Tag Archives: Self Help

God Provides Manna for the Israelites (Exodus 16)

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Bible Summary:

A month and a half after leaving Egypt, the Israelites are just opposite a desert from Mount Sinai when they start complaining to Moses about him starving them to death. God tells Moses He will rain food down from the sky and that the people must collect enough, two quarts each, except on the sixth day when they are to collect four. Moses and Aaron tell the Israelites that God has heard their complaints “against Him”. Once the morning dew evaporates on the next day, thin and flaky white seeds that taste like thin cakes made with honey cover the desert. They eat this manna from heaven for the next forty years until they reach Canaan.

My Thoughts:

Things Become Familiar: In a story like this it is easy to think the Israelites are ungrateful for what God has done for them, but I think it is more the case of things becoming familiar and the miracles being forgotten over time.

I used to travel a bit for work and the first time I saw the Rocky Mountains I was in complete awe. I thought they were so majestic, with the sun peering over the peaks as the day began to end. But after a while, they just became part of the scenery, part of the background. They had lost their newness. It takes effort to remember our everyday miracles.

On the Seventh Day We Rest and Worship: God tells us to take a break once a week. This rarely happens in America. We move at 5,000 miles an hour all the time and do not know how to take a break. Caffeine is the drug of choice to keep us going at this incredible pace.

Try to take a break for one hour, yes, a whole hour once a week. It will be very difficult at first, doing nothing for an hour, but keep at it until you make it the whole hour. You will be surprised how this can change your life.

Moses Parts the Red Sea (Ex 14)

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Bible Summary:

The Israelites camp between the desert and Red Sea. When the king of Egypt is told the slaves have left, he changes his mind and pursues them with his entire army. Upon seeing the approaching army, the Israelites complain to Moses for taking them out of Egypt just to die in the desert. Moses tells them not to be afraid, that God will fight for them.

God places the pillar of clouds between the Israelites and the army, then, at God’s command, Moses lifts his walking stick and parts the Red Sea. A great wind blows all night and dries a path that the Israelites walk across with the walls of water on each side. The Egyptian army pursues them. After the Israelites reach the other side, the walls of water collapse on the Egyptian army, destroying them all. The Israelites stand in awe of God’s power and now have faith in his servant Moses.

My Thoughts:

Real Work: In the grief of losing his first-born son, the king sets the Hebrews free. A little while later he realizes that the Egyptians will have to do all the work the slaves used to do, including cooking and serving meals, so he wants them back.

Many people are afraid of real work. They want to take the easy way out and let someone else do the work. After a while, they rely on others for all their needs and cannot function when the help is taken away. Real work gives you strength, builds character, gives you confidence, and more. It is especially gratifying if you do it for someone else, like shoveling the elderly neighbor’s snow. So, plan a project, begin the work, and see what you can accomplish.

Keeping the Faith: Oh, ye of little faith. The Israelites were happy when Moses freed them, but quickly turned on him when the king’s army showed up.

It is difficult to keep the faith, especially during difficult times. We just want to give up and go back to our old dreary life. Don’t give up. Don’t be afraid. God is with you and you will prevail to see brighter days and success. Keep the faith!

God Leads Israelites to Red Sea (Ex 13)

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Bible Summary:

On the day the Israelites are set free, Moses tells them how to remember that day every year going forward by sacrificing first-born animals and not eating leavened bread. Moses takes Joseph’s mummified body as they had promised many centuries before and leads them through the desert toward the Red Sea instead of by a shorter route. God did not want the Israelites to change their minds and return to Egypt when they learn they have to fight. God leads them with a pillar of cloud during the day and pillar of fire to light the way at night.

My Thoughts:

Backs Against the Wall: God knows the Egyptians are going to pursue. He also knows the Israelites, even with the excitement from their new freedom, would not have the confidence after centuries of slavery to fight the Egyptians unless He backed them against the wall of the Red Sea.

Maybe this is why God sometimes makes our struggles so difficult, so we too build confidence to do greater things in the future.

The Pillars: I have participated in Komen Races for the Cure with 55,000 others in a river of people coursing their way through downtown Columbus, so I can only imagine what 2.4 million Israelites looked liked as they escaped from Egypt. With no cell phones, Internet, TV, radio, or even walkie-talkies, it must have been extremely difficult to communicate with such a large crowd, so God devised the pillars of cloud and fire so they could all see the way.

