (you know, if you want to see the job get done right, do it yourself) or if he just didn't think of other alternatives. Anyway, he was getting burned out. Enter Jethro, his father in law. Now for a guy to take advice from his father in law is an amazing thing. That, many times, is the last guy you want to hear from. But Jethro was an observant man and he cared about his son in law. He saw that Moses was a one man show and that he would never last. So he gave him some solid advice. Spread out the responsibility. Spread out the decision making. Give the smaller disputes to other guys and only handle the big deal cases. As you look at this, this was the beginning of the current court system that we have, with Municipal, Common Pleas, Appellate Courts and the Supreme Court. Moses was the Supreme Court with minor courts below him. What did Moses do? He took the advice. He implemented the plan. He saved his brain.

Jethro also gave him this advice: Teach the people. Show them how to live (walk) and what they need to do (work). Don't just be a judge, be a teacher.

I wonder if I sometimes get stuck in the judge role without being a teacher? Without showing. Without setting an example. There is nothing wrong with decision making…but it is easier to make decisions when disputes are cut down because of proper teaching. It is incumbent that those of us in leadership teach. It is imperative that we lay out for others what God's word says so that they know what to expect. When this happens, no one can say: "But I didn't know.". When we take the time to patiently and passionately teach the word of God people's lives will change. Look at what Paul encouraged Timothy to do: "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2Tim 4:2.

As I think about a meeting that we have coming up, be sure to teach. Don't just send people on a guilt trip, teach them what God's word says and watch them respond…and then spread the load.

Great advice, Jethro. Thanks.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Angst

Ex 16:18b "…he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."(NKJV)

When I was in college and law school there was one thing that I wanted to do: Work with people. I didn't care about tax law, or corporations, or corporate paper, or things that attorneys do that rake in the cash…I wanted to work with people. And I believed that I was being called by God to do this...to listen to people in their needs and to give solid advice. (Is. 50:4) I now know that this is where God led me. Thirty plus years later I am still working with people listening and advising and it is not just job, it is a ministry. The thing is, in my early days I thought that working with people would be fun. Now I realize that working with people can be fun, but it is also challenging. People have problems, and with problems come questions and complaining and angst. (What a great word.)

Moses got a great big dose of angst from people. Webster defines angst as "a feeling of anxiety, apprehension or insecurity". This is what these people were feeling and this is what Moses got an earful about. And it came out in the form of complaining. This is the second time these people asked Moses why he brought them out into the wilderness to die. The first time was when the Egyptian army pursued them. Now, it was about 75 days after they left Egypt and they were complaining about being hungry. They liked their pots of meat and bread in Egypt. Now their bellies were grumbling and it came out of their mouths.

Once again, God came through. Let's see. He came through when he got them out of Egypt. He came through in leading them with a pillar of fire and a cloud. He came through when they crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. Could He do it again? Could God do one more miracle and fill the stomachs of all of these people? Here come the quail and here comes the manna…with instructions. Only pick up one omer per person. If they did this, if they followed the law of God (before there was the actual written law of God), if they were obedient, then "he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack." Amazing. God is true to His word.

As I think about my life and the lives of those around me, I see that God has not changed. When we do what He says, He supplies all that we need, at just the right time. It is amazing, but I have watched Him work and supply just enough at just the right time over and over again. This was especially true when our girls were in college. Two girls in private schools and universities can be a test. But God came through every time. He allowed me to bring in cases, and make extra money. He allowed Georgann to have a job that helped supply. No bill went unpaid. No need went unmet, at just the right time.

Yet I still act like the children of Israel. I still am human and have a short memory. I can still feel that internal feeling of angst. I am thankful that God is faithful even though I am faithless, because He cannot deny who He is. (2Tim 2:13) He said: "If you obey I will supply." This has been true throughout all of time, and He still does it.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Natural Praise

Ex 15:2 "The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him." (NKJV)

I have been blessed for many years in that God has given me the opportunity to help lead our church in worshiping God through music. I am not the most talented guy. I certainly don't have the best voice in the world. But the Lord has surrounded me with a group of people who are very talented and who know what it means to exalt Christ together. It is my privilege to be involved with this group. It is a privilege to help lead Lake Ridge in songs of praise and exaltation.

