Making a Way When it Seemed Impossible

Making a Way When it Seemed Impossible

Exodus 14: ²¹ Then 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. ²² So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ²³ And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

 

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After the preincarnate JESUS went behind them and the FATHER and HOLY SPIRIT did the same, Moses held up his hand with his rod and the Red Sea parted. GOD caused a wind to part the sea and the children of Israel walked on dry land.

 

My Observations:

• GOD dried up the ground so the children of Israel and their carts and cattle could easily cross.
• The Egyptians saw the Red Sea open and thought they could use GOD’s powerful miracle for their evil plan.
• Moses was obedient to GOD by holding up his rod.

 

The parting of the Red Sea is significant because it shows us that GOD is in control of impossible situations. Whether it was a mountain or a deep sea, GOD can make a way where it seems impossible.

 

Moses holding up his hand was a sign of total alignment with GOD. It was not his power that parted the sea, BUT GOD’s power. GOD made it easy for the children of Israel. HE dried up the ocean floor overnight. I believe GOD can do the same for impossible situations today. HE can change something that seems impossible overnight. GOD’s power is unstoppable!

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about what HE did with the Red Sea?
• Are you facing an impossible situation?
• Do you believe that GOD is in control of the impossible and HE can easily deliver you when you obey HIS plan?

Can, Will and Does

 

Can, Will and Does

Romans 9: ¹⁴ Shall we say, then, that God is unjust? Not at all. ¹⁵ For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on anyone I wish; I will take pity on anyone I wish.” ¹⁶ So then, everything depends, not on what we humans want or do, but only on God's mercy. ¹⁷ For the scripture says to the king of Egypt, “I made you king in order to use you to show my power and to spread my fame over the whole world.” ¹⁸ So then, God has mercy on anyone he wishes, and he makes stubborn anyone he wishes.

 

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Hearing how others had “gotten away” with stealing. I tried my hand at it. I didn’t have enough money to pay for the pants and I really wanted to join the organization that required all of us to wear the same thing.

 

I lingered around the pants for what seemed like hours but it was probably minutes. I gave the pants to another person who was also joining the organization and he walked out the door. The deed was done.

 

• There were times when I thought I was getting away with something.
• There were times when I thought I was in control.
• There were times when I thought I could do my sins in secret and pretend to be innocent.

 

Paul gives some hard medicine to swallow. GOD takes mercy on whom HE wishes. On the contrary, GOD makes stubborn anyone HE wishes. Is there any hope? Yes! HE gives me choice.

 

• GOD wants me to surrender my stubborn will so HIS mercy can be shown through me.
• GOD wants me to say “I need JESUS as my Savior” so HIS mercy can be multiplied on me.
• GOD wants me to believe that JESUS is the only way to have an eternal existence with HIM.

 

All seeing, all powerful and everywhere is GOD. HE can do, HE will do and does anything HE pleases. The part of me that gets angry at that statement is the sin that fights against HIM. I mean, there is a part of me that wants to be GOD. That is the part of me HE hates.

 

HE still decided to show mercy on me. Mercy means I know I am guilty and fully aware I deserve the consequence of my actions, but the forgiver throws away my sentence and says I am free to go. Looking back, I can see an incredible amount of grace and mercy HE has shown to me. I can only say thank YOU.

 

• Are you fighting GOD thinking you will win?
• Do you think your stubbornness is a good quality?
• Will you surrender your life to the Most High GOD, by believing you need JESUS as your Savior, so HE will not harden your heart any further?

Being Shaped by the Potter

Jeremiah 18: This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me. ⁶ He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel

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After zipping down the road I came to my exit ramp. As I stepped on the brakes I noticed the car was not slowing down as fast as I wanted it to. Wham! I hit the car in front of me. On another occasion I was driving down the road in the same car and hit a patch of ice. I slammed on the brakes and they did not slow the car down as fast as I wanted it to. Wham! I hit a pole.

• Life has some bumps and bruises that sometimes leaves me beat up..
• Life has some times when I ask “Why me?”
• Life has some situations that I do not like going through.

After a while I had to realize that I needed to slow down earlier so I would not run into another car. My immature driving had immature expectations, same with life. Sometimes I expect GOD to make everything absolutely perfect from my perspective and I expect HIM to do it in an instant. I mean HE is GOD isn’t HE? Can’t HE just snap HIS finger or say a word and all my problems go away? Yes, but…

• GOD takes me through situations to grow me.
• GOD takes me through circumstances to show me another area of my life that I need HIM.
• GOD takes me through problems to shape me into what HE wants me to be.

While I do not like going through trials, I thank GOD for them as James did in his letter. Trials are more memorable than bland instructor led lessons. I can remember the cut on my finger as I tested throwing bricks. The stitches cured me from brick throwing. GOD uses difficult times as well as great times to shape me.

HE fills me with HIS compassion when I see someone in need because I have been in need. HE helps me with the right words of comfort because I have been in need of comfort. GOD has the right to take things from me and give me plenty. GOD is my potter and I allow HIM to shape me as HE pleases.

• Are you fighting GOD?
• Do you have a difficult time believing in HIS way?
• Can you stop fighting placing your trust in HIM and let HIM grow you?
• Will you get up from your circumstance and let GOD grow your strength?

Fixing people

Joshua 2:¹Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

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After praying and having a number of discussions I felt pretty good about the progress made with this guy. “He is ready to serve” I assessed. Weeks later I got a phone call stating he had a lapse and was back on drugs. We have to “fix” him, otherwise he can’t serve I thought to myself.

• When I look at someone else’s sin I can get smug.
• When I look at people as projects I can get high and mighty.
• When I look at a person’s contribution to the GOD’s kingdom, I act like I can save them and I have a heaven or a hell to put them in.

When I single out a sin “that” person is doing that I’m not, I can get rather smug in my thinking. I mean, I don’t do “those” things any longer, or I “never” did. “Those people” is a term that assumes I’m not part of that group.  In fact it implies I’m above the group. GOD has something different in mind.

• GOD sees every person as one of HIS until they reject the SON.
• GOD can use the most unlikely person to do great things in HIS kingdom and HE wants me to never underestimate HIS choice.
• GOD wants me to treat every person with high esteem and let HIM assess their sin level and position with HIM.

I can’t tell what a person believes even by their actions. I know I sin and that’s all I should focus on. Talking about other groups of people is very easy. I can point out their flaws and character cracks and I can even doubt they can be used. BUT GOD is the one who cleanses us of ALL unrighteousness!

• Do you think "that” person is a project?
• Do you believe “those people” are far away from GOD and “you” are close?
• Can you stop treating people like projects and give the love?
• Won’t you drop you assessment of sin and listen to what GOD wants you to do?