Failure to Recognize...

How often do we fail to recognize God’s blessings as GIFTS from Him? Sometimes, they are as simple as a day of rest, or enough food for the day.

The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey My commands and instructions? 29 They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why He gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. Exodus 16:28-29a

Providing for Our Needs...

God always provides what we need. Notice I didn’t say WANT. The emphasis is on NEEDS. Why would God expect us to do something without providing the means of doing it? He wouldn’t. If we find ourselves complaining about something, particularly if it’s something we want and didn’t get, we need to accept the fact that God deemed it unnecessary. He knows best, and we need to recalibrate our ability to differentiate our “needs” from our “wants”. God always provides enough, even if it doesn’t fit our definition of it.

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow My instructions. 5 On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.” Exodus 16:4-5

17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. Exodus 16:17-18

When Your Faith Fluctuates...

There are times and seasons in our lives when our faith fluctuates and we start to question it. What we don’t realize is that a life that pursues God will have these kinds of moments. When we start to question, “what does God want from me?”, we need to go back to the basics of our faith. These basics never change. They never lose their importance or effectiveness in our lives. God always (daily) wants us to listen carefully to His voice. If you’re not hearing His voice, you need to press into Him more and realize sometimes His voice is already being communicated in His silence. His voice sometimes is what we already know, what we read in scripture. So regardless if we “feel” close to God, we need to “DO” what is right in His sight, “obeying His commands and keeping His decrees”. This just means aligning your heart with His. Loving people, helping those in need, and having an attitude of “I’m important, but not as important as I might think”. God honors those that honor Him. He takes care of His children.

25 So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to Him. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, obeying His commands and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:25-26

Doubt and Action...

03072019 Doubt is the enemy of faith. Action is it’s ally.

21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” Matthew 21:21-22

The Road of Laziness...

The only place the road of Laziness leads you is to a destination called Poverty. Along the way you travel through a land called Enablement. From there you travel through the city called Entitlement. When your car breaks down you get it fixed at a garage called Welfare. And right before you arrive at your final destination you drive through the suburbs of Poverty, called BlameSomeoneElseville and ItsNotMyFault place. That’s the road map of Laziness.

  6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.Learn from their ways and become wise!7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work,8 they labor hard all summer,gathering food for the winter.9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep?When will you wake up?10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,a little folding of the hands to rest–11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. Proverbs 6:6-11

Put in Their Place....

I once heard a story about the Exodus of the Israelites being chased by the Egyptians into the Red Sea. A college professor was telling the students that the Biblical account wasn’t accurate. All the scientific research clearly showed that the parting of the Red Sea must’ve taken place at the shallow end of the Sea. The college professor stated, “it must’ve only been a few inches of water that parted allowing the Israelites to walk through”. Just then, one of the students yelled out, “now that’s even a greater miracle”. The college professor was dumb-founded. The student continued, “God showed His Glory to the Israelites, by parting the Red Sea, and then drowning the Egyptian army in a few inches of water. Now that’s miraculous”. Skeptics who try to explain God away, will always be put in their place.

21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!23 Then the Egyptians–all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers–chased them into the middle of the sea. 24 But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their forces into total confusion. 25 He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out of here–away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”26 When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.” 27 So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers–the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.29 But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. 30 That is how the Lord rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. 31 When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before Him. They put their faith in the Lord and in His servant Moses. Exodus 14:21-31

Let God Exalt...

For any believer in a leadership position, this is the best method on how to lead your group. In order to be effective you have to be different. You lead by setting the example. You lead by walking with the members of your group. You lead by serving them, looking out for them, becoming last by advancing them, instead of trying to be “#1” yourself. Sacrificing your time, your pride, and yourself, will make a lasting impression. If not for this life, but for the life to come. Don’t exalt yourself, let God do that; concentrate on serving others.

25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28

If God Says Don’t....

