Turning Point

A series on meeting God – Moses
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Exodus 19-20:2 

[We all have a story about how we met God. Some are more miraculous than others, but none more amazing than the mere fact that the Living God, our Creator, reached out to bring us into relationship with him. In this series, we will be looking at how people in the Bible met God, and what that means to you today.]

  

Do you remember where you were on 9/11? I was in a meeting when someone’s pager went off. His wife told him that a plane had flown into one of the towers at the World Trade Center in New York City.

 

I can still remember watching the TV reports as first the south tower crumbled and then the north. Before collapsing, you could see people jumping from the towers to escape their fiery death. The images were horrific, unbelievable and surreal. It was a turning point for the United States, as well as the world.

 

The Israelites also experienced a turning point in the life of their nation. For 430 years, the Egyptians had enslaved them. But then the Lord called Moses to lead them to freedom… to the Promised Land.

Sixty days after they escaped Egypt, the Israelites entered into the wilderness of Sinai where they stopped at the foot of Mount Sinai. This wasn’t by chance. It was providential; a divine appointment orchestrated by the sovereign God.

 

The Lord was about to confirm his covenant and to give the Israelites a new identity and purpose as a nation. Not as slaves, but as free people to serve a holy God. Speaking to Moses, the Lord gave him this message.

 

⁵ Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. ⁶ And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”           NLT

 

Following this, the Lord told Moses that he was going to come to him in a dense cloud so that the Israelites would hear him when he spoke to Moses. But before doing that, Moses needed to consecrate, or prepare, the people for the Lord.

 

On the morning of the third day, “thunder roared, and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain". In fact, Mount Sinai shook violently. 

“As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply”. Although consecrated, the Israelites were terrified!

 

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.   NIV

 

Like 9/11, this was a dramatic turning point not only for Israel, but for the whole world for ALL generations to come. In fact, almost fifteen hundred years later, the Lord sent his Son to establish a new covenant.

 

This new covenant included everyone everywhere. Because of this, God’s word spoken to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, today applies to all who believe and follow Christ. Peter put it like this.

 

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.            NIV    1 Peter 2

 

Like he did with the Israelites at Mount Sinai, the Lord has freed us and given us a new identity in Christ. He has chosen us to be his priests, his holy nation and his special people.

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

No pain, No Gain

Series on “I am Joe’s Favorite Verses”
1 Peter 1:13
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
1 Peter 1:3-25 

[Many years ago, there used to be articles in the Reader’s Digest titled “I am Joe’s ___” with the blank being filled with a body part or organ. Over the years, I’ve written down verses that are meaningful to me on 3x5 cards. In this series we’ll be looking at some of my favorite verses. In other words, “I am Joe’s Favorite Verses”.]

  

Twice a week, for over a year now, I’ve been going to an exercise class at a gym. To reach our room you go down a hallway that has posters on the wall showing someone sweating profusely as they work out. The caption matter-of-factly reads, "No pain, no gain".

 

Peter wrote his letter to the believers who were living in exile scattered throughout the western portion of Asia Minor.  It was a circular letter to be read and distributed to multiple churches. Although Christians weren’t being systematically persecuted, they did face many trials.

 

According to Ray Vander Laan, a noted expert on Jewish culture and history, believers during this period could expect to be isolated. In a typical city in Asia Minor, religion was so much a part of everyday life, that if you refused to acknowledge their gods, you could easily lose household income, relationships, social standing and even such basic needs as fire and water.

 

In addition, we read in Acts that although many Jews and Greeks believed Paul’s message about Jesus, there were often other Jews who felt threatened. Sometimes they would drive Paul out of their city. On one occasion, he was even stoned and left for dead. Life was not easy for believers in Asia Minor.

 

Therefore, Peter wrote this letter to encourage them. First, he reminded them of the new birth, the living hope and the eternal inheritance that was theirs through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

Acknowledging the many trials they faced, he also pointed out that there was a bigger picture to consider. One that would eventually result in great joy.

 

⁷ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So, when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.        NLT

 

Put another way, “No pain, no gain.”

 

Peter then reminded the believers that the reward for their endurance and faith in Christ will be “the salvation of your souls”. It is this salvation that the prophets wrote about, foretelling the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Peter advised them - and us – about holy living in the face of adversity.

