THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY FOR DISOBEDIENCE

Proclamation:

“But now your kingdom will not endure; The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler of His people, because you have not kept The Lord’s command.”  1 Samuel 13:14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  After Saul had won the battle against the Ammonites, (1 Samuel 11:11) the people confirmed him as their king. (1 Samuel 11:14-15)  Then he attacked the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:4) and when they regrouped to do battle against Israel.  The size of their army struck fear in the hearts of the Israelites. (1 Samuel 13:5-7)  Saul had been told by Samuel to wait seven days for him before he did anything.  When Samuel did not show up at the appointed time, Saul took matters into his own hands and offered up a burnt offering. When Samuel arrived and saw what Saul had done, he reprimanded him for not following the command of The Lord God. (1 Samuel 13:8-14)  The punishment was that Saul will be replaced by David.

Application:

All too often we are not patient, we want things when we want them, and we do not wait on The Lord God to provide them.  When we do things our way, and not His way, we mess things up and get into trouble.  We are told to wait upon The Lord. (Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37:34, and Proverbs 20:22)  When we do not follow The Word of God, we will have to pay a price.  As believers we will not lose our salvation because we sin, but we will be punished for willful disobedience of the commands of The Lord God.

WITH THE HELP OF THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day.  When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; The Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying.”  1 Samuel 10:9-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  After The Lord God told Samuel that He had chosen Saul to lead Israel, Samuel conveyed this to Saul (1 Samuel 9:27) and then he anointed him king over all of God’s people. (1 Samuel 10:1)  Afterwards Samuel told Saul the events which would transpire after he left, and the people that he would meet when he left him. (1 Samuel 10:2-8)   The Spirit of God came upon Saul and he was changed.  He began to prophesy, then he led them in battle and was victorious over the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:11) and the people made him king. (1 Samuel 11:14-15)

Application:

With the help of The Lord God, Saul went from being a frightened young man (1 Samuel 10:22-23) to being the victorious leader of an army and king of Israel.  Once we accept The Lord God into our life and become a true believer, we will change.  All things are possible with God. (Matthew 19:26, Mark 9:23, and Mark 10:27)  God can change us, and our behavior, such that everyone who knew us beforehand will see the difference in us.  The Lord God can use whomever He chooses in order to accomplish His purpose.

CHOSEN BY THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“Now the day before Saul came, The Lord had revealed this to Samuel: ‘About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin.  Anoint him ruler over My people Israel; he will deliver them from the land of the Philistines.  I have looked on My people, for their cry has reached Me.’”  1 Samuel 9:15-16 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  The people of Israel wanted a king to lead and rule them and The Lord God told Samuel to give them a king. (1 Samuel 8:21-22)  The Lord God told Samuel that He would send the man to him.  When Samuel saw Saul, The Lord God spoke to him and said, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern My people.” (1 Samuel 9:17)  Saul was looking for his father’s lost donkeys (1 Samuel 9:3 and 9:6) but Samuel was looking for a king. (1 Samuel 9:17)  The Lord God saw something in Saul that he did not see in himself.  After Samuel told Saul what he had in store for him, Saul ran and hid himself among the supplies and the people had to come and get him. (1 Samuel 10:22-23)  Only when The Spirit of God came upon him did he begin to act like an anointed man of God. (1 Samuel 10:6 and 11:6)

Application:

When The Lord God has a position for us, it will not be necessary for us to seek it out.  Others will see the leadership qualities in us, which we may not see in ourselves, (1 Samuel 10:23) and The Lord will make a way for us to get where He wants us to be.  Promotion comes by the hand and will of God, and He will make a way for it to happen. (Psalm 75:6-7)  Whatever The Lord God has in store for us will be ours.  We just need to make sure that we don’t block our own blessings by willful disobedience to The Word of God.

DO NOT COPY THE LOST SINNERS OF THE WORLD

Proclamation:

“So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.  They said to him, ‘You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.’”  1 Samuel 8:4-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to lead and judge Israel. (1 Samuel 8:1)  However, Samuel was a prophet of The Lord God (1 Samuel 3:19-21) but his sons did not follow his ways. (1 Samuel 8:2-3)  So the elders of Israel got together and told Samuel to appoint a king to be over them so that they could be like the other nations around them.  Having The Lord God as their king was not good enough for them.  They wanted to copy the sinful nations around them.  Samuel was displeased with them for this request (1 Samuel 8:6) but The Lord God told him that the people had rejected God as their King, not Samuel as their leader. (1 Samuel 8:7)

Application:

When you have the best, why would you want to copy something less?  Why would we want to imitate the sinful people of the world when we know where they will end up? (Revelation 20:15)  As believers we have The Holy Spirit of God within us (Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26-27) and therefore we are not of this world. (John 8:33)  We are to behave in a Christ-like manner. (Romans 6:4 and 6:11)  It is Christ that we are to imitate and not the sinful people of the world.

LISTEN CAREFULLY BECAUSE THE LORD GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“Now Samuel did not yet know The Lord; The Word of The Lord had not yet been revealed to him.  A third time The Lord called, ‘Samuel!’  And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’  Then Eli realized that The Lord was calling the boy.  So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’  So Samuel went and lay down in his place.”  1 Samuel 3:7-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  The young boy, Samuel, was being raised up in the temple by Eli, the priest. (Samuel 3:1)  His mother, Hannah, had given him to Eli to keep her vow to The Lord God for giving her a son. (Samuel 1:24-28)  Samuel was being trained in the temple but he did not know The Lord God for himself.  That is why he got up from his resting place and ran to Eli three times because he thought that the priest was calling him. (1 Samuel 3:2-8)  Eli finally realized that The Lord God was calling Samuel so Eli told him to answer The Lord the next time that He calls him.  This was Samuel’s call into the service of The Lord and He was with him from this point on, and Samuel was recognized as a prophet of The Lord. (1 Samuel 3:19-21)

Application:

Everyone cannot hear the voice of The Lord God.  Some people hear only a noise, (Acts 9:7) or a sound like thunder (Exodus 19:16) but nothing which they can understand.  Those who hear the voice of The Lord and obey it will be blessed. (Deuteronomy 28:2 and 30:10)  There are times when The Lord God speaks in “a still small voice” to His people. (1 Kings 19:12-13)  At times the voice of The Lord is powerful. (Psalms 29:4-5)  The voice of God can create something out of nothing. (Genesis 1:1-30)  At other times His voice can be soft and gentle.  Jesus, The Christ, said that His sheep know His voice and follow Him. (John 10:27)  This text was Samuel’s call to service of The Lord.  As a believer there a special and unique work which The Lord God has for each one of us to do.  We need to listen carefully for our call, answer it, and then get busy doing whatever it is that The Lord has for us.  He speaks to us today through His Holy Word so read it prayerfully.  Woe be unto them who hear the voice of The Lord and understand it but harken not unto it. (Deuteronomy 28:62 and 1 Samuel 12:15) 

RECEIVING THAT WHICH WAS PRAYED FOR

Proclamation:

“Early the next morning they arose and worshiped The Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.  Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and The Lord remembered her.  So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.  She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked The Lord for him.’”  1 Samuel 1:19-20 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  The Book begins with an account of his parents, Elkanah his father and Hannah his mother who year after year had no children. (1 Samuel 1:1-2)  Elkanah had two wives but he loved Hannah and would always give her a double portion of whatever he gave his wife, Peninnah, and his sons. (1 Samuel 1:4-5)  Peninnah would ridicule Hannah year after year because she was barren and Hannah would become upset. (1 Samuel 1:6-10)  Hannah went to the temple and prayed silently while she was weeping.  The priest, Eli, saw her and thought that she was drunk because her lips were moving but she was not speaking. (1 Samuel 1:9-17)  The Lord God heard Hannah and answered her prayer and gave her a son.

Application:

There are times when we are going through periods of anguish, frustration, despair, sorrow, or suffering that we pray and ask The Lord God for something, and we promise Him that we will change our behavior if He will bless us with that which we asked for.  All too often, however, He blesses us and we fail to keep our promise to Him.  Here is an example of a woman who prayed during her period of distress and kept her promise when The Lord blessed her, even though keeping her promise meant giving up her son.  We should not take lightly promises that we make to God.  We should not only be careful what we ask The Lord God for, we should also be careful regarding what we promise Him.  He will keep all of His promises to us. (2 Peter 3:9)  We need to do a better job of keeping our promises to Him.  When we pray for things that will give God glory our prayers will be answered. (John 14:13-14 and 16:26)  Let us be grateful and honor our commitment to Him.

WAITING FOR YOUR BOAZ

Proclamation:

“Then Naomi said, ‘Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens.  For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.’”  Ruth 3:18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by an unknown human author, but a number of Bible scholars credit it to Samuel.  Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi, demonstrated her love, commitment, and devotion to her mother-in-law and stayed with her after their husbands had died.  The two women left Moab and journeyed to Bethlehem, (Ruth 1:19) the place where Naomi was from and where her kinfolk still lived.  Ruth went out into the fields to pick up leftover grain behind the harvesters to provide for herself and Naomi. (Ruth 2:1-3)  The field belonged to Boaz, who was a distant relative of Naomi. When Boaz saw her, he asked the overseer of his harvesters about her and he took an interest in her. (Ruth 2:5-16)  Later that day Ruth told Naomi what had happened and Naomi told her that Boaz was a relative of hers. (Ruth 2:19-23)  It was Naomi who had discerned that Boaz had an interest in Ruth and gave her advice.

Application:

Because of her faithfulness to her mother-in-law, Ruth gained the respect of the people in her mother-in-law’s homeland. (Ruth 2:11-12)  She did not go running after the young men in town and she demonstrated that she was a woman of good character. (Ruth 3:10-11)  Ruth honored her commitment, and she was patient before she was blessed to get what she wanted.  We should understand that The Lord God can supply all of our needs (Philippians 4:19) and He may even bless with some of the things that we want.  However, we must first learn to be content with that which we already have. (Philippians 4:12)  We must also show that we love Him by keeping His commandments and obeying His Holy Word. (John 14:15 and 14:23)  We must learn to be patient and wait on The Lord. (Psalm 27:14 and 37:34)  If we believe in Him and exhibit good Christian behavior, we will be rewarded. (Hebrews 11:6)

A VOW OF LOVE COMMITMENT AND DEVOTION

Proclamation:

“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die and there will I be buried …’”  Ruth 1:16-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by an unknown human author, but some credit it to Samuel because of the timing when the judges ruled Israel.  Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi, demonstrates an excellent example of love, commitment, and devotion to her mother-in-law.  After her father-in-law and her husband died, Ruth would not leave her mother-in-law’s side and vowed to stay with, even after death.  Ruth was a Moabite and her people worshiped idol gods, (Ruth 1:15) but thanks to Naomi and her son, Ruth was exposed to The Lord God and was converted.

Application:

People often say the words, “I love you” but their actions are not always consistent with their words.  Ruth, the great, great grandmother of David, demonstrated her love for her mother-in-law by vowing never to leave her.  She even vowed to be near her in death by being buried where she is buried.  In this life, very few people will go with us wherever we go.  Some people will go as far as to become extended family members and our people will become their people.  However, most people will not go as far as to change their religious beliefs and worship The Lord God with us.  In marriage the two people are to become as one person. (Ephesians 5:31)  There is rarely this level of commitment in any other relationship.  Parents are willing to die for their children, and some children are willing to die for their parents, but they do not go with them everywhere they go.  When we make a commitment to love The Lord God, nothing in the world, or in our lives, should be more important to us than Him.  He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  Nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:35 and 8:39)

