Exodus 7 ~ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron

Exodus 7


Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. 2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, 4 he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. 5 And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”

6 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them. 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.”

10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: 12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the river. Confront him on the bank of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. 16 Then say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened. 17 This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.’”

19 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.”

20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.

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. 23 Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river.

Mount Nebo - Where Moses would see the glory of God and the Children of Israel enter the promised land.

Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.

1 How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!

2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.

We become so focused on Moses, we generally forget thinking about this would be like watching this - As one of the people who had waited 500 years for freedom - as a slave in Egypt.

People Complained.

Exodus 5
19 The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
God Promises Deliverance

22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?

The first three plagues seemed to affect "all the land of Egypt," the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th did not affect the children of Israel. The slaves were only spared from the final plague by sacrificing the Paschal lamb, marking the place directly above the doors with the lamb's blood, and eating the roasted sacrifice together.

And the people complained in Exodus Chapter 14 - Leaving Egypt -  A bad day for the Lord.

Chapter 16, 17,  18 discusses problems,  Chapters 19 and 20 are about fear.  The Governing Disputes Discussed and the Temple . Complaining begins again as soon as God's business concludes for the Tabernacle in Exodus 32.  Sadness Chapter 33. Fear in Chapter 34.  Blessing in 39 for the last few Chapters of Building the Tabernacle. Glory follows the Blessing in Exodus 40.

The Story of the Exodus continues in Numbers Chapter One. 

⁶ The total number was 603,550.

 Numbers 9 Describes the Pillar  Numbers 11 ends the setting up of Government and Tabernacle to see complaining again. The pattern is of work or complaints. Numbers 12 is Aaron and Miriam oppose Moses. 13 is the refusal to participate in the promises of God.  14 is more rebellion. 15 Work. 16 Complain. 17 is really sad with miracles and complaints. Numbers 20 is a return back to every day life with Moses having rash words over Water and being provoked with the people again. 21 is deliverance in war and grumbling. 22 Is the surround countries getting worried about this crowd. Numbers 25 Moab Seduces Israel and a plague. Numbers 26 The Second Census. Numbers 27 Zelophehad’s Daughters certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them. 30 is Holy days and vows. Numbers 31 war against the Midianites. 32 is Land is subdued before the Lord, you may return and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession before the Lord. 33 Here are the stages in the journey of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt by divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

Numbers 34 is the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance is to have these boundaries. Numbers 35 have towns to live in and pasturelands. Numbers 36 the Lord commands for Zelophehad’s daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within their father’s tribal clan.

Deuteronomy continues in the Exodus we have learned.

Deuteronomy 4:34-40

Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. 

From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength,  to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.

Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.

It's rather amazing people don't like Deuteronomy - there are so many blessings willingly and graciously bestowed.

And when the people began to live His blessings.  A Nation was born -  

This is a view of the Temple from Herod's Royal Stoya - what the first Vatican was built to look like. 

A Nation following in the footsteps of the Nation before.

Why did Jesus and His Family live in Egypt?

Matthew 2:14-15
So (Joseph) got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod.

Several very important reasons. Of course, the escape from Herod. Teaching us based upon History of King's lives - Jesus lived in Egypt for probably 3.5 years before going to Bethlehem and on to Nazareth. These stories are especially important to the Egyptian Coptic Church which states that the Holy Family remained in Egypt for a little over three and a half years.

[7 BC - Herod "the Great" executed two of his sons, Alexandros and Aristobulus (by his second wife, Mariamne). Mariamne herself had been executed earlier (29 BC), accused falsely of plotting to poison Herod.

6 BC (or as early as 7 BC) - Assumed date of Jesus' birth.

5 BC (Jesus about 1 year old, and residing in Egypt) - Near the end of Herod's reign, a group of students of the law, cut down a golden eagle that had been placed by Herod "over the gate of the Temple" (Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, book 2, 1:2). Jews saw the eagle as symbol of Roman domination and a violation of the law against the use of any sort of carved images, especially in connection with the house of God, their most sacred shrine. Although the perpetrators and their teachers were executed, the image was never restored.

4 BC (Jesus about 2 years old) - Fearful for his security, Herod ordered the execution of his son, Antipater, for a perceived conspiracy to murder his father.

Five days later, the sixty-nine-year-old monarch died at the Jericho Palace. From the description by Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (The Wars of the Jews, book 1, chapter 33:5-8), it has been surmised he suffered Fournier’s gangrene, a horrible disease that affected his genitals and blocked his breathing]

Another reason would be to educate Jesus to be beyond a mere country lad. To understand large Government.

Enabling Jesus to see beyond borders. Perhaps giving Jesus a foreign accent. A sojourner in a foreign land.

And, most importantly, to live the lives of the slaves - going like children - where their overseers direct them. Surrounded by events, unable to direct them.

Helping us to understand again, Jesus fully lived the life God wanted for us to know -  He would walk with us.

Mark 10:32
They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe 

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Matthew 14:22-36 ~ Immediately

Raise your hand if you love Jesus!!!

Matthew 14:22-36

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Why is it that man (- who called Himself the Son of Man - because of His Great Love -) could do this and be made to suffer and die? The answer of the supposed end - is in the beginning.


John 1
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

Just as science recently proved a lightning strike pulls the electromagnetic structure of the entire planet and is fueled by the son, so the Body of Christ functions.

Jesus was pulled so many directions, HE could have walked on water and not gotten water upon Himself. Quantum Physics - "Quantum" comes from the Latin meaning "how much." It refers to the discrete units of matter and energy that are predicted by and observed in quantum physics. Even space and time, which appear to be extremely continuous, have smallest possible values. Might tell us that as Living Water - Jesus rose to the surface to live, move and have His being.

One of the key concepts is quantum entanglement, which describes a situation where multiple particles are associated in such a way that measuring the quantum state of one particle also places constraints on the measurements of the other particles.

Jesus chose instead to see the man with his hand up in the air as someone worth saving. God enters in - He reaches down and predictably saves Peter immediately - as time requires. God is engaged in us. Not just cruising on by.

How is Holy Water created? By belief and, also, simply the presence of God. In baptism, water is made holy by acknowledging all the properties of God in the water. In Genesis, He hovers over the waters of Creation. Through the water, He pushes back the Red Sea for His Children to walk upon dry land. He Stands upon the Water. He will be baptized in water, by one called Least in the Kingdom of Heaven, as His Father asks Him.

God doesn't just rest from seeing Jesus in Baptism. He engages. "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON."

Deists jump back. It is by faith we believe. Lightning did not appear to be connected - this was unseen for quite some time.

What do you think Jesus said to Peter in the boat later? God does describe Himself as a Father. And tells us what that is like to come in contact with a God of Salvation.

Zechariah might be put in here very easily. And Exodus 34.

Exodus 34:6-8
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,a forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped."

And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Now picture Peter with Jesus in the boat.

Zechariah 1
And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”

Matthew 16
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

The proof is in His Story. His Church prevails.

Father, some people seem impossible to reach. They have no interest in spiritual things. However, I know You can soften their heart and get their attention so I am praying Ephesians 1:17-18. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to (put their name here) a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of (put their name here) 's heart may be enlightened, so that (put their name here) will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, AMEN

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Mark 2:23-28 ~ “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

Mark 2:23-28

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 

24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 

25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Learning isn't really memorization. This is asking - "Why"?

We say, okay, sounds credible - David ate the Bread of the Presence. But the follow up of Abiathar the High Priest - Saul murdered the priests for desecration. That sounds reasonable - if a villain on the run from the anointed King eats the Communion Offering - then people should be slain.

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

2 Samuel 6:6
But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. 7 And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.

Surely we know God is not usually God who punishes by death.

Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Uzzah - we just must agree was later given His favor. And recorded for millenniums for being willing to put up his hand to help God in his intentions.

Jesus was saying time displays Saul actually became a murderer of Priests. Not the nobility of anointed King.

David was not shaken from his belief - as he ran in hunger and desperation - life was shaking him down - he was not overcome. Knowing God is for him. Twenty two years - this was a long time living in caves and ditches. A mercenary for hire.

Jesus is amazing. Jesus is recalling in His life - the puzzles of what Jesus loved to say "It is Written." This isn't an easy story. Jesus is in there. Really in there.

Jesus is that Man. In Genesis, He hovers over the waters of Creation. Through the water, He pushes back the Red Sea for His Children to walk upon dry land. He Stands upon the Water. He will be baptized in water, by one called Least in the Kingdom of Heaven, as His Father asks Him. He reaches down into the water, for a man convinced of his own righteousness - immediately saving him.

God tells us, HE sees mankind.  Generation Millennium, X, or Y. But Generation D. D.R.A.M.A. Surely Saul proved what Drama really is - selfishness saying - I matter at all costs.

Mark 7:21-24
For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.

Romans 3:10
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God."

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

John 2:25
He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Jesus looked into the heart of mankind and said He wants to...

John 1:4-5,9
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

John, told the historian, second-century Bishop Papias of Hierapolis, John affirmed and approved the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. Historians B.W. Bacon, Martin Hengel and Henry Barclay Swete, maintain these references to Papias are credible. Papias wrote five books interviewing the accuracy of the sayings of Jesus by speaking with witnesses. Eusebuis quoted Papias from time to time.

John records Jesus - God is Love.

God is the one who will go into situations of messy behavior - throughout Scripture - and make a Path. A Way. A Truth. A Life. Not just 'a life'. Life! And have it abundantly.

John Donne wrote - Find What Wind Serves to Advance an Honest Mind.

Christians have a response to this Overwhelming Love. We are Temple to His Holy Spirit.


Expectation, Hope, Faith, Rebirth,
We are Supposed to recharge. Renew. Just as Jesus was saucy to Nicodemus. We are to be reborn. Tell Him with honesty - when we feel forgotten, left behind. God wants us to have hope and faith - leading to Love.

John 3
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind[e] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus wasn't just Baptized. When He rose from the water - God told Him -
"You are my Beloved Son."

God enters in - we should as well. In Expectation - The Wind of the Spirit will bless.

Father God - GIVE US THE DAY!!! You are FOR us!!! In Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Isaiah 49:1-7 ~ And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified and I will display my beauty .

Isaiah 49:1-7

Listen to me, O coastlands,
and give attention, you peoples from afar.
The Lord called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my name.
2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.
3 And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”^{[I will display my beauty]} 
4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my right is with the Lord,
and my recompense with my God.”

5 And now the Lord says,
he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him;
and that Israel might be gathered to him—
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—


6 He says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

7 Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,
the servant of rulers:
“Kings shall see and arise;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Ephesians 2:4-5
God, being rich in mercy, because of the great Love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved —

Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

God describes Himself to us, 1 Corinthians 13:

Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.

It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.

All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever...

There are three things that remain -- faith, hope, and love -- and the greatest of these is love.


Psalm 80
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.


We could relate this to:

Psalm 40:5
Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Hosea 14:5
I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots; his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.


Psalm 138:8
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

Ephesians 4:12
To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

God gives us a path, giving us His help accomplishing His plans for us. Psalm 11 tells us life tests us, but if we look for the good pitches -

Mark 13
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared -

Jesus compared the Kingdom of Heaven to putting down seed - starting a crop - then He tells us to work - to chase away what would not be enduring. To remove the hard knots of bitterness. To protect our lives from over analysis without mercy. To set priorities deliberately and not to be pushed by the day when possible. Always first in prayer for His blessing, grace and mercy.


31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

If you are expecting a Sequoia - there is importance in the decision to be like the Centurion - Expecting God to be with us. God allows Himself time - we wait upon Him.

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Kingdom of God IS Joy. Expectation of Joy.

And the second is like unto it:

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

In both parables - God knows the way forward for the Kingdom of Heaven.

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

God tells us we know this to be true. When we decide to buck this - people will get argumentative.

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

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Psalm 68:2-7 ~ exult before the Lord

Psalm 68:2-7

2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
as wax melts before fire,
so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad;
they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy!

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the Lord;
exult before him!
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

7 O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness, Selah

We all have a time when something positive came out of scuffle. One of the interesting things about the Lord's Prayer:

Matthew 6:6-13
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Right before the Lord tells us to honor the Father, ask for God's will, ask for daily provisions, forgive us our sins, asked for forgiveness for the ones who hurt us, lead in safe paths, deliver us from evil;...... He tells us not to offer up empty phrases. We all know the Lord's prayer, but He isn't asking for us to assume any particular type of position to pray. He isn't asking us to recite. He is asking for a conversation.

We are told, in faith, God gives us challenges or trouble in life. I think we all tend to think - right, right, right - God is designing the universe to teach me something. Sure. Chaos and circumstance with a purpose. Uh-huh.

Why not? If we believe God died for us, specifically, why wouldn't we see Jesus modelling struggling with some pretty tough, elbows out, religious and political leaders - as another way of saying - if you are going to plan your life - do it for meaningfulness and purpose and not because Armani has a nice ring to it.

Our triumphs can be called gifts. Our difficulties called things of God's. Our plans could be called contributions to God's glory. Every single day. Jesus reminds us in this passage to plan for the things that truly have meaning behind the image. Jesus says we plan and our choices matter.

Jesus is writing, saying to you, personally, you matter to Him. As if you were the only one.


Psalm 68, the whole thing, like many chapters, is about the Lord's Prayer. It's about a time when something looked grim, but the Light shone. It's about the hassle to gather the family together & realize it's the best part of the day & its lovely. It's feeling bitter over a hurt and realizing it doesn't matter. It's realizing we have flaws and we want to be forgiven, not only to the Lord. It's taking time to realize the beauty around you. It's the joy in knowing it is a gift.

It's realizing when we don't take time to really count and appreciate our blessings, they fly past us without the joy.

Father God, help our prayers be fruitful. Let it be conversation about joy, need, praise. Let it be humble, let it be uplifting. Thank you Father, You incline your ear whenever we call upon You.

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