But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?

Exodus 6

But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me? v30

Even the greatest amongst us have self doubt and fear.  Moses, who in Deuteronomy 34:10-12 is known as only lesser to Jesus himself, had his doubts.  God want us to rest in Him and know that He is with us - He says this to Moses and all of His children.

We can find rest from our concerns, doubts, and fears, in God. 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 

God will equip us and give us confidence also.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - what an awesome God You are!  In my times of worry, concern, doubt, etc. You have provided rest, confidence, and peace.  Thank You Jesus - thank You for being with me always.  I am not worth such love.  I speak harshly to others and I am selfish.  Please forgive me and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

Exodus 5

Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” v22-23

The Lord has a plan - yet often we don't know all of what God's plan is or we don't know what His timing may be.  We may hear from God and feel led to better understand God's plan but it requires patience on our part AND a willingness to engage with God for Him to give us patience and for Him to reveal more of His plan to us.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

 Sometimes we must just have faith.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

 

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens[.] Ecclesiastes 3:1

 

This is what the Lord says:

“In the time of my favor I will answer you,
    and in the day of salvation I will help you[.] Isaiah 49:8

 

See also posts here.  

 

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has responded in prayer and delivered blessings beyond my imagination - You are always with me and hear my prayers.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I often do not do all that You desire for me.  Please forgive me and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So the Lord let him alone.

Exodus 4

So the Lord let him alone. v26

God gives all of us a calling.  Although we may not understand the nature of our calling, we all have one and we must heed this call and be prepared.   We must take God's instructions seriously - note how Moses avoids death at God's hand only when Zipporah circumcises her son - something Moses should have done.

We don't know why Moses did not perform this circumcision himself but this commentary suggests that peer pressure from within the Midianite community was a factor.

For me, this Bible passage is a special message for fathers.  Fathers have specific instructions from God - see posts here and here and we are to perform these duties.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who is faithful.  You always keep Your promise.  And I know You are always with me and You have equipped me to be the father You desire for me.  Thank You Jesus.  However, I often fall down in this role.  Please forgive me.  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?

Exodus 3

Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? v11

If you've ever been called to God to serve in a specific capacity, yet feel unequipped to do so, you know exactly how Moses feels.  I have felt that way - yet I know that I am only the hands and feet of Jesus and He does the work through me.  All I need to do is submit to His will and He will equip me.

I will be with you. v12

We must all serve.

 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord Ephesians 6:7

“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”Mark 9:35

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28

Although Moses' reservations about serving continue in Exodus 4, he goes on to become a biblical hero with no equal (other than Jesus himself). Upon Moses death, the Bible says this about him:

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.  Deuteronomy 34:10-12.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God You are!  I've seen Your glory in how You have equipped me to serve - what an awesome God You are!  You have blessed me and I know I have blessed others through Your work in me.  Thank You for using me and for the blessing to serve.  I am not worth such love - I continue in my sin.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

Exodus 2

So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. v25

God is not some distant being that is not active in our lives.  First, we must understand that he is always with us and He will never leave us.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20

God love us...deeply.  We may not understand (Isaiah 55:8) what He is doing in our lives in the moment but whatever He is doing is for His glory and our good.

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know that You are a God that never leaves us or forsakes us, nor do You stop loving us.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love as I continue to be selfish, etc. and other sin continues in my life.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

Exodus 2

Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. v12

We all have sin and it is not wise to attempt to hide our sin - for God knows all of our sin and He is willing to forgive us if we come to Him in confession and with a heart to repent.

God wants us to return to Him - if we earnestly repent, God will help us gain victory over sin. 

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:7

With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies. Psalm 108:13

 

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You have helped me gain victory over many sins in my life and I am grateful - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  Other sin continues in my life.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But his father refused and said, I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.

Genesis 48

But his father refused and said, I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations. v19

With Jesus, we are not to conform to the patterns of this world (see Romans 12:2), but instead to follow and make Jesus a priority and we do this by renewing our minds through study of His Word.

One example of this is how Jesus wants us to focus less on being first, just as Israel (Jacob) focuses on God's desires versus those of Joseph who wants his elder son to receive his father's blessing.  

We need not worry about being "first".

 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:16

"Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” Luke 13:30

 

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23, Matthew 16:24

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God, full of love, patience, compassion and mercy for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am lazy and selfish.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.