Good morning,

Fear debilitates. Fear destroys. God saves, comforts, and protects His people Israel and those that place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation.

Last week we saw that God rules over His creation and knows all things. Knowing this should help us not to fear. But we do.

The term “fear not” is used many times in Scripture. This week we will look at, Fear not for God is with thee, with the fearful, and He is our redeemer.

Fear not for God is:

THE REDEEMER

But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (Isaiah 43:1)

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:17-18)

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. (Luke 8:50)

And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. (Zechariah 8:13)

CONCLUSION:

WE ARE SECURE IN THE HANDS OF GOD!

God redeemed Israel and redeems us also. God has a special place for His covenant people Israel. The Bible states that the nation of Israel will be gathered unto her land. The divided kingdom shall be united. Many Jews will accept Yeshua, Jesus, as Savior and Lord. The Messiah, King Jesus, will sit on His throne for a thousand years. The nation of Israel is being redeemed.

The gentile believers are also being redeemed. Since the time of Jesus, many people have accepted Jesus Christ by faith. They have gone out and told others and the process of reaching the world for Christ is on-going.

Are you redeemed? Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ? Having accepted His offer of salvation (redemption) through the perfect blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Who willingly went to the cross for mankind to pay our sin debt with His blood.

“ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1Peter 1:19-20)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Will you be redeemed today?

Already redeemed, would you tell someone else about how to be a believer in Christ? We have the cure for a deadly disease, sin. Are we willing to deprive others of the cure?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Fear debilitates. Fear destroys. God saves, comforts, and protects His people Israel and those that place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation.

Last week we saw that God rules over His creation and knows all things. Knowing this should help us not to fear. But we do.

The term “fear not” is used many times in Scripture. This week we will look at, Fear not for God is with thee, with the fearful, and He is our redeemer.

FEAR NOT

Isaiah 43:1

…Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Introduction:

Fear not for God is:

1) WITH THEE

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1)

And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. (Genesis 26:24)

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 28:20)

For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 41:13-14)

Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; (Isaiah 43:5)

2) WITH THE FEARFUL

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. (Isaiah 35:4)

Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 1:21)

And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; (Deuteronomy 20:3)

And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.  (Deuteronomy 31:8)

And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. (2 Kings 6:16)

3) THE REDEEMER

But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (Isaiah 43:1)

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:17-18)

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. (Luke 8:50)

And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. (Zechariah 8:13)

CONCLUSION:

WE ARE SECURE IN THE HANDS OF GOD!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001, chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Fear debilitates. Fear destroys. God saves, comforts, and protects His people Israel and those that place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation.

Last week we saw that God rules over His creation and knows all things. Knowing this should help us not to fear. But we do.

The term “fear not” is used many times in Scripture. This week we will look at, Fear not for God is with thee, with the fearful, and He is our redeemer.

Fear not for God is:

WITH THE FEARFUL

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. (Isaiah 35:4)

Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 1:21)

And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; (Deuteronomy 20:3)

And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.  (Deuteronomy 31:8)

And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. (2 Kings 6:16)

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

Even though God says not to be fearful, we are.

The uncertainty of our lives causes us to be fearful. The circumstances around us cause us to be fearful. The state of our nation and foreign nations cause us to be fearful. The leadership of our nation causes us to be fearful. COVID-19 causes us to be fearful.

So many concerns, coupled with so many questions, make us fearful. We are unable to make sense of it all.

God says, “…fear not…” He tells us to be strong, not to be discouraged, not to be dismayed, not to let our hearts faint, not to tremble, not to be dismayed, because He will save us, go before us, be with us, not fail us, not forsake us, He will be with us, strengthen us, help us, and uphold us with His right hand of righteousness.

These promises were made to the nation of Israel. However, the same God who protects Israel, is the same God who called each of us to salvation in Christ, will protect us.

