| Text: | Ex. 14:10-15
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. 4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, (Saying No to God is a sure way to have God harden your hearts) that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. (GOD IS INTERESTED IN DOING WHAT IT TAKES TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE THAT HE IS GOD!) And they did so. - (How sad it is when God can get the Lost to march down to the Red Sea to be drowned, but He can't get the saved to Go To Sunday School!) 5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. |
Folks we live in an hour of quitting… giving up, going back to soon, only going half way… If someone was to stand back and try to ascertain which direction most churches and most believers are going I seriously doubt that many would have a hard time determining that church isn't going forward... it's lumbering around in the same places, and it's going backwards...
Can you imagine what it would be like, what we could have been if we would have just trusted God? If we'd have just kept going forward… Every Church has it's casualty roles, that role of folks who used to serve, used to teach, used to win souls and witness, and but now they have quit going forward… Tonight I want to take just a few minutes and look at 3 reasons that people quit going forward…
"No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow's burden is added to the burden of today, that the weight is more than a man can bear."
Isn't it funny how we forget God's track record when we are faced with problems…This crowd had forgotten the great miracles God had done to get them out!!!!
God gave his answer to these people… speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
Forgetful Ideas about the past -- They were saying we sure miss the Leaks, Onions, Garlic... all that stuff makes you stink. Smell like you're rotten. They forgot the bondage, they forgot the fears, they forgot
GABE BERRY WAS AS STIRRED UP AS ANY YOUNG PREACHER I EVER KNEW, BUT HE GOT TO DWELLING ON THE PAST…. A Tree always falls the way it's leaning.. Which way are you leaning tonight?
I'm about sick of dealing with grown men and women who wish they were married to someone else! Wake up you idiot! You're fortunate to have the one you've got! Go Forward! The Devil has a strong hold in your life and you're too Dumb to realize it!
I'm sick of hearing about how wicked you were in the Past… why don't you give all that up and quit bragging about what a big sinner you were Get out of the past and Go Forward!
2. GOD'S IDEA WAS, "I WANT TO PART JORDAN"
3. GOD'S IDEA WAS, "I WANT TO DESTROY JERICHO"
4. GOD'S IDEA WAS, "I WANT TO GIVE YOU GRAPES, HONEY, MELON, ETC.."
5. GOD'S IDEA WAS, "I'VE GOT A GIANT'S HEADS TO GIVE YOU."
The Devil will give 200 reasons why you can't do it.. and most of us are so dumb we listen..
The Devil will fill your head and hearts with fears - which when manifest will show a lost world that you don't have much of a God... how sad..
Some of you are messing up the future right now because you've got your thinking all messed up..
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he……… I'm not talking about the power of positive thinking…. I'm talking about the power of a Great God… who is bigger than our circumstances and our problems…..
Those of you that are striving for that goal are happy, and have a sense of well being, and those of you who are not, DO NOT!
Who set up everything that happened in Chapter 14? God Did! Did God have a problem hardening the hearts? Was there any indication that the Egyptians rebelled or didn't want to go where God put them? NO! What was the Problem? God's people couldn't see it so they didn't want to do it! God is honored when we are going forward..
What did these people have to exercise in this passage? Faith in God. They had to believe that God was right! ...tat God was at work! What if they hadn't? NO RED SEA EXPERIENCE! Everyone misses out on how big God is!
Read verses 4, 17, 18..
You know who is in Chapter 11 of Hebrews? People who went forward!
The Devil is afraid of folks who go forward.. You don't believe that do you..
But our Problem is we want it parted then we'll go forward. We want to see it then we'll act. We say, well when I get all my ducks in a row, then I'll be what God wants me to BE, then I'll do what God wants me to do.. God says, SEEK Ye First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.. THEN ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO YOU! -- Matt. 6:33
Most folks have to see it, to do it. God is going to supply when we go forward! Get that! He's done it this year in our Missions budget! He'll do it next year as well.
Get this the first Sunday of 2000 - If you don't tithe you are robbing God! God will get the tithe: your car will be broken or stolen; you will be sick or your family will; your plumbing will break or something else will..
Some of ya'll would have a lot more provisions and a lot less headaches if you would make up your mind to go forward right here!
Isn't it sad that folks get medals and awards for devotion to work but can't be devoted to anything for God... I marvel at so-called Christian Leaders who do call in to work, (they crawl in) but they can't ever be on time for anything that has to do with God! How pitiful! We need to Go Forward right here...
The Church has loads of people who excel all over the world but have no time or energy left to excel for God…
Will you read your Bible through this year? Will you have much of a prayer life this year? Will you participate in getting the Gospel out to Laurens County this year?