Bibledoorajar: Ear to Hear

Don't let them win
(Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now)
Hey now, hey now
Don't let them win
(They come, they come)
Don't let them win
(Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now)

 Lyrics from Don't Stop the Dream by Finn

When the children of God heard Pharoah and all his chariots and soldiers coming they became very afraid. But their leader, Moses, had assurances from God that Pharoah would not win. The last exodus miracle would be to stop the armies of Pharoah in their tracks literally. Moses encouraged the people to quieten down and watch their God do a miracle on behalf of their salvation. In preparation for the parting of the sea, the Cloud moved from in the front to behind the children in order that they be fully protected until the miracle was completed. The Egyptians were still there in their might but they were in total darkness and rendered helpless.

It is interesting to me that one of the hardest things for we Christians to grasp and fully live is that the Spirit is not only in front leading us but He also has our back. We spend hours trying to figure things out, when God has only said to trust Him. He has the front and the back of His own. It is His intent to make Israel his peculiar treasure as will be seen later in Exodus 19. The apostle Peter says to the Church that God has the same intent for us. We are a people totally removed from darkness and a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Don't let Satan and his minions convince you that you are still alone in darkness. Be quiet and let your Father complete His exodus miracle for you.

Bibledoorajar: Short Memories

     When Pharoah heard that the children were camped in the wilderness with the Red Sea in front of them, He forgot the ten plagues and made ready his armies to pursue the slaves. But readying his armies brought to the front the last strength of Pharaoh with which the Father intended to deal.  His armies would not succeed. Meanwhile the children of Israel became afraid and, they too,  forgot all that the Almighty God of Israel had done for them as He freed them from bondage. Trapped, they became fearful and they cried out to God. They accused Moses of removing them from the steady peace of bondage in Egypt and of bringing them to a hemmed in place to die. They had lost their sense of victory and all peace with God was gone. We see this loss of peace with God played out over and over in the history of Israel and it reminds we Christians of how often we have to be reminded of the peace we have with God no matter our life circumstances. This short memory problem is one of the main reasons that Christians were counseled to not forsake the assembling of themselves together.
We must be together and be reminded of what our faith in Jesus gives us each and every day no matter what our circumstances. The apostle Paul spoke of this spiritual peace. He wrote to the Roman church:

"Therefore since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God."

     It is a true spiritual peace that comes from trusting in God. Without it we do just as the prophet of old said, "we sow the wind and reap the whirlwind." (Hosea 8:7) But seemingly we humans are prone to forget. We forget all the benefits that go along with our faith: salvation, love, grace and mercy.  We may not have temporal peace but we can always have spiritual peace with God. How? Because of the work of Christ on the cross. He made us righteous in Him. He justified us. And therefore, peace can be shed abroad in our hearts. One of my favorite Psalms says it like this:

"Righteousness and peace have kissed." (85:10)

     Think today of how righteousness flourished for you in Christ. Realize that spiritual peace abounds for you. You do not have to fear you are lost. He knows just where you are and what you need. Be sure to keep the thoughts in order. First embrace righteousness and your justification and then your spiritual peace. Living daily in the Spirit carries one right through any troubles into eternity and safely home.  In our text, we will find that the Egyptians in all their arrogance and strength of armies will not have peace. Don't be envious of their prosperity and temporal peace they feel. It will garner them nothing. Think instead on the One who has obtained for righteousness and peace for you with Almighty God. Praise Him today.

"Precious Memories, How They Linger

How they ever feel the Soul"

                                J. Wright

Bibledoorajar: The Keeper

"I am a seeker, a poor sinful creature
There is no weaker than I am
I am a seeker, you are a teacher
You are a reacher, so reach down

Won't you reach out and lead me
Guide me and keep me
In the shelter of your care each day
'Cause I am a seeker, you are a keeper
You are the leader, won't you show me the way?"

     

                                                         Dolly Parton

"Lead On, Kindly Light"
         
                                John Newman

The Israelites were making progress being led as they were by the Light, day and night. From the Cloud, God would tell them which way to go. As soon as God was revealing things to them via the Light, He was concealing things from the Egyptians. The Word says that the Light brought darkness to the Egyptians. When God led His people into a place to camp that was called Pihahiroth ("Place of Liberty"--Ritchie), it was perceived by Pharoah to be a place of defeat. There the slaves were--- surrounded by wilderness on all sides and the Red Sea looming before them. But hidden from Pharoah and his armies were the vast abilities of the God of the Israelites. Unknown to them, were all the promises and covenants that God had with His people.  For Pharoah, it appeared to be a perfect time to attack. Nearby was Migdol which means Fortress, but Pharoah saw entrapment.

All of us have felt (or been) hemmed in by life's circumstances at some time or the other and have realized that the enemy was engaged to attack. It is a challenging time for Christians and we sometimes struggle in prayer until we realize that we are still camping in a "Place of Liberty".  Harder still is to realize and believe with all our hearts that our God is a mighty fortress. In the end it is faith, grace, and mercy that sees us through and renders the enemy helpless to engage us. As Martin Luther said, we have "A Man of God's on Choosing" on our side. And, all the promises and covenants made by God with Him before the foundation of the world still stand. Praise be to our God our Father, to Jesus Christ our Savior and to the Holy Spirit Who is our guide into all truth.

Bibledoorajar: The Right Guide

     "Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah

       Pilgrim through this barren land."

John Hughes

     When Moses and the children of Israel moved out, the Bible says they were dressed for war. But God did not think they were ready for war and He guided them around the Philistines thus taking a longer route. There is nothing in this story that says the Israelites prayed to God and asked for a guide. But God knew exactly what His people needed after their redemption. It was a guide. God had told Moses years earlier that Moses and His people would worship Him at the mountain of Horeb. And so the guide came to assure that this would take place. How did it come? It came in the form of a pillar of cloud and fire. It ranged from the heavens down over the Israeli encampment. The pillar was present  day and night, every day and night as long as the people of God honored Him and sought to worship Him.

     When God's children accept the blood of the Lamb, He sends a guide so that we can make our way through this worldly wilderness. The Bible says the Holy Spirit descends from above. It is a good thing to "see" Him thus in our lives. Always present day and night, every day and night as long as we honor Him and seek to worship Him.  One has to admit that such a guide is a great comfort to one who may not be as ready for war as he thinks. One has to admit that each day being protected as we trust and obey is also a marvelous gift of comfort. Jesus told His disciples that after He went to heaven He would send them a Comforter. In John 14: 15 ff we read:

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter to be with you forever--the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him not know Him."

The Israeli's were on their way to places of worship. The Pillar would see that they made it. We also have a great assurance. Never forget, you are not alone, child of God. As the song says, His is a powerful Hand.

Bibledoorajar: What Were We Thinking?

     After the Israelites made their escape there were second thoughts on the part of the Egyptians. What in the world were they thinking! Now they had lost access to their longtime slaves.  Emboldened by God to give chase, Pharoah made ready to get the slaves back. Neither the Israelites nor the Egyptians knew what lay before them. The Israelites had taken care to follow all directions. Their feet were shod with shoes and their staffs were in their hand. They had also remembered Joseph's request that he had made in faith---that his bones would also go with them to the Promised Land. Now God had ensured that the leadership remember this request after over 400 years! Let the pilgrimage begin. The pilgrims, leaning on their staffs, set out to go through country they had never seen before. But none of it was to be their permanent dwelling. They were to keep walking toward the Promised Land.
     Christians are often reminded that this world is not our home. It is the rod and staff of God that comfort us as we pilgrimage toward our permanent dwelling. The Word is a great comfort to us on the way. We encourage each other to keep walking. What we may walk through looks (and is) hopeless but by faith we keep moving on. Along the way God places in our paths things and events that buoy our hope to keep walking.
     We learn in Deuteronomy that the whole time the Israelites were walking their shoes and clothing never wore out. This was God's assurance that they could keep walking. There in their houses they had applied the blood to their doorposts with hyssop and waited til morning to start their journey. We, too, have applied the blood of Christ symbolically to our lives and have started our journey. Like our Israelite brothers our walk began with our purchase by the l(L)amb. The apostle Paul challenges us not to quit but to finish just as Moses encouraged the Israelites. There is supernatural help to do so because, after all, "there is power, power, precious power in the blood of the Lamb."

Bibledoorajar: What Does It All Mean?

     As the children of Israel grabbed their unleavened bread, herded their flocks and gathered their families to move out, they were told to continue having the Feast of Passover. And when the Feast provoked questions  among their children as to its' meaning they were asked to always explain the meaning to them. Thus, going out from the completion of the Feast, Israelites had an assurance about their righteous God who intervened in their need and saved and redeemed them for His own. That was the path that they and their children were to walk in. It would be assuring and a confidence builder in their God who loved them and provided for them in their need. It was something they would know and on which their hope would anchor.

     Yesterday in worship the preacher alluded to the confidence and lack of fear we should have as we go forth having shared the fellowship of the Lord's Supper. He alluded to Phillipians 2:1 ff. in which the Apostle Paul challenged Christians to quantify in their own minds the confidence they had placed in the Son of God. That quantification wiould lead to a given mindset that wiould govern their lives in their families and communities. A righteous God had provided for their need. He had and He would. Share the thought as oft as you meet around the table, Paul said. Examine yourself. Is your quantification of what you have in Christ leading you to a similar mindset as His? Are you telling your children of the importance of that mental exercise? Do you continue to value the Feast Divine?
Reread Phillipians 2: 1ff. this week and praise God for His every provision in Christ.  As you serve and minister this week, remind yourself by what power and in what Name you do so. Is it the same One you confessed you were united with? If so, what does that do with your human fear?

Bibledoorajar: The Boast of God's Provision

     The Israelites had taken a lamb, the lamb, their lamb and slaughtered it and placed its' blood upon their doorposts on the outside of their homes. Their confidence now rested on this aspect of their acceptance of God's freedom process. Their boast to each other was that God would prevent the destroyer from doing any damage to their firstborn through the blood on the doorposts.  But they were also supposed to carry out a provision on the inside of their houses too. They were to roast their lamb's flesh with fire and eat the flesh with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs. Thus, not only would they be saved but they would have the strength that food gives to begin the journey that lay before them.

We have small unbaptized children in our family who closely observe the believers partaking of the communion. They do not completely understand what God has appropriated for us in the feast nor do they yet have a great appreciation for the fellowship and community that we enjoy as we partake. We try to teach them that the focus is on Jesus. That He is the Lamb of God and the Bread of Life. Each week we get sustained; He gets honored. I so do not want them to miss the significance of the death that brings life. It is, after all, not the hero view of the young. The hero never dies! To them the play hero that they may hold in their hands even during the communion service holds greater power to ward off those who would want to harm them. And yet we continue to teach that that dead Lamb would live again and would become the basis for the greatest boast of all for believers.

      "Our confidence, even our boast, is in the perfection of another, in him 'who makes men holy,' making us chidren in the family of God and infinitely precious to Him."

                                                                                                Hebrews 2:11

My prayer for our children in 2016 is that this great boast will not just be a dry doctrine, but that they will embrace the whole truth of God's great love for us and that that great love led Him to come to us in our great need. They need that powerful food!