Hi All,

How are you doing on your reading? Sometimes it helps to be consistent in your reading. If you find a time and place that work best for you, it is easier to make devotions a habit. You begin building it right into your daily schedule, like eating or brushing your teeth. What time of day are you doing your reading? The first thing in the morning works best for some people. They feel it gives them a good start on the day. Others like to do it just before bed cause it sets their mind on godly things before they go to sleep and dream (some of the OT stories can be a little scary for bedtime though). Remember if you read when you are tired, it helps if you pick a spot that makes it harder to fall asleep.

It often helps when you are reading your Bible for devotion, to do it in the same location. As you approach that spot it reminds you that you are going to meet with God.

Happy reading this week! There are some exciting events in this week's reading! I can't imagine what it would have been like to live through this part of history.

As always, those of you just reading the New Testament will find their schedule at the end of the letter.

THE SCHEDULE FOR THE WHOLE BIBLE READING FOR WEEK FOUR:

DAY ONE, JANUARY 22 - EXODUS 5-7
Chapter 5
How did Pharaoh respond to Moses and Aaron? How did God say that he would respond?
How did Pharaoh treat the Hebrews?
What were the Hebrew's attitude towards Moses and Aaron? When God says he is going to do something. Does he always do it immediately? Does he always do it painlessly? What kind of assure can you have if God says something will happen but you aren't seeing the results right away? NOTE: Keep reading in this book and you will see God bring everything together. There are some people that need to learn things. There are events that God is putting into place even if it doesn't seem like he is.
Chapter 6
What is God's promise to Moses in verse 1?
How does this chapter confirm that God is keeping his covenant promise that he made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
Did the people listen to this reaffirmation of God's promise?
How has discouragement kept you from hearing God's words to you?
How do you feel when people don't listen when you are trying to remind them of God's words?
Does our obeying God depend on how others will respond?
Chapter 7
According to verse 3 and 5 what is one of the reasons God waits to fulfil his promises?
How have you seen God's mighty acts and wonders?
How much of the land did this plague cover?
NOTE: All the plagues that you will be reading about in the next few chapters, are attacks on various things that the Egyptians worship. The plagues are to show the power of the one true God. Also each plague intensified and built on the previous one. Each plague was predicted before it happened and it happened just as was said. What are things that people today worship instead of the one true God?

DAY TWO, JANUARY 23 - EXODUS 8-10
Chapter 8
NOTE - The phrase, "And God hardened Pharaoh's heart" will show up numerous times in the next chapters. It is hard to really know what that means and to understand it. However, I feel it is similar to the effect that sun has on clay. In the presence of the sunlight, clay will harden, but the sun doesn't really harden the clay per se. Ice will melt, not harden, in the presence of the sun. The original condition of the substance determines how it will respond in the presence of the sun. So too Pharaoh's heart in the presence of God hardens due to its make up. What is the original make up of your heart? Do you soften or harden in the presence of God?
Did anything in this chapter not go the way Moses said to Pharaoh that it would? How does this show that Moses is in tune with God? How does it show that God is all-powerful?
When have you hardened your heart to God?
What do you think it smelled like after all the frogs died?
How is that smell like the result of our hardened heart to God?
What couldn't the magicians do with the gnats?
How does this show that God is getting more serious?
Where does the plague of flies happen? What part of the country isn't touched? What does this mean?
How does this show that God is getting more serious?
Chapter 9
What continues to be the condition of Pharaoh's heart?
Do you know of anyone (or have you been one) who has kept their heart hardened to God even though the evidence in God's favor is real and strong?
What is the reason given in verse 16 as to why God continued to reason with Pharaoh?
Verse 21 says that, "those who had no respect for God's word left them out in the open." How does not respecting what God has put in his word leave us unprotected?
How are we like Pharaoh in that we call to God only in a crisis or trauma?
How long lasting is Pharaoh's faith when the crisis is lifted? NOTE - don't follow Pharaoh's example, learn to trust God when the crisis lifts too!
Chapter 10
What does verse 1 and 2 say that the Hebrew peoples can do with this event in their life?
How often do you tell others the stories of how you see God's hand and mighty acts in your life?
What do you think the land of Egypt looked like by this time?
Can we withstand eventual destruction if we are continual disobedient to God and don't listen to his will for our life?
How is the plague of darkness like a life without God?
Are you like Egypt, in darkness without light, or like Goshen and his chosen people, who are in the light of God?

