SIT STILL - All too often we rush ahead of the Lord, fearful that things won't work out unless we take matters into our own hands. There is, certainly, a time to work -- and work hard -- in the service of the Lord. There are spiritual battles to be fought and races to be run. But when we have done the best we know how and still don't see the answer, there comes a time when we must simply sit still, and wait for the Lord. He would have us "be still, and know that |He is| God." - "Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day." - This was the instruction given to Ruth by Naomi in hopes that her kinsman, Boaz, would be willing to perform his family duty and marry Ruth, whose Jewish husband had died in Moab. Ruth's behavior had been honorable, and she had done what she could to let Boaz know she was willing to be his wife, but now she could do nothing except to sit still and wait. This lesson needs to be remembered by Christians today. All too often we rush ahead of the Lord, fearful that things won't work out unless we take matters into our own hands. When the Jews were being invaded by the Assyrian armies and felt they needed an alliance with Pharaoh, God warned: "The Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. . . . In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength."

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Sit Still

All too often we rush ahead of the Lord, fearful that things won't work out unless we take matters into our own hands. 

.

There is, certainly, a time to work -- and work hard -- in the service of the Lord. There are spiritual battles to be fought and races to be run. But when we have done the best we know how, according to the Scriptures, and still don't see the answer, there comes a time when we must simply sit still, and wait for the Lord. He would have us "be still, and know that |He is| God."

BY HENRY M. MORRIS, PH.D.    

 

"Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day." - (Ruth 3:18)

 

This was the instruction given to Ruth by Naomi in hopes that her kinsman, Boaz, would be willing to perform his family duty and marry Ruth, whose Jewish husband had died in Moab.

Ruth's behavior had been honorable, and she had done what she could to let Boaz know she was willing to be his wife, but now she could do nothing except to sit still and wait.

This lesson needs to be remembered by Christians today.

All too often we rush ahead of the Lord, fearful that things won't work out unless we take matters into our own hands.

When the Jews were being invaded by the Assyrian armies and felt they needed an alliance with Pharaoh, God warned: "The Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. . . . In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength" (Isaiah 30:7-15).

Long before, when the children of Israel were in even more desperate circumstances, with the Egyptian armies pursuing them and the Red Sea in front of them, Moses had said: "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord" (Exodus 14:13).

Soon, the chariots of Pharaoh were at the bottom of the sea, just as, in due time, Boaz did marry Ruth, and as, 600 years later, the hosts of the Assyrians were slain by the angel of the Lord (Isaiah 37:36).

There is, certainly, a time to work -- and work hard -- in the service of the Lord.

There are spiritual battles to be fought and races to be run.

But when we have done the best we know how, according to the Scriptures, and still don't see the answer, there comes a time when we must simply sit still, and wait for the Lord.

He would have us "be still, and know that |He is| God" (Psalm 46:10).

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) wants people to know that God’s Word can be trusted in everything it speaks about—from how and why we were made, to how the universe was formed, to how we can know God and receive all He has planned for us.

After 50 years of ministry, ICR remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, ICR exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and Earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations. Click here for more information about ICR founder Henry M. Morris.

https://www.icr.org/article/sit-still/

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Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

Author: J. H.              

CLICK HERE . . . to view complete playlist . . . 

https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2019/02/sitting-at-feet-of-jesus-sitting-at.html

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WAIT WHILE GOD WORKS - You aren’t in prison, but you may be infertile or inactive or in limbo or in between jobs or in search of health, help, a house, or a spouse. Are you in God’s waiting room? If so, here is what you need to know: while you wait, God works. “My Father is always at His work, Jesus said.” God never twiddles His thumbs. He never stops. He takes no vacations. He rested on the seventh day of creation but got back to work on the eighth and hasn’t stopped since. Just because you are idle, don’t assume God is. You can be glad because God is good. You can be still because He is active. You can rest because He is busy. All of Heaven is warring on your behalf. Above and around you at this very instant, God’s messengers are at work. Keep waiting. The task at hand is the name of the room: the waiting room. We in the waiting room understand our assignment: to wait. We don’t treat each other. I don’t ask the nurse for a stethoscope or blood pressure cuff. I don’t pull up a chair next to the woman with the newspaper and say, “Tell me what prescriptions you are taking.” That’s the job of the nurse. My job is to wait. So I do. Can’t say that I like it. Time moves like an Alaskan glacier. The clock ticks every five minutes, not every second. Someone pressed the pause button. Life in slo-mo. We don’t like to wait. We are the giddyup generation. We weave through traffic, looking for the faster lane. We frown at the person who takes eleven items into the ten-item express checkout.

