Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in my most recent Sunday Scripture series.  I've been posting about my simple study of a little devotional journal titled Reflections: The Woman God Sees., by Jane L. Fryar -- a journal gifted me by some dear young friends   It has a daily devotional one works through -- about a month's worth or so.  It was a blessing to me when I worked through it, so I've been sharing here.  Several readers have told me they're enjoying it, and I'm so thankful for that!

The Scripture for today is Exodus 19:4-5.  The assignment states: "Our Lord first spoke the words of Exodus 19 to Moses.  They describe God's affection for His Old Testament people.  His affection for us, His people today, is no less tender, no less fierce, no less caring.  As you consider that, what words of worship spring to mind?"  I chose to SOAP Exodus 19:4-5 as I considered this -- but the verse at top, 1 Peter 2:9 found its way into my study as well.

S= "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you unto Myself.  Now, therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep my covenants, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine."  (Exodus 19:4-5)

O= Cross-references for "obey My voice" -- 

Exodus 15:26 -- "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD that healeth thee."  

Exodus 23:22 -- But if thou shalt indeed obey His voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries."

Cross-reference for "keep My covenant" -- 

Psalm 78:9-11 -- "The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.  They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law, and forgot His works, and His wonders that He had shown them."

The expression "a peculiar treasure unto Me" literally means "a people for His own possession."

Cross-references for "a peculiar treasure" -- 

Titus 2:14 -- "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people of His own, zealous of good works."

Deuteronomy 14:2 -- "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth."

1 Peter 2:9 -- "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a people of His own, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

God's promise in verse 5 is conditional, an "If ... then" covenant.
IF ... God's people would obey His voice and keep His covenant ...
THEN ... they would be a peculiar treasure to Him above all nations of the earth, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation (verse 6).

Moses conveyed God's Words to the people in verse 7, and in verse 8, the people told Moses, "All that the LORD hath spoken, we will do."

A= God's love for His people today is no less tender, no less fierce, no less caring.  As 1 Peter 2:9 reminds us,  "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a people of His own, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

We are precious to God!  As His blood-bought children, we are:

* a chosen generation
* a royal priesthood
* a holy nation
* a people of His own.

And the reason?  So that we will show forth the praises of God -- the One who called us out of the darkness into His marvelous light!

Showing forth His excellencies to a lost, dying, and hopeless world is a way to praise Him and point others to Him!

P = "Lord, how I thank and praise You that you brought me out of darkness into your amazing, marvelous, supernatural light!  I pray that You will help me every day to live a life that shows forth your praises to the  lost and hopeless world around me.  I thank You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  Satan really fought me on this one, so I'm thinking this study may be important for a lot of people.