February 1- Sing, Sing A Song

February 1, 2011

Exodus 13:17-15:18; Matthew 21:26-46:
Psalm 26; Proverbs 6:16-19

Sing, sing a song

Sing out loud

Sing out strong

         Sing of good things, not bad

Sing of happy, not sad

     ~The Carpenters

Exodus 13:17-15:18

In ancient times the conquests of great heroes were extolled in epic poems.  The Epic of Gilgamesh is an example of the Sumerian culture idolizing Gilgamesh, a Mesopotamian hero, who was elevated to demigod status.  The oral tradition of memorizing the story of these great heroes and their philosophical journeys helped the ancient people define themselves just as our modern story-telling through television and song define our personality as a people group. Our stories define our culture.

Today in our reading the Israelites have left Egypt one million strong.  They started with only 70 people who came to Egypt during a famine, fell into bondage under Pharaoh, were miraculously rescued by God, plundered Egypt as they left, and watched their God kill the Egyptians' first born males. Finally, God defeated the Pharaoh and his army by drowning them in the Red Sea.  This is an epic tale of military conquest by Israel's hero, God.  It is only appropriate that Moses would be inspired by the Holy Spirit to compose an epic poem/song about their cultural hero, the One True God of Israel- Yahweh (Exodus 15: 1-18). This oral tradition would be sung by the community, danced to by the women and children, and would commemorate the victory given to them by the Lord.

Exodus 15:1-18 is the victory song of Israel.  It starts "I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has thrown both horse and rider into the sea."  It ends, "The Lord will reign forever and ever!"  Imagine the joy of these people as they celebrate their freedom and the defeat of their enemies.  Their long awaited answer to the prayers about their suffering has come.  Prior to the Lord destroying Pharaoh and his charioteers Moses says to the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you.  The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!"  Exodus 14: 13-14 (NLT)

Lesson:  The Lord will fight for you and me, too.  He will answer the prayers about our captivity in sin. He frees us from the slavery of this fallen world. Our strategy in trials should be to be still and wait, trusting that God will deliver us.

How has God fought for you and won?  How have you acknowledged the battles He has won for you?

Matthew 21:26-46

Jesus gets down to the nuts and bolts of Israel's rejection of his message in today's passage.  The Pharisees and other religious leaders continue to question by what authority he is acting. This time they are angry that he cleared out the merchants who were conducting business in the Temple.

Jesus predicts that they will kill him in the Landowner and His Son parable (vs. 33-41).  The parable also emphasizes that the kingdom will be offered to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.  This is a reference to Gentiles being brought into the Kingdom.  Jesus warns that he is the cornerstone of the building, but the builders of the building reject the cornerstone and instead, he becomes a stumbling block to them.  This is the story of what happens to the Jewish nation with their Jesus their Messiah.

It should be noted that Romans 11 deals with the "why" of this situation.  God explains and reveals through numerous pictures and symbols in the Bible that the Jewish nation will be the first to introduce the world to the True God, be the vehicle through whom the Christ is born, and then fall away for a period of time so that the Gentiles can be grafted in. At the end of the story the Jewish nation, once again, plays a major role as evangelists in the end times. They are restored to fellowship with God and do receive their earthly king and inherit the Promised Land in its entirety. God's promises are true and His will cannot be thwarted.

Lesson:  Don't let Christ be a stumbling block to you.  He is the foundation of all truth.

Have you made Christ the cornerstone of your life? 

Psalm 26

In this psalm you can see why God loves David's heart.

Proverbs 6:16-19

Here is a list of what God hates.  Do you hate them, too?  Haughty eyes (proud look), a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness, a person who stirs up discord among brothers.

What did you see today that you want to discuss?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal

Kathy Fullerton

January 31- The Passover Picture

January 31, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Exodus 12:14-13:16; Matthew 20:29-21:22;
Psalm 25:16-22; Proverbs 6:12-15

Exodus 12:14-13:16

Recently it has been reported that Facebook is the largest photo storage site on the planet.  Over 10 billion photos have been uploaded to Facebook.  Why do you think that is?  Well, it could be because human beings love images of themselves. We like to see ourselves and our loved ones.  We want other people to be able to experience us. Pictures represent our emotions and are a physical representation of who we are.  Pictures reveal our relationships. They reflect the people and things that we love.  It's like show and tell without ever having to do the telling part.

God loves pictures, too.  He wants representations of Himself and His emotions out there for the world to see.  That is why He implemented Passover.  God didn't use a camera.  He used a ceremony to picture Himself.  As Exodus 13:16 says,  "It is a visible reminder that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt with great power."

