Dear Family,

Today is Wednesday, May 29, 2024. It is Day 32 and Day 4 of Week 5 in our Count to Pentecost.

According to Exodus 16 God used the manna (bread from heaven) to perform a supernatural intervention each week to validate the holiness and rest of the Sabbath. Israel ate manna for forty years. Now, that‛s a lot of miracles.

Exodus 16:31-36 (31) And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. (32) And Moses said; This is the thing which the LORD commandeth; Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. (33) And Moses said unto Aaron; Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. (34) As the LORD
commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. (35) And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. (36) Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

And, God commanded that a portion (an omer being the tenth part of an ephah) of the manna be placed in a pot and kept “before the LORD” for all of Israel‛s generations. Moses and Aaron did just that. And, later, after the ark of the covenant was completed, the pot of manna was placed inside the ark along with Aaron‛s rod that budded (at Korah‛s rebellion) and the tables of the Covenant.

Hebrews 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron‛s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

It appears that when God uncovers where He has placed the ark for safe keeping, all of the generations of Israel will see the bread for themselves.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Tuesday, May 28, 2024. It is Day 31 and Day 3 of Week 5 in our Count to Pentecost.

God‛s mercy, graciousness, and generosity are always impressive. Consider what God did for the murmuring Israelites and see His divine nature in action.

Exodus 16:11-15 (11) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (12) I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying; At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God. (13) And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. (14) And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. (15) And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another; It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them; This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.

Instead of punishment for their accusations, griping, and complaining, God sent bread from heaven and a huge quantity of quails that covered the camp. The Israelites certainly did not deserve the extra blessings God was pouring out upon them, but, after all, He is the Giver of all Givers.

How much does God give us in undeserved blessings?

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Monday, May 27, 2024. It is Day 30 and Day 2 of Week 5 in our Count to Pentecost.

God told Moses He intended to test (or prove) Israel to determine whether they would walk in God‛s law or not, by commanding them to gather on the sixth day of each week, twice as much “bread from heaven” as they were allowed to gather on the first five days of each week.

Exodus 16:4 (B) that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no.

It was a simple and direct commandment God gave them. And, the explanation of exactly what, how, and when “to gather” versus “not to gather” was reinforced each week by divine intervention. Supernaturally, the bread would spoil if kept overnight on any of the week days except for the sixth, but be completely fresh when it was kept overnight on the sixth day for the seventh day‛s food. Obviously, the question is, if Israel wasn‛t going to keep this command, how could God know they would obey His other commands?

During creation week, according to the first chapters of Genesis, the Sabbath was the first full day Adam and Eve lived. The Genesis account shows us that God had created them and placed them in the Garden in Eden during the daylight portion of the sixth day. God then rested and made the seventh day HOLY!

Genesis 2:1-3 (1) Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all his work which He had made. (3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all His work which God created and made.

In Exodus 16:23, we find the first reference to the seventh day being called the Sabbath in the King James Version of the Bible. This chapter also ties in “rest” with the seventh day Sabbath and refers to the rest as “the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD.”

Exodus 16:23 And He said unto them; This is that which the LORD hath said; Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

Later, God incorporated His seventh day command into the Covenant He made with ancient Israel at Sinai. Prior to the Old Covenant, the seventh day rest (Sabbath) was a test commandment. It has continued to be so through the millennia.

Obviously, the Sabbath is part of the 10 Commandments and the Old Covenant. However, its being “holy unto the LORD” continues to be crucial to all of God‛s people for today and for as long as there is man, because the Sabbath was made for man. And, we know that everything God does, He does with purpose. Let us learn from ancient Israel regarding God‛s Sabbath test for His people.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Sunday, May 26, 2024. It is Day 29 and Day 1 of Week 5 in our Count to Pentecost.

Exodus 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses; Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

“Rain bread from heaven for you!” Exodus 16 contains a wonderful account that illustrates a unique characteristic of God. He announced that He was about to do something that no one had ever seen or heard of; in fact, perhaps it had never even entered into any person‛s mind.

Who but God would have ever thought of such a thing?

That‛s Who God is! He is the Source. Our imaginations are far short of God‛s creative “genius.” All mankind can do is “change” the raw materials God has already created when we “create.” We can only rearrange, or put together, or manipulate (in numerous ways) the resources God has already provided for us.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (8) For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written; Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

We do not think like He thinks. Aren‛t we glad? God always has something new. And, it is always good.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Sabbath, May 25, 2024. It is Day 28 and Day 7 of Week 4 in our Count to Pentecost.

Exodus 16 describes God‛s revalidation of the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath.

Instead of punishing ancient Israel for their grumbling and complaining, God sent blessings from heaven, one of which was the reconfirmation of the seventh day Sabbath.

From the very beginning of “man,” God had created the seventh day and made it holy. It was the finale of His physical creation during that first week.

Genesis 2:1-4 (1) Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. (3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made. (4) These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.

Many who do not understand the blessing of the Sabbath or its prophetic significance for mankind, like to point out that nowhere in the book of Genesis does the word Sabbath appear, however, we know God made it for all of mankind. Jesus said so!

Mark 2:27 And He said unto them; The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is a wonderful time for fellowship with God and His people. It is a time to rejoice and enjoy!

1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Friday, May 24,2024. It is Day 27 and Day 6 of Week 4 in our Count to Pentecost.

Have you ever wondered about the expectations of the ancient Israelites? Just what did they expect? Their expectations must have been quite out of line with God‛s plan.

