Part II of this study deals with another command that Moses gave to the children of Israel. The first command was for them to "fear ye not". Anytime there is a problem or situation that we don't have an answer for, it can cause us to have fear. Fear that we are going to have to go through something that we don't want to go through. We may have to deal with something we just don't want to deal with. When we have tried everything we can do, then we turn to God hoping that He can fix our problems or situations. The thing we must know is that God is and will always be there with us in any situation we find ourselves in.That's why the second command Moses gave was "stand still".
Israel found themselves in what seemed like a hopeless situation. They were being chased by Pharaoh and they had nowhere to run or hide.The Red Sea was in front of them and they had no safe way of crossing it. It seemed like certain death either way. In this hopeless situation God showed us some keys to handling our problems "His way". Moses told them to "fear ye not" and to "stand still".
Standing still is hard to do if we are in fear of something.A big dog comes running down the street and we will run in the house! Some people can see a spider and jump in a chair. There are people that move around slow but let that fear kick in and see how fast they can run! But sometimes our running can make the problem worse!We can run and run and still end up facing the same problem! God knew that it was time for Israel to face their problem and the only way was for them to "stand still".
How many times have we ran in our lives thinking it would solve our problems. We have ran from job to job. We have ran from house to house and town to town.We have ran out of one relationship into another.We have ran to drugs,alcohol,sex and even gambling.We have even ran from church to church trying to find the one solution to our many problems.God has given us the answer here in the book of Exodus.
Exodus 14:14 Gives us the reason for us to "stand still" in the midst of our problems.It reads as follows:"The Lord shall fight for you,and ye shall hold your peace." In other words this is what Moses meant to say:"Stand still so you won't get in God's way!". How many times have we gotten in the way of God? Anytime we try and fix things on our own or anytime we take off running, we get in the way of God's plan for us!I had to learn the hard way about running when I ran from God!Instead of my life getting better it got worse. Things never fell into place and I always knew whatever I did just wouldn't workout.Then God took me to a place where I had to "stand still".
There is someone out there that is going through a rough time in their life. It seems like problems are jumping up everywhere. It seems like there is no way out of the situation that you find yourself in. My answer to you is to FEAR NOT and to STAND STILL! Believe that God is willing and able to bring you through anything that you are going through! This Word is for me too. I have been going through alot the last few years and now I have no choice but to "Stand still" It's hard sometimes to wait on God but if we do, He will fix things where the problem will never be a problem for you ever again. That is the next and last part of this lesson "God's Salvation and Deliverance".We serve an awesome God that can not only save us from ourselves and our problems but can deliver us too!But we have to follow His Word and "Fear not" and "Stand still". There is a song that says, "When you've done the best that you can.You just stand!". When everything seems hopeless!When everyone and everything seems against you!When the doctor says there is no hope! When you have done all that you can do,STAND STILL!!!God wants to bless you and give you something to shout about!!
"Father,there have been times in our lives when we just want to get away from our problems and situations. We don't want to face our problems and sometimes run to people and things we should not run to. Help us to run to you! Help us to trust in you, to lead us through our problems and situations in life.Forgive us when we fall weak and run and not stand still and wait on you.In the mighty name of Jesus we pray to you,AMEN!"
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
"DEALING WITH PROBLEMS GOD'S WAY " READ EXODUS 14;13
This will be a three part series on Exodus 14:13.In the first part of the passage,Moses gives them (Israel) some directions we all should live by when facing any problems that arise in our lives. As you know life is a series of problems,no one on this Earth lives a life problem free. The Bible starts out with a problem in the garden. When Adam and Eve seen they were naked, that was a problem.They tried to solve the problem with Fig Leaves! Every time we try to solve our problems without God,we are using Fig Leaves. In today's passage the children of Israel was faced with a problem which seemed hopeless to them. They were faced with a choice of solving their own problem or trusting in God to see them "through" the problem.The problem they faced was either go back to Egypt or to cross the Red Sea some how.To them both choices seem like certain death.There have been times in my life when I've felt the same way because of my fears.
God lead Moses and Israel out of Egypt to the edge of the Rea Sea. Everything was fine until they saw Pharaoh and his army.There was nowhere to run because there was a great sea in front of them and no time to make a way across it. Now I can imagine some of the solutions that may have been thought of. "We can try and build a boat to get across." "We can try and swim across." "We can try and go around to get across." Then there were the ones that said it would be easier just to go back to Egypt! The main thing that occurred was FEAR. The problem cause them to fear and fear will make us do things we normally wouldn't do.Fear was what made Adam and Eve sew those Fig Leaves and fear will cause us to sew some too!
