It is good to be with you this week, thanks so much for joining us on Hope for Today. There is absolutely no other book like the Bible, and we believe every part of the Bible is beneficial for us. As you know, we are studying in Exodus, but this is not the only book of the Bible we have teaching from.
Here is a testimony from Macedonia, and at the time we were airing our teaching from one of the Gospels.
“I listen to Radio 7 daily because it is different from all the other radio stations in our country. The music and the radio programs give me a lot of inner peace and have helped me practically with a few relationship problems I have had this year. I want to thank you for the program, Heralds of Hope. I am a Russian orthodox believer and though I always had a Bible in my home, I never opened it. I always was told that only the priests can understand the Bible and we do what we are told. Through the program Heralds of Hope, I was encouraged to read the Bible myself for the first time. This radio program has helped me a lot to understand the Gospels. I like that the teacher studies every chapter of the Gospel. Nothing is left out. I never thought that the Gospels had so many teachings about everyday life. I learned from the program how to forgive others and since then my relationships have improved greatly.”
Isn’t this testimony amazing? Notice how the listener was impacted when they read the Bible on their own. Have you had an experience like this with God’s Word? I have and those who are involved with Heralds of Hope have also experienced the life in this wonderful book. This is the life and hope we share with you.
With that introduction let’s go with Bible teacher, J Mark Horst to the Old Testament book of Exodus. If you can, follow along in your Bible and get ready to see God and be changed by Him.
Every religion has certain forms, certain liturgy, we might say, certain ways that the worshippers perform to meet God. Some have mandated times for prayer. At different times of the day, they stop what they’re doing and pray. Some have certain postures in prayer such as folded hands or kneeling on the ground or bowing low. Some have special places for prayer where they enter only after cleansing certain parts of their bodies. Some go to temples, shrines, or other locations to offer their prayers.
These forms may be good, but they also may take the first place rather than God. When form becomes the most important part, worshipers forget that there must be more to religion than merely form or else it is empty. Some worshippers have form, but they make no contact with God. It is just a matter of going through the motions. But God wants to be real to you in your spirit, just as real as He was to Moses and the people of Israel.
In ancient days it was also true that the how could be more important than the whom. So, the true God came to Israel and told them how to pray so He would be real to them.
Moses received instructions from God for THE ALTAR OF PRAYER in Exodus 30:1-10. As we meditate on this, we will find some beautiful insights on prayer as worship.
1. And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of acacia wood shalt thou make it.
2. A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.
3. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, th...
