Devotional Thoughts

Exodus 13:4-9    "This day came ye out in the month Abib. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt."   The LORD had promised the land of the Canaanite...

Exodus 13:1-3    "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten."   It seems so easy for us to just read over short phrases and not consider the power behind them. The LORD spoke to Moses. The God of creation gave His word to Moses. He spoke with authority and gave Moses a command.  All the firstborn, whether of man or beast, was to be set aside and dedicated to the LORD. These were presented before Him for a special possession. We understand that from the standpoint of ownership, everything belongs to Him. This command was a declaration of not only ownership but of a particular purpose.  It is understood historically that th...

Isaiah 12:2-4    "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.  (3)  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.  (4)  And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted." "Therefore with joy ye shall draw..."  Do we have joy this morning? I'm not talking about the word, joy. We can all pronounce it. We can define it, to some degree. But do we have it? Does it rule in our lives? I'm not talking about happiness. There are things in life that give happiness, but in my opinion, there is only One Who can give joy and place it in our hearts. True joy is the result of understanding that "God is my salvation."  He has saved me by His grace through the shed blood of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. If I can hold to that precious truth, then I...

Exodus 12:41-49     "And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations. And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let ...

Psalm 100:4-5     "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  (5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Many songs have been written about these verses and with these words included. What do they mean? Today, we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving. I've listened to many people speak about their family traditions and most of them include family, food, and football. These are wonderful and fun things that enrich the day, but is it the true meaning that was intended when the day was established?  The Psalmist instructed us to include a special action with our words of thankfulness.  We are to "enter into HIS gates." The heartfelt words of thanksgiving allow us to enter the gates of the Lord, but there is a much deeper place into which we can go. Not only are we to enter into HIS gates, but He invites us to come much closer to H...

Psalm 100:1-2     "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  (2)  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing." "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands."  I wrote a few days ago about music coming from within us as we are brought to the realization of the Lord and all He has done for us.  Today's verses go a little deeper into that thought. We are told to make a joyful noise as we serve Him, knowing that we are in His divine presence.  I wish I could tell you that I am 100% aware of being in the presence of the Lord every single day. I can tell you that I am in His presence because His Word has told me that, but I can't say that my awareness of that fact is constant. If I was fully aware of that, then you would not be able to shut my mouth from singing. If I were fully aware of that, there would be no room for doubt or fear. If I were fully aware of His presence, there would be no room for any of the things...

Exodus 12:33-38     "And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle."   The LORD of heaven and earth had shown His might to the Egyptians and the children of Israel. The Egyptians could now not rid themselves of the Israelites fast enou...

Isaiah 12:2-3     "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.  (3)  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." Isaiah is still speaking of "that day" when the Lord will bring His people back from captivity. It probably was difficult for them to understand these words because the captivity had not taken place when this was written. We look back and we can see the Lord's faithfulness and see the wonderful truth in the prophetic words that were given by prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. We can look back and understand the words of Jeremiah, "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:21-23)  We know this is true as we look back, but we can also kno...

Exodus 12:29-32    "And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also." “And it came to pass…,” such a simple phrase to describe the power of the word of God. Everything He has ever declared has come to pass. Past, present, and future, if God has spoken it, we can declare that it came to pass. The LORD commanded Pharaoh to let His people go, and it came to pa...

Isaiah 11:16     "And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt." As I get older, I better understand the importance of Bible reading and study. I especially realize the importance of the Old Testament in the everyday struggles of life. Today's passage is an example of that. God has been telling the people through Isaiah that they are going to be taken into captivity. He has given them advance warning that it is coming, but He also is giving them hope in that there will be a day when deliverance will come. "There shall be an highway for the remnant of His people... from Assyria." We know from the book of Jeremiah that they will be in captivity for 70 years, but God is telling them that He already has made the way for them to come back home. He said it would be a highway, not a trail, not a path, not even a simple road. Rather the way bac...

One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top!  It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions.  Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...

Exodus 12:22-27     "And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and del...

Exodus 12:11-14     "And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." The LORD fully prepared His people for what was coming. This was not something that they could make up their minds about later. The work of the LORD in the land of Egypt was imminent. There was a profound sense of urgency in th...

