If you obey… As a parent we know how we feel about our children obeying. Not just with their words, “We will do everything He says”, but with their actions. God was asking Israel to not just obey His words, but obey Him in actions. If they obeyed their enemies would be His enemies. He would conquer the land for them. He would put a dread in the people they would conquer. The angel would go before them. Their food and water would be blessed. Their wombs would not be barren. The only thing they had to do was trust and obey. It is so easy to see in them, but why is it so difficult for me to understand that the same principle applies to me?
Many years ago we attended a Life Action Revival and the team taught all of us, our kids included, “Obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings conflict, and I choose. What a powerful reminder even today! That truth is seen all through the bible and it resounds like a loud bell in my ears daily. I CHOOSE! Obedience/blessing… Disobedience/conflict. As I choose to trust God and obey Him I know the eventual outcome. It may not always look like blessings, but because I trust God the end result will be for my good and His glory. So though the obedience trail may not always go where I desire or even look like I thought it should look (through enemy territory for Israel) It is always best to trust and obey!
Exodus 14-18
Recently I was reading the book Fervent by Priscilla Shirer and she wrote on what we read today. Israel knew only slavery at this point. They took commands and worked all day every day. They did not have an understanding of rest because it wasn’t an option. They were slaves, owned by another and their jobs never ended. In Fervent Priscilla discussed that the idea of a day of rest was a foreign concept to Israel. When the command to rest was given or even to leave the land so that they could worship it was a new thing for Israel. Rest and Sabbath were a new thing God was having to teach Israel. To cease from labor even the gathering of manna seemed foreign to the people. Why could they not gather daily more than one day and yet on the eve before their Sabbath they were instructed to gather enough for two days. Worship and rest were important to God and obedience to instruction even more important. I have always been frustrated with Israel and their disobedience, but today I find more compassion for them because they were learning new disciplines each day. God was preparing them for the battles ahead. This is a great way for us to learn to that God’s plans are not just best, they are for our best. Rest is a necessary gift given to us by our Wise God. So if you are not accustomed to resting on the Sabbath, I challenge you to begin today. Worship this morning but come home and find a place to close you eyes and rest your mind.
Exodus 5-9
It is hard enough when you are fighting an enemy to fight against him, but when your own team mates turn on you it is second to impossible. Yet if you are doing what you KNOW is the right thing, there is no other option. Moses knew he was doing what God called him to do. He knew that the only way the people would be set free was to follow God’s plan. Yet God’s plan was not working out like he thought it would. Now Pharaoh was mad at him and the people were mad. 5:20They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
As a leader it is so difficult to lead, but when you are leading a people who don’t want your leadership it is second to impossible. This was definitely one of those but God moments. As God sent each plague it wasn’t just for the Egyptians sake, but it was also to show God’s own people who He was and what He could and would do. Leaving your existing “comfort” even if that comfort is slavery to do something new and go to a new level with God is never easy. We may kick and scream as we are going, but it is right. The immediate may be painful, but the long term has great rewards. Even as I write these words it encourages me. Life sometimes is hard, but the end result is to be more like Jesus. Father, please break away anything in me that is not completely Yours. Help me to follow even when times get difficult. Help me to trust You over my comforts. Help me to run to your freedom instead of the bondage of my will.
Exodus 1-4
Who me? Can’t you just hear Moses saying that as he looked around for someone else to take the calling God had on his life. He was honest about his feeling of inadequacy and yet God said “I Am” will help you and I will be whatever you need. You would think at the end of this pep talk complete with signs and wonders that when God told Moses he would speak to the people that Moses would say “anything you want God.” Instead he chose to let his brother be his spokesman because of Moses’ fear. Even after all of that! His fear of men and speaking before them robbed him of what God had for him. Much to take in! Many questions to ask. What is God calling me to? What is He equipping me for even without me knowing? What am I choosing fear over faith in? Am I missing the blessing God has for me because my fear is so great? Don’t miss the blessing! Don’t miss God’s best for you!! Father help me in my fear to counter that with great faith in You even when i don’t feel I can accomplish what you have in store. Thank you for choosing me and allowing me to serve in any way You choose.