We have nothing to fear if we trust in Christ.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com    

Good morning,

Fear debilitates. Fear destroys. God saves, comforts, and protects His people Israel and those that place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation.

Last week we saw that God rules over His creation and knows all things. Knowing this should help us not to fear. But we do.

The term “fear not” is used many times in Scripture. This week we will look at, Fear not for God is with thee, with the fearful, and He is our redeemer.

Fear not for God is:

WITH THEE

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1)

And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. (Genesis 26:24)

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 28:20)

For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 41:13-14)

Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; (Isaiah 43:5)

When Abram, Isaac, Solomon, and the nation of Israel, feared, God said, “…fear not…” Why? Because God was in control of the situation. He was personally assuring these individuals of His constant presence. 

How did God express His presence? He said, I am thy shield, I am with thee, and I will help thee.

Believers in Christ have the Holy Spirit of God living inside them. The Holy Spirit helps the believer in Christ to make wise decisions, warns when they are prone to stray from God, and comforts in times of crisis.

That should cause us to FEAR NOT.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

God rules over His creation. Is that theology or practicality in our lives? Another election cycle will be over this week. The results will not be known for days, weeks, or months.

God is not a politician.

This week we see, from the Scriptures, that God reigns over His creation. It is His. He made it. Whether we agree with the outcome of the election, God is still in control. Never forget that.

GOD’S OMNISCIENCE is defined as “the state of having total knowledge, the quality of knowing everything.” For God to be sovereign over His creation of all things, whether visible or invisible, He has to be all-knowing. His omniscience is not restricted to any one person in the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all by nature omniscient.

E.  GOD IS WATCHING US (PSM 33:13-15) V13

The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. ¹⁴ From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.¹⁵ He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.

         F.  GOD CHOSE US BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (EPH 1:3-4)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

         G.  GOD KNOWS WHAT WE DO (PSM 139:1-4)

 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

         H.  GOD MADE KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL (EPH 1:9-10)

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: ¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

CONCLUSION:

1) GOD RULES IN THE LIVES OF MEN

2) GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS

3) TRUST GOD IN THE CRISIS

4) GOD WILL WORK OUT ALL THINGS FOR HIS HONOR AND GLORY

5) HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

Knowing that God is all knowing, how should we conduct ourselves? Obeying God would be a good start. When the challenges of life, Covid-19, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, a family member dies, or an election does not turn out how we desire, where do we turn? How do we act? Each situation has its own response.

However, our first response should be going to God. Whether crying, in pain, in disgust, or jubilant, happy, and joyful, God knows exactly what we are going through. We might not understand, but God does. He is the one who will see us through all the trials in our lives. Hebrews 13:5 states:

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

God cares about us. He is but a prayer away. He will bring comfort to all our needs.

Trust Him fully.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

God rules over His creation. Is that theology or practicality in our lives? Another election cycle will be over this week. The results will not be known for days, weeks, or months.

God is not a politician.

This week we see, from the Scriptures, that God reigns over His creation. It is His. He made it. Whether we agree with the outcome of the election, God is still in control. Never forget that.

GOD’S OMNISCIENCE is defined as “the state of having total knowledge, the quality of knowing everything.” For God to be sovereign over His creation of all things, whether visible or invisible, He has to be all-knowing. His omniscience is not restricted to any one person in the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all by nature omniscient.

         A.  GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING (1 JOHN 3:19-20) V20

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. ²⁰ For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

         B.  GOD IS PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE (JOB 37:16)

Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?

         C.  GOD’S UNDERSTANDING HAS NO LIMITS (PSM 147:5)

Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

         D.  GOD’S EYES ARE EVRYWHERE (PROV 15:3)

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

The fact that God is omniscient can be a double-edged sword for the believer in Christ. God knows all the good things we do. Our obedience to God’s word, our love, compassion, and mercy to others, and our work for Him. But He also knows the things no one else knows. He knows our hearts. He knows the wicked thoughts, actions, desires, which run counter to God’s word.

