Monday, March 29, 2010

It's OK To Not Have Every Gift

Exodus 35:30-35
30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them master craftsmen and designers.


God gave these men skill and knowledge to be creative and to create creative crafts and items to give to the Lord. These men were the best and, through the Spirit, was able to lead others to give to God in this way.

When reading through this passage, it hit me that God gives good gifts to people for specific things. And although I am not very creative and I suck and making crafts and designing art and stuff, I don't have to be. I don't have the gift of creativity and craftsmanship, but that's OK.

Thank You Father, because You are good. You love me so much, and I realized that it's OK not to have every gift in the world. You have set me apart and have plans for me and through those plans I know that You will be glorified. I pray for the gifts that I DO need, so that I may do all the good works in Christ Jesus. Give me strength and be with me Lord. I need You. I pray this in Jesus name.
Amen.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Can't Contain God's Glory

Exodus 34:33-35
33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.


When Moses went up to speak with God, he would come back down reflecting the glory from his face. The people would see this, and Moses would put a veil around his face so that the people could not be able to see the glory shine.

Unlike the old covenant with Christ, we are able, and we are wanting to see God's glory. It is our desire to allow God be gloried. We don't want to have Him be concealed behind a veil, and that's why the veil was torn, but to allow Christ as Lord be gloried.

Father God, I want to glory You because You deserve all of the glory. I pray that You be known in all things. I pray that You not be contained, because who can contain You, but that You let your glory shine so that all can see. I want to desire that glory that it may shine through me. Give me strength Lord. I pray for your strength. I need You. I pray this in Jesus name.
Amen.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Can't Contain The Glory Of The Lord

Exodus 33:18-20
18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."

19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."


Here, Moses asks God to show himself in a tangle form so that he may know God. God then shows him a form, but not His entirety, since that would be too much.

We can not contain what God is. We can not put a form to His image. He is beyond what we can understand and what we can know. God is great. Doing so really degrades the true nature of the Lord.

Father God, I honor You and I worship You. You are so awesome. Your glory is so great. There is none that can contain who You are. I pray that Your glory not be contained, but that You may be known. Let Your Holy Spirit reign. I thank you for all that You have done. You are so great. You have shown me favor and have blessed me. This attests even further of How great You are. I give you all the honor and glory and praise in Jesus Mighty name.
Amen.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Faith That Doesn't Need To See

Exodus 32:1-6
1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."

2 Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."

5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD." 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.


When the Israelites saw that Moses had gone up the mountain and was gone for such a long time, they lost faith in God and Moses, so they needed to have something tangible to worship, so they had Aaron make an idol for them.

O ye of little faith. It takes so little to lose faith in God. Things like not being able to see things. Sight is the foremost of our faith when we see things, but we need to put our faith in Christ who we can not see.

Father God I pray for faith that goes beyond seeing. Allow me to have more faith in You. You have put me through many trials and tasks, but I believe that You are with me. You have plans for me and I put my faith in You. Allow me to continue to step each step in faith in You. I give you all the glory in Jesus name.
Amen.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

A Lasting Relationship With God

Exodus 31:14-17
14 " 'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. 15 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.' "


God gave the Israelites the law to observe the sabbath, to not do any work on that day, to rest in remembrance and as a lasting ordinance of their relationship with the Lord.

The rhema that i had from reading this passage is that no other god has a relationship with His people than God alone. He even has a relationship where He wants us to rest from work. That is so awesome!

Father God, You are so awesome. You are the great and mighty one who created all things and set us apart from all creation. You are amazing. You have a lasting relationship with me and all men. You have set things in place to keep that relationship. I pray that I may keep my relationship with you so close. I pray that Your Holy Spirit help me in doing so. I love You and pray this in Jesus name.
Amen.

Monday, March 15, 2010

These Rules Give God Glory

Exodus 30:30-33
30 "Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. 31 Say to the Israelites, 'This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. 32 Do not pour it on men's bodies and do not make any oil with the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. 33 Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from his people.' "


Here, God is speaking to Moses to make a special kind of anointing oil to be used to anoint the holy places and the priest.

When I read this passage, and this example of using the special oil only for the priests, I was thinking why so harsh and why so strict with the rules. But, I realized through the Holy Spirit that these are laws given to the people of the time as a way for them to follow and obey in worship to Him.

Father God, I pray that Your words may not return void. Allow your awesome words to speak life into me. I pray for your anointing, that You may bless me and bless those around me. Use me for Your purpose. Even with laws and rules, allow these things to be used to give you glory. I pray this in Jesus name.
Amen.

Friday, March 12, 2010

To Know He Is God

Exodus 29:44-46
44 "So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. 45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 46 They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.


