Exodus 13
Scripture
Exodus 13:14
“In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Observation - What does it say?
God commanded the Israelites as a lasting ordinance, for all generations to come, to sacrifice the firstborn of every animal and to redeem every firstborn child by sacrificing an animal in it’s place. And the reason was so God’s people would have a continual reminder of what he had done for them, and it would also be a testimony to the generations to come.
Understanding - What does it mean?
God doesn’t want his people to keep their testimonies to themselves!
He instituted this ordinance to make sure the generations to come would hear the stories of all God had done.
Sharing our testimonies has been a continual theme God has been highlighting. Faith has been ignited as those in our church family have shared how God physically healed them and hope has been ignited as several have shared how God saved them and continues to reveal himself to them.
Just a side note… growing up in the church and giving my life to Christ at a young age, in my younger years I always felt like I didn’t have a testimony. If that’s you, you have an amazing testimony! God has spared you the heartache and pain of life separated from him. He has surrounded you with people that love him and have encouraged you in your relationship with him. That’s an amazing expression of God's love toward you, and a testimony just as powerful as anyone else’s... so share it!
Life Application
In light of the context in Exodus 13, I specifically feel challenged to share my testimony with my son. I will probably share a shortened and less detailed version for now because of his age, but none the less will share. It’s important he knows what God has done for me and why I love him, why I worship, why I pray, why I love the church, and why I’ve given my life to serve God.
God, thank you for giving me a testimony. Lord, stir in our hearts a fire to share our story. For those of us with children or who have relationship with those younger than us, grant us opportunity to share with them about all you’ve done in our lives. To You be all the glory! Amen.
-Levi Thompson
Psalm 108-6.4.21
Scripture
Psalm 108:1-4
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my [a]soul. Awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies.
Observation-What does it say?
This is another psalm by David. It is split into two parts. The first half is written in praise for God’s love and as an expression of trust in God. The second part is a prayer for help against their enemies. This psalm may have been written during a period of David’s victorious military campaigns, documented in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18. In these verses, David’s armies defeat the Moabites, the Philistines and the Arameans, expanding the borders of the kingdom to the west, north and east. The order of this psalm highlights the importance of the order of our prayers, praise first and then supplication. This is similar to how Jesus taught his disciples to pray through the Lord’s prayer, Matthew 6:9-13.
Understanding-What does it mean?
It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I was in school, though it’s been nearly twenty years. I still remember standing up every morning to say the pledge of allegiance every morning. The pledge of allegiance is almost like a mission statement for the country. Companies and other organizations use a mission statement to give a general direction to its members and the people looking to invest in that organization. The mission statement also helps set the tone to what is expected of the organization. As a local church body, our mission statement includes the statement, “making Christ followers everywhere.”
Prayers like the Lord’s prayer, and songs like this one written by David, provide us direction like a modern day mission statement. When we learn to pray like David did and how Jesus directed us, with praise at the outset, then we set the tone for our day to day activities, as well as our lives. When we focus on God’s goodness first, it provides us with the right perspective to move forward and carry out His will. At this point in David’s life, God’s will was to be victorious in battle and make the kingdom of Israel secure. For us, it may mean being victorious in sharing the gospel with a coworker, overcoming a weakness, or maybe even turning the country back to prayer. No matter what God’s will is for us, it cannot be accomplished unless our focus is on bringing Him glory.
Life Application
Jesus, when my feet touch the ground, let me go forward as an act of worship to you. Help me to work and move and breathe as an act of worship to you. Before all else, help me to sing of your goodness and praise you for your faithfulness, for you are working out all things for our good in Your glory.
-Tyler Galloway
1 Thessalonians 5 - 6.3.21
Scripture - What stood out?
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
Observation - What does it say?
This is the fifth chapter of the apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica
Understanding - What does it mean?
I really really enjoy word pictures that relate to armor. Sadly before I truly accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior I had found and lost myself in countless tales of fantasy and science fiction literature. All that to say I really really dig the armor analogies in the bible!
The helmet guards the head or in our case the mind. And the spiritual helmet we are encouraged to put on is the “hope of salvation” in the ESV translation of the bible.
The breastplate guards your heart. Literally. And we are encouraged to put on the spiritual breastplate of “faith and love”.
God loves me.
And I love God.
My faith is in Jesus.
Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today?
Lord, guard me from spiritual attacks today.
When I see an attack aimed at my head I choose to dwell on the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ my Savior.
When I see an attack aimed at my heart I choose to remember that God loves me.
I will choose to fill my heart with my love and faith in Jesus Christ my Lord.
In the name of Jesus,
-kenneth lee