Women in the Word

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1/08/2015 12:36 pm  #31


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

Exodus 3

Scripture 3:11-12
But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"  And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."

Observation
Moses saw that when he acted in accordance to his own abilities by killing the Egyptian, that it was a big mistake.  After living in Midain for 40 years, he has been humbles.  He now realizes that he is not able in his own strength.

Application
God cannot use us until we are humbles and understand that we cannot rely on our own strength.  When we try to do things by our own will, we ofter are not acting in the will of God.
 

 

1/08/2015 12:40 pm  #32


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

Exodus 4

Scripture
4:13 But he said, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else."

Observation
Moses was not trusting in God to do the work.  He felt he could not do it because he still thought he would have to do it in his own strength, not God's strength.

Application
When I focus on doing things in my abilities, it creates a lot of anxiety.  Because then all the pressure is on me to succeed or fail.  Then my self-worth can get tier up in it.  We need to let go of our own abilities and just allow God to lead us and allow God to work through our abilities to use us for His purpose.
 

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1/08/2015 11:43 pm  #33


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

TBG wrote:

Exodus 4

Scripture
4:13 But he said, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else."

Observation
Moses was not trusting in God to do the work.  He felt he could not do it because he still thought he would have to do it in his own strength, not God's strength.

Application
When I focus on doing things in my abilities, it creates a lot of anxiety.  Because then all the pressure is on me to succeed or fail.  Then my self-worth can get tier up in it.  We need to let go of our own abilities and just allow God to lead us and allow God to work through our abilities to use us for His purpose.
 

I really love what you touched upon regarding God working through our abilities. In past years, I would pray reguarly in the car, on my way to work ,for God to use me as any instrument to play in any way he so chose. What you wrote reminded me of his prayer and train of thought that helped me so much. I am going to start praying this same prayer once again because of your reminder. Thank you for sharing,

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1/08/2015 11:50 pm  #34


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

Amanda
[color=#000000 wrote:

What I love about the "heroes" of the Bible is that they are all hopelessly sinful and flawed, yet God uses them anyway.  In this case, Moses just committed murder and ran away in fear.  This just shows us that there is nothing unredeemable in God's eyes if our hearts are willing.  (David is by far my favorite example of this, but that's a post for another Bible study.) And by placing his trust in God, Moses overcomes fear and self-doubt and accomplishes more than he ever believe he was capable or worthy.[/color]

What a great reminder of God's goodness. That he uses the broken, sinful, and flawed to do miraculous things in this name. It helps me to forgive myself while reading this. Because it reminds me that I don't have to be perfect. I can be broken and flawed and God can use me to as a vessel of honor...
Thanks for sharing,

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1/09/2015 11:58 am  #35


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord why have you brought this trouble on this people? Why is it you have sent me? For since, I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither; neither have You delivered Your people at all (Exodus 5:22)

Poor Moses, I can empathies with his position of leadership. It is as though he is between a rock and a hard-shell. He knows what God has said he will do—deliver his people; yet, he has to exercise tremendous faith to lead these people and obey God.

The Israelites have no idea if what Moses and Aaron said is true. They were not the ones to speak to God at the burning bush. They are relaying on second hand information and what Moses is telling them will happen is now, actually the opposite of what is going on. All that they are seeing is Pharaoh telling them to make brick with no straw. And their quota of bricks must be the same as before. This is a tough situation for everyone: Moses and Aaron, and the Israelites. But not for God.

“So that same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, You shall no longer give the people straw as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the same quota of bricks they made before. You shall not reduce it.” (Exodus5:  6-8)

The Israelites were angry because things have not gotten better but they have gotten worse since Moses showed up into the picture. Can you imagine the disappointment, hurt (physically and emotionally)? Their work load has become an unsurmountable task: They must make brick with no straw.

It is not easy to continue to do what God is telling you too when you are caught in the problem of wanting to please man. And who doesn’t at times want to have our friends and family be happy with us. It’s never easy when what we are told to do by God is not making other-- our friends and family happy too.

For example, Samuel was a king that struggled with wanting to please people over man, this caused God to regret that he had chosen him as King. “Then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed against the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (1 Samuel 15:10).

Samuel was told by God to, “Destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man, woman, infant, and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” .

God was not happy when the Amalec ambushed the Israelites when they were leaving Egypt. Yet, Samuel chose not to obey the Lord they spared,” Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen… and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them.” (I Samuel 15: 9)

Leaders are judged more harshly yet they are given more abilities to carry out God’s purpose like Moses was given a staff, etc.  In Samuel's case God's response to his desobedience was to no longer allow hin to be king: " Because you rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king,"  ( I Samuel 15:23)

How can I apply this best to my life? It reminds me that many times things have to get worse before they can get better. And we must be ever so brave through the rough patches because just as we know the end of this story that God prevails and the Israelites are freed to go; we must often endure much hardship—even when God is working—before we see positive results. Also, as I teach my sweet fourth graders. I need to lead them as God would want me to do so… My prayer is that I can be Intune with God so that I can carry out his will each and every day to lead, guide, teach, love, and protect the precious kids in my class.

Wishing everyone a blessed day—TGIF!

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1/10/2015 1:29 am  #36


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

I really enjoyed Exodus Chapter 5. The discussion question asks have you ever questioned why things go wrong when you feel you've done what you're supposed to do. And how do you usually handle it. That has happened so many times in my life and I guess I like the chapter because it resonates with me. Sometimes situations like that really rattle me. It doesn't make sense. I feel that beacuse I did such and such, then such and such should happen. But I have to remind myself that I am not God. I won't always understand why things are happening the way they are happening. He sees the whole picture, I do not Does it feel unfair? Yes it does. Do I sometimes pout and complain to God? Yes I do.

I believe that jsut because these bad things are happening, doesn't mean that God's will isn't still in play. Bad stuff is still going to happen on this earth. And sometimes God is teaching something to somebody and we don't understand.

I do know that my relationship with God is not about my feelings or even what I think I know. It is about obeying His word, and following him the best that I can. And even when it doesn't make sense, and when I don't "feel" things are happening the way they should, I have to trust Him.  

God bless you ladies! We are off to a good start kicking off the new year in God's word together. I don't always respond to posts, but I want to say that I have been blessed already with what everyone has been sharing here. I look forward to more insights as we study the word together

Have a lovely weekend filled with God's light. 

 

1/11/2015 3:28 am  #37


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

After this week in the word God has shown me that He is in control and I am to trust Him.

 

1/12/2015 11:27 am  #38


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

Loretta wrote:

After this week in the word God has shown me that He is in control and I am to trust Him.

So true yet so difficult sometimes when our heart aches.
 

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1/12/2015 11:31 am  #39


Re: Weekly Discussion: Exodus Chapters 1-5

itsjenniferrose wrote:

Exodus 3-4
Two, the fierceness of the lord at this time. He wasn't playing any games. God was about to strike Moses down due to his lack of confidence in what God could do through him. Powerful stuff.

Yes, it really points to the problem of "cheap grace."  We think we can continue to ignore God's standards with impunity.  But God does not change.  If he felt this strongly about how Moses was not obeying Him, what makes us feel that He does not really care when we disobey Him.  Yes, Christ's blood now covers our sin and pays the penalty.  But that does not mean that it is irrelevant to obey or that God feels less strongly about obedience.

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