MVTClass.com

God pulls the people of Israel back from escape into the wilderness and places them in the path of Pharaoh.  There a number of maps that trace the route of the people of Israel through the wilderness.  You notice if you look at them, however, that we’re not sure of even the place names in [...]

This is from the version of Moses’ final speech to the people of Israel found in Deuteronomy.  Here is the mystery of  grace.  We break covenant, God keeps covenant.  It took more than a thousand years from this speech in the wilderness until the world was ready to hear the message from God in the [...]

Last Friday, we looked at Isaiah, chapter 41 and stopped just short of verse 14, which I happened to read anyway, including the commentary by Adam Clarke on that verse.  Today’s lesson scripture reminded me of Clarke’s comment.  Today’s scripture is Psalm 29: 1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory [...]

Today’s lesson scripture builds on this week’s theme: that God’s call will always be accompanied by his empowering presence.  Israel was called - through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and now Moses – to serve as God’s messenger to the world.  We see this call reiterated in today’s scripture from Isaiah: 8 But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom [...]

Moses’ third objection is to restate, despite God’s assurances that they “will listen to your voice”, his fear that the people of Israel will not listen to him or believe him, but will say that the LORD did not appear to him.  God continues to be patient with his chosen prophet and instead of simply [...]

Moses’ first excuse, “who am I that I should go to Pharaoh” is answered with, “I will be with you.”  This leads naturally to Moses’ question in today’s lesson: 13 But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and [...]

I hope the class discussion was good today.  I was “riding the circuit” this week with the Mark/Monroe class (discussing the Liturgy of the Hours) and I’m scheduled to teach the Belle Bennett class next week, so I’ll miss our MVT discussions. We’ve been focusing on Moses all week – from his birth, to his [...]

Today’s lesson scripture continues Stephen’s speech to the council of elders in Jerusalem, answering the charge of blaspheming Moses.  His answer is to argue that Israel, God’s chosen people, have both rejected God’s prophets (and therefore God) and have tried to limit God (by insisting that the center of worship must be the Temple).  Central [...]

I spent a couple days this week at the Mississippi Baptist Convention, and I thought the Baptists handled it remarkably well. Let’s just say it was … uh, interesting. Not too much unlike our Annual Conference. Well, maybe a little. Anyway, I did hear some pretty good preaching, including one sermon by the president of [...]

While flipping through the channels last night, I heard one of those cable TV preachers with the really strange hair make a pretty clever comment about how things generally all work out in God’s own good time: “We take care of our character; God takes care of our calendar.” Just thought I’d pass that along. [...]