I know this sounds worldly, but it’s not. It’s crystal clear, written several times in the Bible. Don’t ever put up your property as collateral for someone else’s loan. Don’t co-sign on a loan. Not even if it’s your children or close relatives. I’ve seen this happen in real life. It rarely works out. I’ve seen parents do it for their kids, only to lose it and have to work until they die just to make ends meet. If God allowed it to be written in his book, it might be a good idea to listen, and do what it says.

1 My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debtor agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger–2 if you have trapped yourself by your agreementand are caught by what you said–3 follow my advice and save yourself,for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy.Now swallow your pride;go and beg to have your name erased.4 Don’t put it off; do it now!Don’t rest until you do.5 Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter,like a bird fleeing from a net. Proverbs 6:1-5

God Never Abandons....

God never abandons anyone with a sincere, honest heart towards Him.

6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;yes, I prayed to my God for help.He heard me from His sanctuary;my cry to Him reached His ears. Psalms 18:6

Gratitude Killer...

This is not the major point of this parable, but it’s something we all should still see. God owns everything. He created it everything and He allows us to be stewards of it. With that said, one of the major faults of the early vineyard workers here is their uncanniness to compare themselves with the last-hired workers. It never fails. When we compare ourselves to others we will ALWAYS be discontent. God has placed in us a sense of justice and fairness. Anytime we are too self-absorbed, we tend to compare ourselves with others. We use that sense of justice or fairness to our disadvantage. You often hear the statements, “if I had this or that I could do that just as well or even better than so-and-so”. Or, “it’s easy for them because they have the money to do it”. The list goes on and on. The problem with comparing is that you will always find someone bigger, faster, stronger, richer, or better looking than you. It will deflate your ego faster than poking a ballon with a straight pin. God uses comparing to humble us at times, but Satan uses it far more, and with only one goal in mind; to deflate, demoralize, and make us discontent with God. We were never meant to compare ourselves. Just as the story states, God does whatever He pleases, because He owns it all. It’s His prerogative, isn’t it? It’s only when we focus on Him, that we find contentment, security, and peace. Did the vineyard owner violate any laws? Did the early vineyard workers get exactly what they thought they would get paid? Does God’s kindness make us jealous? If so, we need to re-examine our hearts and find out where our focus really is. When you compare, you will fail, but when you fail to compare, contentment and gratitude towards our Maker will follow. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. It’s the ultimate equalizer in life.

1 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day.5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage.10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” Matthew 20:1-16

Where To Look For Our Reward....

The Psalmist knew where we are to look for our reward. He knew if we tried to find it in anything other than God, we would never find it. How often do we think, “If I only do this or get that, I’ll be satisfied?” When we place our affections on earthly things, we lose sight to see spiritually. It only goes down hill from there. Ultimately, God is our reward. When we place Him above all things, His presence delivers more than we can possibly fathom.

14 By the power of Your hand, O Lord,destroy those who look to this world for their reward.But satisfy the hunger of Your treasured ones.May their children have plenty,leaving an inheritance for their descendants.15 Because I am righteous, I will see You.When I awake, I will see You face to face and be satisfied. Psalms 17:14-15

Built Into Our DNA....

I always think that people who deny God or refuse to honor Him know what they are doing. When Pharaoh kept the Israelites from leaving Egypt, he knew what he was doing. Or at least he thought he did, for God was the One in control. Finally, when the hail came down, Pharaoh admitted he had sinned against God. What prompts a person to admit they are wrong to God? Deep down inside, all of us know we are sinners, deserving God’s judgement (Romans 1). We are without excuse. Even though people won’t admit it, it’s true. Why do people say, “Oh my G__”. Or why do they choose to use God’s name or Jesus’ name in vain. How many times have you heard someone decide to use their mother’s name as a cuss word? It’s built in our DNA to worship God. When we don’t, we have no excuse.

Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he confessed. “The Lord is the righteous One, and my people and I are wrong. 28 Please beg the Lord to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.”29 “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the Lord. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know that the earth belongs to the Lord. 30 But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.”31 (All the flax and barley were ruined by the hail, because the barley had formed heads and the flax was budding. 32 But the wheat and the emmer wheat were spared, because they had not yet sprouted from the ground.)33 So Moses left Pharaoh’s court and went out of the city. When he lifted his hands to the Lord, the thunder and hail stopped, and the downpour ceased. 34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn. 35 Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the Lord had predicted through Moses. Exodus 9:27-35

Camels, Needles, Riches, and Heaven...

What do you think Jesus meant by it being easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle that for a rich man to enter Heaven means? Probably not what you think. If you take it at face value you’d probably think the rich can’t enter Heaven. Why? Because a camel can’t fit through the small opening of a needle. This simply isn’t the meaning. A rich person has comfort and familiarity with living a certain lifestyle. Their money affords them the option to say “NO” to God. The thought of Heaven scares them. They don’t live a life trying to follow God, so the guilt or shame clouds their view of Heaven, or even their view of Hell. So life here on earth is all they know. They like it, are comfortable with it, and don’t want to give it up or leave. They don’t pursue Salvation because they think Heaven is right here and now. For the poor and down-troddened, Heaven is way better than life here on earth. The pain and suffering, sickness and disease, and consequences of sin are too much. They think, “anything is better than this”. So they strive to pursue the things of God and salvation. The story of the rich man here clearly demonstrates this truth. The thought of leaving behind all of his treasures devastated him. He went away sad because he knew the truth. He loved his riches more than he loved God. So what do we take away from this passage? No matter how good or how bad we have it here on earth, Heaven will be better. It will be far beyond our “best” day here on earth. Heaven means we will be with God. His presence is the best we will ever have. We should strive for salvation, and once gained, live it out exactly the way God intends it to be lived out. There’s no amount of comfort on earth that riches can bring that will fulfill our purpose in life. Riches and things are no substitute for God. And when we focus our affections on earthly things, we lose our spiritual sight. I don’t want to be spiritually blind and miss out on all that God has for me. Do you?

Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”17 “Why ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question–if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”18 “Which ones?” the man asked.And Jesus replied: “ ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’”20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again–it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”27 Then Peter said to Him, “We’ve given up everything to follow You. What will we get?”28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon His glorious throne, you who have been My followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for My sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. Matthew 19:16-30

Ropes That Catch And Hold...

Sexual sin, be it heterosexual or homosexual, holds you captive. As it says here, “they are ropes that catch and hold” you. Our lack of self-control will be our doom. Anyone who doesn’t believe this to be true is foolish. God designed us to live a certain way, and when we violate that order, we suffer the consequences. It it weren’t true, why would this clear warning be in His Word (the Bible)?

21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;they are ropes that catch and hold him.23 He will die for lack of self-control;he will be lost because of his great foolishness. Proverbs 5:21-23

Interwoven Responsibility....

Here in Exodus 7 we come to see a truth that is consistent throughout scripture: God always warns people before His judgement is carried out. Always. God warned Pharaoh about each plague. It says Pharaoh hardened his heart. It also says God hardened his heart. If you closely evaluate each time this happened it’s 50/50 occurrence. Fifty percent of the time Pharaoh hardened his own heart and 50% God hardened his heart. This shows us God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are interwoven. We have to trust God to do what He does, because it’s always just, and for the best of those that believe.

3 But I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply My miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down My fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue My forces–My people, the Israelites–from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. 5 When I raise My powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” Exodus 7:3-5

We Can’t Give What We Don’t Possess...

God expects us to demonstrate with our own lives what He has done for us. He is merciful, so we are to be merciful. He shows us grace, so we are to show grace to others. What He gives us, we are to give to others. That’s the problem with self-centeredness. When we are so “full of ourselves”, there’s no room for God’s _________ ( mercy, truth, grace, compassion, patience,......). We can’t give what we don’t possess. And it’s 100% our own fault. We have no one to blame but ourselves.

21 Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold–along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned–to pay the debt.26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded.30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.35 “That’s what My heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-35

Drink From Your Own Well.....

How often do we hear about the consequences of adultery? How often do we get first hand stories of its effects on the family and all of society? It’s almost like war, when a soldier comes back, he isn’t gung ho about telling everyone about all he has witnessed. It’s one reason why PTSD is so prevalent these days with our veterans and first responders. As parents, we need to do a better job at teaching our kids that having a loving spouse is one of the greatest blessings God gives. Yes, it takes work, but it’s rewards are worth it, far better than the alternative of adultery.

  15 Drink water from your own well–share your love only with your wife.16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,having sex with just anyone?17 You should reserve it for yourselves.Never share it with strangers. 18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.Rejoice in the wife of your youth.19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.Let her breasts satisfy you always.May you always be captivated by her love.20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman? 21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,examining every path he takes.22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;they are ropes that catch and hold him.23 He will die for lack of self-control;he will be lost because of his great foolishness. Proverbs 5:15-23

Cracked Pots and Broken Mirrors...

Here’s a truth for us when times of confident serving are hard to find: God doesn’t call the equipped, rather He equips the called. He uses cracked pots to fill His Spirit in to reach others. He uses broken mirrors to reflect His light in a dark world. And, as in Moses’ case, He uses clumsy speakers to effectively proclaim His Truth.

28 When the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 He said to him, “I am the Lord! Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, everything I am telling you.” 30 But Moses argued with the Lord, saying, “I can’t do it! I’m such a clumsy speaker! Why should Pharaoh listen to me?” Exodus 6:28-30

Faith Has No Road Map...

Isn’t it fascinating seeing God work out His will through people? There are so many times God’s Will involves frustration, uncertainty, and even despair on our parts, only for us to be redeemed by the end of the situation. Here in Exodus chapter 5 we find Moses complaining to God about His choosing him to lead the people out of Egypt. Moses was thinking, “This is so not how this was supposed to go”. He thought God was going to make this situation go as smoothly as a boat glides across the sea with a steady breeze. First off Pharaoh rejects his request. Second, Pharaoh increases the demand on the Israelites by burdening them to make the same amount of bricks while not providing the straw to produce them. That lead to the Israelites cursing Moses. Moses is now “getting it” from every side. He feels “Why Me?” It’s pity party time. It’s funny how God allows us to despair sometimes, to break through our pride in order to motivate us to get off our “set in our ways” butt and do the thing that will ultimately solve the dilemma. The Israelites probably wouldn’t have listening to Moses if Pharaoh hadn’t treated them more harshly. It took being threatening and taken out of their comfort zone, to break their pride and familiarity with Egypt. Even in the future wilderness, they wanted to go back. How often do we do the very same thing. Our “comfort zone” keeps us from growing and expanding. God sometimes needs to get our attention and that usually involves hardship and discomfort. Lighting a fire under our butt usually does the trick. Here’s the truth in this: when we decide to follow God, expect unpleasantries. Expect things to not always go as you think they should go. When things go outside of our thinking, talk to God about it. Ask Him to reveal His presence to you and trust Him to be there and help you through it. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. That’s why we need to be grafted into Him (the Vine), we then can be more aligned with His ways and His thoughts. Trusting God in faith isn’t easy. It’s really hard at times. But that’s a challenge we are to take and it’s what makes life exciting and worth living. Faith is a journey that doesn’t have a map, it’s not clearly marked out for us, but you know your ultimate destination. God will get you through.