Job 40-42, Psalm 29
Did you know there were dragons in the bible? If you have a son or daughter that loves stories about dragons tell them to check out our passages today. Here is just a sample:
41:15His back is made of rows of shields,
shut up closely as with a seal.
16One is so near to another
that no air can come between them.
17They are joined one to another;
they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18His sneezings flash forth light,
and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
19Out of his mouth go flaming torches;
sparks of fire leap forth.
20Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke,
as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21His breath kindles coals,
God is so amazing. He created the great creatures yet for some reason He allowed them to be no more in our time. I wonder if they will be in heaven without venom or the will to destroy? It could be fun walking around or even riding along with them. 🙂
Job 37-40, Psalm 19
As I write this morning I am in Belize preparing to return to the states. We came to the shore line yesterday and this morning I am watching the sun rise over beautiful palm trees and listening to the ocean chorus as waves rush in. Birds are singing their own refrain and the wind gently blows. God’s words to Job ring in my ears as He asks job where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations. So many of the verses found a home in my heart this morning but none more than Psalm 19:1 ” The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above portrays His handiwork. ” Yes and amen!
Belize Trip Day 5: Setting A Memorial
And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
Joshua 4:5-7
Throughout Scripture God commanded his people to set up memorials as a way to remember what he has done. The twelve stones set up at Gilgal after the crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land were to be a memorial for the children of Israel “so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever” (Joshua 4:24). It was to help the generations of Israelites and all the peoples of the earth to remember the faithfulness and might of the LORD. God commanded them to set up this memorial to encourage their faith and to be a testimony to others around them.
Psalm 105 is another example of the importance of calling to mind the former deeds of the Lord. We are to “Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered” (5). We are to “Make known his deeds among the peoples” and “tell of all his wondrous works” (1 and 2).
Remembering the trustworthy deeds of the Lord is beneficial to us and to those around us. It encourages us to continue in faithfulness to him because he has been so faithful to us in the past. We can trust him because he has proven himself trustworthy. We do not have to fear because he has shown himself mighty. Remembering the Lord’s past work is a great way to motivate us in our faith, but it is also for the purpose of spreading the glory of God among the nations. As we recall his faithfulness we can encourage others to surrender their lives to a trustworthy God who has performed mighty wonders on behalf of his people and we can encourage other believers to stay the course and continue fighting the good fight.
As the Lord works in you, through you and around you, take note. Set up a memorial, whether it be in your heart, a journal, a date in your Bible, or a more visible reminder. Keep a record of God’s faithfulness and the mighty works that you have seen. Allow those times when he is so visible and audible to encourage you and testify of His goodness and grace to those around you.
- Pray and thank the Lord for all that he has done for you.
- Pray that he will continue to use you to advance the Kingdom and that you will be faithful to testify of his wondrous works.
Belize Trip 31January Updates
I started this journey asking for lots of prayer. My fear hit a fevered pitch when at the last minute I was asked to lead worship. I had already left home, had no music, no words, only what God would do. On the flight over I prayed and thought about what God would have us do. He reminded me of an old Andre Crouch song entitled “Thank You Lord”. The words are
Thank you Lord.
I just want to thank You
I just want to thank You
Thank You Lord.
I just want to thank You Lord.
We started the first evening by having testimonies of thanksgiving for things that had happened to get us here. It ended with thanksgiving for what was to come. We sang our thanks to God, and all week we saw and heard Him answering prayers.
We saw men who were hard of heart turn from rejecting the gospel to acceptance. This nation is in desperate need of men coming to Jesus and being spiritual leaders. God has planted 2 missionary leaders here to fan the flame of men’s ministry. One has started a prayer group that meets weekly and they pray through the night. There are 8 to 10 men praying with him from several denomination and countries. God is about to do some amazing things. Please keep them in your prayers.
