Podcasts about after moses

In this sermon, we explored how God calls His people—like Joshua and Paul—to move forward with strength and courage, even when facing fear, hardship, or weakness. After Moses' death, Joshua stepped into an intimidating leadership role, but God promised His presence and success if Joshua remained faithful to His Word. Similarly, Paul wrestled with a persistent "thorn" in his life, yet God reminded him that His grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in weakness. Both men discovered that God's strength isn't found in the absence of struggle, but in trusting Him through it. As believers, we are encouraged to cling to God's presence and promises—especially in seasons of suffering or transition—knowing He will never leave or forsake us.

All of what we hope for tomorrow, begins today. Joshua prepared Israel to cross the Jordan River. This was the second time they faced a barrier of water. First was the Red Sea after their exodus from Egypt. They miraculously crossed over with great joy, but they soon fell into bad habits. By the time Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy, which was the last of his five books called the Pentateuch, he was very aware of Israel's failure after the Red Sea miracle. In that last book, Moses wrote about people focusing on God and doing His will "today" over 160 times. Looking back, I think Moses realized that the people's hope for tomorrow was not met with preparation today. After Moses died, God raised up Joshua. As Israeli faced their second barrier of water, the Jordan River, we find Joshua giving them instructions today, before crossing over the next day. Joshua said, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5) God has prepared you for every challenge and opportunity in front of you. Today is your tomorrow because what you do today determines your success tomorrow.   God Bless and be encouraged! ~ Bryan Hudson, DMin

Anxiety is real. It's one of the most common emotions we experience—whether it's about family, work, finances, health, the economy, or politics. If you can name it, chances are, someone has felt anxious about it. What about you? Where is anxiety hitting hardest in your life right now?Joshua knew that feeling. After Moses' death, he had to lead Israel into an uncertain future. The disciples felt it too—left reeling after Jesus' crucifixion, unsure of what came next. Their anxiety alarms were blaring. And yet, God's response was clear: “Be strong and courageous.”At first, that command sounds impossible—like God is dismissing their fears. But He wasn't. God wasn't asking Joshua or the disciples to rely on their own strength or ignore their anxiety. Instead, He pointed them to something greater:An eternal promise that drives out fear of the unknown.An eternal practice that keeps anxiety at bay.An eternal power that overcomes every fear.Yes, anxiety is real—but an anxious-free life is possible. And here's the good news: God wants you to live free from anxiety and has done everything necessary to make it possible. The key? Believing what God says about you, about life, and about the unknown. That belief unlocks the door to the peace you're searching for.So, will you step into the life God wants for you? Join us as we explore Joshua, the disciples, and how God equipped them to be strong and courageous. You don't have to live in fear. An anxious free life is waiting.

“You Can't Do It Alone”Exodus 18:1-27 [NIV]1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; 4 and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God's will. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and instructions.”17 Moses' father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/

Anxiety is real. It's one of the most common emotions we experience—whether it's about family, work, finances, health, the economy, or politics. If you can name it, chances are, someone has felt anxious about it. What about you? Where is anxiety hitting hardest in your life right now?Joshua knew that feeling. After Moses' death, he had to lead Israel into an uncertain future. The disciples felt it too—left reeling after Jesus' crucifixion, unsure of what came next. Their anxiety alarms were blaring. And yet, God's response was clear: “Be strong and courageous.”At first, that command sounds impossible—like God is dismissing their fears. But He wasn't. God wasn't asking Joshua or the disciples to rely on their own strength or ignore their anxiety. Instead, He pointed them to something greater:An eternal promise that drives out fear of the unknown.An eternal practice that keeps anxiety at bay.An eternal power that overcomes every fear.Yes, anxiety is real—but an anxious-free life is possible. And here's the good news: God wants you to live free from anxiety and has done everything necessary to make it possible. The key? Believing what God says about you, about life, and about the unknown. That belief unlocks the door to the peace you're searching for.So, will you step into the life God wants for you? Join us as we explore Joshua, the disciples, and how God equipped them to be strong and courageous. You don't have to live in fear. An anxious free life is waiting.

Anxiety is real. It's one of the most common emotions we experience—whether it's about family, work, finances, health, the economy, or politics. If you can name it, chances are, someone has felt anxious about it. What about you? Where is anxiety hitting hardest in your life right now?Joshua knew that feeling. After Moses' death, he had to lead Israel into an uncertain future. The disciples felt it too—left reeling after Jesus' crucifixion, unsure of what came next. Their anxiety alarms were blaring. And yet, God's response was clear: “Be strong and courageous.”At first, that command sounds impossible—like God is dismissing their fears. But He wasn't. God wasn't asking Joshua or the disciples to rely on their own strength or ignore their anxiety. Instead, He pointed them to something greater:An eternal promise that drives out fear of the unknown.An eternal practice that keeps anxiety at bay.An eternal power that overcomes every fear.Yes, anxiety is real—but an anxious-free life is possible. And here's the good news: God wants you to live free from anxiety and has done everything necessary to make it possible. The key? Believing what God says about you, about life, and about the unknown. That belief unlocks the door to the peace you're searching for.So, will you step into the life God wants for you? Join us as we explore Joshua, the disciples, and how God equipped them to be strong and courageous. You don't have to live in fear. An anxious free life is waiting.

Anxiety is real. It's one of the most common emotions we experience—whether it's about family, work, finances, health, the economy, or politics. If you can name it, chances are, someone has felt anxious about it. What about you? Where is anxiety hitting hardest in your life right now?Joshua knew that feeling. After Moses' death, he had to lead Israel into an uncertain future. The disciples felt it too—left reeling after Jesus' crucifixion, unsure of what came next. Their anxiety alarms were blaring. And yet, God's response was clear: “Be strong and courageous.”At first, that command sounds impossible—like God is dismissing their fears. But He wasn't. God wasn't asking Joshua or the disciples to rely on their own strength or ignore their anxiety. Instead, He pointed them to something greater:An eternal promise that drives out fear of the unknown.An eternal practice that keeps anxiety at bay.An eternal power that overcomes every fear.Yes, anxiety is real—but an anxious-free life is possible. And here's the good news: God wants you to live free from anxiety and has done everything necessary to make it possible. The key? Believing what God says about you, about life, and about the unknown. That belief unlocks the door to the peace you're searching for.So, will you step into the life God wants for you? Join us as we explore Joshua, the disciples, and how God equipped them to be strong and courageous. You don't have to live in fear. An anxious free life is waiting.

Anxiety is real. It's one of the most common emotions we experience—whether it's about family, work, finances, health, the economy, or politics. If you can name it, chances are, someone has felt anxious about it. What about you? Where is anxiety hitting hardest in your life right now?Joshua knew that feeling. After Moses' death, he had to lead Israel into an uncertain future. The disciples felt it too—left reeling after Jesus' crucifixion, unsure of what came next. Their anxiety alarms were blaring. And yet, God's response was clear: “Be strong and courageous.”At first, that command sounds impossible—like God is dismissing their fears. But He wasn't. God wasn't asking Joshua or the disciples to rely on their own strength or ignore their anxiety. Instead, He pointed them to something greater:An eternal promise that drives out fear of the unknown.An eternal practice that keeps anxiety at bay.An eternal power that overcomes every fear.Yes, anxiety is real—but an anxious-free life is possible. And here's the good news: God wants you to live free from anxiety and has done everything necessary to make it possible. The key? Believing what God says about you, about life, and about the unknown. That belief unlocks the door to the peace you're searching for.So, will you step into the life God wants for you? Join us as we explore Joshua, the disciples, and how God equipped them to be strong and courageous. You don't have to live in fear. An anxious free life is waiting.

Israel has finally arrived just outside the Promised Land, and all that's left to do is enter it and take from those people whom God has set apart for destruction. Their journey should have ended here with a military campaign against the inhabitants of the land, but instead of confronting their enemies as the Lord had commanded, they cower, complain, and make excuses. Lacking faith and conviction, the Lord tells Moses that his people will not enter the land, but instead, they will wander in the wilderness until their generation dies so that the next generation can act upon the promises of God. After Moses gives them this news, they decide to try and take the land without the Lord's blessing.Numbers 13 - 1:01 . Numbers 14 - 5:23 . Numbers 15 - 14:04 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Parshat Mishpatim:  The Blood Of Yeshua Empowers Us  -  Spanish and English.  After Moses sprinkled the blood on the people of Israel and their leaders, the leaders were called to meet with Yahweh. Likewise, the blood of Yeshua cleansed us from all sin and made us acceptable to Yahweh.  Recorded February 22, 2025. Parshat Mishpatim:  La sangre de Yeshua nos capacita  -  Spanish and English.  Moises rocio la sangre   sobre el pueblo de  Israel y sus lideres, y luego de ese acontecimiento, los lideres fueron llamados a reunirse con Yahweh. De igual manera la sangre de Yeshua nos limpio de todo pecado y nos hizo aceptos a Yahweh. Grabado el 22 de febrero de 2025.