After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Let My people go so they may hold a festival in My honor in the wilderness.”2 “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the Lord? Why should I listen to Him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.”3 But Aaron and Moses persisted. “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they declared. “So let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don’t, He will kill us with a plague or with the sword.”4 Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! 5 Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.” Making Bricks without Straw 6 That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: 7 “Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves! 8 But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’ 9 Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!”10 So the slave drivers and foremen went out and told the people: “This is what Pharaoh says: I will not provide any more straw for you. 11 Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!” 12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as straw.13 Meanwhile, the Egyptian slave drivers continued to push hard. “Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did when we provided you with straw!” they demanded. 14 Then they whipped the Israelite foremen they had put in charge of the work crews. “Why haven’t you met your quotas either yesterday or today?” they demanded.15 So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged. 16 “We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being beaten, but it isn’t our fault! Your own people are to blame!”17 But Pharaoh shouted, “You’re just lazy! Lazy! That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’ 18 Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks.”19 The Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day.” 20 As they left Pharaoh’s court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them. 21 The foremen said to them, “May the Lord judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!”22 Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have You brought all this trouble on Your own people, Lord? Why did You send me? 23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh as Your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to Your people. And You have done nothing to rescue them!” Exodus 5

Advice For Every Young Man....

The best advice a young man will ever get when it comes to sexual relations is this: stay away from an immoral woman. It will only lead to disgrace.

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;listen carefully to my wise counsel.2 Then you will show discernment,and your lips will express what you’ve learned.3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,and her mouth is smoother than oil.4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,as dangerous as a double-edged sword.5 Her feet go down to death;her steps lead straight to the grave.6 For she cares nothing about the path to life.She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it. Proverbs 5:1-6

The First Great Cause....

Here’s a Psalm that we all need to memorize and etch into our hearts. We must never forget God is the “first Great Cause”. It is because of Him that life exists. It is because of Him we draw our next breath. It is because of Him we have hope. He is our refuge in times of trouble. He is the giver of life. He is the guardian of our possessions. He is our true security. He shows us the way of life. His presence is our joy. No matter what the day brings, we have hope, the anchor of our soul, because of Him. Focus on that today. Then go out and praise Him for it.

Keep me safe, O God,for I have come to You for refuge. 2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!Every good thing I have comes from You.”3 The godly people in the landare my true heroes!I take pleasure in them!4 Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.I will not take part in their sacrifices of bloodor even speak the names of their gods. 5 Lord, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.You guard all that is mine.6 The land You have given me is a pleasant land.What a wonderful inheritance! 7 I will bless the Lord who guides me;even at night my heart instructs me.8 I know the Lord is always with me.I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. 9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.My body rests in safety.10 For You will not leave my soul among the deador allow Your holy one to rot in the grave.11 You will show me the way of life,granting me the joy of Your presenceand the pleasures of living with You forever. Psalms 16

Excusing Ourselves From Our Faith....

There nothing more a Christian can do to anger God more than to not trust Him and do what He commands us to do. Here in Exodus chapters 3 & 4, Moses pleads with God to send someone else to Pharaoh. He tries to make every excuse in the book for God to send someone else. God gets very angry at him because of this passive, yet willful disobedience. How often do we do the same thing? God prompts us to witness to someone and we don’t do it. Or God placed someone on our heart to pray for and we stop praying for them two days in to it. Or even if you know you should speak truth into someone’s life, and at the right moment, you stay silent. It’s all based on the same principle Moses uses here: willful disobedience. Regardless of the rationalization of the situation, be it fear, insecurity, lack of trust, or little faith, when you put your selfish desires first (only looking out for yourself), God gets angry. You can call it by whatever name you want, but when you take it at face value, it’s disobedience. Your heart may want to do it, but your flesh screams, “No way”!!! So what do we do about this dilemma? We must realize that if God is wanting us to do something, then He is going to provide the means, and the ability to accomplish it. God never expects us to try and fail at something He commands. Failure isn’t part of His will, unless of course your pride needs a little adjusting (like Peter). Yes you may fail at things, but God never fails. What He sets into motion, He sees it through to fruition. The problem with our disobedience is our lack of ability to trust the unknown. We allow our fears and insecurities to overshadow what we know to be true about God. Getting our focus off of ourselves and back onto God is the beginning of the solution to this problem. Trusting God involves doing now, with the understanding coming later. Your faith in Him is not based on your abilities, it’s based on God’s character. And His character is as stable as a mountain in a storm, it’s not going to move regardless of the weather. God would never ask us to do something, even if it seems impossible, unless He intends for it to happen. We have to learn that faith is trusting God, and not ourselves, even if we don’t see the outcome. It’s stepping across a line that is uncertain. In order for faith to grow it must take chances. It must be exercised. Selfish thoughts like, “I’m not good enough”, “I will fail”, “I’m scared”, or “I can’t” are only excuses to not try. God gets angry because He knows you are not adequate, but He knows He has the power to make you adequate. God never calls the equipped. He equips the called. His will, and His way is the only way. The only way that by living out our faith can bring all the rewards that the Bible tells us it brings.

10 But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though You have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”11 Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”13 But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”14 Then the Lord became angry with Moses. “All right,” He said. “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you. 15 Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do. 16 Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say. 17 And take your shepherd’s staff with you, and use it to perform the miraculous signs I have shown you.” Exodus 4:10-17

True Discernment...

Christians need more discernment when it comes to the issue of being offensive. We often think we should never offend anyone. When we have that attitude we fear man more than God. We really don’t have a grasp on what “being offensive” really is. The world’s way of being offensive means telling someone something they don’t like or want to hear. Biblical truth will always offend because it either convicts a heart or offends it. And that is not up to us. We are commanded by God to preach the Gospel. We just need to do it with gentleness and respect as Peter says in his epistle. We, personally, should do our best to never offend anyone, right? Well, when we speak of Jesus, the Gospel, salvation, and other core principles of our faith, it’s going to offend. Why? Because it goes against every part of our human nature. Our human nature promotes self first, then others. God’s way is others first, self last. As it says in Hebrews 11:6, “it’s impossible to please God without faith”. I don’t mean forgetting yourself, I just mean thinking about and caring for others should be a priority to you. I remember the story told by Martin Luther about two goats. “Two mountain goats met on a small rock ledge, that was just wide enough for one of the animals. To the left was a soaring, steep rock face and to the right a deep Lake. The two goats faced each other undecided. “What should I do?”, they exclaimed. They could not go backwards. That was too dangerous. Neither could they turn around, the ledge was too narrow.  Had the two goats not had more brains than some people, they would've stood there head to head, and had pushed each other so long, till both had fallen into the lake. One of them lay down on the trail and let the other literally walk over him and both were safe. But they had to prepare, at least one of them, to humbly lay down and let the other pass over him.”1 Here's the point, one goat humbled himself, allowing the other goat to step over him, which eventually allowed him to advance higher.  As Luther put it, "be content if your person is trod upon for peace's sake, your person, I say, not your conscience". The difference between belief and conviction, is belief is something you hold, and conviction is something that holds you. Christians need to learn the difference as to when to “turn the other cheek”, humbling yourself, not offending someone, and when to speak truth in love (allowing the truth to convict, a.k.a. OFFEND). This applies to believers and non-believers alike. This should be our motto: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity (love)”. Discernment is knowing when to humble yourself, and when to stand tall for the sake of the Gospel. Either way is right in God’s sight when you ask in advance for His wisdom, and you do it with gentleness and respect. 24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”25 “Yes, He does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.” Matthew 17:24-27

1- https://books.google.com/books?id=iB8dmQFtzRoC&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=the+two+goats+martin+luther&source=bl&ots=9Vht5K4TcH&sig=k1czhbY0cJDCozqYVvMikue_E3U&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwio-MGo9_XYAhXn54MKHRjTDdgQ6AEwDHoECAsQAQ#v=onepage&q=the%20two%20goats%20martin%20luther&f=false. Page 116

Seeing Yourself In the Light of the Truth...