CHOSEN FROM BEFORE BIRTH TO LEAD GOD'S PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb.  He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines … Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from the womb until the day of his death.”  Judges 13:5-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Samuel under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the Israelites did evil in the eyes of The Lord, He let them be conquered by the Philistines. (Judges 13:1)  Afterwards, The Lord God raised up Samson, who was chosen before he was born, to lead His people. (Judges 13:2-14)  It was Samson who killed a young lion with his bare hands, (Judges 14:5-6) who killed thirty men to pay a debt, (Judges 14:12-19) and who took the jawbone of a donkey and slew a thousand Philistines. (Judges 15:14-16)  Then Samson led Israel for twenty years. (Judges 15:20)  Unfortunately, Samson had a weakness for the Philistine women.  His first wife was a Philistine woman, (Judges 14:1-8) who betrayed him. (Judges 14:15-17)  So was the second woman who was the love of his life, Delilah. (Judges 16:4)  It was Delilah who told the Philistine leaders the secret of Samson’s strength so that they could defeat him. (Judges 16:5-20)  When they seized him, they gouged out his eyes, bound him in shackles, and made him push the grain grinding machine in the prison. (Judges 16:21)  Samson killed more Philistines when he died than he did when he was alive.  The temple was filled with the rulers of the Philistines and there were about three thousand more people on the roof of the temple when Samson collapsed the two pillars which supported the temple killing more than three thousand Philistines. (Judges 16:27-30)

Application:

The Lord God knows everything about each of us.  It was He that made us when we were in our mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13-16)  Each of us is unique.  The Lord God has something special for each of us to do and He knew what we would do before we were born. (Psalm 139:16)  Just as He knew what Samson would do, He knows what we will do.  Samson made some bad choices during his life but he never lost faith in The Lord.  He prayed to The Lord God for strength on his dying day.  We need to remember, just because we are in a bad situation does not mean that The Lord God is not with us or that He cannot hear us when we pray.  We are part of God’s plan and we just need to do our part.

AGAIN AND AGAIN THEY SINNED AND WERE FORGIVEN

Proclamation:

“Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of The Lord.  They served the Baals … And because the Israelites forsook The Lord and no longer served Him, He became angry with them …”  Judges 10:6-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Samuel under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Israelites were God’s chosen people but they repeatedly sinned against Him.  In addition to the murmuring that they did against Moses and The Lord God while they were wandering in the wilderness, and the making and worshiping a golden calf while they were at the foot of the mountain of God, the Israelites seemed to exhibit a pattern of doing that which was evil in the sight of The Lord God by worshiping idols. (Judges 3:7, 8:33-34, 10:6, and 13:1)  Each time that they did this, The Lord God would punish them, and they would cry out to be forgiven, and He would forgive them.

Application:

Today, most of us do not serve idol gods, but we put other things ahead of Him and that is just as bad.  Nothing should be more important to us than The Lord God. (Exodus 20:3)  We should put Him first in our lives. (Matthew 6:33)  However, just like the Israelites we have sinned, and we continue to sin, again and again, in one way or another.  But thanks be to God that He is a God of another chance, and we have been forgiven over and over again.  Our sins may differ, but a sin is a sin, whether it is in thought, spoken word, or deed.  He who is guilty of only breaking one point of God’s law, is just as guilty as if he had broken all of them. (James 2:10)  Each day we are given another chance to live to the glory of The Lord God, and to ask to be forgiven when we fall short by sinful omission or commission.  Again, we should thank The Lord God and be grateful that He is a forgiving God, and that He is a God of another chance.

THEY DID THAT WHICH WAS EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD

Proclamation:

“After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither The Lord nor what He had done for Israel.  Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of The Lord and served the Baals.”  Judges 2:10-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Samuel under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, (Exodus 14:21-22) to the edge of the promise land. (Exodus 16:35)  Because of their lack of faith, that generation wandered in the wilderness for forty years until the adults all died. (Numbers 14:16)  Joshua then led their children, the next generation, across the flooded Jordan River into the promise land (Joshua 3:15-17) and through a series of victorious battles over the inhabitants of the promise land. (Joshua 12:1-24)  Then he divided the lands that they conquered among the tribes of Israel, (Joshua 13:8 to 19:51) and that generation served The Lord God.  However, when they died off, the next generation did not know The Lord God or what He had done for their parents and grandparents.  This new generation of Israelites did not serve The Lord God as their ancestors had done, they did evil in the sight of The Lord.

Application:

It is our responsibility as believers to teach our children, the next generation, about The Lord God and all that He has done. (Leviticus 10:11, Deuteronomy 6:7, and Proverbs 22:6)  It is our job to raise up our children in the fear and admonition of The Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)  We should not only tell them about His ways, but we should be living examples of His Holy Word.  Our children should see in us that which we expect them to exemplify.  If we do not teach them the ways of The Lord God, then we should not be surprised when they stray and begin to do that which is evil in His sight. 

GOING FORTH FROM VICTORY TO VICTORY

Proclamation:

“These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of Arabah … thirty-one kings in all.”  Joshua 12:1-24 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this twelfth chapter, Joshua records the kings, and the land over which they reigned, which the Israelites were victorious over. (Joshua 12:7-24)  Beginning with Jericho, Joshua and the Israelites were victorious over the kings of thirty-one lands. (Joshua 12:24)  As the Israelites conquered these lands in succession, they went from victory to victory.

Application:

It is easy for us to be negative and to focus upon the bad times, and upon our losses.  However, some of our losses were to teach us a lesson, (2 Corinthians 12:7) or they were our punishment for our disobedience. (Joshua 7:2-5 and 7:12)  The Lord God has promised us the victory through Jesus, The Christ. (1 Corinthian 15:57)  All we have to do is believe in Him and obey His Holy Word, and we will be victorious.  When The Lord God is with us, our enemies will not be able to stand against us. (Joshua 1:5)  He will fight our battles for us. (2 Chronicles 32:8)  If The Lord God is with us, who can stand against us? (Romans 8:31)  We will be victorious if we do all things His way.  If we believe and pray; trust and have faith in Him; read, study and live The Holy Word, then we will enjoy victory after victory, in this life and the next one.  The Lord God is omnipotent!  He already has the victory. (1 Chronicles 29:11, Psalm 98:1 and Isaiah 25:8) As believers we are born again, and whatsoever is born of God can overcome the world, and that is the victory. (1 John 5:4)

DO IT AGAIN THE RIGHT WAY THIS TIME

Proclamation:

“Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai … to … spy out the region … when they returned to Joshua, they said, ‘Not all the army will have to go up against Ai …’ So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai. (Joshua 7:2-4)  Then The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai.  For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.’”  Joshua 8:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The first time that Joshua led the Israelites against the army at Ai, The Lord God was not with them for they had sinned and broken their covenant with Him. (Joshua 7:11-12)  The first time, Joshua listened to his spies and did not speak to The Lord God.  The second time Joshua prayed, listened to God, and followed His plan when he attacked Ai.  The Lord God had to first encourage Joshua because the Israelites had been routed by Ai the first time they fought them.  This time, Joshua had renewed his commitment to The Lord God, and this time he was going to do it the right way, God’s way.

