When You Worship - Thankfulness
We have a lot to be thankful for. On any given day we interact with blessings, physical and spiritual, that others can only dream about. Consider all that you have to be thankful for: family, friends, job, home, food, clothing, vacations, entertainment, hunting, sporting, and books are a just a few physical blessings. The list of what we have to be thankful for increases dramatically when we consider things like grace, mercy, salvation, worship, Christians, joy, and every oth
Comparing Ourselves to God
Today's reading (Ex. 6:28-7:13) shows us just how obstinate Pharaoh is going to be about letting the Israelites go to the Promised Land. In a show of God's power Aaron throws down his staff, which then turns into a serpent, to show Pharaoh just how powerful God is. In response, Pharaoh has his wise men and magicians throw down their staffs and do the same. With multiple snakes now on the ground, Aaron's breaks the stalemate by eating the other snakes. Instead of being awestru
You Can't Stop God
This past Sunday, a church member came up to me to ask me about becoming a teacher, even though he wasn't very experienced or comfortable with the idea of teaching. His reasoning? The topic of teaching had come up several times to him the past few months and he didn't want to close a door that God was trying to open. In our reading today (Exodus 6:1-13) we read of Israel at the beginning stages of her Exodus from Egypt. After years of slave labor, it was time for Israel to be
When You Worship - Kiss
The word "worship" carries with it a very strange definition. For the Greek worshiper, worship meant "to kiss the hand" or "crouch before" another. Worship is a time of paying homage and respect to another (i.e. kissing the ring of the king). It is an acknowledgment that we are lesser and coming before a superior. In Christian worship we come before the Superior. The Almighty, the Creator, the Savior is the object of our affection. When we worship we come, not before some dom
What We Leave Behind
At the end of the book of Genesis (49-50) we are given record of the deaths of two individuals who are both a large part of the Genesis narrative and significant figures in the history of Israel. Try to run from it as we might, death is a reality that all of us has to face at sometime. Knowing this it's important that we think about what is left behind when someone passes. When someone dies they leave behind families, friends, pain, hurt, and longing. Christians who pass away
When You Worship - Be Joyful
There are a lot of things in life to be worried about. Concerns about car repairs, bills, health problems, and children can overtake our minds and keep us from seeing God’s gifts in the day to day. Fortunately, as Christians we have a lot to be joyful about. That is to say that even in distressing circumstances, we can find relief in the presence and blessings of God. To the joy-drained Philippians, Paul encouraged them to reclaim their joy by changing their frame of mind wri
His Will Be Done
From the fall at the Garden of Eden onward we are given glimpses of the Messiah to come, the Savior of the world, the One who will free us, Jesus. The Old Testament chronicles the unfolding of God's plan to rescue through Jesus His Son. Perhaps the most amazing part of this unfolding are the sheer number of people, either neutral or enemies of God, that end up advancing God's plan further and further along. The Pharaoh (Gen. 41:1-36) of Egypt in Joseph's time and the Pharaoh
Jesus Holds Your Hand
Yesterday, we talked about our plans, how they fall apart, and why that's okay. We watched as Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, the first of several unfortunate events that would befall him. After being sold into slavery, Joseph will find himself accused of attempted rape (Gen. 39) and thrown in jail (Gen. 40). Throughout every poor circumstance, the Lord is said to be with Joseph (Gen. 39:2, 3, 21, 23). In the midst of difficult times it gets easy to forget the p
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