Israelites

June 16th – Joshua 1:9

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Joshua 1:9

The nations who possessed the promised land were powerful, but none more powerful than God. And so the Lord commanded Joshua to not fear as he led God’s people into the land of milk and honey. When we love and follow the Lord in obedience, we never need worry about the battles we face. No matter the challenge, God has already gone ahead of us and secured our victory. Fear is a powerful tool of the enemy. He uses it to keep us weak and stuck. Many times he used it successfully against the people of Israel. But God calls us to live courageously, without fear, knowing that He is with us at all times. And this message of courage is so important, Moses wrote it down and gave it to the Levitical priests. He then commanded it be kept in the ark of the covenant, and be read to the people every seven years at the feast of booths.

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June 15th – Psalm 95:8

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Psalm 95:8

The book of Exodus tells of the travels of the Israelites as they fled Egypt. Through their forty year journey, the people witnessed many miracles of God in His divine care for them. Yet they still grumbled against Him. In spite of all the Lord provided, the people became faithless and their hearts grew hard. David warns us to protect our hearts from the same fate. He tells us not to take our blessings for granted, and give in to grumbling against God. Because when we turn our hearts away from Him is when we get into trouble. Like the Israelites, we too are on an exodus. We are partners with Jesus who leads us on our travels to the Promised Land. So no matter how great the trial, if we have faith in God to see us through the journey, our hearts will remain soft, thankful, and eager to obey Him.

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June 11th – Nehemiah 8:10

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Nehemiah 8:10

After a 70 year exile in Babylon, the Israelites triumphantly returned to their beloved Jerusalem. The people stood behind the newly rebuilt walls and listened as the priest Ezra read aloud from the Book of the Law of Moses. And as they realized how horribly they had rejected and sinned against God, the people began to weep. Have you ever wept because of sin? Had times where you have rejected the Word of God? I have. And my heart has been broken knowing the hurt I have caused my Lord. But we serve a God of unending mercy and love. And like Nehemiah told the downhearted Israelites, instead of weeping over past sin we should rejoice! Because when we truly repent and return to God, He welcomes us back joyfully, and with open arms. And to experience such unmerited grace not only heals our hearts, but renews our strength!

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May 20th – Exodus 24:3

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Exodus 24:3

Imagine being an Israelite. Personally chosen by God to enter into a glorious covenant with Him. Witnessing His power firsthand. Traveling day and night surrounded by His glory and protection. Now imagine experiencing all of that only to turn around and reject His love. It’s easy to make a covenant with God when we feel surrounded in His glory. Maybe it’s because of a received blessing, answered prayer, or a need fulfilled. We resolve to faithfully follow His will and not our own. Then life goes on. And our focus wanders on things other than our relationship with the Lord. We spend our time and energy pursuing our fleshly desires. And instead of trusting Him, we attempt to meet our needs on our own. But the wonderful news is this. No matter how much we reject God, He will never reject us. He is always there waiting to welcome us back into His loving arms.

 

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Isaiah 41:10

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Isaiah 41:10 

After following Moses for forty years, it became Joshua’s turn to lead over two million people. And not just any people, God’s chosen people. But Moses left some sage advice to calm the fears of both Joshua and us. When we get a calling by God, don’t be afraid. Because when He gives us a job to do, God never asks us to do it alone. He is always with us, working hand in hand. Before we even take our first step, the Lord is already ahead of us clearing the path. And He will supply all we need to get the job done. While it’s true through our own power we are limited, through God’s there’s nothing we can’t do! So when you hear God’s call, answer it bravely, boldly, and eagerly. And be prepared to do amazing things!

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November 28th – Deuteronomy 33:27

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Deuteronomy 33:27

We are all searching for a port in the storm. A place of safety and refuge. And a place to call home. For Christian’s we have that in the secret place of God’s presence. He is our mighty fortress, and our dwelling place is underneath His everlasting arms. We know the earth is only our temporary home, and our hearts long to be with the Lord forever. The Israelites wandered for forty years in search of their new home. And through Moses, God brought them to the promised land. Yet even during their journey, God reminded them that He was their dwelling place. And no matter where they settled, He would always be their truest home on earth. The same goes for us. Until God calls us to eternal destination in heaven, He is our safe harbor, security, and sanctuary in this world. So we can rejoice and give thanks. For no matter where we wander, God is always our true north, and in Him alone can we find our forever home.

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November 18th – Isaiah 55:12

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Isaiah 55:12

Even though the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon, God promised His people that they would once again taste the goodness of joy. A promise He makes to us as well. For even though we live in the captivity of sin, one day we too will walk in freedom. Because of the great fall of man, barrenness, thorns, and fruitlessness resulted. But one glorious day, God will restore all of His creation to its former glory. He will remove the curse of decay and ruin. Everything will shine from the beauty of God’s glory, including us. We too will be restored, never again suffering death. Instead we will delight ourselves in the Lord’s abundance. And the joy felt will be great! So great that even the mountains, hills, and trees, will break forth with shouts of joy and clapping. So give thanks to the Lord for His gift of restoration born out of His great love!

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November 15th – Exodus 15:1

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Exodus 15:1

Many Christians frown upon celebrating holidays due to their pagan roots. But that’s not true with Thanksgiving. With the original day of December 13, 1621, the colonists started the tradition of giving thanks. A day set aside for feasting, prayer, and gratitude to God for all of His provisions. The Biblical definition of thanksgiving is “the act of acknowledging what is right about God in prayer and thanks.” And having gratitude to God comes up around 125 times throughout the Bible. That makes it pretty clear how important hearts of thanksgiving are to the Lord. The first thing the Israelites did when safely crossing the Red Sea was to sing a song of praise to God. For they knew that all good things in life only come from the Lord, especially their deliverance. And no matter the circumstance we face, there is always something to be thankful for. So this holiday and all days in between, from hearts overflowing with thanks, let our lips constantly be singing God’s praises!

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Who Is Like You O Lord – Exodus 15:6-11

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Exodus 15:6-11

Whenever I would read about the early Israelites, I used to feel a pang of jealousy. After all, they had God in their midst. They encountered first hand His wonders and signs. And they were constantly in His presence as He both provided and traveled with them. Oh how I wished I too could have been on that journey. And so I never understood how, when presented with the opportunity to actually hear God speak at Mt. Sinai, they turned away in fear. But that was before I experienced the worst thunderstorm I can remember. …

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