Red Sea Rules 9 and 10

Red Sea Rules --

#1 - Realize that God means for you to be where you are
#2 - Be more concerned for God's glory than for your relief
#3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord
#4 - Pray!
#5 - Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work
#6 - When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith
#7 - Envision God's enveloping presence
#8 - Trust God to deliver in His own unique way
#9 - View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future
#10 - Don't forget to praise Him

      Sunday, November 20, 2011 - Evening Reflections

Bro Mike finished up the Red Sea Rules tonight with concluding thoughts on #9 and #10.

#9 - View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future

The LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.  Exodus 14:30-31

From J. Hudson Taylor: I know He tries me only to increase my faith.

From Robert Morgan: We don't always know why God allows problems, but we know He intends to use them to heighten our maturity and deepen our faith. Trials and troubles are dumbbells and treadmills for the soul.


What exactly is faith?

Elizabeth's words to her cousin Mary in Luke 1:45: "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished."

And in Romans 4:20-21 Paul says that Abraham "was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised."

And in Acts 27:23 Paul says, "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he [the angel] told me."


#10 - Don't forget to praise Him

Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying:

I will sing to the LORD,

For He has triumphed gloriously!

The  horse and its rider

He has thrown into the sea!

The LORD is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation;

He is my God, and I will praise Him;

My father's God, and I will exalt Him.

Exodus 15:1-2

Maybe we need a crisis.

One of the reasons God puts us in tough situations--or allows us to be there--is to give us the opportunity to sound forth His praises. He expects our gratitude for His deliverances. -- Robert Morgan.

Bro Mike reminded us of chapter 8 in Deuteronomy when Moses gives his instructions to the Israelites and urges them, after they have entered the Promised Land,  to remember to praise God for all He did, and was doing, for them.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God...be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God...remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth...

Then we turn to Revelation 18-19 and look at what Robert Morgan calls "The Perspective of Prayer."

Revelation 18 describes the destruction of the future city of Babylon, worldwide headquarters of the evil empire of the Antichrist. In one hour, the greatest city in the world will become a smoldering heap of ruins, and those watching from afar will weep and mourn, throwing dust on their heads, crying out, wailing and saying, "Alas, alas, that great city...! For in one hour your judgment has come" (verse 10).

But in chapter 19 the scene sifts to heaven where the angels and elders, witnessing the same event, are exuberant: "I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia!...Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever! Alleluia! Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both great and small...Alleluia! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns!"

Whether we have an "Alas" or an "Alleluia" depends on our perspective.

Angels in Acts - Sermon Notes for November 20, 2011

Main Text:

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducces, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life." Acts 5:17-20

                 Sermon Title: God Moves in Mysterious Ways

A popular cliche, but true.

Some notes from Sunday's Sermon....

We always want to know what and why. We want to figure it out.  If we can't  figure it out we often assume we are not good enough Christians. The root of this, as so many sins, is pride.

1. Sometimes God uses angels, and sometimes He doesn't.
2. Sometimes they show up to prevent an incident. Sometimes they show up to utilize the incident.
3. They are unlimited in their ability except when it concerns your obedience and your assignment.

1. In the Book of Hebrews we read: "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2)

This assumes that angels exist and are present. It does appear, though, that God does not use angels as much today as He did in Bible times.

•  There is no consistent pattern of angelic activity in the Bible.
•  There is no indication that angelic activity is a sign of  special favor from God, nor that it occurs in a particularly bad situation.
•  Angelic activity fits the pattern of God's incarnational approach to man. [I love that point.]  He accommodates us in whatever way we need for God to reach us.

2. In Daniel 6:22 we read how an angel came to the lion's den and "shut the mouths of the lions."

3. When it comes to our own obedience and our assignment, no one can do it for us. A parent can make sure their child has all the things he needs to do his school work, but they cannot do it for the child.

In the text in Acts, the angel has not come to just get them out of jail. He is bringing a message from God.

Why would the apostles be in jail? They had important work to do. Why were the bad guy at home sleeping comfortably and the good guys in jail?

God moves in mysterious ways.....

"Go, stand in the temple courts...." they were told. "Stand," don't hide. Do we stand up and get others' attention - at work? in public? even for a few minutes?

They went right to the temple because God told them to. Angels do not make their own assignments - only God does. God uses human beings like you and me to do His kingdom work.

God Moves in Mysterious Ways...

                                                       ....Our Response

We must always keep in mind that His ways:

• Are not our ways
• Are superior to our ways
• Should be welcomed by us (even if unpleasant)
• Should be seen as the right ways

Bro Mike illustarted these points by referring to a high school football game -  at various times throughout the game, probably 80% of the men present are in disagreement with the officials -- That's not the way I would call it, etc....

