a rock and a hard place

SERMON STARTER

 

          Have you ever been between a rock and a hard place?

“Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea?”

You are faced with two difficult choices. You are in a dilemma, either way you choose may have unsatisfactory results.

Here are examples of being between a rock and a hard place:

Your wife wants you for a family project, but your friends want you for a fishing trip?

Your car gets a dent: Shall you drive with the dent, or have it fixed?

You hate your job, but you need the money to survive.

You need a new car, but can’t afford the payments.

You’re caught between pleasing the business owner or your supervisors.

          We’ve all read about wilderness stories of people surviving by making difficult choices. Like the guy hiking in a remote area. He didn’t tell anyone where he was going. He falls, starts a rockslide and ends at the bottom of a ravine with his hand pinned by an eight ton rock. After five days of waiting and believing no one will come for him, he takes his pocket knife and does the unthinkable.

Biblical characters are often caught in the horns of this dilemma:

Daniel was caught between Nebuchadnezzar and God

          (Eat the King’s meat and deny God’s Ordinances)

Moses with the Red Sea in front of him and Pharaoh’s chariots and armies behind him.

 

Agape,

Pastor Phil   <><<

 

Good site: Excellent picts

http://www.arkdiscovery.com/red_sea_crossing.htm

 

 

 

August 8, 2010

Sheepfold Ministries – Pastor Phil Roland

 

a rock and a hard place

Exodus 14:1-14

Background:

Four Hundred years passed after Joseph – 1800 to 1400 BCE

Bible lists 600,000 fighting men that left Egypt – Numbers 1:45,46

Plus women and children that would make two million souls

Pharaoh changes his mind and pursues the Israelites

 

TEN LESSONS ABOUT BEING OUT-OF-CONTROL:

I.  REALIZE YOU ARE WHERE GOD WANTS YOU – Ex. 14:1,2

  “Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to the children of Israel, that

    they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite

    Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea.”

            A.  God Gave Children of Israel exact instructions on where to camp

                        1. Perfect place to walk across the Sea

                        2. No underwater valleys to descent or mountains to climb

            B. Location was a great beach head on either side

            C. God has placed or allowed to be in your in your situation

                        1. He knows the end of your life story

                        2. All outcomes are under His control

 

II. GOD’S GLORY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR RELIEF

      Exodus 14:3,4  NIV

     "Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion,

      hemmed in by the desert.' And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will

      pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army,

      and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." So the Israelites did this.”

            A. God spoke through Moses that He would get glory

                   1. We give Glory to God in all situations - 1 Peter 4:11

                           “in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom

                             belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

                        2. All things will work for God’s and our good – Romans 8:28

                            “And we know that all things work together for good to those who

                              love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

                        3. God can take your tough situation and gain glory for Himself

            B. Our task is to surrender to Him and let Him do it

 

III. KNOW YOUR ENEMY, BUT KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE LORD             A. The people wouldn’t allow Moses to ignore Pharaoh’s threat

                        1. They could feel the ground shaking

                             a. Horses hoofs from 600 plus chariots

                                    b. Some estimated another 1400 non-gilded chariots

                        2. No exact estimate of troop numbers / Probably thousands

            B. No matter your problem, never take your eyes off Jesus

A Rock and a Hard Place, cont. p.2

 

                   1. Keep your eyes on Jesus

                        2. He has you in His sight – Psalm 33:18        

                         “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those

                           who hope in His mercy,”

 

IV.  P R A Y – Exodus 14:10

      “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and

        behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the

        children of Israel cried out to the LORD.”

            A. No Atheists in Foxholes

                        1. Fear is a good motivator

                        2. God hears all your cries to Him

            B. God hears fervent prayers of righteous people – James 5:16

                “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

                        1. Does a human mother hear the piteous cries of her child?

                        2. How much more does God’s Heart respond to your cries?

 

 V.  STAY CALM AND CONFIDENT, GIVE GOD TIME TO WORK

       Exodus 14:13

     “And 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.”

            A. Moses boldly declares their Egyptian enemy is soon to be gone

            B. Give time for God to work

                        1. Don’t try to do God’s Job, He’ll do it well w/o your help

                        2. The Israelite’s just had to banish fear, stay calm and look

            C. Get out of God’s Way

 

VI. WHEN UNSURE, TAKE THE NEXT STEP BY FAITH – Ex. 14:15

     “And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of

        Israel to go forward.”

          A. Take one step at a time

                        1. Follow simple logic

                        2. Move in the right direction

            B. God responds to our faith in Him – Hebrews 11:6

               “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to

                 God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who

                 diligently seek Him.”

                        1. Just do your part: the next step

                        2. God will do His part

 

VII. SEE YOURSELF SURROUNDED BY GOD’S PRESENCE

      “And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went

        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.” Ex. 14:19,20

         

A Rock and a Hard Place, cont. p.3

 

          A. You are surrounded by God and His angels – Hebrews 12:1,2

                “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of

                  witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily

                  ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before

                  us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the

                  joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,

                 and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

            B. God will cover you with His own glory

                        1. You may be quite unaware of His Presence

                        2. He’s there nonetheless

 

VIII. TRUST GOD’S UNIQUE DELIVERANCE – 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.”

            A. Can God use an 80-year old man with a Shepherd’s Rod?

                        1. If that 80 year old man is willing to humble himself

                        2. If that 80 year old man is willing to hear and obey God

            B. Can God use you with nothing in your hands but faith?

                        1. If like Moses, you are willing and will submit to Him

                        2. If you will hear and obey His voice

            C. Note that God seldom does the same miracle twice

 

IX. YOUR CURRENT CRISIS CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH

      “So 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

            A. You can believe God has a future for you

                        1. God knows your name and holds your future in His Hands

                        2. You are not forgotten by Him

            B. Faith is like a muscle, “Use it or lose it”

                        1. We develop strength and stamina thru conflict and adversity

                        2. Even Israel’s enemies had faith and believed (thru fear)

 

X.  DON’T FORGET TO PRAISE THE LORD – Exodus 15:1,2

     “Then 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.”

            A. God dramatically delivered Moses and the Israelites

                        1. They sang their praise to God for His deliverance

                        2. They exalted Him for His compassion, power and might

            B. The Lord God is our Strength and Song

                        1. He has become our salvation

                        2. Our gratitude is always to Him

 a rock and a hard place, Text:

Exodus 14:1-14

14:1  Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

2  "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea.

3  "For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.'

4  "Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so.

5  Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and 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  So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him.

7  Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them.

8  And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness.

9  So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.

10  And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.

11  Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?

12  "Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness."

13  And 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.

NKJ

14  "The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." 

NIV

14  “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be        still."