Month: April 2018

Who is a God like you

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

“Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,”

Psalms 108:1   My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!   Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!  I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.  For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!  That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

 Micah 7:18-20     Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

 Ephesians 2:4-7     But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

 Isaiah 51:2-11     For the LORD comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.  “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.  My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.  “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings.

11  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Who is like God? When we think of His love, grace, and mercy do we put it in context of “Our Sin”?  When we think of His anger, judgement, wrath do we think of it in the context of “Others Sins”?  One of these views results in joy, peace, safety, hope, strength, courage, rest, and praise to God.  The other view results in a life critical of others, complacent neglect because the inner self is not examined.  Praise to God does not come from looking at others sins in light of our perceived righteous actions, no it comes from knowing God, His holiness, and a deep understanding of our sinful nature.  We find this in and through His word.  God’s word is sharper than a two edged sword, able to divide the thought and intents of man.  Spend time in His word and let it speak to your heart, soul and mind. In and through it and His promises we find hope and peace.

Let them consider

“but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

Psalms 107:43  Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

 Psalms 28:5    Because they do not regard the works of the LORD or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.

 Psalms 64:9     Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done.

 Isaiah 5:12     They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.

 Jeremiah 9:12     Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

 Daniel 10:12    Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

 Hosea 14:9   Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

 Psalms 50:23     The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

 Ephesians 3:14  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,   may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

There always seems to be a way man finds to avert focus on God.  When they do not focus on God, they stumble, their land is laid waste,  they are not built up, they are beat down, or they do not see His salvation.  On the other hand those who, ponder, discerns, set their heart to know and seek God, and consider what God has done, they are strengthened with power in their inner being.  They are grounded in His love.  They know Love that surpasses knowledge.  They see God’s salvation.  They humble themselves.  None of us are immune to getting sideways.  None of us are immune to Satan’s attacks.  None of us are immune to our sinful nature and it’s wants and desires.  Our battle is to keep these influences at bay with knowledge and understanding of God and His holiness.  Our hope can be found in no one else.  Our faith can be in no one else.  If his word is not in our daily lives we will surely loose our way.  Remember salvation is offered to all but it is not because we are worthy.  It is because we have come to a place where this world and all it has to offer, leaves us wanting and empty.  Do you want to find true purpose and satisfaction this side of eternity.  Seek God and you will find.  Knock and the door will be opened by God.

Even the valiant man

“Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distres”

Psalms 107:23  Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters;  they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.  They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end.  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.  Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!  Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 

 Psalms 95:5     The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 

 Psalms 104:24-27     O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.  Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.  There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.  These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. 

 Job 38:8-11     “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band,  and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors,  and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

 Psalms 135:7     He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

 Jonah 1:4     But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

 Matthew 8:24     And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

 2 Samuel 17:10     Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear 

 Nahum 2:10    Desolate! Desolation and ruin! Hearts melt and knees tremble; anguish is in all loins; all faces grow pale! 

 Romans 1:20-21     For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

 Acts 27:23-25     For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship,  and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’  So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.

 Jonah 1:16    Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD

How many times do we need to read of God’s awesome power, divine nature, wisdom, and His control of His creation before we believe it, run to Him, trust in Him and cling to Him.  Do we need to have our world shaken to the point where we are utterly helpless and fearful of our lives before we run to Him?  It is good to spend time in His word, learn of Him, be taught of Him, be led by Him, and rest and trust in His every loving arms.  Let your day be filled with hope, joy, peace, rest and love as you yield more and more to Him.

The way of his own heart

“Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?”

Psalms 107:17  Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;  they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!  And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

 Psalms 14:1   The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good

Psalms 92:6  The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever;

 Proverbs 1:22   “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?  

 Proverbs 7:7    and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense,

 Psalms 38:1-8    O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath!  For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me.  There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.  For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.  My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness,  I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning.  For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.  I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

 Isaiah 57:17-18    Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.  I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, 

 Jeremiah 2:19     Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

Foolish, simple, backsliding, lacking sense, hating knowledge, and no fear of God all speak of the condition of man and the potential to forsake God.  I sometimes wonder if much has changed in mankind.  Our sinful nature is always sticking its ugly head up into our lives.  Some of these verses were written over 2500 years ago and yet they seem to apply as written for today. Think of the technology today that draws us away from seeking, speaking, following, praising, and listening to Him.  iPad, iPhone, computer, smart TV, and easy transportation all are used to fill our lives.  It does not take long for them to erode our walk with God.  Busyness and technology quickly lead us down a path of complacent neglect and is no excuse.  It takes a fully committed heart, mind and soul to seek, follow, honor, listen to, and obey God.  Do you want to hear His whispers of guidance? – Read His word.  Do you want to find purpose and satisfaction? – Read His word.   Are you tired of seeing everyday as just another self centered meaningless non-fulfilling day?  Read His word.  In His word we find promises of hope, joy, grace, mercy, eternal life, forgiveness, peace, rest, power, strength, and His steadfast love.