Passover is more than just an event showing God's power to free the Israelites from bondage in Egypt.  It is a picture of how Christ (our Passover Lamb) died for our sins.  Our sin kills the innocent lamb. As we brush the blood of his sacrifice over the doorposts of our life, death passes over us.  We are brought into eternity to live forever with God.  The bitter herbs eaten in the meal of Passover represent our sin.  The bread with no yeast is the body of the Lord, which had no sin in it.  The Israelites were to eat the unleavened bread, just as we partake of the bread of life which is Christ, who knew no sin.  Jesus is our Passover.  This ceremony pictures the Messiah, who would deliver the whole world from the bondage of slavery to sin.

Lesson:  Christ died to free us from sin. 

Have you partaken of Christ?  Have you eaten the unleavened bread of His sinless life, tasted the bitterness of your own sin, and brushed the blood of the sacrificial lamb over the doorposts of your heart?  Have you been set free from the bondage of this world?

Matthew 20:29-21:22

Usually conquering kings would ride into the territory they had conquered on a horse.  The horse is the animal of war.  Horses are uniquely designed to have courage in conflict.  They are also incredibly fast and determined animals.  Donkeys, on the other hand, are slow.  They plod along at their own pace.  They are considered pack animals that can carry the weight of the world. 

Jesus rides into Jerusalem as the King of the Jews on a donkey.  He is carrying the weight of all of the world's sin from past, present, and future on his sinless shoulders.  He comes in peace, offering forgiveness to those who hear his call. Certainly this is a clear picture to the nation of Israel that the Messiah comes in humility to earth before he returns in triumph for his earthly reign. In the book of Revelation Jesus is seen riding a white horse prepared for judgment and war (Revelation 19:11). It will be very different the next time he comes to earth.

But this time as he enters Jerusalem in this humble fashion, he gets a royal welcome.  The common people spread their cloaks and robes on the ground and proclaim, "Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord."  This is a declaration that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah who saves.

Matthew points out that these incidents concerning his triumphal entry, clearing out the Temple, and healing people are all fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies.  Here are the Scriptures fulfilled:

• Isaiah 62:11
• Zechariah 9:9
• Psalm 118:25-26; 148:1
• Isaiah 56:7
• Jeremiah 7:11
• Psalm 8:2

Lesson:  Jesus came the first time in peace. We are in that time of peace. Next time he will come in jugdment.

Have you heard his call?  Do you claim him as Messiah?

Psalm 25:16-22

Rescue me from trouble, O God.

Proverbs 6:12-15

How can you tell who is wicked?  Well, here's some of the things the wicked do... they lie, make signs to friends secretly behind people's backs, plot evil, stir up trouble.  The wicked will be destroyed.

What did you see today?  Why not share?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

P.S.  Congrats!!!! You finished the month of January.  Don't give up now.  The story is just getting going.  Let's see what February will bring to us!

January 30- Never Forget

January 30, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Exodus 10:1-12:13; Matthew 20:1-28;
Psalm 25:1-15; Proverbs 6:6-11

Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. They help us define who we are; they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world. 
~ Susan Lieberman

Exodus 10:1-12:13

As a young mother I found myself contemplating what traditions we would have in our home for special occasions.  I wanted our children to have a reference for what was important to our family.  When they were young, I created a construction paper tree that I taped to the sliding glass door in our kitchen.  I also cut out various colored construction paper leaves.  Each day for a couple of weeks prior to Thanksgiving I would hand the children a leaf and have them write something for which they were thankful.  By the time Thanksgiving rolled around we had a beautiful tree filled with colorful leaves representing all that we could thank God for.  It was a picture of our gratitude.  It was something to help the kids never forget what God had done for our family.

Today God is also creating a picture for the children of Israel.  The plagues were designed to be a life-altering reminder and an eternal symbol of judgment against following other gods.  God considers our intimate relationship with Him a marriage.  Egypt represents an adulterous wife.  She's been playing around with many men.  Let's just say, the bridegroom is a very unhappy!  Here are the final plagues:

• Locusts-God mentions that the Israelites will be able to tell their children and grandchildren about all that God did in Egypt.  Gee, we are still talking about it today!
• Darkness for three days- This would be a very scary plague.  Imagine the heaviness of no light.
• Death-the firstborn male, both human and animal, will die.  Nothing is more devastating than the loss of a child.  This is the final blow to a culture that rejected the one True God.

God now begins the process of setting up traditions for the Jewish people.  From here on out, God builds a calendar for the nation of Israel.  Within this calendar there are days of worship and celebration designed to remind them of their God and what He will accomplish on earth throughout history. The celebrations and feasts are pictures of Christ and His work on earth.

