Exodus 5:18-23
18 Now, go back to work! We will not give you any straw, but you must make just as many bricks as you did before."
19 The Israelite foremen knew they were in trouble, because the king had told them, "You must make just as many bricks each day as you did before."20 As they were leaving the meeting with the king, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them.21 So they said to Moses and Aaron, "May the Lord punish you. You caused the king and his officers to hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us."
Moses Complains to God
22 Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, "Lord, why have you brought this trouble on your people? Is this why you sent me here?23 I went to the king and said what you told me to say, but ever since that time he has made the people suffer. And you have done nothing to save them."
The story of the Exodus is a story of miracles – yet in the beginning when Moses first appeared before Pharaoh to deliver the children of Israel from 400 years of slavery, the Israelites were severely tempted and became angry because of the initial hardships that were laid upon them.
They leveled their anger at Moses because suddenly they were told that they would have to gather their own straw for making bricks. They were concerned about offending their slave-masters, fearing that they would slay them.
The Israelites were so accustomed to their slavery that they didn’t want their lives disrupted despite the fact that freedom was at hand. Resigned to this miserable life, they utterly failed to apprehend or appreciate the freedom that was soon approaching. Yes, there was a temporary price: increased hardship and great pressure would set the stage for their final deliverance.
The same can happen to us. It has often been said “The darkest night is just before the dawn”…
Perhaps the enemy senses his impending defeat and pulls out all the stops to prevent it. Perhaps the Lord loves a good story with a really dramatic and climactic ending and great glory for His Name…in any case –
Don’t let yourself remain accustomed to any form of bondage – seek and believe for the freedom that God has given us through His Son. Expect a life of great victory over sin and demonic oppression – Why? Because that is His promise to us!
FRIENDS:
Father, Thy Kingdom Come. Let your kingdom live in the hearts of people, let your kingdom live in society, let the church be strong, and let your kingdom come eternally. In His Name, Amen.
FOOD:
Wouldn't one of these take good on a chilly evening......
Pumpkin Latte
--2 cups milk (I used 1%)
--2 T canned pumpkin
--2 T white sugar
--2 T vanilla (not a typo. it asks for tablespoons)
--1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
OR: 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a teeny tiny pinch of ground ginger
--1/2 cup brewed espresso or 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
--garnish with whipped cream (optional)
This will make enough for 2 people to have a big mug with a bit leftover. If you are having friends over, adjust the recipe accordingly. I used a 4-quart crockpot, but as small as a 1.5 quart will work with these amounts.
Add the coffee/espresso and milk to the crockpot. Whisk in the pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours if everything is cold. Whisk again.
Ladle into mugs, and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon. I added a cinnamon stick to be fancy
Gingerbread Latte
--4 cups milk (2% or lower is best to not worry about curdling)
--1/2 cup white sugar (I like Baker's sugar because it dissolves nicely)
--2 tsp ground ginger
--2 tsp vanilla extract
--1 tsp ground cinnamon
--1/4 tsp cloves
--1/4 tsp nutmeg
--cinnamon stick, whipped cream for garnish (optional)
--1/2 cup strong black coffee, or a freshly-brewed shot of espresso
The Directions.
This could serve 4, especially if you are adding the milk on top of coffee. Otherwise it serves 2 with a bit of milk left for kid cups.
I used a 4 quart crockpot, you could get away with going as small as a 1.5 to 2 quart.
Put the milk into your crockpot, and whisk in the dried spices. Don't add the coffee.
Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, or high for 1-2. The milk should be quite hot, but if your crockpot tends to get hot enough to boil, keep an eye on it. Don't let the milk boil.
Pour over hot coffee or espresso.
Garnish with whipped cream, a sprinkle of nutmeg, and a cinnamon stick.
Chai Latte
--4 cups milk
--4 black tea bags
--1/4 tsp ground cloves
--1/2 tsp ginger
--4 sticks cinnamon (or 2 tsp ground)
--4 cardamom pods
--1 tsp vanilla extract
--1 T sugar (I like the Baker's because it dissolves nicely)
The Directions.
This will serve 2-4 adults, dependent on how much they like tea.
Put everything into your crockpot. I used a 4 quart. Anything over a 2 quart will work just fine. Float the cinnamon sticks, cardamon pods, and tea bags on top.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until heated through. I cooked ours on low for 2 hours and another hour on high.
FUN:
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