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DAY THREE, JANUARY 24 - EXODUS 11-13
Chapter 11
How has the attitude of the people changed toward Moses? Note - obeying God does result in blessing!
What is the final plague? Note - All sin eventually results in death. What is God's provision for his people against final death? The next chapter explains the OT provision for death, which is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. Remember the NT calls Jesus the Passover Lamb. (Check out I Corinthian 5:7, John 1:36)
Chapter 12
In verse 12, what is God saying to Egypt? Do you remember the note earlier this week that said the plagues where direct affronts to the gods of Egypt?
In the activities of Passover, how can you see the symbolism that points to Jesus as the Passover lamb?
In verse 26, the people are reminded to tell others about the works of God in their lives. How well are you doing, at remembering God's mighty acts and telling others?
What is the response of the people when they remember all the things God has done (verse 27)?
How faithful is your worship and praise to God for all he has done for you?
What did the Egyptians give the Israelites? Note: remember they what they received from the Egyptians when we read later about the building of the tabernacle.
How many people left Egypt? Where all of them Israelites? Note: this shows that even in the OT God was the God of believers.
Chapter 13
What are the people suppose to tell others about the ceremonies?
How do you use the ceremonies and celebrations in your church to tell others, especially the children about God's provision for you?
What route does God send them and why? How does that show God's protection for his people and deep knowledge of his people?
What things does God keep you from because he knows that is a weakness of yours? Can you see that as God's protection cause he knows you so well?
How did the people see God's presence? How did God guide them?
How do you know the presence of the Lord in your life? How does God lead you?

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DAY FOUR, JANUARY 25 - EXODUS 14-15
Chapter 14
How many of Pharaoh's troops and chariots did Pharaoh take to fight Israel?
What did the people do when they saw Pharaoh's men?
How quickly do you forget the mighty works of God in your life?
According to verse 14, how strong are we when God is on our side? How much energy does it take us to fight when God is on our side?
How do you see God's protection of his people here?
In what ways have you experienced God's protection in your life?
Chapter 15
What things did Moses include in the Psalm of Praise to God?
Take some time this week and write your own Psalm of Praise to God. Include the mighty acts of God that you have seen in your life.
What does God do for the Israelites at Marah?
What promise does he give them and what are the conditions of the promise?
How does God require that yet from you today?

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DAY FIVE, JANUARY 26 - EXODUS 16-18
Chapter 16
In verse 3 what did the people start doing again? Well, God sure didn't save them cause they were a group of good people to be around. There were definitely whiners! How personally does God take their complaining?
In what ways could God accuse you of being a whiner?
What did God provide for the people anyway?
In what amount does God provide (verse 18)?
What can we learn from that example?
Read verse 32 and 33, what other time did God provide bread in the wilderness? Hint - What does Jesus call himself? John 3:3-35
Chapter 17
Can you believe these guys? Would you be about sick of them if you were Moses or God?
How does God quench their thirst?
When else have you known God to quench thirst? Hint - What does Jesus call himself? John 7:37-39 What was Moses doing when the Israelites were winning against Amalek? What caused them to begin losing? How did Aaron and Hur help?
Do you have people supporting you and lifting you up in prayer? Note - If you want to live the victorious Christian life you need to have prayer partners and accountability partners!
Chapter 18
How did Jethro respond to the news of God's faithfulness and protection to the Israelites?
How do you respond when others tell you of the success and good things that have happened in their life, jealousy or praise to God?
What advise does Jethro give Moses?
What other godly people in your life can you ask for help and advice?
In what ways are you sharing the burdens, responsibilities, and joys of service with others?