God intended one set of events, but Israel must have had their own agenda. And, clearly, they did not want to do without, even briefly. And, clearly, they did not want to humble themselves to ASK God for anything. They were a grumbling bunch. Consider the following verses.

Exodus 16:1-2 (1) And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. (2) And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:

Perhaps the people could not see accusing God directly, but they had no problem criticizing Him indirectly by complaining about Moses and Aaron. They had already done this at Marah.

Exodus 15:24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

But this complaint against Moses and Aaron was clearly understood by God and His servants.

The murmuring was against God. Compare the two verses in Exodus 16.

Exodus 16:2, 8 (2) And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: (8)(B) for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against Him: and what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

They could not fool God. No one can. We are directed to cease from all murmuring and complaining. It‛s hard, I know because we are still vulnerable human beings, but God wants His Spirit, not a complaining one, to lead us.

Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

David recognized the evil in what he had done in the “matter of Uriah.” Yes, it affected humans, but David knew something else very special about how God views sin.

Psalm 51:4(A) Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight:

David knew sin was against God. Murmurings and disputings are, also.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Thursday, May 23, 2024. It is Day 26 and Day 5 of Week 4 in our Count to Pentecost.

In the weeks following their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, the Israelites witnessed God‛s generosity, power, and protection. Yet, witnessing these things was not enough to humble them or bind them to God. Why?

It seems the Israelites brought a different kind of bondage with them out of Egypt. Their deliverance was out of physical bondage. The bondage they continued to have was a bondage in their flesh. They continued to be enslaved. Speaking of our spiritual deliverance through Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul wrote that we need “to be dead” to sin so we can be “alive unto God” and be bound to Him and serve Him instead.

Romans 6:11-12 (11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

The Apostle makes it really plain in this same chapter (Romans 6) that we “serve” (and are in bondage to) whatever it is that we obey (yield ourselves to).

Romans 6:16-18 (16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

God delivered Israel from physical slavery to make a physical nation of them. And, He recorded these events for our example… so we would not “lust” after evil things as they “lusted.”

1 Corinthians 10:6, 11 (6) Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. (11) Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

God delivers us from many things, including the “bondage” kind of power that sin has over us because of our flesh (lusts) that make us vulnerable to sin and death.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

We can thank God that today we can be free indeed. Let us “stand fast” in our liberty! Praise God!

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Wednesday, May 22, 2024. It is Day 25 and Day 4 of Week 4 in our Count to Pentecost.

As we look at stories and lessons from the Old and New Testaments, we find a very consistent thing about God. We find His faithfulness.

Regardless of the bad attitudes, the grumbling, the lack of thankfulness, and a host of other horrific sins the ancient Israelites displayed; God was faithful. He was faithful to His Word.

God brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage for His own reasons. Of course, God felt compassion on them in their slavery. The Bible says He heard their cries. Yet, God had other reasons, as well.

Exodus 6:5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

Notice in this verse, God says He remembered His covenant. This is the covenant He made with Abraham. He had not yet made one with these descendants of Abraham.

We can rest assured that God keeps His Word. He fulfills His promises. In fact, He cannot be stopped.

We can take great hope in the truth about God‛s faithfulness. Here are a few verses describing God‛s promises and faithfulness to us.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, Who also will do it.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, Who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Speaking of Abraham, God inspired the Apostle Paul to write about His promise, Abraham‛s “fully persuaded” state, and God‛s ability to perform.

Romans 4:20-21 (20) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (21) And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.

Today, we are privileged to know the details of how many of God‛s promises have already been fulfilled. We need to be even more “persuaded” than our father, Abraham. And, so let us be faithful as well, walking with God in perfect assurance of His faithfulness.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Tuesday, May 21, 2024. It is Day 24 and Day 3 of Week 4 in our Count to Pentecost.

Some of the most remarkable and fascinating occurrences in ancient Israel‛s story of freedom from Egyptian bondage are the abundance of wealth God gave to them and the fact that there was not even one feeble person among their tribes.

That‛s fascinating! These are facets of God‛s goodness to Israel that we often overlook.

First, God brought them out, carrying a fortune in gold, silver, and other precious metals. In Exodus 25, 26, and 28, we find very specific instructions on how to build the portable tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, and all of the holy vessels. The instructions required a wealth of gold and other precious metals. And, even after using much of their gold, these Israelites were still very rich with such treasures, so rich, that they even had enough gold to make a golden calf to worship later (Exodus 32).

Exodus 3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

Psalm 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

And, “not one feeble!” What a generous, kind God we serve. Israel may not have stopped to consider God‛s goodness, but we can! So, we ask; Are we?

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Monday, May 20, 2024. It is Day 23 and Day 2 of Week 4 in our Count to Pentecost.

Exodus 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Exodus 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them

Exodus 15:27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

These three Scriptures remind us that God‛s presence was with the Israelites at all times. Whether they were moving or camping, God was watching over them, guiding them, and camping with them. He was constantly with them, and protecting them, although they generally seemed oblivious to His presence and His protection.

David reminds us all of God‛s goodness, provision, and protection for His people (those that fear Him) in the Psalms.

Psalm 34:7-10 (7) The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them. (8) O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. (9) O fear the LORD, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him. (10) The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Unlike the ancient Israelites, we can be aware of God‛s presence, including His Spirit within us and His angels surrounding us. During this season of Counting, let us look to God to heighten our awareness of all of the ways God favors us and deeply loves us.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God