Author Archives: cazehner

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About cazehner

I'm a woman who loves God's Word, the Bible. And I love sharing what it is God reveals to me through his Word. I pray that everything I write is consistent with Scripture, and that everyone who reads this blog will be drawn closer to the Savior. I am praying for you.

February 14

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Exodus 36:8-38:31

What I love about the making of the tabernacle is the teamwork involved. The talents these people had astounds me. Every detail God instructed Moses was carefully followed and all the Jews had a part in it’s making. Whether giving their half shekel or weaving the material or building the structure, everyone was important in the construction.

It must have been a great time to be an Israelite. They had an important project and they were all involved in making it happen.

Are you involved in the work of your local church? Do you, with other believers use your talents to further God’s kingdom by teaching or discipling, singing or changing light bulbs, mowing or visiting the sick?

God has given you talents and abilities. Are you using them to honor him and help your church accomplish what God has asked us to do?

My prayer is that you will commit yourself to the work of a Bible-believing church. It takes all of us to get the job done.

February 13

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Exodus 33:7-36:7

God describes Himself in this passage. As He passed in front of Moses He said:

The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sins of the father to the third and fourth generation. (34:5-7)

God wants us to know him. He’s not some big mystery in the sky. He’s real. And he is the same today as he was the day he walked so close to Moses he could put his hand over Moses’ eyes.

So what is it he wants us to know about himself? He wants us to know he is loving, faithful, compassionate and forgiving. But let’s not stop there. He also wants us to know, as loving and compassionate as he is, he cannot let sin go unpunished. God will never ignore sin or overlook disobedience. And the wages of sin is death.

However, that same Holy judge who demands holiness of us, lovingly offers cleansing from every sin we’ve ever committed. He is faithful to forgive us when we repent. The forgiveness is there for the asking because he is who he said he is.

God, I thank you that you want us to know you. Thank you for revealing yourself to Moses and to us. You are compassionate and gracious, loving and faithful. You are holy. And I thank you that you have provided everything we need for the forgiveness of our sins. Continue to reveal yourself to us as we walk with you today.

February 12

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Exodus 30-33:6

This is one of those passages I read and just shake my head. What were they thinking? God had shown Himself to the Israelites through the plagues in Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, manna and quail, water from a rock, a pillar of fire and a cloud to guide and protect them. And, not least of all, they heard His voice on the mountain. Could He get any more real?

So why, after Moses had been gone for only 40 days, did they decide God was in a golden calf that they watched Aaron make out of their jewelry?

I don’t know what they were thinking but the Bible said they were out of control. No wonder God was angry enough to destroy them all.

But Moses rallied those who still had faith in God and all the Levites answered the call. Moses gave them each a sword and instructed them to go through the camp and kill everyone who had rejected God. 3,000 people died because they chose the idol over the one true God.

I’m glad God doesn’t want us to go about killing unbelievers. But do we see that, once again, God is demonstrating how serious he is about disobedience. When he says don’t worship anything but Me… He means it.

Lord, help us to examine ourselves and recognize those things, or positions, or people, or dreams that have crept to the front of the line. I want to be someone who worships You and You alone. I pray that we all will put aside everything that even hints at becoming more important than You. May you find us faithful today.

February 11

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Exodus 28&29

While reading these chapters today I am struck by how complex was the act of sacrifice for sin. From the color of thread for the priests’ robes to the amount of grain used in an offering, the ritual had a lot of detail to follow. I sit here wondering why God demanded so much in order to forgive the sins of Israel.

Why blue robes, pomegranates, gold bells, breastplates and jewels? Why bulls AND rams AND lambs? Why blood on the earlobe? I find myself wanting to know the significance of every detail.

Jesus has become our high priest and our perfect sacrifice, according to the New Testament. His work at the cross didn’t do away with what we read today. It completed it.

Maybe God made the rituals so complicated for Aaron to show us how seriously God takes sin. God doesn’t take sin lightly… nor should we. What Jesus did on the cross was complicated and detailed. And it fulfilled God’s requirements once and for all.

We no longer need to sacrifice bulls, but blood is still required for the forgiveness of sin. No amount of bulls’ blood can wash sins away completely. It took the precious blood of Jesus to accomplish that.

Holy God, your requirement for the forgiveness of sin is complicated and detailed. I thank you that, because of Jesus, those requirements are fulfilled. May we accept your forgiveness and realize what it cost Him to provide forgiveness for us. May we not take for granted His precious blood.

February 10

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Exodus 25-27

How did they do that? They were in the middle of a desert. There was no electricity. No fabric stores or sewing machines. How did they create the ornamental details out of metal without lead molds and furnaces? How did they get the precious metals in the first place?And how did they even know what cherubim looked like?

Reading the description of the mobile tabernacle with the altar and utensils makes me wonder. This could not have been easy. And why did God inspire someone to write it all down and preserve it for us in 2013?

This was the place the Israelites would go to meet God. It was a place carefully prepared for God to make his dwelling place on earth. It was like nothing else around.

Today is Sunday and many of us will go to a building to worship God with other believers. And although I think we need to show respect for the material building we designate as a place to meet God, the Bible says that since the cross we are a temple to the Lord. God Himself dwells in each of us who know Jesus as our Savior.

I believe God is asking me today if I have put any thought into His earthly dwelling place… my heart. Is my life filled with things that make Him uncomfortable to live here? The great thing about this house guest is that He wants to help me clean up. He is willing to point out the things in my life that shouldn’t be there and, if I ask Him to, He’ll get rid of it. He’ll wash it away with His own blood.

Dear God, Thank you for making me Your temple. Thank you for taking up residence in my heart. Show me the things that don’t please You, then may I allow you to clean it up. May You find my heart a place fit for a King today.

February 9

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Exodus 22-24

God promised the nation of Israel that if they obeyed him and followed the laws he set down he would be on their side. He would defeat their enemies and drive out the people now living in the land he had promised them.

But, God said, he wouldn’t do it in a day. Little by little he would drive out the inhabitants until the Jews were ready to take possession of the land.

Have you ever had to wait for an answer to prayer?

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time you’ll agree that God’s timing is often not the same as ours. I imagine when the Jews marched out of Egypt they figured they’d be mowing the grass in their new homes in Canaan in a few short weeks.

God had a different time table. Little by little, he told them.

We don’t like to wait, do we? In our age of instant gratification, microwavable dinners, the fastest internet service we can find, we want our prayers to be microwavable, too. Ask and you’ll receive… now.

But while we learn to wait for God’s timing let’s not miss the lessons he wants us to learn along the way. God wanted Israel to increase enough to take the land. He wants our faith and trust, our maturity to increase enough for us to handle the answers to our prayers, too.

Father, thank you for answered prayer. Forgive us when our faith is shaken when we don’t receive the answers we want fast enough. Teach us to wait and learn, to trust you not only with the “what” of our desires, but the “when” as well.

February 8

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Exodus 19-21

In the next few chapters God is going to lay down the law. What a sight it must have been when God descended on that mountain. Trumpets blaring, fire, smoke. No wonder the Israelites were afraid… as they should. They were standing before a Holy God.

I wonder if we haven’t lost that awe. Do we understand that God is Holy, Holy, Holy? So often we portray him as a benevolent buddy, a giver of gifts, a doting father. His humanness in the form of Jesus certainly has made Him more approachable than the God the Israelites saw on the mountain. But let’s not forget that He is first of all Holy.

The laws He gave Moses prove His holy standard for living. Who can say they have never broken at least one of them? Not me. Do we have a healthy fear of Him when we disobey?

Forgive my soap-box and I know there are saints who disagree with me but I think we are becoming way to casual in our worship of a Holy God. As we read these laws God spelled out for the Israelites, let’s do so before His Holiness.

Dear Father, Thank you that Jesus called us His brothers. And for inviting us to come boldly to your throne with what is on our hearts. Thank you for being a Father, a brother, a friend. You are a personal, intimate God and I am so glad you live in my heart. But help me not to forget that You are Holy and demand holiness in me. Help me not become so familiar with You that I forget Your standard of living. I bow before you today and, with the angels cry… Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty.

February 7

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Exodus 16-18

I imagine Moses spoke excitedly when telling his father-in-law how God was working through and for Israel. Battles won. Seas crossed. Manna and quail. So much to tell.

Here is another example of God revealing his purpose behind choosing Israel to reveal himself. Jethro said, after hearing what God had done, that now he knew the Lord is greater than all other gods.

Then Jethro gave Moses some great advice and as I read it this morning I’m wondering if he’s not saying the same to some of us. Jethro told Moses… you can’t do everything. You’ll wear yourself out. Let other people serve.

Years ago, in a church where I was a member I was the church secretary, secretary of the governing board, Sunday School teacher, quiz coach, president of the ladies prayer fellowship, I sat on the pre-school board and sang in the choir. I did that all while trying to get my masters degree.