After Moses approached a burning bush on Mount Horeb that was not consumed by the fire, the Lord God Almighty spoke to Moses and commanded him to return to Egypt. Today, we pick back up in the middle of that conversation, wherein Moses pushes back against God's command to go and speak to Pharaoh. He's concerned that he is ill-equipped for the task that he's been given, but the Lord assures Moses that He will be with Him and God gives his messenger signs to perform to prove that he truly is a representative of God. When Moses confronts Pharaoh, he becomes indignant and commands that Israel be given even more work. Moses turns to the Lord in desperate confusion, but the Lord assures Moses that He will act.Exodus 4 - 1:01 . Exodus 5 - 7:12 . Exodus 6 - 11:24 . Psalm 25 - 16:30 . :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Introduction (Bruce Almighty movie clip) It is possible that you are here today and are wondering how and why it is that a good God would allow some of the hard things you were forced to experience so far. Maybe you have said or identify with Bruces description of his own experience with God: God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I'm the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if He wanted to, buthe'd rather burn off my feelers and watch me squirm. If God is good, and if he is infinitely and perfectly sovereign how and why does He allow so much suffering in the world? How is it that He allows so much evil when he is the measure of all that is holy and good? There seems to be a great divide between the God we read about in our Bibles and the world we live in. What are we supposed to do with the confusion, disappointment, anger, evil, and suffering God has allowed into our lives? Is it okay to be angry with God when we suffer? I plan to answer the above questions, but we must start with the nature and character of God as He revealed Himself to Moses after 40 years in the desert as a fugitive of Egypt after he murdered one of Pharoahs guards. Moses Encounter with a Holy God Here is what you need to know about what led up to Moses experience with the burning bush. God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and then to Jacob that their children would become His people; the promise was threefold and included the promise of land, the increase of their people, and that their people would eventually be a blessing to the nations. However, God also promised that they would spend years in a land where they would be afflicted (see Gen. 15:13; Exod. 12:40-41). When Moses was born, the Hebrew people had spent centuries living in Egypt. The Hebrew people were first welcomed as honored guests under Joseph (one of the sons of Jacob) who was second to Pharaoh, but as the years past, so did the memory of Joseph. The Hebrews eventually became the slaves of another Pharaoh; he was so threatened by the birth rate of the Hebrews, that he implemented infanticide as the law of the land and wrote into law that every Hebrew son born was to be thrown into the Nile. Moses mother refused to murder her baby, so she kept his birth a secret until she could not do so any longer; she put baby Moses in a basket covered with tar and pitch, put him in it, and floated it down the Nile where Pharaohs daughter eventually found the basket with baby Moses whom she raised as her own. Moses grew up in Pharaohs house, but he was also aware of his roots as a Hebrew man. We know that Moses had a temper, and on two occasions, it cost him much. On one such occasion, after seeing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, Moses killed the Egyptian and buried his body in the sand (see Exod. 2:11-12). When Moses learned that others knew that he killed the Egyptian, he fled and hid in the land of Midian. Moses spent the next 40 years of his life in Median, got married, and worked for his father-in-law Jethro. What We Learn About God Through Moses Encounter Before we can answer where or not it is okay to be angry with God, we need to consider the God who found Moses in Midian; against the backdrop of Josephs 13 years of suffering, the generations of slavery the Hebrews suffered in Egypt, and Moses 40 years in Midian. God is Holy: He is not like us. Moses approached the burning bush not only because it was weird, but because God called to him, from the midst of the bush and said, Moses! Moses! Moses response was simple: Here I am. Notice that as Moses got closer to the burning bush, God said to him, Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. What made the ground holy? The presence of God made it holy. As R.C. Sproul wrote in his timeless and classic book, The Holiness of God: God alone is holy in Himself. Only God can sanctify something else. Only God can give the touch that changes it from the commonplace to something special, different, and apart.[1] Now, just so that you are aware, it is not only Moses, a mere mortal human, who must remove his sandals in the presence of holiness. The seraphim whose sole purpose is worship above the throne of God are not exempt from the kind of respect and reverence that was expected of Moses in the presence of the Holy One. Isaiah was invited into the throne room of Almighty God, and this is what he saw: In the year of King Uzziahs death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies. The whole earth is full of His glory. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. (Isa. 6:14) The great Seraphim must cover their face and their feet in the presence of a Holy God even though they have not been stained by sin, but because they, like us, are creatures and God is the Creator. Isaiahs response before the Holy One was appropriate: Woe to me, for I am ruined! Moses response was not only to remove his sandals, but to hide his face, for he was afraid to look at God (v. 6). Why? Because God is holy, and we are not. God is not like us. God is Omniscient: He sees the big picture. When we come to verse 6, God let Moses who it was that was speaking to him: I am the God of your fatherthe God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And just as God was intimately acquainted with the lives of Moses forefathers, He was aware of the suffering of Moses kinsmen in Egypt: I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings (v. 7). When the Hebrews entered into Egypt, they were the size of a small clan, but after hundreds of years in Egypt, they had become the size of a small nation. When Moses fled to Midian, he was a 40-year-old used to royalty; the Moses who stood before the burning bush was any eighty-year-old shepherd. What the Hebrews did not understand, and what Moses could not have fathomed was that God was using the ugly, the hard, and the pain for something far greater than they could have imagined. God was aware of their suffering all along, and now in that moment was the right time to, rescue them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from the land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey... (v. 8) just as He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries before. So, God said to Moses: And now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt (v. 10). To which, Moses appropriately responded: Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt? All that the Hebrews could see was their slavery and suffering; all that Moses could see was his failures and incompetence. What God saw was that He alone can use the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong (see 1 Cor. 1:26-31). What God saw was that His timing was infinitely better because He saw the big picture. God is Faithful: He keeps His promises. Remember that the Hebrew slaves in Egypt were surrounded by an Egyptian culture that worshiped Egyptian gods who were not gods, but demons (see Deut. 32:17). Moses questioned what name he was to give to the Hebrew slaves if they were to ask Who it was that sent Moses to deliver them (v. 13). Here is Gods answer: And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM; and He said, This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: I AM has sent me to you (v. 14). Then God continued: This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is the name for all generations to use to call upon Me (v. 15). In other words, God told Moses: You tell them that Yahweh sent you! At the heart of Gods answer are four facts about His nature for why the Israelites should believe the He could and would deliver them: Yahweh is self-existent and not dependent. God was unlike the Egyptian gods who were created by their own culture. Yahweh is the Elohim over elohims. The great I AM was bigger than the plight of the Israelites as He is greater than any trouble in our own lives. Yahweh is creator and sustainer. Who wrote the Law of Thermodynamics? Who governs the laws of gravity?Who grants the Sun permission to get up in the morning? Who gave the song for the birds to sing? Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills? Who brings men into power, raises nations into prominence and then brings them to naught? Is it not the great I AM who keeps His covenant promises. Yahweh is unchanging. Yahweh is the great I AM whose personality does not change. He does not suffer from a multi-personality disorder. He does not change with the ideas of his devotees. He is unmovable because He does not change. Because Yahweh is unchanging, He is constant unlike the gods of the Egyptians or whatever idol we may have set up in our own heart. Yahweh is eternal. Because He is the great I AM, Yahweh will never have a beginning nor will he ever have an end. Even though the fool has said there is no God, Yahweh is absolute reality with nothing before or after Him. The great I AM does not sleep, slumber, slack off, or slip into a daydream stupor. What God told Moses is this: Moses, you tell My people that the Covenant Keeper who promised their forefathers that He would make them into a great nation, would give them land as a nation, and would make them a blessing to the nations... you tell them the Faithful and Living One sent you! God keeps His promises because He alone is faithful even when we are not. Conclusion So, the question you may still be asking is whether it is or is not okay to be angry with God? Is it okay to be angry with He who is Holy and infinitely unlike us creatures? Is it okay to be angry with the One who sees and knows all things perfectly? Is it okay to be angry with the One who keeps His covenant promises because He is faithful while we are faithless time and time again? Is it okay to be angry with Yahweh who is Almighty God? As you know, God did use Moses to lead the Hebrews out of the bondage of slavery from Egypt, and He did it miraculously and profoundly. Yet, even after God delivered them, Moses found himself shepherding and leading a people who demonstrated over and over again just how faithless they really were. After their grievous sin of idolatry with the golden calf, Moses pleaded with God for mercy for His people who sinned, and God granted it. In Exodus 33:17-34:9 we are given a glimpse into Moses heart as a shepherd absolutely in love with Yahweh, and in that exchange asked to see God. God told Moses that he could not see His face and live, but this is what God did say He would do: I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion (Exod. 33:19). When God did pass, He hid Moses in the cleft of a rock, and allowed His goodness to pass by him and when it did, Moses heard God proclaim of His goodness: The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and truth; who keeps faithfulness for thousands, who forgives wrongdoing, violation of His Law, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, inflicting the punishment of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations (Exod. 34:67). So, what does Gods goodness include? It includes His mercy, patience, faithfulness, truth, and grace. But it also includes His justice and wrath in response to sin. So, again I ask you: Is it okay to be angry with the God who is Holy and infinitely unlike us creatures? Is it okay to be angry with the God who sees and knows all things perfectly? Is it okay to be angry with a holy God who is faithful while we are faithless time and time again? Is it okay to be angry with Yahweh who is Almighty God? Let me reframe the question for you: If God is infinitely good and we are the ones who need to improve upon being good, do we have any right to be angry with God? Now, think about the effects anger has on a relationship. When you are angry with someone because you believe you have been wronged by that person, it interferes with communication. Anger towards a friend or a member of your family often drives a wedge between you and that person. Anger typically results in the one offended distancing himself/herself from the person who wronged them. If there is no need for God to improve, especially in being good, then to suggest that it is okay to be angry with Him is to suggest that it is okay to accuse Him of wrongdoing. Psalm 145 is a great Psalm to visit while suffering or confused why God would allow you to suffer; verses 8-9 say the following: The Lord is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. Again in Psalm 145:17-18, The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. I have head Christians and Pastors console the suffering and confused: It is okay to be angry with God. To which I ask, How is it okay to be angry with He who is infinitely holy, how is it okay to be angry with Him who sees all while my vision is limited, how is it okay to be angry with the Almighty whose faithfulness has been proven time and time again while my faithfulness has been found wanting more than I count? Listen dear friend, not only are we not given permission in all of Scripture to be angry with God, but we also have no right to be angry with Him. Here is what is permitted and even expected by God: We can be confused, frustrated, and even hurt emotionally. If God is infinitely good, which He is, then we can run to Him with our confusion, we can run to Him with our frustration, and we can run to Him with our wounded and bleeding hearts knowing that even though we cant see His goodness in and through our pain, we can trust that He is still good and will turn it around in His way and in His time for His glory and our good! After Moses experienced the goodness of God when His glory passed by while he was in the cleft of the rock, Moses responded on behalf of the sins of Israel: If in any way I have found favor in Your sight, Lord, please may the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our wrongdoing and our sin, and take us as Your own possession (Exod. 34:9). Dear brothers and sisters, if your faith and trust is in Jesus as proof of Gods infinite goodness, then my plea to you is not to run from Him in anger but to him with all your pain, confusion, and frustration. Run to the God of Romans 8:28-32, And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? [1] Sproul, R.C., The Holiness of God (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers; 1998), 39.

Introduction (Bruce Almighty movie clip) It is possible that you are here today and are wondering how and why it is that a good God would allow some of the hard things you were forced to experience so far. Maybe you have said or identify with Bruces description of his own experience with God: God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I'm the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if He wanted to, buthe'd rather burn off my feelers and watch me squirm. If God is good, and if he is infinitely and perfectly sovereign how and why does He allow so much suffering in the world? How is it that He allows so much evil when he is the measure of all that is holy and good? There seems to be a great divide between the God we read about in our Bibles and the world we live in. What are we supposed to do with the confusion, disappointment, anger, evil, and suffering God has allowed into our lives? Is it okay to be angry with God when we suffer? I plan to answer the above questions, but we must start with the nature and character of God as He revealed Himself to Moses after 40 years in the desert as a fugitive of Egypt after he murdered one of Pharoahs guards. Moses Encounter with a Holy God Here is what you need to know about what led up to Moses experience with the burning bush. God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and then to Jacob that their children would become His people; the promise was threefold and included the promise of land, the increase of their people, and that their people would eventually be a blessing to the nations. However, God also promised that they would spend years in a land where they would be afflicted (see Gen. 15:13; Exod. 12:40-41). When Moses was born, the Hebrew people had spent centuries living in Egypt. The Hebrew people were first welcomed as honored guests under Joseph (one of the sons of Jacob) who was second to Pharaoh, but as the years past, so did the memory of Joseph. The Hebrews eventually became the slaves of another Pharaoh; he was so threatened by the birth rate of the Hebrews, that he implemented infanticide as the law of the land and wrote into law that every Hebrew son born was to be thrown into the Nile. Moses mother refused to murder her baby, so she kept his birth a secret until she could not do so any longer; she put baby Moses in a basket covered with tar and pitch, put him in it, and floated it down the Nile where Pharaohs daughter eventually found the basket with baby Moses whom she raised as her own. Moses grew up in Pharaohs house, but he was also aware of his roots as a Hebrew man. We know that Moses had a temper, and on two occasions, it cost him much. On one such occasion, after seeing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, Moses killed the Egyptian and buried his body in the sand (see Exod. 2:11-12). When Moses learned that others knew that he killed the Egyptian, he fled and hid in the land of Midian. Moses spent the next 40 years of his life in Median, got married, and worked for his father-in-law Jethro. What We Learn About God Through Moses Encounter Before we can answer where or not it is okay to be angry with God, we need to consider the God who found Moses in Midian; against the backdrop of Josephs 13 years of suffering, the generations of slavery the Hebrews suffered in Egypt, and Moses 40 years in Midian. God is Holy: He is not like us. Moses approached the burning bush not only because it was weird, but because God called to him, from the midst of the bush and said, Moses! Moses! Moses response was simple: Here I am. Notice that as Moses got closer to the burning bush, God said to him, Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. What made the ground holy? The presence of God made it holy. As R.C. Sproul wrote in his timeless and classic book, The Holiness of God: God alone is holy in Himself. Only God can sanctify something else. Only God can give the touch that changes it from the commonplace to something special, different, and apart.[1] Now, just so that you are aware, it is not only Moses, a mere mortal human, who must remove his sandals in the presence of holiness. The seraphim whose sole purpose is worship above the throne of God are not exempt from the kind of respect and reverence that was expected of Moses in the presence of the Holy One. Isaiah was invited into the throne room of Almighty God, and this is what he saw: In the year of King Uzziahs death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies. The whole earth is full of His glory. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. (Isa. 6:14) The great Seraphim must cover their face and their feet in the presence of a Holy God even though they have not been stained by sin, but because they, like us, are creatures and God is the Creator. Isaiahs response before the Holy One was appropriate: Woe to me, for I am ruined! Moses response was not only to remove his sandals, but to hide his face, for he was afraid to look at God (v. 6). Why? Because God is holy, and we are not. God is not like us. God is Omniscient: He sees the big picture. When we come to verse 6, God let Moses who it was that was speaking to him: I am the God of your fatherthe God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And just as God was intimately acquainted with the lives of Moses forefathers, He was aware of the suffering of Moses kinsmen in Egypt: I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings (v. 7). When the Hebrews entered into Egypt, they were the size of a small clan, but after hundreds of years in Egypt, they had become the size of a small nation. When Moses fled to Midian, he was a 40-year-old used to royalty; the Moses who stood before the burning bush was any eighty-year-old shepherd. What the Hebrews did not understand, and what Moses could not have fathomed was that God was using the ugly, the hard, and the pain for something far greater than they could have imagined. God was aware of their suffering all along, and now in that moment was the right time to, rescue them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from the land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey... (v. 8) just as He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries before. So, God said to Moses: And now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt (v. 10). To which, Moses appropriately responded: Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt? All that the Hebrews could see was their slavery and suffering; all that Moses could see was his failures and incompetence. What God saw was that He alone can use the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong (see 1 Cor. 1:26-31). What God saw was that His timing was infinitely better because He saw the big picture. God is Faithful: He keeps His promises. Remember that the Hebrew slaves in Egypt were surrounded by an Egyptian culture that worshiped Egyptian gods who were not gods, but demons (see Deut. 32:17). Moses questioned what name he was to give to the Hebrew slaves if they were to ask Who it was that sent Moses to deliver them (v. 13). Here is Gods answer: And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM; and He said, This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: I AM has sent me to you (v. 14). Then God continued: This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is the name for all generations to use to call upon Me (v. 15). In other words, God told Moses: You tell them that Yahweh sent you! At the heart of Gods answer are four facts about His nature for why the Israelites should believe the He could and would deliver them: Yahweh is self-existent and not dependent. God was unlike the Egyptian gods who were created by their own culture. Yahweh is the Elohim over elohims. The great I AM was bigger than the plight of the Israelites as He is greater than any trouble in our own lives. Yahweh is creator and sustainer. Who wrote the Law of Thermodynamics? Who governs the laws of gravity?Who grants the Sun permission to get up in the morning? Who gave the song for the birds to sing? Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills? Who brings men into power, raises nations into prominence and then brings them to naught? Is it not the great I AM who keeps His covenant promises. Yahweh is unchanging. Yahweh is the great I AM whose personality does not change. He does not suffer from a multi-personality disorder. He does not change with the ideas of his devotees. He is unmovable because He does not change. Because Yahweh is unchanging, He is constant unlike the gods of the Egyptians or whatever idol we may have set up in our own heart. Yahweh is eternal. Because He is the great I AM, Yahweh will never have a beginning nor will he ever have an end. Even though the fool has said there is no God, Yahweh is absolute reality with nothing before or after Him. The great I AM does not sleep, slumber, slack off, or slip into a daydream stupor. What God told Moses is this: Moses, you tell My people that the Covenant Keeper who promised their forefathers that He would make them into a great nation, would give them land as a nation, and would make them a blessing to the nations... you tell them the Faithful and Living One sent you! God keeps His promises because He alone is faithful even when we are not. Conclusion So, the question you may still be asking is whether it is or is not okay to be angry with God? Is it okay to be angry with He who is Holy and infinitely unlike us creatures? Is it okay to be angry with the One who sees and knows all things perfectly? Is it okay to be angry with the One who keeps His covenant promises because He is faithful while we are faithless time and time again? Is it okay to be angry with Yahweh who is Almighty God? As you know, God did use Moses to lead the Hebrews out of the bondage of slavery from Egypt, and He did it miraculously and profoundly. Yet, even after God delivered them, Moses found himself shepherding and leading a people who demonstrated over and over again just how faithless they really were. After their grievous sin of idolatry with the golden calf, Moses pleaded with God for mercy for His people who sinned, and God granted it. In Exodus 33:17-34:9 we are given a glimpse into Moses heart as a shepherd absolutely in love with Yahweh, and in that exchange asked to see God. God told Moses that he could not see His face and live, but this is what God did say He would do: I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion (Exod. 33:19). When God did pass, He hid Moses in the cleft of a rock, and allowed His goodness to pass by him and when it did, Moses heard God proclaim of His goodness: The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and truth; who keeps faithfulness for thousands, who forgives wrongdoing, violation of His Law, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, inflicting the punishment of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations (Exod. 34:67). So, what does Gods goodness include? It includes His mercy, patience, faithfulness, truth, and grace. But it also includes His justice and wrath in response to sin. So, again I ask you: Is it okay to be angry with the God who is Holy and infinitely unlike us creatures? Is it okay to be angry with the God who sees and knows all things perfectly? Is it okay to be angry with a holy God who is faithful while we are faithless time and time again? Is it okay to be angry with Yahweh who is Almighty God? Let me reframe the question for you: If God is infinitely good and we are the ones who need to improve upon being good, do we have any right to be angry with God? Now, think about the effects anger has on a relationship. When you are angry with someone because you believe you have been wronged by that person, it interferes with communication. Anger towards a friend or a member of your family often drives a wedge between you and that person. Anger typically results in the one offended distancing himself/herself from the person who wronged them. If there is no need for God to improve, especially in being good, then to suggest that it is okay to be angry with Him is to suggest that it is okay to accuse Him of wrongdoing. Psalm 145 is a great Psalm to visit while suffering or confused why God would allow you to suffer; verses 8-9 say the following: The Lord is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. Again in Psalm 145:17-18, The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. I have head Christians and Pastors console the suffering and confused: It is okay to be angry with God. To which I ask, How is it okay to be angry with He who is infinitely holy, how is it okay to be angry with Him who sees all while my vision is limited, how is it okay to be angry with the Almighty whose faithfulness has been proven time and time again while my faithfulness has been found wanting more than I count? Listen dear friend, not only are we not given permission in all of Scripture to be angry with God, but we also have no right to be angry with Him. Here is what is permitted and even expected by God: We can be confused, frustrated, and even hurt emotionally. If God is infinitely good, which He is, then we can run to Him with our confusion, we can run to Him with our frustration, and we can run to Him with our wounded and bleeding hearts knowing that even though we cant see His goodness in and through our pain, we can trust that He is still good and will turn it around in His way and in His time for His glory and our good! After Moses experienced the goodness of God when His glory passed by while he was in the cleft of the rock, Moses responded on behalf of the sins of Israel: If in any way I have found favor in Your sight, Lord, please may the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our wrongdoing and our sin, and take us as Your own possession (Exod. 34:9). Dear brothers and sisters, if your faith and trust is in Jesus as proof of Gods infinite goodness, then my plea to you is not to run from Him in anger but to him with all your pain, confusion, and frustration. Run to the God of Romans 8:28-32, And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? [1] Sproul, R.C., The Holiness of God (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers; 1998), 39.

Shownotes Do you ever feel unequipped to handle life and all it throws you? Sometimes walking in grief means being brave enough to move forward even when you don't feel prepared. Today's episode navigates through the bible passages of Joshua 1:1-9. Andrea looks at the story of Joshua after the death of Moses. This story reminds us that God equips us even in the midst of our grief and even goes before us to prepare the way. Listen in and explore this beautiful scripture that gives hope even in our moments of darkness.  Scripture  Joshua 1:1-9 Divine Promise of Assistance. 1  After Moses, the servant of the LORD, had died, the LORD said to Moses' aide Joshua, son of Nun: 2  * Moses my servant is dead. So now, you and the whole people with you, prepare to cross the Jordan to the land that I will give the Israelites. 3  a Every place where you set foot I have given you, as I promised Moses. 4  * All the land of the Hittites, from the wilderness and the Lebanon east to the great river Euphrates and west to the Great Sea, will be your territory.b 5  No one can withstand you as long as you live. As I was with Moses, I will be with you:c I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6  Be strong and steadfast, so that you may give this people possession of the land I swore to their ancestors that I would give them. 7  d Only be strong and steadfast, being careful to observe the entire law which Moses my servant enjoined on you. Do not swerve from it either to the right or to the left, that you may succeed wherever you go. 8  Do not let this book of the law depart from your lips. Recite it by day and by night,e that you may carefully observe all that is written in it; then you will attain your goal; then you will succeed. 9  I command you: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go. Journaling Questions 1. Why does grief sometimes feel like a burden to take on responsibilities? How does Joshua 1:1-9 remind us that God is with us?  2. God reminds us he will never abandon us. He also provides people in our lives to help us in loss.  Who in your life can be a source of comfort in times you feel all alone?  3. Do you ever feel overwhelmed in grief at the responsibilities that lay out before you? How can you rely on God to know he is ahead of you on the journey?  4. How can reading the scriptures be a place of comfort?  5. What reminder does Andrea share about the relationship of the Father and Son role in grief?  6. Even in times of hard times, these are the times of thanksgiving. Find something(someone) you are grateful for right now. How has this been a gift to you?  7. In Joshua 1:6 Andrea points out suffering produces greatness. How can you see your suffering as a way of preparing you for something greater?  8. What are ways God helps you when you can't help yourself?  9. What do you think it means to be steadfast? How can you be steadfast as you endure grief?  10. Meditate on Joshua 1:1-9. Read through this several times. Record your thoughts or feelings and listen to his words.  Let God speak to you. What do you hear in the scripture?  11. What is your mourning glory? Be sure to check out our website, www.mourningglorypodcast.com. There you will find links to all of our episodes as well as resources to help you on your journey.

Today, we're looking at Exodus 4 and finishing up God's call of Moses. In this chapter, we'll see that Moses was a man so lost in discouragement, it was affecting his obedience to the Lord. And yet, despite Moses' weaknesses, God will use him mightily. Join us as we continue our study through the Book of Exodus! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: Exodus 4 1.    By this point, Moses is a broken man of 80 years old who has blown one of the greatest opportunities that could be had in his day. However, God had a plan for Moses and has been using this time to perform some divine heart surgery in Moses' life. From what you already know about Moses, what has had to be transformed in his life before he could step into his role as the leader of the Jews? Are there any things in your life that need to be transformed in order for you to step into God's next chapter for you? 2.    In verse 1, Moses brings up a third concern to the Lord about this new assignment to take on Pharaoh. What was this concern? From a natural perspective was this reasonable? What does this show us about the source of Moses' thinking at this point? How do we sometimes view a situation “naturally” (which may even have wide agreement from others who know of the situation) but where we're still not viewing our situation from God's perspective?  3.    How did Moses' low view of himself cloud his view of God and his trust in the Lord? Is there any area in your life, where your view of yourself is affecting your view of God? If so, how can that be brought into submission to the Lord? 4.    According to the podcast, what is a true miracle? How did God demonstrate a couple of miracles to Moses? Why did God do this? How did Moses respond? 5.    In verse 5, what was the reason God gave for why He was going to perform these great signs and wonders in Egypt? How has God worked in your life to show you who He is?  6.    In verse 10, Moses brings up yet another concern. What is it? Who is Moses focusing on, again? How does this focus increase our own worries and corrupt both our view of God and our trust in His work in our life? 7.    In verse 11 & 12, what was the Lord's response to Moses' concerns? What was God's focus? How was this different than Moses? When we're facing difficulties, how can a person develop this kind of focus?  8.    After Moses finally agrees to obey the Lord and step into this new role, what does he tell Jethro his reason for going back to Egypt? Was this the real reason? What does this show us about Moses' level of commitment (at this point) to the Lord's mission?  9.    The previous question shows us that even now, Moses was not fully the man God was calling him to be. We sometimes think we have to be perfect in order for God to use us. Instead, from the example of Moses, what kinds are things is God looking for?  10.    In verses 24-26, we read about a very uncomfortable event. What happened? What did the podcast suggest about why this event even needed to take place? What does this teach us about the importance of a leader's example?  11.    In verse 31, when the people first heard of God's message by way of Moses, how did they respond?  12.    In this passage, Moses is 80 years old and he still hasn't gotten life figured out. Is there ever a point where we can stop growing in our knowledge, understanding and obedience to the Lord? Why or why not?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

2024 Sci-Fi, IndiePub, & Theology Etc. In Review We need just a couple more weeks to conclude our Christian ethics book so here are Patrick's book reviews from 2024. Biography and Indiepub heavy, it was overall a good reading year with just a few bad choices. Have you read any of these or pick any up? Timeline: 00:00 - Introduction 02:28 - The Love and Respect Devotional by Emerson Eggerichs 04:06 - Deathbringer by Blake Carpenter 08:20 - All Systems Red by Martha Wells 09:32 - Redeemed By Blood by Shannon Baker 11:34 - Defeating Evil by Scott Christensen 13:24 - Lost and Found by Robert E. Kearns 16:05 - After Moses by Michael F. Kane 20:29 - The Button Girl by Sally Apokedak 23:59 - A Case of Conscience by James Blish 26:05 - Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 29:05 - All These Worlds by Dennis E. Taylor 30:46 - Hacking Galileo by Fenton Wood 33:23 - Timothy of the 10th Floor by Jenny Phillips 35:11 - Defenders of the West by Raymond Ibrahim 39:04 - I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison 40:36 - The Heights of Perdition by C.S. Johnson 44:41 - The Revenant and the Cult, Book One by Herman P. Hunter 47:16 - Drosselmeyer - Curse of the Rat King by Paul Thompson 49:08 - Hidden Fury by Bjorn Hasseler 51:00 - The Kingdom of Kind by Jenny Phillips 52:28 - Mist and Moonbeams by Paul Michael Peters BOOK LINKS: The Love and Respect Devotional by Emerson Eggerichs Deathbringer by Blake Carpenter All Systems Red by Martha Wells Redeemed By Blood by Shannon Baker Defeating Evil by Scott Christensen Lost and Found by Robert E. Kearns After Moses by Michael F. Kane The Button Girl by Sally Apokedak A Case of Conscience by James Blish Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy All These Worlds by Dennis E. Taylor Hacking Galileo by Fenton Wood Timothy of the 10th Floor by Jenny Phillips Defenders of the West by Raymond Ibrahim I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison The Heights of Perdition by C.S. Johnson The Revenant and the Cult, Book One by Herman P. Hunter Drosselmeyer - Curse of the Rat King by Paul Thompson Hidden Fury by Bjorn Hasseler The Kingdom of Kind by Jenny Phillips Mist and Moonbeams by Paul Michael Peters All episodes, short clips, & blog - https://www.cavetothecross.com  

