“The Plagues”

Exodus 7:14-10:29

– Michael Montoya, College & Young Singles Associate

Imagine what it must’ve felt like that first moment Mary laid eyes on Jesus. Seeing her son must have given her great joy, but surely, there was an even deeper joy – seeing her God. Finally, the people of God had been given back the greatest gift they had ever known. They could behold the face of their Father.

Read Exodus 7:14-10:29

While reading through Exodus 7:14-10:29, what do you notice about the hardening of hearts? Why does this happen?

If God is powerful enough to send all seven of these plagues, why doesn’t He just destroy the Egyptians? If He has power over Pharaoh’s heart, why doesn’t He just soften it? Obviously, He wants his people to be free, so why not just make them free? Read Exodus 9:14-16.

God sees all situations with perfect clarity. We often have only a small understanding of our trials.

God has worked toward setting his people free from slavery, but even more that, He was working that His people would be set free to be with Him. He was orchestrating this all so that when they were set free, they would know the God who is with them.

Praise be to God that we can know him now through Christ Jesus. We are not slaves to sin any longer. We are sons and daughters of God and co-heirs with Christ. We are free from sin to worship our gracious Father in Heaven.

That is, after all, what we celebrate at Christmas. Unlike Moses, we don’t have to figure out who God is by his miracles or by watching his glory as it passes by. God has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Take a few minutes to pray and ask God to give you this deeper sense of Joy that comes from the gift of Jesus Christ.

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“The Dreamer”

Genesis 37 & 39

– Michael Montoya, College & Young Singles Associate

Christmas time can be busy with traveling, buying gifts, and spending time with family, but take a few minutes to reflect. Do you remember what you used to dream for you life? What had you planned for yourself? Take a few minutes to write out some things you had planned for you life. Now write out the things that have occurred that were not according to your plan.

Read Genesis 37 & 39

While reading through Genesis 39, make a list of the events that happen in Joseph’s life. Also, make note anytime you read “the Lord” and what you observe.

Joseph’s life clearly didn’t go as planned, but where was God when everything was going wrong? The Lord was with him.

Through the next 6 Chapters in Genesis, Joseph’s story takes a drastic turn. Joseph becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and helps all of Egypt and his family survive a severe famine. God used all of the tremendous suffering in Joseph’s life to get Joseph to the right place and time to save God’s people.

Thousands of years later, Mary probably felt a lot like Joseph of the Old Testament. If God had called her to bear the Messiah, then surely, he could have prevented a census forcing her to leave her home at the last moment of her pregnancy. But God was with Mary, moving her to Bethlehem so that Christ could be born in the right place and time to fulfill the prophecy.

Thirty-three years later, the disciples probably felt a lot like Joseph as well. If God called Jesus to save the world, then surely, He wouldn’t need to go to the cross. But that devastating day happened because God was with them, and with us. What we didn’t know was that He was working to save us.

Think about your current pain and suffering. Pray and ask God to give you faith to believe that even when things aren’t going as you might want, God is there. These things are not happening in your life because God has abandoned you, but because He is Immanuel, God with you.

Join us for Christmas at Green Acres!  Info below: