Good morning,

This week we will conclude our Old Testament Foundation Stone series. We have looked at eight foundational truths that are essential to understanding the Bible and today’s current events.

Our devotions this week will revisit what we learned.

CONCLUSION

GENESIS 1:1

INTRO: What we learned. Take aways from the OT Foundation Stone Series

A. Introduction  

1. God’s word is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16)

2. 39 books:  17 historical, 5 poetry and 17 prophetical

B. Creation (Genesis 1:1-31) Key verse Gen 1:1

1. In the beginning God…  (Genesis 1:1)
2. God is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscience
3. Jesus made all things (John 1:1-3 and 14)
4. God created, said, saw, called, made, set, divided, and blessed

C. Sin (Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17, 3:1-24) Key verse: Gen 3:6

1. Satan is a fallen angel who chose to challenge God’s authority (IS 14:12-15, EZEK 28:12-19)

2. God’s command (Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17)

3. Man’s response (Genesis 3:6)
4. God’s response to man’s sin (Genesis 3:23-24a) 

D. Flood (Genesis 6-9) Key verse: Gen 6:8, 9, 22

1. Man’s sin-God’s judgment (Genesis 6:5-7, 6:17)
2. God’s provision for Noah (Genesis 7:1)
3. God’s preservation of Noah (Genesis 8:15-19)

4. God’s promise to Noah (Genesis 9:9-16)

E. Abraham (Genesis 12-22) Key Verse: Gen 12:1-4

 1. God covenants with Abraham established that God’s people would be Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 17:1-8)

2. Abraham’s lack of faith instituted the strife between Arabs and God’s people Israel (Genesis 16:1-5, 7-12, 17:20-21, 21:9-12)

3. Abraham’s faith in sacrificing Isaac and how God provided a substitute is a picture of Christ’s substitutionary death for us.  (Genesis 22:1-12)

F. Jacob’s dysfunctional family (Genesis 12-31) Key verse: Gen 28:20-21

1. Jacobs grandparents and parents dysfunction passed to him (Genesis 20:1-8 Read v2, 26:6-11 read v7, 27:1-46 read v24 )

2. Jacob’s dysfunctional life (Genesis 25:28, 25:29-34 read v31, 27:18-29 read v24)

3. Jacob reaps what he sowed (Genesis 29:15-27 read v25)

G. Jacob/Israel honors God (Genesis 32-35) Key verse: Gen 32:10

1. Obedience results in blessing (Genesis 31:11-13, 31:17-18, 32:10, 32:27-30, 35:9-15)

H. Joseph (Genesis 37-50) Key verse: Gen 50:20 Key phrase: And the Lord was with Joseph

1. God allowed Joseph to dream and interpret dreams (Gen 37:5-11, 40:2-22, 41:1-40)

2. Joseph had impeccable character (Genesis 39:7-9, 12, 45:1-8, 50:19-20)

3. Obedience saved 2 nations

I. Passover (Exodus 1-12) Key Verse: Exodus 12:12-13 Key Phrase: Let my people go

1. The blood was a visible sign of obedience (Exodus 12:13)

2. The blood covered Israel’s sin but did not take them away

3. We are justified through Jesus blood (Romans 5:9) Through Jesus blood our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. (PSM 103:12)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week we will conclude our Old Testament Foundation Stone series. We have looked at eight foundational truths that are essential to understanding the Bible and today’s current events.

Our devotions this week will revisit what we learned.

E. Abraham (Genesis 12-22) Key Verse: Gen 12:1-4

 1. God covenants with Abraham established that God’s people would be Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 17:1-8)

2. Abraham’s lack of faith instituted the strife between Arabs and God’s people Israel (Genesis 16:1-5, 7-12, 17:20-21, 21:9-12)

3. Abraham’s faith in sacrificing Isaac and how God provided a substitute is a picture of Christ’s substitutionary death for us.  (Genesis 22:1-12)

F. Jacob’s dysfunctional family (Genesis 12-31) Key verse: Gen 28:20-21

1. Jacobs grandparents and parents dysfunction passed to him (Genesis 20:1-8 Read v2, 26:6-11 read v7, 27:1-46 read v24)

2. Jacob’s dysfunctional life (Genesis 25:28, 25:29-34 read v31, 27:18-29 read v24)

3. Jacob reaps what he sowed (Genesis 29:15-27 read v25)

G. Jacob/Israel honors God (Genesis 32-35) Key verse: Gen 32:10

1. Obedience results in blessing (Genesis 31:11-13, 31:17-18, 32:10, 32:27-30, 35:9-15)

Did it ever occur to you that the conflict we see in Israel today began with Abraham’s lack of faith? Read Genesis 16. God promised that Abram and Sarai would have a natural born child from their own bodies.