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DAY SIX, JANUARY 27 - EXODUS 19-21
Chapter 19
How long did it take to get to Mt Sinai? Look at a map in the back of your Bible or Bible atlas and see if you can figure out the route and mileage from Egypt to Mt Sinai.
What do the Israelites have to do to be the holder (possessor) of the covenant promises?
What things did the Israelites have to do to prepare themselves to meet with God?
When you go to worship God, do you prepare in anyway? What things can we do to show our hearts are prepared to meet with God in worship?
Do we show God enough respect?
Chapter 20
The first 17 verses are the 10 commandments. Read over them. Realize the first ones have to do with our relationship to God and the last ones have to do with our relationship to others. How would you put these in modern day examples, keeping the spirit of the commandment?
Verse 20 tells us not to be afraid but then goes on to say, "let your fear of God keep you from sinning." Obviously if we aren't to be afraid then fear must have a different meaning. It really means, "respect." How can our respect of God help to keep us from sinning?
The front of church where the sacraments are and times of devotion are often called "The Altar." How does verse 24 seem to fit with those two places?
Chapter 21
How do the rules for slavery, help preserve the dignity of the person in a culture when the slaves weren't normally treated well?
How do some of the other laws help keep peace, preserve dignity, promote fairness, and keep order?

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DAY SEVEN, JANUARY 28 - EXODUS 22-24
Chapter 22 - 23:19
These are various laws that God gives Israel. Read through them. Are there any that interest you? Remember God wants a people who are godly, health, love him and want a relationship with him, and love each other. How do the various laws promote that?
Chapter 23:20f
How do these verse show what kind of a relationship God has and wants with his people? In what ways are the principles here still valid in your life?
Chapter 24
When God makes a promise, he alone is able to keep it but he asks if we wish to accept it.
How do the people respond here (verse 3, 7)?
God gives us a promise to have a relationship with us. The sacrifice and blood of Jesus have restored our relationship with God. Do you wish to have a relationship with him? Do you want to be the possessor of the covenant?
If your answer is yes, then God promises to keep all his promise to you. You are his people. He blesses you. You have eternal life!

NEW TESTAMENT READING
DAY ONE	Jan-22	Matthew 21
DAY TWO	Jan-23	Matthew 22
DAY THREE	Jan-24	Matthew 23
DAY FOUR	Jan-25	Matthew 24
DAY FIVE	Jan-26	Matthew 25
DAY SIX	Jan-27	Matthew 26:1-35
DAY SEVEN	Jan-28	Matthew 26: 36-75

YOU CAN ALWAYS USE THESE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS FOR ANY BIBLE READING:

Always begin your time of God with prayer. Ask him for understanding and insights. You can pick out a verse, thought or feeling from the passage and think on it (mediate) on it all day. Meditating on God's word means to digest it, put it into your mind, think on it, and concentrate in different ways on the passage.

Some ways you can do this is:
1. Put yourself into the scene.
2. Emphasize different words in the verse.
3. Paraphrase the passage in your own words.
4. Pray the passage back to God if it is a prayer, song, poem, etc (personalize it).
5. Use SPACE PETS acrostic to ask some standard questions.
     S - Sins to confess? Do I need to make restitution?
     P - Promises to claim? Have I met the conditions(s)?
     A - Attitudes to change? Am I willing?
     C - Commands to obey? Even if I don't feel like it?
     E - Examples to follow? One to copy or avoid?
     P - Prayers to pray? Is there something I need to tell God?
     E - Errors to avoid?
     T - Truths about God or the Bible I need to believe?
Adapted from 12 Dynamic Bible Study Methods (Chapter 1) by Richard Warren and William A. Shell.