Week 8/ Day 1:
Hebrews 11:22
“By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.”
Journaling Assignment #1
Write the verse and read it several times. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you His heart in this verse. Don’t forget to practice the first 22 verses together several times today. Who are we Meeting Today?
Joseph, Israelites
Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, was a man of unwavering character. In Genesis 37 Joseph begins his journey with the painful betrayal of his brothers when they sell him into Egyptian slavery. Despite the circumstances, with God’s hand on his life, Joseph becomes a chief adviser to the king. Then in Genesis 39 Joseph is wrongly accused by Potiphar’s wife of sexual assault and thrown into prison. Again, Joseph continues to trust God and is used by him to interpret the dreams of his fellow inmates. Joseph is eventually released from prison to interpret the dreams of the king himself. Always giving the glory to God, Joseph’s influence continues to grow until he is placed in charge of all of Egypt! In Chapter 42, the brothers who sold Joseph into slavery find themselves pleading with him for food in the midst of a famine. Joseph shows no resentment or bitterness and provides their every need, eventually moving them all to Egypt where he can take care of his family. It is in Egypt that the nation of the Israelites grows and becomes mighty in number. God’s covenant to give him descendants as numerous as the stars is fulfilled. The Israelites are God’s chosen people, called to be set apart in order to point the rest of the world to their faithful God.
Journaling Assignment #2
Spend today defining the following words, not by looking them up, simply based on what comes to your mind. There is no right or wrong. This is just a jumping off point. Take the time to reflect, be honest and open with yourself about your thoughts and feelings. We have nothing to do in the space except grow and learn! I will even provide my journal notes each day so that you can see the mess that the Lord is working with here!!
end
exodus
instructions
Kinsee’s Stream of Consciousness Journal Notes:
End: This represents something being over. When you reach the end, there is nothing more to be done. There are times when the end cannot come soon enough and times when we wish it would never arrive. In this verse, the end is in reference to Joseph’s life on earth. The end of his work and the end of his time with his family this side of life.
Exodus: An exodus is an exit, leaving a place. Generally, we refer to a mass exodus, which is multitudes of people leaving at the same time.
Instructions: This is the key to success in my mind. When someone gives me instructions, I feel more comfortable than just trying to figure things out on my own. My son on the other hand, prefers to disregard instructions and take a trial by error approach to projects and learning. As you can imagine this makes for some very interesting partnering in our lives!
Journaling Assignment #3
Jot down anything from this verse that jumps out at you. Include other scriptures that come to mind. Cross references add great insight into each verse. It is powerful to keep notes of what the Holy Spirit draws out of the verse in your heart and also to study Scripture in light of Scripture.
Week 8/Day 2:
Hebrews 11:22
“By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.”
Let’s Dig into Some Truth
Joseph was nearing the end of his life. He had lived a life pleasing and honoring to God. The Lord had used him to move the Israelites from the Promised Land to Egypt where He would grow them into a mighty nation. He
had experienced trial and betrayal in extreme ways and yet we find him here, at the end, speaking encouragement and grace to his family. He was pointing to God right up to the moment of his last breath. “Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Genesis 50:24).
Reality Check #1: The thought of the end of life was made very real to me in the midst of a melanoma diagnosis recently. Thankfully, God chose to heal me on this side of life, but I was faced with the reality that the end is inevitable. Our time on earth is limited and we must not waste a single moment; we need to live intentionally. I admire that Joseph experienced peace knowing that he was not leaving his family alone. He trusted God to be with them. This is a precious truth. In the end, God loves those that we love even more than we do and he will be with them even when we cannot. Joseph also had the confidence that he had lived his life to the glory of God. Let us heed this example, this is reiterated in Ephesians 5:16-17,”Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Live today with a mindfulness that you are here for God’s glory. So that at the end, you can rest knowing you lived your life for Him.
Joseph is speaking of the exodus of the Israelites. This is so interesting because they just arrived in Egypt! They would be there for hundreds of years before the Exodus occurred. This gives us a glimpse of Joseph’s relationship with God. We know that the Lord gave Joseph wisdom to interpret dreams. It appears that He also gave him the gift of prophecy. He was able to see what was going to occur in the lives of the Israelites and was already trying to prepare them for the wonders that God would perform in their lives.
Reality Check #2: God can place a dream or vision on our hearts that is for the future. I am not talking fortune cookies here. I am talking about that quiet tugging on your heart that won’t relent. Don’t ignore it, but instead, embrace it, pray about it and be ready to move when the Lord calls you to do so. In the waiting, God will strengthen your faith, just as He strengthen the Israelite nation. When the time comes, God will equip you for His purposes and you will be amazed at His strength and goodness. “Now may the God of peace…equip you everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:21).
Joseph gave the Israelites instructions. This is a foreshadowing of all of the instructions that the Lord would give to them throughout the exodus and their time in the desert and the promised land. As we will see, the Israelites were not always great at following these instructions. However, they did follow the instructions regarding the bones of Joseph.
Reality Check #3: The Lord gives us instructions still today. The instructions that the Lord lays out for us and for our good. It is easy to pick and choose the commandments that we obey well and tell ourselves that we are doing “good enough.” This is a dangerous way to live. God longs to bless our lives and when there is unreported sin, it keeps us from God’s best for us. Take time today to ask the Lord to show you the areas of your life where you are not submitting to His instructions. Then, ask Him to forgive you and give you the strength to make the necessary changes. David modeled this for us in Psalm 32:5, ”Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the guilt of my sins.”
Journaling Assignment #4
Take time to record the “reality checks” that the Lord provided to you as you were digging into His truth today.
Week 8/ Day 3:
Hebrews 11:23
“By faith, Moses parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”
Journaling Assignment #1
Write the verse and read it several times. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you His heart in this verse. Don’t forget to practice the first 23 verses together several times today. Who are we meeting today?
Moses parents, The king
It is widely assumed that Amram and Jochebed were the parents of Moses. There is some debate on this because of the timing in the birth dates of the ancients. We will not dwell on this fact because we do know that Amram and Jochebed were in the lineage of Moses. Additionally, it is the character of his parents, not their names, that is the reason they are included in this chapter of Scripture. Moses parents were living in a time of great oppression for the Israelites. Joseph was long since forgotten by the ruling class and the Israelites had become great in number. This was, of course, the way that God had planned things. It was not, however, the way the rulers of Egypt desired things to be. The ruling king was an evil and insecure man who feared that the Israelites would grow too mighty in number and pose a threat to the Egyptians. As a result, he ordered that every Hebrew boy born must be thrown into the Nile. This king was harsh and punished cruelly. Despite the facts at hand, Moses’ parents were given the supernatural insight that Moses was ordained. They risked their own lives to save his. As a parent, that almost feels natural. What feels less natural is what happened next. They placed their 3 month old baby in a basket and sent him cruising down the Nile River. That is trust and submission to a God they obviously knew on a very personal level. Once again, we see God asking His people to do things that do not make sense to the human mind. Moses parents were not led by reason, they were lead by faith. It was this act of faith that allowed Moses to grow up in the Egyptian palace and eventually be God’s vessel to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. We see the destiny of Moses in Exodus 2:10, “When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, ‘I drew him out of the water.’”
Journaling Assignment #2
Spend today defining the following words, not by looking them up, simply based on what comes to your mind. There is no right or wrong. This is just a jumping off point. Take the time to reflect; be honest and open with yourself about your thoughts and feelings. We have nothing to do in the space except grow and learn! I will even provide my journal notes each day so that you can see the mess that the Lord is working with here!!
ordinary
afraid
Kinsee’s Stream of Consciousness Journal Notes
Ordinary: Run of the mill, nothing exciting, normal. To some this might seem boring, but to me it sounds comforting! My youngest child is an overcomer. As a baby he had to see a neurologist on a regular basis. At those visits, the best thing I could hear was that nothing seemed “interesting.’ Boring is the way to go! Under the radar, out of dodge, no pressure. An ordinary day means that no one is sick or panicked or upset. Listen,
ordinary works for me!
Afraid: I don’t like to watch scary movies and I don’t like haunted houses. Even the Halloween parade at Disney World is a little much for me. I don’t like to be afraid. Even less do I like the feeling of being afraid of something happening to the ones I love. I would do anything to protect my family from pain, even if it meant not being obedient to the Lord. There, I said it. I struggle with the sin of control because I am afraid of watching those I love in pain.
Journaling Assignment #3
Jot down anything from this verse that jumps out at you. Include other scriptures that come to mind. Cross references add great insight into each verse. It is powerful to keep notes of what the Holy Spirit draws out of the verse in your heart and also to study Scripture in light of Scripture.
Week 8/Day 4:
Hebrews 11:23
“By faith, Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”
Let’s Dig into Some Truth
Moses was no ordinary child. We find that stated in Hebrews 11 as well as Exodus 2 and Acts 7. What we do not find is a description of what made him so special. I think that this is by design. While our finite minds would love to know if there was a marking or an exceptionalism that let his parents know he was called by God, the Lord does not provide that for us. Instead, we are left to trust that God, in His infinite wisdom, created Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and then communicated with his parents in a supernatural way that they were to protect this child.
Reality Check #1: Our society defines what is exceptional based on appearance. We are impressed by beauty, wealth, strength and talent. The Lord does not adhere to the same criteria. The Lord created each and every human life, no two are alike, each is exceptional. There is nothing ordinary about you and there is nothing ordinary about me. God has designed each of us with a purpose and any attempt to hide from that, to live an ordinary life, is missing out on God’s best for us. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). While ordinary may feel comfortable, it is not the abundant life that we were designed to live.
We have touched on fear in this study. I do not think it is by chance that the feeling of being afraid continues to pop up in a chapter about faith. The two go hand in hand. Moses’ parents were in a terrible situation. They were ordered by the king to drown their baby and they had to be afraid. So why does this verse say, “they were not afraid of the king’s edict?” I think they feared disobeying the Lord exponentially more, enough that the fear they had of an earthly king no longer even registered. Moses’ parents, knew what the Lord asked of them, their only true fear was of not being obedient to Him. They trusted His plans and would not allow any human to keep them from being faithful to that.
Reality Check #2: When I am asking God to lead my life, I have no reason to be afraid. If I am experiencing fear, I need to stop and ask myself what am I afraid of. The answer for me is likely discomfort. I am not minimizing discomfort.There can be agony in this life. The death of a loved one. The loss of a job. The collapse of a family. Discomfort is easy to fear. However, discomfort is temporary because on the other side of life, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). The discomfort of this life is nothing to be afraid of in light of the ultimate victory that we will have in Jesus. Discomfort is temporary and peace with Jesus will be eternal. What are you afraid of? How does it hold up in light of eternity?
Journaling Assignment #4
Take time to record the “reality checks” that the Lord provided to you as you were digging into His truth today.
Week 8/ Day 5:
Hebrews 11:24
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.”
Journaling Assignment #1
Write the verse and read it several times. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you His heart in this verse. Don’t forget to practice the first 24 verses together several times today. Who are we meeting today?
Moses, Pharaoh’s daughter
We have already established that Moses came from a lineage of faith. His parents trusted God enough to give up their son. This is similar to the story of Abraham and Isaac and ultimately God and Jesus. From these faithful parents came a man of great faith and yet insecurities as well. Raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses had wealth and education like no other Israelite of his time. God used this to prepare him for his calling even before he knew what it would be. Despite his upbringing as an Egyptian, Moses heart was loyal to the Israelites and eventually this led him to flee Egypt at the age of 40. Moses then spent 40 years as a shepherd in Midian. Just as the royal upbringing was preparing him for his calling to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, so was this phase of his life. He was to shepherd God’s people as they fled from Pharaoh and eventually wandered in the desert. All of this preparation did not automatically cause Moses to accept the call of God when it came to him. Moses was unsure of his abilities and so God allowed his brother Aaron to go with him on his journey. This was not God’s best for Moses and, eventually, Aaron causes dissension among the Israelites in the incident with the golden calf. Moses is another of the saints of our faith who is not perfect. Only Jesus is. Thank you Lord that You remind us that it is Your strength and faithfulness, not ours, that achieve Your purposes in and through our lives.
Journaling Assignment #2
Spend today defining the following words, not by looking them up, simply based on what comes to your mind. There is no right or wrong. This is just a jumping off point. Take the time to reflect; be honest and open with yourself about your thoughts and feelings. We have nothing to do in the space except grow and learn! I will even provide my journal notes each day so that you can see the mess that the Lord is working with here!!
grown up
refused
known
Kinsee’s Stream of Consciousness Journal Notes
Grown Up: Some days, it is still surprising to me that I am a grown up! Do you ever feel that way? I can still taste 16 on a beautiful spring day, singing at the top of my lungs with the windows down in my car. On other days, as I am trying to balance the life of wife, mother, teacher and writer, I feel very grown up and weary. I think I relate grown up to responsibility and childhood to playing. I wonder if there is a way to combine the two phases of life?
Refused: This is an absolute no. When a 2 year old refuses to eat their vegetables, they are not looking for compromise, it is a no. When I refuse to give up my morning run, it means that I will get up at 4 am if I need to but I am not going to miss those 6 miles of solitude. Refusing can make us stubborn but it can also make us creative. To refuse requires passion and commitment.
Known: I think there are very different uses of this word. For instance, professional athletes and celebrities are known by millions of people. Sort of. We know what they put out there for us to know. It is not necessarily an image of their reality. We can do the same thing, especially on social media. To be truly known is to be seen and accepted as you actually are, not as you represent yourself on your Instagram page.
Journaling Assignment #3
Jot down anything from this verse that jumps out at you. Include other scriptures that come to mind. Cross references add great insight into each verse. It is powerful to keep notes of what the Holy Spirit draws out of the verse in your heart and also to study Scripture in light of Scripture.
Week 8/Day 6:
Hebrews 11:24
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.”
Let’s Dig into Some Truth
The Lord allowed Moses to experience childhood in the royal house of Egypt. He was the beneficiary of wealth, education, all the best things that the world at that time had to offer. However, when he had grown up and reached adulthood, he was able to make his own choices. I believe that God had absolute confidence that this is the choice that Moses would make. Remember, He is that One who chose Moses, before time began, to lead his people of our Egypt. Not only so, but He also created Moses for this very purpose. Moses was loyal to the Hebrews and wanted to be identified separately from the home in which he was raised.
Reality Check #1: A mentor of mine once said, “What is cute at 2 is not as cute at 3.” What she meant is that while we do not expect young children to behave as adults, we are still called to teach them so that they will handle themselves appropriately when the time comes. As Christians, the Lord does not expect us to do it all perfectly or understand everything at once. He does expect us to grow. If my faith looks the same as it did 5 years ago, I need to pray for conviction on where the break down in my walk is occurring. As children of God, we are called to be continually growing up in our faith. We are not to remain as spiritual toddlers. “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready” (1 Corinthians 3:2).
Moses showed great conviction when he refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. I am sure this was hurtful to the woman who had raised him. It also, quite possibly, put him a dangerous spot with Pharaoh. None of that mattered to Moses. There was a call on his life that he could not ignore and while he did not always live out his calling perfectly, he did live it out faithfully to his God.
Reality Check #2: What do you refuse to do? What are you passionate enough about that you will fight to protect or avoid it at all costs? It could be integrity, loyalty, work ethic, reputation, family ties. These are all noble causes. How do you choose what you will defend with such vigor? The deciding factor for what we refuse to do or give up should always be the heart of God. Anything that I choose to fight for can change because my emotions, thoughts and opinions are constantly in flux. If I base my convictions on the Lord and His Word, then my spiritual compass is locked due north and I can trust Him to guide me along the path of my life. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 199:105).
As a mature adult, Moses made the decision that he did not want to be known as a member of Pharaoh’s family. His identity was not that of Egyptian royalty. Moses was not making decisions based on what the world could see, he was basing his choices on the work that God was doing in his heart.
Reality Check #3: It is easy to feel lonely even when we are surrounded by people. This is because being with people and being known by people are two different experiences. Human nature causes us to put on masks that we believe will make us more acceptable to others. We spend our lives trying to win approval all the while being terrified that if anyone really knew us they would reject us instantly. The truth is that we are completely seen and known by the God of the universe and He loves us completely, just as we are. Rest in that peace today. You are seen, you are known, you are loved. God made you and cherishes every part of you. We see this truth is Psalm 139:15, “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.”
Journaling Assignment #4
Take time to record the “reality checks” that the Lord provided to you as you were digging into His truth today.
Week 8/Day 7:
Reflection Day
1. Reflect on your notes from this week.
2. Practice the verses that you have memorized so far.
-Write them.
-Recite them to a friend or family member to check for accuracy.
-Use them as a prayer to the Lord.
3. Read Hebrews 11 in its entirety a couple of times.
4. Pray for endurance throughout this journey.
5. Remember…
“He who has called you is faithful and He will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve God’s will, His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
Scripture Memory Strategies
1. Copy the Scripture several times. Then try to write it by memory.
2. Set an alarm on your phone for 4 times each day. Each time you hear the alarm, practice your scripture.
3. Showers! The shower is a perfect time to recite your scripture.
4. Traffic. As you sit, instead of getting frustrated, use the time to practice.
5. Accountability. Find a friend working on scripture memory as well. Recite your scripture to each other one day a week.
6. What else? List some ideas that might work for you!