Another thought about angels -- He does not need them....
so it is a mystery why God uses them.

He could have:

--prevented the arrest. (They were on a roll. Pentecost had come with its powerful gift of the Holy Spirit. People were being saved. The church growing.)
--inspired one of the temple leaders to persuade the others to let the apostles go
--caused an earthquake and had them freed with great attention, and not quietly, with only a few knowing what happened.

• What is God doing in your life?
• What if angels were at work in your life and you didn't know?
• Are you able to discern God's "ways" in your circumstances?
• Are we on a journey that includes surprizing, sometimes painful, circumstances?

Opposition in Acts -Sermon Notes for 11/13/11

Introduction: Quoting Psalm 85:6: Will You not revive us again that Your people may rejoice in You?

How many times can we ask God to do something He has already done?
Apparently there is no limit.

Being "revived again" (the Hebrew word for "revived" is "to live again") can be defensive -- keeping us from getting off track or offensive -- allowing us to go forward.

Four reactions to the gospel message:

1. Opposition
2. Indifference
3. Approval
4. Obedience

We began with the first - Opposition

There is a theology of opposition - we need to have a framework to deal with those who oppose the message.

Main text:

Then the high priest and all his associates, who made up the party of the Sadducees, were filled with  indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.    

Acts 5:17-18

Background review: This was a new church. The only church in town.
The apostles had been preaching and healing all manner of diseases.
The hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira had led to their instant death.
People around were awed and afraid of what was going on, and yet many believers were coming into the church.

There was a point when Jesus, during His ministry, quit performing miracles. He wanted to concentrate on spiritual teaching.

Jesus Christ Himself is often the dividing factor, the cause of opposition. He is often the reason for the controversy.

Verse 17 mentions the high priest. Maybe he had a close friend or family member who experienced healing by the apostles. The Greek word for "indignation" here is the word for "zealot." It indicates great hostility.

He and his council leaders rose up in great indignation to oppose the apostles' work.

1. When is opposition an indication you are doing right?

Bro Mike encouraged us to be careful when thinking God is on our side and everybody else is wrong. That is a major temptation. [I thought about Survivor this week -- one team prayed and they won the challenge and bragged "God was on our side!"]

How to determine if opposition indicates we are doing right: (1) Who is opposing you and (2) what are they full of.

The first church was built near the temple - for centuries the temple had represented where and how to meet with God. It had been built according to God's exact specifications.

Now God was asking them to move away from the temple. The religious leaders were holding on tightly, but the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit.

2. When is opposition an indication you are being corrected by God?

Sometimes it is a signal that we are wrong.

Your theology must allow for you to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, yet possibly be in a situation which requires correction.

Example:

When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw himself back and separate himself from the Gentiles, because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 

                Galatians 2:11-12

Peter was opposed because he was wrong. He needed correction.

The church began in Jerusalem. 100% Jews. Embraced Christ. They had been taught: you do not eat with Gentiles. They needed a course correction.

Question: Where is your courage to live out what you believe?

3. What or whom have you opposed lately?

Were you opposing from a wrong spirit or were you being used by God for corection?

Therefore: be careful in your interpretation of the opposition you encounter.
Seeing others oppose something doesn't necessarily mean it is wrong. And seeing others embrace something doesn't necessarily mean it is right.

[This was a full sermon. You can hear it on our site:fbc-bc.org. But the music was especially great today also. And the hand bells performed a patriotic medley. And the Choir anthem was a real highlight. So to get it all, call the church office and ask for a CD -- 245-5518.]

Red Sea Rule #8 - Sermon Notes - for Nov 6, 2011

Red Sea Rule #1 - Realize that God means 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

Red Sea Rule #8 - Trust God to deliver in His own unique way

Main text:

Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to the on their right hand and on their left.
Exodus 14:21-22

We saw in verse 10 that the Israelites were afraid. Now we see their deliverance.

Bro Mike reminded s that there have three waves of miracles in the recorded history of God's people: (1) at the time of Moses and Joshua, (2) at the time of Elijah and Elisha, and (3) at the beginning of the church.

In each case God was introducing a new era: leading His people from Egypt into a new land, introducing the age of the prophets, and then introducing the era of God's witness through the church.

It [the parting of the Red Sea] was the Old Testament's most dramatic object lesson, one of God's greatest miracles. Its simple lesson: trust God to deliver in His own unique way. That's His specialty. -- Robert Morgan

Other words from Robert Morgan:

When God does not deliver overtly (through a miracle) or covertly (by providence), He will deliver mysteriously, with a deeper level of intervention than we can discern; in the end it will be better for us, though for a time we may be perplexed.

