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Blood of the Lamb

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Mark Shields

The attitude of the Egyptians was one that looked favorable towards Moses and the Israelites because they had seen the power of their God in the previous plagues. One consequence of this favorable attitude was that they gave silver and gold which would pay for the expenses needed to get the Israelites to freedom.

In Exodus 11-12:20, Moses tells what to expect in the final plague called the Plague on the Firstborn. Every firstborn son in Egypt would die but the firstborn sons of the Israelites would be spared. Moses gave instructions on what they should do; sacrificing unblemished lambs to eat and spreading the blood on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs (v. 7).

So the Lord caused every firstborn son to die but passed over each house that had blood on the sides and tops of the doorframes. Today, instead of blood on the doors of houses, the sign that protects us from death is our acceptance of Jesus as the blood of the lamb.

The Passover tradition has been passed on from generation to generation as a celebration of the deliverance from bondage. The death of the lamb marks a new beginning just as the death of Christ on the cross marks a new beginning for the believing sinner.

This day with You Lord, we remember what You have done and are grateful. For each sunrise and sunset of each day; for each situation You pull us through; for Your Word that fortifies us for each challenge ahead. Most of all for the victory You give us in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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Questions for Reflection for Study of Exodus 11-15

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Mark Shields

Over the last few weeks, I shared some thoughts as I journeyed through Exodus 6-10. From God’s Word, we can find solutions to difficulties by tuning into His Word, interpreting the message, and applying the lesson learned to handle similar difficulties we face in life.

God answers our despairing pleas with plans like He did for Moses who lacked confidence in his leadership abilities. God answered his despairing plea with a plan by giving Moses help as his brother Aaron join him. Moses would simply say what God commands and his brother Aaron would tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go (Exodus 7:2).

Unlike Moses who knew his limits and was humble, Pharaoh would not take to heart the greatness of God. His stubbornness resulted in Egypt being cursed with plagues. The lesson for us is to open our hearts and minds so that we listen to God. We should not be like Pharaoh who would not listen to his own advisors much less God. Even when Pharaoh started to come around to accepting God’s great power, he returned to his deceitful ways and went back on his word.

Time and time again, God caused plagues in Egypt as Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. About now, you say to yourself, “wow Pharaoh is slow … he’s just not getting it”. Most people would have understood by now that the earth is the Lord’s – that there is no greater power than God.

The Pharaoh of Egypt continued to repent and ask that God take away the plagues but each time, he didn’t follow through with his end of the agreement. He wanted a compromise but as written about in the post No Compromises with God, we don’t make deals with God. He doesn’t need anything from us but we need something from Him.

We have a need to be freed and the only way to get it is to surrender all because we need His grace made available through Jesus. As the journey continues, I will be studying and sharing from Exodus 11-15 over the next few weeks. The mission of this blog is to bring out ways to apply God’s Word in our life at work, at home, and within our neighborhoods. The questions for reflection for the study of Exodus 11-15 below will help bring out some thoughts and ideas over the next two weeks.

Exodus 11-12:20
Account for the attitude of the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s servants toward Moses and Israelites. What is the one practical consequence of this attitude? Instead of blood on the doors of our house, what is the sign today that protects us from death? In what ways do you observe or remember what the Lord has done for you?

Exodus 12:21 through 13:1-16
What is the response of the people to the requirements for the Passover celebration? How do you respond to God’s commandments? In what specific ways can you put God first as you consider possessions and family?

Exodus 13:17 through 14:31
Why doesn’t God lead the people through a short cut? What tough situations have you been in lately? What specifically have you learned today that can help you face hopeless situations?

Exodus 15:1-21
How is Moses’ confidence for the future built upon his knowledge of the character of God? Upon his past experience? On what do you base hope and plans for the future?

Exodus 15:22-16:36
What are the amazing events that occur in the desert? How did God test the Israelites in how they collected the food He provided them in the desert? Are you happy with what the Lord provides you each day?

The above reading plan will be used as I share over the next few posts. It’s important to have a plan. I’m thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Him as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make this day with Him amazing! At this link: God’s Plan for Us, is a post about accepting God’s plan or reaffirming our “YES” for Christ.

Feel free to respond with a short note or a comment about any of the questions above. Also, I welcome any other thoughts or ideas, favorite inspirational videos, photos, or favorite Bible verses. Just add them to the comments or to a Facebook page I’ve set up at this link: This Day With God.

Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts
Adeney, Carol. This Morning with God. Downer Grove Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1978
First United Methodist Waco Podcast
Christ Notes
Family Times
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Posted in Bible Study, Questions for Reflection | Tagged Bible, Blog, God’s Word, Grace, Humility, Inspiration, Internet, Life, Mission, Photos, Purpose, Videos | Leave a comment

The Need to Be Freed

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Mark Shields

We have a need to be freed and the only way to get it is to surrender all because we need His grace made available through Jesus. Here’s a song with this thought in mind: I Surrender – Hillsong.

But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands, as at this time. – 1 Kings 8:61

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Posted in Devotionals, Discipline | Tagged Commitment, Discipline, Faith, Grace, Jesus, Obedience, Repent | 1 Comment

No Compromises with God

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Mark Shields

There were many opportunities for Pharaoh to repent. Each time he hardened his heart and would not agree to what God wanted. In Exodus 10, he tried to compromise and let only the men go. This was not acceptable so the Lord brought on the plague of locusts.

Again, there was repentance from Pharaoh and the wish to compromise. Therefore, God sent another catastrophe called the plague of darkness. This one was different because Egypt worshiped the sun god, Ra, who was the chief of their gods.

Since the true God had defeated their chief god, this was like the last blow to Pharaoh’s pride. But again, he wanted to compromise by letting the people go except for the livestock. Moses didn’t give in and continued to follow God’s instructions.

Lord, help us today to be disciplined like Moses so we follow Your instructions. To surrender all and know that there is no compromise with You. Help us to understand that You want something for each of us. You give us grace and it is made available through Jesus. Grace is just what we need and we are thankful. In Jesus name. Amen.

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Posted in Bible Study, Discipline | Tagged Discipline, Faith, Grace, Repent | 2 Comments

My Part of the World

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Mark Shields

In central Texas, we’ve received a lot of rain this week. Spring has sprung and today should be a clear and warm day. I took this picture at Cameron Park at what is called “Lover’s Leap” just north of downtown Waco. Enjoy your weekend my friends!

Step Ahead

Around my part of the world, there is a legend similar to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. An Indian maiden named Wah-Wah-Tee and her Apache brave lover from an enemy tribe knew that their love would be forbidden. They were determined to be together so they ran away, only to be intercepted by her angry father and brothers.

The tale ends with Wah-Wah-Tee kissing her lover before they both jump off the cliff in the photo below and plummet to their death. Because of this legend, people around Waco Texas call the cliff “Lover’s Leap”. It’s just north of downtown near the merge of the Bosque and Brazos rivers.

Lover’s Leap