Making A Difference Daily

Today’s Passage – Exodus 16 – 18 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 5 – 6; Proverbs 25; Psalms 121 – 125)

Scripture Memorization for January – Joy in Serving Jesus

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Micah 6:8

Read the “0125 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from this morning’s reading passage – “Remember Sunday?” and “Sound Advice“

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Walking Through The Valley“

“And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 16:1)

Good morning. Did you know Sin was a real place? It’s located between Elim and Sinai. Sin is a real place: we wander around in it all the time. It’s not a fun place to be. It’s an easy place to get to, but sometimes a very hard place to get out of. And Israel was faced with the wilderness of Sin right in front of them. And they stepped into Sin.

“And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” (Exodus 16:2-3)

As soon as they entered the wilderness of Sin, the sin started. The children of Israel murmured about those in charge. You blame them or others for your troubles, but it was your walk into Sin. So, number 1, Sin brings Sedition.

Number 2, Sin does not bring Satisfaction. When all of Israel were in Sin they were hungry. Sin does not satisfy, and that added to their sedition.

1) Sin brings Sedition

2) Sin does not bring Satisfaction

And thirdly, Sin brings Sacrilege…

“And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.” (Exodus 16:8)

Israel did not have to murmur. Israel did not have to walk around hungry. Israel did not have to blaspheme God. But they did. And God loved them enough that He took care of their needs by giving them quail, and manna to eat. They didn’t have to do all those things. All they had to do was ask God and He would have fulfilled their needs.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

Just ask…

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

The next time you decide that you want to take a walk in the wilderness of Sin: DON’T! Just remember…

1) Sin brings Sedition

2) Sin does not bring Satisfaction

3) Sin brings Sacrilege

Peace. (Matthew 12:31)

Today’s Passage – Genesis 45 – 47 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mark 7 – 8; Proverbs 18; Psalms 86 – 90)

“Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 45:1-8)

Good morning. How many times in your life has someone done you wrong? Now, how many times have you forgiven their wrong? Too many of us hold a grudge against the many wrong-doers in our lives. We fail to realize that it may be part of God’s will: we may need to be hurt, so we will not hurt others. Look at what Joseph said, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

God had a bigger reason for allowing Joseph to be sold as a slave in Egypt: bigger than satisfying the hatred of his brothers: to preserve life. Joseph was able to see this, and forgave his brothers for what they did to him. Sometimes we are not sure of what God is doing, and should be tolerant of those times we are under attack: look at King David fleeing Jerusalem…

“And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.” (2Samuel 16:5-12)

Peter asked “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?”, and Jesus told him, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

Stephen said, before dieing from the stones that were thrown at him, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”

Our Example, the Lord Jesus Christ, asked the Father from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Being angry or upset with someone cannot end in anything good, unless it ends with forgiveness. Let’s strive to be a little more, and forgive as Jesus did. Jesus died for their sins as well as yours.

Peace. (Mark 11:25-26)