2 Down......64 to Go

I am overjoyed as I write this update. I can't express how excited I am to tell you that I have finished reading and studying the first 2 of the 66 books of the Bible. As many of you, I have read many of chapters and books of the Bible, but never have I spent day after day, week after week reading, learning, and falling more in love with God's Love Letters to His Children. I am also amazed by the group of women God has placed together ONLINE to take this journey together. Its still not too late to join in, you can click here and jump on into Leviticus today.

I wanted to share my Top 6 Things I took away from this study of Exodus, some quotes are taken directly from the study.

1. The theme of Exodus: "I (the Lord) will do whatever it takes to carry out my plan."

2. The Lord will detach me from everything that numbs my sacred hunger for HIM and makes me feel hungrier for something other than God.

3. Exodus 12:50-51 ... God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and it took many deaths to do it. I keep thinking of a quote: "I think I understand that the Exodus from Egypt is a picture of my being rescued from the Kingdom of darkness. BUT, I am more interested in being rescued from my pain and my problems. I can't get my mind off problems in my life. And You won't promise to deal with them to make my life better." God rescues us from our darkness and does something about it - this truth is overwhelming and sometimes more than I can comprehend.

4. Exodus 13:17-18 ... when Pharaoh released the people God didn't lead them down the shortest route because if they encountered war they'd change their minds and go back to Egypt. Instead, HE led them into a wilderness...what? We are to follow him willingly and trust Him to lead us safely around unseen obstacles. God can see the end of our journey from the beginning, and he knows the safest and best route. The Lord reminded me that sometimes He will not lead me on the shortest path to reach my goal. He also reminded me that I should resist complaining about the detour of the desert road to get to where He has called me to go.

5. Exodus 23:30 - "Little by Little." I will drive out your enemies till you increase enough to take possession. This means so much to me because I want to be delivered from my problems TODAY. HE must increase; I must decrease. This is about transformation not information, isn't it? It's not about knowing it's little by little. It's all about living and walking and trusting this day that my Great God will take care of me in my wilderness where I have no water.

6. Exodus 29:42 is so beautiful: "There I will meet you and speak to you." I wonder where our Sovereign God will meet us this day and speak? Will I recognize it's Him. Awaken our ears to be taught like a disciple. Isaiah 50:4. Wake us up! "The Glory of God is man fully alive."

Exodus truly reminds me again of how much God wants to dwell in the midst of His people. The Lord gave so many details and specifics about building His Meeting Place, "Tent of Meeting", His Tabernacle, and I didn't see those specifics as God being boastful or demanding; NO, I saw a Father calling for fellowship with his children. The Lord is willing to go any lengths to be with his child. Imagine God, the creator of the Universe, clothed with splendor and arrayed in glory, living in, a simple tent set up in a barren wilderness. Sure it was fancy, but compare it to what we imagine heaven to be. But, that is where He lived, just to be near his people.

WOW.......God "camping" just to be near his children.......He wants to fellowship with me?? Who am I??? I am HIS child, just as you are His child too. Woohoo......that makes me jump up and down and Praise My Father!!! Praise the Lord!! He is so WORTHY of our Praise. He is WORTHY of our Worship. He is WORTHY of Honor. He Is WORTHY of our Thanks!!!

Be Blessed this week, and through the study of Exodus I leave with a "glow of radiance on my face." (Exodus 34:29-35)