Category: Uncategorized
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Grumbling…again! (Exodus 16-18, Ephesians 4)
“The heart of the problem is the human heart.” That’s a line in the really helpful Christianity Explored course, but it’s a great description of God’s people in Exodus. God has rescued them out of Egypt through 10 plagues, then they panicked when Pharaoh chased after them, but God rescued them through the Red Sea,…
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Hemmed in. (Exodus 13-15, Psalm 114, Ephesians 3)
Why doesn’t he just give up?! Surely by now he knows who the LORD is and that he can’t beat him. Surely after 10 times of showing His power, Pharaoh should come and say with the Philippian jailer “what must I do to be saved?” And yet, Pharaoh is still trying to resist the sovereign…
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The severity of God’s judgment (Exodus 10-12, Ephesians 2)
Is God’s judgment too severe? It is fairly shocking. There is a death in every house. And yet, God had given 9 warnings with the previous plagues and now he warns that every firstborn will die. Is this fair? Well, remember what Pharaoh had done to the Israelite baby boys. And when you consider that…
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Who is the real God? (Exodus 7-9, Psalm 105, Ephesians 1)
Why doesn’t God make himself clearer? Sometimes people ask that sort of question. I’d believe if God showed me some sign… Well Pharaoh has a fair few signs and yet still refuses to acknowledge that the LORD is God! The problem isn’t so much a lack of evidence as it is a lack of desire…
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When things get worse instead of better. (Exodus 4-6, Galatians 6)
What happens when you pray and things seem to get worse instead of better. That’s what happens to God’s people in Exodus. God has heard his people’s groans and sends Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the people go and Pharaoh says ‘No!’ And then makes life harder for them. They now have to collect…
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A great nation (Exodus 1-3, Galatians 5)
The Bible tells one true story from beginning to end, and it’s helpful to remember that it all fits together. As we begin Exodus, we have moved on about 400 years (remember the promise to Abraham that his descendants would be servants in a foreign land 15:13) but the promises are still being worked out.…
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Where there’s a will there’s a …. (Gen 49-50; Gal 4)
Where there’s a will there’s a…fight! Sadly siblings sometimes fall out over the will of a deceased parent. When Jacob dies, the brothers are not arguing over money and possessions but they are fearful that Joseph might have only been kind to them for the sake of their father. Now he is gone, will Joseph…
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The crutch of Christianity (Genesis 47-48, Psalm 25, Galatians 3)
How do you cope with losing a wife? And then a son when he’s just 17? Or how about falling out with your brother so that you have flee from home. That’s just some of the heartache Jacob faced. In Genesis 48 he reveals how he got through “the God who has been my shepherd…
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Reconciled by sovereignty of God (Genesis 45-46, Psalm 108, Galatians 2)
How can you be free from bitterness towards those who have hurt you? What about those who have really hurt you? Joseph had been sold as a slave by his own brothers, it had been a choice between killing him and making a bit of money out of him and they had gone for the…
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Amazing Grace (Genesis 43-44, Psalm 24, Galatians 1)
There’s something about admitting you’re wrong. It’s hard to do, but what beautiful change can come about. When the brothers return with Benjamin and the silver cup ends up in Benjamin’s sack, Judah – acknowledges his guilt (44:16). Of course they are not actually guilty of stealing the cup, but Judah seems to be recognising…