When God gives a promise, He always fulfills His promise. When we try to help God, we fail to trust God. Rest in Him. Isaac, not Ishmael, was the promised child.

Jacob goes from deceiver, to being deceived, to a lover of God. He deceived his brother Esau twice. He tries to bargain with God. Then he is deceived by Laban. When Jacob returns home, He meets with God, and submits to Him.

Where are we? Do we trust God and allow Him to lead our lives or do we deceive God and others?

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob teach us that we must trust the Lord totally, without any reservations. When we do, God will reveal His plan for our lives to us.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Good morning,

This week we will conclude our Old Testament Foundation Stone series. We have looked at eight foundational truths that are essential to understanding the Bible and today’s current events.

Our devotions this week will revisit what we learned.

A. Introduction  

1. God’s word is inspired by God

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16)

2. 39 books:  17 historical, 5 poetry and 17 prophetical

B. Creation (Genesis 1:1-31) Key verse Gen 1:1

1. In the beginning God…  (Genesis 1:1)
2. God is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscience
3. Jesus made all things (John 1:1-3 and 14)

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3)

4. God created, said, saw, called, made, set, divided, and blessed

C. Sin (Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17, 3:1-24) Key verse: Gen 3:6

1. Satan is a fallen angel who chose to challenge God’s authority (IS 14:12-15, EZEK 28:12-19) 2. God’s command (Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17) 3. Man’s response (Genesis 3:6)

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

4. God’s response to man’s sin (Genesis 3:23-24a) 

D. Flood (Genesis 6-9) Key verse: Gen 6:8, 9, 22

1. Man’s sin-God’s judgment (Genesis 6:5-7, 6:17)

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.⁶ And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.⁷ And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 6:5-7)

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.⁹ These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:8-9)

2. God’s provision for Noah (Genesis 7:1)
3. God’s preservation of Noah (Genesis 8:15-19) 4. God’s promise to Noah (Genesis 9:9-16)

God wanted us to know about His plan for the world. He gave us the inspired word of God, the Bible, to teach us.

God’s creation is given to us in detail. He tells us how everything came into being. God is supreme. He is all knowing, ever present, and all powerful. Knowing this, we can trust Him in time of need.

God’s creation was perfect. No flaws. No sin.

He placed his two created beings, Adam and Eve in a perfect garden. The ground would always produce food. They would always be nourished and be taken care of by God.

God also created the angels. Lucifer being one of them. Lucifer desires to sit on the throne of God. He rebels against God and takes one third of the angel with him.

God gave men and women a free will to obey or disobey God. Adam and Eve choose to follow Lucifer (Satan) and rebel against God. The first sin.

That sin lead to Cain murdering Abel. Then the wickedness on the earth became so great, God destroyed all the inhabitants, except for eight, with a flood.

God created, man destroyed, God provides His mercy, grace, and salvation, to eight souls. We are the product of those eight souls.

God is still providing His mercy, grace, and love to all who will come to Him by faith.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

If you would like to know more about salvation in Jesus Christ get in contact with me.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Meditate on HEAVEN

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(William Dyer, “Christ’s Famous Titles”)

Meditate often on these four last things:
   Death, which is most certain.
   Judgment, which is most strict.
Hell, which is most doleful.
   Heaven, which is most delightful.

Meditate on HEAVEN, which is most joyful.

“Then the King will say to those on His right: Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Matthew 25:34

“Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” Matthew 25:21

Heaven is a place where all joy is enjoyed.
In Heaven, there will be:
  mirth without sadness,
  light without darkness,
  sweetness without bitterness,
  life without death,
  rest without labor,
  plenty without poverty.
Oh, what joy enters into the believer–when the believer enters into the joy of his Lord.

Who would not . . .
work for glory with the greatest diligence, and
wait for glory with the greatest patience?

Oh, what glories are there in glory!
   Thrones of glory,
   crowns of glory,
   vessels of glory,
   a weight of glory,
   a kingdom of glory.

Here on earth–Christ puts His grace upon His spouse.
There in Heaven–He puts His glory upon His spouse.

In Heaven the crown is made for them, and
in Heaven the crown shall be worn by them.

In this life believers have some good things–but the rest and best are reserved for the life to come.

Oh sirs, meditate upon Heaven, for meditation on Heaven will make us heavenly.

Heaven is not only a possession promised by Christ
–but a possession purchased by Christ.

When our contemplations and minds are in Heaven–then we enjoy Heaven upon earth.
  To be IN Christ is Heaven below;
  to be WITH Him is Heaven above.