John 1:14-18,14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. “The Word became flesh” — the Word that was in the beginning, the Word that was with God, the Word that was God, the Word through whom all things were made — that Word became flesh. God became a man. Eternal God in skin and bones. And he dwelt among us. Which means he was here, on this earth, rubbing shoulders with people like you and me, and John says, “we have seen his glory.”John is talking about himself and his friends. He's talking about the historical eye-witnesses of Jesus — these are the people who literally saw Jesus when he was here — They saw his nose; they saw his teeth when he smiled; they heard his voice; they touched his body — John and his friends, people like us — they saw Jesus in person.But John doesn't just say here that they saw Jesus, he says they saw his glory. Now the word “glory” is one we use a lot, and remember the glory of something is its weight and wonder. It's the beauty or the radiance of a thing. And John says he saw that of Jesus. John saw the glory of Jesus. That's why he is writing this book! We're reading the account of someone who saw the glory of Jesus — and so the question is: Do you wanna see it?Does anybody here want to see the glory of Jesus?Because that's what John is gonna show us ... he wants to show us what he saw.And I'll be straight with you, if you read the words in verse 14 — “we have seen his glory” — and they mean nothing to you, that's a problem … You either care (or come to care) about his glory or the Gospel of John (and Christianity as a whole) will make no sense to you. So I think this is something we gotta talk about. The plan today is pretty simple: God willing, I just want to answer two questions:What do you most need to see?How do you see it?Father, by your Spirit, we pray: speak to us your Son, amen.1. What do you most need to see?Well, what do you think the answer is? When it comes to your life right now, what do you think you most need to see?There's no doubt that when John writes verse 14, he's thinking about a story from the Old Testament. Any of the first readers who knew the Hebrew Bible, would have made the connection right away — and we can make the connection too. Because that word there for “dwelt” is actually the word used for “tabernacle” in the Greek Old Testament. John is saying literally that the Word, God, became a man, and “tabernacled” among us. He “set up his tent” among us.This by itself reminds us of the Book of Exodus, where we read that in the Old Covenant the tabernacle was the place where God's presence dwelt with his people. But then there's more — The word “glory” in verse 14 — that John “saw his glory” — that also alludes back to the same time in the Book of Exodus, and it reminds us of Moses's prayer in Exodus 33. This is one of the most important moments in the whole Old Testament — we gotta turn back there. Everyone, if you can, go to Exodus Chapter 33. Hold your spot in John 1, go back to Exodus 33. The Exodus 33 ConversationFor context, the chapter right before 33, Exodus 32, is one of the lowest moments in Israel's history. While Moses was up on Mount Sinai receiving the law, the people were rebelling against God and worshiping a golden calf. And God told Moses about it while he was on the mountain, and God said he's done. The people are stiff-necked — they're hard-hearted — and God says: I'm just going to wipe them all out and make a great nation out of you, Moses. But Moses intercedes for the people. He goes back and forth with God, begging God not to destroy the people. And God relents. God sends judgment but he doesn't wipe ‘em all out, and he tells Moses and the people to leave Sinai and go to the Promised Land — but here's the thing: God says I'm not going with you. You're such a sinful people that if I were near you, I'd consume you. And Exodus 33:4 says this was a “disastrous word.” The people are sinful, but they're not completely stupid — they know that without God being with them they're cooked, so they mourn. And Moses goes back to talk with God. And you can read this whole dialogue in Exodus 33, verses 12–23, and we are supposed to read it like a dialogue. Moses talked with God like a man talks with his friend (verse 11). So we're supposed to hear this as a conversation:Moses says, God, I'm in a mess. You've told me to lead these people but you've not told me who's gonna help me. You just said you're not coming with me. But you've also said that you know me and I have favor with you. So, I'm stuck here. Help me. And God says: Okay, Moses, my presence will go with you.And Moses says: That's the only way I can go! You going with us is what makes all the difference.God says: I'll be there, because you have found favor with me and I do know you.Then Moses says, “Please show me your glory.” And I want everybody to see this. Look at Chapter 33, verse 18,“Please show me your glory.”Just five words in English.The Crisis We're InBut I want you to see that this simple prayer has a profound context — and the context is not comfort but chaos. Moses is not having a great day and then he wants a little glory like it's a cherry on top. This is not a Bible-verse-on-a-coffee-mug kind of moment. But Moses wants to see God's glory like his life depends on it — and not just his life, but the life of an entire nation depends on it; and it's not even just about the nation, but this is about God's reputation in the world. Moses is desperate here. He's in an absolute crisis. That's why he prays the way he does. So get this: how you understand your condition will determine what you think you most need. That makes sense, right? Your assessment of ‘how you're doing' will shape what you think you most need to see.And this is where too often it goes sideways for us, because too often we get this assessment wrong. I was at the gym the other day, and like most gyms, there's TVs mounted up on the wall — four of them in a row. There's a bunch of treadmills in front of them, I guess in case people wanna watch TV while they're walking. And on these TVs, in this moment I was looking … The first screen was a daytime talkshow with some has-been celebrityThe second screen was a news story about how they're now saying coffee is good for youThe third screen was a news story about how outdoor activities extend your biological clockThe fourth screen was a pharmaceutical commercial — which are all the same, somebody riding a bicycle and smiling …And everybody, like hamsters, walking and watching, and what's the message there? Well, what's being sold there is going to conform to what most people consider to be their biggest need — and in a word, it's improvement. That's how a lot of people understand their condition: “I need to improve.” So we look to the influencers and we listen to hours of podcasts and we keep buying the stuff — just to make ourselves a little bit better, to make things a little bit easier, to make our lives a little bit more comfortable. And look, there's nothing inherently wrong with wanting to improve, but what if I told you our condition is a lot worse than the need for improvement? What if I told you that we're actually in a crisis, all of us — and it's a crisis not unlike the one Moses was in. We Need GodSee, Moses knew that without God, it's over. Over! Moses cannot do life without God … and we can't either. We can't.Now we live in a world that sells us the lie everyday, on every screen, that we can! We're told to think that everything we need can be found here — from ourselves, by ourselves, for ourselves. But that's not true. We need God. You need God. And the crisis is: Where is he?You ever felt that crisis before? You need someone whom you have never seen, someone you cannot find. The evidences of God are all around us, but he's invisible. How do you know that when you pray you're not just talking to air? Because sometimes it can feel like you're talking to air. This is one of the reasons we have a world full of fillers, substitutes, idols. “We don't know where he is.”Moses knew he needed God (he knew God is real) — but he still needed the assurance from God that God would meet his need for him. Moses is saying: I need you! How do I know I have you? That's why he prayed: Please show me your glory. Show me your weight and wonder. I need to see who you are. I need to see your glory. That is what we most need to see too. Whatever it is you've got going on — whatever pain you're walking in, whatever uncertainty you're navigating, whatever oblivion you're scrolling through — what you think you most need to see might be wrong. Because what we all most need to see is the glory of God. We need God, and we need to know what he is like. That's the answer to question 1, What do we most need to see? Question 2 …2. How do we see it?“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”Look at those words at the end of verse 14: “full of grace and truth.” Grace and truth.This again sends us back to Exodus 33, to see how God answered Moses's prayer. After Moses says, Please show me your glory, God says, Exodus 33:19, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.' …So Moses is about to see God, except God tells him: You can't see my face. It's too radiant. But go here, in the cleft of the rock, in this little ditch I have for you, and wait for me there. I'll pass by and let you see a little bit.So Moses does that. And Exodus 33:5 says, 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.This is God telling Moses his glory. Verse 6: 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” …And those words “abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” could be translated “full of grace and truth.”Moses, that's my glory, God says. I'm kind and merciful, and I always do what I say. I'm faithful. I am the God full of grace and truth. I'm telling you who I am …That's in the old covenant. But then, in the new covenant, when the Word became flesh — God himself in skin and bones, God the Son sent from God the Father — then God was showing us his glory. John saw it. He saw the glory of Jesus, full of grace and truth. Look at Jesus ChristAll of the steadfast love of God, all of his faithfulness, all of his mercy and righteousness, his grace and truth — who God is for us — was manifest in Jesus. Verse 18 tells us that the God who cannot be seen was seen in Jesus. Jesus has made God known.Look, you need God, but where is he? You need to see his glory. You need to know what he is like, but how? How do you see the glory of God?You need God—where can he be?You need his glory for eyes to see.You long to know what he is like: simply look at Jesus Christ.All of who God is for us is made known in Jesus, and all of who Jesus is makes God known. To see Jesus is to see God. And John has seen him. He wants to show us. So we're for this. Our greatest need is met in Jesus.Is He Really?My favorite theological book on the incarnation is by a Scottish theologian named T. F. Torrance. Torrance served as a chaplain for the British army in World War II (Alister McGrath, his biographer, tells this story; Glen Scrivener does too). Torrance had a powerful experience on the battlefield that changed his life. Torrance had received great theological training, his doctrinal ducks were in a row, and for most of his time as a chaplain, he could keep studying. He brought books with him everywhere he went. But there was one incident, October 17, 1944 — Torrance wrote about … His battalion was in Italy, and the Nazi army had strong defenses in this one city in the mountains, so the Allied Forces decided to launch a night attack. Torrance, as a chaplain, had to carry a stretcher to go and find the wounded, and he was under fire most of the night, and then at dawn, just as the sun started to rise, he came across a young man, 19 years old, who had been shot during the night and was bleeding out. Torrance knew he was minutes away from death. He recounts this moment. He writes: As I knelt down and bent over him, he [looked at me and] said: “Padre, is God really like Jesus Christ?”Isn't that an amazing question? The dying solider understood the crisis. He knew what he most needed to see. Is God really like Jesus?And Torrance said, “The only God there is, is the God who has come to us in Jesus. He has shown his face to us and poured out his love for us as our Savior.”Do you believe that this morning?Christian, do you know that's true?Maybe you would say, Yeah, I know that. I've looked to Jesus. I'm saved. But now I've got other things. I've got bills … broken relationships … besetting sins — boredom. But see, this is where I want to say: looking to Jesus is not a one-time thing. We don't just look to Jesus once and then its crisis averted. But we look and keep looking, because the real crisis behind every trial we walk through for the rest of our lives is to know and remember what God is like. That's the question you're asking in your pain, your confusion, your apathy — “God, what are you really like?”Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus. This is why we want to be a church that remembers the realness of Jesus in all of life.My prayer this year is that we see Jesus afresh through the Gospel of John. I want us to refocus everything about our lives on him — I want us to see him and know him and love him more than anything else.That's what brings us to the Table. The TableOne of the things that will be clear in the Gospel of John is where we see the glory of Jesus most vividly. If Jesus makes known the grace and truth of God, is there a highest point of that revelation? Yes, it's the cross. We see the glory of Jesus clearest when he is glorified, and Jesus being glorified in the Gospel of John is when he was lifted up on the cross. The glory of God made known in Jesus Christ is seen supremely in his death and resurrection — a God who stoops and serves and suffers for those he loves. Bleeding, arms stretched wide in sacrifice for us — that is our God. And that's what we remember at this Table.The bread and cup represent the broken body and shed blood of Jesus, and so today, when we hold the bread and cup, think Glory! This is what God is like. This is what grace and truth means. And that's why this Table is just for Christians. If you're here this morning and you're not a Christian, I'm glad you're with us, and I'd love to talk with you and I would not embarrass you for anything in the world. I know what it's like to be where you are, so after the service, I'm gonna stand right here and just be available. Come talk to me.Now, if you trust in Jesus, if you've seen his glory and you believe in him, let's eat and drink together.

