Mar. 12, 2006
"Salt and Light" Bible Study (from 03-12-06)--"Never Let My Heart be Hardened"
"But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said." (Exodus 8:15)
Just when things get "good" again, Pharaoh hardens his heart to God's message through Moses and Aaron.
I hope I never do that--just go to God when trouble comes, and forget to go to Him as much when there is peace.
"Oh Lord, I know You are the all-powerful, Almighty God. May I, with Your help, praise and listen to You always--in troubled times as well as peaceful times. You deserve no less. Never let my heart be hard towards You or Your Word. I love You, Lord, forever and ever. Amen."
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Mar. 12, 2006
"Salt and Light" Bible Study (from 03-11-06)--"Pharaoh said 'Tomorrow...'"
Moses said to Pharaoh, "I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile."
"Tomorrow," Pharaoh said. (Exodus 8:9-10a)
I am wondering WHY Pharaoh said "tomorrow"--Why not "NOW" or "right away!" ?!?!? Here he has this terrible plague upon him, and he says to have it prayed to be taken away "tomorrow"!!!!! Incredible.
But, then I look at my life and wonder how many sins or things that need changing do I wait until "tomorrow" to deal with? Think about that. Why not TODAY? Why not RIGHT NOW, starting this minute, don't I surrender it all to Him and pray to Him about making any needed changes?
God had (and still has) the power to take that plague away IMMEDIATELY. But, Pharaoh said, "Tomorrow..."
"Dear Lord, please let me not put off another day any changes that need to, and can, happen today. I surrender my all to You, all-wise, and all-powerful God, and my Heavenly Father. Amen."
Love in Christ,
Heather
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Mar. 12, 2006
"Salt and Light" Bible Study (from 03-10-06)--"Evil is Limited--but God is NOT"
But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people..." (Exodus 8:7-8a)
Once again God's power proves to be the ultimate. Even the "magicians" using their evil powers can do nothing to help the situation. In fact, they can only make things WORSE! They, instead of getting rid of the frogs that God's power brought about, only bring on MORE FROGS!!
Even Pharaoh acknowledges God's power, by asking Moses and Aaron to pray to God to fix the problem.
I think, way too often, I give evil more power in my mind than it actually has. It can do NOTHING above or beyond what God can do, or what God allows. What a comforting thought.
Yet, how often do I spend time in fear of the evil in this world, and the evil men can do? God, Who has the ULTIMATE power is in control AND He is on MY side!! (And I on His!!) Amen.
Evil is limited--but God is NOT!!
Love in Christ,
Heather
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Mar. 7, 2006
"Salt and Light" Bible Study (from 02-09-06)--"Keeping the MAIN Thing the Main Thing"
But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies." (Exodus 5:8-9)
The real lie here is overworking so as not to give attention to the most important thing--worshipping God.
I heard a quote recently that said, "Keep the MAIN thing, the main thing." This is SO true!!
I spend so much time in frivolous activity, busy-work, etc., rather than keeping my MAIN focus on living to worship and serve the Lord and my family.
"Oh Lord, help me to keep my priorities in YOU order: God (You), others, self... and let me not keep busy on those things that have no eternal value, but on serving YOU and doing Your work!!"
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Feb. 14, 2006
"Salt and Light" Bible Study (from 02-14-06)--"Working for HIM"
I just LOVE how God keeps confirming that He is speaking to me through His Word...
"You know that I've (Jacob) worked for your father (Laban) with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me." (Genesis 31:6-7)
Now I know that it was no coincidence that I woke up this morning and was thinking about the 10 years of work outside the home that I did before I had our daughter. Some of it was good, but much of it was not.
I still remember the day I was working in the hospital and thinking I didn't want to go on like that anymore--I wanted to be home with a child instead (but was struggling with infertility).
Thanks be to God, He brought me home with our daughter shortly after that day. Now HE is my boss, and my husband--not an outside employer. I want to work for HIM and my husband and daughter with ALL my strength, like Jacob did.
I can also thank God that in all that "bad" of work, prior to working at home, God did not allow me to be harmed. He brought me a lot of good from that time--great friends that I still have today, experience and knowledge that helps me in my homeschooling, an increased faith (having to rely on Him in the hard times), and lots of Spiritual growth (like starting to listen to Christian radio and Scripture on my long 45 min. commute to work (and 45 min. home) each day. I had lots of time for prayer and learning of Him.
Most of all, I think today's reading combined with the thoughts of work I was having upon awakening this morning, just further convince me that God REALLY is speaking to me!!!!!! That is so exciting!!!!!!!!!
He knows me, He loves me, and He cares about the intimate details of my life!!! Praise be to Him!!
Because He is God, MY God, I want to work for HIM wholeheartedly.
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Feb. 11, 2006
"Salt and Light" Bible Study (from 02-10-06)--"Drinking from the Well"
"There he (Jacob) saw a well in the field with three flocks of sheep lying near it, because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherd would roll the stone away from the well's mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well." (Genesis 29:2-3)
I think this is a beautiful picture of Jesus, Our Savior, and how He "rolled the stone away" from His grave so we, too, could come to Him and "be watered".
Each day we can drink deeply of Him in His Word, when we open it--but if it remains closed, like when the shepherds put the stone over the well, we cannot drink from the "Living Water" that is Jesus, Our Lord.
I also think it is beautiful how the sheep were lying near the well, "because (they) were watered by it." I need to stay near my "Well", Jesus, where He "waters me" with His Truth each day. Then, I will never be thirsty. Amen.
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Feb. 11, 2006
"Salt and Light" Bible Study (from 02-09-06)--"Covered in Jesus's Clothes"
My good friend, Mary, introduced me to this wonderful method of Bible study called "Salt and Light", and I would love to share my devotionals with you as the Lord impresses His Truths upon my heart.
This is the beautiful picture He showed me a few days ago...
When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed. May God five you of heaven's dew..." (from Genesis 27:27 and 28a)
As I started reading the story of Jacob and Esau, the Lord brought to mind that His 12 tribes of Israel came from Jacob (the Deceiver!)
I was also struck by the fact that even though Isaac loved Esau--it was the wife's (Rebekah's) plan for her favorite (Jacob) to be blessed instead of Esau, that caused all this.
So, here we have two sinners--Jacob and Rebekah, who are getting a blessing they don't deserve.
Then, in the verses above, wearing Esau's clothes, Jacob receives favor and blessing from his father--even the blessing "of heaven's dew"!!
Isn't that just like US, sinners, unworthy of God's blessing and inheritance?? But, when we wear "Jesus's clothes" (the "robes of righteousness"), our sin is covered, and we smell good to God, like His Son, Jesus (Whom God loves)!! We are given His blessing and the inheritance of heaven. Praise be to JESUS!! Amen.
I am so unworthy, but only because I have Jesus's covering am I blessed and saved and in God's favor.
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