Determined

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Wednesday January 20, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Exodus, chapters 8-10. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-january-20

Have you ever been so determined to be with someone or get something that you stopped at nothing to get it, no matter how many times your failed? Even if it was something that you knew was bad for you? Let me tell you that determination like that can make you or break you. Of course, it is good to have goals and exciting to reach them, but we need to seriously take a look at the goals we are reaching for. If they are something that does not line up with the Word of God, we better put a halt to it immediately. It is a very bad idea to go against God because not only are we individually effected by it, everyone around us is also. The Egyptians took pride in the fact that the Israelite's were their slaves and had no intentions of letting them go free. God, on the other hand was determined to set them free, but before He did He was going to prove to the Egyptians, as well as the Israelite's, that He was just as real as they were and was the one in control. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. .........Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.”- Exodus 8:1-7,19. Can you just imagine frogs everywhere you go, coming up from under the floor, wall, and rooftops, and the noise so loud that you could not sleep? Strangely enough, God caused some things to happen that the magicians were able to do, but even the magicians soon realized that all this was God. The frogs were just the beginning, the Egyptians suffered through ten plagues, yet through it all not one Israelite was harmed. This is a reminder to all of those who mess with God's people, no one can escape His wrath.

Each plague caused Pharaoh to reject God even more, the more God afflicted the Egyptians, the more determination Pharaoh had to keep the Israelite's in captivity. While God hardened his heart, I believe that it was his ego that kept him from letting the people go. People have a hard time submitting to authority, Pharaoh was the king and had authority over all of Egypt, so he determined not to give in to authority. Of course all the people suffered because of it, even they went before Pharaoh, begging him to let them go. “And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?” - Exodus 10:7. There comes a time when you have got to let go of pride and just stop, stop hurting yourself and stop hurting your loved ones. There are just some things in life that are too dangerous and wicked for us to get into and the sooner we realize that the better of we and those around us will be. I will tell you that I dated a man that was very bad for me, but for some reason I could not walk away. He cheated on me, got arrested, and even married another woman. Yet, through it all I was still determined to get him back and also get even with the woman. Oh, I got what I wanted alright, but was I happy? No! I ended up depressed, bitter, and with the man, who was now serving ten years in prison, even worse, my family was affected by it, we literally had to move because the neighbors harassed them. Needless to say, God let me have what I wanted, let me fall, but, then He picked me back up, once I realized that it was Him that I needed. Praise God, that we have such an understanding, merciful, and forgiving God and One who is determined to get us not only to believe in Him, but to spend eternity with Him. Praise God! “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” - I Timothy 1:15-17.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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