Jethro and Moses (Exodus): Whether you have an official leadership role or title, everyone can influence someone for good. When Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, visited the Israelites, he realized Moses would be crushed without some serious help. He advised Moses to invite others to share the leadership burden with him. God's people needed good and godly leaders to help them live lives that bring glory and honor to him. Recorded on Dec 8, 2024, on Exodus 18 by Pastor David Parks. This message is part of our Exodus series called Journey to Freedom. Exodus is a story of liberation — of God working to rescue and redeem a people for himself, freeing them from slavery and leading them to the land he promised to the family of Abraham and Sarah. Exodus is also a picture of the gospel and the Christian life. In Christ, we, too, are freed from captivity to sin and death and led through the wilderness of life by God's Word and Presence as we make our way to the Promised Land of the world to come. Join us as we make this journey to find true and lasting freedom. Sermon Transcript So, we're working through the book of Exodus in a sermon series called Journey to Freedom. Exodus is a story of liberation, of God rescuing and redeeming a people for himself. After freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, Yahweh God led them through the desert wilderness by his word given through the prophet Moses and by his own holy Presence in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. But, we've seen that things didn't get much easier for the Israelites on the other side of the famous parting of the Red Sea. The Israelites struggled and grumbled through a series of desert tests before being viciously attacked by the Amalekites at Rephidim. It was tough, and the people didn't display a very impressive amount of faith in the God who had just rescued them from Egypt. But Yahweh proved faithful and good and provided what they needed despite their grumbling and quarreling. Today, we have one more stop to make, one more chapter in our story, before we get to the fireworks of Mount Sinai, the giving of the Law, and the establishment of the covenant between Yahweh and Israel. When Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, meets them, he offers a suggestion that would help Moses lead the people well and not be crushed by the burden. This chapter offers many leadership lessons. Now, whether you have an official leadership role or not, everyone can influence others for good. And this is what good leadership is all about. We need these lessons. So, if you have your Bible/app, please open it to Exodus 18:1. We'll read through this and unpack it as we go. Exodus 18:1–7 (NIV), “1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; 4 and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.” 5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.” 7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent.” Moses doesn't record when, but at some point between leaving Midian with his family and his time in Egypt during the Ten Plagues, he sent his wife Zipporah and their sons back to live in Midian with her father, Jethro. He doesn't say why, and some have speculated that they were having trouble in their marriage. But it doesn't say that. And once the Israelites reached Mount Sinai,

In Exodus 33, we see Moses having a conversation with God after the children of Israel enter into a covenant — or holy agreement — with Him. Two weeks ago, we focused on the first part of this conversation and the first request that Moses made, which demonstrated a desire for a life-changing revelation. This is a key element to covenant living; we have to understand the ways of God, which were shown to us by Jesus’s life on earth. After Moses asks God for revelation, he says, “Let me live in Your presence.” Moses’s second request was for habitation, which is when we begin to develop the character and nature of Jesus in our own lives. When we saturate ourselves with the Spirit of God, He begins to show Himself through us. This week, we’re continuing this conversation by looking at three things the enemy uses to hinder our attempts at pursuing habitation.

In Exodus 33, we see Moses having a conversation with God after the children of Israel enter into a covenant — or holy agreement — with Him. Two weeks ago, we focused on the first part of this conversation and the first request that Moses made, which demonstrated a desire for a life-changing revelation. This is a key element to covenant living; we have to understand the ways of God, which were shown to us by Jesus’s life on earth. After Moses asks God for revelation, he says, “Let me live in Your presence.” Moses’s second request was for habitation, which is when we begin to develop the character and nature of Jesus in our own lives. When we saturate ourselves with the Spirit of God, He begins to show Himself through us. This week, we’re continuing this conversation by looking at three things the enemy uses to hinder our attempts at pursuing habitation.

After Moses carefully inaugurates Aaron and his sons into their priestly roles, two of Aaron's sons make a fatal choice. Read from the World English Bible.All of the Bible News Press recordings are hosted on The Happy Homeschool website. For links mentioned, please go to: https://thehappyhomeschool.com/reading-leviticus-chapters-8-10-with-discussion/

In this week's portion, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh tell Moses that they don't want to cross the Jordan. After Moses rebukes them, the men agree to go over and fight, but ask to leave the women and children behind. In this conversation, the priority of caring for the children is revealed as less important to these tribes than their desire to increase material wealth. What are your priorities? Are you spending time with your family even if it means you need to cut back on time at the job? Generations are at stake. As you provide for your families physical needs don't forget the eternal importance of raising up your children in the ways of God. Want to learn more about our ministry? Visit www.loveandpurity.com Intro and outro song: Faith for Salvation (1 Peter 1:3-5) by Brayden & Tali Waller All music rights belong to Love & Purity Ministry

“After Moses committed murder, he hid in the desert for 40 years. Year 41 came, and God gave Moses a second chance—commissioning him to rescue Israel from slavery in Egypt. After the Exodus, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Year 41 came, and a new generation entered the Promised Land. For 40 days, Goliath bullied and taunted Israel, just begging for someone to come fight him. Day 41 came, and David stepped up and slew the giant. For 40 days, Jonah delivered a message of doom and gloom to the city of Nineveh—that God was going to destroy them because of their wickedness. Day 41 came, and God changed his mind and instead extended mercy because the Ninevites had responded and repented. After being baptized in the Jordan River, Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and was tempted by the devil. Day 41 came, the devil fled, angels showed up, and Jesus launched his monumental ministry. The pattern is clear. The number 41 represents the dawn of a new day — the hope and promise that if you don't quit, the rain will stop, the giant will fall, and you will enter your “promised land.”” Taken from Chuck E. Tate Bristol Hope Assembly ​​link to giving page: https://bristolhope.com/give/

In this episode, we dive into the first chapter of Joshua, exploring verses 1 through 9. After Moses' death, Joshua is appointed to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous, promising His unwavering presence and support. We learn about Joshua's faithfulness, his role as Moses' successor, and the significance of the written word of God in guiding his actions. Join us as we uncover the powerful lessons from Joshua's journey and how they apply to our lives today.  

31 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: 2 “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.' 3 The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the Lord said.4 And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. 5 The Lord will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” 7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” 9 So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles,11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13 Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” 14 The Lord said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. 15 Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent. 16 And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 And in that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?' 18 And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods. 19 “Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. 20 When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. 21 And when many disasters and calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.”22 So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites. 23 The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.” 24 After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, 25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord:26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. 27 For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! 28 Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them. 29 For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.” 30 And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:

Daily Dose of Hope May 12, 2024, Day 1 of Week 7 Scripture:  Exodus 32-34; Philippians 3   Welcome back, friends!  It's time to begin week 7 of our reading.  By the way, this is the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  We have a lot to cover today so let's get started!   We are in the final quarter of the book of Exodus and we have made it to the famous "golden calf" passage.  Moses has spent awhile on the mountain with God getting holy instructions for living and the people have grown restless.  They complain to Aaron, Moses' brother (the one who will soon lead the family of priests!) and he melts all their gold to make a golden calf for them to worship.    I know what you are thinking, this is totally crazy! What in the world are these people doing???  It helps to understand (but not excuse) their behavior if we remind ourselves that the Israelites had been living in Egypt, with its many gods and idols, just a few months prior.  Now Moses has been detained for an important purpose but he isn't there to babysit them.  They fail the maturity test.  It also demonstrates how quickly people will drift from God. Without intentional connection (Moses provided this for the people), we are a fickle and distracted bunch.   For us as Christ-followers, we also have to be very intentional about walking with God: daily prayer, communing with God through the Scripture, staying in connection with other believers, and being part of a worshiping community.  If we don't do these things, it becomes easy to simply...drift.  Maybe we don't start worshiping a golden calf, but we certainly place other things, activities, and people before God.  I hesitate to say this but I'm going to risk it and say it anyway. Because of COVID, many people were forced to pull away from their family of faith for quite some time.  At first, maybe they stayed connected and worshiped every week online very diligently.  As time went on, though, it was easy to let things slide.  How many people do you know who just never really returned to church and Christian community?  They decided other things were more important.  It's not a golden calf but could it be worse?   In chapter 33, we find God wants the Israelites to leave the place they have been and move on.  They are not intended to be in the Sinai Peninsula forever.  God has better things for them.  But at the same time, God is clearly telling them that because they are a disobedient, stiff-necked people, God will no longer be present with them in the way he has been up until this point.  The people are distressed and mourn at this news.  They have been craving a divine presence (hence the golden calf debacle) and now God won't be with them as they desire because of their tremendous disobedience.    The most interesting part of this passage to me is Moses' response.  He expresses what I would consider burn-out and frustration.  He says to God in verses 12-13,“You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”  Moses is advocating on behalf of these people.  He is tired and probably really mad at them for their behavior but he also loves them.  In response, God consents that he will not remove his presence from the people.  Furthermore, he will provide rest for Moses.    I'm not sure I'm supposed to do this but I can't help extrapolating a bit here-could this passage be expanded to speak to those of us, volunteers and paid, who work in ministry? How often in ministry work have we felt frustrated and burned-out, in need of great rest?  Maybe our people haven't just gotten in major trouble for worshiping a golden calf but there is other stuff going on in our church or organization.  Or, maybe we don't sense the presence of God like in the past.  I'm wondering if we need to try a prayer similar to Moses, "You have been telling me to lead these people..."   I don't want to move on until we discuss chapter 34 as well.  After Moses returned to Mt. Sinai to get a new and improved copy of the Ten Commandments on stone tablets, it is obvious he has been with God.  Scripture says that his face was radiant.  Inf act, it says that whenever Moses went to speak with God, his face always appeared radiant and he would actually put a veil over his face. I t must have been quite bright!   Why was this a big deal?  What was the significance of sharing about the radiance of Moses' face?  Pointing out the change in Moses' face showed that he truly had been with God.  He was God's representative to the people and there was no way they could deny that.  It also confirmed that God's presence was still with them.  God's presence made a lasting effect on Moses' face that the people would constantly be reminded of.  Finally, it was a visible demonstration of God's power.  Moses didn't even look directly at God but yet his face was powerfully changed.  If simply being in a somewhat near proximity to God made such an impression, then obviously God was capable of much, much more.    When I read this chapter, I couldn't help hear the words of the praise song, Holy Ground, by Passion. It goes something like this, "Here as we wait, Seek your face, Come and make your throne upon our praise. Here in this place, Have your way, the moment that we see you, we are changed. Show us your glory, Show us your glory, In wonder and surrender we fall down..."  We may not see the presence of God in the same way that Moses did, but God still can demonstrate and show us his glory.  When he does, we are changed.  We might not radiate it on our faces but our hearts and lives are transformed.  God's glory is still powerful and leaving undeniable marks in our lives.   How have you experienced God's glory?  How do you want to experience his glory in your life right now?   Alright, let's move on to Philippians 3.  In this chapter, we find that Paul considers himself living in a state of in-between-ness.  He is in the middle of a journey. The longing for arrival is strong, but what he has in front of him is the journey. He can only press on, stay the course, be thankful for what God has put in front of him.   Up until this point, Paul has had a pretty interesting journey.  Remember, he started out as a zealous Jew.  He talks about this early in the Scripture passage.  He says that at the beginning of his journey, he thought of himself as righteous, as deserving, as better and more religious than others because of his background.  Paul writes this in verse 4-6…If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.  Paul is almost challenging the others --- look, if this journey is all about accumulating religious merit badges, I win hands down. I was circumcised on the eighth day, I was part of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew if there ever was one.  Remember, he was a Pharisee, which was one of the strictest sects of Judaism.  He persecuted Christians, who he felt were breaking God's law.  He held people's coats as they stoned Stephan. And at that time, he felt that these things proved his spiritual worth to God and to others.   I wonder how many of us look at our Christian journey in a similar way?  I wish I could say that I only really tried to rack up spiritual kudos and merit badges before I knew Jesus well.  Even after we say yes to Jesus, even after we get involved in church and small groups and we are trying to walk with God, we have the same tendency as the apostle Paul.  We try to prove our spiritual worth to others and to God.  Of course, we are influenced by all the normal sources of pride that the world tells us are important, right?  Money, stuff, accomplishments.  I hope those things have less a hold on us but if we are real, we know this kind of stuff still seeps into our lives.    But then, there is also a need to demonstrate what good Christians we are, our spiritual merit badges.  I'm in three Bible studies.  I took this training and then I led it.  I've been on this committee four times.  I've been a member of the church since I was in the womb.  Pastors do this too.  You know one of the very first questions that another pastor will ask you when you first meet them at some luncheon or event?  So, how many people are in your congregation?  As if that somehow is what defines your value. But the good news is, there is more to the story.  Paul tells us that the journey is far from over.   In fact, Paul has some pretty strong words about accumulating these spiritual merit badges, taking pride in how “spiritual” we are.  He says, v. 7-9, But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  So he is saying, now that I know Jesus, I understand that all those things pale in comparison with knowing Jesus.  They aren't gains, they actually are now losses.    Those things I thought were so important, those things that I thought demonstrated my value, those things that I thought earned me some gold stars with God – they are nothing.  Jesus is everything.  But then Paul goes one step further.  These spiritual merit badges are not simply counted as losses now that I know Jesus, NOW “I consider them to be garbage.”  His whole life, these were things that he took huge pride in, they were what made him admired in his community.  Now, he is saying – now that I know Jesus, these things are like rubbish in comparison.  He is telling the Philippians, God has brought me to a new place in my spiritual journey, one in which I realize that I'm nothing without Jesus Christ and that nothing else besides Jesus matters.    Compared to Jesus, friends, all these things that we think are so important, they pale in comparison.  Our spiritual merit badges truly have no value in comparison to the grace we have through Jesus.  Now, this doesn't mean that these things are worthless, but we have to know their place.  (If you led a Bible study and people grew in their walk with Jesus and lives were changed, then that is amazing.  It made a huge difference for God's Kingdom...but it didn't make put you in a better place before God.  Jesus already did that for you!) These things don't make us better than others, they don't increase our value before God, and they don't make us better Christians.    And Paul has more to say.  In v. 10, Paul states that because he now knows Christ, he seeks to be like him.  But he has not arrived.  He has not made it.  This journey we are on is just that, a journey.  We don't arrive at the destination and say, “Yea, I've made it.  I can now stop striving to be like Jesus.”  No, faith is a lifelong journey.  In v. 13, Paul says we can't look backwards, we must “forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead.”  There is more ahead.  At the moment, we are all in a state of in-between-ness.  We haven't made it.  We haven't arrived.  Rather, we must press on toward the goal which God has for us in Christ Jesus.  What is the goal?  To seek his glory, to be part of his Kingdom, to be with Jesus eternally.  All of the above.    Until then, we pay attention to the journey.  Paul is saying, how you do life as a follower of Jesus matters.  It is not all about the destination, it is about the journey, the day to day struggle and gratitude and joy of following Jesus Christ.   Think about your own life…think about your spiritual journey.    PAST:  Where have you come from?  Where has God brought you?  What have you learned in this in between time?  My guess is there are things you regret.  My guess is there are things you wish you had done differently.  While we don't want to forget the past, because of Jesus, we know that we are not defined by it either.    PRESENT:  Where are you now in your spiritual journey?  What are you grateful for?  Who are you grateful for?  Have you thrown away your spiritual merit badges in favor of Jesus alone?  What is Jesus teaching you now about thanksgiving, about dealing with adversity, about walking closely with the Lord?   FUTURE:  Where might God be bringing you next?  What is that next NEW thing that God wants to do in you?  What is God calling you to do in the church or in this community for his Kingdom?  None of us have arrived in our faith journey.  We are all still striving to be more and more like Jesus, to do his will, to expand his Kingdom.  You don't retire from your faith.    I've been reflecting on this a lot lately.  I have personally gotten to this place where I know that following Jesus is really all that matters.  I am not defined by what happens here on earth.  I am only defined by who I am in Jesus.  And yet, Jesus continues to call me to his work, he calls me to his next new thing.  He is also calling you.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Taking it back to the old testament, lets grab our popcorn and settle in. I'll drop a little background info to set the scene. After the great exodus from Egypt and all of the miracles throughout the life of Moses, there begins another era. This is the era of Joshua.  After Moses' death, Joshua stepped in as the new leader. Not just a leader but a warrior-leader whose role was to press in and fight for the inheritance God promised His people. This inheritance was the promised land. But here's the thing about God's promises. They come with action. See, God promised to give them the land but that didn't mean that their enemies were just going to pack up and hand it over to them. No. The blessing of a promise comes only through obedience. And obedience means action. They had to fight.  Gosh, there are so many lessons we could touch on in the story of Gideon. But one of my favorites is the fact that God calls him while he's hiding from His enemies. Isn't that so like God? To call us out of hiding. To see us in the dark. To call us into the light. To call us to fight.. To remind us of the promises and the inheritance. To remind us of our commissioning to obey so He can fulfill His word and bless His people?  The story is also a great reminder that God is patient with us.. There's a wonderful quote by Tony Evans: “You can ask God a question, but you should not question Him.” Y'all… that can preach! See, God knows we are human. He knows our minds, our hearts, our thoughts.. He knows our weaknesses. I also believe it is part of His nature to want to establish that personal relationship and build on trust. As a father to a child. I can personally share that when God has asked me to do something and I'm hesitant to receive it… I'll start asking Him to confirm it's Him. And time and time again…He does! In ways only I would notice or ways that would only be important or meaningful to ME, He does it. God knows how to talk to His kids!  But, there's a next step. It's that obedience bit. Gideon asked God not once but TWICE to confirm what He as asking him to do… and He did it. So, Gideon's response then HAD to be to obey. Once again… He had obeyed God in destroying the idols of his father's house. Now, God was asking him to take a bigger step.  There's a line I read while researching on this topic that says it like this, “He will not rebuke us for having questions, but when He answered our prayers, we must demonstrate faith to believe what He says.” See, God is always faithful on His end. It is up to us to have eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts that recognize Him. Then.. it is up to us to follow through. To obey.  Today, I want to leave you with this reminder. God calls and uses and equips who He will. When there is humility, sacrifice, and obedience. Victory lies behind every ‘yes' in obedience to God's calling. We may not see it in the physical, but God has already gone before us today and for the remainder of our days. He knows. And He's calling. May we all have the courage to answer with a yes. With clean hands, pure hearts, and a desire to be used for His glory!

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley have a conversation about the themes found throughout Exodus 34-36 and trace them throughout the rest of Scripture. Questions Covered in This Episode:What are on the tablets Moses receives in Exodus 34:1-9?Why do we need the 10 commandments, again?Does Exodus 34:7 mean that if a father sins there will be some sort of judgment that is passed down generationally?Why is the proclamation of the name significant?Where does the number 40 show up in the Bible?What is going on with Moses's shining face? Where else does it show up in scripture?After Moses' intercession, he gathers the people to tell them to take a Sabbath. Why?What follows is a bit like the reversal of the Golden Calf incident (Exodus 35:20-29) - right?Resources Mentioned in this Episode:Exodus 34-36, Jonah 4:2, Joel 2:12-14, Philippians 3, Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 9:28-36, 2 Corinthians 3:18Knowing Faith Divine Judgment against False Gods (Exodus 32-33) Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteOur Sister Podcasts:The Family Discipleship Podcast | Confronting Christianity | Starting Place | Tiny TheologiansSupport Training the Church and Become a Patron:patreon.com/trainingthechurch Interested in starting seminary and our new 100% tuition For the Church Cohorts? Learn more about what it means to study #ForTheChurch at Midwestern Seminary and apply for free with code KNOWINGFAITH at mbts.edu/apply.Sponsors:To learn more about our sponsors please visit our website.

Get ready to be inspired as we step into one of history's most pivotal moments. After Moses' death, Joshua steps into the spotlight as the new leader of the children of Israel. Join us as we discover valuable lessons in resilience, courage, and faith and draw parallels to the challenges we face in our own lives. Don't miss out on this incredible devotion of empowerment and triumph - because yes, it's your time! It's your time to step into your destiny. 

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________EasterIf then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Christ our PassoverPascha Nostrum - BCP p. 83Alleluia.Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *therefore let us keep the feast,Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *death no longer has dominion over him.The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *but the life he lives, he lives to God.So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.Christ has been raised from the dead, *the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.For since by a man came death, *by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.For as in Adam all die, *so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia. Psalm 148Laudate DominumHallelujah!Praise the Lord from the heavens; *praise him in the heights.Praise him, all you angels of his; *praise him, all his host.Praise him, sun and moon; *praise him, all you shining stars.Praise him, heaven of heavens, *and you waters above the heavens.Let them praise the Name of the Lord; *for he commanded, and they were created.He made them stand fast for ever and ever; *he gave them a law which shall not pass away.Praise the Lord from the earth, *you sea-monsters and all deeps;Fire and hail, snow and fog, *tempestuous wind, doing his will;Mountains and all hills, *fruit trees and all cedars;Wild beasts and all cattle, *creeping things and wingèd birds;Kings of the earth and all peoples, *princes and all rulers of the world;Young men and maidens, *old and young together.Let them praise the Name of the Lord, *for his Name only is exalted,his splendor is over earth and heaven.He has raised up strength for his peopleand praise for all his loyal servants, *the children of Israel, a people who are near him.Hallelujah! Psalm 149Cantate DominoHallelujah!Sing to the Lord a new song; *sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; *let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.Let them praise his Name in the dance; *let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.For the Lord takes pleasure in his people *and adorns the poor with victory.Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; *let them be joyful on their beds.Let the praises of God be in their throat *and a two-edged sword in their hand;To wreak vengeance on the nations *and punishment on the peoples;To bind their kings in chains *and their nobles with links of iron;To inflict on them the judgment decreed; *this is glory for all his faithful people.Hallelujah! Psalm 150Laudate DomiHallelujah!Praise God in his holy temple; *praise him in the firmament of his power.Praise him for his mighty acts; *praise him for his excellent greatness.Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn; *Praise him with lyre and harp.Praise him with timbrel and dance; *praise him with strings and pipe.Praise him with resounding cymbals; *praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.Let everything that has breath *praise the Lord.Hallelujah! Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsExod. 18:1-12Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro took her back, along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, "I have been an alien in a foreign land"), and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh"). Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came into the wilderness where Moses was encamped at the mountain of God, bringing Moses' sons and wife to him. He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons." Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed down and kissed him; each asked after the other's welfare, and they went into the tent. Then 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 beset them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in delivering them from the Egyptians. Jethro said, "Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them." And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. 21. You are GodTe Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord; we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory,the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us freeyou did not shun the Virgin's womb.You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people,bought with the price of your own blood,and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. 1 John 2:7-17Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says, "I am in the light," while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness. I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, because you have conquered the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young people, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world-- the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches-- comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. 16. The Song of ZechariahBenedictus Dominus Deus - Luke 1: 68-79Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old,that he would save us from our enemies, *from the hands of all who hate us.He promised to show mercy to our fathers *and to remember his holy covenant.This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *to set us free from the hands of our enemies,Free to worship him without fear, *holy and righteous in his sightall the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,To give his people knowledge of salvation *by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God *the dawn from on high shall break upon us,To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. Third Sunday in EasterO God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionLet us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia. Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.Ephesians 3:20,21

Numbers 13 - 1:01 . Numbers 14 - 5:23 . Numbers 15 - 14:04 . Israel has finally arrived just outside the Promised Land, and all that's left to do is enter it and take from those people whom God has set apart for destruction. Their journey should have ended here with a military campaign against the inhabitants of the land, but instead of confronting their enemies as the Lord had commanded, they cower, complain, and make excuses. Lacking faith and conviction, the Lord tells Moses that his people will not enter the land, but instead, they will wander in the wilderness until their generation dies so that the next generation can act upon the promises of God. After Moses gives them this news, they decide to try and take the land without the Lord's blessing. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Exodus 4 - 1:01 . Exodus 5 - 7:12 . Exodus 6 - 11:24 . Psalm 25 - 16:30 .After Moses approached a burning bush on Mount Horeb that was not consumed by the fire, the Lord God Almighty spoke to Moses and commanded him to return to Egypt. Today, we pick back up in the middle of that conversation, wherein Moses pushes back against God's command to go and speak to Pharaoh. He's concerned that he is ill-equipped for the task that he's been given, but the Lord assures Moses that He will be with Him and God gives his messenger signs to perform to prove that he truly is a representative of God. When Moses confronts Pharaoh, he becomes indignant and commands that Israel be given even more work. Moses turns to the Lord in desperate confusion, but the Lord assures Moses that He will act. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

How can you tell a true prophet from a false prophet? The question was an urgent one for the audience that Deuteronomy 18:15-20 addresses. After Moses, who was the pre-eminent prophet-dies, how will the people know the will of God? They can't consult sooth-sayers and mediums like the nations around them do, so how would they know who speaks for God? When we stand at the threshold of something new, we know that the path ahead will be both challenging and rewarding. We wonder how it will turn out for us. God's compassionate response to the people's complaints is a powerful testimony to the love God holds for His people.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sermons-from-my-heart--2423678/support.

