The Stone

 

 

While sitting in church last Sunday, I plead with the Savior.  Let me see you fresh this week, this Holy of Holy weeks.  There are things I never want to become stale in my life.  His blood.  His beating.  His begging, "Oh Father, please don't make me do this!"

 

As I sat there listening to our pastor, the Holy Spirit allowed one word to fall fresh.  Stone.  "So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb."  Mark 15:46

 

Stone.

 

When He utters something I know I am to delve into, I usually sit and write down what I know.  Then, I go to Bible Gateway and in the keyword search, type in the word or words to see what pulls up.  This time, I typed in stone/rock.  See, I am no genius, everyone including my seven year old could do this!

 

This could be an intense post, because there are a whole lot of references in the Bible to stone and rock!  But, I am praying to keep it simple...but at the same time, to open our eyes to some things that we may never have noticed.  That said, do two things for me before you read further.  1. Don't read until you have some time to think...give those kids a little pre-Easter candy!  2.  Ask the Holy Spirit to show you truth! (I think if you hang with me til the end, you will be blessed!)

 

OK, here we go!  First, here are four verses that reference Jesus as our Stone or Rock:

 

1.  Deuteronomy 32:4 "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just..."

 

2.  1 Corinthians 10:3-4 "They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."

 

3.  1 Peter 2:4-5 "As you come to him, the living Stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--you also, like living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

 

4.  Daniel 2:31-35 "You looked, O King, and there before you stood a large statue--an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.  The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.  While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands.  It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.  Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, they silver, and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer.  The wind swept them away without leaving a trace.  But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth."  {This basically says Jesus's kingdom is the only one that lasts!}

 

OK, now that we have a visual of Jesus being our rock, I wanted to show some more verses that should bring us great comfort and courage!  I feel like God gave me a way to break them down...but I couldn't find any resources out there to support this whole thing...so either it is the Holy Spirit, or my crazy preggo brain.  You pray and decide! Remember, each verse I give will reference either stone or rock.  Here we go again!

 

Jesus is our Source of Water

1.  Numbers 20:7-8 "Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.  You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink." {Look above at 1 Cor. 10:3-4...see how it fits?}

 

2.  John 2:6 "Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons."  This is the story of Jesus's first miracle...when he changes the water to wine.  Coincidence that stone is mentioned?  I don't think so!

 

Jesus is our Protection

1. Genesis 29:2-3 "There Jacob saw a well in the field, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well's mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well."

{The stone protects the water from being contaminated and also keeps it from being wasted.}

 

2.  Exodus 33:21-22 "Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.  When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by."  {This is where Moses is allowed to see the glory of the LORD.  Notice Moses has to stand on the rock which symbolizes Jesus in order to behold that glory.  Rock of ages, cleft for me...}

 

3.  Daniel 6:17 "A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed."  {This is when Daniel is thrown into the lion's den.  At first glance, we see the stone as a hindrance that blocks his way out...but what if instead, it signifies Christ's protection over Daniel?  Just a thought...}

 

Jesus is our Strength, Helper, and Victory

1.  Exodus 17:12 "When Moses's hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset."  {This is when the Israelites were fighting the Amalekites.  I never noticed before that when Moses got tired, he sat on a stone.}

 

2.  1 Samuel 7:12 "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.  He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us.""  {Ebenezer means 'stone of help.'}

 

3.  1 Samuel 17:50 "So David triumphed over the Philistine (Goliath) with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him."  {How amazing that in verse 45, David says he is coming against the enemy in the name of the LORD...and it is a simple stone that kills the giant.}

 

Jesus is our Foundation

1.  Psalm 40:2  "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." {I love the message version..."He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip.}

 

2.  Psalm 118:22-24 "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.  This the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."  {Ps. 118 was said at Passover, so these very words were probably some of the last that Christ said in regard to himself...at the last supper.}

 

3.  Matthew 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."  {The Message says it like this:  "These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living.  They are foundational words, words to build a life on.  If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock."}

 

Jesus is our Sacrifice

1.  Judges 6:20-22 "The angel of the God said to Gideon, 'Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.' And Gideon did so.  With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread.  Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread.  and the angle of the LORD disappeared.  When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, 'Ah, Sovereign LORD!  I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"  {I never noticed the sacrifice was placed on the rock.}

 

2.  1 Samuel 6:14-15 "The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock.  The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.  The Levites took down the ark of the LORD, together with the chest containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock.  On that day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD."  {Again, the sacrifice was placed on a rock.}

 

3.  John 19:13 "When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha.)" {The Stone Pavement is where Pilate handed Jesus over to the Jews to be crucified.  Maybe it is a stretch...but the place where Jesus is sentenced to be our sacrifice takes place on a stone pavement...hmmm.}

 

4.  We know Jesus died on Calvary or Golgatha, which means "place of the skull."  I can't find scripture reference, and I am not saying skull and stone/rock are the same.  But, I did find this on Wikipedia...so take it or leave it.

