We Reflect on God's Faithfulness

Scripture: Exodus 18:8

Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the LORD had delivered them.

Insights:  Today’s verse is a picture of Moses’ witnessing encounter with Jethro.  Notice with me what is significant about Moses’ technique.  He focused primarily on the Lord.  It is true that in our witness of Jesus to other people we ought to tell our story, but the key aspect of our story we should emphasize is the work of God in our lives.  Also, notice that Moses did not just tell all of the good things that took place.  He also expresses the hardships that they endured on their journey.  Beloved, when we tell our testimony with a lost person we must make certain they understand that life did not become perfect and pain free when we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  We as Christ-followers face just as many hardships as a lost person does.  The difference is we have a Savior who works mightily in our lives.  He has proven His faithfulness to us time and time again.  As we reflect on those past victories it helps embolden us for future challenges, because we know that He has been faithful in the past, therefore, He will be faithful in the future.  The reason we know that truth is because God is immutable.  In other words, He never changes.  He is the same today as He was yesterday and as He will be tomorrow and for all eternity.  God desires to “show out” and make Himself known in all the world and we ought to reflect and tell of God’s mighty faithful acts in our lives.

Questions:

1. What great things has the Lord Jesus done for you lately?
2. In what ways have you expressed your gratitude to the Lord for His activity in your life?

Prayer: Father, thank You for working in my life.  Have never left me nor forsaken me and have continually worked for my good.  Open my eyes and help me to recognize Your blessings and express appropriate gratitude for Your work.  Amen.

We Reflect on Influential People

Scripture: Exodus 18:6-7

He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her." Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.

Insights:  Remember that this passage of Scripture is dealing with a family reunion.  Moses’ wife was mentioned.  His two sons were mentioned.  Jethro, his father-in-law was the only one the text explicitly indicates had a conversation with Moses.  Now, does that mean Moses did not speak to his wife and kids or show them affection?  Absolutely not.  The point is that Jethro was a highly influential person in Moses’ life.  In fact, later in this chapter we are going to see Jethro giving and influencing Moses in a positive way regarding leadership.  Beloved, there have been people who have influenced your life in positive ways.  It is helpful to reflect on those people and the lessons they taught you, so that, you may take those truths and instill them into other people.  We need to be intentional about our discipleship process and look for people we can invest our lives.  There are people in your church, home, work and even recreation activities that need your influence in their lives.  God desires you to step out and engage them, to help lead them into the ways of righteousness.  Beloved, serve the Lord with your influence and seek the counsel of Godly men and women regularly.

Questions:

1. Who are the people in your life that have influenced you?
2. Who are the people you are presently influencing?

Prayer: Father, I am so grateful for the people You have placed in my life.  Let me take the lessons they have taught me and help me to instill those truths into the lives of other.  Amen.

We Reflect on Key Places

Scripture: Exodus 18:5

Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God.

Insights:  Notice where Moses met his father-in-law.  It was at the mount of God, otherwise known as Mount Sinai.  This mountain is the same one in which Moses encountered God at the burning bush.  This mountain is the one where God promised Moses that he would return and worship Him on that mountain.  This mountain was a key location in the life of Moses because it was here that he felt, met and surrendered to God and His will.  There are key locations in our lives as well.  For many young people it was a specific youth camp in a specific location.  For others it was a particular geographic scenic view that captured their heart and brought them into the presence of God.  Still for others it was a particular piece of furniture in which they regular met with God in daily quiet time and prayer and regularly God spoke to them there.  The point is this: we need to cherish these key locations and remember them because of the key truths or promises God gave to us in these locations.  Just as God promised Moses that he would worship Him back on this mount of God, so He gives you promises and those promises never fail.  As you remember those key locations think back on the encounter with God.  Don’t only think about the visual majesty, but on the specific relationship you had with God Almighty.  Those reflections will help carry you through many days of hardship and pain.

Questions:

1. What are some key locations in which you have experienced the presence of God?
2. What are some specific truths or promises God shared with you at these location?

