Arise and Abide

Reading Exodus 7:25-8:15 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. Frogs being held as sacred to the Egyptians at the time. This was the first time Pharaoh couldn’t put the problem out of his mind. Cleanliness being important to the Egyptians. God’s almighty power over all false gods. Pharaoh gets to pick the time when everything stops. All power and authority are granted by God. Crying out to God, getting the relief, and then putting it our of your mind is a pitfall to avoid.

Reading Exodus 7:14-24 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. God’s miracle is mimicked by Pharaoh’s magicians on a much smaller scale. The miracles being perceived as plagues. The serpent and the blood were meant to cause a fright. The miracles addressing the gods of Egypt. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and begins with a fright making us aware of our own mortality and shortcomings.

Reading Exodus 6:26-7:13 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. Moses journey trying to convince God that he is the wrong man for the job, God continuing to try and make Moses understand that God is the one who will bring success. Our perception of our limitations and God’s ability and promise.

Reading Exodus 5:22-6:13 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. The LORD leading us in things that we will need to rely on the LORD to get us through. Moses is learning confidence in the LORD and not in self. Knowing what’s coming doesn’t mean we will respond like we should or that we will even know how we will respond when it happens. We can trust God and not worry about how it will happen, because God backs up God’s own word.

Reading Exodus 5:1-21 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. Pharaoh’s response based out of pride, arrogance, and ignorance. God is love. God giving all people opportunities to respond and knows how we will respond. Pharaoh flexing his might onto God’s people but is picking a fight with God. God sets people free from bondage to sin, slaves to sin live limited.

Reading Exodus 4:18-31 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. The LORD telling Moses that Israel is God’s firstborn son, that God will strike down the firstborn sons of Egypt, and then confronts Moses about his son, who Zipporah circumcised on the way to Egypt. The goodness of God to prepare Moses for the hard things to come. The response of the people to worship. Jesus came to set us free from the power of sin that keeps us in bondage.

Reading Psalms 41:1-13 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. Starting the Psalm with statements of God’s goodness. Written in the tension of waiting for the LORD to answer his prayer. Recognizing that sinning against anyone in anyway, is sin against the LORD.  People wanting to see David fail. David sees the favor of the LORD in the fact that he is still breathing.

Reading Exodus 4:1-17 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. Moses’ hesitation to go and fear of the message being rejected shows he currently looks for approval and validation from people more so than from God. God’s patience with Moses. God telling Moses to put his trust in God with him. Confidence in the Lord and not self, the Lord is not happy when we sit in our inability when we are called to go.

Reading Exodus 3:16-22 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. God’s call is exciting and something to be thankful but creates the opportunity to respond if faith and trust in God, or by becoming overwhelmed. It is not in our power or ability to share the good news in a way to convince someone, it is God at work in their lives. God’s patience with Moses, versus the idea that God is an angry God.

Reading Exodus 3:1-15 (NLT) ~ Scripture reading followed by discussion. God’s presence is what made Mount Sinai special. God redeeming Moses and using Moses to lead the people out of Egypt. God is a consuming fire that does not destroy life. God declares Holiness and places Moses’ identity in the people of Israel and in the promise of God to Abraham and His descendants. The refugee status of God’s people.  There is no border or boundary, no running from the presence of God who sees all.