Human beings are fickle. God grants us experiences that are miraculous, then after a short time passes by, we tend to forget or choose not to remember how blessed we were that God granted us these special occasions. Here in Matthew ch 17, Peter, James, and John get the experience of a lifetime, the Transfiguration. Then, not soon after this, after experiencing God firsthand with Moses and Elijah, the disciples get told they have little faith, Peter denies Jesus three times, and all the disciples desert Jesus. Wouldn’t you think that Peter, James, and John would be different? The fact that they had this “Divine Appointment”, the transfiguration, you would think they would be the ones to stand up for Christ when he was arrested. But they weren’t. It was only after experiencing the shame of fleeing and denying Jesus, that they became the leaders of the disciples, making a worldly impact that has lasted through today because of this experience. This just goes to show us our humanity is fickle. Once you accept this about yourself, true progress can be made in furthering the Kingdom.

1 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If You want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials–one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy. Listen to Him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus.9 As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”10 Then His disciples asked Him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?”11 Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.”13 Then the disciples realized He was talking about John the Baptist. Matthew 17:1-13

The Ability to Stay on Task....

Goal setting: every January people are gung ho about exercising and getting healthier, only a few weeks later finding themselves back at the donut shops and fast food restaurants, abandoning their plan. The problem with goal setting is the ability to stay on task, and not making your goals realistic, measurable, and attainable. It’s so easy to get off track and lose sight of the goal. Here in Proverbs 4:25-27, it clearly gets to the heart of our failure to achieve goals; we lose our focus. We allow ourselves to follow things that might even be evil. If you are one to set goals, do yourself a favor, don’t set them if you don’t have the ability to keep your focus on them. It will only make you feel like a failure if you don’t. And you know where that will lead you. Ask God to help you. He can do it. He’s the greatest helper, motivator, and companion you can ever have. When the goal is achieved, you’ll have someone to share the satisfaction with, and also a recipient of your praise for helping you through.

25 Look straight ahead,and fix your eyes on what lies before you.26 Mark out a straight path for your feet;stay on the safe path.27 Don’t get sidetracked;keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:25-27

Fruits of the Spirit in the OT....

You’ve read in the NT about the fruits of the spirit: Love, patience, kindness.... but these same character qualities are in the OT as well. People ask all the time, “what does God want from me?” Here in Psalm 15, you get a glimpse of the answer. This is the behavior God looks for in people. Are these character qualities you strive to display?

1 Who may worship in Your sanctuary, Lord?Who may enter Your presence on Your holy hill?2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,speaking the truth from sincere hearts.3 Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,and keep their promises even when it hurts.5 Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.Such people will stand firm forever. Psalms 15

A Life-Changing Read....

I was substitute teaching at a local high school a few days ago and was astonished that the teacher was allowing the students to read the Bible as one of their project assignments. As some of the students were reading I heard all kinds of comments. They were surprised at all the literary terms that were intimately woven in the scriptures. Their assignment was to find three of the literary concepts from a list and write about them. I thought, the Bible is the one book that has inspired so many great writers that it’s a no brainer it should be read and studied throughout the world. It’s the only book that is guaranteed to be a life changer. It’s historical as well as spiritually reviving the soul. It’s the answer to the world’s problem. Anyway, as I read in Exodus chapter two, I couldn’t help think of the irony found here in Moses’ story. Only God’s hand can construct a path so filled with irony that it blows our minds. It’s what God does at times to show us, that His ways are best and can only be accomplished through Him. Think about this for a second: here’s a baby (Moses), decreed to die, gets picked up by the daughter of the one ordering all the baby boys to be murdered, then pays Moses’ own mother to nurse him until he can be adopted into Pharoah’s household. The irony and truth of God’s sovereignty is truly amazing, isn’t it?

