TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 3:22-36
The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. - John 3:29
TODAY IN THE WORD
“The Christian Discipline of simplicity is an inward reality that results in an outward life-style,” wrote Richard J. Foster in Celebration of Discipline. “Both the inward and the outward aspects of simplicity are essential. We deceive ourselves if we believe we can possess the inward reality without its having a profound effect on how we live. . . . May God give you—and me— the courage, the wisdom, the strength always to hold the kingdom of God as the number-one priority of our lives. To do so is to live in simplicity.”

Today we end our January devotional study by considering the simplicity and humility of John the Baptist, another in the list of biblical examples of these spiritual traits. They provide us with excellent examples for godly imitation, in addition to the perfect example of Jesus. John's extreme simplicity was seen in his lifestyle—wearing camel's hair clothing and eating locusts and wild honey (Matt. 3). He lived in this way as a result of being totally focused on his mission. God's kingdom came first. John's disciples may have been somewhat jealous of Jesus' ministry, but he wasn't. He reminded them that he had told them he wasn't the Christ, but only His forerunner. Like the best man in a wedding, he rejoiced and humbly stepped out of the way when the bridegroom arrived. The bottom line: “He must become greater; I must become less” (vv. 26-30).

John's humility and simplicity meant total obedience to God. He preached and baptized as he had been called to do, and never once did his ego get in the way. “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven,” he said, and he lived that out with complete integrity, never pretending that any of his ministry was about him. It was all about Christ, the heavenly Son of God who brought eternal life for all who believe (vv. 31-36). This truth is far above anything John could claim, and he not only knew it but gloried in it.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We've concluded this month by offering John the Baptist as a role model for imitation in the areas of humility and simplicity. Are you blessed enough to have a living role model? Write that person a thank-you note, telling them about our month's study and the various ways in which you hope to imitate their godly qualities and grow spiritually through their example. Perhaps a phone call or text message are more your style. In any case, let them know how God is using them in your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 1:1-22
My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long. - Psalm 71:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
The book Evidence Not Seen tells the story of Darlene Deibler Rose, an American missionary during World War II. She and her husband, along with their colleagues, were captured by the Japanese army, and some of the captives died in the prison camps during the years they were detained. Despite horrific suffering and great tragedy, Darlene remained strong in her trust in God. Her story illustrates extraordinary faith and God's miraculous faithfulness in trials.

As we consider our own legacy, we're inspired by stories like this. This month we'll study another story of faith and courageous leadership—the story of Moses.

We wouldn't be fair to the truth of the biblical text to claim that it is a story of one man. The story of Moses features divine providence at center stage, not human heroism. Moses plays an important role in God's story, but as we shall see this month, Moses' actions apart from the work of God could not produce the miraculous results for his people.

Our text today illustrates how God's presence permeates the story. His blessing was clearly seen in the population explosion of the Israelites following the death of Joseph. The language of verse seven echoes God's blessing pronounced in the Garden of Eden (cf. Gen. 1:28), to Noah (cf. Gen. 9:1), and once again to Abraham (cf. Gen. 17:2). The promises He had made to these men—promises to multiply their offspring—were being fulfilled. God had neither forgotten nor neglected His people.

That is important reassurance as we read about the tragic turn of events in verse eight. God's people were suffering unjustly as they were forced into slave labor and threatened by a murderous royal edict. Despite the cruel plots of Pharaoh, God protected His people. In fact, it seems that no human action could thwart God's work of rescue in this opening chapter. Though the Egyptians attempted to wipe out the Hebrews, God's people not only survived—they thrived (v. 12).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As readers of this chapter, we see God's intervention in the Hebrews' suffering. But the Hebrew slaves didn't have this vantage point, and no doubt many of them wondered, “Where is God?” We are often unaware of much of the “behind-the-scenes” action. What would it be like to know of the moments in our lives when God has protected us? When God has provided? Ask God for eyes of faith to see His invisible work in your own life and to trust Him when you don't understand the events in your life.

[Def]

Read: Exodus 1:1-22
My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long. - Psalm 71:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
The book Evidence Not Seen tells the story of Darlene Deibler Rose, an American missionary during World War II. She and her husband, along with their colleagues, were captured by the Japanese army, and some of the captives died in the prison camps during the years they were detained. Despite horrific suffering and great tragedy, Darlene remained strong in her trust in God. Her story illustrates extraordinary faith and God's miraculous faithfulness in trials.