Moses had a chance to do this. After "the horse and its rider (were) thrown into the sea" he couldn't help it. He had to sing. "I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously!" v1. And he did not do this alone. "Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord." v1. It was something that was natural. It was something that just came out. Why? Because they realized something. Moses had just encouraged them to not fear. Moses had just encouraged them to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord…and it happened. God let the children of Israel cross the Red Sea on dry ground and when the Egyptians tried to follow, they sucked down a ton of water. Now they realized it wasn't up to their strength. It wasn't up to them to figure out how to fight their battles. "The Lord is my strength…and He has become my salvation." And I will sing. I will praise (make beautiful). I will exalt Him.

Heartfelt, real, honest, genuine praise is what God wants. He doesn't want a show. He doesn't want a concert. He doesn't care about style. He doesn't care about talent. He cares about our hearts. And when my heart grips the reality that God alone is my strength, that God alone is my salvation, that I am helpless and hopeless without Him, but He is there to rescue and save and give power…then it impacts my heart. And that impacts my voice. And that impacts my song. I will praise. I will exalt. I will make His Name great. I will lift Him up above all else.

May that be what I do…may that be what we do every time we stand in front of people with a song to sing.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Confident Leadership

Ex 14:13 "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today."

Fear is a stinky thing. I know that if there is anything that paralyzes me and causes me not to act, it is usually fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what might happen. Fear that this is not going to work out. Fear that I might fail. Fear that it will lead to bad news. Fear that this might hurt. The reason I don't take risks, the reason I like to stay in my comfort zone is fear.

I am thinking that the children of Israel were there. They saw the Egyptian army descending on them with nowhere to go. What were they going to do, build a bridge over the Red Sea and escape within a day? No way. They did not see any way out of this dilemma. They were dead. And they were going to die a horrible death in the desert. This is not what they wanted. In fact, this is what they feared. This was not going to work out. This was total failure. This was bad news. This would definitely hurt. They took the risk to leave Egypt and they ran away from any comfort zone that they may have had (even though it was not that comfortable) and they went out into the unknown. And here they were, the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian army behind them pursuing them.

And Moses? Moses said: "Do not be afraid." How could he say that? Why was he so confident? Because, even though the people forgot what they had just experienced, even though the people forgot that God had just delivered them in a miraculous way, (how in the world were they going to teach their kids this when they had such short memories?), Moses did not forget. He knew the power of God and that God would not lead them out here to die. He knew that they were going to the land of the Hittites and Amorites and Canaanites. He knew their destiny and realized that nothing stood in their way because it was the Lord who would bring their salvation...on that very day. All the people had to do was watch. All the people had to do was stand still and see what God was going to do.

As I think of Moses in this situation I think of leadership. I think of good leadership. Moses displayed it here. He was confident in his God and went forward in that confidence...not in fear.

I wonder if I can say that about me? As God has given me the opportunity to help lead people, what do they see in me? Confidence or fear? Assurance or hesitance? Moving forward or holding back? I want to be a leader that can say with Moses: "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today."

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Pictures

Ex 12: 24 "And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever."

This is a continuation of what was emphasized yesterday. All the Dad's in Israel had the responsibility to teach their children. How? By telling them the mighty things that God had done…and through pictures.

This was it. This was the end of Israel's captivity in Egypt. Pharaoh and the people in Egypt were going to personally observe the power of God and they were all going to experience the result of one leader's decisions. It is a shame when a whole nation suffers because of one leader's poor decision making. It is a shame when an entire nation has to bear the burden of one person's disobedience. Kind of makes you pause for a moment. It should result in us begging God to put godly men and women in places of responsibility…in our country, in our businesses, in our homes because Presidents and CEO's and Dad's all have an impact on those who rely upon them.

