Do not gossip. (Exodus 23:1)

Exodus 23:1

New Living Translation (NLT)

23 “You must not pass along false rumors. You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand.

Making up or spreading false reports was strictly forbidden by God. Gossip, slander, and false witnessing undermined families, strained neighborhood cooperation, and made chaos of the justice system. Destructive gossip still cause problems. Even if you do not initiate a lie, you become responsible if you pass it along. Don't circulate rumors, squelch them.

Joe

Express God's love to foreigners. (Exodus 22:21)

Exodus 22:21

New Living Translation (NLT)

²¹ “You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

God warned the Israelites not to treat foreigners unfairly because they themselves were once foreigners in Egypt. It is not easy coming into a new environment where you feel alone and out of place. Are there foreigners in your corner of the world? Refugees? New arrivals at school? Immigrants from another country? Be sensitive to their struggles, and express God's love by your kindness and generosity.

Joe

Honor your parents ! (Exodus 20:12)

Exodus 20:12

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹² “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

This is the first commandment with a promise attached. To live in peace for generations in the promised land, the Israelites would need to respect authority and build strong families. But what does it mean to "honor" parents? Partly, it means speaking well of them and politely to them. It also means acting in a way that shows them courtesy and respect. It means following their teachings and example of putting God first. Parents have a special place in God's sight. Even those who find it difficult to get along with their parents are still commanded to honor them.

Joe

Do not misuse the name of the Lord. (Exodus 20:7)

Exodus 20:7

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁷ “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

God's name is special because it carries His personal identity. Using it frivolously or in a curse is so common today that we may fail to realize how serious it is. The way we use God's name conveys how we really feel about Him. We should respect His name and use it appropriately, speaking it in praise or worship rather than in curse or jest. We should not take lightly the abuse or dishonor of His name.

Joe

Tell your family about the Lord.

Exodus 18:8-11

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

⁸ Moses told his father-in-law everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and Egypt on behalf of Israel. He also told about all the hardships they had experienced along the way and how the Lord had rescued his people from all their troubles. ⁹ Jethro was delighted when he heard about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel as he rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.

¹⁰ “Praise the Lord,” Jethro said, “for he has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Yes, he has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt! ¹¹ I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.”

Moses told his father-in-law all that God had done, convincing him that the Lord was greater than any other god. Our relatives are often the hardest people to tell about God. Yet we should look for opportunities to tell them what God is doing in our lives because we can have an important influence on them.

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving...Take the time during your Thanksgiving gathering to tell your family about God.

 

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We need to "lift up the hands" of our spiritual leaders. (Exodus 17:10-13)

Exodus 17:10-13

^10-13 Joshua did what Moses ordered in order to fight Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. It turned out that whenever Moses raised his hands, Israel was winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was winning. But Moses’ hands got tired. So they got a stone and set it under him. He sat on it and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. So his hands remained steady until the sun went down. Joshua defeated Amalek and its army in battle.

Aaron and Hur stood by Moses' side and held up his arms to ensure victory against Amalek. We need to "lift up the hands" of our spiritual leaders as well. Shouldering some responsibility, lending a word of encouragement, or offering a prayer are ways of refreshing spiritual leaders in their work.

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complain or Pray ? (Exodus 17:2)

Exodus 17:2

New Living Translation (NLT)

² So once more the people complained against Moses. “Give us water to drink!” they demanded.

“Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?”

Again the people complained about their problem instead of praying. Some problems can be solved by careful thought or by rearranging our priorities. Some can be solved by discussion and good counsel. But some problems can be solved only by prayer. We should make a determined effort to pray when we feel like complaining, because complaining only raises our level of stress. Prayer quiets our thoughts and emotions and prepares us to listen.

Joe

God can open up a way. (Exodus 14:21)

Exodus 14:21

New Living Translation (NLT)

²¹ Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land.

There was no apparent way of escape, but the Lord opened up a dry path through the sea. Sometimes we find ourselves caught in a problem and see no way out. Don't panic; God can open up a way.