Prayer: Father, You have created so many beautiful places and have used them so often to speak to my heart.  Thank You for the joy of Your creation.  Continue, please, meeting me at those locations of significance. Amen.

We Reflect on Our Family, Part 2

Scripture: Exodus 18:3-4

and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." The other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."

Insights:  Today’s verses are the second part of our reflection on our family.  Moses tells us some details as to the names of his two sons.  Both of these truths were true for Moses, but they also hold a prophetic word for Christ-followers as well.  For those of us who have received the gift of salvation that comes through Jesus Christ, we are also sojourners in this world.  Let me clarify what I mean by receiving Jesus’ gift of salvation.  You were once lost and dependent on yourselves for salvation and you failed miserably as every human being ever born does.  The Holy Spirit of God began to draw on your heart and you responded and received this gift Jesus purchased on the Cross of Calvary and in His resurrection.  You are born again and the Spirit of God lives within you, making you a new creation.  You are not perfect and you still sin, but God lives in you and makes you holy.  He does the entire work and as a result you get to enter heaven when you die (or when He returns for His Bride).  If these words describe you, then your citizenship is not here on earth.  Your citizenship is in heaven, your true home.  We, therefore, are sojourners just like Moses was a sojourner in a foreign land.  Moses’ second son was named because God had continually shown His help to Moses.  Thank the Lord that after we have been born again, saved from our sin; we are not called to do the work ourselves.  Jesus promises to never leave us nor forsake us.  He promises to be with us to the very end of the age.  We do not have that promise only, but we are also told that if we abide in Him we can do all things.  Our ability to do all things is not based on who we are or how strong we are, but rather on Jesus and His strength and ability.  He is our help to face whatever trail is in front of us.  That trial can be domestic relationships, business politics, health issues, economic concerns, emotional turmoil and the list could go on and on.  The point is Jesus will help us in each of these situations.

Questions:

1. Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior and become a sojourner in this land?
2. In what ways has the Lord helped you in recent days?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the salvation You purchased for me and for Your continual presence and help in my life.  May I always be grateful and mindful of Your work and obediently respond to Your love in like manner. Amen.

We Reflect on Our Family, Part 1

Scripture: Exodus 18:1-2

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away,

Insights:  We are going to unpack this eighteenth chapter of Exodus over the next four weeks.  The reason for this adventure is to help prepare us at Little River Baptist Church for our upcoming Vision Workshop.  This chapter holds four important elements for a church, an individual, a corporation, or even a nation to move from where they presently are to where the Lord God would have them to be.  This week’s theme is A Time of Reflection.  We reflect not for the purpose of living in the past, but for the express purpose of encouraging us to move into the future.  God has intentionally worked in our past and proven Himself time and again, because we have such confidence we can march into the unknown of the future with certainty of God’s presence.  The first area in our lives in which we need to reflect is our family.  These two verses today are a picture of a family reunion between Moses and his wife, father-in-law and two sons.  I remember going to family reunions as a child and the parents having us kids hand crank the home-made ice cream churner in order to keep us occupied while they reminisced about the past, got brought up to speed on the present, and heard the prospective hopes of the future.  We also need to reflect on our families.  Some of us have rich godly histories with parents and grandparents that were truly sold out to the Lord Jesus and wanted their children and grandchildren to know His love.  Others of us are first generation Christ-followers and did not have that rich heritage.  Either way, there are some very positive things we learned from our family.  At the same time, both sets of parents also had negative aspects that we would like to avoid in our lives.  When we reflect it gives us a perspective by which we can help navigate our future.  We model the good we saw and purge the bad we desire to change.

Questions:

1. What are the negative characteristics that you would like to change in yourselves that you have observed from your family as you have reflected on them?
2. What are the postive characteristics that you would like to change in yourselves that you have observed from your family as you have reflected on them?

Prayer: Father, thank You for my family.  You perfectly orchestrated events in history to have me born at such a time as this with the family I have.  They are not always what I want, but I am grateful for them when I reflect on the life I have as a result of them.  Bless my family this day, O Lord. Amen.