 

"The rockface: The Rock of Golgotha inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. During 1973–1978 restoration works and excavations inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and under the nearby Muristan, it was found that the area was originally a quarry, from which white Meleke limestone was struck;[20] surviving parts of the quarry to the north-east of the chapel of St. Helena are now accessible from within the chapel (by permission). Inside the church is a rock, about 7 m long by 3 m wide by 4.8 m high,[20] that is traditionally believed to be all that now remains visible of Golgotha; the design of the church means that the Calvary Chapel contains the upper foot or so of the rock, while the remainder is in the chapel beneath it (known as the tomb of Adam). Virgilio Corbo, a Franciscan priest and archaeologist, present at the excavations, suggested that from the city the little hill (which still exists) could have looked like a skull.[21]

 

Jesus is our Identity and Security

1.  Exodus 28:10  In reference to the High Priest's Garments..."There are to be twelve stones (on the breastpiece), one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes." {I love that the High Priest was to foreshadow Jesus...Aaron was the first high priest...so read this:  "Aaron will...bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD."  So, we too, are engraved on Jesus and he is constantly interceding on our behalves.  He is our identity and security.}

 

2.  Revelation 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna.  I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."  {Oh, glory!  Up where we belong, in that true home that we can't wait to dwell,  Jesus himself will give us a new name...marked on none other than a stone.}

 

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I like to think of the stone always pointing to Jesus and his victory.  He is our everything, and the stones throughout the Bible show us this.  He is our water so we will never thirst again.  He is our protection from the enemy.  He is our Ebenezer, or our helper.  He is our very foundation for life.  He is our sacrifice (he came to fulfill the law for us that was written on STONE!)  He is our identity and only security.  He is our everything.

 

He was even victorious over his own death.  Nothing could hold him down because Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  A huge stone blocking his burial site was nothing for him!  He holds all power. 

 

The stone that was thrust aside became a visual reminder of the Victorious Christ (The True Stone) and his victory over everything from sin to death.

 

Will you look to the Stone this weekend and remember?  I hope you experience Him in a fresh way and I would love to hear about it!

Asher's Baby Shower

There is something that makes you feel incredibly loved when a bunch of your sweet friends get together and throw you an AMAZING shower!  It just makes my heart want to explode with joy when people serve you in this way and then when others bring so many precious gifts.  I love that others are celebrating this little life already....what a blessing Asher is to us!  According to Anna, you only have your 4th son once and I am so happy that everyone has literally showered us in tangible and prayerful blessings.

My heart is full.

Favorite things!

These are a few of my favorite things right now!

Champs!

Cade's basketball team went undefeated again! Two years without losing a game is quite a feat. It sure makes this basketball momma beam!

Steadfast and Mature (Maturing Faith Part 5)

Today I want to wrap up this series on maturing faith and say this:

In order for your faith to mature, you will experience testing and trials.

I know, I know!  Not what any of us want to hear!

I love what our pastor said last Sunday.  He said Satan comes to steal our faith, but God comes to steel it. 

Our small bible study group spent three weeks studying the life of Joseph.  Imagine our delight when our pastor started teaching it a few weeks ago.  We knew that he would only bring forth more truth, despite how hard we dug into the Word.

Jesus is always calling us to a clearer understanding of who He is.  I think the whole point is that one day, we can say..."Even though (fill in the blank)...I will not fear (fill in the blank)...because God is with me."

His goal is for His presence to be sweetly sufficient for all our days.

Joseph's life demonstrates this.  He was thrown in a pit by his brothers.  He was thrown into another pit (dungeon/jail) after being wrongfully accused of something.  Despite interpreting a dream correctly, he was forgotten and left in the pit even longer.

Sometimes, we find ourselves in a pit and it was no sin on our part that got us there.

Will we be faithful even in those times?  Are we confident in God's heart towards us enough to sustain us?

I absolutely love this quote by Joyce Baldwin.  I think she wraps up this week quite nicely.  Savor her words....I saved the best for last!

"It was as if he alone (Joseph) had been abandoned by God.  But experiences like this were often part of the training of those whom God was going to use in outstanding roles.  Abraham and Sarah had to wait until old age for the birth of Isaac; Moses was exiled for much of his life in an inhospitable desert; David lived under threat of death at the hand of Saul and was on the run for months, if not years.  Yet in every case the purpose of God was being worked out and in due course came to fruition.

Indeed it has been said that only those with faith in God experience his testing, which after all is self evident, for it is designed to put steel into faith so that it becomes steadfast and mature (Jas. 1:2-4) and can testify to the tender love of the Lord in designing the suffering.  This was to be outstandingly true of Joseph, who was fully aware of his brothers' hatred but who saw that God had meant it for good. That is the kind of conviction that results from patient, enduring trust in the loving intentions of God, when outward circumstances seem to belie that love."

from "The Message Genesis 12-50"

{Thanks for being on this faith-journey with me...love you all!}

Rod and Staff (Maturing Faith Part 4)

Wow!  What does a life look like when it is so secure and confident in God that it simply does not fear?  I think it is a process, after all, we are going from "little faith" to a more "mature faith."

It is a life of knowing Jesus is on our side.  Believing He is pledged to help us.  Secure that He represents us and intercedes for us.  Confident that He has us hemmed in and surrounds us with His angels.

Mature faith is simply trusting the character of God. A person with mature faith can be steady in his journey.  He doesn't cower in fear or run ahead of God.  He is content to walk quietly along the path God has put him on.  He believes deep down that it is the very path that will lead him to know God's tender heart even more deeply.

The other morning, I woke up with the words "rod and staff" on my mind.  I repeated the phrase over and over again as I lay in bed..."thy rod and thy staff comfort me."  As I got up, I wondered just why a rod and a staff are so comforting.  The below is straight from Charles Spurgeon.

1.  Rod:  used for numbering the sheep.  It is comforting to know I am numbered along with the redeemed.  He knows me by name.

2.  Rod:  used for rule.  It is comforting to know He reigns in sovereignty.  Nothing can come across my path that He has not allowed or ordained. "Happy is the man who perceives the hand of God in everything."

3.  Rod/staff: used for guidance.  The rod leads us...often in a way that we would not have chosen on our own.  But, we can be assured that it is the safe and right way.  If He is our Guide, He is responsible for the road ahead.

4.  Rod/staff:  used for protection.  The rod and staff are used against the beasts of the field.  The shepherd assures us that we will not be torn apart by the enemy.  He does protect His elect.

5.  Rod/staff:  used to urge us onward.  We might stay in the same place forever, refusing growth, but instead, He gives us a divine nudge toward new heights.

Each of us can find comfort in our Lord's rod and staff.  We can choose to rest in the fact that we know He will bring us to the other side.  The valley of the shadow won't last forever. 

For Thou Art With Me (Maturing Faith Part 3)

Yesterday, we broke down some of the Hebrew of Psalm 23.  Today, we will focus on a couple of things.  Have you ever wondered why God refers to David as "a man after my own heart?"  Personally, I think it can all be wrapped up in one phrase:  "I will fear no evil for thou art with me."

Such confidence in the Almighty.  David literally had to run for his very life from King Saul, and yet he says that he refuses to bow down to fear because he knows who his God is!

From yesterday, we learned that walking through the valley of the shadow of death can mean walking through any thick darkness.  Spurgeon says it like this, "One of the chief reasons of the gloom is the fact that this terrible pass is shrouded in mystery.  You do not know what the sorrow is...you cannot grasp the foe."

Haven't you ever found yourself there?  It isn't that anyone has died, but there is a shadow of death that lingers and creeps into your very soul.  It is all consuming and yet, with the darkness, you sometimes don't even know what to name it!  The whole mystery of the matter is enough to suck the life out of you.

That is why I love the translation of "I will fear no evil."  It means that we can either fear or have dread of what MAY go wrong.  I don't know about you, but I can find myself drowning in what may go wrong in my life.  It is exactly where Satan wants us, too!

Spurgeon says we "suffer more in the dread of something that in the endurance of the stroke." 

I think the key is the same one we found in the Matthew passage regarding the disciples and the boat.  The key is this:  I don't have to fear because God is with me.

The question begs to arise again:  No matter what life throws my way, do I think that His presence is simply enough?

David would say it is.  After all, he says he doesn't fear because God is with him.

It is what makes him a man after God's own heart.  He is confident in who God is and he is confident that he belongs to God and that God has good (beautiful, right, joyful, fruitful...) things in store for him.

Tomorrow, we will talk about our Shepherd's rod and staff and why those two things can bring us comfort. We will talk about how to be calm in the prospect of a possible upcoming battle.

Psalm 23 (Maturing Faith Part 2)

Yesterday, we talked about Jesus being enough no matter what comes our way.  Today, I want to take a peek at Psalm 23.  We will lay the groundwork by breaking down some of the words into the original Hebrew.  This will help us absorb truth tomorrow when we talk about walking through the valley of the shadow of death.

The best way I know to do this is to write out the passage and then comment on certain words as they come up. 

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the "shadow of death" (tsalmaveth: very thick darkness, terror, calamity)

I will "fear" (yare:  fear or dread of what may go wrong) no evil:

for thou art with me

thy rod and thy staff, they "comfort" (nacham: console) me

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

thou "anointest" (dashen:  to be fat, rich, mighty)

my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely "goodness" (towb: what is excellent, delightful, beautiful, joyful, fruitful, cheerful, kind, correct, right, and happy)

and "mercy" (checed:  God's loyal love, loving kindness,covenant, the attitude of love which contains mercy)

shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

 

 

Chew on those words for a little bit.  Tomorrow, I will meet up with you again and we will talk about what made David (the author of this passage) a man after God's heart. 

Is God Really Enough? (Maturing Faith Part 1)

I've had a question on my mind the past few days.  I am going to ask you that question, as well.  I thought I would take this week and see if we can find the answers.  Join me for a few days as we delve into what maturing faith looks like.  Here is the question:

No matter what comes your way regarding heartache and circumstances, do you think it is simply enough to have God by your side?

That is the question I have been tossing around.  At some moments, I scream that there is no way that His mere presence is all I need.  In times of doubt, I look at my fledgling faith and can give you a list a hundred miles long of things that I would love to add to His abiding presence.

Today, we are going to take a peek into Matthew 8:23-27.  Put on your boat shoes and find your fishing tackle, cause we are taking a little ride today.

"And when he (Jesus) got into the boat, his disciples followed him.  And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.  And they went and woke him, saying, 'Save us Lord; we are perishing.' And he said to them, 'Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?' Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.  And the men marveled, saying, 'What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?'"
Let's pick this little passage apart Lulu style, shall we?  Can I first say, that I feel like the disciples here?  In my current season of life, I feel like my faith is small.

The first thing I want to say to myself and perhaps to you is this:  The disciples had faith.  They would have never entered the boat to follow Jesus if they didn't have any faith.

The second thing is that as believers, we are going to be constantly bombarded with the storms of life.  The storms look differently, but they all reach inside of us and produce fear and terror. 

The third thing is that Jesus was asleep.  I can't tell you how many times in my walk that Jesus has been silent.  It isn't that I doubt his presence or think that he has abandoned me, but he is quite often content with silence...at least until it is the right time to speak.

The fourth thing is that Jesus asks them why they are afraid. This always blows my mind a little.  I mean, the Greek word for great storm is "seismos," which means "violent shaking or earthquake."  It is possible that this storm was greater than we ever pictured on the flannel-grams of our childhood days.  Well, of course they are afraid!  And yet, Jesus still asks them this question.  (His questions always get to the root of our fledgling faith.)

The fifth thing is that Jesus tells them they have "little faith."  He doesn't say they are faithless, but instead uses the Greek word "oligopistos" which means ineffective, deficient, or incredulous faith.  In other words, the disciples' faith lacked confidence.  Some might say that this means they had zero faith, but I beg to disagree, because, after all, they were willing to follow him into the boat in the first place and they also chose to wake him up as if he were their only hope.  There is a measure of relationship already established at this point, but God is getting ready to take them to higher faith (via a storm.)

The sixth thing is that Jesus calms the storm. I think that those with "little faith" sometimes need the storm to simply go away.  In this miraculous act, the disciples see their Jesus in a fresh way.  They marvelled at him.  God allowed them to see His son in a fresh way that brought about increasing faith and wonder.

Personally, I think that those with a more mature faith might not get to experience a calming of the storm itself.  Instead, they will experience a calming of their inner souls.  Because they know the secret:  It is simply enough to have Jesus in the boat with them.

God is always testing our faith because he wants us to know his tender heart towards us.

Pretend you are in the boat with Jesus himself.  The biggest waves are threatening to carry you off into the mysterious and cold unknown.  You frantically wake him up, knowing He is your only hope.  He peers into your eyes with such love and doesn't seem to be in a rush at all.  He then asks you a single question:  "Why are you afraid?"

He wants us to know that it is simply enough for Him to be with us....no matter what is threatening.

Tomorrow, we will start to look at Psalm 23 and how we can spiritually get to a place where we have no fear of bad news.

Wreath!

I made a wreath! This is hilarious cause I am not crafty when it comes to actually putting something together. Ummm, wreath making can be expensive! I wanted hydrangeas, but the nice ones were pricey, even at half off. Here is to a new spring wreath for only $20!

Baby Bedding Provision

This is just a shout out to God! I have been searching for the perfect baby bedding for months! I wanted something neutral to go with Asher's vintage nursery. I also really wanted a mixture of different fabrics. Let's face it, I wanted something custom made, but I couldn't spend the money! I mean $300 plus for baby bedding??? I think my family would rather eat!

So, Saturday I drug a friend with me to Rhea Lana's Consignment Sale. I hadn't really thought about looking at bedding til just before the sale. Call me shocked when I found a neutral complete set of custom bedding!!! It has everything: crib skirt, crib sheet, bumpers, quilt, and even 2 valances! The bumpers are really poofy and even have zippers so you can wash
them!

You want to know how awesome God is?

Only $40!!!!

Thank you Lord for not just meeting a need, but fulfilling my specific desires as well!

All in the Details

Did anyone watch the first installment of the new movie series "The Bible" last night?  We got caught up in a game of spades with the boys and I didn't turn it on until Abraham was about to slay Isaac.  I rushed the boys off to their showers because I wanted to preview it before allowing them to see it.

Sounds crazy, right?  I mean, this is a movie about the Bible.  I totally applaud Hollywood/Roma Downey and husband for taking on such a subject. But, I wanted to see how much liberty and poetic license they were going to use.  Covering the Bible in a few weeks on the big screen isn't an easy feat and I knew that things would be cut and things would be added...which was why I was pretty leary about it.

Instead of trying to be a hater, I want to say why the details matter.  It is important to get the details right, because not a single thing in the Word of God has insignificance.  The end of Revelation says that there are consequences for those who either add to the Word of God or for those who cut parts of it out.  It all matters because it all points to Jesus and the Gospel and the story of Grace and God's Power over all things.

For example, in the movie, we are about to see a beautiful portrayal of what the substitutionary gospel is all about when Abraham sees the lamb/ram in the thicket.  It disturbed me to no end to see that lamb caught by its foot instead of its horns.  The Bible is clear about the "ram" being caught by its horns.  It points to our true Savior who will one day be the ultimate substitution. 

Zechariah prophesied this: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David." {Luke 1:68-69}

He is talking about the Messiah...who is our horn of salvation.  What I love to think about is that "horns" in the Bible usually represent power.  I think in one of the first pictures of substitution's death, God wants us to see that Jesus is there in power, not weakness.  It was power and unconditional love and obedience to His father that drove Jesus to the cross...it wasn't weakness or defeat.  He is Jehovah Jireh, he himself powerfully provides the substitute.

This next point isn't about the movie, but did you know for every plague that God sent against Egypt, it was to put one of the Egytpian "so-called" gods to shame?  God was putting His glory and Ultimate Authority on display when he sent the frogs, turned the Nile to blood, sent the darkness, and on and on.  For example, according to Spurgeon, frogs were worshipped by Egyptians as emblems of deity...they would even preserve frogs.  He says, "As the true God is everywhere present; around us, in our bed chambers and in our streets, so shall Pharoah find every place filled with what he chooses to call divine."

All the details matter!  The very plagues God sent had significance...to cast down their false gods and raise up the Name above Names.  It was almost as if God was laughing when he sent darkness over the Egyptians (the Israelites were spared the darkness.)  He must have been shouting, "where are you now, Ra, so-called god of the sun?"

Back to the movie...one other thing that bothered me (I could go on and on, ha!) was Moses's response to God during the scene of the burning bush.  God tells him he has seen the affliction of the Israelites and he is sending Moses to go back to Egypt to bring his people out.  In the movie, Moses seems to immediately agree with God and tells him he will go. 

Now, I don't know about you, but it does a world of good for my faith journey to hear Moses's first response in the Bible, "Who am I that I should go..."  And another response, "Who on earth are you, aka, what is the name I am supposed to give to these people when I say their deliverer has come?"

In my journey, I need to know that a man used so powerfully by God wrestled with Him in the start.  He questioned his own identity and he questioned who God was. This brings me a ton of comfort as I am always learning to walk by faith.

Am I totally against watching "The Bible" on the big screen?  Not necessarily.  But, do it with Bible in hand and question everything.  God would never want us to believe something according to a movie, but according to His true Word which never fails...the Word where all the details are right and do indeed, make a difference.  I think the movie can possibly provide an outlet to search the scriptures for oneself and see what is really written.

Did you watch the movie?  What were your thoughts?

New Spring Treasures

New goodies including very reasonable Easter dresses at Through the Years Flea Market!