The calendar begins in the month of April and the first commemoration is the Passover Feast.  This feast is a reminder of what God did in Egypt by passing over the homes of the Israelites when He punished the Egyptians with the death of their firstborn sons. We will discuss tomorrow how this feast pictures Christ's work on the cross.

Here are the rules for Passover:

• Chose a lamb on the tenth day that will be sacrificed.
• It must be a one year old male.
• Sacrifice the family lamb on the fourteenth day of the month.
• Take the blood of the lamb and smear it on the outside doorpost of your house.
• That night eat the roasted lamb with bitter herbs and bread without yeast.
• Have no left overs of the meat.  Burn what is not eaten.
• Wear traveling clothes as you eat.
• Wear sandals and carry a walking stick.
• Eat quickly.
• When God sees the blood He will pass over your home and not bring death to your firstborn.

Obedience to this ritual insured the life of the Israelites during this final plague.

Lesson:  God wants to have a monogamous relationship with you.  He gets upset if you cheat. He creates pictures and symbols to remind us of the truth about Himself.


What did you learn from this story?

Matthew 20:1-28

Here we go again, people.  Are you starting to pick up on Jesus' ideas?  Today he tells a story to illustrate the fact that..."the first shall be last and the last shall be first."  This story is of the man who hires workers to work his fields.  He hires people at 9, noon, 3 pm, and 5pm.  Guess what?  The people hired at 5 pm get the same wages as the people hired at 9 am.  What is God's point?  First, He's in charge and can do as He pleases.  Second, He determines rewards based on faithfulness (aka. faith in him).  Also, for the nation of Israel, the Gentiles who come later in the story are included in the family of God.  The Gentiles will be in the Christ's universal church along with Jewish believers in Christ. These are important lessons that Jesus wanted to teach. Jesus then reiterates that he will suffer and die in the future, but will be raised from the dead.

Next, James and John's mother provide Jesus with another great teaching opportunity.  She comes and requests that her two boys be seated at Jesus' right and left in the Kingdom of Heaven. I LOVE THIS WOMAN!!!!  What a great mom.  Of course, she wants a good position for her kids.  Jesus' response is that she really does not know what she is asking.  Christ is revealing to his Jewish believers that there is a kingdom program of which they were unaware. In their mind, Christ was going to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies of ruling on earth from Jerusalem immediately. Jesus is teaching that there is a mystery kingdom where his faithful followers suffer for his name and follow him in humility before the day of honor in his earthly kingdom. That is why he keeps calling it the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus will be ruling from Heaven during this mystery kingdom of the Church age.

In the mystery kingdom there is a different lesson: To be like Christ one must be a servant to others, rather than be a leader who lords it over others, and to receive honor in the kingdom of heaven one must be willing to suffer. Honor = Suffering in the Kingdom of Heaven during the Church age.  Jesus states that it is up to the Father to bestow positions of honor in the future kingdom of Christ's reign on earth.  Here is the Principle of Opposites- To be great, you must be lowly.  To have a high position, you must be a servant.  Jesus came to serve, suffer, and succumb to death, a death that he did not deserve.  He is our example of greatness. Jesus' humility and perfect obedience to God's will position him to inherit all of creation. We are to follow him in this.

Lesson:  Your behavior matters.  Serve others if you want to please God and be rewarded in heaven.  Be faithful where you are.

How have you served others this week?  Who have you put ahead of yourself lately?

Psalm 25:1-15

This is a wonderful psalm.  I like to circle the verbs, i.e. show me, lead me, remember, forgive.  I love verse 14 that says, "Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear him.  With them he shares the secrets of his covenant."  This reminds me of God sharing many secrets with Moses, Daniel, and Abraham.  He is also sharing with you and me because this Bible is the book of His secrets revealed!

Proverbs 6:6-11

Laziness leads to poverty.

What did you see today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

January 29- The Plagues

January 29, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Exodus 8:1-9:35; Matthew 19:13-30;
Psalm 24: 1-10; Proverbs 6;1-5

Plague- N. A widespread affliction or calamity, especially one seen as divine retribution.

Exodus 8:1-9:35

Today Moses and Pharaoh play an extended game of chicken.  The problem for Pharaoh is that God is on Moses' side of this game.  Pharaoh is destined to have his heart hardened.  God is determined to judge Egypt.  Remember that Egypt represents the world in this scenario. Egypt is polytheistic and does not acknowledge the One True God of Israel. In this judgment against Egypt we see a foreshadowing of God's judgment of all who reject the way of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. In the book of Revelation we see a similar set of plagues upon the earth used to judge the wicked at the end of time (See Revelation 16). The plagues are a result of God's determination to judge those who hate Him. In this game we see that even in great suffering, some people will rail against God rather than turn to God in their time of trouble and sorrow. Ultimately, rebellion against God results in judgment. This game of chicken is a game that Pharaoh is destined lose. All who hate God are destined for judgment like Pharaoh and Egypt. This event is an illustration of a spiritual truth.

