Worship- - -Jan. 1
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
I Kings 8:54 tells of ________ praying ________ on his ______ with _______ spread up to ____________. Psalms 95: 6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. Reread: Daniel 6:10 to remind yourself of Daniel's worship activities and note them here. He _______ ____ times a day and p______ and gave t________. I Chronicles 16:29 Give unto the LORD the ______ due unto his name: bring an _________, and come before him: worship the LORD in the _____ of ________.
Author's Thoughts
Sometimes I think we have the wrong idea about 'worship' services. We've gotten so 'turned inside' and 'tuned in' to ourselves that we get to thinking all is about self. Worship can become distorted to mean: the music we like, the minister we like, the singers we like, etc. And, even the times we get beyond ourselves, too many times it stops at the next earthly level, those about us. We're there for God, not each other, but Christ's family is support in times of need. Too few times, I suspect, do we truly get to real worship. Let's define worship. Worship. Participation in according, or giving, to Jesus love, reverence, devotion, thanksgiving, praise and submission to His Divine will. By definition worship is giving to Jesus. Did you hear who receives worship? It's not me! It's not you or any other human! It is Jesus, we worship. The Son of the Living God. The One represented by the Holy Ghost. I bring, give, accord, to Him, my worship. I must bring this gift in spirit and truth. To be received, it must come from my heart, soul, mind and strength, I must humbly submit before my maker. If I dwell there in His presence, sing to Him, talk to Him, learn of His Word, ask His wisdom, I become more and more able to truly worship Him. And, yes, He gives me more in return than could ever be deserved or expected. He loves having me recognize Him. He wants me to see what He has done for me. He wants me to know who He Is for me now. He blesses me! He speaks to my sprit, refreshes, and cleanses me. Today, I am revived by recognizing what Paul penned to the church at Philippi. Pray this scripture. “Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Pray that you, yours, your church, your country, your world will recognize Jesus is The Name above every name. Pray all will choose to bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Pray your lives will bring glory to the God the Father. Recognize the Holy Ghost and ask Him to be welcome in your life.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below. Genesis 1
Genesis 2
Genesis-3
(WORSHIP or SIN)... Is... At Our Heart's Doors- - -Jan. 2
Read the Bible and fill in missing truths to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 4:1,2 names __________ as the firstborn son and _________ the second. Genesis 4:2-5 tells the eldest was a shepherd, the youngest a tiller of soil. In time each brought offerings to God; but only Abel's was respected. (If you want to know more of God's reasoning on this decision do these searches and write a brief reminder note to yourself: Heb 11:4 ______________________________________________________________ I John 3:12_____________________________________________________________) Genesis 4:5,6 tells Cain was very _________ and his ______________ fell. Look up that last word. _____________________________________________________ God asked him why he was each of the above. Genesis 4:7 God also asked Cain if he had done well wouldn't his offering been accepted? God then told Cain if he had NOT done well __________ lieth at the door. God further said, “And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” (Two things come to mind: 1. Cain is elder and Abel would still be younger brother, 2. Sin had to wait Cain's desire, decision, to rule. Cain, not sin, had the rule. Either way, Cain was being encouraged to do right.) Genesis 4:8 tells us _______ did talk to ______; but sadly reports Sin won the victory. God's predicted, “thou shalt surely die”, Genesis 2:17, was fulfilled, as promised. Genesis 4:11 tells Cain's curse, a fugitive and a vagabond.
Author's Thoughts
Worship must be between the deepest intent of mankind and God; or it is NOT worship. Cain failed the simple 'faith test'. Regardless of other possible reasons God took Abel's gift, like the sheep being a blood offering, Cain failed in faith as Heb. 11:4 reports. This same passage told us God saw Abel's excellence in his sacrifice and saw him as a righteous witness. In the following scripture, Paul reminds us NOT to take sin at the door for granted. “Hebrews 12:24,25 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,… that speaketh better things than that of Abel... For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.” We cannot allow wroth, intense anger, or fallen moods or emotions to lie at our door. We must settle the issue. Instead of being angry a righteous person is accepted, we need to realize we can better our heart's intent to righteousness and also be accepted. When we repent, and are changed, truly converted, sin will leave our door. The devil doesn't want to stay where Jesus is worshipped. Although He will watch for weakness. Be alert! Pray for any jealousy, wrath or fallen emotions or moods within yourself. MOVE UP! Pray to be HOLY and RIGHTEOUS. Ask The Lord to put reigns, The Holy Ghost, on you and a bridle in your mouth, Jesus on your tongue, until you are truly a 'gentle' spirit. He loves to help. Pray for any others needing the same help.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below. Genesis 4
Genesis 5
Genesis 6
Worship is also, 'a way of life & labor'- - -Jan. 3
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 6:5-8 And GOD saw that the ___________ of man was ______ in the earth, and that __________ imagination of the thoughts of his heart was _____ ______ continually. And it _______ the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it ________ him at his ______. And the LORD said, I will ________ man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But _____ found _______ in the ______ of the L_______. Genesis 6:14 Make thee an ______ ___ _________ ______. Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which ______ _______ ______ ___. Genesis 6: 22 Thus did _____; according to ___ that God ______________ him, so ____ ___.
Author's Thoughts
Worship is bringing to God his due gifts from our heart and spirit; but it is also living life as pleases The Lord. Don't you like to see your children following your teachings! Doesn't that give a new and different kind of gift-the daily carrying out of the will! God was grieved by what mankind was and was not doing on the earth. Of all alive, only Noah was walking with Him. It is sad to have many children and only one following right teachings. Many, many in the world today have God's kind of problem with their generations. Noah, like any true believer, let his faith and right fear of God, guide him to do what he was told. God accounted it to him as righteousness and gave him favor forever. “Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” It was a labor! Can you imagine building a boat the size of the ark with only 8 men and women working at all that had to be done? Can you see the impossibility of the task? Can you feel the peer pressure as they pass by and jeer at your spending time on a boat, when there is no need, or so your neighbors think? Can you hear the family response when Noah told them his task? But, can you also see God's hand in the planning, providing, guiding and bringing it to pass? Can you feel the assurance that you are doing God's commands regardless what the neighbors think? Can you hear your family as they say, “Sounds tough, but we're with you.” Today, we live in the end times-the days like Noah's or so reports “Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noe (another language spelling of the Hebrew Noah) were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” We need to be the ones Jesus can trust to be faithful in DOING His will NOW, Today! He is still looking for men, women and youth He can TRUST. Pray you will be faithful, that your family and church will be and that all church people would be touched with that desire. Pray God will soften rebellious hearts. For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below. Genesis 7
Genesis 8
Genesis-9
Worship, Because God's Word Is Firm- - -Jan. 4
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, ________ and ________, and ____ and _____, and _______ and _______, and ____ and _______ shall not cease. Genesis 9:11-16 And I will establish my _________ with you; neither shall ___ flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the _____ of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for __________ generations: I do set my ___ in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between __ ____ ___ ______. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will _____ ______ it, that I may _________ the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
Author's Thoughts
God's Word cannot be broken by circumstances, as yours or mine. God is The Ancient of Days, Omnipotent, Omniscience and Omnipresent. He Is. You and I must depend on God giving us strength, health and means to carry out, even the promises we intend to keep. Too often we make promises and forget. Too often we make promises and the cares of life take priority. We just can't make the kind of covenant God can. Our society is having more and more trouble getting married, staying married, committing to service to the Lord, or even making forty-eight payments in a row. They are getting farther and farther from experiencing on a daily basis the covenant power of God. Covenant is the agreement of promise, a contract given to one by another. Only God can say whether there will always be a planting time, summer or day and night. When God speaks, He has ALL power and ALL existence to bring it to pass. Plus, God cannot be muted or lie. God could say that He would not destroy the world by water again and say it with ease, since all these are in His power. It makes our ability to promise or covenant pale in comparison, even when we mean to fulfill our word and give our best efforts to keep our promise. Then, God did a beautiful thing. Like an engagement ring from the prospective groom, sealing his promise, God gave the rainbow. He said he'd use it to remind Himself of His covenant to us. Wow! The next time you promise or receive a promise, think about how limited our word is. Worship God for eternal Word. As you watch your next rainbow, know God is seeing it from heaven and remembering His promise. Pray you will be more aware of God's promises, and that. like God, we will be better at honoring our promises.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below. Genesis 10
Genesis 11
Genesis-12
Worship, Knowing God Is Personally Involved- - -Jan. 5
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 12:1-4 Now the LORD had said unto ______, Get thee out of thy _______, and from thy ________, and from thy _______ house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a ______ _______, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will ______ them that bless thee, and _____ him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram ________, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. Genesis 13:14-17 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art _____, and _________, and ________, and ________: For all the land which thou ______, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the ____ of the earth: so that if a man can _______ ___ _____ of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, _____ through the land in the _______ of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Author's Thoughts
God picked Abram, watched his heart seventy-five years, and decided this man was worth knowing. He made Abram His friend. God wanted a relationship with man. God wanted to bless Abram. He wanted to give him land, sheep, cattle and all he needed to live a good life. God, like us, wanted to bless His friend. Just like you and I, shopping for an appropriate gift to give a friend, God gave gifts to Abram. He pledged His personal, continuing love. Since God is forever, He promised things beyond Abram's lifetime. God's gifts are so much greater than what we can give. We give a gift for a day or year or two. God just looked at Abram and said, “I'll always bless your generations. I'll keep them going until they're like the sands of the sea in number.” Abram would die and leave. God would still be here. Even until now He is watching over the Jewish people and the Spiritual seed of Abram-Christians. What a personal God to His friend! And, today, Jesus watches over you and I the same way. Jesus even said, “ John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” Worship God for all His gifts to you. Pray you'll see His hand in more about you. Worship Jesus for the gift of eternal life to you. Pray you'll appreciate His gifts more. Worship the Holy Ghost for teaching you all truth and bringing Jesus' teachings to you often. Don't forget to ask Him to pray when you don't know what you ought to ask.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below. Genesis 13