Today, we're looking at Exodus 4 and finishing up God's call of Moses. In this chapter, we'll see that Moses was a man so lost in discouragement, it was affecting his obedience to the Lord. And yet, despite Moses' weaknesses, God will use him mightily. Join us as we continue our study through the Book of Exodus! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    By this point, Moses is a broken man of 80 years old who has blown one of the greatest opportunities that could be had in his day. However, God had a plan for Moses and has been using this time to perform some divine heart surgery in Moses' life. From what you already know about Moses, what has had to be transformed in his life before he could step into his role as the leader of the Jews? Are there any things in your life that need to be transformed in order for you to step into God's next chapter for you? 2.    In verse 1, Moses brings up a third concern to the Lord about this new assignment to take on Pharaoh. What was this concern? From a natural perspective was this reasonable? What does this show us about the source of Moses' thinking at this point? How do we sometimes view a situation “naturally” (which may even have wide agreement from others who know of the situation) but where we're still not viewing our situation from God's perspective?  3.    How did Moses' low view of himself cloud his view of God and his trust in the Lord? Is there any area in your life, where your view of yourself is affecting your view of God? If so, how can that be brought into submission to the Lord? 4.    According to the podcast, what is a true miracle? How did God demonstrate a couple of miracles to Moses? Why did God do this? How did Moses respond? 5.    In verse 5, what was the reason God gave for why He was going to perform these great signs and wonders in Egypt? How has God worked in your life to show you who He is?  6.    In verse 10, Moses brings up yet another concern. What is it? Who is Moses focusing on, again? How does this focus increase our own worries and corrupt both our view of God and our trust in His work in our life? 7.    In verse 11 & 12, what was the Lord's response to Moses' concerns? What was God's focus? How was this different than Moses? When we're facing difficulties, how can a person develop this kind of focus?  8.    After Moses finally agrees to obey the Lord and step into this new role, what does he tell Jethro his reason for going back to Egypt? Was this the real reason? What does this show us about Moses' level of commitment (at this point) to the Lord's mission?  9.    The previous question shows us that even now, Moses was not fully the man God was calling him to be. We sometimes think we have to be perfect in order for God to use us. Instead, from the example of Moses, what kinds are things is God looking for?  10.    In verses 24-26, we read about a very uncomfortable event. What happened? What did the podcast suggest about why this event even needed to take place? What does this teach us about the importance of a leader's example?  11.    In verse 31, when the people first heard of God's message by way of Moses, how did they respond?  12.    In this passage, Moses is 80 years old and he still hasn't gotten life figured out. Is there ever a point where we can stop growing in our knowledge, understanding and obedience to the Lord? Why or why not?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Years ago, our family visited Four Corners, the only place in the United States where four states meet at one location. My husband stood in the section marked Arizona. Our oldest son, A.J., hopped into Utah. Our youngest son, Xavier, held my hand as we stepped into Colorado. When I scooted into New Mexico, Xavier said, “Mom, I can’t believe you left me in Colorado!” We were together and apart as our laughter was heard in four different states. Now that our grown sons have left home, I have a deeper appreciation of God’s promise to be near all His people wherever they go. After Moses died, God called Joshua into leadership and guaranteed His presence as He expanded the Israelite’s territory (Joshua 1:1–4). God said, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (v. 5). Knowing His people would struggle with doubt and fear, God built a foundation of hope on these words: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (v. 9). No matter where God leads us or our loved ones, even through difficult times, His most comforting commitment assures us that He’s always present.

After Moses died, Joshua had an assignment and instruction from the Lord.

After Moses died, Joshua had an assignment and instruction from the Lord.

1. Evil is real and powerful “he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water because they could not drink the water of the river.” (Exodus 7:23-24) 2. God is real and more powerful Plague 1 –Nile River Plague 2 – Frogs Plague 3 – Gnats Plague 4 – Flies Plague 5 – Animals Plague 6 – Boils Plague 7 – Hail Plague 8 – Locusts Plague 9 – Darkness Plague 10 – Death 3. Follow God – oppose evil out there and in here “pharoah's heart was hardened, as the Lord had said” Exodus (7:22) (8:15) (8:19) (9:12) (9:35) “After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. And the LORD did what Moses asked.” (Exodus 8:12-13) “Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD, and the LORD did what Moses asked.” (Exodus 8:30-31) “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have made you like God to Pharoah.'” (Exodus 7:1) “But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16) "Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside." (Exodus 9:20) “In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the LORD at its border. 20 It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. 21 So the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the LORD. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and keep them. 22 The LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them.” (Isaiah 19:19-22) Main idea: With legitimate confidence, we can oppose evil out there and in here.

28:52 – After Moses is told he will die soon, without ever setting foot in the Promised Land, he deals harshly with the women and children taken prisoner in the Midianite campaign. He would have dealt harshly with the Midianite men, too, but these had already been exterminated by Phineas the Impaler. Show art: “The Women […]

After Moses' reluctance and resistance to return to Egypt had invoked YeHoVaH's anger, Moses prepares to return to Egypt. Moses has finally accepted the assignment from YeHoVaH to deliver the message to Pharaoh, "Let Israel, YeHoVaH's firstborn, GO!" On his way to Egypt to do YeHoVaH's bidding, Moses is unaware that YeHoVaH plans to take his life. Fortunately, Moses had decided to take his wife and children with him, which was a decision that proved to have saved his life. Join us Thursday for Searching the Scriptures as the saga continues in the message Zipporah Saves Moses' Life. 

As the adopted son of the Egyptian Pharaoh's daughter, Moses was nursed and raised by his Hebrew mother. After Moses was weaned, he was delivered to Pharaoh's daughter's house. Moses grew up knowing he was Hebrew, even though he had an Egyptian name, and was raised in an Egyptian household by an Egyptian woman. Moses' Hebrew brothers and sisters were slaves to the Egyptians and were under harsh bondage as foretold by YeHoVaH to Abraham, the patriarch. When Moses was grown, his Hebrew identity conflicted with his Egyptian upbringing leading him to making a decision that branded him as a murderer. This caused Moses to flee to Midian away from both his Hebrew brothers and sisters and the Egyptians he was raised amongst. Join us this week on this intriguing journey intertwining the Hebrew, Egyptian, and Midianite cultures as we follow a conflicted Moses in the message, Moses the Murderer. 

This episode covers Deuteronomy 31 and 32! After Moses just completed his final sermon, these chapters bring us back to his life narrative. What more does Moses need to complete before he dies?  Thank you for being a part of the club. Take a peek at the show notes below for Hayley's recap!Show NotesBlogContact Bible Book ClubLike, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

Website: www.PastorTodd.org To give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give   Sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18). Sin had its beginning with Lucifer, probably the most beautiful and powerful of the angels. Not content with his position, he desired to be higher than God, and that was his downfall, the beginning of sin (Isaiah 14:12-15). Renamed Satan, he brought sin to the human race in the Garden of Eden, where he tempted Adam and Eve with the same enticement, “you shall be like God.” Genesis 3 describes Adam and Eve's rebellion against God and against His command. Since that time, sin has been passed down through all the generations of mankind and we, Adam's descendants, have inherited sin from him. Romans 5:12 tells us that through Adam sin entered the world, and so death was passed on to all men because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Through Adam, the inherent inclination to sin entered the human race, and human beings became sinners by nature. When Adam sinned, his inner nature was transformed by his sin of rebellion, bringing to him spiritual death and depravity that would be passed on to all who came after him. We are sinners because we sin and we sin because we are sinners. This passed-on depravity is known as inherited sin. Just as we inherit physical characteristics from our parents, we inherit our sinful natures from Adam. King David lamented this condition of fallen human nature in Psalm 51:5: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” Another type of sin is known as imputed sin. Used in both financial and legal settings, the Greek word translated “impute” means “to take something that belongs to someone and credit it to another's account.” Before the Law of Moses was given, sin was not imputed to man, although men were still sinners because of inherited sin. After the Law was given, sins committed in violation of the Law were imputed (accounted) to them (Romans 5:13). Even before transgressions of the law were imputed to men, the ultimate penalty for sin (death) continued to reign (Romans 5:14). All humans, from Adam to Moses, were subject to death, not because of their sinful acts against the Mosaic Law (which they did not have), but because of their own inherited sinful nature. After Moses, humans were subject to death both because of inherited sin from Adam and imputed sin from violating the laws of God. God used the principle of imputation to benefit mankind when He imputed the sin of believers to the account of Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for that sin—death—on the cross. Imputing our sin to Jesus, God treated Him as if He were a sinner, though He was not, and had Him die for the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2). It is important to understand that sin was imputed to Him, but He did not inherit it from Adam. He bore the penalty for sin, but He never became a sinner. His pure and perfect nature was untouched by sin. He was treated as though He were guilty of all the sins ever committed by the human race, even though He committed none. God then imputed the righteousness of Christ to believers and credited our accounts with His righteousness, just as He had credited our sins to Christ's account (2 Corinthians 5:21). A third type of sin is personal sin, that which is committed every day by every human being. Because we have inherited a sin nature from Adam, we commit individual, personal sins, everything from seemingly innocent untruths to murder. Those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ must pay the penalty for these personal sins, as well as inherited and imputed sin. However, believers have been freed from the eternal penalty of sin—hell and spiritual death. We now also have the power to resist sinning. Now we can choose whether or not to commit personal sins because we have the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. When we do sin, the Spirit convicts us (Romans 8:9-11). Once we confess our personal sins to God and ask forgiveness for them, we are restored to perfect fellowship and communion with Him. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We are three times condemned due to inherited sin, imputed sin, and personal sin. The only just penalty for this sin is death (Romans 6:23), not just physical death but eternal death (Revelation 20:11-15). Thankfully, inherited sin, imputed sin, and personal sin have all been crucified on the cross of Jesus, and now by faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Introduction      For thirty three chapters, Moses has been speaking to his people, Israel, and informing them about their special God who is unique (Deut 4:35, 39; Isa 45:5-6), His love for them (Deut 7:7-9; 10:15-19), their liberation from slavery (Deut 5:6; 15:15), God's calling them into a special relationship with Him (Lev 11:45), and His directives that would set them above the nations of the world and bring His blessing if they obey (Deut 11:26-28; 30:15-20). Those who love Him will follow His directives (Deut 6:4-9). In this chapter, the voice of Moses falls silent, as God calls His servant home. According to Daniel Block: "By this point in the drama, Moses has done all he could do to set his house in order. He has commissioned a successor (Deut 31:1-8, 23), provided a written transcript of his farewell pastoral sermons and arranged for the regular reading of this Torah in the future (Deut 31:9-13, 24-29), taught the people a national anthem (Deut 31:14-22, 30; 32:47), and pronounced his benediction on the tribes (Deut 33:1-29). All that remains is the report of his death and the people's response to his passing."[1] Text      In this closing section, we observe Moses ascending Mount Nebo, where he will see the land of Canaan from a distance. We read, “Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2 and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar” (Deut 34:1-3).      Having walked the earth for 120 years, Moses was about to take his final journey, a walk from which he would not return, for he would soon die. And, as Moses ascended the mountain, he would have been able to look over his shoulder and see the Israelites' camp below. Moses' destination was “the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho” (Deut 34:1b). And once on top of the mountain, “the LORD showed him all the land” of Canaan (Deut 34:1c). The words showed him translates the Hebrew verb רָאָה raah, which, in the hiphil form, means “to let someone see something, to show someone.”[2] Here we observe God's permissive will, as He allowed Moses to see the land of Canaan, which He had promised to His people, Israel. Moses visually surveyed the land in a counter clockwise manner from north to south.      Having observed all the land, “Then the LORD said to him, ‘This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there'” (Deut 34:4). The land Moses saw was the very land God promised to Abraham (Gen 13:15; 17:8), Isaac (Gen 26:3), Jacob (Gen 28:13), and to their descendants as an everlasting possession (Gen 15:18; 24:7; Deut 1:8). Here we observe God's active will, in which He, by His sovereign choice and omnipotent power, gives to His people. Though Israel would get to enter the land, God reminded Moses that he was not going to let him enter it, saying, “you shall not go over there” (Deut 34:4b; cf., Deut 3:27; 32:52). Though Moses would not set foot on the land, he would leave the world stage knowing he'd been employed by the Lord to get His people there. Moses' Epitaph      What follows in the closing verses of the book of Deuteronomy was written by someone other than Moses, perhaps Joshua, to inform us about the details of Moses' death. We are told, “So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD” (Deut 34:5). Moses was faithful to the end of his life. Even though Moses was under divine discipline and would not enter the land, he is still described as the “servant of the LORD” ( עֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֛ה- ebed Yahweh), an honorable title held by others who submitted themselves to God and walked with Him (Josh 24:29; 2 Sam 3:18; Job 1:8; Isa 20:3). This title was formalized in the name Obadiah, which means servant of Yahweh. God had been with Moses throughout his ministry, and others saw the Lord was with him. Though Moses would die alone, away from others, he was not alone, for God was with Him to the end, to accompany His servant as he left this earth and entered heaven.      After Moses died, the Lord took his limp, lifeless body, “And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day” (Deut 34:6). That God personally attended to the burial of Moses speaks of an intimacy and tenderness the Lord had for His prophet. God took Moses' body from the mountain top and brought it down into “the valley in the land of Moab.” There are some things God does not want us to know (Deut 29:29), that He keeps hidden from us for His own reasons, and the burial place of Moses is one of them. This is one of the mysteries of the Bible. But why hide Moses' body? The text does not say. It's possible that God knew the idolatrous hearts of the Israelites and that they would venerate Moses' grave as a holy place in itself. According to Charles Swindoll, “Moses is the only person in the Bible whom God personally buried. Did you know that? And then the Lord hid the tomb. Why did He do that? Because that grave would have become a second Mecca. They would still be beating a path up Nebo to this day, building shrines, selling popcorn and peanuts, offering all sorts of rides, maybe running a tram up there, with big banners announcing, ‘Moses' burial place!'”[3]      To add to the mystery around Moses' death, Jude wrote about “Michael the archangel” who “disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses” (Jude 1:9a). Apparently Michael, the archangel, was somehow involved in Moses' burial, and had a dispute with Satan over the body. Why Satan would want the body of Moses is not known, as Jude does not elaborate on the details. It's possible Satan wanted to use Moses' body for idolatrous purposes. Whatever the reason, God would not permit Satan to have his way. Here we observe God's overruling will.      We know that Moses' spirit, at his death, went into the presence of the Lord, and later appeared with Elijah at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:1-3). Matthew wrote about the event, saying, “Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves” (Matt 17:1). And while they were on the mountain, Jesus “was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light” (Matt 17:2). And during the time of Jesus' glorification, Matthew tells us, “And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him” (Matt 17:3). Though Moses' body was still in a grave, his spirit was alive and well, and here, along with the spirit of Elijah, was interacting with Jesus. Warren Wiersbe informs us, “Moses did arrive in the Holy Land centuries later when he and Elijah joined Jesus in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:1–3; Luke 9:28–31).”[4]      The writer informs us that Moses did not die because of old age or infirmity, as he states, “Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated” (Deut 34:7). Moses died because God put him to death. Within God's divine plan, it was simply Moses' time to die, so the Lord ended his life and brought his servant home. This occurred, in part, because it was God's time to bring Israel into the land of Canaan, which the Lord had told Moses he would not see because of his disobedience in the wilderness (Num 20:1-12).      Though Moses had died, God and His Word remained, and the people had all they needed for a life of success if they would follow Yahweh. Sadly, the book of Judges shows they did not stay true to the Lord, and even Moses' grandson, “Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses” (Judg 18:30; cf., Ex 2:21-22), would later turn away from the Lord and lead the people into idolatry (Judg 18:30-31). In this way, Jonathan was acting more like Aaron, his great uncle, than his grandfather, Moses, for Aaron had led the people into idolatry and the worship of the golden calf (Ex 32:1-6).      And after Moses' death and burial, we're told, “So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end” (Deut 34:8). The people of Israel—at least the second generation since the exodus—loved Moses and mourned his passing. They also mourned Aaron for thirty days as well (Num 20:29), which was longer than the customary seven days (cf., Gen 50:10).      Switching focus to Joshua, the writer states, “Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses” (Deut 34:9). To have “the spirit of wisdom” meant Joshua had been divinely enabled to take up the leadership role and move forward, as God intended. Fortunately, the Israelites listened to Joshua and followed his directives. In this way, they “did as the LORD had commanded Moses” (Deut 34:9b).      In closing out this book, we're told, “Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 for all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, 12 and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel” (Deut 34:10-12). As a prophet, Moses was in a class by himself because: 1) the Lord knew Moses face to face, 2) Moses had performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, 3) the mighty power God worked through Moses in the sight of all Israel. According to Peter Craigie, “Moses was a prophet, but in his epitaph it is not his knowledge of God that is stressed, but rather the Lord's knowledge of him. God had sought him out and appointed him to a particular task; over the years, the relationship had become intimate, so that to those Israelites who knew Moses, it was evident that his highest communion was with God.”[5]Warren Wiersbe adds, “Moses was faithful to walk with God, and he spoke to God as a man speaks to his friend (Ex 33:11; Num 12:7–8). The secret of his life wasn't his own abilities—he claimed he had none—or even his education in Egypt (Acts 7:22), but his humble walk with the Lord. He spent time with God, he listened to God's Word, and he followed God's orders.”[6] And Daniel Block notes: "The account of the death and burial of Moses on the mountain forces the reader to ask, “Now what?” The answer lies in the recognition that in the end, Israel's fate is not in the hands of Moses. He is not the one who actually brought them out of Egypt and sustained them through the desert wanderings, and he will not complete the mission by delivering the Promised Land into their hands. The rest of the Scriptures are commentary not only on how Israel responded, but also on the fidelity of Yahweh, who will complete the present mission without Moses and who will patiently work with his people. Moses has merely been his mouthpiece, the interpreter of his great and gracious revelatory acts, whose aim was always to point his people to Yahweh their Redeemer."[7] Summary      In this closing section, we observe a brief account of Moses' death and burial. Unlike other rulers throughout history, who have erected great memorials to themselves that others might remember them, Moses' death is simple and without a monument. Moses was not concerned that people remember him, but that they remember the Lord, learn His Word, and follow His directives. Moses is remembered as God's servant who was faithful to carry out his mission (Heb 3:5). Present Application      From Genesis to Revelation, God governs the lives of people and nations. People exist because God gives them life. David wrote, “Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves” (Ps. 100:3). And God determines the duration of each person's life, having final control over the day and cause of their death. The Lord states, “It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand” (Deut 32:39). And Job said, “Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain” (Job 14:2). And Hannah, in her stately prayer says, “The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up” (1 Sam 2:6).  People live and die as God decides, “for in Him we live and move and exist” (Acts 17:28).      Furthermore, God controls the exact days of our life. David wrote, “in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them” (Ps. 139:16). The writer of Hebrews states, “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb 9:27). The word appointed translates the Greek verb ἀπόκειμαι apokeimai, which means “it is certain, is destined.”[8] Apart from Enoch (Gen 5:24), Elijah (2 Ki 2:11), and the rapture generation (1 Cor 15:51-52; 1 Th 4:13-18), all humanity will face death. God brings His children to heaven by numerous means, and sometimes uses sickness, as He'd done with Elisha, who “became sick with the sickness of which he was to die” (2 Ki 13:14a). And we know that “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones” (Psa 116:15). For believers who die, we are instantly transported into the presence of the Lord, for “to be absent from the body” means we are instantly “at home with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8; cf., Phil 1:21-23). Our last breath here is followed by our first breath in heaven. And though the departing of a loved one leaves us with the sorrow of loss, we realize this is temporary, as we will see them again. David, who lost his son, said “I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Sa 12:23). This is our hope as well, for we, as Christians, know our loved ones are in heaven, and that at a future time we will be reunited with them forever (1 Th 4:13-17). At the time of the rapture of the church, “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Th 4:16-17). For this reason, Paul said, “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Th 4:18).      There is wisdom in thinking about death and the afterlife. David wrote, “For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer” (Psa 103:14-16). And in another place he said, “LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am” (Psa 39:4). And Moses said to the Lord, “Teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom” (Psa 90:12). Wisdom is found in the one who contemplates the Lord, the brevity of life, and the eternal resting place of heaven. Solomon wrote, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart” (Eccl 7:2). But in all this, we must not forget to live, nor to realize that what we do in time touches things eternal, for one life will soon be past, and only what's done for Christ will last. So live, and live well, and above all, live for the Lord. There's no better life than the one lived in daily fellowship with God, learning and living His Word, and this we will do until the end of our days. Charles Swindoll notes: "When you're planning on retirement, don't plan on checking out with people or with God's Word. If you do, you'll be moving away from that which is eternal, and that's the wrong direction, my friend. So stay in touch. Give until you don't have anything else to give, and then tap into God's reservoirs and give some more. This is what lengthens the meaning and purpose—and sometimes the years—of life."[9]     [1] Daniel I. Block, The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy, ed. Terry Muck (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 806. [2] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 1161. [3] Charles R. Swindoll, Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication (Nashville, Tenn., Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009), 346. [4] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Equipped, “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub., 1999), 197. [5] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 406. [6] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Equipped, “Be” Commentary Series, 198. [7] Daniel I. Block, The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy, 815. [8] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 113. [9] Charles R. Swindoll, Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication, 348.

