Please read Numbers 7 (before you get too excited, it’s a pretty long chapter, LOL!).  Come on back and let’s talk.  I’d love to hear what stood out to you in today’s reading!   

God is all about details and specifics – He desires intimacy with us today. Let’s not use grace as an excuse to become spiritually “lazy” – Father, help me get busy about details in my own life and relationships!

This morning, please read Exodus 39:32-43, Exodus 40, and Numbers 9:15-23.  Lots going on!  Let’s visit!

“Moses did everything God commanded. He did it all” (40:16 MSG)

Do you see a theme developing?  Moses is obedient! Moses did it ALL, and completed the work – even to arranging the furniture.  Sometimes we get weary at the end of a project and we lose steam on “little details”, but Moses finished strong – that’s an example!  

Of course, it isn’t time to stop – the cloud and fire come on the day the Dwelling was set up:

“Moses finished the work. The Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling. Moses couldn’t enter the Tent of Meeting because the Cloud was upon it, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling.

Whenever the Cloud lifted from The Dwelling, the People of Israel set out on their travels, but if the Cloud did not lift, they wouldn’t set out until it did lift. The Cloud of God was over The Dwelling during the day and the fire was in it at night, visible to all the Israelites in all their travels” (Numbers 9:15-16 MSG)

One job finishes, another begins. We have to keep moving forward with the Lord!

Please read Exodus 37, 38, and 39:1-31. 

“The people of Israel did what God had commanded Moses. They did it all” (39:32 MSG)

Obedience, obeying EVERYTHING God commands is so important – let’s not leave anything undone!  I was talking with a friend not too long ago, about a crossroads decision.  To me, either option sounded positive, but wisely my friend was still overing the decision in prayer.  He said something that I remembered: “I don’ t have room for anything except obedience”. Amen!  It’s vital that we do what God God commands us!

“The Israelites completed all the work, just as God had commanded. Moses saw that they had done all the work and done it exactly as God had commanded. Moses blessed them” (39:42-43 MSG)

There will always be a blessing in obedience.

Please read Exodus 35- and Exodus 36. Come on back and let’s visit – what is the Lord speaking to you today from His word?

Moses begins work on the Tabernacle – this is a big project, and it’s all hands on deck!

“Gather from among you an offering for God” (35:5 MSG)

Everyone has a gift to bring – just like in our own lives.  We have a responsibility to give what we can to support furthering the kingdom of God within our sphere of influence. Look at what happened shortly after Moses’ command that they all participate:

All the artisans who were at work making everything involved in constructing the Sanctuary came, one after another, to Moses, saying, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing this work that God has commanded us to do!”

So Moses sent out orders through the camp: “Men! Women! No more offerings for the building of the Sanctuary!

The people were ordered to stop bringing offerings! There was plenty of material for all the work to be done. Enough and more than enough.” (36:4-7 MSG)

Can you imagine being told not to give anymore because so much had come in toward the building of the sanctuary? How encouraging that must have been!  Of course, that would happen if we all did what we could, wouldn’t it?

p.s. Say a quick prayer for your church and pastor this morning, for enough and more than enough!

Please read Exodus chapters 32, 33, and 34.  What a sweet day today is!  Come on back and let’s chat!

It’s so incredible the intimacy with Moses and the Lord, speaking face to face as friends.

“So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (33:11 NKJV)

We can do that too! I am also inspired by Moses’ refusals to more forward without God’s presence, even though God offered an angel.  

Moses said, “If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now. How else will it be known that you’re with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not? How else will we know that we’re special, I and your people, among all other people on this planet Earth?”

God said to Moses: “All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name.” (33:15-17 MSG)

Remember back in Exodus 23? Moses knew that the angel could execute judgement but not forgive sin – scary. Judgement without mercy. God is so kind and generous – as he was to Moses, he is to us today. God never changes and that is a comfort!

He’s speaking these words to us today, too – God knows you well and you are special to Him! He knows your name. ❤

Please read Exodus 29, Exodus 30 and Exodus 31 and let’s visit! 

Everyone had their place and their specific giftings. God never leaves anyone out – He makes provision for all.

“Everyone included among those who are numbered” (30:14 MSG)

p.s. aren’t you glad that all these rules were replaced by Jesus’ one final sacrifice?  Though there is value in the Law, we have freedom and we are grateful to God for it!

Please read Exodus 25, 26, 27, and 28, and head on back! 

HIGH emphasis on purity, that’s important today as well. All of these preparations, all of these people with different skills and giftings, all came down to one thing:

“let them build Me a sanctuary SO I CAN COME AND LIVE IN THEIR MIDST” (Ex 25:8, emphasis mine)

God’s heart was always to be in relationship with us, redeem us, restore us. We should be no less specific and purposeful in doing our part to stay close to our Father – thankful for grace, while still understanding that I have to work to grow my relationship with God every day. I’m glad He wants to be in relationship with me too!

Please read Exodus 22:16-31, Exodus 23 and Exodus 24. Fight the urge to “skim”.  🙂 Confession: I’m trying to take something from each day’s reading – and sometimes I have to read it more than once!  Hang in there – we have lots more law to go before we finish!

The laws can be tedious – but its still good advice, even for life today! Just hitting a few highlights, look at these:

 ²¹ “Don’t abuse or take advantage of strangers”

²² “Don’t mistreat widows or orphans”

²⁸ “Don’t curse God; and don’t damn your leaders”

²⁹“Don’t be stingy as your wine vats fill up”

³¹ “Be holy for my sake”

That’s good!

Jesus did come to redeem us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13) – from legalism, and trusting in works rather than faith, and many other things that time won’t allow right now.  However, don’t fall into the misconception that the Old Testament doesn’t apply to us or isn’t helpful to us today.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” – even the OT laws! Hang in there!  We’re going to get through this together, and the Holy Spirit will be our Guide!

Please read Exodus 20, 21, 22:1-15 this morning. Head on back – do you have any thoughts to share also?  We’ve got the 10 Commandments today!

Life was hard before Grace came in – I’m so thankful to Jesus for His sacrifice and so thankful to God the Father for His perfect plan to redeem us.  Even in the time of Moses, all of these laws were meant to train people and keep them in right relationship – it’s difficult for us to understand today (it seems harsh to us), but God ALWAYS loved His people and ALWAYS desired the best or them.  He loves us still today!

Please read Exodus chapters 16, 17, 18, and 19. Here’s what I am thinking about this morning:

When the children of Israel complained that they didn’t have enough food, and even compared their current situation in the wilderness to the life they had in Egypt (“Why didn’t God let us die in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and all the bread we could eat?” 16:3 MSG). There they go, looking backwards again.  Don’t they remember – they were in slavery in Egypt!  In response, God sent daily bread, manna, for them to eat:

They gathered it every morning, each person according to need (16:21 MSG)

God was giving them exactly what they needed for the day, every day.  It is the same for us – we can’t save it up (no “let’s read 3 days in our Bible now so we can take the weekend off” going on here!).  We need to meet God every day so He can fill us afresh.

Exodus 16:28 says “Don’t you see that God has given you the Sabbath?” The Sabbath is a gift to us – we ought to take advantage and purposefully make time in our schedules for the Lord!