Exodus chapters 7-9

God’s message to me: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the fee exercise thereof” You didn’t really think the founding fathers came up with that amendment by accident did you?

Promises: God differentiates between his people and the ungodly. The next time you here someone claim that some disaster is a judgment from God, ask them if God’s people were spared. The people of Israel lived in the flood plain known as Goshen and were separate from the rest of Egypt because Egyptians found animal shepherding to be distasteful. Goshen was not effected by the plagues hitting just up the road.

Commands: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, Bless God’s chosen people, Support the nation of Israel and never stand against it.

Timeless principles: It’s easy to beg for God’s protection and blessing and relief in your hour of trouble but all to easy to forget him when things get better.

more to learn for in-depth study: Continuing with the theme of relief. How many stories have you heard in which a tornado wiped out a town and left only the church standing? How many times have things happened that caused many deaths and when you here from the survivors they are giving the glory to God for their survival? These are stories in which you might be able to claim the judgment of God. The twin towers was an attention grabber but it was pretty random in who got killed and who didn’t. How many stories of priests and preachers losing their lives while praying with the dying do you need to hear to know it effected all. Katrina wiped out everything in it’s path. While it’s tempting to call it judgment when you hear of the behavior of survivors, you should also examine the fact that churches and synagogues were wiped out two. People of faith died with the pagans. Another random act.

Have no doubt that judgment will befall the corrupt, the Satanist, the pagans, the criminals and all the other evil doers in a place like New Orleans. Katrina was not that judgment. If anything, I would say their political leadership qualifies as their punishment. While the Christians and Jews turn to God for their help the rest turn to a government that steals more than it pays in wages and pays far more in wages than it provides in benefits to the community. This is a judgment which spares the righteous.