This is where the Dad's come in. "Observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever." Observe the Passover. How? During a week of observance. During a week where you do not eat any bread with leaven in it. During a week that begins with a holy meeting and ends with a holy meeting. And when your kids ask you why you do this (v26) you can tell them all about how God rescued Israel by passing over them. The picture you draw for your kids that week will prompt them to ask questions and open doors for teachable moments.

This still goes on today. My boss, who is Jewish, still observes the Passover. He and his family still celebrate for seven days and he does not eat anything that has leaven in it. And his kids know why this is done.

I wonder what I did that allowed my kids to ask questions about my faith? I wonder what pictures I drew for them that caused them to wonder. Communion is a picture. Baptism is a picture. And they understand those pictures because of our teaching and what our church has taught them. Observing Christmas and Easter are pictures as well. I just wonder how effective my artistry was? Can it get better? What can I do where they will still ask questions and my grandkids will ask questions? A natural curiosity about my faith is what I would love to see.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

And So On

Ex 10:2 "and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord."

I am thinking that God is really trying to get something into Moses' brain. Just look at this pattern: "I AM, I will, I am the Lord, I am the Lord, there is no one like the Lord our God, I may show My power…my Name may be declared, I am the Lord."

The unique Name of God. LORD. I AM. And everyone is going to know it. Moses, the Egyptians, Pharaoh, all the earth, and now your children and your children's children. This was not only going to be for Moses' generation. This was going to proceed throughout all generations. From Moses, to Moses' kids, to Moses' kids kids, and so on, and so on, and so on…to this very day and beyond.

And how does it happen? How will the next generation know that "I am the Lord"? Moses had to tell his kids and grandkids. I have to tell my kids and grandkids. This is how it happens. It isn't something that happens automatically. It isn't something that we can just assume will happen. This requires intentionality. It requires planning. It requires opening our mouths and telling our kids and our grandchildren the mighty things that God has done in our lives.

This is really starting to hit me. The need for us to disciple our children and our grandchildren. The need for dads to embrace this responsibility is huge. The thing is, I don't see it happening a lot. I know that as Georgann and I raised our girls, we lived our lives. We opened our mouths. And thank God my wife had a plan. She grabbed resources and used them. And hopefully I was able to build into the girls lives with my love and my words of encouragement (and sometimes correction) and my example. And thank God, He has blessed us with amazing godly women. Yet a plan? An idea of how to go? Intentionality?

The plan is this: Open your mouth. The plan is this: Tell what God has done. Over and over and over again. To multiple generations. For me now, to Maddie and whatever other grandchildren God blesses us with. I need to write out my story so that my kids and my kids kids can see the amazing things that God has done.

Why? So they all may know that God is the Lord.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Glory (cont.)

Ex 9:16 "But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth."

What is my purpose on the earth? Ever wonder about that? Why am I here? To make money? To raise a family? To help people? What is my purpose?

God sure had a purpose for Pharaoh. To show His power and that God's Name, I AM, would be declared over all the earth. That is quite a purpose. It seems like it is a purpose that Pharaoh should embrace. It seems like a purpose that anyone should embrace. Pharaoh had a different idea. He was trying to mess up God's plan. He was trying to thwart God's desire. The thing is, Pharaoh did not know that he was not in charge. With all of his conniving, with all of his deception God was still in control of the entire situation. And God was going to reveal His glory throughout the whole earth because of what Pharaoh did. Even in Pharaoh's rebellion, God was going to glorify Himself.

It is hard to understand, but God even uses the rotten things in this world to reveal Himself because, as I wrote yesterday, all of time, all of history, all of His creation, all of the people that God has created are here for one purpose…to show His power, to declare His Name, to reveal His glory. Look at what Paul says: "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." Col 1:16 God/Jesus has made it all and He has made it all for His own purposes.