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Wait While God Works

You aren’t in prison, but you may be infertile or inactive or in limbo or in between jobs or in search of health, help, a house, or a spouse. 

.

Are you in God’s waiting room? If so, here is what you need to know: while you wait, God works. “My Father is always at His work, Jesus said.” God never twiddles His thumbs. He never stops. He takes no vacations. He rested on the seventh day of creation but got back to work on the eighth and hasn’t stopped since. 

.

Just because you are idle, don’t assume God is. You can be glad because God is good. You can be still because He is active. You can rest because He is busy. All of Heaven is warring on your behalf. Above and around you at this very instant, God’s messengers are at work. Keep waiting.

Max Lucado

 

So here I sit in the waiting room.

The receptionist took my name, recorded my insurance data, and gestured to a chair. “Please have a seat. We will call you when the doctor is ready.”

I look around.

A mother holds a sleeping baby.

A fellow dressed in a suit thumbs through Time magazine.

A woman with a newspaper looks at her watch, sighs, and continues the task of the hour: waiting.

The waiting room.

Not the examination room. That’s down the hall.

Not the consultation room. That’s on the other side of the wall.

Not the treatment room. Exams, consultations, and treatments all come later.

The task at hand is the name of the room: the waiting room.

We in the waiting room understand our assignment: to wait.

We don’t treat each other.

I don’t ask the nurse for a stethoscope or blood pressure cuff.

I don’t pull up a chair next to the woman with the newspaper and say, “Tell me what prescriptions you are taking.”

That’s the job of the nurse. My job is to wait. So I do.

Can’t say that I like it. Time moves like an Alaskan glacier.

The clock ticks every five minutes, not every second.

Someone pressed the pause button. Life in slo-mo.

We don’t like to wait.

We are the giddyup generation. We weave through traffic, looking for the faster lane.

We frown at the person who takes eleven items into the ten-item express checkout.

We drum our fingers while the song downloads or the microwave heats our coffee. “Come on, come on.”

We want six-pack abs in ten minutes and minute rice in thirty seconds. We don’t like to wait. Not on the doctor, the traffic, or the pizza.

Not on God?

Take a moment and look around you. Do you realize where we sit? This planet is God’s waiting room.

The young couple in the corner? Waiting to get pregnant.

The fellow with the briefcase? He has résumés all over the country, waiting on work.

The elderly woman with the cane? A widow. Been waiting a year for one tearless day.

Waiting. Waiting on God to give, help, heal.

Waiting on God to come. We indwell the land betwixt prayer offered and prayer answered.

The land of waiting.

If anyone knew the furniture of God’s waiting room, Joseph did.

One problem with reading his story is its brevity.

We can read the Genesis account from start to finish in less than an hour, which gives the impression that all these challenges took place before breakfast one morning.

We’d be wiser to pace our reading over a couple of decades.

Take Genesis 37 into a dry cistern, and sit there for a couple of hours while the sun beats down.

Recite the first verse of Genesis 39 over and over for a couple of months:

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt.

Joseph needed at least this much time to walk the 750 miles from Dothan to Thebes.

Then there was the day or days or weeks on the auction block.

Add to that probably a decade in Potiphar’s house, supervising the servants, doing his master’s bidding, learning Egyptian.

Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. Time moves slowly in a foreign land.

And time stands still in a prison.

Joseph had asked the butler to put in a good word for him.

“Remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house… I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.” — Genesis 40:14-15

We can almost hear the butler reply, “Certainly, I will mention you to Pharaoh. First chance I get. You’ll be hearing from me.”

Joseph hurried back to his cell and collected his belongings. He wanted to be ready when the call came.

A day passed. Then two. Then a week… a month. Six months. No word.

As it turned out,

“Pharaoh’s cup-bearer… promptly forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.” — Genesis 40:23 NLT

On the page of your Bible, the uninked space between that verse and the next is scarcely wider than a hair ribbon.

It takes your eyes only a split second to see it. Yet it took Joseph two years to experience it.

Genesis 41 starts like this:

“Two years passed and Pharaoh had a dream.” — Genesis 41:1 MSG

Two years! Twenty-four months of silence. One hundred and four weeks of waiting.

Seven hundred and thirty days of wondering.

Two thousand one hundred and ninety meals alone.

Seventeen thousand five hundred and twenty hours of listening for God yet hearing nothing but silence.

Plenty of time to grow bitter, cynical, angry. Folks have given up on God for lesser reasons in shorter times.

