"Show Me Your Glory"

Read Exodus 33:12–23. Why did Moses ask what he did of the Lord? What did Moses want to learn? Why did he believe that he needed these things?

Moses wanted to know God on an entirely different level than he had know before. Also Moses wanted the confirmation that He still had the favor of God. Moses acknowledged that He was nothing without God and that he was dependent on God’s grace and mercy. Intimacy with God is the greatest attainment that humanity and strive toward. As we come to know God and understand more of who He is we increase in godliness. Though there are many thing that struggle for our attention and our devotion there is nothing above what God has to offer us.

How well do you know the Lord? More important, what choices can you make that will enable you to know Him better than you do? How can you learn to worship in a way that will give you a better appreciation of God and His glory?

I believe that the way that we come to know the Lord is through the study of the scriptures. As we search the scriptures we come to know God more. We come contact with the Spirit of God as we seek for truth and as we seek to apply that truth to your lives. We must also take time to experience God’s glory through intentional time we spend in worship and prayer.

Prayer: Father thank you for who you are. Help us Father to seek to know you better each day. Thank you Father in Jesus name amen.

Related posts:

1. Into the Word
2. These Be Your Gods
3. The Stranger Within Your Gates

"These Be Your Gods . . ."

Read Exodus 32:1–6 and answer the following questions:

1) What event, what catalyst, first opened the way to this powerful expression of false worship? What lessons should we as Seventh-day Adventists take from it?

During the time of our story Moses was on Mount Sinai for a extended amount of time. The people became anxious because Moses took more time then their patience allowed. As Moses was receiving the ten commandments the people were busy breaking the ten commandments. As Seventh-day Adventist who wait for the second coming of Christ we must not become impatient at the coming of our Lord and begin to erect idols and break the commandments.

2) What was this false God made of, and what does that say about how fruitless this kind of worship is?

In this story the false God as made of Gold. This is very fruitless because gold does not have the ability to deliver us from anything. As ridiculous and this may seem we to erect idols of cold and worship them as the children of Israel did. When we put money over God or possession over God or our own pleasure over God we are erecting worthless idols of gold.

3) How did their worship of this statue contrast to their worship of the Lord?

In this passage we see that their worship was devoid of the heart devotion and reverence that was connected with true worship. While they were showing devotion to something it had no impact on their spiritual maturity.

Notice how quickly and easily they compromised truth in their worship. Notice how quickly the local culture came in and turned them away from the true God. How can we make sure we, in our own worship, do not fall into the same trap?

I believe that the only way that we can keep ourselves from falling into this trap is by resting securely in Jesus Christ. We must spend time with Christ in His word and reflect on what God has done for us.

Prayer : Father thank you for Jesus Christ help us to remember what He has done for us. Thank you in Jesus Christ name amen.

Related posts:

1. No Other Gods
2. Rebellion (Again)
3. The First Named Prophet of Israel

No Other Gods

Focus on Exodus 20:1–6. What important points about worship can we take from those verses?

The entire basis of why the children of Israel were to keep the ten commandments was that God alone was able to deliver them from the bondage of Pharaoh. Because of this fact there were no other gods who were worthy of worship or worthy of being exalted above the God who delivers from bondage. When we show the same devotion to other things that we show to God then it becomes an idol. We mus t guard that things we cherish and devote ourselves to least they threaten to take the place of God.

How does that background help us better understand what the Lord said to them in Exodus 20:4-5? Also, how can we take the principle seen there and apply it to ourselves today?

This background lets us know that we are susceptible to making idols of things in heaven and things on this earth. As humans we want to naturally show the devotion that we should only show to God to a person or a thing. God is jealous for Israel because he is the one who delivered then from Egypt. In the same way God was the only one who was able to deliver us from the bondage of sin therefore we must not put other things before him.

Ellen G. White wrote, "Whatever we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere with the service due Him, of that do we make a god."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 305. Ask yourself: What, if any, are the gods in my life who are competing for affections, my time, my priorities, or my goals? What are they, and how can I remove them?

In some way shape or form we are in bondage to something or some idea. Whatever presents to us deliverance from that bondage we are susceptible to make it a God. If we are in bondage because we feel lonely then we can make a God out of our relationships. If we are financially in bondage we can make a God out of money. We must remember that only God is able to deliver completely, and put our trust completely in Him.

Prayer: Father thank you for your deliverance. Father help us to put nothing before you are above you. Thank you in Jesus name amen.

Related posts:

1. The Death of the Firstborn: Passover and Worship
2. The Politics of Religion
3. Holy Ground

The Death of the Firstborn: Passover and Worship

Read the story of the first Passover night, in Exodus 12:1-36. How is the gospel, which should be at the center of all our worship, revealed in these verses?

In this story we see an illustration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this story we see how the plague of death was to kill all of the firstborn in Egypt, and those who observed the passover would have their firstborn spared. When sin entered the world through the transgression of Adam and Eve all humanity was sentenced to to die. In this saw way the passover lamb spared the families firstborn, Jesus Christ’s sacrifice saves us from death as well. The Israelites were instructed to put blood on their doorposts which would protect them from death, Jesus gives us a chance at life through accepting His sacrifice. In the same way we worship God because He is our Savior and our deliverer. The fact is because He is the only one that can deliver us form sin He is the only one worthy of worship.

In Egypt the people obeyed their masters out of fear; now they would learn that true worship flows from a heart filled with love and gratitude to the One who alone has power to deliver and save. How can you learn to better appreciate and love the Lord? How does sin tend to dampen that love?

We can learn to appreciate and love the Lord through reflecting on what he has done for us. As we keep what God has done for us in the forefronts of our minds we will always appreciate what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Thank you Father for Jesus Christ. Help us to remember that on you can deliver us from sin and this is why we worship you. Thank you in Jesus name amen.

Related posts:

1. Worship Outside of Eden
2. In Remembrance of Me
3. The Fall Into Sin – Physical and Eternal Death

Read Exodus 3:1-15. What foundational elements of true worship can be seen in these verses?

As we read this passage we see that the first thing that God tells Moses to do was take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. When we come before God to worship we must understand that it is something holy because God is holy. When we approach God we must have reverence for him and acknowledge the awesomeness and holiness of God.

How much time do you spend thinking about the Cross and the deliverance we have been given through Jesus? Or do you spend more time thinking about other things, things that cannot save you? What are the implications of your answer?

We all have things that can preoccupy our thoughts attention and time, but these things should not interfere with God. God me be primary in our lives and above all other things. God really want’s to save us above all other things. Each day God bombards us with opportunities to be saved and the only things that we must do is say yes. Won’t you say yes to God today?

Prayer: Father please take us back to the heart of worship which is all about you. Redirect our attention and our time away from those things which will not save us. Thank you Father for you love towards us. In Jesus name amen.   

Related posts:

1. The Holy Law
2. God’s Nature: The Basis of Atonement – Holy God
3. Wholesome Thinking