Set Apart for Worship

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Leviticus 10, 11; Psalms 33, 34

Leviticus 10:10-11 (NIV)

10 You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, 11 and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.

Leviticus 11:45 (NIV)

45 I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

Psalm 34:4-5 (NIV)

4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

Good morning!

One of my friends from Faith Church snapped an amazing photograph while walking through the woods last fall. Beams of sunlight pour through the clouds into a tiny clearing. It looks as if the Lord has reached down to earth and touched it with His Almighty Hand. The photograph is framed and hangs by the entrance to the Faith Church office. If you haven’t seen the picture, stop by this weekend and take a closer look. Can you see the holiness of God?

We are set apart to worship the Lord in holiness. What does this mean? My Lord is pure and perfect. I am so unworthy and imperfect. I have no right of my own to enter into His holy presence, and yet, I’m drawn to Him each and every morning. In the book of Revelation, we hear the angels, ten thousand upon ten thousand, singing to the Lord, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!” (Rev. 7:10-11).

When I approach the throne of my Lord in worship, I gain entrance not because of my work, achievements or sacrifice. I am allowed an audience with the Almighty because I am clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is His blood alone that covers me; His perfection that I wear; His righteousness I proclaim; His love that sets me apart. I am His beloved, and He is my risen King. His blood is all I will ever need; it washes away my sin, cleanses my heart, and transforms me into a vessel that the Father can use to continue His saving work in the world. When you begin to understand how the blood covering of Christ works to bring you into His holiness and grace, it will change you forever. You will never be the same again.

Like the beams of sunlight shining along the wooded path, the Lord lights my life with His love and grace. I am free to worship Him in spirit and in truth. His redemptive work on the cross is more than enough to free me to become holy, as He is holy. I am no longer common and unclean. I am washed in the blood of the Lamb. It is His love that radiates from my heart. It is His life that I long for. It is His holiness of heart that I worship.

Will you come to worship the Lord in His holiness this weekend? Will you call upon the name of Jesus to save you, redeem you for His very own, and allow you to approach the throne of God clothed in His righteousness alone? We are set apart to worship Him in holiness. May our lives become living worship, as we radiate the love of Jesus to a world that desperately needs Him.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the holiness of Jesus Christ to capture your heart, clothe you in righteousness, and radiate from your life. May you find all that you’ve ever wanted and needed in Jesus. We are set apart to worship and glorify Him.

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Having your cake and eating it too!

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Leviticus 7, 8, 9

Leviticus 7:11-15 (NIV)

11 These are the regulations for the fellowship offering a person may present to the Lord: 12 If he offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil. 13 Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast. 14 He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the Lord; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offerings. 15 The meat of his fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; he must leave none of it till morning.

II Corinthians 4:14-18 (NIV)

14 Because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Good morning!

Birthday cakes are a big deal in our family. When our children were little, they looked forward to having a special birthday cake made especially for them. Every ingredient, including the flavor and color of the cake, was hand-picked by the birthday boy or birthday girl. Our Rachel loves strawberry cake. One of her favorite dolls was Strawberry Shortcake, and she had several birthday cakes made with strawberries and whipped cream icing. Her mother even made a Strawberry Shortcake costume for Rachel to wear. Our Benjamin likes lots of chocolate – the gooier the better! Our David didn’t have a big sweet tooth. His favorite desert was banana nut bread with cream cheese frosting. He still likes it when his momma makes him banana bread fresh from the oven.

The birthday cake marks a milestone moment. We celebrate with thankfulness the life of another. We taste the sweetness of the cake. This sugary confection reminds us of the sweetness wrapped up in the person whose life we celebrate. We embrace the culinary delight with joyful and happy hearts. The people in our lives are a gift from God and we find ourselves grateful for each and every loved one.

The Lord made specific provisions for His people to express thanksgiving, by means of a fellowship offering. This offering was a way to express thankful appreciation to the Father for healing and safety during a time of illness or danger. A vow offering signifies the celebration in the keeping of a holy promise. The freewill offering is just that – my free will chooses to praise and thank the Lord of all for of His amazing love and grace poured out in my life.