As we consider our own legacy, we're inspired by stories like this. This month we'll study another story of faith and courageous leadership—the story of Moses.

We wouldn't be fair to the truth of the biblical text to claim that it is a story of one man. The story of Moses features divine providence at center stage, not human heroism. Moses plays an important role in God's story, but as we shall see this month, Moses' actions apart from the work of God could not produce the miraculous results for his people.

Our text today illustrates how God's presence permeates the story. His blessing was clearly seen in the population explosion of the Israelites following the death of Joseph. The language of verse seven echoes God's blessing pronounced in the Garden of Eden (cf. Gen. 1:28), to Noah (cf. Gen. 9:1), and once again to Abraham (cf. Gen. 17:2). The promises He had made to these men—promises to multiply their offspring—were being fulfilled. God had neither forgotten nor neglected His people.

That is important reassurance as we read about the tragic turn of events in verse eight. God's people were suffering unjustly as they were forced into slave labor and threatened by a murderous royal edict. Despite the cruel plots of Pharaoh, God protected His people. In fact, it seems that no human action could thwart God's work of rescue in this opening chapter. Though the Egyptians attempted to wipe out the Hebrews, God's people not only survived—they thrived (v. 12).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As readers of this chapter, we see God's intervention in the Hebrews' suffering. But the Hebrew slaves didn't have this vantage point, and no doubt many of them wondered, “Where is God?” We are often unaware of much of the “behind-the-scenes” action. What would it be like to know of the moments in our lives when God has protected us? When God has provided? Ask God for eyes of faith to see His invisible work in your own life and to trust Him when you don't understand the events in your life.

GLORY!!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 2:1-10
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. - Jeremiah 1:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Scripture presents a number of characters, including Samuel, Samson, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist, whom God designated even before birth to do great things. Often God revealed to parents that their child would be claimed for His purposes. This prenatal calling was not simply for the benefit of parent and child, God had designated these men to do a great work for His people.

In our passage today, we meet a young Levite couple who had two children, presumably under a more favorable Egyptian regime. (We know this because Moses had an older sister, Miriam, and an older brother, Aaron.) The harsh decree of Pharaoh had now been instituted and Moses was born at a time when he should have been immediately killed for simply being a Hebrew boy. For three months, Moses' mother succeeded in hiding him, but as he grew older, it became increasingly difficult.

What prayers must she have prayed as she prepared the little basket boat for her son? Did she ask God to protect him, to save him? Could she have had the faith to whisper what must have seemed an impossible prayer: Return him to me?

God's grace pulsates through the action as the story moves forward from verse five. Prayers for rescue were answered, but what's more, Moses was returned to his mother until the time of his weaning.

Here is our first introduction to the story of Moses. Not only was his survival from birth evidence of God's protection, but God also provided for him to be reared by his own mother under the protection of Pharaoh's daughter. What a sequence we read here: the Egyptian princess bathed at that precise hour on that day and found Moses; she was moved to compassion on his behalf; Moses' sister was there to offer the services of Moses' mother as a wet nurse. These details indicate more than mere coincidence. Scripture makes clear that God was working to save and prepare Moses to do His work.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Not many of us will be called to a mission as grand as the one to which Moses was called. But according to Ephesians 2:10, each of us has been predestined by God to accomplish something important for His kingdom. Do you sometimes feel that your gifts don't measure up, that you have very little to offer God? Today, offer Him your faith. Tell Him that you trust Him to reveal what it is He's planned for you to do and to equip you to do that very task!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 2:11-25
Who made you ruler and judge over us? - Exodus 2:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
The verdict of history has not been kind toward those who appointed themselves as rulers over others. Napoleon famously crowned himself emperor rather than appear subject to the church. Other self-appointed dictators make up a Rogue's Gallery of tyrants. Some cult leaders like Jim Jones led many other people to their deaths. True leadership depends on more than assigning oneself the title and position.

In our passage today, we see Moses as an adult. Having been raised since boyhood in Pharaoh's palace, he appeared qualified for leadership. He was confident. He was proactive. He had an impressive background and training.