Not Joseph. On a day that began like any other, he heard a stirring at the dungeon entrance.

Loud, impatient voices demanded, “We are here for the Hebrew! Pharaoh wants the Hebrew!”

Joseph looked up from his corner to see the prison master, white-faced and stammering. “Get up! Hurry, get up!”

Two guards from the court were on his heels.

Joseph remembered them from his days in Potiphar’s service.

They took him by the elbows and marched him out of the hole.

He squinted at the brilliant sunlight. They walked him across a courtyard into a room.

Attendants flocked around him. They removed his soiled clothing, washed his body, and shaved his beard.

They dressed him in a white robe and new sandals. The guards reappeared and walked him into the throne room.

And so it was that Joseph and Pharaoh looked into each other’s eyes for the first time.

The king hadn’t slept well the night before. Dreams troubled his rest.

He heard of Joseph’s skill. “They say you can interpret dreams. My counselors are mute as stones. Can you help me?”

Joseph’s last two encounters hadn’t ended so well.

Mrs. Potiphar lied about him. The butler forgot about him.

In both cases Joseph had mentioned the name of God. Perhaps he should hedge his bets and keep his faith under wraps.

He didn’t.

“Not I, but God. God will set Pharaoh’s mind at ease.” — Genesis 41:16 MSG

Joseph emerged from his prison cell bragging on God. Jail time didn’t devastate his faith; it deepened it.

And you?

You aren’t in prison, but you may be infertile or inactive or in limbo or in between jobs or in search of health, help, a house, or a spouse.

Are you in God’s waiting room? If so, here is what you need to know: while you wait, God works.

“My Father is always at His work, Jesus said.” — John 5:17 NIV

God never twiddles His thumbs. He never stops. He takes no vacations.

He rested on the seventh day of creation but got back to work on the eighth and hasn’t stopped since. Just because you are idle, don’t assume God is.

Joseph’s story appeared to stall out in chapter 40. Our hero was in shackles. The train was off the tracks. History was in a holding pattern.

But while Joseph was waiting, God was working. He assembled the characters.

God placed the butler in Joseph’s care. He stirred the sleep of the king with odd dreams.

He confused Pharaoh’s counselors. And at just the right time, God called Joseph to duty.

He’s working for you as well. “Be still, and know that I am God” reads the sign on God’s waiting room wall.

You can be glad because God is good. You can be still because He is active. You can rest because He is busy.

What if you give up? Lose faith? Walk away? Don’t.

For Heaven’s sake, don’t.

All of Heaven is warring on your behalf. Above and around you at this very instant, God’s messengers are at work.

Keep waiting.

“Those who wait on the Lord
 Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.” — Isaiah 40:31

Fresh strength. Renewed vigor. Legs that don’t grow weary.

Delight yourself in God, and He will bring rest to your soul.

You’ll get through this waiting room season just fine. Pay careful note, and you will detect the most wonderful surprise.

The doctor will step out of his office and take the seat next to yours. “Just thought I’d keep you company while you are waiting.”

Not every physician will do that, but yours will. After all, He is the Great Physician.

Your Turn

I’m in a waiting season. How about you?

Sometimes it seems like I pray and I look for an answer… and nothing is happening.

Is that true for you, too?

But, even though we do not see it, God is on the move working on our behalf!

Let’s wait on Him and let Him renew our strength.

Come share your thoughts on waiting on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full

Excerpted with permission from You’ll Get Through This by Max Lucado.

Max Lucado

Since entering the ministry in 1978, Max Lucado has served churches in Miami, Florida; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and San Antonio, Texas. He currently serves as Senior Minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He is America’s bestselling inspirational author with more than 130 million books in print. Follow his website at MaxLucado.com Facebook.com/MaxLucado Instagram.com/MaxLucado Twitter.com/MaxLucado

https://www.faithgateway.com/wait-while-god-works/#.X7b4CHAzbZ4

 

 

LOGISTICS OF THE EXODUS - It is likely that there was some sort of tribal hierarchy in Israel at even that time; since they preserved their genealogies, it isn’t implausible that there would also be some sort of hierarchy within tribes and clans. Perhaps Moses and Aaron gave the orders to the heads of the tribes and clans, who then were responsible for letting the people under them know. If the populace was contained within a fairly small area, it’s not implausible that everyone could be notified in time. While there are some details in the story that might seem implausible on a surface reading I believe that we can have full confidence in the historicity of the Exodus account. Moses tells the Israelites to ask for silver and gold before the last plague — Scripture indicates that they were told to get out very soon after the death of the firstborn, so there probably wouldn’t have been time after. In 12:35-36, we’re told that they had already done it. As for the Egyptians being willing to give valuable items to the Israelites, keep in mind that this is after 9 plagues, which even the average person would know had something to do with the Israelites, so they would probably be inclined to do what the Israelites wanted. As for the ethics of the Israelites ‘stealing’ from the Egyptians, think of it as over 400 years of back payments for their work while in slavery. They wandered around enough that by the time they got to the Red Sea, Pharaoh was having second thoughts. Admittedly, this may not have taken long.

 

 

Logistics of the Exodus

How did Moses organize the Israelites to cross the Red Sea?

It is likely that there was some sort of tribal hierarchy in Israel at even that time; since they preserved their genealogies, it isn’t implausible that there would also be some sort of hierarchy within tribes and clans. Perhaps Moses and Aaron gave the orders to the heads of the tribes and clans, who then were responsible for letting the people under them know. If the populace was contained within a fairly small area, it’s not implausible that everyone could be notified in time.

Lita Cosner

 

How did Moses organize the Israelites for the Exodus on such short notice?

Frank S. from the United States wrote in response to our article Change is not Evolution; and: Could so many Israelites have crossed the Red Sea?

The email is reproduced in its entirety:

I’m also in doubt about this story, who told them to assemble at the midnight hour, and then what about all the wailing mothers who lost their children, did they have the time to give the Israelites all these gifts to take out into the desert, and how far is it they travelled, from Rames to the sea? And then they did detour to pick-up the coffin of Joseph, and what about the old men with the ox carts, how fast do they travel? To me, it’s just too amazing, and that they made it all the way to mount Sinai in 3 days, it’s too much!!!!

Comments from CMI’s Lita Cosner are interspersed below:

Dear Frank,

I’m also in doubt about this story, …

While there are some details in the story that might seem implausible on a surface reading I believe that we can have full confidence in the historicity of the Exodus account.

Let me address your questions one by one:

… who told them to assemble at the midnight hour, …

It is likely that there was some sort of tribal hierarchy in Israel at even that time; since they preserved their genealogies, it isn’t implausible that there would also be some sort of hierarchy within tribes and clans.

Perhaps Moses and Aaron gave the orders to the heads of the tribes and clans, who then were responsible for letting the people under them know.

If the populace was contained within a fairly small area, it’s not implausible that everyone could be notified in time.

… and then what about all the wailing mothers who lost their children, did they have the time to give the Israelites all these gifts to take out into the desert, …

Here, I don’t think you’ve read the text carefully enough.

Moses tells the Israelites to ask for silver and gold before the last plague (Exodus 11:2-3) — Scripture indicates that they were told to get out very soon after the death of the firstborn, so there probably wouldn’t have been time after.

In 12:35-36, we’re told that they had already done it.

A couple of related arguments: As for the Egyptians being willing to give valuable items to the Israelites, keep in mind that this is after 9 plagues, which even the average person would know had something to do with the Israelites, so they would probably be inclined to do what the Israelites wanted.

As for the ethics of the Israelites ‘stealing’ from the Egyptians, think of it as over 400 years of back payments for their work while in slavery.

… and how far is it they travelled, from Rames to the sea? And then they did detour to pick-up the coffin of Joseph, and what about the old men with the ox carts, how fast do they travel? To me, it’s just too amazing, and that they made it all the way to mount Sinai in 3 days, it’s too much!!!!

Indeed, all that with a multitude of that size would be too much to do to reach Sinai in three days.

That’s not what Scripture said happened. Here’s the time information we’re given about the Exodus departure:

Ø They wandered around enough that by the time they got to the Red Sea, Pharaoh was having second thoughts (Exodus 14:1-12). Admittedly, this may not have taken long.

Ø  For three days after the crossing of the Red Sea (most likely the three days you’re thinking of), they wandered around in the Wilderness of Shur (Exodus 15:22).

Ø  They took an un-recorded amount of time to get to Elim, camped there for an unrecorded amount of time, and came to the Wilderness of Sin 1 month and 15 days after leaving Egypt (Exodus 16:1).

Ø  On the way to Sinai they were given manna for the first time, and they were on the way to Sinai long enough for there to be at least one Sabbath (Exodus 16:13-30).

Ø  They journeyed ‘by stages’ to Rephidim where they camped for an undisclosed amount of time (Exodus 17:8).

Ø They didn’t actually come to Sinai before the third month after they left Egypt (Exodus 19:1).

So the Bible’s account isn’t as implausible as you make it out to be.

