Red Sea Rule #7 - Sermon Notes for October 23, 2011

Red Sea Rule #1 - Realize that God means for you to be where you are.
Red Sea Rule #2 - Be more concerned for God's glory than for your relief.
Red Sea Rule #3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord.
Red Sea Rule #4 - Pray
Red Sea Rule #5 - Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work.
Red Sea Rule #6 - When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith.

Red Sea Rule #7 - Envision God's enveloping presence.

Main Text:

The Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went from behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.  Exodus 14:19-20

         And the God of Israel will be your rear-guard. (Isaiah 52:12).

We know from earlier verses (Exodus 13:21-22) that God Himself was in that cloud and He is the One who led the Israelites across the Red Sea and continued with them in their journey.

Bro Mike referenced a quote from Amy Carmichael:

He is first and He is last, and we are gathered up between as in great arms of eternal lovingkindness.


He also spoke of the importance of "envisioning" in our lives. How that practice can produce many helpful results.

What do we envision when we pray?

The Israelites did not have to actually "envision" God's presence for they had the actual presence of  God with them in the pillar of cloud and of fire.

At the Red Sea, God put His people in a position where His presence had never been so real to them. Using difficulty, He cultivated within them a greater appreciation for Himself. "God's presence
in the trial is much better than exemption from the trial, wrote one commentator. "The Lord's presence is never so sweet as in moments of appalling difficulty." --Robert Morgan.

Four suggestions for envisioning God's enveloping presence in our lives.

1. Affirm His nearness in your heart. The psalmist was doing that when he wrote in Psalm 139:5-6, "You have hedged me behind and before...such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high; I cannot attain it."

Some good verses to memorize and use to remind ourselves that God is near:

a. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything. (Philippians 4:5-6).

b. Fear not, for I am with you. (Isaiah 41:10)

c. Behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go. (Genesis 28:15)

d. Speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, (Acts 18:9-10)

e. I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

2. Visualize God's presence in your mind. Even picture Him sitting in a chair next to you and talk to Him naturally, as you would another family member.

The biblical writers used such imagery. "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." (Psalm 23).

The Apostle Paul, when he was facing the Roman tribunal, reported, "At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me...But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. (2 Timothy 4:16-17)

He imaged God standing right there beside him, in the courtroom, like an "omnipotent advocate and undaunted friend."

3. Access God's nearness through prayer. James 4:8: Draw near to God ahnd He will draw near to you.

The best way to develop an abiding awareness of God's presence is to speak to Him often in prayer.

4. Reflect His preence in your demeanor.

Bro Mike closed with an illustration from Brother Lawrence and some of this letters cntained in The Practice of the Presence of God. Bro Lawrence was a member of a Carmelite monastery in Paris in the mid 1600's. In even the most menial tasks--picking up scraps and weeds in the garden, washing dishes,scrubbing floors--if undertaken for God's glory, are holy; and wherever the Christian stands, is holy ground, for the Lord is there, too.

The pillar of fire and cloud that followed the Israelites through the wilderness--that same presence now resides in us, everywhere and at every moment. We are not facing difficulties alone, for the Lord is "closer than a friend or brother." We must learn to envision His presence with us all the time.




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Red Sea Rule #6 - Sermon Notes

Red Sea Rule #1 - Realize that God means for you to be where you are
Red Sea Rule #2 - Be more concerned for God's glory than for your relief
Red Sea Rule #3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord
Red Sea Rule #4 - Pray
Red Sea Rule #5 - Stay calm and confident and give God time to work


Red Sea Rule #6 - When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith

Main Text:

     The Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward."
                                                                   --Exodus 14:15

From where the Israelites were at that time, it was not far to their destination. But it ended up taking them 40 years!

God generally leads us step-by-step, provides for us day by day, cares for us moment-by-moment.

     Your strength shall be renewed day by day like the morning dew. Psalm 110:3

     Give us this day our daily bread. Luke 11:3

     Blessed day by day be the Lord, who bears our burdens. Psalm 68:20

     The Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the
     LORD. 2 Chronicles 30:21

     Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man
     is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16.

"Whenever I haven't known what to do, I've tried to do what comes next, to take the next logical step by faith. I've decided that sometimes plodding is better than plotting when it comes to finding God's will."  (Robert Morgan)

Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strength I find to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my  Father's wise bestowment,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

--from Day by Day by Karolina W. Sandell-Berg

From the words of Jesus in His "Sermon on the Mount" -  "So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow, too. Live one day at a time" (Matthew 6:34 TLB)

Example from the story of Abraham's servant Eliezer while on a mission to Mesopotamia to find a bride for Isaac. Arriving there, he met Rebekah and explained to her family his mission.

 In Genesis 24: 27 we have these wonderful words; "And I being in the way, the LORD led me."

Example from Samuel. On the occasion of Saul looking for his father's lost donkeys. He never dreamed the entire trip had been designed by God to led the young man to the prophet Samuel.

When the two met, Samuel anointed Saul king over Israel and gave him some specific signs to look for. There would be three men with three goats, some bread and wine. They will offer your bread - take the bread.. These were exact instructions. Then verse 7 (of 1 Samuel 10) reads: "And when these signs come to you, do as the occasion demands; for God is with you."

Br Mike closed with some words from A. T. Pierson: "To go as I am led, to go when I am lead, to go where I am led -- it is that which has been for twenty years the one prayer of my life."

Take things moment by moment, and when you don't know what to do, just do what comes next. Trust God to lead you a step at  time.

     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I took away so much from this message. I loved the references to biblical personalities, to music, and the quotes from others. There was a lot for me in this message (and after all, it's all about me, right?)

Acts of the Apostle - Sermon Notes for 10/09/11

Random thoughts gleaned from Bro Mike's message on October 9, 2011.

We looked again at Acts 5 - Ananias and Sapphira. When Barnabas sold his property and gave the money to the apostles to help care for the poor, he was praised and received a lot of attention.

Ananias and Sapphira apparently yearned for that same kind of attention, and so they also sold property and then conspired between themselves to bring part of the money to the apostles and yet say that they were donating all of the money.

Peter was angry, reminding them that the property was theirs to do with as they wished. No one told them to sell it. And the money from that sale was also theirs. No one asked them to donate any of it.

But they lied about it in order to receive praise. At Peter's words, Ananias and then Sapphira, were struck dead.

This is a scary story. Does God judge this way very often?

Most people can handle seeing others get acclaim and positive attention. Most of us realize that we will not get the title, "Most Likely to Succeed" or "Most Handsome" etc. We understand there is always someone else who is quicker, brighter, more beautiful, smarter....we learn to handle it. It's just one of those facts of life we learn as we grow up.

Apparently Ananias and Sapphira did not. They saw the respect and attention Barnabas was getting and wanted it for themselves.

When Luke included this story in his chronicle of the early church we have an indication of his historical honesty. He did not suppress the information, but included it to show us what it was like in the "early days." This incident was part of the real story of the early church.

He shows us that not all of the historical events were admirable. It also illustrates the strategy of Satan, how he sneaks around, how he "crouches at the door," trying to get access into our lives.

Miracles...

When Peter confronted the couple, they died instantly.

When do miracles like this happen?

Miracles were the norm in three major times periods in the Bible:

(1) Moses and Joshua
(2) Elijah and Elisha
(3) Christ and the Apostles

These periods lasted less than 100 years each.

Certain elements were common in each of these periods:

1. Miracles introduced a new era of revelation. They alerted people to see that something important
was happening.

2. Miracles authenticated the messenger in that new era of revelation.

3. Miracles caused the people to listen and heed  the new revelation.

Moses and Joshua introduced a new era in Jewish history.
Elijah and Elisha introduced the period of the prophets.
The Apostles introduced the period of the church.

There are still miracles today. But they are not part of the normal life of the church.

The Apostles were unique. The first item of business after Christ's ascension was to elect a new apostle to succeed Judas, so there would still be twelve.

1. The Church was founded on the Apostles.

     Consequently you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and   members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles.... (Ephesians 2:19-20)

2. Apostles had to be eye-witnesses to the resurrection.

3. Apostles were authorized by miraculous signs.

    The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. (Acts 5:12).

4. The apostles had absolute authority. Peter's questions to Ananias and Sapphira resulted in their immediate deaths.

5. Apostles have an eternal and unique place of honor.

     The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:14)



God does not judge this way today. Am I glad? Yes.

