5 Jan, 2022

Pain or Promise?

Exodus 6-7

READ – “Pharaoh returned to his palace and put the whole thing out of his mind.” Exodus 7:23 NLT EXAMINE – The LORD had created the perfect storm to prove His power so that everyone (Jews and Egyptians) would know Him even better (Exodus 6:2-5). The LORD would keep His promise and the covenant that He had made with Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob. The LORD would show His power and bring judgment against the Egyptians so that they would even know that only the LORD is God (Exodus 7:4-5). Moses and Aaron performed the first of the ten plagues against the Nile River, turning its water and water everywhere including inside their homes into blood (Exodus 7:14-21). The Egyptians worshipped the Nile River, and it was an important aspect of their economy and life (i.e., their wealth and health). APPLY – How could Pharaoh ignore the obvious? How could he just return to business as usual and put everything out of his mind? How could the world spend the last two years in a pandemic and still not put the LORD on their mind? Promise or Pain? Do we want to know better the promises of God or feel greater pain from God? Will we ignore the obvious? Or will we say, “Yes!” to the demands and commands of God? PRAY – Father God, You have placed a lot on our hearts and minds in the first five days of this New Year. Forgive us of our stubbornness and heal us of complacency. Help the world to say, “Yes!” to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

3 Jan, 2022

Save Our Sons!

Exodus 1-3

READ – “But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.” Exodus 1:17 NLT EXAMINE – Although their numbers were small when Jacob (also known as Israel) moved his family to Egypt (Exodus 1:5), they quickly multiplied and became a powerful threat (Exodus 1:7-10). The Egyptians used slavery to oppress the Israelites (Exodus 1:11) but their plan didn’t work (Exodus 1:12-14). Eventually, the strategy became to kill all the baby boys born and to throw them in the Nile River (Exodus 1:15-22). Moses was miraculously rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter when placed in the Nile River and raised in the Royal Family (Exodus 2). Moses eventually killed an Egyptian and had to flee to Midian where he had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, Who commissioned him to save the Children of Israel from the Egyptians (Exodus 3). APPLY – “They allowed the boys to live!” and once again, we need a similar strategy to save our sons from the gangs, drugs, crime, and streets that are claiming so many at an alarming rate. They need an ark (a system that will keep them safe in troubled waters), a family that will look after them, influencers who will have compassion on them, and the opportunity to grow up getting the royal treatment. Brown, God has given us the POWER to save our sons! What will you do today to save your sons? PRAY – Father God, make our homes, churches, and schools arks of safety to keep our young boys alive so that they may grow and answer the call of God on their lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!