Genesis 14
Genesis-15
Worship By Investing In God's Work (Tithes)- - -Jan. 6
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 14:18-20 And _________king of Salem brought forth _____ and ____: and he was the priest of the ____ _____ ____. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him _____ of all. Hebrews 7:1-6 For this _________, king of Salem, ______ of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a ____ _____ __ ___; first being by interpretation King of ___________, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of _____; Without ______, without ______, without _______, having neither __________ of days, nor ___ of life; but made like unto the ___ __ ___; abideth a ______ continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch _________ gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of _____, who receive the office of the ___________, have a commandment to ____ _______ of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the _____ of Abraham: But he whose _______ is not ________ from them _________ ________ of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Author's Thoughts
Abram allowed Lot to pick his choice of land, when their herdsmen quarreled. He chose to pitch toward Sodom. As time passed the city was taken by enemies, Lot with it. Abram went to battle to bring back Lot. He salvaged for all the friendly kings involved. On his way back with the spoils of war, he was met by Melchizedek, the priest of God. Melchizedek received tithes of all. Not a duty, but a thanks to God for His help. At this time Abram had not become Abraham of the circumcision covenant and father of Isaac. In his loins were the seed of Isaac, Jacob and the twelve tribes of Israel. Levi, the priestly tribe of the twelve had not been conceived in his grandfather yet. However, Abram, carrying the Levitical priestly seed in his loins, paid tithes to Melchizedek. God went to great lengths to set up tithing the way He wanted it to be. God, ordered and sent one with no descent or end to receive the first investments into God's work. The priestly lineage was present only in latent seed, but present in God's mind's intentions. He wanted mankind to be able to invest in HIS work. He knew and knows that what is invested on earth will dissolve. He wanted His children to be able to invest in Forever Stock. Wow! Worship Him with a special offering today. Ask Jesus how, where and when. Pray for your tithes to be given with wide open, intentional, investing eyes, heart and spirit. Believe your tithes are the best investment you'll ever make. They are! For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below. Genesis 16
Genesis 17
Genesis-18
Worship By Obeying In The Tough Things- - -Jan. 7
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 17:1-16 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. ...And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called ______, but thy name shall be __________; for a father of many nations have I made thee. ...And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of ________, for an _____________ possession; and I will be their God. ...This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every ___ ______ among you shall be ____________. And ye shall ________ the flesh of your _________; and it shall be a ______ of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is ______ _____ ____ shall be ____________ among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. … And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name ______, but ______ shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a ________ of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
Author's Thoughts
Abraham had been given some tough assignments in his 99 years. He was asked to pack up and leave his home and countrymen, going where he did not know, except God bid him go. He had been promised a son with Sarai, but had not seen this come to pass, yet. Yet, among the tough stuff there had been a continual friendship with God. They had a trust which made all the tough spots better. Now, God was telling him a tough thing. He and all the males in his house had to be physically circumcised. God was getting him ready for the birth of Isaac, the son of the covenant, to be born after the circumcision. Sometimes, even though God has a plan to our benefit, we hesitate to obey. At 99 to circumcise the flesh was obeying a humanly tough command. From this time Abram was Abraham and Sarai was to be Sarah. A new era was beginning, but it started with circumcision. You and I are sometimes asked to worship in tough ways. We are asked to step out on faith and obey, whether we see the door or not, reach for it when told. Even in the grace covenant we must begin with a circumcision. Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: We, with assistance of Jesus and the Holy Ghost are circumcised by putting off sins of the flesh and becoming a spiritual being. It may be a tough call, but, oh how great to please and befriend Jesus, our Lord. For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below. Genesis 19
Genesis 20
Genesis-21
Worship When We Realize We've Resisted- - -Jan. 8
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 19:14-16 And Lot went out, and spake unto his ____ __ ___, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you ___ __ ____ ______; for the LORD will ______ this city. But he seemed as one that _______ unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, ______, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be _________ in the ________ of the city. And while he _________, the men laid ____ _____ ___ _____, and upon the _____ of his wife, and upon the _____ of his two daughters; the LORD being ________ unto him: and they brought him _____, and set him _______ ___ _____.
Author's Thoughts
There are times in our lives when The Lord sees and we do not. It is as
simple as that! We rarely see all that is in front of our eyes much less what is
around the next bend. Also, we tend to look to 'me and my four and no more.' It
is our nature to look from our viewpoint.
God, being all knowing, and all seeing, uses many means to 'steer' us to our
best path. Lot was not wise in many of his decisions. When given the opportunity
to be gracious to Abraham and pick ground that was the least beneficial. He
picked what he thought was the best, most watered, with little thought to
Abraham's rights. It was because of Abraham's relationship with God that either
man had been so very blessed. Lot did not give credit to this. He simply took
advantage, or what he thought would be so.
In the case of pitching his tents toward Sodom, he was going toward evil and
vexation of his soul. So many attractions have a down side to them. Abraham
could have advised him, but like many who know Godly people, he didn't seek
advice there.
God was faithful to Abraham and had a conversation with him before Sodom's
destruction. God, it seems, spared Lot for his servant Abraham's sake. Lot was,
so to speak, riding on Abraham's shirt tail and yet unthankful. His word to his
sons-in-law went unheeded. The angels' urge to hurry went unheeded by Lot. The
angels had to literally take Lot, his wife and daughters by the hands and pull
them out of Sodom. Even then, Lot's wife resisted God's will, looked back and
turned into a pillar of salt.
When the angels told Lot and daughters to go to the mountains, Lot wanted to
pick his own destination, “Genesis 19:20 Behold now, this city is near to flee
unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little
one?) and my soul shall live.”
We need to look at what God, Jesus, The Holy Ghost is trying to do in our lives.
We need to enquire of the Lord and seek to follow His leading. Let's ask wisdom
in not resisting God. We can be like Lot and want what we want, with little
respect to spiritual advisors; or, to God. The Holy Ghost comes from the throne
room where Jesus and God have spoken on our behalf. Let's listen.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Genesis 22
Genesis 23
Genesis-24
Genesis 25
Worship, Especially In Times You're Tempted To Rebel- - -Jan. 9
Read the Bible and fill in missing truths to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 22:1-10 And it came to pass after these things, that God did ____
Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he
said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou ______, and get thee
into the land of _______; and offer him there for a _____ _________ upon one of
the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the
morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac
his son, and _____ ____ ____ for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto
the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his
eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye
____ with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and ________, and come again
to you. And Abraham took the ____ of the burnt offering, and laid it upon ______
his son; and he took the ____ in his hand, and a _____; and they went both of
them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and
he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, _______ ___ ____ ___ ___ ____: but
where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, ___ ____
_______ himself a ____ for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an _____
there, and laid the ____ in order, and ______ Isaac his son, and laid him on the
altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and ____ ___ _____ __
____ ___ ____.
Author's Thoughts
If the Lord had told me to take my son and offer him a burnt offering, what
would I have done? What would you do? The Bible plainly tells us God wanted to
know where he stood in line. Was the long awaited son of the promise, Isaac, or
The Lord who make the promise, first with Abraham. In my mind, God knew that
Abraham would obey; but, he wanted Abraham to know what he would do.
Many times in our spiritual lives, God will ask us to move beyond our comfort
zones. He will ask us to step off a high rise building, trusting a beam will be
by to catch the foot once it is in the air. He wants us to learn He Is God and
Can Be Trusted. He wants us to become trustworthy people who obey Him,
regardless of the order.
Abraham had faith, “Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tried,
offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only
begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence
also he received him in a figure.”
Pray you will be able to do what Jesus asks of you. Pray your family and church
will do the same. What the Lord brings you to, He will bring you through. We
lose when we, in doubt, disobey. The Mount Moriah, where this took place is
where Solomon built God a temple. A forever famous place! God doesn't forget the
places of obedience.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Genesis 26
Genesis 27
Genesis 28
Genesis 29
Worship-Don't Give What Costs Nothing! - - -Jan. 10
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 23: 2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is ______ in the land
of ______: and Abraham came to _____ for Sarah, and to ____ for her. 4 I am a
________ and a _________ with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with
you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. 6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a
______ ______ among us: in the ______ of our _________ bury thy dead; none of us
shall withhold from ___ his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. 9
That he may give me the ____ __ _________, which he hath, which is in the end of
his field; for as much _____ as it is _____ he shall give it me for a possession
of a buryingplace amongst you. 11 Nay, my lord, hear me: ___ _____ _ ____ ____,
and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my
people give I it thee: bury thy dead. 15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is
worth ____ hundred _______ __ _______; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury
therefore thy dead. 16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham _______ to
Ephron the ______ which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four
hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
Author's Thoughts
Sarah, at the age of 127, died. Abraham owned no land, no burying place. When
the need was known, all the people of the land called him a mighty man and
offered his choice of places. Abraham, on the other hand, needed to bury his
wife. His wife.
He knew a place at Hebron, in a cave that was suitable to him. The owner again
offered the land as a gift. Abraham wanted to pay what the land was worth. He
wanted to buy the land that his precious Sarah was buried upon. Once his desire
was known, the value was set and paid. Abraham weighed out the silver, knowing
he bought the place where Sarah would rest, until he joined her. In years to
come Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah would all be 'gathered to their people'
here.
Near the cave he and Sarah had worshipped. Their descendents would dwell and/or
come back to this place. David would dwell here as King of Israel in days to
come. This land needed to be paid for by the users.
