Here is another prayer of John Baillie's to begin a new week: “O HOLY Spirit, visit my soul and stay within me all day. Inspire all my thoughts. Pervade all my imaginations. Suggest all my decisions. Make your home in the most secret place of my will and inspire all my actions. Be with me in my silence and in my speech, in my hurry and in my leisure, in company and in solitude, in the freshness of the morning and in the weariness of the evening; and give me grace at all times to rejoice in the comforting mystery of your companionship.
Read MoreHere is another evening prayer of John Baillie’s to finish the week: “MOST gracious God, I rejoice in the love you have shown to our poor human race, opening up to us a path of deliverance from our sin and foolishness.
Read MoreThen Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” (Ex. 5:22-23)
Read MoreThen Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” (Ex. 5:22-23)
Read MoreThen Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” (Ex. 5:22-23)
Read MoreAnother morning prayer of John Baillie's to begin the week: “I BLESS you, most gracious God, that again you have brought light out of darkness and caused the morning to appear! I bless you, because you send me out, in health and life, to the duties and activities of another day! Lord, I ask you to go with me through all the sunlit hours and protect me from every evil way, so that when evening comes, I do not need to hide my head in shame.
Read MoreAn evening prayer of John Baillie's as we finish this week: “O DIVINE Father, your mercy is always waiting for those who return to you in true humility and repentance of heart. So I ask you now to hear this humble seeker who needs your help. How confidently I set out this morning into the life of a new day; now I lie down ashamed and burdened with memories of things undone that ought to have been done and things done that ought not to have been done. Bring me afresh, O God, your healing and cleansing power, so that again I may take hold of the salvation which you have offered to me through Jesus Christ my Lord.
Read MoreThese words show that Moses had no intention of going back to Egypt from the beginning when he said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt” (3:11)? He brought up many questions and concerns about God’s commission. Some of them could be viewed legitimate. But these words show that they were no more than excuses. It’s amazing how he could still refuse to go after all the reasons, assurances, and signs God had given him. Oh, the depth of the sinfulness of the fallen man!
Read MoreBut Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” (Ex. 4:10), When Moses asked God how he could prove to the people of Israel that their God had really sent him, God showed Him a few miracles. God promised to perform the same miracles in front of the people if they questioned Moses’ words. Even so, Moses managed to come up with another excuse: he was not a good speaker.
Read MoreThen Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” (Exod. 4:1) Moses said this after the LORD told him what His name was, why He was sending him back to Egypt, and how He would bring the people of Israel out of Egypt. This was done in a long speech, spanning 9 verses (3:14-22). But Moses managed to come up with another excuse. How infuriating it must have been to God to hear these words of Moses! Some of you know what that feels like. You do your best to explain something in the nicest and best way possible to someone and, after all that, the person comes back and acts like he didn’t hear anything you said. It’s amazing how patient God continued to be with Moses.
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