Here are the plagues:

• The first plague is the plague of frogs.  I don't know about you, but I think frogs are kinda cute. Well, not really. This game of chicken starts with frogs. Pharaoh does not agree to let the Israelites go, so....here come the frogs. Pharaoh then asks Moses to pray for them to go away.  Moses prays, the frogs die. Pharaoh still does not release the Hebrews.

• The next plague is gnats.  Aaron uses God's staff to stir up the dust.  It becomes swarms of gnats.  Same scenario on praying, ending, hardening.  No release of Israelites.
• Flies are the next plague.  The process is repeated. (By the way, because the frogs died and because frogs eat gnats and flies, this scenario is very understandable.) Moses keeps praying for this hardened man.  God has more judgments in store.
• Destroying most of the cattle, sheep, donkeys, and livestock is the next plague.
• Next, God sends boils onto people. This had to be so painful.

• Then, there is a hail and lightening storm, which leaves Egypt in ruins.

The only explanation for the Pharaoh not giving in, even after all of this destruction, is that God has a hand in Pharoah's stubbornness. Any normal person would have cried "chicken" by now.  God says in Vs. 16 that the purpose of the plagues is for His Power and fame to spread throughout the land. Egypt was a polytheistic culture that worshiped many idols/gods.   Every person in Egypt carried around amulets, idols, and superstitious objects in which they put their faith. This experience was God's way of judging that error. It was also an opportunity for people to turn to the One True God.

You may feel that this is a harsh thing for God to do. Remember that His harshness is a message to all people of all times that He alone is God.  To worship mulitple gods that truly are not God is to doom yourself to an eternity apart from the Creator.  With this in mind, the plagues could be considered a loving act, an urgent warning, and a sign of things to come for those who chose to ignore the real God of the Universe.

Lesson:  God is the only god in the universe. He judges cultures and nations that do not recognize Him as the Creator God alone. Even His judgments are an opportunity for repentance.

Do you have a personal relationship with God?  Can you wrap your mind around God using a group of people to teach a lasting lesson for all of humanity?

Matthew 19:13-30

The disciples are acting like a posse today.  They are "handling" people who get to close to the Lord. They want Jesus to act like a celebrity. In their minds he is famous and powerful. Let's see if Jesus buys into the idea of celebrity.

Jesus tells them to let the little children come to him and do not hinder them.  He does not need to be handled.  Their attempts to treat him like a rock star are thwarted by Christ.  He is humble and accessible to everyone. Jesus' actions condemn our culture of self promotion through social media and our worship of celebrities. It condemns the modern tendency to make our best and brightest mega church pastors into Christian celebrities. Even though he was God in human form, Jesus did not elevate himself above others. The lowly and humble were his "type".  Little children were worthy of his love and attention, although they had no power in society.

A man comes to Jesus, calls him "good teacher," and asks what he must do to get into heaven and have eternal life.  Jesus challenges him to acknowledge that only God is good.  Therefore, the man must think that Jesus is God.  Christ then lists some of the Ten Commandments and says that these must be followed.  The man, filled with either pride or ignorance, believes that he has never broken any of the commandments.  Knowing the man's heart and that the man has an idol that he puts above God, Christ challenges him to sell all of his possessions, give them to the poor, and then, come and be his disciple.  At this the cocky young lad becomes down cast and leaves.  Jesus found his weak spot- his possessions.  They were an idol to this young man. Are your possessions more important to you than God?

Jesus then explains that it is very hard for a rich person to give up relying on their own works and wealth in order to rely on God alone.  The disciples cry out, "Who, then, can be saved?" Jesus answers that with humans it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. 

Peter says that the disciples have given up everything to follow Christ.  Christ acknowledges that the disciples will sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel in the Kingdom of God.  Note that this promise will be fulfilled during Christ's earthly reign during the millennium. He also adds that anyone who has given up family, friends, or possessions in order to follow him will be rewarded 100 times over. 

Then Jesus confirms a spiritual principle found from Genesis through Revelation:  The least will be greatest and the greatest will be least. 

Lessons:  Salvation is only possible through Christ. Christ is accessible to all people. To be great in the afterlife, you must sacrifice in this life. Your sacrifice is tied to putting God first, rather than yourself first. Be willing to follow Christ at all cost.

