Psalm 43
"Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength; why have You rejected me? Why do i go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? O send out Your light and your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God. Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God."
So, tonight I read this from a new perspective that all of a sudden made it relevant to my life- The deceitful and unjust man is the sinful nature that lives inside of me. The sin that continues to rear its head and try to place me back into bondage. Why do I go on mourning the oppression of this sinful nature inside of me? O send out Your light and Your truth - let them lead me. Let them bring me to You!! This is my prayer, God. Bring me to You!!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Exit From Bondage - Exodus 13 & 14
Pharaoh has finally relented and the Israelites are on their way out of Egypt. God says Four times in chapter 3, I have brought you out by strength of hand. I assume its to clear up any confusion about whether it was God that brought them out, Moses that convinced Pharaoh to take them out, or Pharaoh being worn down until he gave in. God knew what it was going to take to get Israel out from the very beginning and He saw it through until the end.
God did not lead the Israelites out through the land of the Philistines even though it was near. He knew that they were not yet ready to see war and that if they did they would regret leaving Egypt and want to return. Its the same now - Whether you are first being saved or continually walking through the steps of being freed from bondage to sin, when God brings us out, He doesn't leave us to fend for ourselves. He protects us from the battles that He knows we cannot win and He brings us to a place of having to depend on Him. For Israel, that place was the Red Sea - a dead end. Here the Egyptians catch up to Israel now that they have changed their minds about letting them go. God steps in to intervene - He holds the Egyptians back, He provides safe passage out for Israel, and then He destroys the once captors of Israel - before their very eyes, without them having to lift a finger. All they had to do was follow the route of escape that He had prepared for them.
I Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
There's the promise and back in Exodus we saw an example. Where's the practicality? Trust God. Look to Him to lead you. Some days will bring temptation and evil that feels like they will overthrow you, but the Word of God says they will not - You will either be given the strength to fight and conquer or a way of escape will be made for you to run through. The bottom line is Trust God.
God did not lead the Israelites out through the land of the Philistines even though it was near. He knew that they were not yet ready to see war and that if they did they would regret leaving Egypt and want to return. Its the same now - Whether you are first being saved or continually walking through the steps of being freed from bondage to sin, when God brings us out, He doesn't leave us to fend for ourselves. He protects us from the battles that He knows we cannot win and He brings us to a place of having to depend on Him. For Israel, that place was the Red Sea - a dead end. Here the Egyptians catch up to Israel now that they have changed their minds about letting them go. God steps in to intervene - He holds the Egyptians back, He provides safe passage out for Israel, and then He destroys the once captors of Israel - before their very eyes, without them having to lift a finger. All they had to do was follow the route of escape that He had prepared for them.
I Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
There's the promise and back in Exodus we saw an example. Where's the practicality? Trust God. Look to Him to lead you. Some days will bring temptation and evil that feels like they will overthrow you, but the Word of God says they will not - You will either be given the strength to fight and conquer or a way of escape will be made for you to run through. The bottom line is Trust God.
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