When the lamb was slaughtered at twilight, the whole Israelite community dabbed its blood on each door post and the upper lintel of their house. They were assured that this was a salvation sign to the death angel and he would pass over their home. (Amazingly, when the blood dripped down it formed a cross.)

Moses trusted God for His work in convincing Pharaoh to deliver the children of Israel. This last plague was the one that led to immediate action. It resulted in the death of every firstborn male, whether human or animal.

The “gods” of Egypt were challenged and defeated. No longer would a manmade image or person of authority (Pharaoh) be over God’s chosen.

Faith and obedience powered the children of Israel to leave Egypt by the millions. When Moses moved, it was in response to God’s direction. Moses may not have been a “smooth talker” but he most assuredly was an honest worshiper.

When I face the fear of moving foward, I look at Moses’s example. He stayed focused on God (more than the enormous task at hand), he obeyed God’s instruction exactly as stated (no compromise), and he trusted God’s timetable (knowing they were to be boldly prepped and ready to make haste).

Father God, keep me under the blood of the lamb. The Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29). Help me to obey your Word, the Bible, more than man-made philosophy. Help me to move boldly and not hold back when you make a way for me.

You are the Creator and sustainer, I trust in You. – Teresa

#preciousbloodofChrist

Exodus 12: 1-13 (ESV).

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.[b]

7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

*photo by Pexels

I was reading a post on Linked In about reversing the winding-down thought process at night, aka reflection. Instead of thinking about everything you still have to do- ponder what you have done well. This is great advice.

After reflecting on “why I could not get through my task list”…I reversed the process to reflect on the “deep work” accomplished not just the “task list of yesterday”.

Wow- when you see what God has done in and through you, you will be astounded. The deep work will sometimes include growing pains that are not comfortable but will also catapult you to a new level of understanding.

In this passage, Joseph encouraged me to stay strong in doing what God has called and gifted me for. The illustration in this passage resulted in a blessing. It was the main purpose for using Joseph’s gifts- his father, brother’s families and futures were all blessed.

Sometimes we focus on trying to give a blessing but God just wants us to be faithful in our own area of influence- even if it means taking a “timeout” to gain clarity. He will pour out the blessing on so many lives you would not have imagined it possible. – Teresa #jobwelldone #butterflyeffect #kaleidoscope

Genesis 47:7-12 (ESV) 7 Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father and stood him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 And Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” 9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.” 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. 11 Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their dependents.

*photo by Alex Green on Pexels

I was getting really frustrated this week and then I stopped to remind myself of this truth. If He cares enough about me to know the number of hairs on my head, then I can relax! Even the most frustrating of situations are easy for God.

As I acknowledge who my Lord is- even before others, I can also rest assured that He is acknowledging me before the Father in heaven. He loves us so much.

What’s in it for Jesus- the Christ and the Savior of mankind? He is in it for the completion of the Father’s will.

He knows that I am a very small and minute creature (in the scope of planets, galaxies and the universe), yet we are made in God’s image.

In fact, we are God’s workmanship created for good works in Christ. (Listen to the song by Kaith Green – link below).

Keith Green (singing Ephesians 2:10)

Today, I’m resting, relaxing and prayerfully considering what it means to truly believe that- Teresa #myrest #mypeace #Heisourpeace #receivethisgift

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by works,so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork,created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Matthew 10:26-33 (ESV)

26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.[c] 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?[d] And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

When the faith of Abraham was tested, he did not dwell on feelings for his son, Isaac, but focused on the power of God (able to resurrect him). His willingness to give up what was most precious to him in obedience to God showed that his faith was authentic. Abraham discovered that God would honor his faith with children galore (like the stars of the sky).

We are the children of Abraham when we simply believe God’s word. That’s why we call him Father Abraham. He believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (see Galatians 3:6). Based on The Abrahamic covenant, God knew there would be millions upon millions of believers.

Through Abraham’s offspring, all the nations of the world have been blessed. I have been blessed and my family has been blessed. The lamb was truly provided because our heavenly Father did the unthinkable- He offered his only begotten Son for the sin of the world. (See John 1:29)

Focused on the relationship with His Father (see Hebrews 12:2), Jesus was obedient unto death, even death on the cross (see Phillipians 2:8).- Teresa #Father’slove #Son’sobedience #ourjoy #thegospel #goodnews #resurrectionpower

https://youtu.be/05_vFmZkUYw listen to Michael Card, “God will provide a Lamb”

Genesis 22:5-19 (ESV)

5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy[f] will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”;[g] as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”[h]

15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his[i] enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

*photo from Pexels

Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. If I’m being dramatic like my daughter’s cute dog, then I may lay my head down and act hopeless when feeling left alone.

On the other hand, if I’m acknowledging the position God has, then I wholeheartedly agree that His name is holy. Not only can He meet my need but He will do it beyond what I can ask or imagine.

Imagine driving in to Yosemite for the first time. I was in awe and reverence at the magnitude of the rock formations. Reverence for God is even more breathtaking than that.

He not only provides daily (for all of mankind) but best of all He forgives. When the kingdom of heaven appears on earth, it looks really different than the world system. He transforms my heart from “gimme” to “deliverme”.

Deliverance from anger and bitterness keeps me from grabbing and empowers me to give. -Teresa #prayerispowerful #RememberHim #Is52&53 #God’sgifttothepeople-sufferingservantHisSon

Matthew 6:5-14 (ESV).

The Lord’s Prayer

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.[a]
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,[b]
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,[c]
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.[d]
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Footnotes

Matthew 6:9 Or Let your name be kept holy, or Let your name be treated with reverence
Matthew 6:10 Or Let your kingdom come, let your will be done
Matthew 6:11 Or our bread for tomorrow
Matthew 6:13 Or the evil one; some manuscripts add For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen

There is a wonderful instinct in the father of a newborn- to protect their baby! When the Lord told Joseph to rise and flee to Egypt, he promptly obeyed. Even though Joseph had not “known” Mary before Jesus was born, he embraced responsibility for him-as his own son.

King Herod ordered the murder of all the baby boys (2 years and under), to squelch any possibility of the prophetic “Christmas Star” child becoming King.

When the culture steals our children, God is working upstream of the tragedy. Those vying desperately for power and position may be the ones who are about to get tumbled.

Jesus stood before King Herod’s son, (Herod Antipas) prior to His death and resurrection. He did not speak a word to him (see Luke 23:9). Was it because King Herod’s son was know by Jesus to be a fox? (See Luke 13:31,32) The future was clear to Jesus His ultimate sacrifice would restore the people-(everyone affected by the cruelty of sin and corruption).

Although Herod thought he was the one in control, he was actually the one who would ultimately rise and flee.* After taking his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias as his wife, he was responsible for the beheading of John the Baptist.

Am I ready to respond to God’s bidding? Joseph provided a great example of a strong earthly father protecting God’s heavenly Son by obeying the direction to rise and flee.

My takeaway: in order to lead well, I must be willing to learn to follow. – Teresa

#trustandobey #culturalstruggleforthefamily #HeisLordofall #HearHim#Hehears#ourcryforthechildren

Matthew 2: 13-18 (ESV) English Standard Version
The Flight to Egypt

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Herod Kills the Children

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

*https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herod-Antipas