Tenth Round Knockout预览

His Presence

Plagues 1 to 3: Blood, Frogs and Gnats

Pharaoh’s heart was already hard against Moses, Aaron, the Israelites and their God when the series of supernatural plagues began; he believed that the God of the Hebrews was nothing to be feared or respected.

Moses and Aaron asked Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave, but he refused. Pharaoh soon learned that the true God had a more powerful presence in Egypt. When Aaron stretched out his staff, the waters of the Nile turned into blood, and the water standing in pots and buckets and jars did too. In this way, God demonstrated His presence in Egypt and His power over the lifeblood of the Egyptians as well as over Hapi, the god that ruled over the Nile.

The second plague came after Moses again demanded the Israelites’ release, and Pharaoh again refused. The Egyptians worshiped a goddess named Heqet (goddess of birth), a symbol of fertility with the body of a woman and the head of a frog. God showed His power over this goddess by making the Nile and the land teem with frogs.

Pharaoh may not have been willing to obey God, but he acknowledged His existence! As asked, Moses prayed for the frogs to be gone the next day, and they were. Relieved, Pharaoh rescinded his promise to let the Israelites go. Round two ended in a standoff.

The third was a plague of gnats—tiny insects that filled the air and covered men and animals like a fine dust (thus conquering Set, god of the desert). Again, Pharaoh summoned his magicians to imitate the miracle, but they could not. Instead, they confessed, “This is the finger of God.” These plagues confirmed God’s presence in Egypt, and His power over the Egyptian magic and gods.

God’s presence is part of His will, and His will is accompanied by His power. Do you sense His presence as you try to discern His will? Sometimes we aren’t sure He’s with us. As a believer in Christ, He lives in you and you should experience His presence. If you don’t sense His presence, you may need to examine your “relationship” with Him. It isn’t a matter of proximity, but of intimacy. I can confirm that the lack of sensing His presence is the result of flat out laziness in seeking it. It’s not the miracles you’re after; it’s the loving embrace of a Father. It’s His presence in you.

If you want to get Gregg Matte’s book, Finding God’s Will, please visit: http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/finding-god-s-will/358282