After Moses went up to Sinai again, God gave him instructions for the building of a holy building. This would be a place where God Himself could dwell among his people and they could worship him. As we read the instructions and consider the construction details, we will learn how to come close to God in worship.

Numbers 13 - 1:01 . Numbers 14 - 5:23 . Numbers 15 - 14:04 . Israel has finally arrived just outside the Promised Land, and all that's left to do is enter it and take from those people whom God has set apart for destruction. Their journey should have ended here with a military campaign against the inhabitants of the land, but instead of confronting their enemies as the Lord had commanded, they cower, complain, and make excuses. Lacking faith and conviction, the Lord tells Moses that his people will not enter the land, but instead, they will wander in the wilderness until their generation dies so that the next generation can act upon the promises of God. After Moses gives them this news, they decide to try and take the land without the Lord's blessing.:::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Exodus 4 - 1:01 . Exodus 5 - 7:12 . Exodus 6 - 11:24 . Psalm 25 - 16:30 .After Moses approached a burning bush on Mount Horeb that was not consumed by the fire, the Lord God Almighty spoke to Moses and commanded him to return to Egypt. Today, we pick back up in the middle of that conversation, wherein Moses pushes back against God's command to go and speak to Pharaoh. He's concerned that he is ill-equipped for the task that he's been given, but the Lord assures Moses that He will be with Him and God gives his messenger signs to perform to prove that he truly is a representative of God. When Moses confronts Pharaoh, he becomes indignant and commands that Israel be given even more work. Moses turns to the Lord in desperate confusion, but the Lord assures Moses that He will act.:::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Today, we're looking at Exodus 4 and finishing up God's call of Moses. In this chapter, we'll see that Moses was a man so lost in discouragement, it was affecting his obedience to the Lord. And yet, despite Moses' weaknesses, God will use him mightily. Join us as we continue our study through the Book of Exodus! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. By this point, Moses is a broken man of 80 years old who has blown one of the greatest opportunities that could be had in his day. However, God had a plan for Moses and has been using this time to perform some divine heart surgery in Moses' life. From what you already know about Moses, what has had to be transformed in his life before he could step into his role as the leader of the Jews? Are there any things in your life that need to be transformed in order for you to step into God's next chapter for you? 2. In verse 1, Moses brings up a third concern to the Lord about this new assignment to take on Pharaoh. What was this concern? From a natural perspective was this reasonable? What does this show us about the source of Moses' thinking at this point? How do we sometimes view a situation “naturally” (which may even have wide agreement from others who know of the situation) but where we're still not viewing our situation from God's perspective? 3. How did Moses' low view of himself cloud his view of God and his trust in the Lord? Is there any area in your life, where your view of yourself is affecting your view of God? If so, how can that be brought into submission to the Lord? 4. According to the podcast, what is a true miracle? How did God demonstrate a couple of miracles to Moses? Why did God do this? How did Moses respond? 5. In verse 5, what was the reason God gave for why He was going to perform these great signs and wonders in Egypt? How has God worked in your life to show you who He is? 6. In verse 10, Moses brings up yet another concern. What is it? Who is Moses focusing on, again? How does this focus increase our own worries and corrupt both our view of God and our trust in His work in our life? 7. In verse 11 & 12, what was the Lord's response to Moses' concerns? What was God's focus? How was this different than Moses? When we're facing difficulties, how can a person develop this kind of focus? 8. After Moses finally agrees to obey the Lord and step into this new role, what does he tell Jethro his reason for going back to Egypt? Was this the real reason? What does this show us about Moses' level of commitment (at this point) to the Lord's mission? 9. The previous question shows us that even now, Moses was not fully the man God was calling him to be. We sometimes think we have to be perfect in order for God to use us. Instead, from the example of Moses, what kinds are things is God looking for? 10. In verses 24-26, we read about a very uncomfortable event. What happened? What did the podcast suggest about why this event even needed to take place? What does this teach us about the importance of a leader's example? 11. In verse 31, when the people first heard of God's message by way of Moses, how did they respond? 12. In this passage, Moses is 80 years old and he still hasn't gotten life figured out. Is there ever a point where we can stop growing in our knowledge, understanding and obedience to the Lord? Why or why not? Check out our brand-new Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

After Moses had an experience on the mountain and became the spokesman for the people, God gave instructions for him to set up the tabernacle and the priest's office to perform ordinances to cleanse the people and to have a place to interact with almighty God.   This eventually gives way to a permanent structure built by Solomon, a permanent Temple.  Much more lavish and larger than the tabernacle, it all points to a future day where a new relationship, temple, and High Priest will take it's place. Watch the video of this episodeThe Bible Project Video Heaven and EarthScripture Search and Study http://www.restoredgospel.comContact us with comments or questions at:http://restoredgospelpodcast@gmail.comOr call us and leave a voice message at our podcast line816-379-6454

Rev. Ned Moerbe, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blackwell, OK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Deuteronomy 32:39-52. Moses finishes the song given by the LORD with a grand climax. The LORD alone is God with all authority either to kill or to make alive; He intends that His alien work leads to His proper work. All that He does brings great joy to His people. After Moses finishes the song, he commends it into the hearts of the people, for it is God's Word that gives life. The LORD then tells Moses that he is about to go up Mount Nebo, where he will see the Promised Land before he dies. “The Law of God is Good and Wise” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Deuteronomy. Though Moses' lengthy sermons in Deuteronomy may be tempting to skip, this influential book is essential reading for Christians. As Moses strengthened Israel on the plains of Moab before the people entered the Promised Land, so the book of Deuteronomy still strengthens the Church as we prepare to enter the Resurrection with Christ, the Prophet greater than Moses.