We saw many of our team share the gospel for the first time. They did a great job! The gospel seed was planted and there are new brothers and sisters in Christ. Our team will return home bolder and ready to share in their communities and homes.
We have brought medical care to some of the sickest and those in the greatest need. One of my favorite memories will be of Dr. Matt one of our younger doctors. His specialty is GI medicine but this week he caught and diagnosed a young child who had a heart defect. After listening to her heart and observing, He asked the mother about a special behavior a child with this defect would have. The mother took out her phone and showed him a picture of the child in the very position. She said it happened frequently. He was floored! Please pray for this child and her family. Without a major operation the child’s life could be brief.
I could go on and on with stories. If I see you and you ask I will be glad to give you more. ? please know our mission team is so grateful for all of your prayers. We have been blessed to be your hands and feet. I will try to write tomorrow about our worship time today. Please pray for us one more time as we travel home tomorrow. Again thank you for living on mission with us.
Belize Trip Day 4 Updates
Morning:
Generations….our team is made up of members from early youth to retirement age. Each work side by side counting medicines, walking patients, sharing the gospel and shadowing professionals in the field that they would like to pursue. Each giving themselves for one purpose to glorify God. Nationals work beside us daily teaching us and learning. It is the way God intended for the Body to work together.
Many of the relationships we were observing this week started when these young people were the children as parents, adult church leaders and friends who saw something special in these youth. They have poured into the lives of young people over the years. I have heard several of the young people say, ” This is my second mom or dad”. How amazing these students are because adults took time to mentor, coach, teach and love them. My challenge to each of you is to look around. Who has potential around you? You don’t have to be on a mission field to pour into someone. Start now and maybe in the days ahead bring your learner along with you to live abroad a few days on mission. It is life changing for them and you! For those parents who allowed your children to come without you “Well done!” They have been a huge blessing and should make you very proud!
Evening:
For those who prayed for the last day of clinic and the medication supplied, there were many times that those working in the pharmacy would turn around thinking that they were out of the med to find manna from heaven had appeared just in time for the patient’s needs. Thanks for your prayers.
One of the younger missionaries shared a truth that we all need to remember daily: “If you don’t think that you have a God moment in the day, that is not true you just have to watch for it.”
Puritan Prayer for the day: Give me special grace to fit me for special services and keep me calm and resign at all time. Humble, solemn, mortified and conformed to Thy will.
Belize Trip Day 4: Made Alive
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.
Ephesians 2:1-5
Often we forget the state we were in before Christ changed everything. We were as the living dead, having the appearance of life on the outside, but dead inside. We were tombs walking around, trying to satisfy ourselves with wanton pleasure, gratifying the desires of our flesh, hopelessly unaware of the stench of sin invading our lives. Paul describes our state in this way, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh…For to set the mind on the flesh is death…For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:5-8).
You were hostile to God. You could do nothing to please him; instead you continued to incur his wrath. You were following Satan, counted among the sons of disobedience. You were dead.
But God.
These are some of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture. But God. He loved you greatly and lavished his rich mercy upon you, even when you were dead in sin. When you did not deserve it. He made you alive. His Spirit was at work within you, raising you up to be set apart for his mission.
As you serve and do his work, spreading his gospel among the nations and to your neighbors, you must remember your former state. Those you seek to serve are dead in their sin. They are dead men walking and you do not have the power to transform them. No amount of eloquent words or selfless acts can regenerate a heart. Only God can make one alive. He has called you to go to them and share the message of his salvation, but then you must throw them at the foot of the cross and plead for God’s mercy on their behalf. Beg the Spirit to renew their heart and set them free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
- Pray that they would find redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin.
- Pray that he would lavish his grace upon them and make known to them the mystery of his will.
- Pray that they would be made alive.