Sometimes we are tempted to give God what costs us nothing. We slide a few
minutes late into our seats at 'worship' service, having not read or prayed. We
are in no way paying for what is given to Jesus. We too many times let others
sing, pray and work. We, by being physically near them, claim to have given to
Jesus our daily gift. Even at times during His services, we forget to talk to
Him, or praise His name. We cannot give Him anything that costs us nothing.
You and I need to be careful to 'pay' for what we give the Lord. Our time must
be put to His uses. His gifts of money to us, must be tithed with great
intention of sowing into His work. Prayer needs to be given up on behalf of His
church and children.
Pray to pay for what you give Jesus, whether time, heart, soul, strength, mind
or money.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Genesis 30
Genesis 31
Genesis-32
Genesis 33
Worship, Obey, and Let the Lord Be Lord- - -Jan. 11
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 24:11-14 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that _____ go out to ____ ______. And he said, O LORD God of my master _______, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the ____ __ _____; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And ___ __ _____ __ ____, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that _ ___ _____; and she shall say, _____, and I will give thy ______ ______ ____: let the same be she that ____ ____ _________ for thy servant _____; and thereby shall I know that thou hast ______ ________ unto my master
Author's Thoughts
Abraham called his servant, asked him to place his hand under his thigh, and
as a covenant between the two. He wanted the servant to journey to kinsmen and
find Isaac a wife there. The servant promised to make the journey and ask a
girl. If the girl refused, his vow was void.
The servant asked the God of Abraham to direct his path and find the girl. The
Lord did exactly that! Rebekah was sent to the well at the right time. She,
unknowingly, was put to the test. The servant asked for a girl that would not
only give him a drink, but give to his camels also. God provided!
So many times God is looking for obedient people, not people with certain
talents or stature. God wants someone that can be trusted to do as He says.
Think upon scripture and you'll find names like Joshua, Gideon, Esther, Ruth,
Elijah, Deborah, etc. All had to go in faith obeying, not knowing what lay
ahead. God did the providing. God wants to be God. He didn't take Satan as a
partner and He won't take you or I. He wants servants to obey and let Him be
God.
Rebekah, in her hospitality, found her place in life. Had her attitude been one
of, 'do it yourself' or 'I'm in too much of a hurry to spend time with a
stranger,' she would have lost out. She even had to go at the exact time to the
well, before another girl filled her spot.
Again, after the introductions, taking the servant home with her to meet family,
and finding out the man's order of business, she again had to obey to get her
rightful place. The man was intent on taking Rebekah home to Isaac very soon.
The family asked for a ten day waiting time. Rebekah, when asked, was ready to
go with the servant. Hence, she is soon with Isaac, as his wife.
The Lord leads Peter to Cornelius, Ananias to Saul of Tarsus, Philip to the
eunuch, Paul down into Macedonia. He still, through The Holy Ghost, leads people
to do His will. He may want a card sent, a visit made, a meal cooked, a ministry
started or whatever is on His agenda today. He uses you and I to do His work.
Pray you will listen to Jesus' voice. His sheep know His voice. Pray you will
heed the voice and do as it bids you. Pray you will 'immediately' do His will
when He speaks. Pray your church will also.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Genesis 34
Genesis 35
Genesis-36
Worship Through Whatever The Lord Allows- - -Jan. 12
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 37:3-11 Now _____ loved _______ more than all his children, because he was the ___ __ ___ ___ ___: and he made him a coat of many ______. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they _____ him, and could not ______ _________ unto him. And Joseph _______ _ ______and he told it his brethren: and they ______ him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, __ _____ _____, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made ______________ to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed ______ _____ ___? or shalt thou indeed have _________ over us? And they ______ him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the ___ and the _____ and the _______ ______ made __________ to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren ________ him; but his father ___________ the saying.
Author's Thoughts
Joseph, Jacob's youngest son was favored because he was the son of old age
and Jacob's (Israel) beloved Rachel, was given special treatment. In addition to
the fatherly preferences, God gave him dreams of future dominion over the
family. Joseph shared the dreams and all this together made Joseph hated by his
ten brothers. They actually couldn't speak peaceably to Joseph for hatred.
Read the story and try to see the happenings. Joseph is sold, rather than
killed. God directs his path into a high and rich home of Egypt. Although much
time was spent in prison and serving others, he eventually ended up second in
all Egypt. Famine in the world of the time eventually sent his brothers to bow
at his feet, just as the dreams predicted.
The story continues to unfold, showing how Joseph receives his brothers, tests
their loyalty to the new youngest brother, Benjamin, and how he extends a
gracious welcome to Egypt when the test is over. Joseph had to endure hatred,
uncivil attitudes from brothers, being sold, threatened of death, and prison for
being true to God; but, through it all, God proved true.
What things are in your life today that seem like hardships? Is it possible that
God is allowing you to travel through the valley to your destiny? Pray for
strength to follow Jesus, regardless! Jesus went to the cross to get to His
destiny. Take up your cross, cheerfully and faithfully and head home.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Genesis 37
Genesis 38
Genesis-39
Worship By Admitting Wrongs & Changing - -Jan. 13
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Judah, when Joseph was put in the pit to kill, decided there was money to be
made from Joseph instead of killing him.
Genesis 37: 26-28 And Judah said unto his brethren, What _____ is it if we slay
our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us ____ ___ to the
____________, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our
flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites
merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and ____ ______
to the Ishmeelites for ______ _______ __ _______: and they brought Joseph into
Egypt.
Later in Egypt, with Benjamin in trouble over the cup that was placed in his
sack by Joseph's men, Judah would have took Benjamin's place. He now valued his
brother and father more than jealousy or money. His conversation for mercy was:
Genesis 44:30-33 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the ___
be not with us; seeing that ___ ____ is bound up in the ___ ____; It shall come
to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will ___: and thy
servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with ______
to the grave. For thy servant ______ _______ for the lad unto my father, saying,
If I bring him ___ unto thee, then I _____ bear the _____ to my father ___
_____. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide _______ __ ___ ____ a
bondman to my lord; and let the ___ __ up with his brethren.
Author's Thoughts
One can see how being one of eleven brothers, with different mothers, could
be a sticky situation. Add to that, the youngest was your common father's
favorite. Add to that his clothing was very different from all the others. Add
to that the fact the kid brother was always telling dreams portraying himself
with dominion over the entire family. Add to that the hatred of all this builing
up within you and the others. It was hard to see Joseph or talk to him without
thinking of all the above. This was Judah's place in the family.
Judah and the brethren decided to kill Joseph when Judah saw an opportunity to
make some money on the deal. All agreed. The deal was made and Joseph was off to
Egypt. The family was in long mourning for a dead brother that really wasn't
dead; but a sibling secret. Imagine the thoughts that were locked inside Judah
and the others. Time to think was theirs to have.
Years later, with events seemingly similar, Judah had a completely different
attitude concerning Benjamin and his father. He would have stayed in Egypt a
bondman and let his brother return home to Jacob. All this was unnecessary
because God was working way ahead of all the family. God used Joseph to feed all
the family and country.
Today, is there things in your life that have left you thinking about actions
you have taken in the past? Pray for a way to be tested in a similar way and
pass the test this time. Like Judah, we can change, mature, and react more
faithfully on future tests.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Genesis 40
Genesis 41
Genesis-42
Genesis 43
Worship By Enjoying, Savoring, Victories- - -Jan. 14
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 45:1-10 Then Joseph could not _______himself before all them that
stood by him; and he _____, Cause every man __ __ ___ from me. And there stood
no man with him, while _____ ____ _______ _____ ____ ___ _______. And he ____
_____: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh _____. And Joseph said unto
his brethren, I am ______; doth my father yet _____? And his brethren could not
answer him; for they were ________ at his presence. And Joseph said unto his
brethren, Come ____ __ __, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am
Joseph your brother, whom ye ____ into Egypt. Now therefore be ___ _______, nor
_____ with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for ___ ___ ____ __ before you to
preserve life. For these ___ years hath the famine been in the land: and yet
there are ____ years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
And God sent me before you to ________ ___ _ ________ in the earth, and to save
your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was ___ ____ that sent me hither,
but ___: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and
a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and
say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt:
____ ____unto me, tarry not: And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and
thou shalt be ____ ____ __, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children,
and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
Author's Thoughts
Imagine all the years of punishment for each of Jacob's family. Based on who
you were and what events you caused or what events happened to you, you had
issues. Jacob was mourning and fearful for the other sons. Joseph had to keep
faith in the dreams and God who gave them to stay Godly. Through it all, he was
faithful to his God. Reuben, being the oldest, had tried to save Joseph, but the
others got the best of him. Judah lived with his suggestion to sell his own
brother.
Then, the years of punishment were over. The twelve brothers were standing in a
room, in the home of the Governor of Egypt, their brother. Food and power were
in his hand and forgiveness in his heart. Tears in his eyes and sobbing on his
voice told them he was sincere in wanting the family whole again. The road
finally was rounding the bend to a better day for each and every one of them.
The celebration must have been glorious!
In each of our lives, we round many bends on troubled roads to discover
deliverance is waiting on our arrival. We too, weep, hug or cry. Pray for the
freedom to stop and celebrate the victory. Too many times we hide our joy or
subdue it. Pray for a celebration spirit at your next victory. Worship.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Genesis 44
Genesis 45
Genesis-46
Worship by Claiming Victories Already Won - - -Jan. 15
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Genesis 50:15-21 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their __________ was _______, they said, Joseph will peradventure _______ ____, and will certainly requite us all the ______ which ____ did unto ______. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy ____________ did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, __________, I pray thee now, the __________ of thy brethren, and their ______; for they did unto thee _______: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph ________ when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and ______ _________ before his face; and they said, Behold, _____ be ______ servants. And Joseph said unto them, _______ _____: for ______ I in the place of God? But as for you, ye _____________ evil against me; but ______ meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will _____________ _________, and your ___________ _________. And he _______________ them, and spake ______________ unto them.