Do you have a thankful heart? My heart overflows with thanksgiving every morning when I awake. It starts bubbling up about the time my feet hit the floor, and after the first couple of hours, I find myself simply overflowing in thankfulness to Him. I just can’t help it! The Lord has been so very good to me. He is faithful in all things. He has never forsaken or abandoned me. He loves me even when I’m not very lovable. I don’t have to try to be something other than who I am when I’m sitting in His holy presence. His grace and mercy overwhelm me, and I live to praise Him each and every day.

His love for me is the sweetest thing I know. Because He lives, I can live with a thankful and grateful heart. No matter what my circumstance, regardless of my physical state, my soul tastes His sweet mercy and love every moment of the day. It is like having your cake and eating it too! Won’t you join me for a piece of God’s grace?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: a taste of the mercy and grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. Celebrate Jesus today! He is the sweetest treat you’ll ever know.

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Unintentional Sin

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Leviticus 4, 5, 6

Leviticus 4:27 (NIV)

27 If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, he is guilty.

Numbers 15:28 (NIV)

28 The priest is to make atonement before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven.

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Good morning!

The late great comedian Flip Wilson brought the character Geraldine to life with this time-honored quote, “The Devil made me do it!” I remember watching Geraldine on television as a child, and laughing hysterically every time I heard these words. It is so much easier to blame someone else for the mistakes we make than to take responsibility for our own actions. Have you ever glossed over your failures by passing the blame to someone else?

I confess that I spent a chunk of my life wallowing in the muddy circumstances of my childhood and placing blame for the poor choices I made upon my family. If I were to take a poll, I might learn that I’m not the only one who has done this very same thing. Sometimes, when we feel angry and a little self-righteous, we step up to the batter’s box and swing at the ball with all our might. Sometimes we choose to give sin a ride by our hateful choice of words, actions and schemes. There are other times when we experience momentary lapses in the things we do or say. In fact, we may find ways to justify our behavior. Many of my unintentional sins started with an innocent thought or deed that became the playground for self-centeredness and self-righteous indignation. Your mediation with the Almighty may sound something like this: If I’m right (and I know I am), this thought, motive or action could not possibly be wrong. God would never hold it against me. He knows my weaknesses, and He loves me. I’m sure God will make an allowance for me, just this one time. Won’t you Daddy? Won’t you turn your head the other way and let me slip down the slope without your noticing?

Do you ever sin unintentionally? When you make a mistake, do you take responsibility for it, or do you blame someone or something else for your poor choices?

The Lord gave Moses detailed instructions for worshipping Him, and the necessary steps to receive forgiveness for sin. God knew that His people would sin, sometimes on purpose, and many times, not. God said that, as a community, we are responsible to our brothers and sisters for the sins we commit. Unlike Geraldine’s pat answer for every mistake she made, there are no excuses for the people of God. When we sin, we are guilty. God provided a means for forgiveness, through the sacrifice of the great high priest. Sin is serious business and it requires serious redemption. The sincere and humble confession of a sinner, offering up a sacrificial lamb and the spilling of its blood, would bring atonement and restoration. When Jesus Christ, the holy Lamb of God, sacrificed His life upon the cross of Calvary, He broke the curse of sin and death once and for all. We can be free once and for all from the chains of sin. We can learn to forgive one another. We can be free to forgive ourselves.

My friends, we need to quit giving Satan so much credit. Christ died for us while we were yet sinners, and that proves His love for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the blood of the Lamb to cover you. He died just for you and me. For all of the past mistakes, present failings, and future foibles, His love never changes. Sin is sin. Confess, repent, and believe!

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Your Life's Offering

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Leviticus 1, 2, 3

Leviticus 1:1-3 (NIV)

1 The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting. He said, 2”Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When any of you brings an offering to the Lord, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock. 3 If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord.’”

Micah 6:6-8 (NIV)

6 With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Good morning!

Are you a gift-giver? I enjoy giving gifts. I look for special ways to express my gratitude and say I love you to my family and friends throughout the year. Sometimes, I’m not quite sure what to give. The “perfect gift” may be more than I can afford. What do you give your special someone who seems to have everything? Gift cards were popular presents last Christmas. Who wouldn’t enjoy a free meal, a tank of gasoline, or a shopping spree at their favorite store?

