Month: February 2023

Live through the Spirit

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 19 & 20
Psalms Reading: Psalm 38
* New Testament Reading: Romans 8

Romans 7 pointed out the fact that we aren’t able to live the righteous life that God requires in our own strength.  “Live through the Spirit” is the title for Romans 8 in my Bible.  The word “spirit” or “Spirit” occurs 19 times in Romans 8, so it must be important.

Yesterday, we pointed out that Paul was describing the war within someone trying to please God by trying to follow a bunch of rules.  That section culminated in Romans 7:24, which says, “What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Romans 8:1 starts by saying, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”  No condemnation?  Tell me more!  I want in on that.

Paul then said that the law was only able to point out sin, but could not address our sinful nature.

He then went on to describe two types of people, one sinful and one spiritual.  He’s describing someone who lives according to their sinful nature versus someone who lives in accordance with the Spirit – he is not describing two types of Christians. 

Note the contrast:

Live according to the sinful nature
  • Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what the sinful nature desires. (8:5)  
  • The mind of sinful man is death. (8:6)
  • The sinful mind is hostile to God. (8:7)  
  • It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. (8:7)
  • For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die (8:13)
​Live in accordance with the Spirit
  • Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (8:5)
  • The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. (8:6)
  • If by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. ( 8:13)
  • Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (8:14)
  • And if sons of God, then heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. (8:15)

Paul said in Romans 8:9, “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.  And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”  So if the Spirit of God lives in us, our mind is controlled by the Spirit – we aren’t controlled by our sinful nature.  If the Spirit of God doesn’t live in us, we don’t belong to Christ.

Romans 8:10-11 goes on to say, “But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”  Can you imagine the power it took to raise Jesus from the dead to eternal life?  That same power is in us – if and only if we are controlled by the Spirit of God.

Ultimately, it’s my choice.  Am I going to completely surrender my will, my future, and my all to God, and live for Him (with His help)?  Anything less is failure to surrender to God, meaning I continue living according to my sinful nature, which will result in death.  I get to make the choice.  And so do you.

This doesn’t mean that someone living according to their sinful nature can’t do good.  It also doesn’t mean that someone living according to the Spirit can’t sin.  I picture this as more of what motivates a person’s life and actions.

This doesn’t mean that we won’t have troubles in our lives.  Paul went on to say that suffering will come, but the future reward is more than worth it.  Paul said in Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”  And I’ll point out that Paul had lots of suffering, as he told us in 2 Corinthians 11:23-26, “… been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.”

Paul then went on to say that these sufferings make us long all the more for the redemption of our bodies we will experience when Jesus returns.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  So even problems in our lives turn out for good for those who love Him.

Paul then went on to say that God is for us, and Jesus not only died for us but currently intercedes for us.  Because of this, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (8:35) and the love of God (8:29).   Because of this, we can not just conquer our sinful nature, we are “more than conquerors” or super-conquerors through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:38-29 closes with, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

If you completely surrender your life to God, the same power that raised Christ from the dead will live in you.  By having your mind controlled by the Spirit, you can overcome your sinful nature and live the life God called you to live.  And if you do, absolutely nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  And when Jesus returns, you’ll live forever in paradise with God and Jesus.

Only one question remains:  will you completely surrender your life to God?

-Steve Mattison

Reflection Questions

  1. Why did Paul say that the law can only reveal sin, but not save?
  2. If you truly live according to the Spirit, will you break the 10 commandments (or any of God’s other laws)? Why or why not?
  3. What did God reveal about Himself by giving the 10 commandments? (Note: He tells us something specific about Himself with each of the first 5 and had a direct purpose for each of the other 5.) What does He continue to reveal about Himself in Psalm 38 (a psalm about the oppressive weight of sin and guilt) & Romans 8?
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Stuck in a Quandary

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 17 & 18
Psalms Reading: Psalm 37
* New Testament Reading: Romans 7

Romans 6 talked about God’s requirement that Christians die to sin.  Romans 7 points out that we can’t do this in our own power alone.  Romans 8 will give us the solution.

But today, we’re stuck in a quandary.  We know that God requires that we put to death the sinful nature in our life.  How do we do that?  The obvious first thought is by following a long set of rules.  (We call this Legalism – the idea that we can get right with God by following a bunch of rules.)

For a while, things seem to go along well.  We’re following the rules, and we feel more spiritual.  We develop a long list of “dos” and “don’ts”.  Over time, the list grows, and it gets harder and harder to follow.  The problem with this is that it addresses our actions, but doesn’t change our hearts.  In our mind, we want to follow God, but our sinful nature wars against our mind, wanting to do whatever our sinful nature wants.

Paul said it like this in Romans 7: 15, “I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do,  I do not do, but what I hate, I do.”  And in 7:19, “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep doing.”

Over time, it gets harder and harder to follow all the rules.  If we carry legalism to its logical conclusion, eventually, either we get to the point where we just pretend (we become a hypocrite), or we abandon the whole farce and just walk away. 

Paul sums up the desperation like this in Romans 7:24, “What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?”  If we are perfectly honest, I suspect all of us who profess to be Christians have experienced this.

Fortunately, the chapter doesn’t stop there.  Paul goes on in 7:25a, “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  We don’t get into the details until Romans 8 of how we can not just overcome, but be “more than conquerors.”

In Romans 6, Paul said that we must die to sin.  Here in Romans 7, he goes on to say that we also die to the law.  This may seem crazy, since God’s law was good – pointing out what sin was.  So we’re not bound by the law, and we’re not free to continue to sin.  What is the solution?  

We’ll find out tomorrow.  

Spoiler alert:

Romans 8:10-11 says, “But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”

-Steve Mattison

Reflection Questions

  1. What has your experience been with your sinful nature? What good do you want to do that you haven’t? What evil have you done that you didn’t want to do?
  2. Have you had any experience with legalism? How did you do at trying to follow every rule? Where was your heart? Did you tend more towards hypocrisy and going through the motions or giving up and walking away from God?
  3. What is God’s desire for you? How do you know? What does He reveal about Himself in your reading of His words today?
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What are You a Slave of?

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 15 & 16
Psalms Reading: Psalm 36
* New Testament Reading: Romans 6

Romans 5 talks about God’s amazing grace, and how we can be made right with God despite our ugly sinful past, because Jesus’ death paid for our sins.  Romans 6 starts by asking a ridiculous question, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?”  Paul then answered the question in verse 2, “By no means!”.

Paul went on to say that when people really accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they die to sin, just like Jesus physically died.  And since Jesus was raised up to a new (eternal) life, our life should be radically different – a new life to be lived for God.  Romans 6: 11-12 says, “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”  This means we must actively resist sin in our lives, and instead deliberately choose to live a life pleasing to God.  This isn’t just a good idea, it’s required for true Christians.

Paul offered an analogy that everyone in his day would have been very familiar with: slaves.  Slaves must obey their masters.  A person living a life of sin is in rebellion against God and is a slave to sin, and therefore can’t follow God.  By accepting Christ and dying to sin, a person can then be a slave to God.  Paul then made the argument that, since you’ve been freed from slavery to sin, you can’t serve sin anymore – sin is not your master any more.  God is now your master, so you must obey Him.

Romans 6:21-22 goes on to say, “What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?  Those things result in death!  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

This is a pretty stark contrast.  Your life used to be filled with sin.  You did lots of things you are now ashamed of.  And oh yeah, the result of that lifestyle is death.  God has liberated us from sin to become a slave of God – which causes us to live a holy life, with the result culminating in eternal life in the coming Kingdom of God.

Paul closed the chapter with a verse that is likely familiar, Romans 6:23, which says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When we work, we earn wages.  We deserve what we get paid because of the work we did.  Similarly, we will get “paid” for the life we live.  If we persist in our sin, the wage we can expect is death.  Thanks anyway, but I’d rather accept God’s gift.  But we can’t get God’s gift just because we want it, we must turn from our life of sin, and become God’s slave.  Only then can we receive His gift of eternal life.

So, the choices are sin and death, or a life of service to God and eternal life.  Some consider this a tough choice.  Which will you choose?

-Steve Mattison

Reflection Questions

  1. What are you a slave of? Are there any changes in your life that ought to be made?
  2. Are you prepared to receive the wages of your sins? Or have you accepted the gift of God? If so, how and what difference does that make in your life?
  3. What does God reveal about Himself and His heart in today’s Bible reading? What kind of Master is He?
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Is it Worth It?

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 13 & 14
Psalms Reading: Psalm 35
*New Testament Reading: Romans 5

Some may be tempted to think the burden of living a Christian life just isn’t worth it.  Life is boring, you can’t have any fun, and all the rules make life almost not worth living.  If someone ever thought that, Romans 5 is for them.  This is an exciting chapter in an exciting book.

Romans 5 talks about justification – which refers to how a person can be declared righteous before God through faith in Jesus Christ.  The first half of Romans 5 talks about the benefits of being justified, and the second half tells how justification is possible.  

You might think the benefits are just for the future, limited to eternal life in God’s future kingdom.  Think again.  There are real benefits to living a life completely sold out to God right here and right now.

Romans 5:1 starts out in the past tense, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Chapter 4 pointed out that being justified before God has always been through faith, not through works.)  If we’re living the life God called us to live, and we are living by faith, we have been reconciled to God through Jesus.  If we meet the criteria, whatever else we have done in our past is forgiven, and we have been declared righteous.

We’re told the alternative in Isaiah 48:22, “There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.”   Peace with God versus no peace.  Let me think, which should I choose?  I want peace!  When you live a life of sin, you’ve declared war against God.  If you’re currently at war with God, how’s that working out for you?  Consider peace.

Romans 5:2a continues by talking about the present, “through whom [speaking of Jesus] we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”  In the Old Testament, Jews didn’t have direct access to God.  Only priests could even enter the tabernacle, and only the high priest could go into the Holy of Holies only once a year.  And Gentiles couldn’t even come into the inner courtyard.  Through Jesus, we have gained access to God’s grace, and ultimately to God.  And this is for today, not just in some distant future.  We can boldly approach His throne of grace, and pray directly to God in Jesus’ name.

Romans 5:2b tells of the future “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”  When Jesus returns, the faithful will live eternally with God.  That’s not just a “hope” in the ordinary meaning of the word, that is our assurance.  And in the assurance for our future, we can rejoice today – no matter what problems today may bring.  Again, I want that tangible benefit today.  Especially when times are tough.

The next passage points out that we won’t be immune from suffering, just because we have a great relationship with God.  But instead of destroying us, that suffering will be for our benefit, building Christian character, and making us more firm in our future hope.

Romans 5:5 finishes this paragraph by saying, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”  As we wait for our future hope, we also have the love of God in our hearts today (that goes right along with the peace above).

The next section tells us that God loved us so much, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  We didn’t deserve it.  In fact, since we were at war with God, we deserved only death.  That shows how much God loved us, even when we were in open rebellion against Him.  So since we have been justified, we have been reconciled with God, and He will save us from His coming wrath through Jesus’ blood.

I’d say all of this is a powerfully compelling reason to live a Christian life today, completely sold out to God.  Even if there wasn’t a future reward (which there is!).

The rest of Romans 5 tells us how we are justified, but first, it reminds us how sin entered the world.  Adam sinned, and all of his descendants inherited his punishment – death.  You might think that isn’t fair.  Honestly, God was gracious in establishing this pattern, and I’ll explain why.  If each of us had the opportunity of never dying in this current age if we just didn’t sin, we’d still all sin, and all die.  So the result would be the same as inheriting our punishment from our first ancestor.  But since God established the pattern of one person earning something, and many others inheriting that… God was able to use the same pattern to have Jesus live the only perfect life, and to have his spiritual descendants inherit His reward.

This shows God’s incredible grace.  One sin caused innumerable deaths, even for those before Moses (when the law was given) who didn’t break a specific law of God.  But Jesus’ one act of obedience – paying the penalty for sin with his perfect life – was after a seemingly infinite number of sins.  Romans 5:19b says, “…so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The bottom line is this:  Only Jesus deserves eternal life, because only Jesus lived the perfect life God requires.  Jesus wrote us into his will with his blood, leaving his reward (eternal life) to those who would believe in him and live the life God called them to live.  Jesus died to put the will in effect.  He now lives, and is distributing some of the benefits of that will to believers today including: 

  • Peace with God
  • Access to God’s grace and to God himself
  • Hope today for a future in God’s kingdom
  • Building Christian character through suffering
  • God’s love in our hearts

The final distribution of Jesus’ will will be at the Great White Throne Judgement when Jesus will judge the living and the dead.  Those whose names ARE NOT found in the book of life will be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  This is the second death.  Those whose names ARE found in the book of life will have God “wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” (Revelation 21:4) And will get to live with God and Jesus in paradise forever.

So, is it worth it to live a Christian life?  As for me, absolutely!  Sign me up!  

What do you think?

-Steve Mattison

Reflection Questions

  1. Is it worth it to you to live a Christian life? Why? What benefits do you receive? What is the alternative and the consequences?
  2. What do you know about God from your reading today? Thank Him.
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Bought with the Blood of the Lamb

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 11 & 12
Psalms Reading: Psalm 34
New Testament Reading: Romans 4

We have been bought with the blood of the Lamb. What a glorious thing! Praise God!

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 NASB 1995)

As you probably noticed, all of today’s readings tie together beautifully to point to God’s plan of redemption for mankind. We get a glimpse of this plan in Exodus 12 when the Israelites are spared from the angel of death by painting the blood of the passover lamb on their doorposts.

12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the Lord! 13 But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. (NLT)

In Exodus 12, the specificity of the condition of the lamb—that no bone shall be broken—is significant.

43 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the instructions for the festival of Passover. No outsiders are allowed to eat the Passover meal. 44 But any slave who has been purchased may eat it if he has been circumcised. 45 Temporary residents and hired servants may not eat it. 46 Each Passover lamb must be eaten in one house. Do not carry any of its meat outside, and do not break any of its bones. 47 The whole community of Israel must celebrate this Passover festival. (NASB 1995)

Psalm 34 also mentions how the righteous will be redeemed and we see another reference to no bones being broken.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

20 He keeps all his bones,

Not one of them is broken.

21 Evil shall slay the wicked,

And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,

And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. (NASB 1995)

Just like no bone was broken on the Passover Lamb, so too the scriptures tell us that no bones were broken on Jesus at the time of his crucifixion and death.

John 19

33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (NASB 1995)

Romans 4 reminds us that we can be credited as righteous through our faith in Christ Jesus and that is the only way.

6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those

    whose transgressions are forgiven,

    whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the one

    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” (NIV)

Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for us and for that I am forever grateful!

23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (NIV)

I was recently listening to a podcast that reminded me what a literary genius God is. Who else could seamlessly tie together this amazing story written over a course of some 1500 years? What other book has done the same thing? I had never thought about it that way and it gave me an even deeper appreciation of our amazing Heavenly Father and His word. To think, we get to be part of this amazing story if we so choose. The choice is ours. His story is ultimately a love letter to us. What could be more beautiful than that?

Reflection Questions:

  1. Will we return the love that God has so generously bestowed upon us? He poured out His heart in His love letter to us. Will we stay the course and remain faithful?
  2. What do you learn about God in His love letter to you today? What does He want you to know about Him?
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How do you show up?

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 9 & 10
Psalms Reading: Psalm 33
New Testament Reading: Romans 3

I was struck by verses 3-5 of today’s reading in Psalm 33.

3 Sing to Him a new song;

Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

4 For the word of the Lord is upright,

And all His work is done in faithfulness.

5 He loves righteousness and justice;

The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord. (NASB 1995)

Are we singing the same old song of praise to God? The thoughts that stirred in me when I read this passage were that we are on a journey of getting to know God and His word is His love letter to us. If we are open to it, He is gradually revealing the beauty of His character to us. His word is truly “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12, NIV). 

Furthermore, verse 8 reminds us that we should fear Him and be standing in awe of Him!

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;

Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. (NASB 1995)

If we think about everything God has done and who He is, can we even help but do that? Well, I do think about Moses though from the reading earlier in the week. He seemed to lose sight pretty quickly of the majesty of God and that was evident in the way he communicated with God. He was showing up on holy ground with filthy sandals. However, some self-reflection compels me that I sometimes show up with filthy sandals on and don’t always remember to render the reverence God is due.

The contrast between David and Moses keeps revisiting my mind and heart, so maybe that’s a message God really needs me to hear and maybe you do, too. How are you showing up before God? Are we signing a new song of praise that can only be fueled by an intentional quest of getting to know Him more intimately. Otherwise, we will keep singing the same old song in those same old dirty sandals.

-Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions:

  1. What are some new areas you can praise God in? 
  2. What new things have you learned about God’s character in this year’s reading so far that you could praise Him for?
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The Weight of Unconfessed Sin

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 7 & 8
Psalms Reading: Psalm 32
New Testament Reading: Romans 2

The weight of unconfessed sin is heavy. Today’s passage in Psalm 32 helps us to see that unconfessed sin takes a spiritual, emotional and physical toll on us. David mentions that his body was wasting away under the burden of his unacknowledged sin.

Psalm 32

3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away

Through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. (NASB 1995)

When we confess our sins to God and repent of them, God is faithful to forgive. Many times we can be like Adam and Eve clamoring to find our leaves to cover our shame and nakedness. It is futile to try and conceal our sin from an omniscient, omnipresent God.  

5 I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I did not hide;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;

And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. (NASB 1995)

I hope the admonition in verse 6 was not lost on you. 