Needless to say I was burning out quickly. I had to let go of much of that. What I humbly discovered is that those who replaced me were awesome. The ladies group flourished under new leadership. The pre-school board tried some new and wonderful things with the fresh ideas of the one who filled my position. As I began to step back others stepped forward. And what I realized is that I had been preventing others from serving the Lord and using their gifts.

Here’s another thought from today’s scripture. I’ve shared that my family is adjusting to life without two very precious men. Our recent losses have been hard. But I am reminded today that we don’t need to carry the burden alone. We shouldn’t. Even though the loss is personal, each of us need to allow others to help us.

In America, if you meet someone… even a stranger… on the street and they greet you with, “Hello. How are you?” the acceptable response is to say, “Fine, thank you. How about you?” to which they reply, “Fine”.

But if a friend asks and you are hurting or facing a tough decision it’s ok to say, “I’m hurting. Please pray for me.”

When I ask a friend to pray for me it helps me, of course, but it also allows that friend to answer God’s call for ministry. If I try to handle this on my own I’ll be overwhelmed. I take the chance of falling into a depression. I’ll be less able to serve God myself.

So like Moses, I need to let go a little. I need to humble myself and admit I can’t do it all. Whether it’s cutting back on even good activities, or asking someone to pray for me, I might need to make some changes.

Lord, thank you for recording Jethro’s advice to Moses. Help us to recognize when our burdens become too heavy to handle alone. Help us to let go when we need to let go. Help us to reach out to our Christian friends and allow them to minister to us. And help us to be ready to help someone else when the opportunity arises.

February 6

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Exodus 13-15

As we read together the account of Israel’s time in the desert we will see times of great victories and times of great disobedience. Remember Israel was chosen by God… not because He loved them better than He loved other people. He didn’t choose them to bless them for their sakes. He chose them to reveal Himself to the world. 13:4 is one of the many times God explains why He is working through Israel. “I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know I am the Lord.”

So the Jews walked across a dry Red Sea but the same waters drowned the Egyptians. Not a Jew was lost and not an Egyptian survived. And God could not be denied.

After that amazing rescue the Israelites had no trouble believing God was who he said he was. 14:31 says they feared the Lord and put their trust in Moses. They believed God was on their side and would get them to the Promised Land.

Three days later… seventy-two short hours later those same Israelites are grumbling against Moses because they were thirsty. They couldn’t find any drinking water in the desert. Were they really that fickle that one day they trust God and the next they don’t?

Sometimes it’s easier to trust God with the big picture than it is to trust Him with the details. As Christians we trust Him with our eternal home, we believe He is faithful to the end.

Yet we find ourselves worrying about the every day things. Not enough money to pay bills. A frightening medical diagnosis. A struggling relationship. A project at work or school.

We trust God with our future but can we trust Him with the day… or the minute? God provided water for the Israelites that day in the desert. And He promises to supply us with all our needs according to His riches.

There’s a song I like that says… when you come to the place where I’m all you have, You’ll find I’m all you need.

So can God be trusted with what you are going through today? Absolutely. He wants you to know He can be trusted. Remember, a sparrow doesn’t fall to the ground without God seeing it happen. And you are so much more precious to him than a sparrow.

Father, thank you for supplying water for the Israelites in the desert and showing us your great care for your people. Help us to give you what is worrying us right now, this minute. Help us to trust you with today.

February 5

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Exodus 10-12

So finally after 430 years in Egypt Israel’s family is going home. They were free. God had seen the blood on the doorposts and spared them. They weren’t sure where they were going but they had faith in God to lead them.

Yes, they left some comforts in Egypt. Yes, they left some friends there. But where they were going was so much better.

And they were going because of the blood on the doorposts. They didn’t get a free pass just because they were Jewish. Their salvation didn’t come because they were kind or gave generously to the local United Fund. They weren’t spared because their brother obeyed. Salvation came only to the ones who covered their doorposts with the blood of the sacrifice.

I bet you know where I am going with this. Jesus is our sacrifice. He shed His blood and demands that we cover the entrance to our hearts with it. There is one salvation. And it’s through the precious blood of Jesus.

I don’t know why you read this post today. And I don’t know where you stand before God. But if you have not asked God to forgive you, if you have not accepted the free gift of salvation through Jesus’ blood, I pray you’ll do that today. Yes, there might have to be some things change in your life. And yes, it’s a little scary to begin a new journey. But I promise if you do, where you are going… and the the road you will travel with the Lord by your side is so much better than what you have today.

I am praying for you.