Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for April 4, 2020
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for April 4, 2020
from Exodus chapter 3
The Call of God
Most people consider this chapter of exodus to be about Moses and the burning Bush. But what is the most important thing? Is it the landscaping? No, it’s about God calling Moses. The only purpose of the burning bush was to capture the attention of Moses so that God could call Moses to lead God’s People out of Egypt.
After God speaks to Moses, God tells Moses to take off his sandals for Moses is standing on holy ground. Again, is it about the landscaping? No, the ground is holy because of God’s presence.
God explains in verse 7 and 8
Exodus 3:7–8 (ESV) 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Notice that God has heard their cries and God has come down to deliver them and bring them back. By the way, Joseph told the people on his death bead that God would surely visit them, and now in God’s time that visit would take place. God would visit through the person of Moses.
Moses is a little hesitant about this.
Exodus 3:11 (ESV) 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
Notice the lesson Moses still needs to learn, who am I? We are nothing but dust without God. Exodus 3:14–15 (ESV) 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
All of this is God’s doing, Moses is just the means God will use to accomplish His will. But God gives Moses a fair warning it is not going to be easy:
Exodus 3:19–20 (ESV) 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go.
God has placed His name upon us in Holy Baptism. Our daily path is also not an easy one, but with Christ Jesus with us, we know that God will accomplish His will. Remember it is all about God’s name and His call, not the landscaping.
Join me again tomorrow as we hear about: The Signs of God
Thank you for watching, and please share this with others.
God’s Peace and Many Blessings be with you.
Like most churches these are difficult times. Please consider a denotation to:
Peace Lutheran Church
24024 W. Main St.
Plainfield, IL 60544
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for April 3, 2020
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for April 3, 2020
from Exodus chapter 2
The Training of a Rescuer.
What does it take to be a rescuer in today’s world? You need to realize that God will take care and you so that you and help care for others. Jesus gives us guidance in this Mark 12:29–31 (ESV) 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
In Exodus chapter 2 Moses learns this important lesson. Moses goes from being a prince in Egypt to being on the run. Why? Moses trusts in God, sees God’s people in need, in this case he rescues a Hebrew from being beaten. Like the common cliché “No good deed goes unpunished.” So Moses goes from riches to rags so to speak. Even though he is one the run that doesn’t stop him from wanting to help rescue people. So, when we get to a well, where some gals are being bullied by some shepherds, he jumps in again. However this time there eventually is a reward for his actions as he eventually marries Zipporah.
Christ Jesus is our rescuer. He comes down to earth to deliver us from sin and eternal death. However, He is killed, crucified on a cross. We may think like the common cliché “No good deed goes unpunished.” But there is a change here, there is a reward. Jesus rises from the dead in order to claim His prize. The same type of reward Moses had. Christ’s reward is His bride, those who believe and trust in Him have eternal life. Believers are considered to be the bride of Christ. St. Paul notes this in:
Ephesians 5:25–27 (ESV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
After Christ rescues us, He still continues to provide for us, care for us, loves us, and forgives us, even during these difficult times. Faith sees these things daily in our lives.
Join me again tomorrow as we hear about: The Call from God.
Thank you for watching, and please share this with others.
God’s Peace and Many Blessings be with you.
Like most churches these are difficult times. Please consider a denotation to:
Peace Lutheran Church
24024 W. Main St.
Plainfield, IL 60544
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for April 2, 2020
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for April 2, 2020
from Exodus chapter 2
The Letter of the Law
Exodus chapter 1 ends with:
Exodus 1:22 (ESV) 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
The letter of the law says every son that is born to the Hebrew you shall cast into the Nile. It doesn’t say that you can’t make a boat for the baby. It doesn’t say that you can’t watch the baby. That is what happen to Moses plus the boat happened to be at the right place at the right time, by God’s design, when Pharaoh’s Daughter came by for a bath. She saw the baby and adopted him naming him Moses.
