Sermons

Our Journey

We are all on a journey, and along the way I pray that we discover that “God really does know what He is doing”

Exodus 13:17+18

  1. Share previous chapters on the 10 plagues
  2. God led them out – prior, He kept telling them that he wanted to take them to a land flowing with milk and honey.  Ex.3:8 “So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into  good and spacious land flowing with milk and honey
  3. Milk flows from goats, which also provides meat and honey in this area came from figs.
  4. In biblical times goats were a reflection of wealth and the figs spoke of a healthy land. This definition comes from Jewish writings.
  5. If you read ahead, you will see that they started there journey, but God turned them around and went back to the Red sea.

The Philistine country was the shortest way to the Promise land.

  1. But they were not ready for the confrontation of the short cut.
  2. How we would like the short cut to all our dreams 
  3. They were not ready for the battle with the Philistines nor were they ready for the land
  4. In vs. 18, it says that they “went up out of Egypt armed for battle”
  5. They thought they were ready

But wait, couldn’t God have taken care of the Philistines

  1. Was there a reason for the journey?
  2. Israel’s journey is our journey
  3. Does this say something about the short cuts or the easy way? Wouldn’t we all like to flip a switch and every adverse situation would just go away? 
  4. What God wanted to teach the nation of Israel is also what he wants to teach us, there journey is our journey! 
  • Remember 2nd Timothy 3:16+17 “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man (and women) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”.

Video of little boy arguing with his mother, Linda.

         The little boys name is Matt

Isaiah 1:19+20 says “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land, but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken!

  1. So much gripping and complaining happened after they crossed the Rea Sea
  2. They complained of no food then no water
  3. You would have thought that they would have learned that God really does know what he is doing!!!!!!!!
  4. Joshua 1:7-9 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not  let the book of the Law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
  5. Proverbs 22:17-19 “ Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise, apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today even you.”

So what to expect on the journey;

Hebrews 12:1-13

  1. Vvs.1-3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and loose heart.”
  2. Vs.1 “Therefore” refers to chapter11
  3. “let us throw off, or lay aside” this is an intentional act, it just doesn’t happen by itself.
  4. “Entangled or beset” There are some things in our life that we know we do not want and we know they are a hindrance to our walk with God and there are things in our life that we like and are not willing to intentionally get rid of but are still a hindrance to our walk.
  5. “Run with perseverance the race marked out for us” Pastor has been encouraging us to read our bible more often!!! In it is the directions to our journey.
  6. Psalm 119:105, 130 (NKJ) “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” “The entrance of your word brings light, it gives understanding to the simple.”
  7. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” take your eyes off of what you are looking at and look to Jesus.
  8. Jesus is the Author and perfector or finisher of our faith !!! Jesus started this and He will finish it!! It is our faith that is His priority
  9. Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
  10. Jesus’ death on the cross was for you and I, so that we would not grow weary and loose heart!!!! This journey is going to get tough at times!!!!

Vvs.4-13   I never liked these verses because of three words; discipline,  rebuke, and punish, but after I looked them up, in light of our journey, these verses take on a different attitude for me.

Discipline – means to nurture, train, admonish, tell them when they did good or bad. Same word is used in Ephesians 6:4 where we are told to bring up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Rebuke – convict, to call to account, to tell them that there thinking or behavior is wrong.

Punish – This word is where we see Jesus getting whipped. This word was difficult for me, cause how does God punish us? Well, some of the punishment that my parent did was not always a spanking, they would sometimes limit or restrict my activities or ground me or take things from me for a time. One thing is for certain, it was always as a result of disobedience. 

My scar      

My being here right now is a result of my journey! 

How many of you have looked back to see where you have come from, where your journey has led you!

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and punishes everyone He accepts as a son.” Endure hardship as discipline, God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live. Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

  1. “My son, do not make light of the Lords discipline” In other words God really does know what he is doing, so trust him!!!!!!
  2. It is His Love that is motivating the discipline!!!
  3. Endure hardship AS discipline!!!!! Not punishment 
  4. hardship is going to come
  5. No discipline is easy, some harder than others, but remember where your focus is !!!!!

Verses 12,13

 “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame my not be disabled but healed.”

  1. The therefore is as a result of the previous verses, which means you may be responsible for some one’s healing because of how you responded to the previous verses,
  2. Others are depending on you to travel well on your journey

One last thing; you and I do not have to wait for Sunday service to worship God and have sweet intimate fellowship time with Him!!!! 

Worship Him at home, with no distractions, play music, have some quiet time!!!