Every Sunday when we gather for worship, an offering plate is available for collection of our gifts to God. Everyone is invited to give a gift that might be pleasing to the Lord, an offering that can be used to help others in Jesus’ name. The gift may be monetary, or it could be something tangible, like food, clothing, or other necessities of life. I handed my grandson a dollar bill one Sunday morning as the offering plates were passed from row to row. He looked at me with great excitement and said, “Nanny, can I keep it?” Do you ever find yourself wanting to hold onto your gift rather than giving it away?

At the tent of meeting, the Lord called to Moses and gave specific instructions regarding the giving of sacrificial gifts. Every detail was meticulously explained. The burnt offering was given as atonement for sin. The grain offering represented thankfulness for daily needs. The fellowship offering was a gift of gratitude for intimate relationship between Creator and creation. These offerings were not intended to be the leftovers from our cupboard; rather, it must be our first fruit, pure and without blemish. The Father wants us to give our very best. When we lay it all down upon His altar, the sacrifice becomes a sweet scent that is pleasing to Him. God knows when we give our very best, and He knows when we hold our very best back.

Do you struggle with the gift you present to God? Do you worry that your offering may not be acceptable in His sight? We know the Father is perfect and awesome and holy. The gifts we choose to bring to the giver of life must be something that is sacrificial and priceless, something of great value. We want our offerings to be pleasing to Him. What can we possibly give to the one who gives us life?

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, became the sacrificial lamb for our sin. He laid down His life, and He bled and died to save us from our sin. It was His sacrifice that brings us into eternal relationship with God. If the Lord, the giver of life, can lay it all down for you, can you not give Him your life in return? Don’t delay. Give Jesus your heart.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: willingness to give your heart to the Lord. Lay yourself down on His altar and allow Him to purify you, body, mind and soul. Will you give your heart away to the One who gave His life for you?

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

The Tent of Meeting

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Exodus 37, 38, 39, 40

Exodus 40:34-38 (NIV)

34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out – until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

Isaiah 4:5-6 (NIV)

5 Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and the rain.

John 11:40 (NIV)

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

Good morning!

I did not make a very good Girl Scout. I was lousy at pitching tents. They kept falling down! I don’t know whether the rope wasn’t tight enough, or if I just didn’t understand the schematics of the structure. It was probably a little bit of both. Thank goodness my troop leader knew how to do it; otherwise, I would have been drenched every time it rained.

The Lord gave Moses a specific and detailed blueprint for the Tent of Meeting. This tent would house His Word and His presence. The interior design had to be perfectly erected according to the Father’s instruction. This is a place where the Father dwelled with His creation. When the Israelites drew near, they saw the Father’s glory in the cloud of smoke in the daylight and in the flame by night. The Great I AM resides with His people.

Have you ever ventured into the tent of meeting? Did you see the cloud of smoke or feel the heat from the flame? Where is your tent? Do you meet the Lord at church, in your car, or maybe in a special room of your home? Where do you experience the presence of God? Does your tent protect you from the storms of life? Are you safe inside the shelter of His canopy of grace?

Within each of our hearts, a tent of meeting exists. It is a holy place, where His Word and holy presence can dwell within us. If our bodies are in fact, the holy temple of God, we must prepare sacred space for Him to reside. Our garments must be guarded. His Word must free flow from our lips. His life, death and resurrection must be the focus of our mind’s eye. We must allow the Lord to cleanse us daily in His righteousness, burning our imperfections and sin away. Our prayers of praise must be raised to the Almighty. When we give ourselves to the Lord completely, He will rehab our hearts, mold and shape us into children He can use. Jesus said that if we believed, we would see God’s glory! Can you see it? Will people see the Lord shine through you today?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: a clean heart and a perfect space for the Lord God Almighty to live, reign and work within you. He calls us to prepare our hearts to become holy space for His presence to dwell. Will you allow the Lord to decorate your life with His love?

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

6+1=wholeness

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Exodus 21, 22, 23

Exodus 23:10-12 (NIV)

10 For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11 but during the seventh year led the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV)

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Good morning!

