Words to Live By: Week 5
Words To Live By Week 5
Exodus 32-34
September 14th, 2025
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Never short sell an immeasurably more God.
Never underestimate the power of a simple prayer offered on behalf of a complex situation.
Never dismiss the impact of obedience (disobedience).
Never be afraid of the repercussions of telling the truth in love. One of those repercussions is freedom.
When in the dark always ask for more of God. You need Him more than answers, advice or direction.
When I am primarily after God to serve my interests, I have missed His greatest value – presence.
God’s love for us isn’t best expressed in what He does for us. His love was best expressed by what He did for us.
John 3:16,17 (NIV) “16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 1:14 (AMP) 14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).
Matthew 1:23 (NIV) “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
3 Aspects of God’s presence vital to navigating dark and directionless seasons.
Presence = Guidance & Protection
Presence = Daily Provision
Presence = Identity & Security
1. God’s Presence = Guidance & Protection
Exodus 13:17-18, 20-22 (NIV) 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
Israel needed this type of unmistakable guidance because they had never gone this way before. They longed to be free without the slightest clue of what direction to walk in to be free.
2. God’s Presence = Daily Provision
Israel couldn’t connect the dots between a God powerful enough to deliver them, lead them and protect them to a God would could provide for them.
Joshua 5:10-12 (NIV) 10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.
God as our Provider has less to do with what He provides or how He provides, but who He is - He is Jehovah-Jireh. Acknowledging God as Provider is to never think what we have is solely due to who we are or what we can produce.
3. God’s Presence = Identity & Security
Exodus 32:9-10 (NIV) 9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God… 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Exodus 32:30-34 (NIV) 30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” 33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
Exodus 33:1-3 (NIV) Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”
Exodus 33:12-17 (NIV) 12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
Outcomes and destinations are empty without Identity. God’s presence gives us our identity. If you are confident in an immeasurably more God and secure in who you are in Christ, where you are and what’s in front of you become secondary to whose you are.
Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NIV) 10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Psalm 34:4 (NIV) I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered my from all my fears.
Psalm 18:6 (NIV) In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) So do not fear for I am with you do not be dismayed for I am your God I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
James 4:8 (NIV) “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways I will hear from heaven and heal their land.”
Revelation 3:20 (NIV) “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him and he with me.”