But I am also sorry, because it means I can stay in my sin longer. I am on a longer leash. And the church grows weaker.

Ananias and Sapphira did not go to hell because of their sin. They are in the presence of God right now. He just had to move them on.

Red Sea Rule #5

Red Sea Rule #1 - Realize that God means for you to be where you are.
Red Sea Rule #2 - Be more concerned for God's glory than for your relief
Red Sea Rule #3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord
Red Sea Rule #4 - Pray

Red Sea Rule #5 - Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work

Main Text:

 Moses said to the people: "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which
He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace."
                                                  --Exodus 14:13-14

Activity does not always accomplish what we want.

Psalm 46:10: Be still and know that I am God."


In times of great difficulty and expectation, it is our wisdom to keep our spirits calm, quiet and sedate; for then we are in the best frame both to do our own work and to consider the work of God.
                               -- Mathew Henry

Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The LORD your God who is going before you, will fight for you, as He did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place. Deuteronomy 1:29-31

Do not be afraid of them; the LORD Himself will fight for you. Deuteronomy 3:22


Moses was telling the people: you've already seen God do great things. How short is your memory?

Why do we need to give God time to work? Why does He need time?

It takes time for us to get on track...God needs nothing. He puts Himself in the position to work with us. God lovingly allows us to partner with Him.

"Fear not" and "do not be afraid" appear 107 times in the Old Testament and 42 times in the New Testament.

God wants us to be courageous. There are lots of ways to show courage.. Sometimes it is more courageous to stand and wait. (Don't just do something! Stand there!)

I don't care what the circumstances may be, the Christian should never be agitated, the Christian should never be beside himself, the Christian should never be at wit's end, should never be in a condition in which he has lost...
it implies a lack of trust and confidence in Him.
                                                                      --Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Bro Mike reminded us of the poem, Footprints in the Sand, picturing for us that when there was only one set of prints visible, that's when He was carrying us. A beautiful reminder of God carrying His children in the wilderness back then and in our wilderness today.

A Problem in Acts - Sermon Notes for 10/02/11

Main Text:

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.  With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.

Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received from the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal?

What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
--Acts 5:1-4

Universal concern of parents - that their children not get involved
with the wrong crowd.

In this case, the danger was hanging around with the right crowd.

When you hang around with the right crowd:

1. You will see people do impressive things that get noticed
2. You will be tempted to be noticed yourself
3. Your desires to be noticed may lead your to do something you never thought you were capable of doing.

This message really cut to the quick. There is a subtle but powerful lesson for us all (at least for me).

To think about: Do you know where you are supposed to serve the church right now?

Can you handle God's assignment on God's terms?

Can you serve and see others serving and attracting more attention?

They were in the middle of a revival - how could Ananias and Sapphira have done this?  They were never asked to bring in any of the money. But envy of Barnabas and his gift  (and the attention he got) led them to this dishonest act.

Reminder:

1. Satan is always hanging around and eagerly looking for
ways to bring us down.

2. We are always just a few seconds away from temptation.

3. Bring God into our circle of temptation. He is saying, "I know your weakness. Let me help you."


Last question: Do you know where you should be serving?

This message was hard for me -- I enjoy the service ministries we are involved in....I also like the appreciation expressed to me....and I really like it when people compliment me.... 

 I do feel each ministry is an assignment from God but my own pride is so much involved in the service I do.  I think I do anticipate people's approving words to me more than I look for God's approval. The praise of human beings often motivates me more than pleasing my Father.

Some of the people who help me when I have a specific need say, "I want this to be anonymous," and I deeply respect them for that quality. Frankly, I don't say that myself very often.  And certainly it is rare when I even think it. I like being noticed...and approved of.... and I think I even enjoy that self-righteous feeling that sometimes comes from being active in church ministry.

Wow, do I need help!

God, please be merciful to me, a sinner.....

For me, the main issue is the humility I need to have and exhibit. And the "servant spirit" .... and the unselfish love for others so that I can see them excel and be genuinely happy for them...and be more
concerned with God's glory than my own....and to earnestly seek to make others look good --- to put the shining light on them and off myself....

Yes, I have a long way to go...

Please, God, be merciful to me......

These are just random thoughts I walked away with Sunday morning. You can hear the full sermon on our website: fbc-bc.org.