Isaiah 11:10     "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." Thus far, we have seen the phrase, "in that day," many times. I think it is very important to understand when and what "that day" is talking about. In chapter 2, we saw that "in that day" the church would be established. "In that day", a virgin shall bring forth a son and His name shall be called Immanuel. "In that day," a child would be born and a son would be given.  We will see that phrase through the rest of the book, but for now we see "that day" is a glorious one. "The root of Jesse.... shall stand for an ensign of the people." What, or Who, is the root of Jesse? As we look back on those verses, we know this is speaking of Jesus, the Son of God. Can we agree that we  have been "in that day" since the birth of Jesus,...

Exodus 12:5-9    "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof."   The word of the LORD that Moses and Aaron told to the children of Israel was specific. As part of their last meal in Egypt, they were to eat a lamb, but not just any lamb. The lamb was to be as near perfect as they could find among their flocks. This lamb would be a male without blemish and of the first y...

Isaiah 11:1    "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots" We have seen Isaiah leading up to the revelation of Jesus Christ through the preceding chapters. We read back in chapter 7:14, "... a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Then in chapter 9:6,  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."  In today's passage, the Lord is narrowing this identification down to the house of Jesse, which  brings us to the place where we know the Messiah would come from the seed of David.  It was necessary that the Redeemer would come in human flesh because the sin debt had been incurred by a human. God chose to bring His Son as a child through the seed of Abraham and on down through David.   Paul state...

Exodus 12:1-4    "And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb."   In chapter eleven, the LORD told Pharaoh through Moses and Aaron that He was going to move through the land of Egypt around midnight. This would indicate the time of the coming of a new day. In this new day, He was going to destroy the firstborn out of every house in the land of Egypt. This would be a new day because this time Pharaoh would send them out of the land with everything they had...

Isaiah 10:20-21    "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God." We saw in the first chapter of this book that Isaiah prophesied during the reign of several kings. One of those kings was Ahaz. He was perhaps one of the most wicked kings to every reign in Judah. He made idols and placed them throughout the city of Jerusalem. He cut to pieces various vessels in the temple. He drew people away from true worship by building high places where they could go into the groves and privately sacrifice to those idols.     In the first verses of this tenth chapter of Isaiah, God speaks of His judgment against Israel and Judah because of this idolatry. He talks of tearing down idols that had been built. He talks of using t...

Exodus 11:4-10    "And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. And Mos...

In one of the great Psalms of thanksgiving, the writer asked a most pertinent question. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all of His benefits toward me” (Psalm 116:12) ? We may observe two elements in this question. The psalmist acknowledges having received many benefits, or blessings, at the hand of the Lord. For the believer, to be the receiver of blessings from the Lord is a fact beyond question. That is one facet of a proper perception of reality. However, for the unbeliever, or even for the nominal believer, such things come in the course of nature, or as a matter of deserving them. But to fail to see that such benefits and blessings come from the Lord is to lose touch with reality. The other element of the question is that the writer expresses a sense of obligation to the Lord and reveals a desire to do something in response to the amazing goodness of God to him. It is the reflex of the godly heart to desire to do something in response to the perceived go...

Isaiah 9:8    "The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel." I hope to be able to share my thoughts in a way that is understandable this morning. "The Lord sent a word into Jacob." I am always intrigued by the life of Jacob. I'm afraid I can all too often identify with him. There are two natures of Jacob, just as there are two natures to every child of God. He had the carnal nature that said he could do anything he wanted and achieve anything he set out to do, if he used his own ability. That only took him so far in life until the Lord took hold of him.  Jacob met himself in truth when God sent him back to meet his brother. It was at that moment he realized he needed a power much stronger than himself. He needed the power and wisdom of the God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac. He wrestled with God all night. God changed his name and his nature to Israel. "It hath lighted upon Israel." He now had the power of God upon which he co...

Exodus 11:1-3    "And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people." The LORD’s dealings with Pharaoh were about to come to an end. It would be an end like nothing the land of Egypt had ever seen. Everything the LORD had brought upon them up to this point would pale in comparison to the thing the LORD was about to do. Not only would Pharaoh let them go: he would drive them out. But before that happened, the LORD would spoil Egypt even further. They had mistreated and looked down ...

