The Study of Exodus with Tina Rains - Chapter 1

Hi ladies, I am so excited to share the study of Exodus – The Study of Freedom with you. I believe God is going to do something incredible in this season. He is calling us to new levels in HIM.

God took Moses into the wilderness to prepare and develop him. In Exodus, you will find many lessons on leadership. God mentored Moses into the CEO of Israel. God gives a multitude of signs and wonders to the people. He shows HIS POWER, reminds us that we can trust and follow him. 

Real freedom begins with knowing God and enjoying the intimacy He offers. He gives us very clear instructions. 

Can you relate to Moses? I can… I can relate to a great deal in this book. When God called me out of being a business leader and into full-time ministry years ago, I felt like Moses when he told God he didn’t have what it took to do what He was calling him to do. I was completely out of my comfort zone. I was feeling inadequate and scared. God gave Moses his brother Aaron. God gave me Cathey Anderson. Together she and I were able to complete the mission he called us to, which was building The Freedom Climb. It is now known as The Freedom Challenge, an initiative of OM, a movement of women climbing mountains to raise funds and awareness for human trafficking projects around the world. It was totally outside of my comfort zone. The theme of Exodus is deliverance and freedom. You can’t have those without a deliverer. 

The word Exodus was derived from the Greek word that means “the way out”.

The first 15 chapters of Exodus begin with the Hebrews needing a way out of Egypt, then in the last chapters, you see they needed so much more than rescue from Egypt. They needed rescue from bondage and sin. Exodus helps us to understand who God is. He truly understands us. He reveals himself and his power in Exodus. 

In chapter one, we see the need for deliverance was related to the Israelite's condition.  You see the Egyptians work the people of Israel without mercy.  Why? Because they feared them. I believe it is also related to promises God has made to the patriarchs years earlier when the Lord had promised Abraham that his descendants would be a great nation living in freedom in the land of Canaan. You can see in chapter 1 how Pharaoh wasn't happy with the rapid multiplication of the Jewish people so he took steps to control it. 

The first step he took was afflicting the adults. 

The second step he took was killing the Jewish boys at birth and that's in exodus 1:15 to 21. 

The third step was drowning the male babies which were in exodus 1:22.

The midwives did not obey Pharoah because they feared God and did the right thing. God blessed them for their actions.

How can you obey God when the choice may cost you? In what ways are you not obeying God? What is God asking you to do? Are you obeying Him?

Write down what God is showing you. Share it with your friend and ask her to hold you accountable. Together we are stronger.

Prayer for today: 

Lord Jesus, give us the strength and power to make the right decisions. Let everything we do glorify you. Let us draw closer to you each moment of the day so that we may hear you clearly and be obedient. May we be like the midwives in chapter one that despite the risk, we obey you and we do the right thing and follow your calling. Let us be your hands and feet on this planet so that we may glorify you. Lord, I pray for each one of the women who are doing the study with us. May we each have true freedom which only comes from an intimate relationship with you. Lord Jesus, we repent of any disobedience and any sin that we have in our lives. We trust you and we believe that you have great plans for us. Thank you for your grace and your love and your companionship. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.