Application:

All too often we do things our way, without going to The Lord God in prayer first.  The Bible teaches us that we should pray about everything. (Matthew 21:22 and Luke 21:36)  We need to show our love for The Lord God with our life and our life style.  Jesus, The Christ, said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)  And, if we love Him, then we should not be afraid to step out on faith and do what He says do. (1 John 4:18)  We should not let the fear of failure, or the fear of rejection, cause us to stop doing something God’s way.  Even if we failed the first time, let’s do it again but do it the right way this time.  Let’s do it God’s way.  Let’s not go into battle unprepared.  Let us pray first, then let us put on the whole armor of God. (Ephesians 6:10-18)  If we do it His way, the victory is ours. (1 Corinthians 15:57)

GOD PUNISHES HIS PEOPLE FOR DISOBEDIENCE

Proclamation:

“Israel has sinned; they have violated My covenant, which I commanded them to keep … That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies … I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever is among you …”  Joshua 7:11-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God told the Israelites not to keep any of the spoils from Jericho after they took the city.  The precious metals were to go into the treasury of The Lord. (Joshua 6:18-19)  But Achan, from the tribe of Judah, took some of them for himself and this angered The Lord God. (Joshua 7:1)  So when they went to war against the army of Ai, God was not with them and they were routed. (Joshua 7:4)  Afterwards, Joshua asked God why they lost and what were they to do? (Joshua 7:6-9)  The Lord God told him that Israel had sinned and violated His covenant.  Then Joshua examined the people, tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family, and man by man, until Achan was found and admitted what he had done. (Joshua 7:16-21)  They gathered all that he had taken, and his family, and his animals, and all that he owned and took them to the Valley of Achor.  There they stoned him, and them, and then burned them all. (Joshua 7:22-26)

Application:

Don’t play with The Lord God.  Don’t say that you are a believer, and then go about and act like a non-believer.  When we sin, we need to confess and ask to be forgiven.  We should not try to hide it as if God can’t see it.  We should search ourselves, our hearts, and our homes to make sure that we are not harboring something which The Lord God abhors, or holding back something which should be given to Him.  Unrepentant sin can not only bring God’s wrath down upon the individual sinner, but also upon his children, his grand-children, and on their children. (Numbers 14:18)   One fine day, all that we thought, said, and did will be judged, it will all pass through the fire of judgment.  All of it that gives God glory will pass through the fire, and we will be rewarded for it.  However, everything else will be burned up and we will suffer a loss, but we ourselves will be saved. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)  Let us do all that we can to the glory of God.  When we pray, let us ask to be forgiven for sins of omission as well as sins of commission.

GREAT OBSTACLES FOR MAN ARE NO PROBLEM FOR GOD

Proclamation:

“When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when all the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.”  Joshua 6:20 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After they crossed the Jordan River, the Israelites proceeded to Jericho.  The walls of Jericho were a formidable obstacle. (Joshua 6:1)  However, Joshua listened to The Lord God, (Joshua 6:2-5) and he obeyed Him and the walls collapsed. (Joshua 6:6-20)   The Israelites entered the city and destroyed every living thing within the city (Joshua 6:21) except for Rahab and her family who were in her house. (Joshua 6:22-23)  Rahab’s house, which was built into part of the wall around the city, (Jericho 2:15) was left standing when the walls collapsed. (Joshua 6:22-23)

Application:

In our lives today, everything is not always smooth sailing.  At times we run into obstacles, or road blocks, or mountains too steep for us to climb.  Whatever the problem is that hinders us, it is not a problem for The Lord God.  He is omnipotent, and with Him all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27)   We just need to pray, listen to The Lord, and then obey Him and do what He says for us to do.  If we believe in Him, and have faith in Him, He will take care of our obstacles.  Trust in The Lord, and He will give us something to shout about.

GOD CAN USE MIRACLES TO BLESS US AND FRIGHTEN OUR ENEMIES

Proclamation:

“Now when all the … kings along the coast heard how The Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.”  Joshua 5:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When the priests carrying The Arc of The Covenant stepped into the Jordan River, the water stopped flowing and they walked across on dry ground.  They stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground while all the Israelites walked around them into Canaan. (Joshua 3:17)  After the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan, The Lord God told Joshua to send twelve men back to where the priest were standing and gather twelve stones.  These twelve large stones were carried back on their shoulders and set up, one on top of the other as a monument, where they made camp. (Joshua 4:1-9)  Then Joshua commanded the priest carrying The Arc of The Covenant to out of the Jordan and the waters returned to their place and resumed flowing. (Joshua 4:15-24)  When the people of Canaan heard how The Lord God had dried up the Jordan for the Israelites, they became afraid to face them. (Joshua 5:1)

Application:

The miracles that The Lord God preforms in our lives to make a way out of no way for us, can be the same miracles that strikes fear in the hearts of our enemies.  All we have to do is trust and obey Him, and our blessings will cause our enemies to become afraid.  The very blessing which The Lord God uses to encourage us, He can also use to discourage our enemies.  When we glorify Him and proclaim His goodness to us, we encourage the hearts of other believers, and The Holy Spirit of God can use that to cause non-believers to become upset and worried, or to become convicted, convinced, and converted.