Author's Thoughts
Think upon a past battle, one that sorely pressed you before the Lord. Maybe
it was physical, financial, emotional or spiritual. Then, after much anguish and
prayer-the answer came. You knew Jesus, your friend, had heard and delivered.
Remember, how Joseph had been mistreated, sold and ended up the second to
Pharaoh in Egypt. His brothers did just as God had showed Joseph in his dreams,
they bowed to him. When young they could not imagine such a dream being true and
were jealous of him. This jealousy escalated to the selling him into slavery act
they all committed.
Years later the famine put them before Joseph, though they recognized him not.
When this all came into the open, they were afraid of him. Their fears came to
nought and Joseph was weeping and hugging them, forgiving them.
Remember, he sent them home to move all they had to Egypt where he could care
for them! Now, years later, Jacob has died. The devil missed no chance to bring
up old wounds and failures. He uses them again, trying his best to make you
forget the victory God has already given in the past. If he can get all the
minds back on the hurt and anger, he will have a foothold.
Re-think the victory mentioned to you at the top of this discussion. Remember
when the devil came back later and tried to give you the problem back, as though
Jesus had not worked on it at all; or had worked on it but hadn't finished the
job.
Don't allow the devil to make you fight the same wars over and over again. When
Jesus speaks it is settled forever, if you have the faith to believe.
Joseph's brothers worried and fretted anew, but Joseph stood by his thoughts
that God had used him in Egypt to save all their lives in the famine. He only
wanted to do them good. Don't let satan drag up issues where Jesus has already
given you victory. “Behind me, satan”, you can order, in Jesus' Name.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Genesis 47
Genesis 48
Genesis-49
Genesis 50
Worship, Knowing, God Always Has A Plan!- - -Jan. 16
Read the Bible and fill in missing truths to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 1:8-12 Now there arose up a ______ _________ over Egypt, which knew not __________. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are ______ and _________ than we: Come on, let us deal ___________ with them; lest they __________, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them ________________ to __________ them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they ______________and ___________. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
Exodus 1:15, 16 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew ______________, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a ______, then ye shall _________ him: but if it be a daughter, then ______ ___________ _________.
Exodus 2:6-10 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe _________. And she had __________________ on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a _________ of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the __________ _____________. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy __________. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name ___________: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
Author's Thoughts
Satan used Pharaoh as his instrument of punishment to Israel. Joseph's
reputation and former value to Egypt was soon forgotten when the new King
realized how many Hebrews there had grown to be. He decided upon a ghastly plan,
he'd have the midwives kill all the boy babies.
Even when the midwives didn't help him, he was determined to kill all the Hebrew
boys. He didn't want this mighty people to raise possible warriors than could
turn against Egypt.
Think about being a young parent in that day. All boys were being killed. You
had a son, a goodly child, born of the priestly tribe, Levi. You had hid him
three months and it was getting harder to find ways to do so. You made an ark
and waterproofed it, deciding to hide him among the flags of the river. You sent
your daughter to watch over him. God always has a way!
Who would come to the very spot, but Pharaoh's own daughter. Moses picked just
this moment to cry. Soon her maid was fishing him out of the flags, his sister
close in tow. The crying little boy caused Pharaoh's daughter to have compassion
on the child. The sister immediately offered to get a nurse to help out-her and
the boy's own mother.
God not only kept Moses safe, but had mother paid for the services. Isn't that
just like our God. When we ask Jesus to help us, we need to believe He will find
a way. We need to put our trust in right and Him: Forsaking All I Take Him!
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Exodus 1
Exodus 2
Exodus 3
Worship, God's Word IS True- - -Jan. 17
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 2:23-25 And it came to pass in process of ______, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel __________ by reason of the _______________, and they __________, and their ______ came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their ________________, and God _________________________ his _______________ with _________________, with ______________, and with _____________. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had ______________ unto them.
Hebrews 6:13, 14 For when God made promise to ________________, because he
could ___________ by no greater, he ____________ by _____________, Saying,
Surely _______________ I will ___________ thee, and ________________ I will
_______________ thee.
Author's Thoughts
Had you been in Egypt, under bondage of slavery and hard taskmasters, would
your faith that God loved you waned?
Many times when bad things happen we question, “Why, Lord, why?”
We like being blessed and can testify it, on the mountain tops of life. But,
when we are in the deepest valley, isn't God still God? Isn't He still on His
throne? Is not Jesus still sitting by His side? Isn't the Holy Ghost still
coming to us with answers and strength?
Just because things look bad doesn't mean a thing. If God has promised a thing,
it will be just as it was said. His words to bless and multiply Abraham and his
seed is still on the books. He IS still meaning to keep that promise. It may not
look like it now, but He will bring it to pass.
What is in your life today that doesn't look like the promises Jesus made to
never leave or forsake you? Are you a believer enough to bow your head and
honestly tell Jesus you will wait, trusting on His answer?
Faith moves God. Faith moves Jesus. Faith moves the Holy Ghost.
They all like to work when nothing else will. If God brings you to it, He will
bring you through it. Pray thanking Jesus for the answer that will come to your
hard problem. Speak it into existence before it is. He loves that!
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 4
Exodus 5
Exodus 6
Worship, Moving Out In Blind Faith- - -Jan. 18
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the ________ is not ________. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the _________ _____ ________ __________, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put ______thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is ________ ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses ______ ______ _________; for he was afraid to ___________ upon ________.
Exodus 3:10,11 Come now therefore, and I will send ________ unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel ______ ____ ___________. And Moses said unto God, ______ ____ ___ that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Exodus 4:14,15 And the ____________ of the LORD was _____________ against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And _________ shalt speak unto him, and put __________ in his mouth: and ____ will be with ______ mouth, and with ______ mouth, and will ___________ you what ye shall do.
Author's Thoughts
Moses was called to go back where his attempts to save God's people had ended
in murder, failure and being hunted for his life. Now, here was God, Divinely
showing Himself in a bush that refused to be consumed. Barefooted Moses stood
before the Lord hearing he must return to the job he failed before.
At forty Moses looked like the deliverer Israel needed. He was strong and
mighty, ready to go to work. On his own, he failed. Now, God was saying, “I AM
THAT I AM” will send you. That, my friend, is Different! Whom He calls, He
qualifies!
But, Moses hasn't read the book like we have. He doesn't know the end, he only
sees the problems of the past and present. He has failed. He is slow in speech
and not someone he thinks should be a public speaker. He, like so many of us,
keeps explaining to God, why He has the wrong person for the job. God is NOT
impressed!
God gives him His Name instrument, a rod/serpent instrument, a flesh/leprosy
instrument, a rod/blood instrument and finally is angry with Moses' excuses. He
gives him Aaron and sends him off to do what He said do.
Pray you will do what The Holy Ghost asks you to do. His orders came from the
throne, after God and Jesus talked about you and where your work for The Kingdom
would be. Pray you won't hesitate, but go when He says Go.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Exodus 7
Exodus 8
Exodus 9
Worship, Even When First Efforts Fail - - -Jan. 19
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 5:1,2 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and _____ __________, Thus saith the _______ _______ of Israel, ______ ____ ___________ ____, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is ______ _________, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know ______ the _________, neither will I let Israel go.
Exodus 5:4-9 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, __________ ______ ________, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the _______________ of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall _____ _________ give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for ________________. And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not ____________ ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us ______ and sacrifice to our God. Let there _________ work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard ___________ words.
Exodus 5:14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were ____________ and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both ___________________ and to _________, as heretofore?
Exodus 5:20-23 And they met ______________ and _____________, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be ______________ in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. And _____________ returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so ______entreated this people? ______ is it that thou hast ________ ____? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done ______to this people; neither hast thou _____________ thy people at all.
Author's Thoughts
Moses didn't seem to be winning the battle, as it seemed to him the Lord had
said. It wasn't that he wasn't going to see the battle won, it was that it
didn't come on the first attack. Now, Pharaoh was making it harder on the
Hebrews. They were negative toward Moses and Aaron, not treating them like men
on a 'sent' mission at all, but seeing them as meddling and causing trouble to
their slavery.
We, being so very human, was every war won on the first battle. God's Word Is
True, but His timeline is definitely not ours. His plan is to bring it to pass
in His way. We, on the other hand, get in a hurry. It's like, “O.K. Lord, I did
what you said, now you need to give the quick victory.
We don't like to suffer. We don't like to have others NOT understand what God
has told us to do. We like quick fixes. Pray for faith to continue when first
efforts fail. Pray for faith regardless of how many efforts seem to fail. If The
Lord said it, it WILL come to pass.
Go alone somewhere now and ask the Jesus to help you believe your Israel will
leave Egypt.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Exodus 10
Exodus 11
Exodus 12
Worship, Through God's Process, To The Victory - -Jan. 20
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Aaron and Moses quickly went through their instruments: I AM sent me,
rod/serpent, flesh/leprosy, water/blood. Aaron's serpent even swallowed all the
magicians serpents, but Pharaoh was still hard.
List the plagues that God sent though Moses and Aaron:
1. Water to blood 7 days
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Author's Thoughts
It was a long way from “Take off your shoes,” to leaving Egypt. Moses and
Aaron had to persevere. They had to go again and again to Pharaoh. Each time,
regardless of what he said, he hardened his heart and did NOT let the people go.
God had let his heart become hardened so He could show Himself anew unto His
people. God knows who will and will not believe. The Bible tells us that God
uses these people at times to bring His will to pass. Remember that! It is
important NOT to become one of the people who quarrel, are discontent, and
negative. We will, like Pharaoh, end up washed upon the shores-if not the Nile,
eternity.
The process from God's speaking a thing until it is brought to pass can be long.
It can involve going against the forces of satan many times. But, if we KNOW God
spoke it into existence, we should KNOW it will come to pass. Current
circumstances do NOT change God's Word.
We need to remember this when satan tries to claim our lost children, our
finances, our health or threaten us in some other way. Nothing is going to
happen to us, today, that Jesus and us together can't handle. It is His promise
NOT to forsake me.
Pray you will read His Word and take Him at His Word. Behave according to Bible
truths and KNOW they will bring victory to those who endure.
Pray your church will grow stronger in Bible knowledge and behaving according to
The Word. Pray your family and friends will simply claim Truth, Life and The
Way, knowing He will bring it to pass.
It took the Midnight Cry of death to change the hard hearts. Some will not
believe to their own hurt; but, to those who believe deliverance will come.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Exodus 13
Exodus 14
Exodus 15
Worship--NOT--Negotiate - - -Jan. 21
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 8:25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God _____ _______ ___________.
Exodus 8:28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall _______ ____ _________ ______ _________: intreat for me.
Exodus 10:7-11 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the ______ ____, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go? And __________ said, We will go ________ our __________ and with our ______, with our ________ and with our _____________, with our __________ and with our ________ will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD. And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. _______ _____: go now ye that are _______, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
Exodus 10:24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your ___________ and your __________ be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.
Exodus 12:30-32 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great ______ in Egypt; for there was _____ a house where there was not one ______. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, ______ ____, and get you forth from among my people, both ____ and the children of _________; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your _______ and your _______, as ____ have said, and be _______; and bless me also.
Exodus 12:35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses;
and they _________ of the Egyptians jewels of _______, and jewels of ______, and
__________ And the LORD gave the people __________ in the sight of the
Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they
_____________ the Egyptians.
Author's Thoughts
Never back up on ONE word the Bible has given you from God. ALL His promises
are True! We need to hold to what the Word says. Do not negotiate! You don't
have to lie, cheat or manipulate to be a success. You only have to trust, obey
and ACT upon the Word. The rest is up to The Lord!
Pray you will hold the line on what The Bible says. Pray you won't negotiate or
be pressured into living less than what you have been given. Pray for wisdom and
strength to believe and act accordingly. Pray for those about you to have such
strength also.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 16
Exodus 17
Exodus 18
Worship, Remember the Memorials - - -Jan. 22
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 13:3,4 And Moses said unto the people, _____________ this day, in which ye came out from _______, out of the _______ of ____________; for by ___________ of hand the ________ brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month Abib.
Exodus 13:9,10 And it shall be ____ __ ______ unto thee upon thine hand, and for a _____________ between thine eyes, that the LORD'S _____ may be in thy _______: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. Thou shalt therefore _______ this ____________ in his _________ from _______ ____ _______.
Author's Thoughts
Memorial...Something that serves to preserve and keep a happening alive and before the minds of one's self and future generations.
We don't often think of God wanting to set up a memorial, but several time He did. In this case He brought Israel out of Egypt, out of slavery. He wanted them to remember this date and appreciate what He did for them. He kept His Word to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. He showed Himself and His power strong on behalf of the nation He picked. But, more than all that, He spared the firstborn of every Hebrew house while taking the firstborn of Egypt. The blood of the lamb, struck on the sides and top of the door posts protected the homes from death.
Can't you see the stage was being set for a time in the future. The shadow of Christ and the cross was falling over physical Israel long before Jesus was born or the spiritual Israel came into being. Only God could do a memorial for the lamb's blood long before The Lamb shed His blood.
God wanted this Passover Memorial to remind them year by year in the season it happened.
This study of a memorial causes one's own mind to think of personal memorials. An unusual one came to my mind. As I write this, it is the end of January. At this time of year, my Father always put in his order for tomato plants. Oh, he didn't want the little scrawny things that would bear at the same time as others about him. He wanted giant stocky plants with a head start on everything in the area. It was his trademark to have one of the best gardens in the county and the very first tomatoes.
There were certain memories that come to each of us that loved him. He would set the tomatoes, stake them and watch over them like an old setting hen does her eggs or chicks. It gave him great pleasure to deliver 'first' tomatoes to his other elderly friends. It was a ministry to him. Now it is a memorial.
What caused me to think of the tomatoes? My brother just called to see if I wanted to order some of Dad's tomatoes. He is going to grow them this year and is ordering several. Tears came quickly to my eye and a smile to my lips. The earthly father's memorial came as I studied the heavenly Father's.
Pray. Ask the Lord to remind you of great happenings, to cause you to stop and appreciate them.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 19
Exodus 20
Exodus 21
Exodus 22
Worship, Thanking Him for the Miracles - -Jan. 23
Read the Bible and fill in missing truths to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, ____ __ ____, stand _____, and see the __________ of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Exodus 14:16 But lift thou up thy ___, and stretch out thine hand ____ ___ ___, and _______ it: and the children of Israel shall go on ___ ground through the ______ of the sea.
Exodus 14:19-22 And the ___________ of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went ______ them; and the pillar of the _____ went from before their face, and stood ______ them: And it came ________ the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and _________ to them, but it gave ______ by night to these: so that the one came ___ _____ the other ___ the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong ____ _____ all that night, and made the sea ___ _____, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a _____ unto them on their _____ ____, and on their _____.
Exodus 15:8 And with the blast of thy ________ the waters were gathered together, the floods stood ________ as an _____, and the depths were ___________in the heart of the sea.
Author's Thoughts
Congealed...changed from a liquid to a solid-like, immobile or curdled state, so to become a wall.
Don't you just love it! Egypt, with all its chariots, horses and man power could not do a thing against God's people. His hand was strong for them. He took the wheels off their chariots, caused darkness to be their companion and planned Israel's escape.
Wouldn't you like to have been there? Oh, at first, we might have been standing there murmuring about being better off in Egypt; but when Moses' rod went into the air and the sea began forming two walls, wouldn't it have been something?
I can see myself marching through the sea on dry ground and wanting to touch the sea wall. It would have fascinated me. I would have wanted to touch the Jello-like substance that used to be water. Through the sea they marched! On dry ground!
Miracles happen every day about us. We need to stop and think about the miracles in our lives. Strokes or heart attacks that didn't kill. Accidents that didn't seem like anyone could survive didn't take a life. The warmth of a heaven sent blessing, testifying that Jesus is alive and the Holy Spirit is present.
Pray you will be more thankful for the miracles sent to you, your family and church. Just this week as this is written, a young mother had surgery for what the physicians thought certainly breast cancer. Even after lump removal, the diagnoses stood. But, prayer was wont to be made and the lab tests showed no sign of cancer. Wow! My Lord and My God! Miracles.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 23
Exodus 24
Exodus 25
Worship, DO What God Commands- - -Jan. 24
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 16:3, 4 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had ____ by the hand of the ____ in the land of _____, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did ___ _____ __ ___ _____; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to ____ this whole assembly with _______. Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will ____ ______ from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a ________ _____ every day, that I may ______ them, whether they will _____ in my law, or __.
Exodus 16:19, 20 And Moses said, Let __ man leave of it till the _____________. Notwithstanding they _________ ____ unto Moses; but some of them _____ of it until the morning, and it ____ ______, and ______: and Moses was wroth with them.
Exodus 16:26-28 ___ days ye shall gather it; but on the ________ day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be ____. And it came to pass, that there went out ____ of the people on the _______ day for to ______, and they found ____. And the LORD said unto Moses, How ____ _________ ye to _______ my _________________ and my ______?
Author's Thoughts
We are so human, so made of dirt. We want God to come into our presence and situation, but then we turn on Him and try our own ways. It seems we don't learn easily. These people who marched through the congealed sea on dry ground should have realized this was The I AM leading. Do they give Him honor and glory? No. They murmur about being better off in slavery. They indicate to Him they were better fed in slavery than He and His leaders are doing now.
God rained bread from heaven, manna, a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost, on the ground, and like coriander seed (Old World herb of the carrot family with aromatic fruit). It was white and tasted like a wafer made with honey.
God fed them what they asked, or rather murmured about. He did ask they only gather a specified amount, not leave any until morning, except gather on sixth day enough for the seventh also. The Sabbath was to be a day of rest. Did they obey?
No. Some tried to gather and leave until morning, but it stank and got worms. Some, against God's Diving Will, went out on the Sabbath, but they found none. God was tired of their attitude of ask, ask, ask and disobey and disobey again.
Pray that you'll use the opportunities you ask Jesus to provide for you. Some pray for a spouse only to get one, but quit serving Jesus. Some ask a child and don't teach the child Christ. Some ask a job and let the job take priority over Jesus and His church. Pray you will be mindful of what you ask and that you will use the gifts according to His will and in His true priority.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 26
Exodus 27
Exodus 28
Worship, His Presence Is Powerful!- - -Jan. 25
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 19:10-14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and _______ them to day and to morrow, and let them ____ ______ ________, And be ready against the third day: for the third day the _____ will come down in the ______ of all the people upon ______ ________. And thou shalt set ______ unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye __ ___ __ into the mount, or ______ the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to _____:There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be ______, or ____ through; whether it be _____ or ___, it shall ___ live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
Exodus 19:17, 18 And Moses brought forth the people ___ __ ___ _____ to meet with ___; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount ______ was altogether on __ ______, because the LORD ___________ upon it in _____: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a _________, and the whole mount ________ greatly.
Author's Thoughts
God is powerful. Jesus is powerful. The Holy Ghost is powerful. Each have their part in the Trinity of Creation Headquarters of All That Exists! In the Old Book, the law enforced to the letter. People obeyed or were punished or died.
God told the people to come near, but not touch Mount Sinai. Only Moses and one or two more could go up to meet with Him. The others were to come out and observe. His presence was one of fire, smoke and mountains quaking. Powerful Presence!
Today, under grace, with Jesus and The Holy Spirit we can come into the very presence of Jesus. He comes into our hearts and lives. The Holy Spirit lives with us and advises us continually. We are blessed to know, feel and enjoy the very presence of The God Head.
We too, like the Israelites, should be aware, however, that we need to sanctify and wash ourselves before we approach Him. Too many think there is nothing required. People treat His sanctuary with too much familiarity and a lack of deep respect. It has often occurred to me that people sit entire services in His house without ever talking directly to Him, without heeding the guidance of the Spirit.
Pray you will worship, knowing His Presence is Powerful! Pray your church will be much, much more mindful of God's Presence than people's presence. When your church services approach, prepare yourself. Pray for the services. Read and mediate. Quiet the thoughts of the world and enter into His presence, expecting great things to happen.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 29
Exodus 30
Exodus 31
Worship, His Commandments Give The Rules- - -Jan. 26
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
In Exodus 20 God lists his commandments. Write them below:
Four (4) have to do with how man should treat God:
1
2
3
4
Six (6) have to do with how man should treat man:
5
6
7
8
9
10
Reader's Thoughts
In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus gave two (2) commandments upon which He said, verse 40, you could not only hang the ten above but all the law and all the prophets. Write these two here and what you think He meant:
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 32
Exodus 33
Exodus 34
Worship, Marked as His Volunteer Servant- -Jan. 27
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 21:1-6 Now these are the ___________ which thou shalt set before them. If thou _____ an __________ servant, _____ years he shall serve: and in the ________ he shall go out ______ for ___________. If he came ____ ____ ___________, he shall go _____ ___ __________: if he were ____________, then his _______ shall go out with him. ____ his master have _________ him a wife, and she have ______ ______ sons or daughters; the _______ and her ______________ shall be her master's, and he shall go out _____ ____________. And ___ the servant shall _________ say, I _________ my master, my wife, and my children; I will ____go out ______: Then his master shall bring him unto the ________; he shall also bring him to the ______, or unto the door post; and his master shall _______ _____ ______ through with an aul; and he shall serve him _____ ________.
Author's Thoughts
It seems strange for us that God would allow one Hebrew to buy another, but it seems some had and some did not. God did, however, have a law concerning how long a Hebrew could be worked before given a new chance. A slave could be kept six years and had to be freed on the seventh. Live, of course, happened in the six years. If that slice of life included the master giving a man a wife and she had children with him, he had a choice.
He could go free and leave the master's possessions of wife and children with the man. Or, he could decide he loved enough to become a FOR EVER servant.
If he plainly said he did not want to leave, but stay and love his master and family, he was free to do so. The judges witnessed the man being marked a servant forever. The master took the servant to a door post, put his ear upon it and bore a hole through it with an aul (awl).
Even though the man had to give up going on his own way, he loved enough to stay. Can you imagine the wife's pleased look when the man came back marked for having loved her so much? Can you see the children proud to have Daddy theirs forever?
Do you love Jesus enough that you've bore a hole in your heart for His love to fill? Have you signs of His love you wear about all the time such as gentleness, longsuffering, peace, joy, love, etc.?
Pray you are so marked by Jesus and His love that you could be spotted as His servant. Pray your family and church will be willing servants to The Master. Love Him. Love each other. Love your neighbor. Love wherever you go.
Go forth marked for Your Master, Jesus.
Go forth marked in love.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 35
Exodus 36
Exodus 37
Worship, Daily Doing, “Bible-Right” Behaviors- - -Jan. 28
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 21, 22 and 23 give laws concerning daily behaviors of Israel in Old Testament times. Read these chapters and list five (5) that interest you. Put the law, the breaking of it and the punishment.
Reader's Choice
Law 1
Law 2
Law 3
Law 4
Law 5
Author's Thoughts
Israel had to 'walk the walk' not just 'talk the talk' if they were right before God. They had ways they were to behave toward God and man. As daily life transpired, they had to live honorably with and before others.
For instance, a person keeping an animal known to hurt, was responsible for what it did if unleashed carelessly. We, in New Testament times, also have daily living laws. We don't live them by force, but, by love for Jesus. We are advised what to think upon, what to do and not do, what to read, what to sing and what to let our bodies do or not do. Pray you will be more and more aware of Jesus and the Holy Spirit's guidance and operate in truth and spirit; not on your own.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Exodus 38
Exodus 39
Exodus 40
Worship, Let Jesus Build You- - -Jan. 29
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 24:2 And ________ _______shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the ________ go up with him.
Exodus 24:15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a _____ covered the mount.
Exodus 24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount _____, and the cloud covered it ____ days: and the ________ day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the _______.
Exodus 24:17 And the sight of the _____of the LORD [was] like ______________ _______ on the top of the mount in the _____ of the children of Israel.
Exodus 24:18 And Moses went into the _______ of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount ______ days and _______ nights.
Exodus 25:4 And _____, and _______, and _______, and fine linen, and goats' [hair],
Read chapters 25-30 and on the back of this paper write major things that were in the Tabernacle. Don't forget to list metals and jewels.
Author's Thoughts
Reading through these chapters, I especially watched to see what God's tastes and thoughts were. I noticed His taste in colors included reddish shades, my favorite. He had the overlay all with gold, which He also uses for pavement in the New Heaven. He also chooses many jewels to adorn the priest's clothing.
He gives directions for His Tabernacle and its furniture just like we plan a home or draw plans for a new church or fellowship building. I'd never thought of myself or others as being like Him when we did these things.
He has definite uses for each thing. The table will hold the shewbread for eating and for wave or heave offerings. The altar of incense will release sweet smells into the air. The candlestick will give light and be symbolic of The Light to come, as well. He even plans for grates and ashes in the burning of sacrifices. The laver will hold water for washing. All in all it is awesome. He knows how high and how wide each part of the Tabernacle will be and how many curtains it will take to enclose it. He even figures for the staves to carry the mobile worship enter.
Pray you will let Jesus help you plan ahead in your life. The Lord knows what He would build in your life just as His Father did in the Tabernacle. Pray you'll listen as Moses did and let Him build you. Pray others about you will do likewise.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 1
Leviticus 2
Leviticus 3
Leviticus 4
Worship, Using Your Gifts FOR God- -Jan. 30
Read the Bible and fill in missing truths to give your devotion focus.
God gave gifts to be used for His Glory.
Exodus Exo 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in _________, and in ______________, and in knowledge, and in all manner of ____________________,
Exo 31:4, 5 To devise ________works, to work in _____, and in ______, and in ______, And in cutting of ________, to _____ _______, and in ____________ of __________, to work in all manner of workmanship.
Aaron, here used gifts God gave in Direct Disobedience to God.
Exo 32:2-4 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which [are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring [them] unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which [were] in their ears, and brought [them] unto Aaron. And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Author's Thoughts
What do you do well? Truly, what things in life have you been able to do with ease of job and mind? All have such gifts. Some can cook as though they never had to learn. Others of us have to figure out just what 'a pinch of this' means. And, it takes time for us non-cooks to do the simplest dishes, which are still laughable for the 'real' cooks.
Then, us non-natural cooks go into the office and we are at home. The computer skills, in us, is as comfortable as the cooking in cooks. We can create, edit and print with ease. Hooking up and unplugging the peripheral devices, a maze to many, is everyday with us. We can add graphics, create brochures, and import or export text without actually thinking about the process.
Those who can put away groceries and seem to always know where each thing is have a gift. Those who make the coffee just right are talented. Jewelers, painters, plumbers, electricians, florists, decorators, and on and on the list goes. All gifts can be used in Jesus' Kingdom. A cake can be taken to a shut-in or to a family suffering illness or death. God used talents to build His Tabernacle and later His Temple.
Then, there are those given the gift of singing who blaspheme God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit and all that is Holy. They play horrible screeching, screaming music and waste for satan, what God gave for His glory.
People take good minds and fill them with satan's trash. They waste their brains, created to know truth, honesty, lovely, pure, etc. They take what was issued to hold only good and give it to the bad. Talents used wrongly, just as Aaron took his and made the golden calf. He was to be Moses' spokesman and speak for God. There he was, not only using his mouth against God, but, creating an image to be bowed to and worshipped, in God's place. His talents were mis-guided.
Pray you will use every tiny little talent for the Lord. Let no gift, no matter how small it seems, fall to satan's use. You may have noticed that satan is not capitalized. Part of me doesn't even want to let his name be noticed. Try to have this mentality: not to let satan ever be capital. Lift up Jesus!
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 5
Leviticus 6
Leviticus 7
Worship, Until His Glory Comes- - -Jan. 31
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 33:13-23 Now therefore, I pray thee, __ I have found _____ in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may ____ thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation __ ____ people. And he said, ___ _________ shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not __ that ____ goest with __? so shall we be __________, I and thy people, ____ all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And the LORD said unto Moses, __ _____ ___ ____ ______ also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee ___ _____. And he said, I beseech thee, ____ me thy ______. And he said, I will make all my goodness _____ before ____, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be ________, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew ______. And he said, Thou canst not see ___ _____: for there shall no man see me, ___ _____. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a ____: And it shall come to pass, while my glory _______ by, that I will put thee in a _____ of the ____, and will _____ thee with my ____ while I _____ by: And I will take ____ mine hand, and thou shalt see my ____ ______: but my face shall not be seen.
Author's Thoughts
There are times in our lives that, for whatever reason, we feel the need to see God's Glory. We need to know that our relationship with Jesus is strong enough, to reach heaven, and to move it on our behalf. Like Moses, we simply tell The Holy Ghost and Jesus, “I need to have you show yourself on my behalf in this matter.”
