No Negotiation! (part 3 of 4)

When God sent the eighth plague (the locusts), we are presented with the second of three concessions Pharaoh attempted to NEGOTIATE with Moses for allowing the Israelites to go into the wilderness to worship God.

"(10) But he said to them, 'The LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. (11) No! GO, THE MEN AMONG YOU, and serve the LORD, for that is what you are asking.' And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence." ( Exodus 10:10-11 ESV)

Satan desires to have us rationalize and advises similar negotiations. "If you are bent on worshipping God, go ahead. However, don't drag your family or others into it. If it's your thing, go and do it. But leave it at that."

There is a lot of truth to the notion "Families who pray together, stay together." It is also true that a house divided (note Jesus' warning in Mark 3:25) -- especially when it comes to "religion" -- will most often find this to be its greatest source of conflict. A young woman recently shared with me that within her relations, those who were religious were adamant about it and those who were not religious were adamant about that. She was faced both with those who would encourage and those who would discourage her faith.

A family unified in true faith will find great strength. Shared values bring stability to other areas of family life. That family unit also provides support for continued faithfulness to God through a sense of accountability to one another.

The same is true within the church, the Family of God. We need each other and we ought to let each other know it. Worshipping God is for men, women and children. He desires to be the God of us all! May we do our part to keep from leaving others behind.

Have a great day ENCOURAGING FAITH IN OTHERS!
Carl
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[This focus was originally sent 01/25/2001 (edited some with passage changed to ESV)]

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