OBEY THE LORD GOD AND HE WILL EXALT YOU

Proclamation:

“And The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so that they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.’”  Joshua 3:7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God had encouraged him, (Joshua 1:7-8) Joshua told the Israelites to get ready because in three days they would cross the Jordan River and enter the promise land. (Joshua 1:11)  The people answered him by saying that would do whatever he says for them to do, and they would go wherever he says for them to go.  They said they would obey him just as they had obeyed Moses. (Joshua 1:16-18)  Then Joshua sent two spies to go scout out the city of Jericho and they went to the house of Rehab. (Joshua 2:1-24)  Then Joshua told the priests to take up the Arc of the Covenant and pass ahead of the people and step into the Jordan River. (Joshua 3:6-8)  When they stepped into the river, the waters stopped flowing. (Joshua 3:13)  Just as Moses had led the Israelites across when The Lord God parted the Red Sea, so Joshua led them across the flooded Jordan River when The Lord stopped the flow of the river and it piled up. (Joshua 3:15-17)

Application:

It is not necessary for one to brag, or to boast, or to puff one’s self up in order to impress people.  When we humble ourselves and follow The Lord God, and do as He says for us to do, then He will exalt us. (Psalm 37:34, Matthew 23:12 and Luke 14:11)  He can work a miracle in our lives and cause the people around us to respect us.  We may not be well known throughout the nation but we will be well respected by those within our sphere of influence.  People who push their way to the front in order to be first, will end up being last in the minds and hearts of the people that they pushed aside and those who saw their behavior.  The Bible says that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. (Matthew 19:30, Mark 9:35, and Luke 13:30)  When we lift Him up, and do His will, He will lift us up. (Psalm 37:34)  

THE LORD GOD SAID AS I WAS WITH MOSES SO WILL I BE WITH YOU

Proclamation:

“After the death of Moses the servant of The Lord, The Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ aide: ‘Moses My servant is dead.  Now then … As I was with Moses, so will I be with you.  I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Joshua 1:1-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God allowed Moses to climb to the top of Mount Nebo and to see the promise land, but He did not allow him to cross over into it. (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)  Moses died in Moab and The Lord God buried him somewhere in the valley. (Deuteronomy 34:5-7)  Joshua was filled with The Spirit because Moses had laid hands on him. (Deuteronomy 34:9)  After the Israelites had grieved for Moses for thirty days, (Deuteronomy 34:8) The Lord God spoke to Joshua and told him that he would lead the people into the promise land. (Joshua 1:1-6)  The Lord God also told Joshua to be strong and courageous, and to obey the law which Moses had given to them. (Joshua 1:7-9)  There were no written Scripture available to Moses, The Lord God spoke to him directly.  However, Moses had faithfully written all that The Lord God had spoken to him so the first five Books of the Bible were written and available to Joshua.

Application:

Moses was clearly a man of God, and so was Joshua.  Both of them were leaders of God’s people.  The Lord God was with them to counsel and advise them, to guide and direct them, and to protect and defend them.  The same is true today for the men of God who are leading God’s people.  However, this also applies to all of the leaders of God’s people who are believers.  That also includes the patriarchs and matriarchs who are believers and leaders of our families today.  When they die, it passes on to us to obey The Word of God and to lead our families.  As leaders of God’s people, even if we only lead or influence a few of them, we must also obey The Lord.  If we will obey His Holy Word, then He will be with us as He was with Moses and Joshua.  He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5 and Hebrews 13:5) 

DO NOT WORSHIP ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“Do not worship any other god, for The Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”  Exodus 34:14  “Do not make any idols.”  Exodus 34:17 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God gave Moses specific instructions for the Israelites regarding the Sabbath Day, He gave him two tablets of stone inscribed with the Ten Commandments and His covenant law. (Exodus 31:18)  However, because Moses stayed on the mountain of God so long, the people made themselves a god, an idol cast in gold in the shape of a calf, and worshiped it. (Exodus 32:1-8)  When Moses came down from the mountain of God and saw the golden calf and the dancing, he threw the stone tablets at them and then he destroyed the golden calf. (Exodus 32:19-20)  Then he said, “Whoever is for The Lord, come to me.”  All those who did not come to him were killed. (Exodus 32:26-29)  The Moses then chiseled out two smooth stone tablets, like the one he had broken and went back up to the mountain of God. (Exodus 34:1-5)  This time when Moses came down from the mountain of God, his face was radiant and the people listened to him. (Exodus 34:29-35)  Then the Israelites gathered all of the materials as The Lord God had instructed and the built the tabernacle (Exodus 36:8-38), the Arc of The Covenant (Exodus 37:1-9), and all of the other things as He had instructed them. (Exodus 37:10 through 40:33)

Application:

The first of the Ten Commandments is: “You shall have not other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3)  In His explanation of the second of the Ten Commandments He said, “… for I, The Lord your God, am a jealous God …” (Exodus 20:5)  Here in this text, He is reiterating that He is jealous, and that He wants nothing to be worshiped but Him.  Unfortunately, today some people worship other gods, and some people worship other people as their god.  Some people worship their spouse, their love one, or their children.  Some people even worship their cars, their homes, or some other material object which they possess.  Worship of anything other than The Lord God is a sin, and that offends His jealous nature.

REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY AND KEEP IT HOLY

Proclamation:

“Then The Lord said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites,’ ‘You must observe My Sabbaths.  This will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am The Lord, who makes you holy.’”  Exodus 31:12-13 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God gave them the Ten Commandments and the laws, He told them that He was sending an angel to guard them, and to guide them to the place that He had prepared for them. (Exodus 23:20)  Then He confirmed the covenant that He had made with Moses. (Exodus 24:1-4)  After that He gave them specific instructions for the making of The Arc of The Covenant (Exodus 25:10-30), the making of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:1-36), the making of the altar (Exodus 27:1-8), and for the courtyard of the tabernacle. (Exodus 27:9-19)  The Lord God also gave them specific instructions regarding the making of the garments for the priests (Exodus 28:1-43), and regarding the consecration of the priests. (Exodus 29:1-46)  Then He gave them instructions for the making of an alter of incense (Exodus 30:1-10), a basin for washing (Exodus 30:17-21), and for the use of anointing oil and incense. (Exodus 30:22-38)  Then The Lord God gave them specific instructions regarding keeping the Sabbath Day holy. (Exodus 31:12-18)

Application:

After giving the people of God instructions regarding how they should worship Him, The Lord God told the Israelites to remember the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy.  This He repeated from the Ten Commandments, (Exodus 20:8-11) He emphasized its importance to Him, and He expounded upon it. (Exodus 31:14-18)  The Sabbath Day, which is the seventh day of the week, would be our current Saturday.  Our Lord and Savior, Jesus, The Christ, rose from the dead on the first day of the week, on Sunday.  The church began on the day of Pentecost.  The feast of Pentecost began on the day after the Sabbath, on Sunday.  As Christians we now celebrate Sunday as the Israelites celebrated the Sabbath.  Sunday is to be a day of rest and worship, and not a day of work.  It is to be a day of celebrating The Lord and fellowshipping with other believers.  This is a day for corporate praise and worship.  To God be the glory for He is worthy of our praise, honor, and worship.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

Proclamation:

“I am The Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  You shall have no other gods before Me … You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.  You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”  Exodus 20:2-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the Israelites had crossed the wilderness and come to the mountain of God, they camped near it. (Exodus 18:5 and 19:1)  Moses went up into the mountain of God and came back down with messages for the people several times. (Exodus 19:3-7, 19:8, 19:14, and 19:20-22)  In addition to the Ten Commandments, The Lord God gave Moses instructions and laws for the Israelites regarding idols and alters (Exodus 20:22-26), Hebrew servants (Exodus 21:1-11), personal injuries (Exodus 21:12-36), protection of property (Exodus 22:1-15), social responsibility (Exodus 22:16-31), justice and mercy (Exodus 23:1-9), and the Sabbath (Exodus 23:10-13)  The Ten Commandments were written on tablets of stone. (Exodus 24:12)  The last time that Moses went up into the mountain of God, he stayed for forty days. (Exodus 24:15-18)

Application:

When The Lord God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, He knew that the people then and now would not be able to keep them.  We were to use them as a mirror to show ourselves that we were sinners who fell short of God’s Word. (Romans 3:23)  We sin with our actions and words, and even when we have sinful thoughts we have committed a sin. (Matthew 5:28)  Additionally, The Bible teaches us that if we have broken one of these commandments, we are just as sinful as if we had broken all of them. (James 2:10)  The Ten Commandments are that we should: have no other gods (Exodus 20:2-3), not make any images of God (Exodus 20:4-6), not use God’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7), remember to keep the Sabbath day holy (Exodus 20:8-11), honor our father and mother (Exodus 20:12), and that we should not kill (Exodus 20:13), should not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14), should not steal (Exodus 20:15), should not lie (Exodus 20:16), and should not covet anything that belongs to our neighbor. (Exodus 20:17)  We needed the Ten Commandments because we had to be shown that we were lost sinners and that we needed a savior.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO HELP THE MAN OF GOD

Proclamation:

“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on one side, one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”  Exodus 17:11-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  While the Israelites were camped by the place called Rephidim, the Amalekites came and attacked them. (Exodus 17:8)  Moses sent Joshua and some of the men out to fight them.  Moses said that he would stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God and raise his hands. (Exodus 17:9-10)  Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill with him.  By raising up his hands, whether in prayer or praise, Moses acknowledged that The Lord God is in control.  When Moses grew tired physically from holding up his arms and hands, they helped him by holding up his hands.

Application:

Pastors, preachers, ministers, and all men of God are human and from time to time they need a little help.  The may need physical help during illness of periods of weakness, or they may need psychological and emotional help.  Even the strong men among us occasionally needs, and appreciates, a little encouragement. (Deuteronomy 1:38 and 3:28)  We have heard about “the Amen corner” in church, that small group of supporters who offer encouragement to the preacher when he is presenting The Word of God.  They do a good work.  A pat on the back, and telling him that the message he delivered helped you, can mean a lot to the man of God.  A kind word spoken to him every now and then can help him to keep on going. (2 Chronicles 10:7)  Actually, it is The Holy Spirit of God who is doing the work but He is just using and working through a human vessel to accomplish it.  When we help the man of God, we are helping God’s program.  There is a special blessing in store for those who give the man of God a glass of water. (Matthew 10:41-42)  When we help him, he is able to help others and advance the kingdom of God here on earth.  We get so much from them and occasionally it would just be nice to give them a little help and encouragement.

THE LORD GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR HIS PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites.  Tell them,’ ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread.  Then you will know that I am The Lord your God.’”  Exodus 16:11-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When the Israelites saw the mighty hand of The Lord God displayed against the Egyptians they feared The Lord, (Exodus 14:29-31) and then they began to sing praises unto Him. (Exodus 15:1-21)  Moses then led them into the desert and soon they forgot about the miracles they had just witnessed, the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the drowning of Pharaoh’s army, and began to murmur against Moses. (Exodus 15:22-24)  The Lord God changed the bitter water of Marah into water that was fit to drink. (Exodus 15:25)  Then He rained down bread, manna, from heaven for them to eat in the morning (Exodus 16:4-5 and 16:31) and provided them with meat, in the form of quail, in the evening. (Exodus 16:13)  He did this for them daily, except on the Sabbath. (Exodus 16:21-27)  They wandered about in the desert from place to place as The Lord God directed them.  In one place where they camped there was no water and The Lord God provided water for them out of a rock. (Exodus 17:1-7)

Application:

Oh, how soon we forget what The Lord has done for us.  We treat The Lord God like the worldly people treat each other by asking, like the Janet Jackson song, “What have you done for me lately?”  The people of God should not ask Him that question.  We know that our very existence, waking up, each breath and heartbeat are all blessings from God.  Not to mention that we are blessed to have some material things, our family and friends, and those who love us.  The Lord God has provided us an abundance of blessings, blessings upon blessings. (Proverbs 28:20)  We may not have or get all that we want, but He will supply all of our needs. (Philippians 4:19) 

THE LORD GOD WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES

Proclamation:

“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.  The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and The Lord swept them into the sea.  The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.  Not one of them survived.” Exodus 14:27-28 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God struck down the first born of Egypt, Pharaoh let the Israelites go. (Exodus 12:29-32)  As they left Egypt, there were about six hundred thousand men, not counting the women and children. (Exodus 12:37)  When they left, they took with them the spoils of Egypt (Exodus 12:33-36) and they also took the bones of Joseph with them. (Exodus 13:19)  The Lord God led them on their way out of Egypt. (Exodus 13:21)  He told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and he would pursue them, but He would gain glory by dealing with them. (Exodus 14:1-4)  Pharaoh gathered his army and pursued the Israelites.  When they saw them coming, the people panicked. (Exodus 14:8-10)  The Lord God told Moses to raise his staff and stretch out his hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (Exodus 14:16)  Then The Angel of God, who had been traveling in front of the people, withdrew and went behind them and blocked the path of Pharaoh’s army. (Exodus 14:19-20)  The Israelites crossed the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and left side, (Exodus 14:29) but when Pharaoh’s army followed them, they all drowned.