Joe

Get Moving ! (Exodus 14:15)

Exodus 14:15

New Living Translation (NLT)

Escape through the Red Sea

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!

The Lord told Moses to stop praying and get moving! Prayer must have a vital place in our lives, but there is also a place for action. Sometimes we know what to do, but we pray for more guidance as an excuse to postpone doing it. If we know what we should do, then it is time to get moving.

Joe

Look to God's Word. (Exodus 13:21-22)

Exodus 13:21-22

New International Version (NIV)

²¹ By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. ²² Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

God gave the Hebrews a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire so they would know day and night that God was with them on their journey to the promised land. What has God given us so that we can have the same assurance? The Bible - something the Israelites did not have. Look to God's Word for reassurance of His presence. As the Hebrews looked to the pillars of cloud and fire, we can look to God's Word day and night to know He is with us, helping us on our journey.

Joe

It is important to tell our children about God's work in our lives. (Exodus 10:2)

Exodus 10:2

New Living Translation (NLT)

² I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the Lord.”

God told Moses that his miraculous experiences with Pharaoh should be retold to his descendants. What stories Moses had to tell! Living out one of the greatest dramas in Biblical history, he witnessed events few people would ever see. It is important to tell our children about God's work in our past and to help them see what He is doing right now. What are the turning points in your life where God intervened? What is God doing for you now? Your stories will form the foundations of your children's belief in God.

Joe

Be persistent. (Exodus 9:1)

Exodus 9:1

New Living Translation (NLT)

9 “Go back to Pharaoh,” the Lord commanded Moses. “Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.

This was the fifth time God sent Moses to Pharaoh with the demand, "Let my people go!" By this time, Moses may have been tired and discouraged, but he continued to obey. Is there a difficult conflict you must face again and again? Don't give up when you know what is right to do. As Moses discovered, persistence is rewarded.

Joe

Don't miss the quiet miracles. (Exodus 7:17)

Exodus 7:17

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁷ So this is what the Lord says: “I will show you that I am the Lord.” Look! I will strike the water of the Nile with this staff in my hand, and the river will turn to blood.

God dramatically turned the waters of the Nile into blood to show Pharaoh who He was. Do you sometimes wish for miraculous signs so you can be sure about God? God has given you the miracle of eternal life through faith in Him, something Pharaoh never obtained. This is a quiet miracle and, though less evident right now, just as extraordinary as water turned into blood. The desire for spectacular signs may cause us to ignore the more subtle miracles God is working every day.

Joe

Big problems = Big answers for God. (Exodus 6:6)

Exodus 6:6

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁶ “Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.

Small problems need only small answers. But when we face great problems, God has an opportunity to exercise His great power. As the Hebrews' troubles grew steadily worse, God planned to intervene with His mighty power and perform great miracles to deliver them. How big are your problems? Big problems put you in a perfect position to watch God give big answers.

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God uses unexpected sources to communicate to us. (Exodus 3:2)

Exodus 3:2

New Living Translation (NLT)

² There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.

God spoke to Moses from an unexpected source: a burning bush. When Moses saw it, he went to investigate. God may use unexpected sources when communicating to us too, whether people, thoughts, or experiences. Be willing to investigate, and be open to God's surprises.

Joe

God's Schedule (Exodus 2:23-25)

Exodus 2:23-25

New Living Translation (NLT)

²³ Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. ²⁴ God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ²⁵ He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.

God's rescue doesn't always come the moment we want it. God had promised to bring the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt. The people had waited a long time for that promise to be kept, but God rescued them when He knew the right time had come. God knows the best time to act. When you feel that God has forgotten you in your troubles, remember that God has a time schedule we can't see.

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We cannot be overcomers without troubles to overcome. (Exodus 1:12)

Exodus 1:12

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

¹² But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread, and the more alarmed the Egyptians became.

The Egyptians tried to wear down the Hebrew people by forcing them into slavery and mistreating them. Instead, the Hebrews multiplied and grew stronger. When we are burdened or mistreated, we may feel defeated. But our burdens can make us stronger and develop qualities in us that will prepare us for the future. We cannot be overcomers without troubles to overcome. Be true to God in the hard times because even the worst situations can make us better people.

Joe

God goes with you. (Genesis 46:3-4)

Genesis 46:3-4

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

 

³ “I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. ⁴ I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.”

God told Jacob to leave his home and travel to a strange and faraway land. But God reassured him by promising to go with him and take care of him. When new situations or surroundings frighten you, recognize that experiencing fear is normal. To be paralyzed by fear, however, is an indication that you question God's ability to take care of you.

 

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

God forgives and blesses us if we ask. (Genesis 45:17-20)

Genesis 45:17-20

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁷ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. ¹⁸ Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.’”

¹⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here. ²⁰ Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

 

Joseph was rejected, kidnapped, enslaved, and imprisoned. Although his brothers have been unfaithful to him, he graciously forgave them and shared his prosperity. Joseph demonstrated how God forgives us and showers us with goodness even though we have sinned against him. The same forgiveness and blessings are ours if we ask for them.

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God's training program. (Genesis 41:39-40)

Genesis 41:39-40

The Message (MSG)

^39-40 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “You’re the man for us. God has given you the inside story—no one is as qualified as you in experience and wisdom. From now on, you’re in charge of my affairs; all my people will report to you. Only as king will I be over you.”

Joseph rose quickly to the top, from prison walls to Pharaoh's palace. His training for this important position involved being first a slave and then a prisoner. In each situation he learned the importance of serving God and others. Whatever your situation, no matter how undesirable, consider it part of your training program for serving God.

 

Joe

 

 

 

Focus the attention on God. (Genesis 40:8)

Genesis 40:8

The Message (MSG)

⁸ They said, “We dreamed dreams and there’s no one to interpret them.”

Joseph said, “Don’t interpretations come from God? Tell me the dreams.”

When the subject of dreams came up, Joseph focused everyone's attention on God. Rather than using the situation to make himself look good, he turned it into a powerful witness for the Lord. One secret of effective witnessing is to recognize opportunities to relate God to the other person's experience. When the opportunity arises, we must have the courage to speak, as Joseph did.

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you facing a seemingly hopeless predicament? (Genesis 39:21-23)

Genesis 39:21-23

New Living Translation (NLT)

²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. ²² Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³ The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

 

As a prisoner and slave, Joseph could have seen his situation as hopeless. Instead, he did his best with each small task given him. His diligence and positive attitude were soon noticed by the warden, who promoted him to prison administrator. Are you facing a seemingly hopeless predicament? At work, at home, or at school, follow Joseph's example by taking each small task and doing your best. Remember how God turned Joseph's situation around. He will see your efforts and can reverse even overwhelming odds.

 

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

Run ! (Genesis 39:10-15)

Genesis 39:10-15

 

The Message (MSG)

 

¹⁰ She pestered him day after day after day, but he stood his ground. He refused to go to bed with her.

^11-15 On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. She grabbed him by his cloak, saying, “Sleep with me!” He left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. When she realized that he had left his coat in her hand and run outside, she called to her house servants: “Look—this Hebrew shows up and before you know it he’s trying to seduce us. He tried to make love to me but I yelled as loud as I could. With all my yelling and screaming, he left his coat beside me here and ran outside.”

Joseph avoided Potiphar's wife as much as possible. He refused her advances and finally ran from her. Sometimes merely trying to avoid temptation is not enough. We must turn and run, especially when the temptations seem very strong as is often the case in sexual temptations.

Joe

Do you worry more about yourself...

Genesis 37:29-30

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁹ Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. ³⁰ And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?”

Reuben returned to the pit to find Joseph, but his little brother was gone. His first response, in effect, was "What is going to happen to me?" rather than "What is going to happen to Joseph?" In a tough situation, are you usually concerned first about yourself? Consider the person most affected by the problem, and you will be more likely to find a solution for it.