Yes, evil laws will not stop God from accomplishing His will. When God choses to act He will. Consider
For us in our daily lives we realize that God’s will is done. We don’t need to worry over evil or any virus.
The prophet Isaiah wrote:
Isaiah 35:4 (ESV) 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
Moses would be God’s deliverer from a hostel Egypt. But Moses would come in God’s time by God’s will.
So we hand onto God’s Word, “Be Strong; fear not! God will come and save you, and all people who believe and trust in Him. So, during this time of uncertainty we are to be patient and trust and learn from God. That what Moses did. He grew up in Pharaoh’s house. But there was more for Moses to learn and God would teach him. God would have to get Moses ready more about that tomorrow.
Join me again tomorrow as we hear about: The Training of a Rescuer.
Thank you for watching, and please share this with others.
God’s Peace and Many Blessings be with you.
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for April 1, 2020
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for April 1, 2020
from Exodus chapter 1
What happens when we forget the past?
There is some things that we need to remember. The Book of Exodus continues the time line from Genesis. Chapter 1 notes how the people of Israel flourish and populated in the land of Egypt.
Exodus 1:8 (ESV) 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
How quickly they forgot. Actually, it wasn’t very quickly Joseph lived many years. But they forgot, when all of Egypt mourned for Joseph’s father. They forgot what Joseph did for Egypt.
Would it had made a difference if they remembered? Yes.
Exodus 1:9–10 (ESV) 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.”
If the King of Egypt would only have remember that the people of Israel are sojourners and Canaan was their home land. If they would have remembered how Joseph’s father wanted to be buried in the land of Canaan, then they may have realized that the people of Israel would not rise up against them.
The result of their lack of memory, was they felt threaten by the people of Israel so they enslaved them and Exodus 1:22 (ESV) 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
Wow, sounds very rough for the people of Israel. But consider Exodus 1:12 (ESV) 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.
The more they were oppressed the more they multiplied. That only happens with faith and hope. Even slavery and mandated killing of their infant sons cannot break their faith and trust in God. So likewise, for us in these oppressive times, we dare not forget God’s good gifts given to us every day. God has blessed us and will continue to bless us. Our hope and trust in Christ Jesus continue even in the midst of difficult times.
Join me again tomorrow: Following the Letter of the Law.
Thank you for watching, and please share this with others.
God’s Peace and Many Blessings be with you.
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for March 31, 2020
Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla for March 31, 2020
from Genesis chapter 50
There and Back Again
Joseph’s father died and all of Egypt mourned with Joseph and his family. This is important, considering tomorrow’s devotion, I will remind you tomorrow. Per his father’s request, Joseph and the people of Israel journey back to Canaan to bury his father. Again considering tomorrow’s devotion, this also included as verse 6 says, “all the servants of Pharaoh”. Wow, a lot of people, only the children stayed behind to watch the flocks. Joseph’s father was buried with his father.
After coming back from Canaan to Egypt there is a conversation.
Genesis 50:16–18 (ESV) 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
You may remember back in chapter 45 when Joseph and his brothers were reconciled. But guilt is a hard thing. How many times do we hear that we are forgiven by God, but yet guilt remains? So, Joseph very patiently spells it out for them.
Genesis 50:19–21 (ESV) 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
I like how Joseph begins, am I in the place of God. God will judge on the last day. For us as Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Christians are to forgive, not hold grudges. Note the purpose of Jesus
John 3:17 (ESV) 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Not only are we to forgive, but we also are to forgive ourselves and be forgiven. It is not easy, just like Joseph’s brothers we need to be patiently reminded. That is where our pastor’s come in. We announce the forgiveness of sins at the Divine Service, but when guilt is especially troublesome, we provide an opportunity for individual confession, so that the soul will not be bothered with guilt.
Right before he died, he told the people that God will surely visit them and bring his bones back to Canaan. Joseph then lived happily ever after, to the end of his days.
Join me again tomorrow: What happens when we forget the past?
Thank you for watching, and please share this with others.
God’s Peace and Many Blessings be with you.