Right Response

Scripture: Nehemiah 13:31

and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

Insights:  Today’s verse is the last one in the book of Nehemiah.  Our journey of building a spiritual wall of faith with bricks of character has come to a conclusion.  This week we have looked at four areas of compromise that Israel had made in regards to sin.  Today we are going to look at the ingredients behind Nehemiah’s right response to these sins.  First, he honestly observed the situations and recognized the sin present.  Most people are able to recognize the wrong, but they never move to the second response which is to courageously act against the wickedness.  Most people just sweep it under the carpet and hope it goes away, but Nehemiah courageously acted.  This courageous action was the second right response Nehemiah took.  The motivation behind and the third right response to his actions was Nehemiah’s deep devotion to the people.  He loved them and wanted the best for them.  This final verse shows us the last thing Nehemiah did in this process and that was pray and interestingly enough that was where our journey began many weeks back.  So, here is a recap of the bricks of character we have learned need to be a part of our wall of faith: prayer, preparation, solitude, perseverance, service, stewardship, humility, discernment, selflessness, teach ability, prioritization, faithfulness, joy and the trait for this week was repentance.  The reason it was repentance was because when Nehemiah honestly observed and courageously acted against the sin of those people he was deeply devoted to, they repented.  They turned from their wicked ways and turned back to God.  When we sin, we also must quickly repent and turn back to God in order for the love relationship between the two of us to remain strong and vibrant.  The way we talk with God and verbally confess our repentance is through prayer, which again is the predominant theme throughout the entire book of Nehemiah.  Beloved, this construction project has been truly convicting on my heart and I pray it has been with you as well.  May we live stronger lives in Christ Jesus as a result of these lessons we have studied together.  Live your life in such a manner that our Lord is brought glory and honor.

Questions:

1. Are you honestly observing and courageously acting for the people you are devoted to?
2. Is prayer a part of the equation for you helping others?

Prayer: Father, open my eyes so I am able to honestly discern situation and empower me with Your presence so I may courageously act on those situations.  May the outcome of such interaction lead to repentance. Amen.

Domestic Disobedience

Scripture: Nehemiah 13:23-25

In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people. So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

Insights:  This command of God had nothing to do with genetic purity.  It had nothing to do with race or ethnic distinction.  Part of the reason we know this is because of Jesus’ own lineage.  In it you have Rahab a Canaanite woman and Ruth a Moabite woman.  What it dealt with was spiritual holiness and righteousness before God.  Israel was God’s children and He desired them to be fully His and He knew that if they intermarried with those from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab, they were more than likely going to defile their love for Him in order to please their spouses.  It was for this same reason that Paul admonishes Christians to not be unequally yoked with lost people (2 Cor. 6:14).  As a pastor I have heard so many Christians involved in a relationship with a lost person tell me God was telling them to marry the person and then lead that person to Jesus for salvation.  There are two problems with this statement I have heard.  One, God did not tell them that because He never contradicts Scripture and Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth has explicitly stated not marry such an individual.  Two, if a person is lying down and another is trying to pull them up off of the ground; the one on the ground has the advantage.  It is easier for him to pull the other person down than it is for the other one to pull him up.  The same is true in relationships.  More often than not I have watched the believer get pulled down in the relationship and soon God is not even a factor in the believer’s life.  I mentioned this passage earlier this week, but I mention it again here for the same truth applies.  “Bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33).”    If you are a believer and have been truly born again and you are in a relationship with an unbeliever, then I would strongly encourage you to not follow the example of the people of Nehemiah’s day.  End the relationship and ask God to bring you a godly spouse.

Questions:

1. Are you cultivating a romantic relationship with an unbeliever?
2. Are you contemplating uniting this relationship into an unequally yoked marriage?

Prayer: Father, the heart is such a dangerous thing to us humans.  Protect Your children from themselves and give them the wisdom necessary to make holy decisions. Amen.