"You must be dressed for travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand" (Exodus 12:11, CSB)."Be ready! That for which you prayed in tearful desperation, what you thought God would never do because of the long delays and bitter hardships, is about to happen...now!" Normally for a family dinner on a special occasion, the sandals would be at the entrance of the house, the staffs of t...  Read More

Today, making our way through the plagues (Exodus 7-10), the power of prayer struck me. Indeed, the prayers of Moses result in more power than the Pharaoh (an Egyptian god called 'the living god') wielded. When Moses prayed, God, the True Living God, acted on a national level in direct response to his prayers. That's power! Now, read Matthew 18:19-20. You and I may not be on, or near, Moses' posit...  Read More

One Greater than Moses (Hebrews 3:3)Moses would be 'like God' to Aaron (Exodus 4:16) and to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:1). He would be great. One whom God knew face-to-face (Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10). To Israel he is the Patriarch of the Sinaitic Covenant, The Great Law-Giver. But Moses was a man. His conversations (debates/arguments) with God remind us as much. Moses was promised by God that He 'wo...  Read More

A question you and I must answer: "Who do you say I am?" (Jesus)Jesus asked His disciples to speak out the popular opinions and preferences of His day: "What are people saying about me? Who do they say the Son of Man is?" (Matthew 16:13) Apparently they believed in reincarnation, for some believed He was John the Baptist. Others believed He was the forerunner of the Messiah, Elijah (that was the b...  Read More

At our recent pastor's prayer retreat, our District Superintendent, Rev. Kerry Willis, focused his prayer session on Exodus 3:14. When Moses asked God His name (all pagan gods had names, so to Moses it stood to reason that God must as well), God condescended to give Moses, Israel, and all of us 'The Name' (by the way, this is how faithful Jewish people to this day refer to Him: 'The Name' - Ha She...  Read More

While Jesus' comment about what comes out of the mouth (Matthew 15:11) is in a negative context...he was speaking of what is in the heart, and pointing to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees...today's readings make me think of the positive. Consider Jesus (Matthew 15:21-39) and all He said and did that came from His heart...teaching, healing, feeding...blessing the people. Now, look back to Jacob. He a...  Read More