Isaiah 9:7    "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."   It is true that peace comes from power. I think, as a child of God, that we must come to terms with whose power is under consideration. Often, we hear that our faith must be strong in order to have peace in our lives. There is some truth to that, but for me, the power that brings peace in my life is the power we have talked about the past several days concerning our Lord and Saviour, Jesus the Christ.  As we come to terms (by that, I mean as we receive it as the absolute truth) concerning Jesus, we can find peace in every circumstance.  When we see that He is truly Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace, we find rest in Him, not ourselves. Tru...

Exodus 10:21-29    "And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. And Pharaoh said unto him, Get t...

Isaiah 9:6    "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Today, we finish our thoughts on this verse. This is a passage that has been dear to me from my days in elementary school. I remember our class having a program for the PTO (as it was named back then). We sang Christmas songs, but the part I remember the most is that we memorized this verse of Scripture and presented it as part of that program. I have loved this verse since that time. Even though I really did not understand it back then, I knew it was something very special. Each name given to our Lord builds upon the truth of the previous name. We first understand there is something Wonderful about Jesus. I knew that back then, but it had not become a personal message to me at that moment of time. Through the years, I have come to know Him as my Co...

Exodus 10:8-17    "And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go? And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD. And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought ...

Isaiah 9:6   "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."   We continue our thoughts on Isaiah 9:6 this morning. We have been reminded that Jesus is Wonderful. He is the Wonderful Counsellor with all the right words to answer our struggles. He is the mighty God with all power in heaven and earth. I love all those things and they are so very important to you and me, but the next name is the "connecting name" between God and us. You see, we would still be in great need if God possessed all that wonder, wisdom, and power without our having access to it.. But now, we see Him as our Father! We are in relationship with Him... not just any relationship, but family ties with God as our Father and we are His children. This is all brought about in our lives by His amazing saving grace through the finished wor...

Exodus 10:1-7    "And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast: And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field: And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the ...

Isaiah 9:6    "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."    As we look further into this verse, we see more of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. There can be no doubt that the Prophet Isaiah was writing concerning the coming Messiah. HIs prophecy was brought about with the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. We have seen that everything about Him is wonderful. He always has the proper words to speak to us in every situation of life; therefore, He is the Wonderful Counsellor. Today, we are reminded that this Son that was given is indeed The mighty God. This is the One who was spoken of earlier in the book. "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)   Matthew tells us specifically the meaning of the name, Immanuel. "... they shall c...

Exodus 9:28-30    "Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer. And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD'S. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God."  Exodus 9:33-35    "And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses." As Pharaoh was in the midst of this terrible storm, he ...

Isaiah 9:6    "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." I feel it is very important as we look at these names given to our Lord that we think of them in terms of the first three words of this verse: "For unto us..." "For unto us... His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor." The Lord has brought us into a very precious relationship that is far above all others. Because of our relationship with Him, we can have a stronger relationship with our spouse, our children, our family and friends. Our relationship with Him enriches everything else in our lives. It is through our relationship with Him that we can endure every struggle in life. This relationship is by His amazing, saving grace; yet, you and I need to work on this relationship every single day. It is not something we can ju...

Exodus 9:23-27    "And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." The LORD continually warns the hard-hearted king of Egypt what He is going to do and when He will do it. It seems to me that while Pharaoh’s heart continues to be hardened, Moses’ confidence in God grows. Moses has ceased to argue with Go...

Isaiah 9:6    "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."   Yes, Jesus is Wonderful!!  Everything about Him is wonderful: His birth, His growth as a child, His baptism, His healing, teaching, and wonderful miracles, His very life is wonderful. His death (though unwarranted by man) was wonderful, for He accomplished  the redemption of His people through the shedding of His righteous blood. His burial and praise God, His resurrection was wonderful !  Our hope is secured through those mighty deeds which only He could accomplish. Everything about Jesus still brings wonder into our lives. He shows Himself strong on our behalf at the very moment we feel our need for Him. The wonderful thing about that is the fact that Jesus is always near us. Our hearts and minds should be filled with wonderme...

Exodus 9:13    "And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me." Exodus 9:16    "And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. Exodus 9:18-21    "Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die. He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in...