My family knows that I am mathematically challenged. It all started in a fourth grade classroom when my teacher realized he could use my ignorance as a teaching tool for the entire class. It only got worse from there. Several years ago, I spent approximately four months in a legal study group, preparing for an examination that covered seven major areas of the law and took two days to complete. The National Association of Legal Professionals offers continuing education and credentials to any person who desires to become certified in their legal area of expertise. One of the seven sections of this examination focused on business math and accounting skill sets. My study partners promised they would get me through the math component, if it was the last thing they did. Praise the Lord for their tenacity and unwillingness to give up on me! Sitting in the examination room, we had approximately ninety minutes to complete two hundred math problems. When the testing ended, I grabbed a box of Kleenex and began to sob uncontrollably. My study mates thought I had totally come unglued during the exam. I was crying tears of joy because I managed to find the on button for my calculator! I keep telling myself that if I want to go to seminary, I have to pass college math first. It is obvious to me that my Heavenly Father has a strange sense of humor.

The Lord instructed Moses to tell the people that they could work, but on the seventh day, they would set aside this day to worship and rest and savor holy moments with Him. The Father set the supreme example in His creation of the cosmos. He worked for six days, and on the seventh day, God rested. It is a blessing to take a break. There is nothing more refreshing than making time to worship and praise the One who gives us life. Time spent in prayer and praise before the Lord completes me. It restores my sense of direction. It finishes the equation. The Sabbath is a holy time – a time to draw near to our Lord. I may not understand the theory completely, but I know that it works.

How much time do you spend worshipping God on the Sabbath? What does that day look like for you? Do you set a timer on your stopwatch so that you can leave church exactly sixty minutes after it began? Maybe you want to beat your Christian brothers and sisters to the steak house on Sunday, and therefore, a fifteen minute sermon may be all you’re willing to sit through. Some people sit in the very back of the church just so they can make a quick getaway prior to the altar call. Do you run from His call? Is it hard for you to sit in His presence, to give Him even an hour?

The older I get, the more I struggle with math. I may not be able to explain the theory, but I know what my life was like without His presence. Without Him, I was unbalanced, exhausted, and lost. Sometimes, the Sabbath cannot come quick enough. I find myself drawn to Him not only on Sunday, but every day of the week. Just give me six hours, so I can spend an hour in worship. Just give me six minutes, so I can take feel His breath upon my face. Six seconds may be too long to go without His grace. His presence, His love is everything I long for, and 6+1 completes me. It is my heart’s deepest longing. Oh, to be with Him forever, to gaze upon His holy face. I live for 6+1.

Someday the seventh hour will come. Someday, I will worship Him forever. Someday, the math will make sense. Until then, I’m going to trust the master mathematician and rest in His love, whenever He draws me to Him.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the correct answer! His formula for living is the only formula we will ever need. Will you set aside time to worship the Lord? Will you offer your Sabbath to the Lord? 6+1=wholeness. Do the math!

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

The power of His presence

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Exodus 19, 20; Psalms 31, 32

Exodus 19:4-5 (NIV)

4 You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now, IF you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

I Samuel 17: 45, 47 (NIV)

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

Psalm 31:1 (NIV)

1 In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.

Good morning!

There is a place I run to every morning; it is a place of refuge, where I cry out to the Father and wait for Him to speak. I kneel before His awesome and holy presence, clothed in the righteousness of Christ alone. The Father hears my every prayer and answers. He is faithful to forgive and heal. If I am willing to obey Him completely and keep His covenant, my heart is transformed into His treasured possession. His presence is all I long for and everything I need.

God told Moses to have the people prepare. On the third day, God would descend upon the mountain in a dense cloud. The people would see the thunder and lightening; a ball of flame descend, and they would hear the sound of the trumpet. The mountain would quake and His presence would simply transform them. When the Lord meets you in the morning, does your heart tremble with fear and joy? Do you hear the trumpet revelry? Can you see the presence of God descending upon your life in the tongues of flame and smoke?

Young David had no fear of the mighty Goliath. He was just a boy who put his total trust in the Lord God Almighty. He believed the Word and knew that the battle against evil would not be fought with sword or spear. This battle was the Lord’s and it was His battle cry that would win the day.