These times can be of any nature. Think of the times in your life that you HAD to have Jesus move for you. Was it a time of financial crisis? Was it a time of dire illness, in yourself or others? Was it a time when the enemy was, like Goliath, standing daily threatening your destruction? Or, was it a time when heaven's fallen angel boasted of taking your church?
Regardless of the need, we have times when we need God's Glory upon us. We simply stand before the throne boldly, as He told us to and say, “I need mercy and help in time of need.”
Isn't it great when our faith reaches up to heaven and pulls down a response. Jesus, like a good father or mother, is moved when His children call for Him, believing He can make a difference. Many times in life we need to stand in the spiritual clift of the rock. Too human to see God's face, we wait for His presence. What was before impossible is not victoriously claimed. Sweet victory.
Pray you will believe to see the Glory of Christ like Peter, James and John on the day He was transfigured before them.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 8
Leviticus 9
Leviticus 10
Worship, Drive All Uncleanness Away - -Feb. 1
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 34:10-17 And he said, Behold, I make a _________: before all thy people I will do _______, such as have ___ been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall ___ the work of the ________: for it is a _________ thing that I will do with thee. ________ thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I _____ ____ before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Take ____ __ ________, lest thou make a ________ with the ____________ of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a _____ in the midst of thee: But ye shall _________ their _______, break their _______, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship __ ______ g___: for the LORD, whose name is ________, is a jealous God: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a _______ after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and ____ _____ _____, and thou eat of his sacrifice; And thou take of their __________ unto thy ____, and their __________go a whoring after _____ g____, and make thy ____ go a ________ after their gods. Thou shalt make thee __ molten gods.
Author's Thoughts
God tells His people to rid themselves of ALL the heathen inhabitants of the land. He explains himself by saying to leave them will leave temptations with potential to destroy. He tells them that leaving them will cause some to marry among them. Marrying among them will bring heathen ways into Jewish families. If a loved one worships an idol in a grove, and you love them, you will be soft hearted toward their beliefs.
Leaving anything 'anti-God' in your life will pull you toward it. Having been a pastor of people for over twenty years, the author has seen this principle destroy lives. I can think of the young woman who prayed and prayed for a husband. When one was found, she left with him and has been away from the Lord for years.
Again, the family who prayed for jobs. The Lord gave one. They let it elevate and elevate until it was first priority and Jesus stands in line, to be only noticed from time to time. Or, the family that wanted a child since they were barren. Prayers were made. The child was given. They became so preoccupied with giving the child everything, they left Jesus out.
Some witness that The Lord has told them to quit certain things, they don't and fall away. There are those who think they can work every other week end and still be the strong Christian they were-NOT! On and on the list goes.
Pray. Bow before Jesus and humbly ask if there is things needing 'driven out' of your life. Sometimes things need driven out to make room for prayer, Bible reading, etc.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 11
Leviticus 12
Leviticus 13
Leviticus 14
Worship, With an Excited, Willing Heart- - -Feb. 2
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 35:5 Take ye from among you an _________ unto the LORD: whosoever is of a ____________ ________...
Exodus 36:10 And every ______ ____________ among you shall come, and _______ _____ that the LORD hath commanded;
Exodus 35:21, 22 And they came, every one whose heart __________ _____ ____, and every one whom ____ _________ ________ __________, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both _____ ____ ________, as many as were ___________ ___________…
Exodus 35:25, 26 And all the women that were ______ ________ did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women whose heart __________ ________ _____ ____ ___________ spun goats' hair.
Exodus 36:6, 7 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any _______ _______ for the ___________ of the ____________. So the people were _____________ from _____________. For the stuff they had was _____________ for all the work to make it, and ______ __________.
Author's Thoughts
Write the words or phrases above that strike you most:
1.
2.
3.
What was the last covenant offering you brought to Jesus and/or His house with this kind of excitement?
They gave until it was too much. Moses had to restrain them. What did you give until the Lord had to restrain you from giving more?
Pray for deliberate desire to give offerings of money and talents until you hear the Lord say, “It is enough, restrain yourself.” Pray others will do this until Jesus' work is abounding near you.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 15
Leviticus 16
Leviticus 17
Worship, - -Feb. 3
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 36-40 Read and make notes on the priest's clothing and readiness to enter the presence of the Lord.
Author's Thoughts
Entering the sanctuary where Jesus has put His name is a serious matter. We build churches and buildings which we dedicate to the Lord. We say it will be a place where people will come to meet with Him. We separate it from the other buildings we have such as homes, stores or garages. But, do we truly enter with worship on our minds?
God designed special clothing for the priests to wear in the old covenant. They were to wash and prepare to enter the sanctuary of the congregation. There was certain clothing to be worn. It was different from the everyday wear.
Picture the mitre with HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD written upon it, as it rested on the head. The stones upon the shoulder were connected by gold wire chain to the breastplate with the twelve stones in it, one for each tribe. The ephod, robe and breeches were specific garments with specific purposes.
Even the perfumed air of incense was deliberately filling a sweet savor before The Lord. God gave special mixes for the oil that was used on the tabernacle furniture and on the priests. Again, it was different and used only for this purpose.
We live in the New Testament era, but we still have the 'school master' to let us know what is important to God. Do you have special ways to clean up, dress up, and prepare yourself to enter the sanctuary of Jesus Christ?
Do you pray and prepare your heart? Do you read Bible and think on honest, lovely, pure things? Do you direct your energy and activities toward worshipping before you even dress? Or, do you throw on any old thing, rush in, sit down out of breath, and more or less think, 'move me if you can'?
Pray you will sanctify your times before Jesus, in His house. Pray your church will be more focused on worship and lifting up Jesus as Lord an Savior.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 18
Leviticus 19
Leviticus 20
Worship, Give What Is Due Jesus- - -Feb. 4
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Leviticus 1:1, 2 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the ____________ of the _____________, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you ______ ___ __________ unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the _______, even of the _____, and of the _______.
Leviticus 1:14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of _____________, or of young __________.
Leviticus 2:1 And when any will offer a _____ offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine ______; and he shall pour ___ upon it, and put ________________thereon:
Leviticus 5:1-5 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of _________, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. Or if a soul touch any ________ thing, whether it be a ___________ of an unclean _____, or a carcase of unclean ______, or the carcase of unclean ________ things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty. Or if he touch the uncleanness of ___, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty. Or if a soul ______, pronouncing with his ____ to do ____, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an ____, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be ______ in one of these. And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall _________ that he hath __________in that thing:
Author's Thoughts
God dealt with the people based on what they had and what they did. Jesus does likewise. We are expected to live our lives with the heavenly command center in mind. Even though we are human and full of failings, we are expected to appear before God on a regular basis. We are expected to confess what we have done contrary to Bible and make it right.
In Old Testament days, there were special offerings, done special ways, for special sins. In grace or New Testament times, we are to repent of our commissions or omissions and 'be converted' or changed. We are to correct our course to be in line with Jesus' teachings, The Bible's teachings.
Pray you will offer Lord Jesus what is due Him. Pray you will bring confession for what you have done, that you ought not have done; and, for that which you have omitted that you should have done.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 21
Leviticus 22
Leviticus 23
Worship, Let Jesus Build You- - -Jan. 29
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 24:2 And ________ _______shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the ________ go up with him.
Exodus 24:15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a _____ covered the mount.
Exodus 24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount _____, and the cloud covered it ____ days: and the ________ day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the _______.
Exodus 24:17 And the sight of the _____of the LORD [was] like ______________ _______ on the top of the mount in the _____ of the children of Israel.
Exodus 24:18 And Moses went into the _______ of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount ______ days and _______ nights.
Exodus 25:4 And _____, and _______, and _______, and fine linen, and goats' [hair],
Read chapters 25-30 and on the back of this paper write major things that were in the Tabernacle. Don't forget to list metals and jewels.
Author's Thoughts
Reading through these chapters, I especially watched to see what God's tastes and thoughts were. I noticed His taste in colors included reddish shades, my favorite. He had the overlay all with gold, which He also uses for pavement in the New Heaven. He also chooses many jewels to adorn the priest's clothing.
He gives directions for His Tabernacle and its furniture just like we plan a home or draw plans for a new church or fellowship building. I'd never thought of myself or others as being like Him when we did these things.
He has definite uses for each thing. The table will hold the shewbread for eating and for wave or heave offerings. The altar of incense will release sweet smells into the air. The candlestick will give light and be symbolic of The Light to come, as well. He even plans for grates and ashes in the burning of sacrifices. The laver will hold water for washing. All in all it is awesome. He knows how high and how wide each part of the Tabernacle will be and how many curtains it will take to enclose it. He even figures for the staves to carry the mobile worship enter.
Pray you will let Jesus help you plan ahead in your life. The Lord knows what He would build in your life just as His Father did in the Tabernacle. Pray you'll listen as Moses did and let Him build you. Pray others about you will do likewise.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 1
Leviticus 2
Leviticus 3
Leviticus 4
Worship, Using Your Gifts FOR God- -Jan. 30
Read the Bible and fill in missing truths to give your devotion focus.
God gave gifts to be used for His Glory.
Exodus Exo 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in _________, and in ______________, and in knowledge, and in all manner of ____________________,
Exo 31:4, 5 To devise ________works, to work in _____, and in ______, and in ______, And in cutting of ________, to _____ _______, and in ____________ of __________, to work in all manner of workmanship.
Aaron, here used gifts God gave in Direct Disobedience to God.
Exo 32:2-4 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which
[are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring
[them] unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which [were] in
their ears, and brought [them] unto Aaron. And he received [them] at their hand,
and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and
they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land
of Egypt.
Author's Thoughts
What do you do well? Truly, what things in life have you been able to do with ease of job and mind? All have such gifts. Some can cook as though they never had to learn. Others of us have to figure out just what 'a pinch of this' means. And, it takes time for us non-cooks to do the simplest dishes, which are still laughable for the 'real' cooks.