God gave Moses and the Israelites all these instructions on how to make sacrifices, how to prepare for things, what to do here and there. All this is in representation of consecrating themselves and the offerings to the Lord.

It says here that we will know that He is God. A lot of times we go through our own motions and we forget to realize why we do what we do. Do we hear Him, do we Know that He is Lord. I need to remember that He is my God, and that I know that in all that I do.

Father God, I thank you for who You are. You are my God, the great and mighty King of kings and Lord of lords. I give you all the glory. Allow me to remember You in all that I do. I want to praise you. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Being Distinguished For The Lord

Exodus 28:2-3
2 Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor. 3 Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.


God told Moses to make clothes, special clothing for Aaron the priest to wear. These clothes not only distinguished Aaron and the priests, but also separated them to honor the Lord.

Just like priests wearing special clothing to distinguish themselves, I think to myself if I am distinguished for the Lord? What kind of things distinguish me from everyone else. Is it just clothes, no, I think it's the Christ like faith and character that God has instilled in me.

Father God, I thank you so much for who You are and that You are so Holy. I honor you, and I do so through my life. Allow your glory to be shown through me. Let me "wear" You, so that You may be glorified. I pray that You give me courage and strength through the Holy Spirit. I pray this in the name of Jesus.
Amen.

Monday, March 08, 2010

An Obedience To The Lord

Exodus 27:20-21
20 "Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. 21 In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.


The Lord commanded Moses to have lights burning and shining in front of the Tent of Meeting all night long.

This is another custom and tradition that was passed down from God to follow, and even though it may mean very little, it represents the obedience and the presence of the Lord in this holy place.

Father God, I thank you for all the awesome blessings that you have given to me. You are so great and You are so awesome. You gave me the ability to do these works. I thank you so much. I pray for obedience, that I may follow You. Allow me to focus on You and to remember You. I ask that Your Holy Spirit give me strength. I pray this in Jesus name.
Amen.

Friday, March 05, 2010

Set Aside For God

Exodus 26:33
33 Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.


The curtain here separated these two areas that was set before God as holy and everything else. This was later then broken in half when Jesus died on the cross for us, so that we may be able to come to Him.

God still wants us to separate ourselves and be holy. In this way, we can consecrate ourselves for the glory of God. I need to separate myself from the world, and be holy through Christ Jesus.

Father God, I pray for your awesome and Holy and wonderful anointing to come down and fill this place. I want to be giving you glory. I pray that I may separate myself to being righteous. I can only do this with your help, so I pray for your Holy Spirit, Lord. In Jesus name, that Your name be glorified.
Amen.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

A Heart To Give

Exodus 25:1-9
1-9 God spoke to Moses: "Tell the Israelites that they are to set aside offerings for me. Receive the offerings from everyone who is willing to give. These are the offerings I want you to receive from them: gold, silver, bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet material; fine linen; goats' hair; tanned rams' skins; dolphin skins; acacia wood; lamp oil; spices for anointing oils and for fragrant incense; onyx stones and other stones for setting in the Ephod and the Breastpiece. Let them construct a Sanctuary for me so that I can live among them. You are to construct it following the plans I've given you, the design for The Dwelling and the design for all its furnishings.


God spoke to Moses to ask the people to bring offerings and to build Him a place where he can dwell among the people.

I like how God showed here asking all who are willing to give. Then, He specified the different items to be used to make the sanctuary. When you ask something, one would not seem sure about receiving because people may or may not do so accordingly, but God asked and proceeded to go on trusting in us to be willing to give to Him.

Father God, you love me so much, and you trust in me and it shows it here in this passage. I know that You have great plans for me and want the best for me. I pray for more of you. I ask that my heart be changed from the inside out to be more giving, to have more to give, to have a heart to give, and to glorify you in all things. I pray this in Jesus mighty name.
Amen.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Not Letting Your Worries Get The Best Of You

Exodus 24:15-18
15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.


This is an account of when God calls Moses up the mountain to receive the ten commandments. Moses went up there and stayed there for a very long time, more than forty days and forty nights.

It says in the beginning of this passage that the Lord called Moses on the seventh day, meaning Moses was waiting up there for seven days. I would probably be anxious and worried and lots of emotions and thoughts would run through my head. In this situation, God gave Moses patients and to just focus on Him.

Father God, you are so good. This is a great reminder of who You are and the glory that you deserve. This passage shows me that I need to have patients and to wait on You, to trust you in all that I do. Allow me not to be anxious and to have worrying thoughts run wild, but to keep my focus on You and to trust You, because you have set a path for me. Thank you Jesus. I pray this in Your mighty name.
Amen.