There cannot be a better thing for us, than for us to be with the best of beings.
“To me to live is Christ–and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

Let our condition now be ever so great–it is Hell without Christ.
let our condition now be ever so bad–it is Heaven with Christ.

“I had rather be in Hell with Christ–than in Heaven without Him.” said Luther
Hell itself would be Heaven–if Christ was in it.
Heaven would be Hell–if Christ was out of it.

That which makes Heaven so full of joy, is that it is above all fear.
That which makes Hell so full of horror, is that it is beyond all hope.

The vessels of grace–shall swim in the ocean of glory.

We may talk of the greatness of our crowns–but we shall never know the weight of our crowns until they are set on our heads.

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Meditate upon HELL

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(William Dyer, “Christ’s Famous Titles”)

Meditate often on these four last things:
   Death, which is most certain.
   Judgment, which is most strict.
Hell, which is most doleful.
   Heaven, which is most delightful.

Meditate upon HELL, which is most doleful.

Heaven is a place where all is joyful;
and Hell is a place where all is doleful.

In Heaven–there is nothing but happiness;
but in Hell–there is nothing but heaviness.

“The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Psalm 9:17
Mark, sirs–the wicked shall be turned into Hell.

Oh, dreadful place–where the devil is the jailer.
Hell is the prison,
damnation is the punishment,
eternity is the duration,
brimstone is the fire, and
men and devils are the fuel.

To endure this will be intolerable;
and to avoid it will be impossible.

This is the day of God’s long-suffering;
that will be the day of man’s long-suffering.
There they will suffer:
  pain without ease,
  torment without end,
  sorrow without support,
  and misery without mercy.

Sirs, meditate upon Hell.

Oh, what hells are there in Hell! Hell is:
  the loss of God,
  the loss of Christ,
  the loss of all good.

Endless, ceaseless, and remediless torments must be their eternal portion!

Oh, that you would often think of Hell.

If once you drop into Hell–then after a thousand years:
  you will be as far from coming out of Hell,
  as you were at your first entrance into Hell.

There is only one way to KEEP a man out of Hell
–but there is no way to GET a man out of Hell.

In this world, the wheat and the chaff both grow together, but they shall not always both lie together.

In Hell, there shall not be a saint among those who are terrified.
In Heaven, there shall not be a sinner among those who are glorified.

The sea of damnation–shall never be sweetened with a drop of compassion!

Will you pity a person who is going to the gallows–and
will you not pity a person who is going to the bottomless pit?

What a dreadful visitation is that, where . . .
  the black horse of death goes before, and
  the red horse of wrath follows after!

Oh, that must needs be sad, when one death comes upon the back of another; when the second death comes upon the back of the first death.

A man’s condition in this life may be honorable,
and yet his state in eternity may be damnable. Poor Lazarus goes to Heaven–
when rich Dives goes to Hell.

It is far better to go to Heaven poorly
–than it is to go to Hell richly.

Oh sirs, let us go to Hell by contemplation, that
we may never go to Hell by condemnation.

Oh sirs, meditate upon Hell!

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The shedding of blood has been essential to the atonement for man’s sin. The shedding of blood is directly tied to our salvation. Jesus shed His perfect, precious blood to pay our sin debt.

The Passover, instituted by God, is a picture of salvation for Israel. When they applied the blood, God passed over their house. Right after that they were freed from their Egyptian enslavement.

This week we look at the progressive mistreatment of the Hebrew slaves, preparation for deliverance of the Hebrew slaves, the Israelite’s delivered from Egyptian bondage, and Israel redeemed by the blood of the Lamb-Passover.

Israel redeemed by the blood of a lamb — Passover. (12:1-13:16) Christ is our sacrifice Hebrews 10:4-10 (READ)

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.⁵ Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:⁶ In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.⁷ Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.⁸ Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;⁹ Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.¹⁰ By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

1. Beginning of the year is changed (12:1-2) (READ)

“And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,² This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.”

2. Passover instituted (12:3-20) (READ)

“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:⁴ And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor 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.⁵ Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:⁶ 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.⁷ 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.⁸ And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.⁹ 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.¹⁰ And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.¹¹ 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.¹² 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.¹³ 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.¹⁴ 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.¹⁵ Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.¹⁶ And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.¹⁷ And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.¹⁸ In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.¹⁹ Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.²⁰ Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.”

3. Procedure for Passover ceremony (12:21-30) (READ)

“Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.²² And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.²³ 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.²⁴ And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.²⁵ 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.²⁶ And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?²⁷ 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 delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.²⁸ And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.²⁹ 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.³⁰ 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.”