Light of the world

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

“ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”

“for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”

Psalms 107:10  Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,  for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.  So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!   For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

 Luke 1:79     to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 Isaiah 42:7     to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

 Isaiah 60:1-3    Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.  And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Exodus 2:23-24     During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.  And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

 Job 36:8-9     And if they are bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction,  then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.

 Romans 6:20-21     For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

 Acts 26:18  to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5     But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.  For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

I wonder if we get confused with what is light and what is darkness.  For sure we know the physical difference between night and day, light and dark. However when it comes to sin darkness, do we see it? do we own it? do we understand it? do we know the author of darkness?  When it comes to sin darkness, sometimes, it binds us in chains, blinds our eyes, and makes our senses unable to see or feel the love and light of Christ.  We grope around trying to find a path forward.  Sometimes we end up in darkness be cause we neglect the light.  Other times we just plan fail to run to the light, choosing rather to remain in the darkness.  What are we to do when we see someone in darkness?  Show them the light.  Encourage them with the light.  Proclaim the light.  And at other times allow the light of Christ flow through you.  We all have found ourselves in darkness.  Allow God to use you as a light to others and always pointing to Him alone.

You will seek me and find me

Psalms 107:4  Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;  hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

 Deuteronomy 8:15    who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock,

 Deuteronomy 32:10     “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

 Ezekiel 34:12     As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

 Numbers 14:33    And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness.

 Judges 15:18-19     And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the LORD and said, “You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”  And God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi, and water came out from it. And when he drank, his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore the name of it was called En-hakkore; it is at Lehi to this day.

 Lamentations 2:19     “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.”

 2 Corinthians 12:8-10    Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 Jeremiah 29:12-14     Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

 2 Corinthians 1:8-10    For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

There is no changing in God.  He remains the same, creator, mighty, awesome in power, steadfast love, grace, mercy, and long-suffering toward His creation, mankind.  Life would tell us there is little that changes for mankind as our nature would experience – pleasure, pain, purpose, satisfaction, toil, trouble, sickness, death, life, joy, anger, pride, humbleness, laughter, bitterness, praise, judgmental, forgiving, and crying.   We try to find much of our way in this life apart from God.  Apart from trusting in, relying on, clinging to, and giving thanks to Him.  Even when we think we are walking each day with Him, we limit what we think He can do.  Scripture has been given to us so that we might know Him more, understand Him more, love Him more, rely on Him more, trust in Him more, run to Him faster, listen to His quiet whispers of guidance more, seek Him more, and believe in Him more.  He never changes.  He is the same today and forever.  Spend time in His word. Seek Him and you will find Him.  Sometimes we need someone to just encourage us to run to Him.  It seems so obvious but many times it is the last thing we do.

Give Thanks for He is good

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

“I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

Psalms 107:1  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

 1 Chronicles 16:34    Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

 Psalms 119:68   You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

Psalms 136:1-9    Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  Give thanks to Him Who alone does great works, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  Give thanks to Him Who by wisdom made the heavens, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  Give thanks to Him Who spread out the earth upon the waters, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  Give thanks to Him Who made the great lights, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  He made the sun to rule during the day, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  He made the moon and stars to rule during the night, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.

 Psalms 103:17    But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,

 Deuteronomy 7:8    but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

 Jeremiah 15:21    I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

 Isaiah 43:5-6   Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.

God does not change and His love is steadfast even though we walk paths apart and away from Him.  This call to give thanks includes creation, mighty awesome deeds of protection, and redemption.  We deserve none of it.  We all like sheep have gone astray seeking satisfaction and purpose apart from God.  Giving thanks should call to remembrance all that we know about God and what He has done, is doing, and will do.  Give thanks at all times and in all situations for He is worthy.

