Exodus 2 - 6.15.26

Scripture 

Exodus‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.”

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Observation

Exodus 2 begins the story and the life of Moses. As the people were crying out and groaning about being slaves in Egypt, God was already working out His plan to deliver them and it began with Moses. 

Moses wasn’t a random guy who was birthed for no reason. He was already God’s plan in motion! God’s care and concern for His people is real.

Application 

God hears when we, His people cry out to Him for help. 

God is omniscient (all-knowing) and just like He heard the groans and remembered His covenant promises with the Israelites, He hears our groans, cannot forget His promises towards His people and is already working His plan behind the scenes.

When tempted to lose heart during trials (which happens a lot to me), let’s remember that God has heard every cry for help that we have lifted up to Him. He is already working out a plan, just like He did for the Israelites, out of concern for the Israelites. 

“Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.” -Psalms 112:6-8 NIV

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Help me to see life through Your eyes. Help me remember that You have heard every cry, counted every tear and heard every prayer. Thank You that You love and care for each one of us so much and You are already working out some good things that we cannot see. Just like David said in Psalm 27:13-14, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Amen. 

-Michelle Gaddi

Psalm 112 - 6.12.26

Scripture: Psalms 112:1-5, 7 NIV

“Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”

Observation:

Our first response to God’s goodness should be praise.

• We are blessed when we fear Him and find delight in His commands. Fear in this verse is reverence and awe, not being afraid

• This blessing continues on to their children, who will be mighty in the land.

• The righteous have wealth and riches in their houses.

• Light dawns in darkness for the upright, gracious, and compassionate.

• When someone conducts their affairs with justice, is generous, and lends freely good things come to them.

• When you trust in the Lord and have a steadfast heart you will have no fear of bad news.

Application:  

These verses contain several rewards for honoring and obeying God and also for treating others with generosity, grace and compassion.

I want this to be my “To-Do” list.  There is no reason not to trust God and every reason to delight in Him and walk in the way he calls me.

The phrase “Wealth and riches are in their houses” challenged me to change my mindset.  Yes, I’m sure it is more than just money and it does not mean that we all will have lots of money and nice stuff.  We are rich in our home because of the people who live in them and because God dwells with us. However, at the same time our homes belong to God and I need to not have a poverty mindset about my home and all that needs to be fixed.  God will provide. He has in the past and cares about every need. 

It comes back to praising God and being grateful.

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

You are so worthy of praise.  You bless your people and give us what we need, even our desires.  As your child, I am truly rich.  Please help me trust you more and not walk around feeling less-than, discourage about the things I lack or think I do. I want to live generously.  Forgive me for entertaining the enemy when he whispers, “You’re in trouble, you don’t have enough …” Thank you that I am blessed.  Good things will come to me.  Please help me honor you in all I do.  I can trust you and not worry about bad things happening. They will, but you are with me and I will get through. Thank you that you give me light in darkness.

Lord, I love the part about the children being mighty in the land.  May you work in the families at DSC.  The next generation is mighty.  Give the kids favor wherever they go.

Thank you for wanting to do beyond what we can think or imagine.

Amen

- Cindy Howard

Genesis 48 - 06.11.26

SCRIPTURE

“But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head—though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head—even though Manasseh was the firstborn. When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭48‬:‭14‬, ‭17‬, ‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

OBSERVATION

We clearly understand at the end of Jacob’s life and by the end of the book of Genesis that God’s grace must never become captive to position or privilege or expectation or tradition. God’s grace is sovereign. It cannot be tamed. The economy of God’s grace operates on its own principles—humbling human wisdom and exalting the unlikely, so that the last are often the first, and the first last. This is repeated again and again in Genesis.

In primeval history, the older brother Cain had his offering rejected, while that of the younger, Abel, was accepted. Then Seth, the even younger brother became the chosen line (ch.4:25—5:8). In patriarchal times, young Isaac was chosen over Ishmael (ch.17:18, 19). Then Jacob was chosen over Esau (ch.27). Jacob’s son Joseph was chosen over his older brethren (ch.37:5-7, 9). And now Ephraim was chosen above Manasseh.

Indeed, the last are often first, even for Christ. The Jews rejected their Messiah and the Gentiles were offered Salvation through Christ.

“HE came to HIS own, and HIS own people did not receive HIM. But to all who did receive HIM, who believed in HIS name, HE gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13).

APPLICATION

God’s Grace cannot be governed or managed. HIS Grace cannot be earned or even measured. It is Beyond our comprehension. His Grace is birthed out of His Love—a Powerful Force we can experience but never fully understand.

“For out of His fullness the superabundance of HIS grace and truth we have all received grace upon grace—spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬ ‭AMP‬‬)

We continually bring our deepest desires to God, again and again, and can feel disappointed when His “Hand of Blessing” seems to pass over them. Just as Joseph felt, we wonder, doesn’t God see what matters most to me—what I’ve carried the longest? HE does. To every protest HE answers as HE did to Joseph, “I Know it, My son, I Know it.”

HIS refusal to grant our exact request is never because HE misunderstands or ignores our longings. Instead, HE sometimes gives us blessings that differ from what we most wanted. Yet the blessings HE gives us are no less good. HE will give us EVERYTHING Christ has earned for us. Faith learns to Trust HIM with how, when, and what grace HE applies to our lives. What is God giving us that we haven’t earned? But God KNOWS it is a very great gift.

This kind of trust takes Faith.

Faith for surrendered salvation and Faith for a genuinely surrendered daily walk with Christ as our Lord gives HIM the right to Lead our Lives. Jacob learned this Faith and what it meant to “let go” of His own ideas and genuinely Trust God—even when it didn’t make sense to bless younger Manasseh over first born Ephraim. Jacob’s TRUST in God, resulted in his addition to the “hall of Faith” recorded as an Act of Worship in Hebrews (11:21).

God expects us to do the same. Demonstrate complete Trust—even when it doesn’t make sense.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” ‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,

Teach me more about total surrender and Faith in YOU. May my faith become a pleasing act of worship to YOU. Thank YOU for Your WORD that gives us such rich examples of Your amazing Love and endless compassion and extraordinary Amazing Grace that saved me when I didn’t even know I needed saving. Give me greater focus to be purposeful and prepared wherever I go—Filled with Your Joy and ready to give a reason for my hope.

In Jesus Name, amen!

Tina L Kudelka