 

¹³ Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.            NIV 1985

 

Like the exercise mantra of “No pain, no gain”, Peter was telling the exiled believers that it was going to take some work on their part. They would need to “exercise” their minds for action. And that action would include being self-controlled and focusing their hope solely on the return of Jesus.

 

In closing, Peter quoted the comforting words of hope from Isaiah.

 

²⁴ For, “All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
²⁵     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”          NIV

 

In other words, your struggles will pass. But in the meantime, you can trust “the word of the Lord which endures forever”. Thanks be to God.

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

Here am I. Send Me.

Reaching Higher: A Series on My Journey of Discipleship

Isaiah 6:1-9

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%206%3A1-9&version=NIV;TLB

[Preface: This series is autobiographical to the extent that it is loosely based on my spiritual journey. In some ways, you could compare it to the stock market with a gradual overall increase, but many ups and downs; even a crash or two. Through it all though, the Lord has loved me and been with me the whole time. I hope you find my journey encouraging, but also, that the Lord might speak to you through it.]

 

How do you know what your calling in life is?

During the period between dropping out of college at Michigan Tech and returning to school at Michigan State, something happened to me. It was during this interim time that I experienced God’s call on my life… only I didn’t know it.

 

It came in the form of a simple specific desire; the desire “to use basketball to reach young black boys for Christ”. The Lord grew that mustard seed size desire for ministry, one step at a time, into twenty five years of working with urban youth.

 

In the Temple, Isaiah sees an awe inspiring vision of the Lord, including seraphim with six wings.

 ³ In a great antiphonal chorus they sang,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

the whole earth is filled with his glory.”

⁴ Such singing it was! It shook the Temple to its foundations, and suddenly the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke. TLB

 

 

As a result of coming face to face with the holy Lord Almighty, Isaiah was struck by his own sinfulness. It was only through the Lord that his sins were forgiven. Following this, Isaiah felt the call of God on his life.

 

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,

“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”           NIV

 

It took me years to figure out what the Lord wanted me to do; what my calling was. Not everyone has a rock concert “call of God” experience like Isaiah. More often, I think our Father calls us in a “still small voice”, and takes us through a series of steps. After all, if we knew what was on the road ahead, we might never go.

How do you know what your calling in life is?

Look at the people in your life; look at the things you enjoy doing and are good at; look at the opportunities around you; look at the desires of your heart.

Don’t miss his “still small voice” while listening for the smoke and thunder. Don’t let the business of life; the intimidation of the unknown; or the fear of rejection keep you from what the Lord has called you to do.

Then… take your first small step.

 

 

 

 

The Twitter of Life

Revelation 20:11-15

  

Our culture is changing in quantum leaps! Wasn’t it just yesterday that every kindergarten student read “Dick and Jane”? While last year my granddaughter, in her kindergarten class, used Chromebooks – whatever that is.

 

¹² I saw the dead, great and small, standing before God; and The Books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in The Books, each according to the deeds he had done. ¹³ The oceans surrendered the bodies buried in them; and the earth and the underworld gave up the dead in them. Each was judged according to his deeds.                  TLB

 

Is it possible that the Living Bible, or some other hip modern day translation, might

eventually refer to the “Book of Life” as the “Twitter of Life” or “Facebook of Life” or some other social media?

 

At the risk of sounding sacrilegious with this suggestion, just think about it? What is it that people post on social media other than what they’ve been doing? But do they tell everything that is happening; their every action, every thought, every desire, every emotion? No. Because if they did they wouldn’t have any friends left!

 

On the other hand, the Book of Life will. In social media we tell what we want people to know about us. The Book of Life will tell, as Paul Harvey used to say, “The rest of the story”. Or David may have said it better with this abbreviated quote.

 

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me… You know

when I sit or stand; my every thought; where I am; what I am going to say before I even say it.                                           Psalm 139:1-4 TLB

 

The Twitter of Life may sound catchy, but final judgement is definitely not. It is a reality that all of us face, and it is only by God’s grace that we are free from “the lake of fire”

as our destiny. Instead, our destiny lies in a “new heaven and a new earth” living in the eternal presence of our loving Holy Father.