Author Archives: Sarah Schneider

The Devil Will Devour

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Roaring_Lion

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 38.

The construction of the tabernacle continues and this is a big deal. In the New Testament we have Christ and He became our sacrifice. In the Old Testament God is very deliberate about every detail of the tabernacle because it is the only way that the Israelities can to come to God and repent of their sins.

One thing that I wondered as I read Exodus 38 this morning is, “Where is the devil in all of this?”  In all the components of the tabernacle and God’s carefully articulated plan reminds me of the old saying, “The devil is in the details.” In this case…. I don’t think so. There is no mention of him. You don’t read that the devil comes along to confuse God’s instructions, cause delays in the project, cause friction and discord between the workers or mess with God’s order, or is he?

This is only my speculation so you can do with it as you wish, but I have a hunch that the devil is working on the Israelities. There are thousands of people in the desert with Moses. God is giving them a tabernacle because THEY NEED IT! The devil is Bizzzzzzy on those Israelites, God just isn’t giving any attention to him for the time being.

You see, the way I’m personalizing this message is that I get up every morning, go to God’s Word. I pray, study, blog, and allow God’s word expand my biblical world view – Yet – the devil is just waiting his turn. He knows I’m prone to sin so when given the chance to do something contrary to how God teaches me to live my life, he’s ready to pounce. Look at Peter’s warning in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

So even though God isn’t acknowledging the devil in this pages doesn’t mean he isn’t there. Oh, he’s there alright. Not that we want to give the devil any time and attention in our lives either, but we also can’t be naive that he is waiting to take us down with discouragement, disbelief, doubts, fear and any other obstacle he can put in our way to distract us from what is important… God. We need to keep our focus on the Lord, so much so, that there just isn’t a reason to mention the devil or allow him the opportunity to intrude on God’s plan for our lives and construction in our hearts.

God Gets It Done

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter by

2012-10-09 09.38.00

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 37.

I’m impressed by how much preparation God has put into the tabernacle. We started reading weeks ago about how God instructed Moses about every intricate detail of the tabernacle and today we read about the construction – The incredible construction project.

Last year I had the opportunity to serve the community of Joplin, MO on a ThriventBuilds Worldwide project. ThriventBuilds is a relationship that Thrivent Financial has with Habitat for Humanity. The City of Joplin was struck by an F5 tornado and 8 miles long and a mile wide stretch of their city was destroyed. I got to build a house, I actually helped build someone’s home.

There is a lot of accuracy and precision that goes into building a home. Logically, if the walls aren’t measured, the roof isn’t carefully constructed or the door/window frames aren’t measured… this would be a big problem.

2 things I learned in Exodus chapter 37:

1 – God finishes what He starts. I have been reading about this tabernacle for weeks and would have just assumed that it would happen. But God gives us construction day and confirms everything that he spoke of is happening.

2 – This is not some project that was schlep together. It’s done with pride, discipline, accuracy, detail and a lot of TLC. If it were not, why would God say in verse 17, “They made the lampstand of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.” Blossoms out of gold!?! Am I the only one who is shocked that this is coming together by a bunch of sniff-necked slaves in the desert?

Here’s the deal. We have an awesome God. He told us what he was going to do over the past 2000 years. He has called His own to live out our days constructing our lives to be more like Him, and He doesn’t miss the Chapter that shows that it actually happens. Your life has a purpose bigger than your own and He knows every intimate detail. I don’t think Bezalel was all joyful and happy the entire time he was crafting the tabernacle. I bet he was sweating, stinky, and probably physically exhausted. But his name is in God’s book as a master craftsman and his handy work is described by God.

I hope you’ll take this perspective and really reflect on what it means to you personally. Read between the lines on why God would spend so much time preparing you for today and each remaining day of your life. This is very assuring to know Philippians 1:6 is true, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Amen

Too Generous

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Too Generous

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 36

I often wonder what the world would look like if the Government stopped taking care of people and they empowered our churches to do it? I dream of our churches being the primary respite in times of need – from natural disasters to loss of jobs, homeless and hunger, to orphans and widows. Impossible I know, but imagine!

I think of this as I read Exodus 36, specifically verse 6, “Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more,”. Can you imagine if people of today were so generous that we had to be restrained from giving?! My idea of a church empowered model could do exceedingly more than any government could possibly collect enough taxes.