There is a battle cry this morning and it can be heard resonating throughout the prayer closets of the world. Faithful followers are on their knees, begging God to forgive and heal their land. People are praising the Lord, experiencing His presence in miraculous ways. They are giving the battle against evil over to the Lord, for this war is His and His alone. The victory will not occur through our own steam; we place our total trust in the Lord, knowing He will win the battle for us. We pray for peace, for salvation of the lost, and for the nations. The power and the glory and the battle belong to the Father. Do you possess the power that comes from being in His presence?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: holy intervention! This battle belongs to the Lord. Are you willing to wait in His presence? Will you pray for help, for forgiveness, and for the souls of the unsaved? The trumpet is sounding. Can you hear it?

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Grumbling or grateful?

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Exodus 16, 17, 18

Exodus 17:3 (NIV)

3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

Matthew 11:25 (NIV)

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”

Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.

Good morning!

Would you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist? Do you grumble in the morning when you drag out of bed, or are you grateful for the dawn of each new day? Our children learn very early how to imitate their parents. Our babies would say something or do something, and we would stop and laugh out loud, knowing exactly where they picked up that little attitude. Recently, our four-year old grandson Joshua was having a fast-food sandwich supper with his mother one evening after work. Joshua carefully unwrapped the sandwich from its packaging, peeled the bun off, took a look inside, and said in a matter-of-fact tone, “You paid money for this?” Gee, I wonder where he heard that! One of the attorneys I work with has a coffee mug with a slogan imprinted in large white lettering. It says, “This cup is half empty.” Is your cup half empty this morning, or is it half full?

God continues to provide necessary resources for His children. They were not stranded in the desert; yet, they grumbled and complained and dreamed of a better life back in Egypt under the thumb of slavery and no hope for tomorrow. We seem to have a problem with our memory banks. We select painful memories to chew on and spit out every time we get in a mood. Like the Hebrews, we tend to forget our many blessings; we choose to ignore the gifts sitting before us each day.

The desert was a hot and miserable place to be. God’s chosen ones had been given one miracle after another and yet, they complained and cursed their leader. Poor Moses! He experienced moments of sheer exasperation. Do you ever find yourself impatient with your children? Do they wear you out with their grumbling? I wonder if we wear our Heavenly Father out with our very long list of complaints and demands.

Every child is born with an uncanny sense of trust. They look to their parents, grandparents, and caregivers for the things they need to survive and thrive. Jesus encourages all of God’s children to trust the Father completely for everything we need. He can give us each day the necessities and strength we need to get up and go. He will protect us when we call upon His name and believe it by faith. The Lord wants us to come to Him as little children, to stop grumbling and moaning and seeing our cups as half empty. We can learn a lot from our children’s faith. May He give us the heart and mind of a child. May the Lord protect His children from the evil one today. May the Lord protect His children from the evil one each and every day. Trust Him. Take a look at your Lord through the eyes of a child, and believe.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: protection for our children and for the protection of all of God’s children. Help us to see your blessings every morning when we arise! Stop grumbling, get up and praise the Lord!

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Be still!

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Exodus 13, 14, 15

Exodus 14:13-14 (NIV)

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Psalm 37:7-9 (NIV)

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil. 9 For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Philippians 1:19 (NIV)

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Good morning!

God’s chosen people were terrified! They witnessed the miraculous protection of their people as the Lord brought plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, hail, locust, darkness and death to all the first-born Egyptian children. Pharaoh finally let them go; yet, he must have changed his mind. Looking behind, the Hebrews could see the chariots of the Egyptian army in hot pursuit. Why would the Lord bring them into the desert only to be slaughtered? How will they ever cross the great sea?

Have you ever been so rooted in fear that you physically could not move? God’s people were scared stiff! They could not see the big picture; their vision was fixed upon their present situation. Crying out to Moses, God’s chosen ones were simply frozen in their tracks. What now? Where is God? Is there really one more miracle for my family? Who will bring us out of this mess?

