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Burdens Lifted And Bondage Broken

 

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Exodus 5:1-8

[1] And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
[2] And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
[3] And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
[4] And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
[5] And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
[6] And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
[7] Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
[8] And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

God sends Moses to Pharaoh and renews His pledge of deliverance. Pharaoh refuses to let them go. He (Pharaoh) then makes it harder for them to make bricks by cutting out their supply of straw, adding to their labor to have to search for it. He increased their burdens and bondage. Bondage is control by a person or substance. Burdens are concerns, cares or problems.

Exodus 6:1-8

[1] Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.
[2] And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:
[3] And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
[4] And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
[5] And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
[6] Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
[7] And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
[8] And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

Here are some key phrases that we often read over that should stand out to increase our faith:

  • I am the Lord
  • I will bring you out from under the burdens
  • I will rid you out of bondage
  • I will redeem with a stretched out arm
    • The Passover lamb was their strength
    • We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus!
    • I will be to you a God
    • I will bring you into the land concerning which I swore
      • They received the promise of Canaan and we received the promise of Heaven!

Hebrews 4:9-16

[9] There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
[10] For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
[11] Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
[12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
[13] Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
[14] Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
[15] For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
[16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

When you start going God’s way the taskmaster (which is Satan) will press against you. Sin and temptations are our bondage. Fears, doubts, anger and helplessness are our burdens. Our strength can be found (even if the labor is increased) if you have that Lamb of God in your life.

Count Your Blessings

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Do you know that you are blessed?

The first part that we usually long after and want to see in the beginning is for the blessing to help us in the purpose that will eliminate harm or enhance life. Yet while we are so consumed in the miracles benefits we often miss the other purposes that are only realized after the fact.

Exodus 14:19-31

[19] And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
[20] And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
[21] And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
[22] And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
[23] And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
[24] And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
[25] And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
[26] And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
[27] And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
[28] And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
[29] But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
[30] Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
[31] And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

19 – The lifting of the pillar of cloud from their face represents that temporary moment where we as flesh see our own vulnerabilities prior to the blessing.
20 – The angel came between the   camps, representing how God goes out before us in our battles. The cloud came as darkness for one and light for the other. If you are following the will of God for your life than what is blessing you begins to open up a pathway and puts fear into the enemy.

21- Moses’s hand going out represents what God seeks from us as humans; a willingness to serve by faith and to be what seemingly goes against our sight.

22 – The emphasis of dry ground demonstrates the cleanliness of how the spirit cleanses our soul by salvation and sanctification; the waters as a wall are how the Holy Ghost preserves our salvation to walk in righteousness (dry ground). This also demonstrates Gods love and compassion for the feet that He knew would be weary to walk in moistened ground.

23 – Represents the attempted intimidation and pursuit of the enemy towards us.

24 – God’s host begins to demonstrate his power over the enemy.

25 – God dismantled their mobility so they could not only cease their pursuit of us but not able to retreat for another attack.

26 – The hand over the sea now is a demonstration of God’s authority and power that destroys the enemy as we obey.

27 – The sea returning to its strength shows that if we abide in the perfect obedience of the spirit the Holy Ghost within us goes from a protector to being empowered from within.

28 – We then see the totality of the destruction of the enemy; this also opens up the full completeness of salvation, totally saved, no not one enemy survived.

29 – Speaks to their survival and the truth and proof that God had prevailed.

30 – Seeing them dead shows us today that he who the son sets free is free indeed, not to be attacked with these same specific circumstances again.

31 – The miracle then became a testimony, thus giving something as we move on to the next wilderness that we will have something that we will look back on that will remind us that we have all the attributes that we need to overcome over and over again.

God Is With You

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Genesis 37:5-11

[5] And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
[6] And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
[7] For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
[8] And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
[9] And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
[10] And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
[11] And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Sometimes we often want to go straight from God’s love and favor to being in riches and reward…and at times in your obedience there will be direct and indirect types of persecution from those that would be envious or jealous of the anointing in your life! Be careful and be aware of the first steps that must be taken for the blessing.

Genesis 39:1-4

[1] And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
[2] And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
[3] And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
[4] And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

Even after being sold into slavery Joseph still had favor. He still had some proving and testing to do by enduring suffering and resisting the temptations of the enemy.

Genesis 39:19-23

[19] And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
[20] And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
[21] But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
[22] And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
[23] The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

Joseph had no family for any comfort. Potiphar chose Joseph’s prison to be the best of the worst…the prison of the king. However this was just another step in the process.

Always remember: a person living for God will live for God no matter where they are in life, and will be blessed in bondage and banishment. Let us never forget that through Joseph to see Jesus, who suffered being tempted, yet without sin; who was slandered, and persecuted and imprisoned, but without cause. Who by the cross ascended to the throne! Let us be able to follow the path of suffering to glory!

What God Puts In Purpose Will Succeed

Exodus 1:6-14

[6] And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
[7] And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
[8] Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
[9] And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
[10] Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
[11] Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
[12] But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
[13] And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
[14] And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

Exodus 2:1

[1] And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

Exodus 1:2

[2] Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Exodus 2:2-10

[2] And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
[3] And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.
[4] And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
[5] And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
[6] And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
[7] Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
[8] And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
[9] And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
[10] And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

In the time when Joseph died, the new King of Egypt at that time foresaw the people that Joseph had ruled over and how they were in his eyes “better”. As we read this now we know that this was just the after-effects of the almighty favor and blessings of God! As this Pharaoh raised intentions in his heart to fight the almighty favor of God, God saw that Israel needed a new “Joseph”, or a new leader to keep them walking before God the way God had instructed all of the time before this. So what happened? The man that we now know as Moses was conceived and brought into the world! Despite all that tried to even destroy him from birth God proved that His will and power supersede all of our plans (or as we read it that His ways are above ours)! Moses was raised in that time to lead them out of the very captivity this Pharaoh had intended for their destruction!

My thought for you today is to remember that when you walk uprightly and obedient before God that you will always have His favor and direction no matter what opposition that would come (even if it were from a great King!).

1 John 3:1-24

[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
[4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
[5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
[6] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
[7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
[8] He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
[9] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
[10] In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
[11] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
[12] Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
[13] Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
[14] We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
[15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
[16] Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
[17] But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
[18] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
[19] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
[20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
[21] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
[22] And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
[23] And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
[24] And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

When God foresaw the way sin was going to overcome the world and mankind, He sent Jesus into the world. Jesus Christ became the new atonement beyond the realm of Moses and his generations all the way to where we are. And now we have a leader that dwells within each and every one of us for all of the fiery trials we all go through. We have a way out of sin and have a leader through the presence of the spirit to guide us into living a life from sin. For that I celebrate not having to be as I was, but to be as I am through the one that spoke unto Moses, the “I am”.

Keeping Ourselves In Check

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Numbers 13:25-33

[25] And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
[26] And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
[27] And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
[28] Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
[29] The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
[30] And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
[31] But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
[32] And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
[33] And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

In reading and studying this, you can consider how much that had happened before they were ever brought into the wilderness: All of the plagues that were brought upon Pharaoh to change his heart in order to let the people go, the eloquent escape route that God made through with the pillar of cloud and fire, parting the Red Sea for walking on dry ground, etc. In consideration of this, you would have thought that this would have been enough to keep a person’s focus in trusting God! However, as we read on the next test that they endured proved to show their doubts.

Numbers 14:6-11

[6] And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
[7] And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
[8] If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
[9] Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
[10] But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
[11] And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?

Numbers 14:22-35

[22] Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
[23] Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
[24] But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
[25] (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
[26] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
[27] How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
[28] Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
[29] Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
[30] Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
[31] But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
[32] But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
[33] And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
[34] After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
[35] I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

Caleb stood as one that whole-heartedly believed and trusted in the Lord. The thing is, he went as a spy and saw the same things the other spies saw that gave the bad report. The difference in his perspective and report was his faith and belief in God. If there was ever a time for the children of God to stand up and demonstrate their belief and trust in God, it is now! I don’t want to spend all my days wondering in the wilderness living in doubt.

Matthew 28:16-20

[16] Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
[17] And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
[20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

In conclusion, you might be the 1 in 1,000 that stands up and says that “we can do it” or “I know God will be with us” and get completely rejected. However, if you put your trust in God and follow that will you will get to see your promised land! Don’t live your life as a doubter but as an optimist built by faith! Consider who you are trusting in! If it is God, you have nothing to worry about whatsoever. Be encouraged to know that with every step you take for God will prove great things for you in your life and those around you. Most importantly, continually rekindle the desire to stay strong in your faith to be an example for those that are with you all the time. People need it today far more than we can realize!