Wherever you are, however you got there, and however strong your faith is at that time, just tell God…Here am I!
Scripture:
Exodus 14:11-15:
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:
Theme:
Haven’t I gone too far?
Introduction:
A. Exodus – the second book of the five books of the law/history
B. The Israelites – God’s chosen people
• Deuteronomy 7:6, “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”
• Many are CALLED but few are CHOSEN
C. The Promise made to Moses and the people of Israel
• Exodus 3:8 “And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey”
• When God makes a Promise….
E. The Israelites – Led out of Egypt
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
• Walking with God
Body:
F. People doubt – Matthew 11:3, “And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” – The disciples to Jesus
• Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Doubt manifests itself as LACK OF TRUST.
• SATAN/THE WORLD/SIN SERVES AS A DISTRACTION from the focus or promise.
• God’s time is not our time – Doubt manifests itself in IMPATIENCE
• Luke 8:50 “But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” – Doubt manifests itself in FEAR…being afraid that God could be wrong … Haven’t I gone too far – THREE COMMON EXAMPLES
1. ONE
Abraham and Sarah did not believe that God would give a son at their age. Sarah means laughing…Sarah laughed. As God promised Abraham in Genesis 17:19, “And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.” As we all know Abraham heeded to Sarah’s despair and produced a male child by their servant Hagar and named him, Ishmael.
2. TWO
The disciples woke Jesus up when the storm raged more than they could bear. As it says in Mark 4:38, “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?” The disciples were afraid EVEN with the Master of the Seas on board. As the Hebrew boys were in the fiery furnace, so should the disciples have been in faith to be able to say that, “He will deliver us….BUT IF NOT, He is still able.”
3. THREE
Paul encourages Timothy to go forward and not doubt his calling or purpose. As it says in 2 Timothy 1:6-7, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Don’t let go of what you have already from God. When He gives it to you, IT’S YOURS!!
Conclusion:
G. God provides as He has promised
• Exodus 14:21 “And 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 dry land, and the waters were divided.”
• God delivers on his promise. — God has never broken a promise. The three earlier examples of doubt also give three ways that we commonly experience God’s fulfillment of a promise
1. ONE – He provides
God gave Abraham and Sarah their son. Genesis 21:5 says, “And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.”
2. TWO – He resolves
Jesus calmed the storm. Mark 4:39-40 says, “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?”
3. THREE – He revives and restores
Paul reminds Timothy of the rewards that motivate the “good soldier” in 2 Timothy 2:11-12 when he says, “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him”
Don’t ask “Haven’t I gone too far?”. Instead, be strong in your faith and be the child of God that speaks as Samuel in his confusing time of first hearing God’s voice…”Here am I!”. Wherever you are, however you got there, and however strong your faith is at that time, just tell God…Here am I! Don’t let fear drive you to run back. Don’t let uneasiness push you to rush forward. In the midst of your problem, your confusion, your situation, just call on God!
As the hymn says,
Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not, to rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Just as I am, tho’ tossed about, with many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Last verse, in confidence of how God will take care of us…
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