God Helps in Trouble

Psalms107 Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His loving-kindness lasts forever! 2 Let the people who have been saved say so. He has bought them and set them free from the hand of those who hated them. 3 He gathered them from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some traveled through the desert wastes. They did not find a way to a city where they could live. 5 They were hungry and thirsty. Their souls became weak within them. 6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. And He took them out of their suffering. 7 He led them by a straight path to a city where they could live. 8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving-kindness and His great works to the children of men! 9 For He fills the thirsty soul. And He fills the hungry soul with good things. 10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. They suffered in prison in iron chains. 11 Because they had turned against the Words of God. They hated what the Most High told them to do. 12 So He loaded them down with hard work. They fell and there was no one to help. 13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. And He saved them from their suffering. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death. And He broke their chains. 15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving-kindness and His great works to the children of men! 16 For He has broken gates of brass and cut through walls of iron. 17 Some were fools because of their wrong-doing. They had troubles because of their sins. 18 They hated all kinds of food. And they came near the gates of death. 19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. And He saved them from their suffering. 20 He sent His Word and healed them. And He saved them from the grave. 21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving-kindness and His great works to the children of men! 22 Let them give Him gifts of thanks and tell of His works with songs of joy.  23 Some went out to sea in ships to buy and sell on the great waters. 24 They have seen what the Lord can do and His great works on the sea. 25 For He spoke and raised up a storm that lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They went up to the heavens and down to the deep. Their strength of heart left them in their danger. 27 They could not walk straight but went from side to side like a drunk man. They did not know what to do. 28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. And He took them out of all their problems. 29 He stopped the storm, and the waves of the sea became quiet. 30 Then they were glad because the sea became quiet. And He led them to the safe place they wanted. 31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving-kindness and His great works to the children of men! 32 Let them honor Him in the meeting of the people and praise Him in the meeting of the leaders. 33 He changes rivers into a desert and wells of water into a thirsty ground. 34 He changes a land of much fruit into a salt waste because of the sin of those who live in it. 35 He changes a desert into a pool of water and makes water flow out of dry ground. 36 And He makes the hungry go there so they may build a city to live in. 37 They plant seeds in the fields and plant grape-vines and gather much fruit. 38 He lets good come to them and they become many in number. And He does not let the number of their cattle become less. 39 When the number of people becomes less and they are put to shame under a bad power and trouble and sorrow, 40 He pours anger on rulers. He makes them walk in the waste places where there is no path. 41 But He lifts those in need out of their troubles. He makes their families grow like flocks. 42 Those who are right see it and are glad. But all the sinful shut their mouths. 43 Let the wise man think about these things. And may he think about the loving-kindness of the Lord.


Whatever the circumstances under which the psalm was written, there can be no doubt as to the great lesson which it communicates – that God watches over men, and his ear is open to their prayers.

When God speaks through trials

“Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.”

Psalms 106:7  Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 

 Psalms 106:12  Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.

 Psalms 106:20  They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,  wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 

  Psalms 106:24  Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD. 

 Psalms 106:28  Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them

Psalms 106:32  They angered him at the waters of Meribah,

 Psalms 106:34  They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.  They served their idols, which became a snare to them.   They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;

 Psalms 106:39  Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

 Psalms 106:43  Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.

I don’t have to look back very far to see that I, too, have done many of these same things.  I have not waited, had little faith, forgot His past works in my life, and did not remember He is the all powerful, every loving, and always in control, God.  In the heat of issues, problems, troubles, and when despair and doubt overwhelms, I seem to forget God loves me, He is in control, and I don’t have to be anxious or worried about what lies ahead.   It seems so easy to fall into this trap.  Is it a test?  Is it to teach and grow my faith?  Is it to show me my sinfulness?  I think the answer to all is yes. Daily, I spend time in His word to proclaim the very things I am neglect in believing.  I am not sure if this is common to all but God seems to be laying this heavily upon me.  Fatih is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Forgive me Father for my lack of trust, reliance, and faith  and for not placing them fully in your every capable and loving arms.

God’s hand at work

This morning is a bit of a long read but very worth the reading.  Seeing God’s hand, deliverance, protection, power, control, and then to note the harden hearts just three days later in the wilderness.  Wait on the Lord and in all things give thanks.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen[a] and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed[b] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward[c] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 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.

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

 Exodus 15:19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen[e] went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the Lord,

for he is highly exalted.

Both horse and driver

he has hurled into the sea.”

The Waters of Marah and Elim

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[f]) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.