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jealousy grows quickly. (Genesis 37:18-20)

Genesis 37:18-20

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

¹⁸ When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. ¹⁹ “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. ²⁰ “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”

 

Could jealousy ever make you feel like killing someone? Before saying, Of course not," look what happened in this story. Ten men were willing to kill their younger brother over a robe and a few reported dreams. Their deep jealousy had grown into ugly rage, completely blinding them to what was right. Jealousy can be difficult to recognize because our reasons for it seem to make sense. But left unchecked, jealousy grows quickly and leads to serious sins. The longer you cultivate jealous feelings, the harder it is to uproot them. The time to deal with jealousy is when you notice yourself keeping score of what others have.

Joe

Don't compare your success with that of others. (Genesis 31:1-2)

Genesis 31:1-2

The Message (MSG)

31 ^1-2 Jacob learned that Laban’s sons were talking behind his back: “Jacob has used our father’s wealth to make himself rich at our father’s expense.” At the same time, Jacob noticed that Laban had changed toward him. He wasn’t treating him the same.

Jacob's wealth made Laban's son's jealous. It is sometimes difficult to be happy when others are doing better than we are. To compare our success with that of others is a dangerous way to judge the quality of our lives. By comparing ourselves to others, we may be giving jealousy a foothold. We can avoid jealousy by rejoicing in others, successes (see Romans 12:15 below).

 

Romans 12:15

 

Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy]...

 

Joe

Have patience. (Genesis 30:22-24)

Genesis 30:22-24

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

²² Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children. ²³ She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said. ²⁴ And she named him Joseph, for she said, “May the Lord add yet another son to my family.”

Eventually God answered Rachel's prayers and God gave her a child of her own. In the

meantime, however, she had given her maidservant to Jacob. Trusting God when nothing seems to happen is difficult. But it is harder still to live with the consequences of taking matters into your own hands. Resist the temptation to think God has forgotten you. Have patience and courage to wait for God to act.

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

Doing the impossible is everyday business for God. (Genesis 21:1-7)

Genesis 21:1-7

The Message (MSG)

21 ^1-4 God visited Sarah exactly as he said he would; God did to Sarah what he promised: Sarah became pregnant and gave Abraham a son in his old age, and at the very time God had set. Abraham named him Isaac. When his son was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded.
^5-6 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born.
Sarah said,

God has blessed me with laughter
and all who get the news will laugh with me!

⁷ She also said,

Whoever would have suggested to Abraham
that Sarah would one day nurse a baby!
Yet here I am! I’ve given the old man a son!




Who could believe that Abraham would have a son at 100 years of age - and live to raise him to adulthood? But doing the impossible is everyday business for God. Our big problems won't seem so impossible if we let God handle them.




Joe

















 

No one can serve two masters. (Genesis 19:25-26)

Genesis 19:25-26

The Message (MSG)

^24-25 Then God rained brimstone and fire down on Sodom and Gomorrah—a river of lava from God out of the sky!—and destroyed these cities and the entire plain and everyone who lived in the cities and everything that grew from the ground.

²⁶ But Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

Lot's wife turned back to look at the smoldering city of Sodom. Clinging to the past, she was unwilling to turn completely away. Are you looking back longingly at sin while trying to move forward with God? You can't make progress with God as long as you are holding on to pieces of your old life. Jesus said it this way in Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters."

Joe

Have you chosen to live or work in a "Sodom"? (Genesis 13:10-12)

Genesis 13:10-12

The Message (MSG)

^10-11 Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered like God’s garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east.

^11-12 That’s how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom.

 

 

Good pasture and available water seemed like a wise choice to Lot at first. But he failed to recognize the wicked Sodom could provide temptations strong enough to destroy his family. Have you chosen to live or work in a "Sodom"? Even though you may be strong enough to resist the temptations, other members of your family may not. While God commands us to reach people in the "Sodom" near us, we must be careful not to become like the very people we are trying to reach.

Joe