1 About this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. 2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River. 4 The baby’s sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him.5 Soon Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the river, and her attendants walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it for her. 6 When the princess opened it, she saw the baby. The little boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This must be one of the Hebrew children,” she said.7 Then the baby’s sister approached the princess. “Should I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” she asked.8 “Yes, do!” the princess replied. So the girl went and called the baby’s mother.9 “Take this baby and nurse him for me,” the princess told the baby’s mother. “I will pay you for your help.” So the woman took her baby home and nursed him.10 Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.” Exodus 2:1-10

Not Respecting the Past, Guarantees Repeating...

Lately, it’s been disheartening to see society cave to the relentless desires of some who want to remove statues, and change the names of schools all in the name of “political correctness”. Recently in San Antonio, local government removed a statue costing the city $150,000. They recently renamed a large school as well. People think by removing statues and renaming schools that racism will end. How foolish. Racism is a heart issue. If removing these objects and renaming entities works, then we will have to erase history. George Washington had slaves, so are we going to remove him from the history books? History is what actually happened. You can’t change that. If however, you remove all the things that are a reminder of those historical events, what is left to help us remember the good or bad? What’s left to help us not repeat the same mistakes of the past. Look at the Jewish Holocaust. If you were to travel to Germany today, you’ll find a large number of people who claim it never happened (seriously). I can almost predict it will happen again, maybe not to the scale it did, but supremacy will sprout its ugly head, when all the reminders of our past are taken down, or renamed. You can’t change the past, but even more so, when you remove all the reminders of the past, it doesn’t erase it, rather it guarantees it will eventually be repeated. All that Joseph did for the entire region was forgotten. Then evil found its way in. It took an act of God after 430 years, to set things straight. The past is the past, and it’s our obligation to never forget it.

6 In time, Joseph and all of his brothers died, ending that entire generation. 7 But their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so greatly that they became extremely powerful and filled the land.8 Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. 9 He said to his people, “Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are. 10 We must make a plan to keep them from growing even more. If we don’t, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country.”11 So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. They appointed brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down with crushing labor. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread, and the more alarmed the Egyptians became. 13 So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy. 14 They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands.15 Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: 16 “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” Exodus 1:6-16

Empty In Order To Be Full...

The true disciple must empty himself in order for God to fill him up. When you’re full of yourself, there no room left for anything or anyone else, including God. As Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool that gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose”.

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?27 For the Son of Man will come with His angels in the glory of His Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.” Matthew 16:24-28

Like Walking On Water....

The disciples feared the waves, until they realized what they feared was under Jesus’ control. The Christian life is like walking on water, impossible. God loves it when we have faith, keeping our eyes on Jesus. It allows us to do the impossible and be more than conquerors. What Jesus commands us to do, He enables/empowers us to do it. We are human and fallible. But we serve a mighty and sovereign God. Trust Him today, even with the little things.

22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that His disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while He sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. Night fell while He was there alone.24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” He said. “Take courage. I am here!”28 Then Peter called to Him, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water.”29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt Me?”32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped Him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of His arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 They begged Him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of His robe, and all who touched Him were healed. Matthew 14:22-36

The Need to Stay Connected...

Our humanity.... is fickle. Our ways are not God’s ways. We must never forget it. It’s why we must stay connected, stay in the Word (daily). Peter confesses Jesus to the the Messiah. He answers the most important question you will ever be asked (Who Jesus is). Then shortly after being praised by Jesus, he gets told to get behind Him, because he’s acting like Satan. This is our human nature. No matter what anyone believes, we have this potential. Anytime we act without God in mind, saved or not, we will thwart the Gospel. It’s that simple. Salvation is a daily walk, that must be taken seriously, or we too will receive a rebuke like Peter did right after he was praised and called the “Rock”.

21 From then on Jesus began to tell His disciples plainly that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem, and that He would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day He would be raised from the dead.22 But Peter took Him aside and began to reprimand Him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to You!”23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from Me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to Me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” Matthew 16:21-23