Application:

The Lord God protected His people from an army that they could not defeat with a pillar of fire.  He made a way out of no way when they were in an impossible situation by parting the Red Sea.  He fought a battle for them and defeated an army which they were not prepared to fight by drowning Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea.  There are some battles which we are not prepared to, or able to fight.  Those battles The Lord God will fight for us.  Some battles are not against people, but are against principalities, and evil powers, and wicked spirits. (Ephesians 6:12)  That is why we need to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17) and just stand.  We need to stand still and behold the power of our God. (Exodus 14:13, 2 Chronicles 20:17, and Ephesians 6:14)  The Lord God will take care of His people, including all believers.  He did it then, and He can do it again.

THE LORD GOD PROTECTS HIS PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to The Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when He struck down the Egyptians.’”  Exodus 12:26-27 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God told Moses what to say to Pharaoh in order for him to let the people of Israel go free to worship Him. (Exodus 7:1-2)  He also told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 7:3-5)  The Lord God brought ten separate plagues on the land of Egypt and after each plague Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.  There was the plague of blood, (Exodus 7:14-24) frogs, (Exodus 8:1-15) gnats, (Exodus 8:16-19) flies, (Exodus 8:20-32) death of livestock, (Exodus 9:1-7) boils, (Exodus 9:8-12) hail, (Exodus 9:13-35) locusts, (Exodus 10:1-20) darkness, (Exodus 10:21-29) and the death of the first born. (Exodus 11:1-12:30)  Only after the tenth and final plague, the death of the first born, did Pharaoh let the people of Israel go. (Exodus 12:31-32)  The Lord God protected His own people and the Israelites were not affected by the plagues. (Exodus 8:22, 9:4, 9:26, 10:23 and 12:12-13)  On the night when all of the first born of Egypt died, The Lord God passed over the homes of the Israelites.  Even unto this day they still celebrate “The Passover” and explain it to their children. (Exodus 12:25-27)

Application:

The Lord God protects His own people and that includes all believers.  He said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  There may be danger all around us but The Lord God protects believers from dangers seen, and unseen.  That upsetting delay that occurred may have kept us from being involved in an accident.  Sometimes we are involved in accidents but walk away unharmed.  We are blessed in more ways than we can count, and by things that we take for granted.  We may not be in an ideal situation but things could be a lot worse.  We need to acknowledge God’s presence in our lives (Proverbs 3:6) and thank Him for blessing us and keeping us.  Death has passed us by a number of times and we should be grateful for the protective covering of the blood of Christ over our lives. (Exodus 12:23)

USE WHAT THE LORD GOD HAS GIVEN YOU

Proclamation:

“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.’  So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as The Lord commanded.  Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake.”  Exodus 7:8-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Moses told Aaron, his brother, everything that The Lord God had spoken to him.  Then they called the elders of the Israelites together and explained everything to them.  Moses, now eighty years old, performed the signs before them which The Lord God had told him to perform and they believed him. (Exodus 4:27-31)  Afterwards, Moses and Aaron went to the Pharaoh and told him that The Lord God of Israel said, “Let My people go.”  But The Lord God had hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let the people go.  In fact, he made thing harder for them by commanding that they make their quota of bricks without straw being provided for them. (Exodus 5:1-13)  Moses spoke to The Lord God and said that he had made things worse for the people (Exodus 5:22-23) and God gave him a message for the people (Exodus 6:1-8) but the people would not listen to Moses. (Exodus 6:9)  So Moses and Aaron went back to Pharaoh and Moses performed the signs as God had told him to do, yet Pharaoh would not listen to them. (Exodus 7:1-25)

Application:

The staff of Moses became a snake and consumed the staffs of Pharaoh’s officials. (Exodus 7:10-12)  Later Moses used his staff to turn the Nile River into blood. (Exodus 7:20-21)  Moses believed and he used his staff to perform miracles.  Sometimes we feel that because we don’t have much that we can’t do very much.  However, The Lord God has given each of us a gift (1 Corinthians 7:7, 2 Timothy 1:6, and Peter 4:10)  The Holy Spirit of God has given every man a gift (1 Corinthians 12:7-12) so that we can work within the body of Christ.  We just need to use what we have been given to do what The Lord God has for us to do.  If, by chance, you are unaware of your gift, pray and ask God to reveal it to you, and to give you the courage to use it to His glory.

BELIEVE AND OBEY EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

Proclamation:

“Now The Lord had said to Moses in Midian, ‘Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead.’  So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt.  And he took the staff of God in his hand.”  Exodus 4:19-20 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God told Moses that He was going to send him into Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let His people go, Moses came up with a number of excuses which he offered to God. (Exodus 3:11-15)  Then God gave him the plan, telling him what to do and what to say. (Exodus 3:16-22)  Moses still questioned The Lord God and He gave him several signs to show to the people so that they would believe that The God of their fathers had appeared to him and spoken to him. (Exodus 4:1-16) 

Applications:

Like Moses, sometimes we have our doubts about the things which The Lord God tells us to do.  At times we even question God’s instructions.  However, it is better for us to believe in Him, and in His Holy Word, and to obey Him even when we do not understand what He wants us to do or how it is all going to work.  It is our place to trust in The Lord.  We do not have the mental capacity to fully understand or comprehend all that He knows.  Additionally, He knows the future and what it holds for us.  He did not promise us that things would be easy, but He said that He would be with us and never leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  So, let’s just do what The Lord says for us to do.