Do you believe what Jesus is saying is true?

Psalm 24:1-10

This psalm asks the fundamental question that the young ruler asked, "Who can stand before the Lord?"  The answer is given, those whose hearts are pure.  This is only possible with God just as Jesus said. It is only through Christ's perfect life, sacrificial death, and miraculous resurrection that the debt is paid for our sins. Faith in Christ renders us pure of heart in God's eyes.

Proverbs 6: 1-5

Do not co-sign a loan.  That is not wise.  Do not be responsible for another person's debt.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

January 28- Why, God?

January 28, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Exodus 5:22-7:25; Matthew 18:21-19:12;
Psalm 23; Proverbs 5:22

The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer, but why some do not.

 ~C.S. Lewis

Exodus 5:22-7:25

Why, why, why?  Hey Big Guy, we are suffering here!  You have not rescued.  Things have gotten worse.  What are You doing?  Can you hear Moses' complaints to God? Can you relate to his anger at God? We all have the whys in our lives. Moses has his neck on the line as the leader who has approached Pharaoh.  Moses wants answers.  Here is what God says:

• I am the Lord, but did not tell my name to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Vs. 2-3
• I gave a promise to give them the land of Canaan. Vs. 4
• I am aware of the Israelite suffering, and I plan to fulfill my covenant with them. Vs. 5
• I will redeem you from slavery with mighty acts of judgment. Vs. 6

• I will make you my own special people. Vs. 7

Moses tries to tell the people this, but they are too discouraged to listen.  This exacerbates Moses' insecurities in his own ability to communicate.  He gets angrier. God tells him to go to Pharaoh again and say let my people go. Moses protests,  "I can't speak!" God demands that he do it.

Moses records his genealogy to confirm that he is a Levite.  The Levites will become the priests of the nation of Israel. 

Now Moses gets answers to the "whys." God comes to Moses and says that He is going to make Moses like God to Pharaoh and Aaron will act as a prophet to Moses.  God tells Moses His plan.  God intends to harden Pharaoh so that God can multiply His miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.  He intends to crush Egypt with a series of disasters as a means of judgment against them.  Moses was 80 years old at this time. This tells you that God can use each season of our lives for good. God is confiding in Moses.  Moses is one of the few people who gets to hear the "why" from God Himself!  This is amazing.

We now have a Mexican Stand-off of Miracles.  Moses goes to Pharaoh to make his request.  Pharaoh says no.  Moses does a miracle. Then the Egyptian magicians are able to do them, too.  The stand-off miracles are:

• the staff turns into a snake (Moses' snake eats the magicians' snakes)
• turns water into blood (the whole Nile river and all water that is presently being used), but so do they

Pharaoh's heart is hard as predicted.  One week passes and the Egyptians are digging wells next to the Nile to get drinking water.

Lesson:  This is God's story.  He picks the bad guys and the good guys.  We do not often get the whys from God immediately. There is drama and suffering.  There are protagonists and antagonists in His story.  He is a good story teller.  He is in control.

Where do you fit in the story of history?  Are you one of the good guys?

Matthew 18:21-19:12

Here is the million dollar question. Peter asks, "How often should I forgive a person?"  He thinks he is being generous when he suggests seven times.  Jesus responds that it should be seventy-seven times.  Why does Jesus say this?  Is that the real number? No. His point is illustrated in the subsequent story of the king who forgives debt.  We are all debtors/sinners in this story.  God is the gracious king who forgives our incredibly large debt.  We are required to forgive the small debts/sins that are committed against us as we act in appreciation for the forgiveness of our large debt.  Mimic God. Be like Him.  He forgives. So should you and I.

I am not suggesting that forgiveness is easy.  It is something done with total reliance on God.  Jesus gives us this story so that when we consider forgiving someone else, we focus on how much God has been generous and merciful towards us. He wants us to imitate His mercy. This is another part of being a Christian that requires obedience and humility.

After Jesus heals more people, he is asked (again by the religious teachers who are all caught up in rules) if divorce is allowed.  Jesus takes a teaching moment to go back to the Garden of Eden and remind them that the Bible says that man and woman were intended to become one flesh and form their own family.  As one flesh, they were not to be separated because God actually joins them together and sees them as a unit. They then bring up a contradiction. Moses allowed divorce in the Law. Jesus explains that this provision was because of their hard hearts/sinfulness. 

Jesus emphasizes the seriousness of divorce, except for in the case of adultery.  Jesus tows a hard line here. The disciples cry out that it would be better not to marry under such hard rules.  Jesus does not deny the truth of their statement.  What is his point? 