An example from Paul's life: In his last letter, Paul declared, "The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom" (2 Timothy 4:18).

A while later he was beheaded and his body tossed aside. Was he delivered?

Yes, he was snatched away from the evil that surrounded him, removed from tears, pain, stress and sickness. He was where Satan could on longer attack. He was present with the Lord "which was far better."

When before the throne we stand in Him complete, all the riddles that puzzle us here will fall into place and we shall know in fulfillment what we now believe in faith--that
all things work together for good in His eternal purpose. No longer will we cry, "My God, why?" Instead, "alas" will become "alleluia," all question marks will be straightened into exclamation points, sorrow will change to singing, and pain will be lost in praise. -- Vance Havner

Conclusion....

What we seem to lose sight of routinely and regularly is that we are here temporarily. We are on a journey.

When the Israelites watched the Red Sea pull back and saw the dry land appear, they were blown away. They didn't ask for that miracle.

God can do anything he wants. He can do something unusual in your life, or He can keep you where you are. When Paul lost his head and his body buried, he likely still had that thorn in his side.

We can trust God to save and deliver us from every evil work and preserve us for His heavenly kingdom. 

He will save and deliver in His own unique way, whether miraculous, providential or mysterious.

He always does that for His children. That's His speciality.

Asking for it again! - Sermon Notes for 11/06/11

You showed favor to your land, O LORD;

You restored the fortunes of Jacob.

You forgave the iniquity of your people

and covered all their sins. Selah.

You set aside all of your wrath and

turned from your fierce anger.

Restore us again, O God of our Savior,

And put away your displeasure toward us.

Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger through all generations?

Will you not revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

                                                              --Psalm 85:1-6

Preparing for revival was Bro Mike's topic this morning. 

63 days from now (January 8) the LifeAction group will arrive to lead and direct us as we look to God for a revival of our church.

63 days to prepare....a few notes from this morning's message...


1. The vocabulary of revival.

"Revive" is a biblical word. In the Hebrew it means "to live again."

Some churches speak more openly about revival. But for some people the word has a negative connotation. It has become almost synonymous with a negative caricature of Christians active in their churches.

The first verses (first paragraph) of Psalm 85 are historical. The Psalmist is remembering what God has done in the past for His people.

The last verses show us how we should ask for revival again, to bring us back to where we used to be....to restore and revive.

2. The Need for Revival

Might God have given us revival 3 months ago? 2 years ago? a generation ago? How many times do we ask God for revival? Do we have to keep doing it again?

If God really moved 2 years ago, why are His people no longer  at that point of revival and restoration?

God's people drift...the flaming spark grows dim....we need to be renewed..."to live again"...

It's just the way it is here on this earth. It will be different later.

3. The Recipients of Revival

2 groups of people in the world: (1) Those who belong to God and His family
and (2) those who don't.

Group (1)  needs the revival. Group (2) needs evangelizing.

God needs His people to repent before He can evangelize and change society.

1 Chronicles 7:14 says "If my people, who are called by my name, will  humble themselves and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Repentance comes first from His people. And then the forgiveness and the healing of our land.

4. The Picture of Revival.

This week was specially designated by God and worked into His calendar for us. Bro Mike was calling LifeAction about a week next year, and this particular week presented itself. It was not a accident. God has a special purpose in the week of January 8-15, 2012, for this church.

The outlook of our society seems dismal right now. God wants us,  during this hard time, to look to Him, to learn to trust Him....

        Will you not restore us again so  that your people may rejoice in you?

There is some particular significance of this week that is on God's calendar for us.

Bro Mike urges us to look at our calendars and mark in the dates of Jan 8-15 as set aside to experience a revival in our church. Set aside for God to do a work in us.
He referred to the series in our evening Reflections (The Red Sea Rules) and reminded us of Rule #2: Be more concerned for God's glory than for your own benefit.
Our own relief seems to be our default position. We usually pray, "Lord, I want you to fix this..." but true revival comes when we can look to Him and rejoice in Him and His will and glory.

5. The Question of Revival.

Bro Mike asked us to memorize the last verse: Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you?  Let's join together in praying this. We are asking God to again revive us so that we may rejoice in Him and His glory.

6. The Preparation for Revival.

That's the question for each of us: "Whatever God is speaking to you about right now." Consider it. What does God want you to learn? To do? To experience? What does He want to show you?

We didn't choose this time for the revival. God chose it for us. We need to look for His Hand -- seek His face.

        Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you?
                                                 --Psalm 85:6








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