THE LORD GOD HEARS THE VOICE AND THE CRIES OF HIS PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of My people in Egypt.  I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.’”  Exodus 3:7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After his father, Jacob, died and was buried in Canaan, Joseph returned to Egypt and lived to be 110 years old.  Near the end of his life he made his brothers swear to an oath not to bury him in Egypt but to carry his bones back to the land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Genesis 50:22-26)  After Joseph died, a new king rose up in Egypt who did not know Joseph and who was worried about the numerous Israelites.  So he placed taskmasters over them and made their lives bitter. (Exodus 1:8-14)  However, the Israelites continued to increase in number and Pharaoh decreed that all male Israelite babies shall be killed at birth. (Exodus 1:15-22)  One Hebrew mother hid her son for as long as she could, then placed him in a basket and put it in the river.  The child was found by the daughter of Pharaoh, who felt sorry for the Hebrew boy and kept him as her own. (Exodus 2:1-10)  This boy, Moses, was raised in the palace of Pharaoh.  When he was grown, he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew male.  The next day, he stopped two Hebrews from fighting, and one of them asked him, “Are you thinking of killing me as you did the Egyptian?”  Then Moses became afraid and fled to Midian.  There he stayed, married, began a family, and became a shepherd. (Exodus 2:15-22)  It was there that Moses saw the burning bush which was not consumed and he heard the voice of The Lord God. (Exodus 3:1-10)  God told him that He had heard the cries of the Israelites (Exodus 2:23-24 and 3:7-8) and He was sending Moses to bring His people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10) and into the land flowing with milk and honey. (Exodus 3:8)

Application:

Believers still suffer and go through trials and tribulations during this earthly journey.  It is comforting to know that The Lord God hears our prayers and cries.  When the time is right, according to His will, He will do something about our plight.  Things are allowed to happen to us for a reason.  Sometimes bad things happen to us to keep us humble, (2 Corinthians 12:7) sometimes they are to keep us focused on Him, (Matthew 14:25-31) and sometimes they are punishment for our behavior. (Numbers 14:26-31)  However, our trouble won’t last always. (Psalm 30:5)  He hears the prayers of the righteous and He sees our situation. (1 Peter 3:12)  We just need to keep the faith and obey His Holy Word, (Deuteronomy 7:9) and know that He hears us.

KEEPING THE PROMISE MADE TO A DYING FATHER

Proclamation:

“Then he gave them these instructions: ‘I am about to be gathered to my people.  Bury me with my fathers … There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah.  The field and the cave were bought from the Hittites.’  When Jacob had finished giving instructions, he … breathed his last …”  Genesis 49:29-33 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When Jacob arrived in Egypt, he sent his son Judah ahead of them to get directions to Goshen.  His long lost son Joseph met them there and they had a joyous and tearful reunion. (Genesis 46:28-29)  Pharaoh allowed them to have the best land in Egypt and Jacob blessed him. (Genesis 47:5-10)  Jacob lived for seventeen years in Egypt before he died.  Just before his death, he asked Joseph not to bury him in Egypt, but in the land of his fathers. (Genesis 47:28-30)  Also before he died, Jacob blessed the two sons of Joseph, intentionally giving the younger son, Ephraim, the blessing which should have gone to the oldest son, Manasseh. (Genesis 48:8-20)  Then Jacob called his twelve sons together and blessed each one of them and spoke prophetically of their individual futures. (Genesis 49:1-33)  They would become the twelve tribes of Israel.  Then he gave instructions to all of his sons to bury him in the land of his fathers and not in Egypt. Joseph honored his father’s dying wish and kept his promise to him. (Genesis 50:1-13)

Application:

People make promises to others all of the time and they break most of them.  Many children are often “crushed” by the broken promises made to them.  However, there is something special about the promise one makes to a dying individual on their death bed.  Promises made to a dying family member are usually held in very high regard and are usually honored.  We should be very careful when we give our word to someone.  The old saying goes, “You are only as good as your word.”  We need to pray for faithfulness in the promises that we make to others. 

DON'T BE AFRAID TO TRAVEL GOD IS WITH YOU

Proclamation:

“So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to The God of his father, Isaac.  And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, ‘Jacob!  Jacob!’  ‘Here I am,’ he replied.  “I am God, The God of your father,’ He said.  ‘Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.  I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again…’”  Genesis 46:1-4 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Joseph had convinced his brothers of who he was and had spent some time with them, Pharaoh found out that Joseph’s brothers were in Egypt and he told them to go back to Canaan and get their father and their families and bring them to Egypt. (Genesis 45:16-20)  When they got home and told this to their father, Isaac, he agreed to travel to Egypt to see his son Joseph. (Genesis 45:28)  While traveling to Egypt, The Lord God spoke to Israel in a vision and told him not to be afraid regarding this journey.  Israel continued on the journey but now he was walking by faith.

Application:

Traveling on a long journey or to a foreign land, may cause us some concern.  However, The God that we serve is already wherever it is that we are going and He will also be with us as we travel to get there.  He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  The Lord God is omnipresent, He is everywhere all at the same time. (Psalm 139:7-8)  He is also omnipotent, He has all power in heaven and in earth, and everything is under His control. (Matthew 28:18)  He has told us in His Holy Word to “fear not, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 41:10)  If The Lord God is telling us to go to some place, then we have no reason for be afraid.  We just need to stay close to God and pray about everything. (Proverbs 3:6, Matthew 21:22, and Luke 18:1)

SHOW PEOPLE YOUR TRUE SELF AND SPEAK THE TRUTH

Proclamation:

“Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’  When they had done so, he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt.’”  Genesis 45:4 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Joseph had sold his brothers the grain they requested, he returned their money to them and sent them on their way home. (Genesis 42:25-26)  Because of the continued famine in their land they again ran out of food. (Genesis 43:1-2)  When they went back to Egypt to buy more grain, they took their youngest brother, Benjamin, with them as Joseph had requested. (Genesis 43:8-13)  After playing games with them for a while, Joseph revealed the truth to them that he was their brother. (Genesis 45:3-15)

Application:

All too often people put on a false face and pretend to be someone that they are not.  We should not try to “live a lie” in order to please or impress someone.  If they cannot accept us for the person that we are, then we are better off without them in our lives.  We need to be truthful to ourselves, and to others, for The Lord God detests liars. (Psalm 101:7)  As believers we are God’s representatives here on earth.  He is holy, so we should be holy. (1 Peter 1:16)  He is truthful, so we should be truthful. (Proverbs 12:17, Zechariah 8:16, and Ephesians 4:25)