317.1K
Downloads
979
Episodes
Episodes
Monday Sep 16, 2019
Monday Sep 16, 2019
Today was read Numbers 12 - Numbers 23, and there were SO many amazing nuggets! But my verse is Numbers 14:2.
By this point, the Israelites have been complaining so much, I’ve lost count. every time God delivered them, they found another reason to complain. What’s worse, they preferred their bondage over their freedom. They preferred to go back to enslavement, instead of embracing their emancipation. Which tells me that it is possible remove people out of Egypt, but that doesn’t mean Egypt is out of them.
My grandparents started their church 30 years ago, and they were committed to radical evangelism. Every Saturday, they canvassed the streets of Newark, NJ to spread the good news of Jesus. One Saturday, they met a woman named Denise begging for food outside of a local McDonald’s. When they approached her, she was searching for food out of garbage can. My grandparents not only bought her food that day, they also introduced her to Christ, helped her to find a job, taught her the Word, and eventually moved her into their home. Denise was our family member for over 10 years. Every holiday, she sat at the table with us. She had a job and she learned how to budget. But some days, Denise would disappear. And whenever we went looking for her, Denise was right back at McDonald’s, searching for food in the garbage can.
Like Denise, all of us have some “Egypt” that we don’t want to let go of. All of us have a familiar thing that imprisons us but intoxicates us at the same time. It’s called a weakness. We all have them. But this text showed me two major things.
1) if your weakness wins, your promise becomes paralyzed. You can’t enjoy the new until you let go of the old.
2) complainers are contagious. And if you’re not careful, you’ll compromise your future because of your proximity to their problem.
Lesson: it is possible to remove people out of Egypt but that doesn’t mean Egypt is out of them.
Prayer: Lord, get Egypt out of me. ONCE AND FOR ALL. Amen.
Friday Sep 13, 2019
Friday Sep 13, 2019
Yesterday, we read Numbers 2:1-Numbers 11:35, and the words that leapt from the pages of scripture were “at the appointed time.” What I felt the Holy Spirit say was: OBEY NOW. ASK LATER.
As I read Genesis-Numbers over the last 2 weeks, I couldn’t help but notice how detailed God is. God gives specifics about fabric, colors, measurements, and types of wood. God also commands Israel to observe certain feasts at an appointed time. He instructs them to depart from a certain place or enter into another space at an appointed time.
In Numbers 9:2, as the Israelites are preparing for Passover, God says it again: Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month.” When I parallel this command to God’s order to eat manna at a certain time, or else it will expire, I started to recall every moment God compelled me to write something, produce something, launch something, apply for something, at a certain time—and I put it off because I got busy. I started to think about certain seasons where I felt a strong impression to publish a book to bring awareness to God’s people about a situation that was near and dear to His heart, and instead of focusing on His word, I would put his priorities on the back burner to tend to other, more pressing things for other people. I figured I would get to it when I got to it. But delayed obedience is still disobedience.
God not only cares about what you do; God also cares about WHEN you do it. If he didn’t, Jesus wouldn’t have stated “Seek FIRST the kingdom.” If he didn’t He would not have taken the time to show us in His word, how important it was to do something on a certain day, at a certain time. My question to you is, what has God been prompting you to finish before the end of the year, and you keep putting it off? You never know what your obedience is attached to.
Lesson: God’s grace is limitless, but your assignment is not. Your instructions from God are time-sensitive, and He wants you to do it NOW.
Thursday Sep 12, 2019
Thursday Sep 12, 2019
Today we read Leviticus 16:15-Numbers 1:54, and I loved how practical Leviticus is. I was afraid of Leviticus because of the stigma attached to its strict moral code, but today, God opened my eyes as I read the end of Leviticus into the beginning of Numbers.
Numbers 1:46 tells us that there were 603,550 men counted in total amongst the tribes. These men were able-bodied and at least 20 years old (and older). This census didn’t include women, children and other men. So we are literally talking about 1 million people leaving Egypt and heading to Canaan. 1 million people to guide. 1 million people to monitor. 1 million people to introduce to Yahweh. And these 1 million people sojourned for 40 years, with no outlets of electronics, entertainment, or fitness centers to burn off steam or to centralize their energy. In light of this, it makes sense why Moses had to give so many guidelines. These practical laws were “speed limits” that helped to ensure that God’s people would arrive to their destination safely. With no rules, disorder was guaranteed. And of the many guidelines listed in Leviticus, i loved the simple, to-the-point ones written in Leviticus 19. My favorite was verse 32 “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” I don’t know when we entered into this widespread era of disrespect toward our elders, but it has become a major issue. When I was born, I was trained to say “Yes sir” and “Yes ma’am.” I was raised to open doors for women, all women, and be hospitable and honorable. I was raised to say please and thank you and not cut off an elder who was speaking. But nowadays, we have lost respect for our elders. In our churches, we are so hungry for relevance that we are skipping an entire generation of wisdom. In our homes, we are calling them by their first names. In our academies, we see ourselves as equal to or better than them. And I just believe that there is so much untapped wisdom being withheld because we are going to grad school for things we need to be sitting under grandma for.
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019
Today we read Leviticus 4:27- Leviticus 16:14. And the verse that really hit me was Lev. 11:45. The operative word, for me, is Holy. And in today’s church, it seems that the three most controversial words are SIN, HELL and HOLY. These words aren’t preached about as often as other words. Nevertheless they are words that show up everywhere in the Bible. So what do we do with that? What do we do with the laws and rules of Leviticus and why do they exist?
This didn’t really make sense to me until I thought about my double hip replacement 3 years ago. Before I was approved to get the surgery, I had to endure several pre-authorization visits to my primary care doctor, my dentist and my orthopedic surgeon. Then Post-op, i had a manual full of things to eat, things not to eat, ways to exercise, how to clean the area where I had my surgery, and a list of prohibitions and medications to ensure that i would live after my handicap. I had to learn to walk again. I had to buy certain appliances in my home to ensure that I could still live in my house after this surgery.
As I read Leviticus today, I realized that God put all these measures in place for Israel because he wanted to live with them and he wanted them to live. Despite the introduction of sin in Genesis which really messed up intimacy between God and man, God was still willing to institute laws of protection and direction to ensure his chosen people could “co-habitate” with a Holy God. But the catch was, God is holy. And I pray I never forget that. I’m not just reading the Bible, I’m reading the Holy Bible. That is to say, Im reading it through the lens of holiness. God is asking us to be holy BECAUSE he is holy. God is not like people who demand that we do as he says but not as he does. Instead he sets the bar high and expects us to rise up and not settle down. The Israelites didn’t realize that these precautions were for their protection, but they were.
Lesson- god may be protecting you by restricting you. Trust Him anyway!
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Today we read Exodus 30:1-Leviticus 4:26, and there were so many scriptures to choose from, but I settled on Exodus 31:3. There, we are told that God has filled a man (Bezalel) with the Spirit of God; and this is the first time we see that language in the Bible. Bezalel is what some would call an ordinary man. He is clearly not as holy as Moses because Moses is invited up to the mountain to talk with God, and it is because of his holiness that he is permitted to go up.
But Bezalel is at the bottom of the mountain. This text reveals how God can use unholy people to do a holy thing. Moses is entrusted with the details of the ark but God doesn’t let Moses build it himself. Instead God places his Spirit in/on Bezalel so that he can create what Moses could only conceive. Bezalel shows us the power that happens in a person when God breathes His spirit on their skill. Moses shows us the importance of leading without micromanaging. And this text shows us how God will sometimes connect us with people that most wouldn’t assume we should connect with—because they don’t come dressed in the garb of holiness and righteousness. But they have the skill to make it happen.
Lesson: Look for divine partnerships in unexpected places. Who knows what God is up to?
Perhaps the person you hire, or the company you partner with, will come into the knowledge of Christ because of your willingness to work together. Who knows what happened to Bezalel as he built the ark of the covenant? And lastly Bezalel and others were competent to do what you can’t do. There are some things we don’t need to worry about, when we trust God and trust the people God sends our way!!!
Monday Sep 09, 2019
Monday Sep 09, 2019
Today we read Exodus 16:1-Exodus 29:46, and out of all the verses we read, Exodus 23:25-26 really ministered to me today. Over the last week, so many young people have died. So many healthy vibrant people were here today, and gone tomorrow. And if I’m honest, the fear of death crept upon me. But this scripture was medicine to my heart. God promised to give us a full life span. When we worship him, he will take care of our food and water.
I don’t know about you, but death has a way of reminding you of what matters. Sudden death sobers you into intentional loving and living. But let the words written in Exodus 23 encourage you today. Don’t let fear creep in and bully you into paranoia. You will live for as long as God wills. You will thrive and flourish and accomplish all that God intends. Instead of fearing death, use death as a reminder to live and love on purpose. Use loss as the life coach you need to help you shake away from meaningless situations, and irrelevant relationships.
Lesson: You cannot change what you cannot control, so why not control what can be changed: your now.
Live now. Share now. Write now. Give now. Love now. My prayer today is that those who fear death and dying will be comforted by the undeniable sovereignty of God; that God is still in control. May we be jolted into hugging more tightly, laughing more frequently, confronting when necessary, and worshipping with our whole heart. You. Shall. Live.
Friday Sep 06, 2019
Friday Sep 06, 2019
Today we read Exodus 3:1-Exodus 15:27. All throughout our reading, we heard a consistent refrain. God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and command him to “let my people go.” These words have become a popular saying in sacred and secular spaces. Movies that recapitulate the Moses story, remind us of these words. Negro spirituals remind of us these words. But most of us stop at the WHAT without interrogating the WHY. The what is: LET MY PEOPLE GO. The why is: SO THAT THEY CAN WORSHIP ME.
The lesson I believe God is trying to tell us is twofold. Firstly, we are freed for purpose. God doesn’t just free us for our enjoyment. God frees us for his glory. Our freedom from bondage gives us access into a new life of abundance.
Secondly, that purpose is specific. We are freed from bondage so we can worship God. This implies to me, that it is impossible to worship God in chains. It is impossible to experience the joy of worship if we are in the prison of Egypt. So it makes sense for Exodus to be the book that expounds upon and elaborates on worship because Exodus, simply defined, means TO EXIT.
The children of Israel had to exit from the enslavement of their past, to experience the intimacy of worshipping a God who is faithful to sustain in the wilderness. The location of their worship must not be overlooked either. Because pre-wilderness they had to work for themselves. they were slaves to their masters and victims of their predicament. But when God frees us, He provides manna in the wilderness, a cloud by day to keep us cool, and fire by night to keep us warm. When we are in God’s will, it becomes God’s bill. He becomes RESPONSIBLE for us. (Responsible is my new favorite word). And the reason that speaks to me is because I don’t have to worry when I worship. When I enter into his presence, my fear of failure drowns in his presence. My fear of dying too soon, drowns in his presence. My separation anxiety drowns in his presence. My worry about finances, it all drowns in his presence.
Question: What is God calling you to EXIT so that you can ENCOUNTER Him?
- - - - -
Follow us on Instagram @ShaunSaunders7 and @90_Day_Bible_Challenge!
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
Today we read Gen. 41:1-Ex. 2:25
Exodus 1:17 really spoke to me! the King of Egypt has ordered all of the Hebrew midwives to kill every newborn male, and allow every female to live. But, “the midwives, HOWEVER, feared God and did not do what the King of Egypt told them to do.”
The primary word that jumped out at me was HOWEVER. The midwives heard the order, but opposed the king because they had a “HOLY HOWEVER.” They feared the King of Kings above the king(s) of this world.
In the same way, I believe God is raising up Modern Day Midwives who are not afraid to go against the grain of the popular vote. God is raising up men and women who will hear God above the noise, and despite opposition, they will carry with them a “Holy However.”
Many Christians in the marketplace have to make this decision everyday. Whether they have to take a righteous stand against a leader or a government position others agree with, God is calling us to speak up when something is inconsistent with our God conviction. God wants us to put his agenda first. And God is a God of life. God is a God of justice. God is a God who defends the marginalized; so he is placing radical revivalists throughout the world, to fight back against worldly kings and principalities. And if they threaten to take your job, don’t fret: God will give you another. If you have to defend your position, God will stand up within you. God has anointed you for such a time as this, to protect the Moses’ coming your way. stand up for righteousness. Don’t sign every document. Read the fine print and pray for guidance.
The midwives in Exodus understood a few things. First they understood: if I do not stand up for God, then Moses cannot get up and live. Second, they understood calling as something more than a platform from which to speak. Calling is also an assignment to cover. They had to cover Moses and every male born in that time.
Who are you covering? Who are you advocating for?
The beautiful thing about their decision to cover was that it was selfless. But God rewarded them anyway. Exodus 1:21 says “And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.”
Lesson: If I fear God, then fruitfulness is the consequence.
- - - - -
Follow us on Instagram @ShaunSaunders7 and @90_Day_Bible_Challenge!
Wednesday Sep 04, 2019
Wednesday Sep 04, 2019
Today we read Genesis 29:1- Genesis 40:23. The one verse that spoke to me today was Genesis 32:26. By this point Jacob is, by man’s account, abundantly blessed. He has Esau’s blessing and birthright. He has two wives, more money than he can count, children on top of children, livestock and materials from Laban’s house. He is rolling in the money. Yet, when he finally gets to himself, he asks God to bless him. And he decides not to stop wrestling until he receives it.
This one small request speaks volumes to me. Firstly it infers that there are some blessings that money cannot buy. some blessings are worth more than the clothes in one’s closet, the car in one’s garage and the money in one’s account. Many people have material wealth but they are still separated from their center, desiccating in a valley of dry bones, and sinking in their soul. They are blessed but they don’t feel blessed. And true blessings come from God. It’s one thing to have external wealth. It’s another thing to have internal peace. It’s one thing to have opulent decor in your fancy home. It’s another thing to be able to get a good night’s sleep.
On the outside, Jacob looked like he had the world. But he was on the run. He couldn’t enjoy what he worked hard for, because he was afraid his angry brother would kill him. Shame stole his smile. Deceit crippled his drive. And this is why he wrestled with God. He needed something more than money in his pocket; he needed healing for his soul.
But remember: he did not get this blessing quickly. He couldn’t just rush into God’s presence for a quick second, and then rush out to get on with his to do list. He wrestled all night. He persisted in his pursuit.
LESSONS: Some blessings don’t come automatically. Some blessings come when you pursue God diligently.
Most of all, God didn’t bless him until he got Jacob alone; until he removed all the trappings of success to have a one-on-one encounter with his child. What is God removing from your life, to prove to you that you don’t need it, in order to be blessed? How willing are you to get alone for a few moments, just to hear from God? True encounters bring blessings that money cannot buy.
- - - - -
Follow us on Instagram @ShaunSaunders7 and @90_Day_Bible_Challenge!
Tuesday Sep 03, 2019
Tuesday Sep 03, 2019
Day 2 - COMPLETE!
Today we read Genesis 16:1-Genesis 28:22. The one verse that really hit me today was Genesis 24:15 because the servant is sent by Abraham to find a wife for Isaac. The servant doesn’t try to complete his assignment without prayer. He prays because prayer is our guide. He also prays with specificity. He isn’t afraid to ask for something specific, as a sign that he has found the right thing. God is challenging us to be more specific in our prayers, and to pray with our eyes open. This means, after we pray look for God to answer because he will!
But God doesn’t even wait to answer his prayer. Before he finishes praying the thing he prayed for came out. Before he said AMEN, God brought his answer right in front of him. I am believing that God is about to bring sudden answers to you. I believe that God is going to respond quicker than you imagined. Before you know there is a need, God will bring supply. Before you know there is a deficit, God will open a door. I believe this with every fiber of my being. God is bringing accelerated answers to those who are willing to make bold prayers.
The servant sees Rebekah as he was praying, which means his eyes were open in expectation of what God was going to do. Your expectation brings manifestation. And his prayer wasn’t even for him. It was for someone else. This, my friends, is intercession!
Today, I will pray to God boldly, and look for God’s answers immediately. I now understand that prayer is not for information, prayer is for affirmation. Prayer doesn’t inform God about something he doesn’t already know. Rather prayer affirms that God is who God has always been, and because of this fact, he is faithful and just to answer our prayers before we even say AMEN!
LESSON: When God answers, move. Don’t allow delay to deter you from destiny. MOVE.
- - - - -
Follow us on Instagram @ShaunSaunders7 and @90_Day_Bible_Challenge!