Moses was empathetic to the cause of the Hebrews. He identified himself as one of them. Though all of Egyptian privilege was his, he did not take advantage of it (cf. Heb. 11:25). Instead, he was moved to fiery compassion on their behalf day after day as he “watched them at their hard labor” (v. 11). He was confident that this situation could be remedied. Moses was proactive in his intolerance of injustice. He killed an Egyptian to right a wrong suffered by another Hebrew. This energy would certainly profit the Hebrews' resistance movement!

Moses was a man of influence, and as the son of an Egyptian princess, he could demand audience with the Pharaoh himself. No man seemed better suited for the job of demanding the Hebrews' release from slavery.

This Moses might be heralded as having everything needed for successful leadership: empathy, confidence, zeal, energy, influence, and training. What could be lacking? Why was Moses sent for another forty years into the Midian desert?

This Moses was not yet useful to God. He was prone to rashness. He recognized the Hebrews as his people, but had he acknowledged them as God's people? He had empathy, but did he have faith? And was his influence as an Egyptian prince any more than a worldly measure of possible success? Moses had to learn what it takes to qualify anyone for leadership and service: a personal encounter with God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Consider how God responded to the Hebrews' suffering and how He responds to ours. He hears our prayers. He remembers His promises. He looks upon our suffering. And not only does He see, but He is concerned; His heart is moved toward compassion. We also see this God in the story of Lazarus in John 11. Reread this story to remember that God is close to you in the pain that you may be experiencing today. He hears, He remembers, He looks, and He is concerned.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 3:1-22
For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. - Philippians 2:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
The children's story, “The Little Red Hen,” illustrates a truth about all of us. The Duck, Cat, and Dog are unwilling to help the Little Red Hen do any of the work of planting wheat or baking bread. But when it comes time to eat the bread, the other animals greedily want the benefit from work they did not do.

We might be willing to sup-port a cause—if we don't think it will require any sacrifice from us. In our passage today, God announced to Moses that He planned to rescue the Hebrews from slavery and deliver them to a much better country. We might imagine Moses was elated to hear that justice would finally be served. But there was a catch: “Go. I am sending you” (v. 10). Moses went from elated to deflated. It had been decades since he was in Egypt. He had a comfortable life and family now. The last time he tried to do anything about the Hebrews it had not gone well.

The excuses and questions followed. I'm not the right person for the job. How am I supposed to convince them that You've indeed sent me? Tomorrow we'll see Moses cleverly devise more excuses for this evergrowing list of why not to go.

Moses would go on to do extraordinary things. But here we see just how ordinary he was. He was plagued by doubts and excuses. He wanted God to work, but he didn't necessarily want to partner in that work. Who of us doesn't want to see God work miraculously? We're moved to compassion by tragic events, and, from the sidelines, we decry the injustices we see. It's when we're called into the game, to actually do something that might challenge our comfortable life, that we search for excuses.

The story of Moses teaches us that God doesn't choose heroes to do His work. The wrong question to ask when God calls us to do something is, “Who am I?” What matters most is He who sends us: “I will be with you.” The better question is, “Who is God?” When He is with us and in us, He can makes heroes out of any of us.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, Paul defended his credibility to those who contested his apostleship: he boasted about his weaknesses and sufferings. He claimed God's power was made perfect in our weakness. Perhaps it's when we're weak, when our ego has suffered a near deathblow, that we actually allow God to take the credit for the work He does through us. What has God called you to do? And can you admit that your only qualification for doing that job is God's presence and power in you?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 4:1-17
Without faith it is impossible to please God. - Hebrews 11:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Many people today have become uncomfortable with the mention of God's anger. As those familiar with the message of forgiveness through the cross of Jesus Christ, we don't know in what category to put the stories of God's wrath. Was the God of the Old Testament more vengeful, more intolerant of human failings? Scripture tells us that He doesn't change (cf. Num. 23:19), so that explanation is insufficient. We learn something about God's holy anger in our passage today.

God responded with anger to Moses' reluctance to be the man He had chosen to deliver His people. Moses doubted that the Hebrews would find him credible as their leader. The first time he had tried to assume any kind of leadership, they had rejected him. And now, what kind of legitimacy could he hope to have as a man who had been running from the law for forty years?

If that weren't sufficient reason for not getting involved, Moses reminded God of his inability to speak eloquently. Some have reasoned that perhaps Moses had a speech impediment. It's more likely that this was a feeble attempt to avoid God's call. Stephen, for example, in Acts 7, speaks of Moses as a man “powerful in speech and action” (v. 22). The real reason surfaced in verse 13: when it came down to obeying God, Moses didn't want to.

God was angry with Moses for his lack of faith. Every excuse Moses had named said less about his fear and more about his lack of faith. Throughout chapters 3 and 4, God continually reassured Moses that this was a job they would do together. Moses didn't have to go it alone. God would be with him. God promised to equip him both with supernatural capabilities as well as endow him with natural abilities.

So Moses' final plea for God to send someone else was ultimately disbelief in all that God had promised. Moses didn't take God at His word. His sin foreshadowed the continual sin of the Israelites in the wilderness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Consider how Jesus responded to people who lacked faith. John 20:24-31 shows a sympathetic Jesus, offering His nail-pierced hands to Thomas as proof of His identity. As a contrast-ing example, Jesus reproved the Pharisees who demanded a sign (cf. Matt. 16:1-4). Here is the difference: God responds to the condition of our hearts. When we cry out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” God hears and responds with compassion. When we reject the promises He's already given, He will not tolerate our hard hearts.

[Def]

Read: Exodus 4:1-17
Without faith it is impossible to please God. - Hebrews 11:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Many people today have become uncomfortable with the mention of God's anger. As those familiar with the message of forgiveness through the cross of Jesus Christ, we don't know in what category to put the stories of God's wrath. Was the God of the Old Testament more vengeful, more intolerant of human failings? Scripture tells us that He doesn't change (cf. Num. 23:19), so that explanation is insufficient. We learn something about God's holy anger in our passage today.

God responded with anger to Moses' reluctance to be the man He had chosen to deliver His people. Moses doubted that the Hebrews would find him credible as their leader. The first time he had tried to assume any kind of leadership, they had rejected him. And now, what kind of legitimacy could he hope to have as a man who had been running from the law for forty years?

If that weren't sufficient reason for not getting involved, Moses reminded God of his inability to speak eloquently. Some have reasoned that perhaps Moses had a speech impediment. It's more likely that this was a feeble attempt to avoid God's call. Stephen, for example, in Acts 7, speaks of Moses as a man “powerful in speech and action” (v. 22). The real reason surfaced in verse 13: when it came down to obeying God, Moses didn't want to.

God was angry with Moses for his lack of faith. Every excuse Moses had named said less about his fear and more about his lack of faith. Throughout chapters 3 and 4, God continually reassured Moses that this was a job they would do together. Moses didn't have to go it alone. God would be with him. God promised to equip him both with supernatural capabilities as well as endow him with natural abilities.

So Moses' final plea for God to send someone else was ultimately disbelief in all that God had promised. Moses didn't take God at His word. His sin foreshadowed the continual sin of the Israelites in the wilderness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Consider how Jesus responded to people who lacked faith. John 20:24-31 shows a sympathetic Jesus, offering His nail-pierced hands to Thomas as proof of His identity. As a contrast-ing example, Jesus reproved the Pharisees who demanded a sign (cf. Matt. 16:1-4). Here is the difference: God responds to the condition of our hearts. When we cry out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” God hears and responds with compassion. When we reject the promises He's already given, He will not tolerate our hard hearts.

God made everyone (human  )sinners so Jesus Christ could die for all us sinners and be the first resurrected of many brothers and Sons of the Living God full of the Holy Spirit given to all through the First in all and the Last for we are all in Him.
Love in Jesus Def.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 4:18-31; Genesis 17:4-14
You must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. - Genesis 17:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Students are known to complain, “Why do I have to know this? I'm never going to use it in real life!” When it comes to studying history, they protest that all the names and dates are irrelevant bits of musty minutiae. This misses the point; although they might not be asked to recall the significance of the date 1492 while on the job as a banker or mechanic or nurse, knowledge of history helps us make sense of our current situation. We can't hope to understand contemporary challenges without historical context.

Understanding the history of the Hebrews is necessary for understanding today's difficult text. Moses, called and commissioned by God, found his life threatened by the very hand of God as he journeyed toward Egypt (Ex. 4:24). This seems capricious and even diabolical, if we don't consider the history of circumcision.

We know that Moses' son was uncircumcised (Ex. 4:25). Whatever was about to happen to Moses, his wife Zipporah interpreted it to mean that God was angry because their son was not circumcised. She acted quickly, averting God's wrath and saving Moses' life.

To understand God's anger, we must look back at the covenant God gave to Abraham in Genesis 17. God promised that Abraham would see his family increase, and that he himself would be the father of many nations. Circumcision was given as a sign of that covenant. God was explicit in His directives about circumcision, designating whom should be circumcised and when.

Moses was going back to Egypt as a representative of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He could not be exempt from keeping the covenant. In fact, as a leader, he was responsible for strict obedience to all of God's commands. Ensuring that his sons were circumcised was a necessary step of obedience. Before he could expect obedience from the people he would lead, he must be an example of integrity.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We're reminded today that God expects our complete obedience. We might be passionate in worship and zealous to serve, but if we are not obedient, we will not please God. This was the tragic story of Israel's first king, Saul. Read his story in 1 Samuel 15. Try to understand Saul's motivations for his actions and then reflect on when you were in a situation like Saul. Ask yourself if you've rationalized in very reasonable ways why you can't be expected to do something God's way.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 5:1-21
Obey your leaders . . . so that their work will be a joy, not a burden. - Hebrews 13:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
When Tony Judt, a British historian, was asked why communism lasted as long as it did in the former Soviet Union, he attributed it to both “memory and force.” The post-war generation in the Soviet Union felt a certain loyalty to their communist leaders when they remembered their victories of World War II. That was the power of memory. And the “force” of the Soviet Secret Police helped to produce loyalty. Fear is a powerful motivator.

Fear is a persuasive political tool. Totalitarian power preys upon fear and seeks to dominate; such was the power of the Pharaoh in the story of Exodus. And we see the deference he receives as a result. The Hebrews, in approaching him, phrased their objections to the new work policy as a question, rather than an accusation. They weren't so polite with Moses! Moses, as a representative for God, did not resort to dictatorial methods. There may have been times he wished he had, for the spiritual leadership he sought to exercise proved to be perilous. Today's reading gives us one example.

Yesterday, we saw the strict accountability to God's standards to which Moses was held. This was also true in his future, as we'll see later that Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land because of his disobedience. But there are other reasons why Moses' job was unusually difficult. The most obvious is that God did not grant him immediate success. In fact, in our reading today Moses not only had not succeeded in freeing the slaves in his first audience with the Pharaoh, but he also made their lives harder. What's more, he suffered from the capriciousness of the people's affection. At the end of Exodus 4, Moses was hailed as a hero. In Exodus 5, he was threatened by an angry mob.

The leaders of the world often receive perks and adulation. As Moses' story demonstrates, spiritual leadership may prove far more challenging.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Spiritual leaders today face the same challenges that Moses faced. Our pastors, teachers, elders, and missionaries often feel beat up in the job they do. Imagine what a note or word of appreciation means to these servants of Christ. Take time this week to pray for them and to encourage them. What's more, consider our key verse and how you might demonstrate a cheerful attitude of submission to their authority (even if you disagree with them!).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 7:8-24
Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. - 1 Corinthians 4:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the first chapter of his award-winning book, The Trouble with Jesus, Joe Stowell laments the exclusion of the name of Jesus at public religious ceremonies. Speaking of a Chicago Leadership prayer breakfast, Stowell writes, “No one said He [Jesus] wasn't welcome. But the message was clear. All our “gods” were to be equal.”

We live in a society where everyone's gods are supposed to be politely “tolerated.” People aren't necessarily discouraged to worship the divine, as long as their “god” makes no demands on anyone else. It's when Christians talk of the one true God that people get nervous. Our time resembles that of ancient Egypt.

The Egyptians worshiped many gods. Like many nations in the ancient world, they believed in regional gods. Egypt had her gods; other nations had theirs. Pharaoh, when first introduced to this Lord of whom Moses spoke, shrugged and said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go?” (5:2). The stage was set for a dramatic confrontation of the “gods.” Yahweh doesn't seem to fare well after today's reading. The Egyptian magicians replicated the miracles performed by Moses and Aaron. Pharaoh's heart was hardened. He did not believe that he owed any special allegiance to this God of whom Moses was a representative, he refused to let His people go.

But Moses did not back down in fear. Moses spoke God's name to the Pharaoh, calling him “the Lord, the God of the Hebrews,” and giving us a framework for understanding who God really is (v. 16). Moses called Him the Lord and declared His sovereign rule of everyone and everything. He called Him the God of the Hebrews, demonstrating His intensely personal nature.

Moses could have approached Pharaoh with alternate arguments, maybe citing economic and political benefits for letting the people go. Instead, Moses unapologetically and co
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God had warned Moses about Pharaoh. He had gone so far as to say, “He will not listen to you” (7:4). Moses' example teaches us to obey, whether or not we think we'll “succeed” in whatever God has called us to do. Plenty of people in the Bible were apparent “failures,” if the number of converts was the measuring stick. We learn from Moses to be faithful in listening to God and doing as He says. The outcome counts for very little; faithfulness matters most.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 8:1-15
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. - Exodus 33:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Two Old Testament stories paint a picture to help us understand the authority God gave Moses and how He meant for him to use it. The story of Joseph in Genesis and the story of Mordecai in Esther have parallel conclusions: both rise to power and receive the king's signet ring, giving them power to act in the king's name (cf. Gen. 41:42; cf. Esther 8:2).

These stories can help us understand how it is that God worked through Moses throughout his life. The authority through Moses' acts is very much like the authority given to Joseph and Mordecai. Moses understood how vital it was that he act in the name of the King. Gone were the renegade impulses of Exodus 2. This newly commissioned Moses was very careful to do and to speak exactly what God commanded.

Each time Moses went before the Pharaoh, he acted as God's ambassador. Here in chapter 8, he warned Pharaoh about the impending plague of frogs. Moses didn't improvise or speak extemporaneously, but he faithfully recounted what God had told him to say.

That's what we would expect of faithful servants: they should obey just what God has asked of them. What takes us by surprise is verse 13: “And the Lord did what Moses asked.” Another translation says it even more forcefully: “The Lord did according to the word of Moses” (NASB).

Leaders must revere God's Word, but does God revere the word of His servants? This isn't the only example in the book of Exodus where God listens to the word of Moses. Of course, we wouldn't argue that God is obliged to obey anyone, He can do as He pleases, but clearly God had made Moses more than a puppet leader. He had given Moses marching orders, yes, but not apart from the context of a relationship where love and respect are reciprocated.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Moses said to Pharaoh that he would pray for God to stay the plague, “that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God” (v. 10). God was unique from other gods because He was a God who hears and answers prayer, a God who genuinely cares for His people. In both the Old and the New Testaments, this dimension of God's character emerges in God's willingness to dwell among His people (cf. Ex. 40:34-38; John 1:14).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 11:1-10
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. - Psalm 84:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Jean Racine, a French playwright living in the days of Louis XIV, understood what “royal favor” was all about. Having written two works praise-worthy of the king, Racine was honored by a widely sought-after invitation to the palace. His great reward: he would watch Louis XIV wake up in the morning. This high honor was usually only enjoyed by the bluebloods of France.

Favor is something we seek as humans. We want people to like and respect us. We equate favor with influence. If we have favor in our workplace, in our community, and in our government, we might be able to implement our agenda. The Bible, however, is clear on the nature of “human favor.” Seeking it becomes a corrupt human ambition: look no further than examples like King Saul in the Old Testament and Pontius Pilate in the New Testament. In today's reading, we see how God can grant and use human favor for His purposes.

Clearly, Pharaoh's favor wasn't something that Moses had sought. In fact, a sure way to lose favor was Moses' habit of showing up every other week before Pharaoh's court to announce impending disaster. Moses' only goal was to obey God. He didn't curry favor with court officials. He never made empty campaign promises. He spoke the truth, acted in God's stead, and not surprisingly, grew to be highly regarded among the Egyptians. They were forced to admit his spiritual authority and power.

The favor Moses gained was never something he sought intentionally, and it didn't serve simply to enhance his personal reputation. Moses was granted favor in the sight of the Egyptians (and presumably in the eyes of Hebrews) as a way to generate their support of his leadership.

The Hebrew people were also granted favor. When they fled after the final plague, God commanded them to ask their Egyptian neighbors to send them off with farewell gifts of gold and silver, and these gifts were later used in the construction of the tabernacle (cf. Exodus 35).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We have the example of Jesus to remind us that many times, God doesn't grant us favor with others. Jesus Himself was “despised and rejected by men” (Isa. 53:3). In your various places of influence, has God granted your favor? Do people seem to respect and invite your opinion? Use this favor for God's kingdom purposes. Maybe, however, you're experiencing criticism and disdain for being a Christian. Remember the words of 1 Peter 4:13: “Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 13:17; Exodus 14:4
Blessed in the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. - Jeremiah 17:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In September 2007, General David Petraeus appeared before Congress to report progress in Iraq and to dissuade Congress from any action to reduce the number of American troops in that region. As the commanding general of the multinational force in Iraq, he was the most powerful military leader on the ground. But he still had a boss. He reported to the Commander-in-Chief, President Bush.

God was the Commander-in-Chief of the Israelite people. Moses was God's commanding general, but he was not calling the shots. God was the source of the strategic planning for the Exodus route. His leadership would have challenged conventional wisdom of the time. Though His plans didn't seem to make sense, Moses had to trust God's wisdom. Doing so meant the willingness to choose God's plan over his own common sense.

First, God chose to abandon the most direct route. The Israelites could have followed a northern route, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, through Philistine territory. Conventional wisdom favored this option. Leading this enormous mass of people would be difficult enough. It would have made sense to choose a route more frequently traveled and familiar. The Israelites didn't expect peace at every turn—verse 18 says that they were prepared to go to war. Whether they antici-pated opposition from the Egyptians or from the peoples they would face in conquering the Promised Land, they knew they had a challenging future.

Next, after the people traveled for a short time in one direction, God commanded the people to do a massive U-turn in the desert, a move intended to incite the Egyptians to come after them. God was forcing a confrontation with the enemy, an enemy who was more militarily equipped than they. What strategic foolishness!

Today's reading gives us a picture of what it looks like when God is our leader. Our choices and path may not follow commonly accepted strategies for success, but we must be committed to following Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Following God requires faith, which often means a lot of uncertainty and risk. Has your life been only a series of calculated, pragmatic decisions that have really left little to no room for the surprising lead of God? Or, have you taken risks because of your faith in God? One measure is how much or how little we pray. Are we praying and studying God's Word with the expectation that He will lead us? When was the last time you felt God's direction in your life in either a small or large way? Did you follow through?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 14:5-31
If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. - Galatians 1:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
With the pressure of the pollsters constantly upon them, politicians have to decide how they will make their decisions. Will they court popularity or stand by conviction? Every leader, in fact, faces that question.

Today we read about crossing the Red Sea. The basic outline of this event could serve as the script for so many other stories. As the Israelites leave Egypt and head to the Promised Land, the people face difficulty, their fear gives way to anger (directed primarily at Moses), God delivers them, and their anger subsides until the next round.

The Israelites had marched out of Egypt with their shoulders back and their heads held high. We might imagine they were slapping high-fives and bragging about the gold and silver they had taken from the Egyptians. They no doubt cheered Moses as their fearless leader.

Their cocky attitudes dissolved at the very first sight of the Egyptians. They suddenly forgot the miracles of the past weeks and months. Their lack of faith in God was displayed as a complete loss of confidence in their leader. More than that, they actually undermined Moses' character and accused him of malicious intent.

As any leader must quickly learn, Moses knew that he could neither bow to applause nor collapse under accusation. As difficult as it may be, leaders must, with God's help, stay impervious to both commendation and criticism. Commendation, while it can feel good, can quickly give way to criticism. What one person likes today may be what he ends up hating tomorrow. Moses saw that firsthand.

In a very real sense, Moses took the flack for God. When it didn't look like God was going to come through for the people, Moses was the villain. When God did come through, Moses was the hero. Moses could not give in to measuring his success by the response of the Israelites—it would have been quite in a roller coaster ride!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
You don't have to be a leader to apply some of the lessons we're learning from the life of Moses. You can think about what kind of follower you are. Are you quick to criticize your leaders? Do you make their job easier or harder? Here are some constructive ways to be a faithful “follower:” when there are problems, offer to be a part of the solution. Pray for your leaders. Defend them when others speak ill of them. Encourage them with kind words.