6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;

Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. (NASB 1995)

This verse reminds me that we do not have unlimited time and opportunity to right our wrongs with the maker of the Universe. There will be a time when God can no longer be found, so if you are bearing the weight of unconfessed sin, what are you waiting for?

Romans 2 reminds us of some of the amazing attributes of God’s character: kindness, patience and tolerance. However, it also warns us not to take those attributes lightly.

4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (NASB 1995)

Meditating on how amazing our Heavenly Father truly is and how much He loves us should compel us to repent and to reconcile with Him. However, we are not special and there is a limit to His kindness, tolerance and patience. He is also a God of justice. We read in verse 11 of Romans 2, “For there is no partiality with God.” (NASB 1995) The subsequent verses make it clear what the outcome will be if we remain stubborn and unrepentant.

5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will render to each person according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. (NASB 1995)

I would like to circle back to the Psalm 32 passage of how David’s unconfessed sin was causing his body to waste away.  We see a similar concept in Romans 2 and how our conscience accuses our thoughts and wears on us if we do not confess and repent of our wrongdoing. 

14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. (NASB 1995)

It all comes down to our hearts. In verse 29 of Romans 2, we see that our circumcision should be of our hearts. If we are a people after God’s own heart like David, we will inevitably have ‘the work of the law written in our hearts’ and our priority will be pleasing God and not man. That means confessing our sins and returning back to God while He still may be found.

29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. (NASB 1995)

-Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions:

  1. Are you currently bearing the burden of unconfessed sin? Enlist God’s help in confessing and freeing yourself of this burden. Go a step further and ask God to help you alter your course so that you aren’t falling into the same sin traps over and over that continue to get in the way of your relationship with God.
  2. In reflecting on your life, does it seem to show more of an effort toward pleasing man or pleasing God?
  3. What does God reveal about Himself in today’s Bible reading – and why does it matter?
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Trusting God

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 5 & 6
Psalms Reading: Psalm 31
New Testament Reading: Romans 1

In today’s reading in Exodus, Moses gives us yet more examples of how not to talk to God. In chapter 5, we witness the irreverent tone Moses uses with the God of the universe.

22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” (NIV)

Maybe he needed another reminder that he was standing on holy ground. God then clearly lays out His plan to Moses for delivering the Israelites. He explains that He will use the force of His strong hand to make Pharaoh let the people go. 

Since Moses seems to forget He is conversing with Almighty God, God reminds him in chapter 6:

2 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord; 3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them. 4 I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. 5 Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. (NASB 1995)

The NASB 1995 translation gives the following footnote concerning verse 3: Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord.

Just think, Moses was privileged enough for God to utter His name to him! If this were a work of fiction and I had to write Moses’ response, I would want it to be a picture of Moses falling to his knees and begging for mercy for questioning God and not showing Him the praise and honor He is due. Unfortunately, even though God equips Moses with the very words he should say to the Israelites, Moses lets his fear of man overtake his fear of God. He becomes argumentative with God in verse 12 and 30 of Exodus chapter 6.

12 But Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am unskilled in speech?” (NASB 1995)

30 But Moses said before the Lord, “Behold, I am unskilled in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me?” (NASB 1995)

Moses’ fear was misplaced and showed a lack of trust in God and a lack of recognition of God’s might. He was more fearful of man at this moment and clearly didn’t trust God to come through for him. The Bible makes it clear that we must not let fear of man cause us to disobey God. Psalm 118:6 and Matthew 10:28 are great examples.

Psalm 118:

6 The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? (NASB 1995)

Matthew 10:

28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (NASB 1995)

In sharp contrast to Moses, David demonstrates his trust in God and a recognition of God’s lovingkindness in Psalm 31:

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord,

I say, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

16 Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;

Save me in Your lovingkindness.

and

23 O love the Lord, all you His godly ones!

The Lord preserves the faithful

And fully recompenses the proud doer.

24 Be strong and let your heart take courage,

All you who hope in the Lord. (NASB 1995)

It certainly seemed that David knew God on a much more intimate level and actively praised His amazing attributes. The scriptures tell us he was a man after God’s own heart. For all the flaws David had, that is pretty special to be described in this way.

Acts 13

22 After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’

May our faith always be bigger than our fear. May we be more like David when it comes to relying on God and trusting His character. 

Romans chapter 1 has great words of admonition concerning what our faith should look like:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

-Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions:

  1. How can you deepen your prayer life with God to have it look more like someone after God’s own heart?
  2. On most days, which is bigger: your fear or your faith? 
  3. What picture do you get of God in today’s reading?
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