4. Unleavened bread (12:31-39) Also called the feast of matzah-7 days
5. Death of the firstborn (12:40-42) 
6. Passover to be observed annually (12:43-50) 

 CONCLUSION:

• And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!  (John 1:36)
• Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19)
• Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:             (1 Corinthians 5:7)
• FOUNDATION STONE: The blood.  It covered but did not take away the sin of Israel.  Jesus blood takes away the sin of those who repent and come to Him.

The blood covered the houses of the children of Israel. When God saw the blood, He passed over that house, and the first born did not die. The children of Israel were obedient to the instructions God gave them through Moses.

A lamb was slain. The blood was applied to the lintel and doorposts.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth to be the sacrificial lamb for the sin of all mankind. He allowed Himself to go to the cross, to take the sins of all mankind on Himself, to pay our sin debt.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Salvation is for all men and women, boys and girls. Please call or write to me about how you might get saved.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Meditate upon JUDGMENT

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(William Dyer, “Christ’s Famous Titles”)

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Meditate often on these four last things:
   Death, which is most certain.
   Judgment, which is most strict.
   Hell, which is most doleful.
   Heaven, which is most delightful.

Meditate upon JUDGMENT, which is most strict.

“We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.”

Those who will not come before His mercy-seat,
shall be forced to come before His judgment-seat.

Those who will not hear His Word, shall feel His Sword.

Those who are graceless in this day, will be speechless in that day.

At the world’s end, such will be at their wits’ end, to see:
  the earth flaming,
  the heavens melting,
  the stars falling,
  the graves opening,
  the judgment hastening,
  the sun and moon mourning,
  Christ and His angels coming.

He who comes to raise the dead,
will also come to judge the dead.

Oh sirs, the great day to great sinners will be a dreadful day, when they shall see Christ coming in the clouds:
  with great power and glory,
  crowned with dignity,
  enraged with anger, and
  attended with His angel reapers.
He will bring all kings and nobles, high and low, rich and poor, to His judgment bar. And there He will judge them, not by the whiteness of their faces, but by the blackness of their hearts. “He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.” Psalm 98:9

You who make no account of His coming,
how can you give an account at His coming?

Sirs, meditation on judgment, may make you judgment proof.

Those who now judge themselves in their own private sessions,
shall not be judged by Christ at His great white throne judgment.

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Meditate upon DEATH

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(William Dyer, “Christ’s Famous Titles”)

Meditate often on these four last things:
Death, which is most certain.
Judgment, which is most strict.
   Hell, which is most doleful.
   Heaven, which is most delightful.

Meditate upon DEATH, which is most certain.
“It is appointed unto men once to die.” Hebrews 9:27

Out of the dust was man formed;
into the dust shall man be turned.

To think of death, is a death to some men.

Oh sirs, meditate upon death.

Meditation on death, will put sin to death.

Death to the wicked, is the end of all comfort, and the beginning of all misery.
Death to the godly, is the outlet to sin and sorrow, and the inlet to peace and happiness.

The saints’ enjoyment shall be incomparable,
when the sinners’ torments shall be intolerable.

When a believer’s soul goes out of his own bosom, it goes into Abraham’s bosom.

When a saint dies, he leaves all his bad behind him, and carries his good with him.
When a sinner dies, he carries his bad with him, and leaves his good behind him.

The godly man goes from evil, to all good.
The wicked man goes from good, to all evil.

When a saint leaves the world, his soul returns to happiness and rest.
When a sinner leaves this world, his body goes to worms to be consumed, and his soul goes to flames to be tormented.

The saint goes to Abraham’s bosom;
the sinner goes to Beelzebub’s bosom.

The wheat goes to the barn;
the chaff goes to the fire.

Oh sirs, meditate upon death!

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Supremely precious

(John Fawcett, “Christ Precious“)

“Yes, He is very precious to you who believe.” 1 Peter 2:7

If Christ is truly precious to us, we shall prefer Him above every other object; He will have the chief place in our affections. The love which a Christian has to his Savior penetrates and possesses his heart. This distinguishes it from the pretended love of hypocrites, which is only in word, or in some external actions, while their hearts are full of sinful self-love; so that it may be said of them, “This people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”

We may possibly delight in some objects of an inferior nature, as they contribute to our health, our ease, or our comfort. Our homes, our food, and our other temporal enjoyments are dear to us, because they minister to our comfort and convenience in the present life. But true love for Christ does not allow any other object to hold the chief place in the heart. This chief place is for Jesus, whom we ought to love with supreme ardor. The choicest affections of our souls ought to be supremely fixed upon Him.