Marriage is a sacred symbol. Jesus is showing us that marriage is a dramatically important symbolic act.  It represents more than our earthly needs and desires. It is a picture of God and his bride (the Church).  Both are to be faithful in their relationship.  Nothing will tear God from his bride.  They are one unit in intimacy. 

Do you realize this about marriage?  Have you ever realized Christ's opinion about this? If you have been part of a divorce this is not designed to make you feel guilty. All of us have been touched by divorce in some way.  God's grace covers those who have been touched by divorce. That does not change the teaching that Christ felt compelled to give to the world.

Psalm 23

Shepherd's psalm.  Jesus is our good shepherd who leads us into God's presence.  Think back on Moses, the shepherd, being chosen to take his people into the Promised Land.  Moses is a type of Christ. Do you realize that Jesus puts up with our complaining and moaning just like Moses did for the Israelites?  Jesus will successfully bring his sheep home, in spite of difficulties and the evils of this world.


Proverbs 5:22-23

It is possible to be held hostage by sin.  You can die from lack of self-control.  Be wary about sexual sins.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

January 27- The Reluctant Leader

January 27, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Exodus 4:1-5:21; Matthew 18:1-20;
Psalm 22; Proverbs 5:15-21

You must do the thing you think you cannot do. 
~Eleanor Roosevelt

Exodus 4:1-5:21

It's pretty much a running joke in volunteer organizations that if you miss the meeting where the officers are being elected, you will become the president of the organization.  Leadership is a tough assignment. A leader must have vision, patience, determination, the will to face obstacles, and the ability to shepherd people.

Today God asks Moses to become a leader. Moses is not thrilled. As a matter of fact, Moses protests persistently.  Here are his objections:

• They won't believe me.
• They won't do what I tell them.
• I'm not a good speaker, never have been.
• Please send someone else.

Moses seems to understand people. He is hesitant to put himself in the difficult position of leadership.

God's response to Moses' objections are:

• He turns Moses' shepherd's staff into a snake.
• He makes Moses' hand leprous and then heals it immediately.
• He turns water from the Nile into blood.
• He says to Moses, "Who makes mouths? I will help you speak, and I will tell you what to say."
• He says, "Your brother, Aaron, is a good speaker.  He can speak for you."

God was not in the mood for Moses' protests and was intent on Moses being his chosen servant for this task. After these miracles, Moses agrees to the task. He asks Jethro for permission to take his family and return to Egypt. Moses makes sure to take God's staff.  He no longer considers it his shepherd staff.

God reminds Moses that He (God) is going to harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will not let the people go. God calls the nation of Israel his firstborn son. Note: Remember this picture about Israel being God's first born son. God then tells Moses to tell Pharaoh that God will kill Pharaoh's first born son because of his stubborn refusal to let the Israelites go free. Does God's sovereign intervention in hardening Pharaoh's heart surprise you? How do you grapple with God's sovereign hand in history?  Do you have the humility to accept it? God is in control. This does not always seem easy or good, initially. It takes faith to accept this.

Later on the journey to Egypt, God approaches Moses to kill him because he has not circumcised his son. Does God's anger offend you? Remember that circumcision was the outward sign that one believed in the promised Messiah and also believed that God would fulfill His promises about the giving the Israelites the Promised Land. Moses had neglected this very important ritual. We can only guess as to why Moses had neglected to circumcise his son. Perhaps he did not want to stir up controversy with his wife over circumcising his child. Remember that Moses was a foreigner in the land of Midian. He was a Hebrew and just as in Egypt, his culture and worship of God was different than the people with whom he lived.

The practice of circumcision was and continues to be very controversial in many cultures. Some cultures see circumcision as a repugnant mutilation of the male genitalia. It could also be considered a humiliation.  Zipporah, Moses' wife, circumcises her son in order to prevent the death of her husband. Her words reveal that she is not happy about this. Being a Midianite, circumcision was not part of her culture. She is not pleased with the necessity of this ritual and calls Moses a "blood smeared bridegroom." Bad day in the marriage. This statement by Zippora represents what many cultures do not accept about Jesus Christ. Jesus is a blood stained bridegroom. The humiliation of Christ's death on the cross is a hindrance to some people accepting Jesus' deity.

Does God's anger against Moses surprise you? Does God seem overly harsh to you? We see that Moses is being held to a high standard. As a leader of the chosen people who will bring the Messiah into the world, obedience to God is huge. Moses is learning an important lesson here. God is also showing us that Moses is not a perfect man. But Moses is a humble and teachable man and this is what all good leaders need to be, humble and teachable before God.

Again, God uses regular sinful people to do His work on earth, but they must be willing to learn God's ways in humility. Moses must learn obedience. You and I must learn obedience.