Sometimes I wish God would show me a large sign to guide my life in the right direction, instead He sends small signals and some people at the right time. You just have to use your intuition, which is God speaking within you.

God Teaches Moses Miracles (Ex 4: 1-17)

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Bible Summary:

Moses asks God how he will prove to the Israelites that He appeared. God teaches Moses three miracles to convince them: turning his walking stick into a snake and back, making his hand diseased and then healthy again, and turning water into blood.

Moses still does not want to go and claims he is a poor speaker. God says he will help with the right words. Moses objects again and asks God to send someone else. God becomes angry and suggests Moses speak through his brother Aaron.  God also tells Moses not to worry since all the people that wanted to kill him in Egypt are dead. So, with father-in-law Jethro’s approval, Moses leaves for Egypt with his wife and sons.

My Thoughts:

Calling: We rarely feel worthy of a great calling. We believe God expects too much. But ask yourself this question: what will I to do that will give meaning to my existence for all the days that I have lived? God pushed Moses and now he is working on you in the form of this message.  Take the chance on your calling now.

Public Speaking: Like Moses, most people’s greatest fear is standing in front of a crowd to give a speech. It is hard at first, but like anything it gets easier with practice.

God Calls Moses (Ex 3)

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Bible Summary:

One day while caring for sheep near Mount Sinai, Moses sees God in a flaming bush that is not consumed. God tells him to remove his sandals on this holy ground. Moses covers his face, afraid to look at God.

God tells Moses to rescue the Hebrews from the cruelty of Egyptian slavery and bring them to the land of their ancestors in Canaan. Moses asks how the king of Egypt will ever listen to him, he is nobody. God says He will be with Moses when he takes the Hebrew leaders to the king to request their release. God warns that the king will not free the Hebrews until He uses His power to punish the Egyptians. At that point the Egyptians will respect the Hebrews and give them the wealth of Egypt to carry away.

Moses asks God’s name and He answers, “I am.”

My Thoughts:

I AM: What else could God respond with than “I am”? How could He describe Himself to a human who does not have the capacity to understand the infinite? “I am” is the simplest answer that signifies God is all things, that He exists everywhere and in everything. He just is. But, it is more than that. “I am” means that God is there whether or not we can see Him or prove that He exists. “I am” also calls for belief and faith.

Meeting God: What would you do if you met God? Like the song I Can Only Imagine by Casting Crowns, would you dance or in awe be still, would you stand or fall to your knees, would you sing hallelujah or be able to speak at all? What would you ask him? What would he say?

Calling: Moses fled Egypt years before and is living a comfortable life when God appears and calls him to put his life on the line to help others. Moses asks how he could do such an incredible thing when he is just a “nobody”.

We all feel insignificant like Moses before God’s call, but every person, (yes, even you!) has potential to do great things. Don’t get caught up in everyday life and forget to truly live. Do something extraordinary, make a difference. Purpose gives so much more meaning to life that you are sure to live every day with joy.

So, find your calling. Pray. Talk to God. Listen to your inner voice. Look back at your life for those times when you were “in the zone”.  Times that gave you the most joy.  Look closely because that theme will lead you to your calling.

Moses Flees to Midian (Ex 2: 11-25)

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Bible Summary:

Moses grows up and sees how his people, the Hebrews, are forced into hard labor. He watches an Egyptian kill one, so he kills the Egyptian. The next day he tries to resolve a Hebrew quarrel, but fears for his life after they mention the Egyptian’s death. The king of Egypt finds out and Moses flees to Midian for safety.

One day, Jethro’s seven daughters are driven away from a well by some shepherds. Moses rescues the daughters and waters their animals. The girls tell their father of the Egyptian’s heroics, so Jethro invites Moses to eat with them. Moses decides to stay, Jethro gives him Zipporah in marriage, and they have a son.

Years later the king of Egypt dies, but the Israelites still cry for God’s help, so He becomes concerned for the Hebrews.

My Thoughts:

Confidence: Moses likely lived in luxury after being adopted by the king’s daughter, but he knew he was Hebrew and resented how “his people” were treated. The story paradoxically paints him out as a coward who flees to Midian and a hero to the daughters.

There is a coward and a hero in all of us. The coward sits back and worries what might happen and fears the worst, while the hero finally takes the step. Even great people had fears, but finally, with God’s help, took that step. So, push, shove, or heave that fear out of the way and take that step! You will be amazed what happens.

Israelites Grow Numerous in Egypt (Ex 1)

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Bible Summary:

Eventually the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, Jacob’s sons, all die in Egypt. The Israelites continue to grow in number and Egypt becomes filled with them.