Fear does several things to us because it makes us focus on the problem and not really the solution. My sister and I used to watch those old horror movies every Saturday when we were coming up. Sometimes I'd have a nightmare because I was focused on Dracula and not on the stake that was driven through his heart! Fear makes us want to run, it makes us want to do whatever it takes to resolve the problem. The first thing Moses told the children of Israel to do was to "fear not"!It probably didn't make any sense to them. "You must be crazy,Pharaoh is behind us and the Red Sea in front of us,nowhere to run and you say fear not!"
So how do we overcome our fears when the problems in life seem unbearable. When there doesn't seem like there is a way out.We have to turn our problems completely over to God.We have to trust that He has "already" fixed the problem. We have to remember all the other times that He brought us through the waters!(problems)You see Israel had forgotten what God had delivered them from. All they could focus on was the problem at hand. They forgot all the powerful signs and wonders God had use to free them in the first place. They became afraid because they had their focus on the problem and not on God!!
2 Timothy 1:7 reads: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;but of power,and of love, and of a sound mind."(kjv)Many times in life our problems have us fearing the worst. Some of us can't sleep because of them. We toss and turn all night and dread the coming morning. There maybe problems at home or at work. There maybe problems with health or even in your church. Whatever the problem, the first thing we must do is "fear not"! If you know God has made a way before, He will do it again if we just let Him. Someone today needs to know that no matter what the problem, God has a solution for it!Stop being afraid, trust God and give everything to Him in prayer!
"Father sometimes our fears keep us from waiting on your solutions to our problems. We run here and we run there trying to solve our own problems thinking we can do things without your help. Please forgive us for all the Fig Leaves we have sown in our lives and we ask you right now, in the name of Jesus, to take us "through" our problems! In Jesus name,AMEN!"
Next part II :"Stand Still"
God lead Moses and Israel out of Egypt to the edge of the Rea Sea. Everything was fine until they saw Pharaoh and his army.There was nowhere to run because there was a great sea in front of them and no time to make a way across it. Now I can imagine some of the solutions that may have been thought of. "We can try and build a boat to get across." "We can try and swim across." "We can try and go around to get across." Then there were the ones that said it would be easier just to go back to Egypt! The main thing that occurred was FEAR. The problem cause them to fear and fear will make us do things we normally wouldn't do.Fear was what made Adam and Eve sew those Fig Leaves and fear will cause us to sew some too!
Fear does several things to us because it makes us focus on the problem and not really the solution. My sister and I used to watch those old horror movies every Saturday when we were coming up. Sometimes I'd have a nightmare because I was focused on Dracula and not on the stake that was driven through his heart! Fear makes us want to run, it makes us want to do whatever it takes to resolve the problem. The first thing Moses told the children of Israel to do was to "fear not"!It probably didn't make any sense to them. "You must be crazy,Pharaoh is behind us and the Red Sea in front of us,nowhere to run and you say fear not!"
So how do we overcome our fears when the problems in life seem unbearable. When there doesn't seem like there is a way out.We have to turn our problems completely over to God.We have to trust that He has "already" fixed the problem. We have to remember all the other times that He brought us through the waters!(problems)You see Israel had forgotten what God had delivered them from. All they could focus on was the problem at hand. They forgot all the powerful signs and wonders God had use to free them in the first place. They became afraid because they had their focus on the problem and not on God!!
2 Timothy 1:7 reads: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;but of power,and of love, and of a sound mind."(kjv)Many times in life our problems have us fearing the worst. Some of us can't sleep because of them. We toss and turn all night and dread the coming morning. There maybe problems at home or at work. There maybe problems with health or even in your church. Whatever the problem, the first thing we must do is "fear not"! If you know God has made a way before, He will do it again if we just let Him. Someone today needs to know that no matter what the problem, God has a solution for it!Stop being afraid, trust God and give everything to Him in prayer!
"Father sometimes our fears keep us from waiting on your solutions to our problems. We run here and we run there trying to solve our own problems thinking we can do things without your help. Please forgive us for all the Fig Leaves we have sown in our lives and we ask you right now, in the name of Jesus, to take us "through" our problems! In Jesus name,AMEN!"
Next part II :"Stand Still"
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
"Expectations" Read Matthew 22:34-40
Expectations of ourselves and others is something we must deal with each day of our lives. We expect certain things from our wives and husbands. We expect certain things from our boyfriends or girlfriends. Our jobs have placed certain expectations on us to preform at a high level each day.There are even some family and friends that expect us to do what they think we should be doing for them. Every parent has expectations for their children.There are some that meet every expectation and more.Then there are the ones that just can't seem to meet any expectations at all. Is it them or could it really be us and our expectations that make others feel like failures?
I want to get personal with you for a minute. Since I was a baby there has been high expectations placed on me. I tried my best to live up to them. I studied hard,I played hard, but in the end I never really reached the expectations that I had,my parents or others had for me.For a long time I accepted the fact that my life was a failure. I couldn't keep a job. I couldn't keep any marriages. I couldn't stop drinking and drugging. You name it, I couldn't do it! I had become so accustom to failing that I'd fail before I even had a chance to fail! Just because I never reached those old expectations ,I felt like my whole life was a failure!
