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Proud Owner of a Hard Heart

Momentum: The Life of Moses, Part 3

February 19, 2012 • Chris Edmondson • Exodus 7, Exodus 8, Exodus 9, Psalm 51:17, Ezekiel 36:26

The hardened heart of Pharaoh was responsible for putting the people of Egypt through ten devastating plagues as he resisted letting the Israelites leave their place of slavery. A hardened heart isn’t something that happens to just villains of biblical proportions like Pharaoh. A hardened heart can happen to any of us—even the most devoted followers of God. Even to people like you and me. Are you allowing plague after self-inflicted plague to come upon your life by choosing to continually challenge or reject God’s plan? Is it possible that your stubbornness and rebellion and hard heart might keep you from realizing God’s amazing grace? If a sinful, human heart doesn’t respond by humble faith to God’s Word, it cannot be transformed by God’s grace. Coming to God on his terms means starting to live the kind of good life God desires for you.

Grasshopper Thinking

February 26, 2012 • Chris Edmondson • Numbers 14, Exodus 3:7–8, Deuteronomy 1:2–8, Numbers 13

The spies who referred to themselves as grasshoppers based upon the opinion of how others saw them and how they saw themselves—not how God saw them. We can all develop grasshopper thinking when we substitute the opinions of others for the truth of God.

Desert Training

February 12, 2012 • Chris Edmondson • Psalm 46:10, Acts 7:18–31, Exodus 3, Exodus 4:20, James 1:2–4

Moses—he could claim a somewhat dysfunctional start to life; he made some unwise decisions in his younger years; and in midlife he used every argument he could think of to counter God's request to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. Yet God stuck by his desire to use this imperfect individual for a major task at hand. God may be calling you at a time when you feel unworthy or incapable or totally lacking in the skills to be in relationship with him or to accomplish the task to which he's calling you. But with the great I AM standing with you, the past is written off and you're headed for a life of hope and of purpose.

Behind the Scenes God

February 5, 2012 • Chris Edmondson • Psalm 139:13–16, Exodus 1:8–14, Exodus 2, Matthew 5:45, Hebrews 11:23

God is involved in the events of our lives – both providentially and specifically. Hard times don’t remove God’s promises, harsh treatment doesn’t escape God’s attention, and heavy tests don’t overshadow God’s concern.