Quieting Your Heart For the Holidays: 30-Day Prayer Journal
is available at Amazon!
As we conclude our study on the first half of Exodus (part 2 is coming in January), I wanted to announce our next study, “Quieting Your Heart for the Holidays.” I hosted this study last year, and discovered that it was and enormous blessing to both myself and to many of you.
With the unrest in our world, I sense that we could all use a little quieting of the soul and a reflection of good things to come. We find strength when we rest in His presence, we find peace when we trust in His power. We must only be still:
“He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10, KJV
“Quieting Your Heart for the Holidays” will run for four consecutive weeks (November 21 – December 17).
I’ll have a FREE study guide and more information available to you early next week.
Please note: The journal shown above is optional, and you don’t need it to participate in the study. It’s a 30-day prayer journal designed to draw you closer to God through the holiday season. Each day provides you with space to compose a prayer and record memories. The warmth of this journal captures the joy of the holiday season, while daily encouragement and holiday tips help to quiet your soul and point you to Christ. And yes–it’s the same journal we used last Christmas.
If you’d like to peek inside the journal, you can do so at Amazon.com: Click here.
Exodus – Week 4 – Conclusion
Note: Some of you have asked when we’ll be studying the rest of Exodus, since this study is only chapters 1-15. Here’s the answer to that: because Christmas is around the corner, I’ll be hosting Quieting Your Heart for the Holidays after this study, like we did last year. We’ll return to part of Exodus in the new year.
Below are my notes for the week, Exodus chapters 13-15
Don’t forget to pick up your coloring page at the bottom of the post. Have a great weekend!
P.S. Don’t forget to join in our 30 days of gratitude each day. You can find those posts on my facebook page too!
Exodus 13 – God Leads and Protects
In this chapter, God tells Moses to sanctify (set apart) the first born male—both men and beast. To set apart was to give them a holy purpose.
The ones that would not be sacrificed–the donkeys and the men, would be redeemed by a lamb. In other words, the lamb would take its sacrificial place. Again, a foreshadow of redemption through Christ.
And so it was said, “I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.” Exodus 13:15
God led them on a journey through the wilderness. He led by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. These served to provide both guidance and protection.
Matthew Henry writes, “Those who make the glory of God their end, and the word of God their rule, the Spirit of God the guide of their affections, and the providence of God the guide of their affairs, may be sure that the Lord goes before them, though they cannot see it with their eyes: we must now live by faith.”
Exodus 14 – The Orchestration of God
In this chapter, we see God’s hand at work, orchestrating every detail from the hardening of Pharoah’s heart to sending His people to a penned-in location.
What they deemed as an impossible situation was an opportunity for God not only to bless them with the gift of deliverance, but to reveal His glory to the world.
When God directs our steps it won’t necessarily make sense to us, in fact it might be daunting, overwhelming, and and stressful at times. And so it’s important for us to remember that we’re right where God wants us to be. We must keep in mind that nothing is impossible to God. He excels man in wisdom and power.
Those who put their trust in Him are wise to remember that He’s at work in their lives whether they understand it or not. A difficult situation is an opportunity to connect with God in ways that would otherwise be missed. It opens a door to deliverance, it opens a door to His glory and power, it opens a door to His grace.
How often do I miss those opportunities? How often do I grumble and complain when I don’t understand?
Teach me to be still, Lord. Teach me to stand firm in my faith.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21, KJV
Exodus 15 – The Song of Moses (Conclusion)
We conclude this part of our study with chapter 15. I chose to break at this particular place in the story, because the song of Moses and Miriam is in perfect harmony with the Thanksgiving season.
It echoes our freedom in Christ, the strength in our salvation, the passing away of sin left in our past, and the hope of a bright future before us.
We read in the previous chapter how God delivered them from Pharaoh ‘through water’ and yet here, it’s a lack of water that causes concern.
Things change from one day to the next. What feels like a blessing one day, may feel like a curse the next. Our outlook on life is dependent on our point of view, our relationship to God, and our faith in His providence, which is why it’s so important to stay grounded in faith.
The same God that has rescued us in the past, is the same God who will be there tomorrow. He doesn’t give up on His people. Our lives go through times of testing and trials, but it’s during those times of despair, God’s grace is upon us. He never forsakes us, but He does allow us to walk through wilderness places in order to prepare us for the journey ahead.
Today’s Coloring Page
Click here to view and print your copy
Thank you for continuing to bless us with these bible studies. I have been truly learning a lot …I kind of fell off on this last study but I will definitely still pick it back up. I am really learning how to study the bible and it makes me want to learn more. I really need this, thank you again.
Im so excited to start the next study next week, i miss doing the bible studies this week it keeps my mind bussy learning. Im going to have fun because i have next week off:-)
Awesome! It will be out Friday morning. I’m running late again.
mat mat mat.. elsker å lage mat og å spise mat! Heldige du med kokkemann! Jeg ektrprimenseeer for tiden å finne gode hverdagsretter som passer til en kresen toåring. Jeg titter ofte innom Trines mektige matblogg. Eller pepperkverna. Og Hei Astrid sin ukesmeny!!! Den er genial:-) God fredag til deg! I kveld er det pizza på menyen!
just want to thank you for serving the Lord and all that you do . . I am so excited getting ready to do Exodus . /thank you. I have a few of your thing and enjoy them . God Bless
I didn't really get the whole email thing but it's nice your dad has something to keep him entertained.We have a lot of squirrels on campus. I like to feed them sometimes.