One of God’s names is Jehovah Jireh, which means “God will provide.” This doesn’t mean God will give you whatever you want (he’s God – not a genie in a bottle), but He will provide you with what you need. God promises to provide for those who love and obey Him. We can trust Him to do so because He always keeps His promises. In Philippians 4:19, the Apostle Paul writes that, “[T]his same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Instead of complaining or being demanding, trust God to provide what you need. He is always faithful!

God gave the people of Israel (and us) the Ten Commandments to help and protect them. The first commandments are about God’s relationship with His people, both communities and individuals. “Put God first” means exactly that. God wants to be number one in your life. Make Him the most important person in your life. When asked what the most important commandment was, Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). This is the key focus of God’s rules and Jesus’ teachings.

A train that stays on the tracks is free to go fast and to do what it is designed to do. When there are no tracks, trains can’t go anywhere. God’s rules for living are like tracks. If we follow them we experience freedom and fulfillment and we live as God designed us to live. Put God first and follow His rules for living.

Although Aaron told the people to give him their gold earrings, he made excuses and even lied to Moses when Moses confronted him. He did not take responsibility for his own actions.

The Israelites became impatient and disobeyed God. The consequences for their sin were very serious. However, God loves us so much that, instead of punishing us for our wrong actions, He made a way for us to be forgiven: Jesus took the punishment for our sin when he died on the cross.

You need to take responsibility for your own actions and confess your sin. God has promised to forgive you through Jesus Christ. God is a God of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. In the Bible, you can also learn from reading about people's mistakes so that you can avoid those same mistakes in the future.

Spending time with God changes us. For Moses, his face became radiant. Being in God’s presence, praying, speaking Him, reading His Word, and learning about Him changes us on the inside. We are filled with God’s Spirit and love, and He gives us power, strength, and wisdom to live each day for Him: “And the Lord - who is the Spirit - makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). As you spend time with God, God will change you on the inside, and you will become more like Him and His character.