As it is impossible for any man to love an unknown object–so it cannot be expected that Christ should be supremely precious unto us, unless we know Him to be excellent and desirable, beyond whatever may be compared with Him. We shall not esteem Him above all things, if we have not elevated views of His transcendent worth. Our esteem of Him rises in proportion to the knowledge we have of Him. Godly men therefore ardently desire to increase in the knowledge of Him, that their affections may be more intensely fixed upon Him.

That love, which has but created things for its object, is degrading to the soul. It is a cleaving to that which can neither give happiness to our souls, nor repose to our minds. For to love any object ardently, is to seek our felicity in it and to expect that it will answer our desires. It is to call upon it to fill that deep void which we feel in ourselves, and to imagine that it is capable of giving us the satisfaction we seek. It is to regard it as . . .
  the resource of all our needs,
  the remedy of all the troubles which oppress us,
  and the source of all our happiness.
Now, as it is God alone in whom we can find all these advantages–it is a debasing of the soul, it is idolatry to seek them in created objects! “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ!” Philippians 3:8

If Christ is truly precious to us–we shall be induced to devote our souls and our bodies, our talents, our abilities and our faculties–as a living sacrifice to Him. To contemplate His adorable perfections will be our highest joy. We shall be ready to obey Him, in opposition to all the threats and the solicitations of men. We shall rely upon Him, though all outward appearances seem to be against us. We shall rejoice in Him, though we have nothing else to comfort us. If we enjoy health and plenty, friends and reputation–the Lord is still the object of our earnest desires and our supreme delight.

“Whom have I in Heaven but You? There is none upon earth that I desire besides You! As the deer pants for the water-brooks, so longs my soul after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God!”

  ~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001, chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The shedding of blood has been essential to the atonement for man’s sin. The shedding of blood is directly tied to our salvation. Jesus shed His perfect, precious blood to pay our sin debt.

The Passover, instituted by God, is a picture of salvation for Israel. When they applied the blood, God passed over their house. Right after that they were freed from their Egyptian enslavement.

This week we look at the progressive mistreatment of the Hebrew slaves, preparation for deliverance of the Hebrew slaves, the Israelite’s delivered from Egyptian bondage, and Israel redeemed by the blood of the Lamb-Passover.

The Israelites delivered from Egyptian bondage (5:1-15:21) 

1. Moses demands the release of the Israelites (5:1-4) (READ)

“And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.² And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.³ And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. ⁴ And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.”

 “Let my people go…” used 8 times

2. Pharaoh’s answer: Hebrews denied straw with which to make bricks (5:5-23) 

3. Moses demand certified by miracle (5:23-7:12) (READ7:1-9)

“And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.² Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.³ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. ⁴ But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.⁵ And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.⁶ And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they.⁷ And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.⁸ And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,⁹ When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.”
4. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (7:13-14) 
5. First plague: Blood (7:14-25)

6. Second plague: Frogs (8:1-15)
7. Third plague: Lice (8:16-19) 
8. Fourth plague: Flies (8:20-32) 
9. Fifth plague: Disease on Livestock (9:1-7) 
10. Sixth plague: Boils (9:8-12) 
11. Seventh plague: Hail (9:13-35 
12. Eighth plague: Locusts (10:1-20) 
13. Ninth plague: Darkness (10:21-29) 
14. Death announced (11:1-10) (READ)

“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.² Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver and jewels of gold.³ And the Lord gave the people favor 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.⁴ And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:⁵ And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born 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.⁶ 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.⁷ 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.⁸ 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.⁹ And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.”

Moses demands that Pharaoh let the children of Israel to go and worship. Pharaoh says no. He then requires the children of Israel to gather their own straw for the making of bricks.

Moses now proclaims ten plagues on the Egyptians. The last is the death of the first born of all the families of Egypt. Starting with Pharaoh’s son.

It is never wise to oppose God. Believers in Christ have the Holy Spirit of God residing in them. The Holy Spirit will convict believers of their opposition to God. When believers refuse to obey, God brings chastisement or judgment into their lives. Similar to what we see happening to Pharaoh and Egypt.

If believers go too far, God may take them home early. Similar to the death of the first born.

Pharaoh could have avoided this judgment by repenting and obeying God. He did not and he and the nation of Egypt suffered the consequences.

Jesus Christ paid the sin debt for all mankind. Those who have trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior, are to obey what God has given us in the Bible. When we fail to obey, we must repent of our sin, start obeying God’s word, and continue to serve our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

Will we choose to be rebellious like Pharaoh or obedient like Moses?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001