When people have a relationship with God they realize that nothing is their own and as a result, Generosity. Why? Because it’s material and everything in this world will perish so if we have it – give it! It’s not ours to begin with. (Matthew 6:19) Everything is from God and for God, so if it’s not ours to begin with we don’t need to grow emotionally attached to it. It’s only ‘stuff’ and you can’t take it with you.

For this reason I am not a fan of rummage sales. They take a lot of time to prepare and it is such a defeating attempt to recover a meager ROI. Then, I am stuck sitting all day watching people rummage through my ‘rejects’ and barter over mere cents. It’s embarrassing honestly. Instead, each time I pull up to a donation box, I pray that my stuff that God would use it to bless someone in need; that he would see my heart to give it up and desire to provide to those less fortunate. It is so fulfilling to give with this point of view and sincerity of heart.

The message I gleaned from Exodus 36 is to keep that heart for giving and we can give in tangible and intangible ways. Sure, the obvious is money, but there is time and talent as well. Time, to serve in a food pantry, homeless shelter or volunteer at church and then there is talent, using our own respective gifts that God has uniquely given to all of us. Leadership, finance, coordination, organization, teaching, manufacturing, hospitality, etc.

Wouldn’t it be an entire different world if God had to ask us to stop giving these things?

Holy Boots?

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LUISA-BOOT

Today’s Devotional: Exodus 35.

Give! That’s what the Lord is telling the Israelites to do, Give! Verse 5 says, “From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord and offering of gold, silver, and bronze.”

God doesn’t need stuff, but God uses our stuff for His kingdom work. According to this chapter, God will use these offerings for the tabernacle. Today He uses our churches, ministries and missionaries. Another cool thing is that He will call and equip a specific few who can use the work of their hands for God’s benefit. (Verse 30 & 31)

The older I get the more I realize how much more God can do with my stuff than my closet can. When I make a gift to our church or a particular ministry that I am passionate about, I may not tangibly see how God uses every dollar, but I have confidence that the work being done IS the Lord’s work. People all over the world are being taught, fed, served, trained, equipped and sent – hearts are being transformed, lives are being changed.

So this chapter is timely in that I am being convicted. Confession: I just bought a couple pair of (expensive) new boots and those boots haven’t left my closet in 3 days. I have contemplated returning them because I have other bills to pay, but this chapter has caused me to ask, “What have they done to advance God’s kingdom?” I know I don’t have to feel guilty for having nice things like new boots and I’m quite sure God could use my new boots in some way, but the truth is that the material collections in my closet aren’t doing God as much good as the offering I put in the collection plate on Sunday.

This chapter is a reminder to me that God asks me to give and not be materialistic. He is capable of so much more than I am and whatever God uses, and the people He uses, can make such a difference in the world. It calls me to action; inspiring me to do more and not let what God has provided to me sit idle and waste.  You never know what God will do with the ‘stuff’ we give in service to Him.

Jealous Of Me?

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I'm jealous

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 34

I looked up the meaning of the word Jealous. Sometimes we know what something means, but when chapter 14 says, “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God,” I had to question its meaning. According to Dictionary.com the word jealous means inclined to or troubled by suspicions or fears of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc., as in love or aims; solicitous or vigilant in maintaining or guarding something.

Does that make you feel better? It does me. For some reason the word jealous conjures up negative feelings. I struggle with this concept, because there is a fine line between jealously and covetousness and the Lord tells us not to covet. Granted, God may make the Law, but He’s not subject to them and a Holy God doesn’t need to covet after anything – He’s God!

So what would make our God, the creator of the entire universe, jealous of me and you? In this context, God is saying that He does not want to compete with any other gods. He wants to be our one and only God, our true source of happiness & fulfillment, and He doesn’t want to share us. Sounds like a jealous boyfriend, possessive and selfish.

Think about that for a second. We, (you and me) have a God who is unwilling to let us give our time and attention to anything or anyone except Him. You could say that feels suffocating or you can say that that feels safe. I vote for safe.

My takeaway from Exodus chapter 34 is to be devoted to God. Let nothing stand between your relationship with Him. He desires our full attention, time, love, and focus. There is such a strong pull to please the world, fit in, excel, achieve, compete, succeed and impress. God says, “No! All you need is me!”

As we begin our week, let us pray that our hearts remain pure in our desire to be all consumed by a loving, jealous God.

When God Is Mad

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Goal Weight

Today’s Devotional: Exodus Chapter 33.

What are some things that you get excited about? A big game, concert, date night, achieving your goal weight, finishing a project or a shopping spree? As I was reading Exodus chapter 32 I was thinking, “There must be something wrong with me, I’m so excited about this stuff – I love God’s Word!” I just want to cut/paste this whole chapter into this blog page today and say, “There… God has all kinds of lessons for us. Take it all in.”

There are three main things got my heart going today. The first was verse 3 where God speaks to Moses and says, “Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” Oh boy… God is still really mad at the Israelite people for their rebellion and idol worship that we read about in chapter 32.

When someone is mad at you they give you the silent treatment, roll their eyes, turn their cheek/look away or speak in short-snappy phrases? (Can you tell that I have been mad at before?) No fun! There is friction, distance, rejection and belittlement. Spoken from experience, this is not a good place to be. I don’t feel sorry for the Israelites because they disobeyed our Holy God, but can you imagine if someone who is mad at you saying, “I can’t be near you right now, I might have to kill you?” As a believer, I cringe at the thought that God would ever be THAT mad at me.

The 2nd thing that amazed me in this chapter is verse 13. “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” Moses is asking God to teach Him. I love Moses willingness to learn and eagerness to have a deeper understanding of who God is. That should be our prayer as it says in Psalm 25:4 “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.”

Lastly, verse 15, “Then Moses said to him, ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.'” Moses is demonstrating his need for God to be with Him wherever he goes. We NEED God with us where ever we go, without Him, you know everything is bound to go bad.

Thank you for taking the time to be a Godly Girlfriend and grow in your relationship with God. We need Him wherever we go and today is no exception. My prayer for you is that you will know God’s ways, feel his presence and that we (I’m not excluded in this one) will not be like those “stiff-necked” Israelites who rebelled against Him.

Leadership Into Trouble

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Puss-In-Boots

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 32

Exodus 32:22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.

This verse jumped off the page. Aaron is making excuses to justify the sin of the Israelite people. Are you kidding me? Since they are prone to sin, Abraham, and ultimately God, are supposed to not be angry and forgive them automatically?

They can’t get off that easily. I don’t know if I can say this, but the worst thing is that Aaron (the leader while Abraham was gone) should have been keeping them in line, but instead he jumps right in and recruits them to supply their gold to build and idol, and he goes right along and worships the golden calf right along with them!

Sadly, I can relate. I am the oldest of three, I have two younger brothers. I remember when my parents would tell me to watch my brothers because they had a quick errand to run. It wouldn’t be long before their car pulled out of the driveway that we started down the path of mischief. When my parents got back home they would look at me and with a stern and disappointed tone, “Sarah! What did you do?!” Oh I can still remember how it felt to hear those words. That face on the kitty from Puss-n-Boots at the top of this blog post, Yah… that was me. Guilty! Caught! Busted!

Of course, I didn’t know what came over me. I was given a little piece of responsibility and I blew it! I not only DIDN’T stop my brothers from doing wrong, I participated in it and sometimes even came up with the idea. Yes, my parents punished them, but I carried the guilt afterwords knowing that I undermined their trust.

This seems to parallel what happened when Moses when up on the Mountain to meet with God. “The cats away the mice shall play right?” Well, God was mad first and Moses persuaded Him not to punish them, but when Moses witnessed the mess for himself, even he got angry and acted on his anger.

We have to be aware of when we are given an opportunity to standup against the crowd, the temptation of fun, the festivals of idolatry, and the golden calves of our day. Yes, people are prone to sin, but that doesn’t mean that is our excuse for not living righteously and standing firm to keep people from participating in wrongdoing. God has entrusted us with the opportunity to know better. Not only do we need to take responsibility for ourselves, but we have to be especially careful what we lead others to do.

Equipped For Success

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True Success

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 31

I’m moved. God’s Word does that to me all the time, but today in particular because we have this pleasant little chapter set refreshingly inside of a pretty heavy book. So far in Exodus we have gotten God’s Laws and all of God’s uncompromising expectations about the tabernacle. Interestingly enough, I never questioned who would actually build the tabernacle and who could satisfactorily accomplish such a standard of perfection. God answers it in chapter 31… the gifted!

I love this! I manage a small team on the professional career side of my life and it is true. When God equips the gifted, get out of the way. They can scale mountains and overcome virtually any obstacle, seemingly without effort.

I remember out of college how I used to interview for jobs with the mindset that I needed to tell them what they wanted to hear. I would try to impress my interviewer with answers that would fit or mold me into the position that they were seeking to fill. I learned over the years that that is like fitting a square peg into a round hole. If I tried to morph into the perfect person for the job, the chances are likely that I would be prone to make mistakes and the job itself would be miserable for me. On the flip side, my boss would be frustrated because my errors and inefficiencies cost the company money in rework, additional training, and additional supervision/guidance.

Since then I have interviewed for jobs with the confidence in knowing what I can and can’t do. I’m very transparent in my interview because I want my future employer to know full-well what strengths I bring to their organization and I also want them to know where I would disappoint them. That allows them to fully discern how we can mutually benefit from having a relationship. I can be assured that I will be working in areas that I will be most effective and they can find someone to compliment my strengths so the organization can capitalize on the strengths of a synergistic team.

When this is accomplished, everybody wins. Can you imagine Moses trying to carve the wood on the altar, hang the curtains, take measurements to God’s specifications, sew the priestly outfit and chemically blend the special incense? Of course not! God equips the workers and results in true success.

Sin Stinks!

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Stinky

Today’s Devotional: Exodus 30

Once again this chapter of Exodus is packed with incredible insights into God’s holiness which exposes our human inadequacies. In the past two chapters we have read about two altars. The burnt altar is where God deals with a sinner and sin of man and the altar of incense which speaks of heaven and holiness. The burnt altar speaks of what Christ did for us on earth while the incense altar speaks of what Christ is doing for us in heaven today.

Have you ever been around someone who is wearing too much perfume? Your eyes water, nose burns, and makes it very difficult to hold a conversation. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that they are well intended when they applied it; they want to smell good. Chances are, it makes THEM feel better, meanwhile it repels those who come into close contact with them. After all, perfume is supposed to stimulate our senses in a positive way and the person wearing it can be oblivious to its offensiveness. In other words, when applied wrong – it stinks!

This is our sin. Our sin stinks to God. We can’t smell it, we actually think that we’re “not that bad.” God goes to great lengths to make sure Aaron wears a heavenly aroma of a certain Godly formula so Aaron is acceptable to God when entering in to His presence. A formula that God says cannot be duplicated.

So how do we enter the presence of God today? Worship! What is worship? If you’re a Christian, your life is worship. That being said, we cannot make worship pleasing to man, we are to worship God in spirit and in truth. We don’t worship for the show of man so that others think our sin doesn’t stink. We go right to God and pour ourselves out as an offering and confess that we are not worthy of his mercy and grace. We have to be genuine, authentic, and pure.

So the moral of my Exodus story is that we need to stop trying to cover up our sin. If we try to do it on your own, we stink. God covers our sin through His son Jesus so when we come to Him, as we are, He can purity us and give us the opportunity to walk righteously with His heavenly covering. It can’t be duplicated and there is no substitute – just as God did for Aaron at the tabernacle.

As my Godly Girlfriend, I hope you will tell me if my perfume is too strong, and moreover, that my sin stinks!

Recipe For Right Living

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter, Reflections From My Heart by

Chef

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 29.

Of all the gifts and talents the Lord has given me, cooking is not one of them. I know for you cooks out there, you don’t understand it. I have heard my entire life, “What do you mean? It’s so easy!”

That’s easy for you to say…. you know how to cook! It’s not for a lack of effort, I have a family and I’ve tried to please them with my best attempt at great and wonderful things, but I’ve ruined a lot of simple dishes – like green bean casserole. Grilled cheese is a delicacy in my house.

As I’m reading this chapter of Exodus I felt like I was reading a recipe. It kept going on and on. There are a lot of commanding words from God like, “Take, do, and, then, put.” It’s very intimidating. What if they missed something, as I am prone to missing something, when I glaze over the instructions contained within a recipe book? Do you know what happens? It ends badly.

God has instructions throughout the book of Exodus that are specific and purposeful. Since the Old Testament contains so many symbolic parallels to Christ, I draw the conclusion that even though we are not expected to give God burnt offerings, altars, bread without yeast, or sacrifices of year-old lambs; we are expected to follow His little instruction book – the bible.

It’s a big book though and in our sinful existence, you know we’re bound to miss something. That’s the beauty of Christ – we can. Just like my family offers me grace and forgiveness when they say, “It’s o.k. Mom, you tried… I’ll just have cereal.” Rather than beating me down and making me feel bad, they work around it. They still get a meal and that’s what God does for us. He’ll meet our needs, even when things don’t turn out.