Devotional Gems by Jolene

Friday, February 17, 2017

Paradigm

PARADIGM

Part one of fourteen in Commanded “Holy Days” Importance Today series

Exodus 23:2a: “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.”

Paradigm [PARE-a-dime] is an idea, a concept, or theory. Once established, many swear that their believed paradigm is true. Convincing someone to change a paradigm isn’t easy. People usually cling to a standard from which all other beliefs originate.

For example, Acts 12:4b says, “Herod intended to bring Him out for public trial after the Passover.” The King James Version of the Bible mistranslated the Greek word “Passover” as “Easter”. From this one mistaken translation, Christians believe that God’s command to celebrate Passover does not mean them. (After all, Passover is Old Testament).

HOWEVER…

Moses instructs the people in Exodus 12:24-25, “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as He promised, observe this ceremony [Passover].”

Leviticus 23:1-3 lists God’s instructions to Moses. “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are My appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies. There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord.’”

The USA enacted “Blue Laws” even before becoming a nation. One state at a time, laws forbade alcohol consumption, sporting events, lewd dress, and stores open for business on Sunday. Since that beginning, strict religious laws have relaxed. The Blue Law paradigm was successfully changed and embraced by most people.

Why not Google “Blue Laws” to see what remains in your state?

Those who strive to obey God never work on Sundays. They want to remain positioned under the blood of Christ’s covenant of grace believing that—in Christ—Gentiles (non-Israelites) are included under God’s covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Galatians 3:28). We look forward to hearing Master Jesus say from Matthew 25:34: “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”

Take Home Nugget

Christians are positive that Christmas and Easter are the holiest worship days of the year. Yet, neither are mentioned in the Bible. Now you understand how hard it is to change an established paradigm. God our Father has a different list of holy days for His kids to celebrate. See the lesson linked below.

Please return as we explore Commanded “Holy Days” Relevance Today series of devotions together.

Holy Father, Empower us by Your Spirit to learn truths from Your Word compared to our personal paradigms. We pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Paradigm

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

The latest Christmas eBook by J.D. Griffith:

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Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:

To order “The Thing is…” click here

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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Dots!

DOTS!

Part 3 of 3 in What’s the Deal, Pharaoh? Series

Exodus 10

Exodus 10:7: “Pharaoh’s officials said to him, ‘How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go so that they may worship the LORD their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?’”

After the frogs, God brought a plague of gnats (Exodus 8:16-18), followed by a plague of flies (Exodus 8:20-24). Pharaoh lied again that “the people may go to...offer sacrifices to the LORD their God” in verses 25-32.

So, God sent a livestock plague in Exodus 9:1-7. All the Egyptian horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats died. But every animal belonging to the Israelites lived. A plague of boils followed in Exodus 9:8-12. One could say that Pharaoh’s magicians were too “boiled” to show up to work.

Yet Pharaoh still didn’t give in.

So God sent a plague of hail in Exodus 9:13-15. Every living thing that was outside died—animals and slaves alike. “The only place where it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.” (Exodus 9:26).

“How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me?” God asked Pharaoh through Moses in Exodus 10:3.

Then God sent a plague of locusts in Exodus 10:4-6.

That’s when Pharaoh’s officials demanded answers in the opening Scripture.

Was Pharaoh’s hard shell cracking?

During the plague of darkness in Exodus 10:21-28, Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.”

Cause and effect. Pharaoh was warned time and again what WOULD happen IF he didn’t let the Israelites go. Now that’s arrogance. The second character trait besides anger that Maimonides—the medieval philosopher introduced in Frogs! devotion—taught that has no middle ground. Pharaoh saw the plagues’ destruction, yet stubbornly refused to obey God: the Israelites remained slaves.

Pharaoh was very angry—AND was also extremely arrogant. Pharaoh held firm on his self-destructive path.

We would say today that Pharaoh couldn’t connect the dots. His very officials tried advising him to let the people go. They couldn’t believe he was so stubborn! Connecting the dots told them that Egypt is ruined.

Take Home Nugget

Pharaoh’s arrogance blinded him to see that he was losing the battle to God Almighty. His country, his people’s welfare were at stake! His ego, the great man he imagined himself to be was crumbling before his eyes. See the lesson linked below.

Let us learn from Pharaoh. May we never think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Perhaps we can learn to listen to people who give us advice?

Teach me wisdom, Lord, so that I obey wise advice and never plow a path of self-destruction, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Adapted from “Connecting the Dots” by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. January 31, 2017. www.holylandmoments.com

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Dots!

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

The latest Christmas eBook by J.D. Griffith:

To order “Meet Guardian Archangels” click here

Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:

To order “The Thing is…” click here

Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

Friday, February 10, 2017

Frogs!

FROGS!

Part 2 of 3 in What’s the Deal, Pharaoh? Series

Exodus 8:1-12

Exodus 8:6: “So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.”

We can see Moses and Aaron getting red-faced when Pharaoh’s magicians performed the same miraculous acts as God commanded they do (Exodus 8:7). People get embarrassed when something they plan goes terribly wrong. But God wasn’t surprised, nor was He embarrassed. We can imagine God chuckling at Pharaoh.

People also get embarrassed when made to look a fool, which is what Pharaoh is.

But Pharaoh thinks that he’s awesome. Pharaoh thinks that he’s holding the trump card that will keep Israelite slaves in Egypt. Egyptians never had it so good. Israelites did the dirty work. They weren’t paid for their efforts. They were overworked and abused. But the Israelites had a trump card that beat Pharaoh’s.

Their trump card is Almighty God. YHWH. LORD. Elohim.

Frogs were the second plague that God sent Pharaoh for another chance to let His people go. Pharaoh didn’t even blink. Despite there being frogs in the bed, on Pharaoh’s head, in his nose, on his toes, frogs were jumping everywhere! In fact, that was a children’s song.

Cute.

Not so cute. The original Hebrew Scripture said, “So Aaron stretched out his hand … and the frog came up and covered the land.” Frog singular. One frog. That one frog covered the whole land somehow!

Apparently, when the Egyptians struck this frog, instead of dying, the frog multiplied into two. When two frogs were hit, they became four. Four became eight…until this one frog covered the whole land.

Why didn’t the Egyptians stop hitting the frogs when they saw what was happening? See lesson linked below

Anger.

Anger is self-destructive. Anger never helps a situation, but works the opposite of what is intended. Anger didn’t stop the Egyptians trying to kill frogs that they saw were multiplying in front of their eyes. Anger stops people from seeing truth. The power of anger is that it destroys everything and everyone that comes in its path.

Take Home Nugget

Maimonides was a medieval philosopher. He taught that every character trait (like generosity) has a middle road. It’s okay to be generous, but don’t give away everything. There is a middle ground.

However, there are two character traits—arrogance and anger—where Maimonides admits there is no middle ground. It’s best to avoid both at all costs. In fact, arrogance and anger both reduce people from how they’re originally created in God’s image. Their anger, their arrogance hurts themselves most of all.

The answer to “What do I have to lose from being angry?” is EVERYTHING!

Father, warn me to flee from anger and arrogance immediately, I ask in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Adapted from “The Frog that Covered the Land” by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. January 26, 2017. www.holylandmoments.com

J.D. Griffith

Clickhere for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Frogs!

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

The latest Christmas eBook by J.D. Griffith:

To order “Meet Guardian Archangels” click here

Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:

To order “The Thing is…” click here

Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Bother Me

BOTHER ME

Part 1 of 3 in What’s the Deal, Pharaoh? Series

Exodus 7

Exodus 7:22: “But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard: he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.”

Cassie watched her seventh grade classmates shoot peas at a squirrel before entering school. I didn’t realize they like hurting animals! she thought. That scene kept popping before her all day. Cassie isn’t happy at her friends’ behavior.

“Do you want to sit here?” Brad asked, patting an empty place at his table in the cafeteria.

“Not today, Brad.” Cassie responded with a frown, carrying her tray to another table.

Cassie knows that when people do something that they know is wrong only bothers their conscience the first time. She learned how upset she felt when she spoke harshly to a friend. She quickly apologized so that she would never do that again. Maintaining a soft heart isn’t easy. Repeated sin becomes less bothersome each time.

Trusting God devotional series ended with Eternal Truths. Moses was the first one in his lineage to actually witness AND assist in fulfilling God’s covenantal promise made to Abraham.

God warned Moses that when he asks Pharaoh to “Let my people go,” Pharaoh wouldn’t listen. His heart would harden. God told Moses, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply My miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you.” (Exodus 7:3b and 4a). Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?

Did Pharaoh lose free will? Might he have freed the Israelites? After the first plague of blood? (Exodus 7:14-14). Perhaps after the second plague of frogs? (Exodus 8:1-15). Exodus 8:15 says, “But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart,…” Emphasis mine. See the lesson linked below.

That was not God.

Pharaoh hardened his own heart. He lost the chance to repent.

Take Home Nugget

God offered Pharaoh five chances to free the Israelites. It wasn’t until the sixth chance in Exodus 9:12: “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” Pharaoh’s conscience was beyond bothering him.

Believers today are finally witnessing ancient prophecies being fulfilled. We must maintain soft hearts and trust God. Let us Not become calloused (tough-skinned) and cynical (sarcastic mocking) about fulfilled prophecy now! May God always allow us to repent sin and obey His commands.

Cassie shows us how to maintain a soft heart towards God: Repent immediately after the first time one’s conscience bothers the person. The second time repeating the sin bothers less. The third time barely flinches as a sin because the heart is hardened.

Holy Father, Bother me whenever I don’t repent after sinning immediately! Never allow me to get beyond the chance to return to You, I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Adapted from “Who Hardened the Heart?” by Rabbi Eckstein. January 25, 2017. www.holylandmoments.com

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Bother Me

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com

The latest Christmas eBook by J.D. Griffith:

To order “Meet Guardian Archangels” click here

Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:

To order “The Thing is…” click here

Click here for inexpensive Christian eBook and app offers

Friday, February 3, 2017

Eternal Truths

ETERNAL TRUTHS

Part four of four in Trusting God series

Exodus 6:2-9

Exodus 6:3: “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but My Name the LORD I did not make Myself known to them.”

Va’eira means “I appeared,” in reference to the opening Scripture. This phrase is past tense. In the past, God was telling Moses, He appeared to his forefathers as ‘God Almighty.’ But now, He’s appearing to Moses as ‘the LORD.’

Every name of God—and there are many—has a different meaning. Each name describes a different way God interacts with His kids. “LORD” is the four-letter name for YHWH, spoken as Yahweh. YHWH is obtained from three phrases: He was, He is, and He will be. God is eternal. His name isn’t a noun, but a present participle verb. YHWH means continuous unfinished action.

Events must unfold God’s plan forward. Sovereign LORD controls all. He remembers every promise and prophecy made and determines when and how they are fulfilled.

God’s covenant (promise) that He made with Abraham in Moses’ past He wants to be trusted to remember and fulfill at the appropriate time. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (who God renamed Israel in Genesis 32:28) were promised that God would make them into a great nation (Genesis 12:2). And they would have their own land (Genesis 12:7).

They all died before this promise was fulfilled. But they believed ‘God Almighty’ was all powerful and faithful. They KNEW that His promise would be fulfilled one day.

Moses was the first one to actually watch and participate in the promise given to his forefathers. He was the first one to witness firsthand YHWH—the God of the past, present and future—deliver His covenantal promise. What an awesome privilege!

“Now you will see what I do to Pharaoh,” God leads Moses in Exodus 6:1.

Moses is the one to whom God first appeared as the eternal God who fulfills ancient promises as (YHWH), or “LORD”. But first, Moses must agree to the LORD’s plan. See the lesson linked below for how God worked out every excuse Moses whined why God wanted to use him.

Take Home Nugget

We are seeing firsthand today the LORD’s awesome power to fulfill the promises (prophecies) given thousands of years ago. Just like Moses, we are wide-eyed expecting Isaiah 19, Ezekiel 36, 43 and 45, Daniel 7 and Zechariah 12’s prophecies to unfold before our eyes. What those prophets foretold seemed unlikely in their time to happen IS occurring today!

Israel was reborn in 1948. The Jews, having been scattered around the world, are returning home to Israel. The Hebrew language is alive again. Israel is blossoming again. These facts were foretold centuries ago.

I’m believing in all-powerful, (omnipotent) LORD! Will you?

Adapted from “Introducing the Eternal God” by Rabbi Eckstein. January 23, 2017. www.holylandmoments.com

J.D. Griffith

Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for Eternal Truths

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.

Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com