So when I look at things like Presidential elections, when I see people who are raised up to positions of leadership, I have to remember that God put those people on the throne for only one thing: So His power will be revealed and so that His Name would be known in all the earth. I shouldn't get all bent out of shape when certain people rise to certain positions because God's plan is being worked out.

And, God made each one of us for that purpose and someday the entire scheme will be revealed and His glory will be over all. Some people know it and some people don't. Some people think they are in control and some people realize that God is orchestrating it all. I really want this to be something that I have in the front of my brain all the time. I really want this to be something that I am reminded about constantly…it is all for His glory, for His power, for His Name. When I do that I can relax as I watch His story (history) unfold.

Friday, September 2, 2011

The Glory of God

Ex 8:10 "Let it be according to your word that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God."

Pharaoh thought he was a pretty sneaky guy. He would pretend that he was giving in and letting the children of Israel go, but after he was out of the heat of the moment, he would change his mind, harden his heart and go back on his word. God knew this. This guy was not outsmarting God. God knew that Pharaoh was going to keep doing this which would eventually lead to more plagues.

Human nature is really interesting. I know that I think this way as well at times. Once I am out of the woods, once I am out of the heat of the moment, once the threat passes, I go back to my same old ways of living. And this is dumb, because it will eventually lead to more difficulty. This is obviously what happened after 9-11. We turned our faces toward God in the time of desperation and when it passed, we went back to living the same old way we always lived. Talk about history repeating itself. And God knows. This does not take God by surprise. He knows how fickle the human heart is.

And what is the overriding thought that is going through God's mind? "I AM", "I will", "I am the Lord", and "there is no one like the Lord our God." God's glory is paramount. The one thing that everyone, Moses, the children of Israel, the Egyptians and Pharaoh will get out of this experience is this: God alone is the LORD.

And what is the overriding theme throughout all of history? God alone is the LORD. He is the One, the Only. Everything else throughout all of time dwarfs in comparison to who He is. The one thing that we all will get out of our experience is that He is LORD. He is Jehovah. He is I AM. There is no one, and there never will be anyone like Him.

I heard James MacDonald say the other day what the three themes of the Bible are. Now, I was thinking that the overriding theme was the redemption of man through Christ. That is a theme…in fact it is the second theme. But the major theme in the Bible is the glory of God. This world was made for His glory. We were made for His glory. Pharaoh was made for God's glory. All of history is being played out for God's glory…because He is…that is all we need to know…and that should be the theme of my life.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Pharaoh Again

Ex 7:5 "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord…"

What is so different about yesterday's verse and today's verse? Why did this verse jump out at me today? I think it is because in Ex 6, God was impressing on Moses the fact that He was the Lord. He was trying to get into Moses' thick skull that He was the eternally existing One who was in charge of it all.

In chapter 7 this changes. It isn't just Moses who is going to come this realization, it is those who are in opposition. It is those who do not want the children of Israel to leave. It is those who are going to be impacted negatively because of dumb decisions made by their leader, Pharaoh. The Egyptians were eventually going to come to the conclusion that there was one God, one Lord, one Controller of all things…Jehovah… I AM.

This hit me today because as I woke up this morning, the news was blaring in my clock radio. One item on the news was a pastor in New York City who was trying to convince Mayor Blumberg to reinsert prayer in the 9-11 commemoration coming up. How quickly we forget. We have short memories. After 9-11 it seemed like all people could do was pray. They flocked to churches and temples and the National Cathedral to pray. For some reason people's hearts and heads were turned toward God…for a short period of time. Now, we have the 10th anniversary of this horrible event. And Mayor Blumberg has said that there will be no prayer. No acknowledgement of God. No confession that we are still in need. No admission that we rely on One who is greater than we are. All because of political correctness. All because of this alleged separation of church and state. What it is, is an elimination of all that is spiritual. It is a hostility toward God. It is Pharaoh all over again.

But…Mayor Blumberg does not have the last word. Our President does not have the last word. The Supreme Court does not have the last word. God does and someday everyone, everywhere will "…know that I am the LORD."