I believe that we should not appeal to supernatural events without evidence from Scripture that something supernatural took place.

Some are inclined to also appeal to supernatural organization and endurance to march for longer periods of time, etc.

I don’t buy into those, because I believe that we should not appeal to supernatural events without evidence from Scripture that something supernatural took place.

Therefore, it is legitimate to say that the Red Sea parting was a miraculous event that involved the direct influence of God, but since there is no indication of anything supernatural about the trek to Sinai, I would be very inclined to try to explain this without appealing to miracles, which I believe can be very plausibly done.

I hope this is helpful for you, and has given you more confidence in the historicity of the Bible’s record of the Exodus.

Sincerely,

Lita Cosner

 

Lita Cosner

Information Officer

Creation Ministries International

https://creation.com/exodus-logistics

 

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DISCERN THE SPIRITS - The apostle John warned that antichrists are already here among us and we also are expecting a final revelation of a "Man of Sin" known as "The Antichrist" - his way is being prepared that the whole world may receive and worship him. "The whole world", but not true believers in the Lord Jesus the Christ. Yet, not to be deceived will require spiritual discernment. We must test the spirits, as the Apostle John instructed us - our spirits and our minds must be informed by the Word of God, according to simple and true gospel of Jesus’ death for sin, and resurrection from the dead - “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” The apostle John warned that antichrists are already here among us, and while we may be aware of the various manifestations of the antichrist spirit in our culture, and elsewhere, we also are expecting a final revelation of a "Man of Sin" known as "The Antichrist". His way is being prepared that the whole world may receive and worship him. "The whole world", but not true believers in the Lord Jesus the Christ. Not to be deceived as the Lord warned us, will require spiritual discernment. We must test the spirits, as the Apostle John instructed us: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God..."

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Discern the Spirits!

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The apostle John warned that antichrists are already here among us and we also are expecting a final revelation of a "Man of Sin" known as "The Antichrist" - his way is being prepared that the whole world may receive and worship him. "The whole world", but not true believers in the Lord Jesus the Christ. Yet, not to be deceived will require spiritual discernment. We must test the spirits, as the Apostle John instructed us - our spirits and our minds must be informed by the Word of God, according to simple and true gospel of Jesus’ death for sin, and resurrection from the dead

Worthy Ministries

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” - 1 John 2:18

For the past two weeks we have examined lessons from the OT account of Israel's Exodus from Egypt in hope of avoiding the errors and attitudes of the children of Israel.

This week we will draw connections between the Exodus and the prophecies in the book of Revelation.

One of the central figures in the Exodus, was the Egyptian ruler, Pharaoh.

The Hebrew spelling for "Pharaoh" ("peh"-"resh"-"ayin"-"hey") literally describes who the man was.

The outside letters ("peh" – "hey") spell the Hebrew word "Peh" which means "mouth" in English.

The inner two letters ("resh"-"ayin") form the word "Rah", the name of the ancient Egyptian sun god.

So, "Pharaoh" in Hebrew, identified him as, "the mouth (or voice) of Rah".

But the word "rah" has another meaning in Hebrew, that is, "evil", "wicked", or "bad".

Adding this meaning describes someone who speaks with "godlike" authority, yet is evil.

We can see here a strong similarity to the "beast" of Revelation 13, as this "beast" was given a mouth to speak blasphemy against God; [Revelation 13:5].

The apostle John warned that antichrists are already here among us, and while we may be aware of the various manifestations of the antichrist spirit in our culture, and elsewhere, we also are expecting a final revelation of a "Man of Sin" known as "The Antichrist".

His way is being prepared that the whole world may receive and worship him.

"The whole world", but not true believers in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ).

Yet, not to be deceived as the Lord warned us, [Matthew 24:24] will require spiritual discernment.

We must test the spirits, as the Apostle John instructed us: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God..." [1 John 4:1].

Our spirits and our minds must be informed by the Word of God, according to simple and true gospel of Yeshua's death for sin, and resurrection from the dead.

Worthy Ministries is a Christian organization based in the United States and Israel with a global outreach to more than 120 countries on a daily basis.

Though we are an internet ministry, we are also significantly involved in the land of Israel.

Each week, Worthy Ministries delivers thousands of daily devotionals and news briefs across the globe. This past year alone, we have sent out more than 5.2 million news briefs and inspirational devotionals. We have received thousands of encouraging responses from appreciative subscribers. And many millions have utilized our sites and services, including Worthy News, Worthy Chat, Worthy Devotions, and Worthy Christian Forums.

https://www.worthydevotions.com/christian-devotional/discern-the-spirits