Treasures Not Junk

Scripture:

Exodus 19:4-5 (ESV)

‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.  Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

Devotional:

The Israelites have just left Egypt.  They just saw God’s miracles and the plagues.  They were delivered right out of Pharaoh’s hands and into freedom.  God tells Moses that He “bore you on eagles wings.”  It wasn’t a maybe God did something to help.  Or I might have seen His hand here or there.  God delivered them and brought them to Himself.  Here he is saying that if you obey me and keep my ways you will be my people.

What could possibly be better than that?  To be God’s own personal treasure.  Imagine being one of His most prized possessions.  Thinking about this I ponder a little girl with her dolls.  Out of many dolls she has certain ones that are her favorites.  There is that one doll she will tote everywhere.  It goes to the store.  It is carried out to the park to play.  Off on vacations with the family.  That one little doll is special above all the rest.

Guess what, you are that doll.  In God’s eyes you are the treasured one above the rest.  By believing in Christ and accepting the truth in the Gospels you are set apart from the rest.  As Christians we are favored.  God loves all people and wants everyone to accept Christ as the savior of the world.  But only those that accept are among the chosen ones.  Only those who accept have a special place in Heaven.  Remember WE are a treasure not junk…

God is Already There

Scripture:

Exodus 14: 10-14 (ESV)

When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.  They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?  Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”  And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.  The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Devotional:

Exodus chapter fourteen the Egyptians pursue Israel and both sides believe that the Israelites are trapped.  In fact, the Israelites complain to Moses.  Why did you bring us here?  We are just going to die out here.  What the Israelites do not see is what God has planned.  Moses follows God’s commands and in the end the Israelites are safe, dry, and on the opposite side of the water from what remained of the Egyptians that pursued them.

Unlike us God sees the big picture.  When it appears that we are trapped.  We are against the shore on one side and an army on the other side and all seems hopeless.  We are not defeated.  What no one sees is God’s army around us.  If we rely upon Him, He will fight for us.  Verse 14, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”  We do not have to worry or fret.  We do not have to plan the battle or even go fight.  God will fight for us.  He is our protector and provider. 

This doesn’t mean we can just sit back in our rocking chairs and do nothing.  After all, where would the Israelites have been had they just sat in their homes in Egypt?  Well, they would still be in Egypt.  Instead they did as God instructed.  They packed up and left.  They were not idle.  We cannot be idle either.  God is calling us to get up and go. 

What does that look like?  Where do we go?  To be honest I don’t know.  It is different for each of us.  But each of us are called to do something.  Some may be called to go to China, or somewhere in South America.  Other people might be called to Europe, or even in North America.  Most of us are called right where we are.  But one fact remains, each of us is called.  Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” this verse is not for just a few.  This is for each and everyone of us. 

We have nothing to fear.  God will fight for us.  We can’t just sit by and do nothing.  Each of us is called to go.  The Egyptians were told to go.  They picked up and went.  Missionaries all over the world hear the call to go.  They too got up and went.  Some are called to go right where they are.  Some called to go somewhere else.  If you are not sure just read the Bible and pray.  God will guide you.  You can also start right where you are.  Take one step at a time.  You might just end up right where you are.  But you will be there with a purpose.  Be intentional in what you do.  We are called and God is with us.  There are no if then statements.  It is not either or. 

Simply put God calls, we answer, he provides and protects.  Even if it doesn’t seem like it God is there.  He is waiting on us.  The Israelites thought it was hopeless.  They thought they were going to die by the shore.  God didn’t just show up to save them.  God was already there.  He was already at work.  They just had to be faithful, listen, and obey.

Denial Is Everywhere

Scripture:

Exodus 8:30-32 (ESV)

So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. And the Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.

Devotional:

At the endo of Exodus chapter eight Pharaoh pleaded with Moses to have the flies removed.  But after the fourth plague Pharaoh hardened his heart once again and refused to let the Israelites go.  After four different plagues God has revealed Himself to His people and to the Egyptians.  Even after some amazing and impossible events Pharaoh refused to believe and refused to listen to God. 

How often do we see the power of God right in front of us?  Is it once or twice?  How about dozens of times?  If we are honest with ourselves, we see the hand of God at work in our lives and all around us all the time.  But we tend to blow it off.  What an amazing coincidence that was.   Wow, that was really lucky.  I just can’t believe that happened.  We make these types of comments all the time.  We can tell ourselves and others how lucky we are or that was.  But in reality, there is no coincidence or luck.  The truth is simple even if we are like Pharaoh and not listen or believe it.  God’s hands are at work.  The Holy Spirit is working in and through us. 

We just need to open our eyes to see God at work.  If we stop thinking it was luck or just a wild coincidence, we will start to see that it really is God.  So, the next time ask yourself a simple question.  Was it really luck or coincidence, or was it God’s doing?

Spreading The Word

Scripture

Mark 16: 15-18 (ESV)

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Devotional:

I must confess when it comes to speaking with people, I do not know, about the gospel I usually fail.  I am not bold.  Typically, I fail to strike up a conversation.  I get timid and fearful.  I even tell myself I can do things to support those that do boldly go forth.  But there a few truths or facts that we as Christians need to realize.

• We are not to be fearful.  In fact, we are supposed to be bold.2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

• We are told by Jesus, more than once, to go forth and spread the good news of the Gospel.Matthew 28:19 (ESV) “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

• God loves them just as much as He loves us.  Salvation is for everyone and anyone who accepts.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Each one of us has fallen short.  Each one of us is condemned to eternity without God in hell.  That is where all of us would end up but for one simple fact, Christ.  Jesus came, lived, taught, suffered, died, and rose again.  He is alive.  It is because of Him that we can have salvation.  That is the greatest gift anyone can receive.  Yet we hoard it for ourselves.  At least that is what we do when we are not sharing the Gospel.

I once heard it put this way.  If you came across your best friend’s house and it was in flames.  You know they are sleeping inside.  Would you just walk away and let them burn up in the fire and die?  Obviously not.  We would do anything we can to save them.  For anyone who does not have Christ in their life is that person sleeping in the burning house.  They will perish if not saved.  What will you do?  What will I do?  

It is not necessarily easy.  We might be afraid.  We can have a dozen excuses.  The reality is that we need to put all that aside and take it one step at a time.  Remember the Holy Spirit is with us.  We will be given power and boldness if we allow the Holy Spirit in and allow the Holy Spirit to do His job in our hearts.  My challenge to each one of us is to pray for boldness and for the Holy Spirit to be with us and enable us.  That we will rely on the Holy Spirit and do that which we know we must do…  Let us spread the good news of the Gospel.  We can change lives and the world…