Moses and Aaron present the situation to the Israelite leaders and they are on board.  Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh and request that all Jews be allowed to go into the wilderness for a three day festival to the Lord. Pharaoh's response is, "I don't know the Lord and I will not let Israel go." No surprise here! God hardened his heart like He said He would.

This situation angers Pharaoh and he withdraws straw from the Hebrews, but still requires that they make the same number of bricks each day. Straw was a necessary ingredient in brick making. With their lives getting harder because of what Moses had done, the Israelite foreman says that God will judge Moses and Aaron for causing this situation. Proof that being a leader is tough! The complaining and conflicts have started. People are presuming that God is not leading Moses, but that Moses is making these decisions on his own.

Lessons:  God is sovereign. God expects obedience. God is strong when we are weak. God has the ability to harden a heart. God does miracles to convince people of His existence. Being a leader is tough. God's ways are above our ways.  Sometimes we don't understand the "why" in a situation, but we must trust God anyway.

Can you accept God's sovereignty?  This is God's story.  Do you like it?  Do you like Him?  What do you think of Moses?

Matthew 18: 1-20


I love the disciples.  They are so human.  As part of a small group, they have a very honest and typical question. They wonder, "Who among us is going to be the greatest in heaven?"  Power plays are the norm in any organization. These men are vying for leadership positions. Jesus is aware of this and yet he loves them. Jesus is aware of our sinful tendencies, too.  Here is how Jesus answers their question. "If you want to be great in heaven, do this":

• Be humble (teachable) like a child.
• Don't hinder a child or a teachable person from coming to belief in me.
• Don't be a person who tempts other people or children to do evil.
• There is a hell, so avoid evil and tempting others to evil.
• If a person sins against you, go talk to them.  If they won't listen, take witnesses to testify about the problem. Avoid the person if they refuse to listen.
• Gather with other people to pray.  I, Jesus, am present when you do this.

There, in a nutshell, is how to be great in heaven. This is how to be a leader. This is what Moses will learn as he steps into a leadership position for Israel. It is about humility and obedience. This, of course, is diametrically opposed to our natural tendencies to get ahead and step on the heads of others to rise to the top of the pile.

Psalm 22

I like verse 27: "The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. Every nation will bow down before him." Jesus will be the perfect, earthly leader one day. He will be the greatest example of how humility makes a person eligible for leadership.

Proverbs 5:15-21

Drink water from your own well!!  Share your love only with your wife.  We could say, share your love only with your spouse. The Lord sees clearly what every person does and examines our lives.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

January 26- You Got a Problem?

January 26, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Exodus 2:11-3:22; Matthew 17:10-27;
Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 5:7-14

And remember, no matter where you go, there you are. 
~Confusius

Exodus 2:11-3:22

Have you ever had a bad day?  A day where it was just one problem after another?  No matter where you went, you were still there? This is what Moses is experiencing.

Moses is not happy.  He has grown up as an outsider in Pharaoh's palace.  His mother nursed him as a baby and Moses has always known that he is a Hebrew.  In his world, Hebrews are slaves.  As he gets older, Moses is no longer happy acting as if he is an Egyptian. His desire is to identify with the nation of Israel.

One day Moses sees a fellow Hebrew get mistreated by a harsh Egyptian master.  In righteous anger, he kills the Egyptian.  We are beginning to see that Moses is compelled to help those who are downcast and mistreated. He is identifying with his people and becomes distressed when he sees two Hebrews arguing.  He corrects them. They retort that he is not their leader,  and as a matter of fact, he is a murderer.  Shocked that this is known and afraid that he will get killed by the Pharaoh for murdering an Egyptian, Moses flees to Midian. Pharaoh did want to kill Moses because he had killed an Egyptian. It was wise of Moses to flee.

Now Moses has another problem.  He is a fugitive stranger in a strange land.  A kind man named Jethro, who has seven daughters, invites Moses to live and work for him after an incident where Moses once again helps those who are in need of rescuing. Moses helped Jethro's seven daughters when they were chased off by shepherds as they attempted to water their flocks. Moses not only stopped the evil shepherds and rescued the girls, he also personally watered their sheep.

Moses is a type/shadow of Jesus Christ. Here are some ways that Moses' life reflects what Christ would accomplish on earth.

• Moses identified with and loved the nation of Israel.
• Moses had a heart for the downcast and the poor of spirit.
• Moses sought justice and rescued those in need.
• Moses was a shepherd.
• Moses will lead his people to the Promised Land.

Jethro, also called Reuel, gives Moses his daughter, Zipporah, in marriage.  Moses begins a new life in a foreign place. He is once again an outsider.

