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Ex 4:1-8 / Ex 7:4 / Ex 17:11 (2/5/14)

the Hands

February 5, 2014 • Benham Brothers

God's Hand is shown through man's hands. When God wants to touch the material universe He does it through man. If He does it any other way it's called a miracle.
How were the people going to know it was God's hand, Moses asks. God responds:
First, God asked Moses what was in his hand. When we give God our hands He will show us His hand.
Second, God shows Moses what He has in store for the Israelites - complete restoration (like a leprous hand into a healthy hand).
Two ways God worked through Moses:
1) With his hand grabbing hold of his staff - when he struck the Nile, struck the Red Sea, struck the rock, etc.
To us, the staff represented the cross. We must hold onto our cross and carry it just as Moses carried his staff.
To them, the staff represented the Hand of God.
2) With just his hands - when he held them up and prayed, when the army defeated Amalek, etc.
Both of these were how God told Moses He would reveal Himself as the "I AM" to the people.
Moses used the staff for the first three, only his hands for the remaining, and no hands for either plague of death.
Why the hands? Because with the hands we WORK!

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." It's God Who's doing it - you're just using your hands!

Exodus (1/24/19)

January 24, 2019 • Benham Brothers

* The test of maturity is what a person does with his free time. * A wise person uses freedom as a tool to build with but a foolish person uses freedom as a toy to play with. * Exodus teaches us three things: * 1) What freedom is * 2) How much freedom costs * 3) How to use freedom

Ex 1:8-14 (1/31/14)

January 31, 2014 • Benham Brothers

The very place that represented comfort for the Israelites grew into a place representing a curse. God allowed them to be subject to forced labor so they would long for a country of their own. Push / Pull - when God is moving you to a new place there will usually be a push and a pull - a push from where you are and a pull to where you should be. When God chooses to squeeze you don't question the fingers He chooses to do it with. God uses the weaknesses of others to get us to where we need to be.

Exodus 1:22 - 2:10 (1/22/17)

January 22, 2017 • Benham Brothers

• VS 1:22 - When Satan plans for destruction God plans for deliverance - this is what set the stage for Moses to enter the scene. • Note: the very first plague 80 years later was the Nile turning to blood and the last plague was the Egyptian first-borns would die - innocent blood has a voice and God will bring justice. • FOUR CHARACTERS: • 1) A mom who was out of options but clung to her faith - she had to die to her dream. • 2) A baby who had no choice. • 3) An adoptive mother with a heart of compassion. • 4) A faithful little girl with a solution for life. • VS 1 - About this time - which time? A time when it seemed all hope was lost - dark time. • VS 2 - Imagine these three months - she had her baby but she could have been overcome by fear. • Hebrews 11:23 - Faithful parents - their faith in God’s plan was stronger than their fear of the king’s edict. • Faith always overcomes fear - even when our emotions tell us otherwise. HOW? • VS 3 - WTC - the way to face your fear is to first die to your dreams - let God handle the results. • VS 4 - We see the faith of a mom and the faithfulness of a daughter. • Jesus told the disciples to “keep watch” - Miriam shows us the rewards for doing so. • VS 5-6 - Pharoah’s daughter felt compassion - who do you think put that there? God! • God used a crying baby to control the most powerful woman in the nation. • ** God is in control - He can change the heart of that coach to put you in the game. • The question is, will you honor God if He doesn’t? • VS 7 - faithfulness coupled with proactivity! • Miriam faithfully kept watch and then proactively sprang into action when the time was right. • She proactively put the thought into Pharaoh’s daughter’s mind. • Her reward? • VS 8 - she got her brother back and her mom got her baby back! • The greatest gift a kid can give a parent is faithfulness. • VS 9 - Mom now had her baby and was paid to take care of him! • When you die to your dream and cling to your faith God will come through! • Mom’s situation was so much sweeter AFTER she let her son go than before. • When your faith intersects with God’s faithfulness you will be changed forever. • VS 10 - Mom could let him go once again because God had already proven faithful. • She submitted to his plan, not her own.