Several Make-up Posts...Sorry!

Well, I have to start by apologizing...for some reason I thought that I had posted last week's outline, but it appears that I saved it as a draft instead of actually posting it, so this post will be a make up post for the last few weeks...now, where to begin...

The last post was after Sunday school on 3/23, so I guess the next thing would have been the Midweek Bible Study on 3/27, The Rebel's Guide to Joy in Exhaustion. What we found is that the hard work in the life of a believer comes in the form of sanctification, the process by which God works in and through us to mold us into the likeness of Christ. This means that our circumstances, both good and bad, ultimately become opportunities for God to work in and through us...and that can be exhausting!!!

Then last Sunday (3/30), we continued our study of Exodus with the Israelites' departure from Egypt, the regulations for observing passover given, and the consecration of the Israelites' firstborn. This happened in Exodus 12-13 and we understood from all the specificity given that we come to God on his terms, not ours.

Last Thursday, 4/3, we finished the next-to-last study in our series, The Rebel's Guide to Joy in Anxiety, and we were challenged by the idea that the sin in anxiety comes from placing our fears, concerns, and stress ahead of Christ and his ability to overcome them. In a sense, when we place our fears and worries as the focus of our life, we remove our focus from God and then anxiety becomes our god. This was a very challenging study for most of us and we found that we all struggle with this from time to time...some of us more than others. In addition, when we allow anxiety to come between us and our relationship with Christ, we suffer not only the strain of that relationship and the stress of anxiety, but we are also resisting the work of God in our lives as he seeks to sanctify us through our challenges.

Finally, today we studied Exodus 14-15, the well-known miracle of the parting of the Red Sea and the song of Moses and the Israelites after they were delivered from the pursuing Egyptian army. We saw how the Lord's hand was with his people and in protecting them from the Egyptians, He ultimately demonstrates his sovereignty and power as the only One who is worthy of glory.