Then, us non-natural cooks go into the office and we are at home. The computer skills, in us, is as comfortable as the cooking in cooks. We can create, edit and print with ease. Hooking up and unplugging the peripheral devices, a maze to many, is everyday with us. We can add graphics, create brochures, and import or export text without actually thinking about the process.
Those who can put away groceries and seem to always know where each thing is have a gift. Those who make the coffee just right are talented. Jewelers, painters, plumbers, electricians, florists, decorators, and on and on the list goes. All gifts can be used in Jesus' Kingdom. A cake can be taken to a shut-in or to a family suffering illness or death. God used talents to build His Tabernacle and later His Temple.
Then, there are those given the gift of singing who blaspheme God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit and all that is Holy. They play horrible screeching, screaming music and waste for satan, what God gave for His glory.
People take good minds and fill them with satan's trash. They waste their brains, created to know truth, honesty, lovely, pure, etc. They take what was issued to hold only good and give it to the bad. Talents used wrongly, just as Aaron took his and made the golden calf. He was to be Moses' spokesman and speak for God. There he was, not only using his mouth against God, but, creating an image to be bowed to and worshipped, in God's place. His talents were mis-guided.
Pray you will use every tiny little talent for the Lord. Let no gift, no
matter how small it seems, fall to satan's use. You may have noticed that satan
is not capitalized. Part of me doesn't even want to let his name be noticed. Try
to have this mentality: not to let satan ever be capital. Lift up Jesus!
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 5
Leviticus 6
Leviticus 7
Worship, Until His Glory Comes- - -Jan. 31
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 33:13-23 Now therefore, I pray thee, __ I have found _____ in thy
sight, shew me now thy way, that I may ____ thee, that I may find grace in thy
sight: and consider that this nation __ ____ people. And he said, ___ _________
shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy
presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known
here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not __ that ____
goest with __? so shall we be __________, I and thy people, ____ all the people
that are upon the face of the earth. And the LORD said unto Moses, __ _____ ___
____ ______ also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight,
and I know thee ___ _____. And he said, I beseech thee, ____ me thy ______. And
he said, I will make all my goodness _____ before ____, and I will proclaim the
name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be ________,
and will shew mercy on whom I will shew ______. And he said, Thou canst not see
___ _____: for there shall no man see me, ___ _____. And the LORD said, Behold,
there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a ____: And it shall come to
pass, while my glory _______ by, that I will put thee in a _____ of the ____,
and will _____ thee with my ____ while I _____ by: And I will take ____ mine
hand, and thou shalt see my ____ ______: but my face shall not be seen.
Author's Thoughts
There are times in our lives that, for whatever reason, we feel the need to see God's Glory. We need to know that our relationship with Jesus is strong enough, to reach heaven, and to move it on our behalf. Like Moses, we simply tell The Holy Ghost and Jesus, “I need to have you show yourself on my behalf in this matter.”
These times can be of any nature. Think of the times in your life that you HAD to have Jesus move for you. Was it a time of financial crisis? Was it a time of dire illness, in yourself or others? Was it a time when the enemy was, like Goliath, standing daily threatening your destruction? Or, was it a time when heaven's fallen angel boasted of taking your church?
Regardless of the need, we have times when we need God's Glory upon us. We simply stand before the throne boldly, as He told us to and say, “I need mercy and help in time of need.”
Isn't it great when our faith reaches up to heaven and pulls down a response. Jesus, like a good father or mother, is moved when His children call for Him, believing He can make a difference. Many times in life we need to stand in the spiritual clift of the rock. Too human to see God's face, we wait for His presence. What was before impossible is not victoriously claimed. Sweet victory.
Pray you will believe to see the Glory of Christ like Peter, James and John on the day He was transfigured before them.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a
thought below.
Leviticus 8
Leviticus 9
Leviticus 10
Worship, Drive All Uncleanness Away - -Feb. 1
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 34:10-17 And he said, Behold, I make a _________: before all thy
people I will do _______, such as have ___ been done in all the earth, nor in
any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall ___ the work of the
________: for it is a _________ thing that I will do with thee. ________ thou
that which I command thee this day: behold, I _____ ____ before thee the
Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite,
and the Jebusite. Take ____ __ ________, lest thou make a ________ with the
____________ of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a _____ in the midst
of thee: But ye shall _________ their _______, break their _______, and cut down
their groves: For thou shalt worship __ ______ g___: for the LORD, whose name is
________, is a jealous God: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of
the land, and they go a _______ after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their
gods, and ____ _____ _____, and thou eat of his sacrifice; And thou take of
their __________ unto thy ____, and their __________go a whoring after _____
g____, and make thy ____ go a ________ after their gods. Thou shalt make thee __
molten gods.
Author's Thoughts
God tells His people to rid themselves of ALL the heathen inhabitants of the land. He explains himself by saying to leave them will leave temptations with potential to destroy. He tells them that leaving them will cause some to marry among them. Marrying among them will bring heathen ways into Jewish families. If a loved one worships an idol in a grove, and you love them, you will be soft hearted toward their beliefs.
Leaving anything 'anti-God' in your life will pull you toward it. Having been a pastor of people for over twenty years, the author has seen this principle destroy lives. I can think of the young woman who prayed and prayed for a husband. When one was found, she left with him and has been away from the Lord for years.
Again, the family who prayed for jobs. The Lord gave one. They let it elevate and elevate until it was first priority and Jesus stands in line, to be only noticed from time to time. Or, the family that wanted a child since they were barren. Prayers were made. The child was given. They became so preoccupied with giving the child everything, they left Jesus out.
Some witness that The Lord has told them to quit certain things, they don't and fall away. There are those who think they can work every other week end and still be the strong Christian they were-NOT! On and on the list goes.
Pray. Bow before Jesus and humbly ask if there is things needing 'driven out' of your life. Sometimes things need driven out to make room for prayer, Bible reading, etc.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 11
Leviticus 12
Leviticus 13
Leviticus 14
Worship, With an Excited, Willing Heart- - -Feb. 2
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 35:5 Take ye from among you an _________ unto the LORD: whosoever is
of a ____________ ________...
Exodus 36:10 And every ______ ____________ among you shall come, and _______
_____ that the LORD hath commanded;
Exodus 35:21, 22 And they came, every one whose heart __________ _____ ____,
and every one whom ____ _________ ________ __________, and they brought the
LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all
his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both _____ ____ ________,
as many as were ___________ ___________…
Exodus 35:25, 26 And all the women that were ______ ________ did spin with
their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple,
and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women whose heart __________
________ _____ ____ ___________ spun goats' hair.
Exodus 36:6, 7 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be
proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any
_______ _______ for the ___________ of the ____________. So the people were
_____________ from _____________. For the stuff they had was _____________ for
all the work to make it, and ______ __________.
Author's Thoughts
Write the words or phrases above that strike you most:
1.
2.
3.
What was the last covenant offering you brought to Jesus and/or His house
with this kind of excitement?
They gave until it was too much. Moses had to restrain them. What did you
give until the Lord had to restrain you from giving more?
Pray for deliberate desire to give offerings of money and talents until you
hear the Lord say, “It is enough, restrain yourself.” Pray others will do this
until Jesus' work is abounding near you.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 15
Leviticus 16
Leviticus 17
Worship, - -Feb. 3
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Exodus 36-40 Read and make notes on the priest's clothing and readiness to
enter the presence of the Lord.
Author's Thoughts
Entering the sanctuary where Jesus has put His name is a serious matter. We build churches and buildings which we dedicate to the Lord. We say it will be a place where people will come to meet with Him. We separate it from the other buildings we have such as homes, stores or garages. But, do we truly enter with worship on our minds?
God designed special clothing for the priests to wear in the old covenant. They were to wash and prepare to enter the sanctuary of the congregation. There was certain clothing to be worn. It was different from the everyday wear.
Picture the mitre with HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD written upon it, as it rested on the head. The stones upon the shoulder were connected by gold wire chain to the breastplate with the twelve stones in it, one for each tribe. The ephod, robe and breeches were specific garments with specific purposes.
Even the perfumed air of incense was deliberately filling a sweet savor before The Lord. God gave special mixes for the oil that was used on the tabernacle furniture and on the priests. Again, it was different and used only for this purpose.
We live in the New Testament era, but we still have the 'school master' to let us know what is important to God. Do you have special ways to clean up, dress up, and prepare yourself to enter the sanctuary of Jesus Christ?
Do you pray and prepare your heart? Do you read Bible and think on honest, lovely, pure things? Do you direct your energy and activities toward worshipping before you even dress? Or, do you throw on any old thing, rush in, sit down out of breath, and more or less think, 'move me if you can'?
Pray you will sanctify your times before Jesus, in His house. Pray your
church will be more focused on worship and lifting up Jesus as Lord an Savior.
For 'Bible In A Year' Scholars: Read the following chapters and personalize a thought below.
Leviticus 18
Leviticus 19
Leviticus 20
Worship, Give What Is Due Jesus- - -Feb. 4
Read the Bible and fill in missing words to give your devotion focus.
Leviticus 1:1, 2 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of
the ____________ of the _____________, saying, Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you ______ ___ __________ unto the
LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the _______, even of the _____, and of the
_______.
Leviticus 1:14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of
fowls, then he shall bring his offering of _____________, or of young
__________.
Leviticus 2:1 And when any will offer a _____ offering unto the LORD, his
offering shall be of fine ______; and he shall pour ___ upon it, and put
________________thereon:
Leviticus 5:1-5 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of _________, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. Or if a soul touch any ________ thing, whether it be a ___________ of an unclean _____, or a carcase of unclean ______, or the carcase of unclean ________ things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty. Or if he touch the uncleanness of ___, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, the