Tenth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Tenth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 12: ²⁹ And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. ³⁰ So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

 

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After warning the children of Israel to remember the Passover, GOD did what HE said HE would do. HE struck all the firstborn of the people in the land of Egypt who did not put blood on their doorposts. No matter where a person was, the plague still happened.

 

My Observations:

• GOD gave nine opportunities for Pharaoh and his servants to change their minds.
• GOD was dismantling a mindset that a human can be a god.
• GOD used the values of the Egyptians to demonstrate HIS power over their beliefs.

 

Not only was GOD addressing a mindset within the Egyptians, HE was also addressing the same mindset within the children of Israel. It was never okay to place a human above GOD. Free will had gone too far. Humans placed their own thoughts above GOD’s ways. This made slavery a good idea.

 

A group of people could be looked at as servants while others remained superior. GOD saw this and was appalled. Harmony with humanity was disrupted by cruel behavior and abuse of power. GOD ended with a final plague that would break the Egyptians and those who did not put blood on the doorposts. GOD introduced HIS plan of salvation during the tenth plague. JESUS would become the sacrificial Lamb that would save humanity. HIS grace is available to you and me.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS action of killing the firstborn in Egypt?
• Have you delayed having a relationship with GOD because of how someone present HIM or perhaps a misunderstanding of the grace HE has shown you?
• Are you ready to surrender your mindset and allow GOD to direct your path?

Response to Livestock Diseased – Hard Heart

Response to Livestock Diseased – Hard Heart

Exodus 9: ⁷ Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.

 

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GOD killed all of the Egyptian livestock as HE promised. Pharaoh checked to see if it was only the Egyptian livestock that was affected or did it include the children of Israel. “Indeed” it was only the Egyptian livestock that was killed. Pharaoh’s reaction, a hard heart.

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh faced his worst catastrophe and allowed pride of his position to not relent to GOD’s power.
• Pharaoh was not acting out of fear, rather he may have been trying to prove he was still in power.
• Pharaoh seemed to need to be in control at other people’s expense.

 

With the transportation, food and farm animals all being dead, Pharaoh had to make his own people suffer more by checking on the Israelites by foot. When the report came back that the Israelite livestock was not affected, Pharaoh believed he was a god even more. He probably said, “I can fix this.”

 

I believe Pharaoh devised a plan to take some of the Israelite animals by force. The Bible does not say this, but the next couple of plagues imply that the Egyptians obtained more animals. Since GOD is telling Moses what to write, HE omits the story about Pharaoh’s misuse of power and keeps the focus on how HE was dismantling the mindset that a human can be a god.

 

Pharaoh may have convinced himself that there was a power behind his title. Meanwhile, the people around him had to suffer. The more he dug into his belief, the more people around him suffered. The heart of Pharaoh was hurting his own. GOD remained in control and Pharaoh’s illusion of control was fading.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s response to the death of all Egyptian livestock?
• Have you made decisions that adversely affected people around you, yet you continued anyway?
• Can you surrender your decisions that ultimately affect people by seeking GOD for wisdom and changing your mindset?

Puffed or Built

Puffed or Built

1 Corinthians 8: Now, concerning what you wrote about food offered to idols.

It is true, of course, that “all of us have knowledge,” as they say. Such knowledge, however, puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up. ² Those who think they know something really don't know as they ought to know. ³ But the person who loves God is known by him.

 

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“Why are you carrying all those files?” a leader questioned me. “I want to be prepared with the answer” I replied. I had been caught off guard by someone who was trying to trip me up and this was not going to happen again. He said, “Having the answers sometimes does not show leadership.”

 

• There have been times when I felt insecure.
• There have been times when I thought having the answers would make me look intelligent.
• There have been times when I believed the smarter I looked the more accepted I would be.

 

Paul was about to address a concern regarding food offered to idols, but he starts with a strange beginning. He begins with self-pride. The root of the pride is the dependence on human knowledge. He then offers the solution to the self-pride, simply to relax and be known by GOD.

 

• GOD wants me to rejoice that HE saved me.
• GOD wants me to be excited about my relationship with HIM.
• GOD wants me to be alright with not having the answers because HE is the answer.

 

Being puffed up or built up is a choice. I mean, when I seek validation from humans, I may look to be intelligent in front of groups of people and ask the crowd to “like” what I said. I guess that is why social media is so popular. This causes me to be “puffed up.” BUT GOD wants my validation to come from HIM. HE builds me up with HIS love.

 

Just knowing that I am known by HIM should make me excited. HE did everything to have a solid relationship with me, even when I was not seeking HIM. HE saw my sins before I was born, yet created me anyway. HE died for my sins and was raised from the dead. HE gave me the COMFORTER when I believed in HIM. And HE guides me daily with love. I am grateful HE knows me.

 

• Are you seeking approval from humans?
• Do you feel insecure so you think knowledge is your route to being affirmed?
• Will you rejoice in the fact that the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful GOD, knows and loves you and is willing to guide you if you surrender your life to HIM today?

Review the Faith Side

 

Review the Faith Side

Romans 12: ³ And because of God's gracious gift to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking, and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you.

 

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After taking the leadership class, I started behaving as prescribed. I was promoted five times and felt pretty good about “my” abilities. I was proud of “my” accomplishments and offered to help others with some of “my” wisdom.

 

• There have been times when I trusted “my” abilities.
• There have been times when I believed in “my” accomplishments.
• There have been times when I thought “I” did things with “my” power, skills and talents.

 

Paul warns everyone not to think more highly of themselves. This is contrary to the world saying “believe in yourself.” He immediately gives a solution. Look at the faith side of your being.

 

• GOD wants me to know that my skills and talents come from HIM.
• GOD wants me to understand that I was placed in every position by HIM and HIM alone.
• GOD wants me to look introspectively so I can give HIM all praise versus thinking I did anything.

 

Looking back on my life, I can see things don’t add up. I mean, my pitiful background should not add up to where I was brought. There was nothing I said or did that got me to where I have been. I can say “Only GOD brought me here.”

 

Reviewing my faith, I see a deficit. Times of worry led to times of sin which led to times of worry. BUT GOD enabled me to take what little faith I had and share it with others. Like a piece of bread HE has broken, it miraculously grows into another piece of bread in someone else. I now understand that it is not me, but HE who lives in me that causes me to have abundant life.

 

• Are you looking at “your” gifts and talents as “yours?”
• Do you look down on someone else’s decisions based on “your” knowledge?
• Will you stop thinking more highly of yourself and allow GOD to open your eyes to HIS faithfulness, so you can place your dependence on HIM today?

Who do you think you are?

Who do you think you are?

John 18: ³³ Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴ Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

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 Closing the door quietly behind me, I had successfully made it into the house, or so I thought. “Who do you think you are?” was the question raised from a parent sitting in the dark. I was startled as I did not expect anyone awake at 3:30 in the morning. How was I supposed to answer that?

• The question was asked to make me aware of my problem.
• The question was asked to bring attention to how I was affecting others.
• The question was asked to open my eyes to who was really in control.

Pilate asked JESUS “Are YOU King of the Jews?” What a strange question to ask a prisoner. JESUS quickly saw through the question asking him, “Did others tell you this?” JESUS knew exactly who HE was and is.

• JESUS wants me to know HE is the KING of Kings and LORD of lords.
• JESUS wants me to know HE is the highest, period.
• JESUS wants me to know HE is GOD and has been given all power by the FATHER.

Giving HIMSELF up to lowly yet arrogant humans, JESUS showed considerable restraint by not having them wiped out by HIS “servants.” HE shows this constraint to me when I sin or try to leave HIM or blame HIM for my situation. JESUS shows me grace beyond compare. I know who I am. I am a creature GOD made to serve HIM and I love HIM for it.

• Do you think more highly of yourself?
• Do your “friends” or servant try to elevate you to a higher place than you should be?
• Will you humble yourself and bow down to JESUS, who is the KING, today?