Years later, a new king of Egypt that knows nothing of Joseph comes to power. He forces more cruel slavery on the Israelites for his building projects and in the fields, but they still grow more numerous. He tells the midwives to kill the Hebrew boys but, fearing God, they disobey. Finally, the king commands that all newborn boys are to be thrown into the Nile River to die.

My Thoughts:

Catalyst: Sometimes bad things or bad people are catalysts for good things to happen. Without this new king, the Israelites may have lived in their excepted slavery, which was more like the serfdom of Europe during the Middle Ages until he arrived, for many more years.

Look for the potential good that could come from your bad situation, hang in there, and pray.  God bless!

Hebrews Become Slaves (Gen 47)

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Bible Summary:

The famine becomes so severe that the Egyptians and Jacob’s family give all their money to Joseph, the governor of Egypt, for food. The next year they offer livestock for food. And, the following year they offer their land and finally themselves as slaves to the king so that they might live. Only the lands of the priests did not become owned by the king.

Joseph makes slaves of the people all across Egypt. He gives them seed and declares a law that one-fifth of the harvest goes to the king. The rest is to be food for their families and seed for the following year.

After 17 years in Egypt, Jacob makes Joseph vow that he will bury him in the land of his fathers when he dies.

My Thoughts:

Slavery: Wow! I knew of the story of Moses freeing the Hebrews from slavery but I never knew how they became slaves in the first place. They, and the rest of the people in Egypt and the surrounding areas, freely gave themselves into slavery to survive the seven year famine. This is the only case I know of where the people were willing to become enslaved.

Strike that. Many people today willingly accept what might be called psychological slavery. They drone on for years in a job they don’t like just to “pay the bills.” There are dancers, singers, artists, inventors and yes even writers trapped in what they consider a meaningless job. They try to eek out a couple hours a week to enjoy their passion, but most of the time they just work.

I say, “Break out!” Take time off or reduce your hours and find a way to live your dream. Start your own business, tryout for that local play, write your novel. You will be surprised how your passion will carry you to success and maybe, just maybe enough money that you can leave that job altogether. Carpe Diem! Seize the day! Live your life instead of someone else’s.

NOTE: this message is for people trapped in a boring job. If you like your job or are already living your dream, please disregard this message.

Love and happiness to all!

Joseph’s Brothers Buy Grain (Gen 42)

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Bible Summary:

During the famine, Jacob learns of the grain in Egypt, so sends all his sons except Benjamin to buy some so the family will not starve. Joseph’s half-brothers show up in Egypt to buy the grain and unknowingly bow to Joseph, since he has changed from the teenager they sold into slavery twenty years prior. Joseph says they are spies. Reuben whispers to his brothers that they are being paid back for Joseph’s death (he never knew Joseph was sold). Joseph understands, leaves, cries, composes himself, and returns. He keeps Simeon as a prisoner and sends the others back with grain to get their youngest brother as proof they are not spies.

The brothers are scared when they find their money on top of the full grain sacks Joseph provided. Upon their return to Canaan, they tell Jacob the whole story. He says Simeon and Joseph are already lost and he does not wish to lose any more children, especially Benjamin. Reuben says he will take Benjamin and guard him with his life and offers his two sons as collateral. Jacob says Benjamin is his only son left and would die if something happens to him.

My Thoughts:

Accepting God’s Will: Jacob favors one wife’s sons, Joseph and Benjamin, over the rest because she was his true love. Reuben, the true first born, accepts his father’s will so much that he tried to save Joseph years ago and now offers to guard Benjamin. Accept God’s will and you will gain peace and happiness.  Let Him lead the way.

Mixed Families: Divorce is the norm today. More divorces (33) were requested in Columbus, Ohio yesterday than births (22). Divorce leads to remarriage and in many cases mixed families, children from different families living together. This arrangement is a challenge for parents and kids alike. The most difficult scenario is the lone child shared between two families. Dealing with two parenting styles is hard enough but this child has four. Many cases are shared parenting, so this child does not feel a part of either family, just a burden to both.

If you are this lone child, know that God loves you and wants you to be strong. He put you in this position because He has great things planned for you.

Dream Comes True: Joseph’s dreams about the family bowing to him finally come true. It took twenty years, but his perseverance pays off. Keep at your dreams and they will come true – some day.  Believe!

What is Success?

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To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived;

This is to have Succeeded.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson