Author: Dave Dishman (Page 368 of 459)

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us.”

Here stands one of the truly shocking lines of scripture.

The Israelites experienced God like no other people in history, in ways we only dream about. They tasted God (manna); felt God (heat & darkness); saw God (smoke & fire); heard God (cries of the Egyptians); smelled God (damp walls of the Red Sea).

Yet in one change of the calendar their faith dissolved.

The children of Israel turned from a seething mountain towards safer, controllable gods. They preferred a figurine to carry in their pocket to the Lord who led them out of slavery.

Hold on. Stay the course. Persevere. Many who experience the wonderful gifts of God turn away. Don’t be surprised when it happens, but join me in praying that it does not happen to me or you.

Exodus 32 in week seven of reading the Bible cover to cover

Timothy and Epaphroditus did the work. I have no one else like him, is how Paul talked about Timothy, and he wrote this regarding Epaphroditus, honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ.

Paul counted on these two men, part of a band he surrounded himself with throughout his missionary endeavors. Not everyone proved faithful, Demas comes to mind, but Paul developed a knack for picking good people.

I have people in my life I can count on. It’s humbling when I reflect upon it. Few blessings in life rise higher than people you can count on. Thank you, Lord.

I hope and I pray and I work to be a person to count on as well.

Lots of instructions in the Bible seem pretty easy to keep. Don’t kill anyone, don’t go worship a graven image, don’t steal stuff, etc. I get complacent about keeping on the straight and narrow.

Then I read in Philippians 2 – Do all things without grumbling or arguing…

I grumble all day. I’m a regular grumbler. Mostly under my breath and to myself, but still grumbling. Isn’t that what old guys do?

The weather, the traffic, politics, sports – all regular grumbling topics. Apparently, the Lord has more for me than grumbling.

The Bible gets under my skin. Now I’m grumbling.

Week six of reading the Bible cover to cover

I wish Bezalel and Oholiab were my neighbors. The Lord chose them and filled them with His Spirit in order to craft the intricate designs necessary to construct the tabernacle. I love to watch talented people shape metal, stone, wood and other materials. Few prove as talented as these two.

Doubtless these men developed valuable skills while working in Egypt. The Lord took those skills and multiplied them, empowering them to create the masterpiece of their lives.

God elevates the craftsman. These men weren’t preachers or writers or influencers. They were good with their hands.

Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings (Proverbs 22:9).

In this case, the King of Kings.

Exodus 31 in week six of reading the Bible cover to cover