However, the believer in Christ, has the Holy Spirit residing within us, to convict us of our sin. We either choose to repent and continue to follow God or rebel and walk further away from God.

Whatever we do, God knows it. God’s desire is that we would always be in fellowship with Him. He also knows that will not happen. So, He creates circumstances to draw us back to Him.

God was not caught off guard by how this election came out. He knew all the players, all their back rounds, all their corruptions, and all the lies that were spoken. He could have destroyed the whole lot of them if He had chosen. But He did not.

God has a plan.  We are not privy to God’s plan. Our responsibility is to serve God according to the commands written in the Bible.

God’s omniscience is a wonderful thing.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

God rules over His creation. Is that theology or practicality in our lives? Another election cycle will be over this week. The results will not be known for days, weeks, or months.

God is not a politician.

This week we see, from the Scriptures, that God reigns over His creation. It is His. He made it. Whether we agree with the outcome of the election, God is still in control. Never forget that.

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

GOD’ OMNISCIENCE

PSALM 103:19

INTRODUCTION:

1)  GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY means that He is the Supreme Ruler who immanently and personally rules over all the affairs of the universe—and this includes our personal lives both as individuals and as a local body of believers. God’s sovereignty is a place of rest for the child of God.

         A.  GOD REIGNEST OVERALL (1 CHRON 29:11-12) V12

         B.  THE WORLD IS GOD’S (PSM 50:10-12)

         C.  GOD CREATED (GEN 1:1) V1

         D.  GOD CHOOSES ISRAEL DOES WHAT HE PLEASES (PSM 135:4-6) V4,6

         E.  GOD IN CONTROL (1 SAM 2:6-9)

         F.  GOD CONTROLS RULERS (PSM 75:6-7) V7

         G.  GOD DOES HIS PLEASURE (IS 46:9-10)

         H.  CAN NOT FLEE FROM GOD (PSM 139:7-10) V10

         I.  GOD’S WORD WILL NOT RETURN VOID (IS 55:11)

         J.  GOD REIGNS OVER DEATH (JOHN 5:21)

         K.  GOD ‘S COUNSEL (EPH 1:11)

2) GOD’S OMNISCIENCE is defined as “the state of having total knowledge, the quality of knowing everything.” For God to be sovereign over His creation of all things, whether visible or invisible, He has to be all-knowing. His omniscience is not restricted to any one person in the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all by nature omniscient.

         A.  GOD KNOWS EVERTHING (1 JOHN 3:19-20) V20

         B.  GOD IS PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE (JOB 37:16)

         C.  GOD’S UNDERSTANDING HAS NO LIMITS (PSM 147:5)

         D.  GOD’S EYES ARE EVRYWHERE (PROV 15:3)

         E.  GOD IS WATCHING US (PSM 33:13-15) V13

         F.  GOD CHOSE US BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (EPH 1:3-4)

         G.  GOD KNOWS WHAT WE DO (PSM 139:1-4)

         H.  GOD MADE KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL (EPH 1:9-10)

CONCLUSION:

1) GOD RULES IN THE LIVES OF MEN

2) GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS

3) TRUST GOD IN THE CRISIS

4) GOD WILL WORK OUT ALL THINGS FOR HIS HONOR AND GLORY

5) HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

God rules over His creation. Is that theology or practicality in our lives? Another election cycle will be over this week. The results will not be known for days, weeks, or months.

God is not a politician.

This week we see, from the Scriptures, that God reigns over His creation. It is His. He made it. Whether we agree with the outcome of the election, God is still in control. Never forget that.

1)  GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY means that He is the Supreme Ruler who immanently and personally rules over all the affairs of the universe—and this includes our personal lives both as individuals and as a local body of believers. God’s sovereignty is a place of rest for the child of God.