Do you see the Egyptians chasing after you this morning? Maybe your Egyptians manifest in the broken heart you hold in the palm of your hand. It could be a struggling marriage, a lost child, a serious illness, overwhelming debt, guilt, anger, obsessions and compulsions with food, drugs, sex, alcohol, or cigarettes. Maybe the Egyptians chasing you is Satan himself. The evil one may be trying to snatch the mustard seed faith you hold in your heart. Is Satan is attacking your pastor, your Sunday School Teacher, or your church family? The sin and evil of our nation grieves your spirit so that you find yourself simply frozen with fear.

It’s a good thing Moses had a direct line to the Lord. He spoke to God daily. He heard from God daily. He knew the Lord would answer. Through prayer and obedience to the Father, Moses’ faith grew from a tiny mustard seed to mountain-moving, sea-splitting status! Moses answered His people, Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you TODAY.” You see the Egyptians charging toward us? You will never see them again. The Lord will fight for you. Just be still.

The Lord will fight for us today, if we will just be still, humble ourselves and pray. God hears you. He not only knows the need you say – He hears what you think. God knows the deeper need that you may not even see hanging inside your soul. He knows what you need and He knows when you need it most. God is waiting for you to ask Him to help you. Be still. Trust God. Look beyond what you see with your eyes. Look with your spirit and rejoice! Ask Him for deliverance today, and watch the Lord as He parts the sea for you. He will make a way. Pray. Pray like you’ve never prayed before. He is waiting to move in your life. Will you call on Him this morning?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: spiritual revival in our land! What we see before us is only temporary. He has the power to deliver. He can save the lost, free the captive, and heal our nation. Will you pray with me today?

____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Covered in the blood of the Lamb

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Exoduc 11, 12; Psalm 30

Exodus 12:13 (NIV)

13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

Luke 22:19-20 (NIV)

19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Acts 20:28 (NIV)

28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.

Good morning!

It’s amazing what a blood transfusion will do for someone who is injured or ill. I’ve experienced this amazing gift of life, physically, as a donor and as a recipient. I’ve experienced the gift of everlasting life through the covering of Christ’s precious blood. It washes away my sin and daily cleanses my heart and soul. When we are protected from the death trap and find our life’s blood in Jesus Christ, everything changes. Hear me. Nothing will ever be the same again.

Blood is a life-giving force, a common and necessary element to sustaining life. Our blood is comprised of plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Plasma is a mixture of water, sugar, fat, protein, potassium and calcium salts. It contains chemicals necessary to stop bleeding. Red blood cells contain a protein known as hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to our bodies, returning carbon dioxide to the lungs so it can be exhaled. White blood cells produce necessary antibodies which protect us from infection and disease. Platelets are fragments of cells. When we are injured, platelets form a protective shield at the edges of the wound so that the process of blood clotting and healing can occur.

Can you imagine the sorrow and fear Pharaoh must have felt as he watched the Spirit of God take the lives of every first-born Egyptian in the city? His very own son was taken that night. The grief he bore for the pain he brought upon his family and his people were the result of Pharaoh’s disbelief and willful disobedience to the Lord. His actions and the consequences they endured must have cut Pharaoh’s heart to the quick. Have you ever chosen to willfully disobey the Lord? Were the consequences of your sin absolutely unbearable?

The Lord made a holy covenant with His people. It took the blood of a sacrificial lamb to protect their first-born from death. Following God’s instruction, the Hebrew people gathered together in their homes, worshipping Him while eating the Passover meal. They were protected and covered by the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts of their homes. When God passed over Egypt, it was the blood that protected His children from death and destruction.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ became our sacrificial Lamb. He willingly poured out His blood for the redemption and covering of our sin and disobedience. He gives us the gift of everlasting life. His children, who call upon His name each day, are covered in His blood and find themselves protected from the snare of death and destruction. They trust Him to be the Lord of their life. They give themselves away for the One who gave His life for them. Are you covered in His blood? Do you know the Lord, the giver of life?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: Jesus to come into your heart today. Confess Him to be the Lord of your life. Tell Him you’re sorry for the times you’ve willfully been disobedient. Ask Him to forgive you. Thank Him for the blood of the Lamb. The blood that covers your life is the righteousness of Jesus Christ in you. Praise the Lord! ____________________________

© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.