The Lord woke me up the other night with this one giant word "expectations".He showed me that sometimes our own expectations of ourselves and others can cause alot of pain and even anger! We hurt when we don't reach our expectations. Relationships can end because of our expectations. Jobs are lost because of not reaching certain expectations.We have even placed certain expectations on God. How many people have given up on God because they feel he hasn't done things they expect him to do?Who needs a God like that!We sometimes expect God to drop everything and tend to our needs."Lord, I have this really high cellphone bill I need help paying so I expect you to help me get it paid this week." The week passes and there is only a recording talking on that phone!Now that person becomes upset with God because he didn't meet their expectations! I can truthfully say that there have been times I've felt the same way about God. There have been times when I felt he didn't do what I expected him to do. I knew that I had a need that only he could help me with but he didn't seem to care. He left me out there to deal with it and to face my situation head on. I knew afterward that he was there the whole time.Every lost job, I learned something from it. I was blessed with three lovely kids from those failed marriages and have a loving,caring wife I've been with since 2001 . Every life experience has been a gift of knowledge that some will never have. All this from what I thought was failed expectations. We have expectations of God, but what about his expectations of us?
In today's passage,Jesus tells us what God expects from us. His "expectations" center on one word LOVE! God expects us to LOVE him with all our heart, all our soul, and all, our mind. How many of us meet this expectation? What is your love focused on right now? Next,God expects us to LOVE our neighbors like we love ourselves. Are you meeting that expectation in your life? Is there someone you know you can help but just aren't doing it? Do you find it hard to meet these "expectations"? If so, remember this message when someone doesn't meet the expectations "you have" for them!Don't let your own expectations cause someone to fall.Let LOVE be your "expectation" in life. Show your LOVE for God by showing someone, some LOVE TODAY!!
"Father if we could only try to fulfill your expectations for us, this world would be so much better for everyone. Forgives us if our expectations have caused others to fall.Let your LOVE work through us each and everyday! In Jesus mighty name,Amen."
P.S. I "expect" you to pass this and all messages along!(smile)
I want to get personal with you for a minute. Since I was a baby there has been high expectations placed on me. I tried my best to live up to them. I studied hard,I played hard, but in the end I never really reached the expectations that I had,my parents or others had for me.For a long time I accepted the fact that my life was a failure. I couldn't keep a job. I couldn't keep any marriages. I couldn't stop drinking and drugging. You name it, I couldn't do it! I had become so accustom to failing that I'd fail before I even had a chance to fail! Just because I never reached those old expectations ,I felt like my whole life was a failure!
The Lord woke me up the other night with this one giant word "expectations".He showed me that sometimes our own expectations of ourselves and others can cause alot of pain and even anger! We hurt when we don't reach our expectations. Relationships can end because of our expectations. Jobs are lost because of not reaching certain expectations.We have even placed certain expectations on God. How many people have given up on God because they feel he hasn't done things they expect him to do?Who needs a God like that!We sometimes expect God to drop everything and tend to our needs."Lord, I have this really high cellphone bill I need help paying so I expect you to help me get it paid this week." The week passes and there is only a recording talking on that phone!Now that person becomes upset with God because he didn't meet their expectations! I can truthfully say that there have been times I've felt the same way about God. There have been times when I felt he didn't do what I expected him to do. I knew that I had a need that only he could help me with but he didn't seem to care. He left me out there to deal with it and to face my situation head on. I knew afterward that he was there the whole time.Every lost job, I learned something from it. I was blessed with three lovely kids from those failed marriages and have a loving,caring wife I've been with since 2001 . Every life experience has been a gift of knowledge that some will never have. All this from what I thought was failed expectations. We have expectations of God, but what about his expectations of us?
In today's passage,Jesus tells us what God expects from us. His "expectations" center on one word LOVE! God expects us to LOVE him with all our heart, all our soul, and all, our mind. How many of us meet this expectation? What is your love focused on right now? Next,God expects us to LOVE our neighbors like we love ourselves. Are you meeting that expectation in your life? Is there someone you know you can help but just aren't doing it? Do you find it hard to meet these "expectations"? If so, remember this message when someone doesn't meet the expectations "you have" for them!Don't let your own expectations cause someone to fall.Let LOVE be your "expectation" in life. Show your LOVE for God by showing someone, some LOVE TODAY!!
"Father if we could only try to fulfill your expectations for us, this world would be so much better for everyone. Forgives us if our expectations have caused others to fall.Let your LOVE work through us each and everyday! In Jesus mighty name,Amen."
P.S. I "expect" you to pass this and all messages along!(smile)
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