G.  GOD DOES HIS PLEASURE (IS 46:9-10)

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

H.  CAN NOT FLEE FROM GOD (PSM 139:7-10) V10

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? ⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; ¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

I.   GOD’S WORD WILL NOT RETURN VOID (IS 55:11) 

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

 J.  GOD REIGNS OVER DEATH (JOHN 5:21)

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

K.  GOD ‘S COUNSEL (EPH 1:11)

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Over the years I have heard stories of men and women who have tried to flee from the presence of God. Since God is everywhere, that is not possible. They might ignore Him or turn their back on Him, but they are never out of His presence.

God gave us His plan in the Bible.  One book that explains God’s complete plan from creation to our eternal home in heaven. In between, he fills in all the details. The Bible tells us why our world is so chaotic. It gives the back round of the Middle East conflict. The Bible is never wrong.

God has power over death. His will not be thwarted by men.

Do we allow God to be in control of our lives? Do we acknowledge God as our sovereign? Do we want Him to be?

Those are important questions. They will determine how we deal with events in our lives.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

God rules over His creation. Is that theology or practicality in our lives? Another election cycle will be over this week. The results will not be known for days, weeks, or months.

God is not a politician.

This week we see, from the Scriptures, that God reigns over His creation. It is His. He made it. Whether we agree with the outcome of the election, God is still in control. Never forget that.

1)  GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY means that He is the Supreme Ruler who immanently and personally rules over all the affairs of the universe—and this includes our personal lives both as individuals and as a local body of believers. God’s sovereignty is a place of rest for the child of God.

A. GOD REIGNEST OVERALL (1 CHRON 29:11-12) V12

Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.¹² Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

B. THE WORLD IS GOD’S (PSM 50:10-12)

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.¹¹ I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.¹² If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.

C. GOD CREATED (GEN 1:1)

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

D. GOD CHOOSES ISRAEL DOES WHAT HE PLEASES (PSM 135:4-6)

For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.⁵ For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.⁶ Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

E. GOD IN CONTROL (1 SAM 2:6-9)

The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.⁷ The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.⁸ He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.⁹ He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

F. GOD CONTROLS RULERS (PSM 75:6-7) V7

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.⁷ But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

From the inception of sin into our world, man has been in rebellion with God. Man has always thought he was wiser, smarter, and had a superior plan to God’s.

Man has always been wrong!

This is God’s world. He will run it in accordance to His plan. He has given us a glimpse of His plan in the Bible, but there is so much more that we are not privy too.

When we look at the election results will we say, Thy will be done God or Your will is not my will, and reject God’s plan?

We have a choice, choose wisely!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week we will conclude our Old Testament Foundation Stone series. We have looked at eight foundational truths that are essential to understanding the Bible and today’s current events.

Our devotions this week will revisit what we learned.

I. Passover (Exodus 1-12) Key Verse: Exodus 12:12-13 Key Phrase: Let my people go

1. The blood was a visible sign of obedience (Exodus 12:13)

2. The blood covered Israel’s sin but did not take them away

3. We are justified through Jesus blood (Romans 5:9) Through Jesus blood our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. (PSM 103:12)

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.¹³ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12-13)

The blood permeates this whole Foundation Stone series. Genesis 3, an animal was sacrificed so that Adam and Eve could be clothed. Genesis 4, Cain failed to bring a blood sacrifice to God and then killed Abel. The ark carried animals in by twos, male and female, for reproduction, but of the clean animals seven, to sacrifice to the Lord.

Pharaoh failed to realize that the God of Israel was the true God. He took that belief with him to his dying day.

We cannot rebel against God and expect to prosper. Rebellion is sin and God is opposed to sin. It breaks a believer’s fellowship with God.

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” (Psalm 66:18)

We need to repent and then obey God’s word.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Jesus blood paid the sin debt that we owed, but could not pay. He was the spotless lamb of God, sacrificed for my sin.

No blood, no salvation.

Have you trusted Christ for the payment of your sin debt?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com