Daily Bible Reading - February 10, 2017

Today's Reading:

Hebrews 7

Exodus 3:1-4:31

Psalm 41

Listen to the Bible

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts and Commentary on Today's Reading:

In today's Bible reading, I would especially like to highlight the story of Moses found in Exodus. In this story, we find the beautiful details about Moses relationship with God - details which, if put to use in our own lives, will help us to be people who truly know and personally experience God.

The most important thing for a Christian to do is personally experience God. In fact, since the true definition of “church” is “eyewitnesses to the life changing, transforming power of God,” experiencing God personally is necessary in order to be part of His church.

So, how can we truly experience God? As Henry Blackaby powerfully teaches in his Experiencing God series, there are seven realities which we must understand in order to experience God. 

 

The FIRST REALITY is that GOD IS ALREADY AT WORK AROUND YOU.   

He is working for the Salvation of lost man, whether you join Him or not.  Ministry for the

Salvation of mankind doesn’t begin with you and I.  All ministry begins with God.

A good example of how people experience God through these seven realities (in order) is found in the life of Moses. So, Moses didn’t need to drum up a ministry assignment. He just needed to get on board with what God was already doing!

The SECOND REALITY for Experiencing God is understanding that HE WANTS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WIHT YOU.

Moses would never have gone up into the Mount to meet with God if God hadn’t initiated the encounter by giving him a personal invitation. God does the same with you and me! Every day that you are alive, God continues to pursue a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.

The THIRD REALITY for Experiencing God is understanding that HE IS INVITING YOU TO JOIN HIM IN HIS WORK.

So many times, Christians feel the urge to do some valuable ministry. They then think the burden of thinking up what to do is on them. But, we can’t do ministry, unless God is ALREADY DOING IT.  In other words, unless the Spirit of GOD is at work, no amount of speaking on our part is going to convey the Heavenly Truths.  For this reason, we don’t need to think up a ministry and then ask GOD to bless it and get on board.  This is backwards.  We need to ask God what He is doing and get involved with HIM!

The fourth reality for Experiencing God is understanding that GOD SPEAKS TO YOU, just as surely as He spoke to Moses.   

And it is also important to understand HOW God speaks. The Heavenly Father speaks to each of us by His Spirit through the Bible, circumstances, listening prayer, and His people to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His Ways. This revelation of Himself was an invitation to Moses to join God in what He was about to do. It is the same with us today.

The FIFTH REALITY for Experiencing God is understanding that His invitation for you to join Him in His Work will bring you to a CRISIS OF BELIEF which will require faith and action.

True belief in God takes the focus off of us. He is the one doing the work. And if He’s called us to do something, we need to believe that HE will also provide the power, talents, and abilities to accomplish what He’s called us to do.

Also, we should recognize that it is a great PRIVILEGE to be asked by God to join Him.  He asks each of us to join Him, so it isn’t rare to be asked. But, it is a privilege.  God could do the Work for Salvation far better by sending the angels to do it.  I mean let's face it - the angels never disobey God. They never get His Signals mixed up. They are perfect and do His Will flawlessly, every time. But instead of sending the angels to do the Work of witnessing, He asks us failing humans to work with Him. Why? Because He knows that the best way for us to get to know Him intimately is to join Him in what He’s doing. We get to know Him on the job! 

  

The sixth reality for Experiencing God is understanding that EACH OF US MUST MAKE MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS TO JOIN GOD in what He is doing. 

This may mean that you have to move. It may mean that you have to quit your job.  But, whatever it is, you can be sure that it will be a major life-change.  This is what it takes to truly join Him in what He is doing. Carrying out His Plans for your life means setting aside your own plans and surrendering to His Will.

The SEVENTH REALITY for Experiencing God is understanding that we come to know God, intimately, as Moses came to KNOW HIM BY EXPERIENCE as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work in you.

 

What form has God’s invitation to leave your comfort zone and join Him in His Work taken so far in your life? 

God had a purpose that He was working out around Moses. This is the big picture. The most important factor in this first reality in Moses’ encounter with God was NOT about the Will of God for MOSES, it was about the will of God for ISRAEL.  Realizing this helps us to not think self-centeredly when we begin our own journey with God.

God’s purpose was to deliver the children of Israel. Moses was the one through whom God wanted to work to accomplish this. God chooses to accomplish His Work through His people.
  
God invited Moses to talk with Him and be with Him. God initiated and maintained a continuing relationship with Moses. He does this with each of us.

God talked to Moses about His Will. God revealed to Moses His holiness, His mercy, His power, His Name, and many other beautiful Characteristics.

Moses offered many objections. He questioned whether God could do it through him. In each case, Moses was really doubting God more than himself. This is always the problem when we protest our inadequacies for an assignment. Moses faced the crisis of belief – is God really able to do what He says?

Moses made the necessary adjustments to orient his life to God. Moses had to come to the place where he believed God could do everything He said He would do.  Moses became a moldable servant remaining at God’s disposal to be used as God chose.

Moses must have been humble and unworthy to be used in such a significant way by God. But God DID use him to accomplish all He intended. Every step of obedience brought Moses to a greater experience with and knowledge of God.

So what about you? Do you really want to know God? Do you really want a personal

relationship with Him? God wanted all of Israel to experience Him, not just Moses.  But, time and again, when He reached out to Him, they pulled back.  Moses didn’t pull back from coming to know God.  He overcame the crisis of belief by recognizing it wasn’t about HIM, the calling was about God! And because He went with God in obedience, joining God in what He was doing, Moses came to know God as a deep Friend.  This is the relationship God wants with you.  So, what about it? Do you REALLY want to know God, personally?  Its time to understand these seven realities, and DO them.  God is calling you today?  Won’t you join Him in the work HE has for you to do?  If you will, you will be blessed by truly coming to know God, experiencing Him in a real and personal way. Like Moses, you'll never be the same :-)
  

Be sure to add a COMMENT on this blog, sharing with us anything you found meaningful in your reading of today's Scripture passages. We will all love to hear from you (please keep the Comment relevant to today's reading - Thx!)