Moses becomes a shepherd. One day the Angel of the Lord (preincarnate Christ), after getting Moses' attention with a burning bush, introduces Himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This scares Moses.  God tells Moses that He is distressed at the treatment of the Hebrews. (So was Moses) God intends to use Moses to go to Pharaoh and lead the Hebrews out of Egypt and into the land promised to the Hebrews.

Moses protests that he is not a leader. God says that He will be with Moses.  Moses asks what is your name?  Who shall I say sent me? 

God says, "I AM the ONE WHO ALWAYS IS.  Just tell them, I AM sent you." Vs.14  (NLT)

It is significant that God defines Himself by this name. The Hebrews will now refer to God as YHWH or YAHWEH or THE LORD.  This is important because God is telling us that He is eternal, meaning He is the only thing that has always existed and will always exist. This is a hard concept to wrap your mind around when you live in the material world. Before the universe was created, God was.

In Genesis 1 and in John 1, we read that Jesus Christ shares this eternal quality with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus has always existed. The Bible is the story of how this eternal God came to mankind to restore fellowship and provide eternal life for His creation. This is how we can be in God's presence as His beloved family forever. This is the story of how that happens. Moses is a significant character in that story.

God tells Moses that he is to go tell the Israelite leaders that the God of the Hebrews is going to rescue them.  He is also to tell Pharaoh that the Hebrews need to go into the wilderness to worship for three days.

God prophesies that the Pharaoh will not let them go until he is under heavy pressure.  God is going to use the opportunity to strike Egypt and use miracles. Then God tells Moses that as the Jews leave Egypt they will plunder Egypt and receive freedom and new wealth.

Lesson:  God allows us to have bad days, even bad years and bad decades.  The Jews had some bad centuries in Egypt, but God's plan all along was to rescue His people from evil and take them into the Promised Land. He has the same intention for you and me. God uses the hard times to bring about His good purposes (Romans 8:28).  God knows the past, the present, and the future because He is the great I AM. We can rest in the knowledge that He loves us and is a God of justice. Our great rescuer will save us.

Do you have the patience to work through the problem days knowing that God works all things for good? How can you practice this?

Matthew 17:10-27


The disciples ask why the teachers of the Law insist that Elijah comes before the Messiah. Jesus confirms that Elijah does come before the Messiah and has already come and he suffered. This is a bit confusing, but Jesus is clarifying that Elijah does come before Jesus' second coming to earth before the end of time. For now, Jesus teaches that John the Baptist was a type/shadow of Elijah, who came to prepare the way for Jesus' first coming to earth. Jesus indicates that Elijah will be coming again to set everything in order before the end of time.

Most of the Jews at this time, including Jesus' disciples, are unaware that Jesus will be coming to earth at two different times for two different purposes. Although their scriptures indicated that the Messiah would suffer and die (see Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, and Daniel 9: 24-27), most Jews only focused on the many prophecies of the Messiah restoring an earthly kingdom in the Promised Land (See Daniel 7 as one example of this).

After this, Jesus rebukes the disciples for their lack of faith and he rebukes a demon out of a boy.  Their lack of faith prevented their ability to help the boy. Please note that in the book of Acts, after the disciples have received the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus, they are able to cast out all manor of demons and indeed, they have the faith of a mustard seed to accomplish great things for God.

Jesus speaks openly to them again about his inevitable death and resurrection.  Peter asks if they must pay taxes. Surely he is thinking that with their great Savior in hand, he will begin to rule over Jerusalem as prophesied in the Old Testament and now they will not have to pay the authorities the Temple tax. Jesus says that in order to not offend others, they will pay.  Jesus is teaching that he does have authority, but the time is not right for Jesus to set up his earthly kingdom. That will come later. For now, his disciples are to not offend the order of things.

He has Peter go fish to find the money.  Peter catches a fish that has enough money in its mouth to pay both his and the Lord's share.  Jesus wanted Peter to have some skin in the game.  Jesus let some of Peter's effort be part of this miracle. He lets Peter act on his faith and see results. This is an important lesson to Peter and the disciples. It is an important lesson to you and me.

Lesson:  We are part of the gospel process.  Jesus is encouraging his followers to let their faith make a difference.

How has your faith made a difference in someone's life?

Psalm 22:1-18

Jesus quotes this Psalm on the cross.  If you have ever wondered what went through his mind and how he felt at his death read these words.  I am sure that King David had no idea that he was writing the words of his descendant, who would die for mankind.

Proverbs 5:7-14

Stay away from prostitutes.  Sexual immorality will cause all manner of problems including disease, loss of wealth, and loss of reputation.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton