Knowing God - He is Greater Than All

Ex 18:11

 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, made this statement after Moses came and told him all that the Lord had done in delivering His people from Egypt.  After hearing Moses’ report, Jethro begins to realize how great God was.  Egypt was a powerful nation and Pharaoh was greatly esteemed.  We learn here that the Lord is greater than anything esteemed by this world as powerful, wise or mighty.  They dealt proudly with God’s people and God dealt with them.  Our God is above the highest ranking authority and desires to reveal Himself in this way.  We mustn’t fear what is revered on this earth.  We must realize that our God is greater than all that are considered ‘gods’ on this earth.  Worship Him today.  Realize that whatever is mightily affecting you today, He is mightier still.  Whatever is powerfully oppressing you, He is more powerful still.  Whatever is pursuing to overtake you, He is stronger still.  Our God is greater than ALL gods and no matter how proudly someone is acting, He is above him still.

Proverbs - The Pursuit

Proverbs 2:1-5

 My son, if thou wilt receive my words,

 and hide my commandments with thee;

 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom,

and apply thine heart to understanding;

 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge,

and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

                        There are a lot of ‘ifs’ in this section.  As a matter of fact, I count 8 different exhortations to us that will result in us having the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God. We need to receive, hide, incline, apply, cry, lift up our voice, seek and search and then we end up understanding the fear of the Lord and knowing God.

                        Our ears need to be open and our efforts towards the Lord. There is a passion and focus that the Lord wants us to have in our pursuit of Him and His ways.  This is not earning salvation but this is fervency in our pursuit of all He has for those He has saved.  God is referring to our ears, heart, emotions, voice, eyes and posture.  We must love Him with all of our heart, soul mind and strength.  He deserves nothing less and we benefit from this kind of fervent pursuit of the Lord who has pursued us. 

Knowing God - New Leadership

Num 27:18-19

 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

The Lord told Moses to take Joshua before the entire congregation with the priest to put him in charge of them.  Leadership is God’s idea and putting a person in charge is one of the ways God leads His people.

 God wanted people to see that there was going to be a transfer of leadership.  We don’t always do well with that new pastor, new ministry leader, new landlord, new president or new manager.  The Lord knew that the people were used to Moses by now and they were going to go through some adjustment when the baton passed to Joshua.  The Lord wanted all to see a clear transfer and be ready to submit to Joshua as their new leader.

The Lord cares about change in leadership and the Lord desire to be involved in it.  Look to the Lord when things change and trust Him to help you transition.   Man’s leadership may change but God is always the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Proverbs - Sour Grapes

Proverbs 1:29-33

For that they hated knowledge,

and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

They would none of my counsel:

they despised all my reproof.

Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,

and be filled with their own devices.

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them,

and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely,

and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

                        Knowledge and the fear of the Lord are tied together.  We should always be seeking those things that please the Lord and then we will understand how to live.  If we hearken to our own understanding we are in danger of making foolish choices. 

                        Oftentimes we eat the fruit of our own way and blame others or even the Lord for such ‘sour grapes’.  We should be quite thankful when the foolish things we do turn out horrible.  The prosperity of fools shall destroy them.  We should thank the Lord when things turn out wrong as a result of a foolish choice.  This proves God right and turns us back to seeking Him and His ways. 

Sure, the wise choice isn’t always the most exciting but the results of having our steps ordered by the Lord, creates a quiet, safe lifestyle free from the fear of evil.

Knowing God - His Name

Deut 5:11

 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

The Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who takes His name in vain.  This reveals something about our God.  He considers His name worthy to be revered and handled with great respect.  His name is associated with His character.  We cannot see Him at this time and it is through His name we have access to Him.  The Lord tells us in Psalm 9:10 that those who know His name will put their trust in Him.  The Lord tells us that His name is excellent in all the earth.  We are told to declare His name to the brethren.  We are told that it is through his name that we will push down our enemies.  In Psalm 45:17, the psalmist declares that he will make the Lord’s name to be remembered through all generations.  In Psalm 74:10 we learn that the enemy blasphemes the name of the Lord.  The Lord has chosen to reveal Himself through His name.  He is the Lord God, our provider.  He is the Lord God, our Deliverer.  He is the Lord God, our Shepherd.  He is the Lord God, our Healer.  He is the Lord God, the Warrior.  Oh that we would speak His name often and NEVER take it lightly.

Proverbs - Don't Neglect

Proverbs 1:24-28

Because I have called, and ye refused;

I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

            But ye have set at nought all my counsel,

and would none of my reproof:

             I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

            When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

             Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer;

 they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

                        Sometimes we cry out to the Lord for help in situations our own foolishness got us into and we even remember the Lord trying to give us the wise way to do things in the first place.  He loves us so much that when we do call out to Him in our affliction He hears us and loves to deliver His children.  In some cases, though, it will be hard to hear the wise way out, because of our own stubbornness and refusal to hear.  We must humble ourselves when we get into those messes and be quiet before the Lord that we might receive the wisdom we need to get through such calamity.

Knowing God - He Has a Place of Refuge

Josh 20:2

Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:

                                                                            

Joshua was being reminded by the Lord of the instructions the Lord had given to Moses.  The Lord tells Joshua that He had spoken to Joshua through Moses.  Moses was Joshua’s mentor and predecessor.  He was someone Joshua served alongside.  Our God can tell us the directions for our lives through those He places in authority over us or those that have been our examples.  Moses had long died when Joshua was to appoint these cities of refuge, but the instructions Joshua received through him were to be remembered and obeyed.  The Lord had been speaking through Moses.  God speaks to us in His Word.  God speaks to us through spiritual occurrences, but God also uses those we have followed in the past to lead us even today.  Perhaps your parents are deceased.  The Lord can still use their advice to help you know.  Maybe that bible study leader has moved far away.  The Lord can still use those admonitions to prioritize your life today.  The Lord speaks through those who have led us.