Godly women
trusting Divine Treasures
The
journey I have been led to take our ladies on for the year ahead is the
wilderness or desert experience.
I shared with the ladies on the Divine Plan of God and how Moses’s parents, by faith,
placed him in the river Nile and we know that he became the one who led the Israelite's out of Egypt….today I want to look at the Divine Power of God. All
part of what I have termed…..Divine Treasures.
God’s
Divine Power – we know that this was displayed in the very beginning, when he
called everything into being – that was Divine – no one else can do that.
Power is the strength to accomplish your will with whatever
resources are required. God has this.
He can accomplish whatever He wills to do and has whatever
resources are necessary at his disposal.
He holds ultimate, perfect power, always well directed by His
wisdom. In fact – there is no competition; no rival – to His Divine Power.
This same Power is given to us….and I refer you to the verse God
has laid upon my heart to share…2 Peter 1:3….”His Divine Power has given us
everything we need for a godly life….the same power that was displayed at
creation….. ……is enabling us to live godly lives. In response to this we need
to trust this Divine Power by knowing that it has the ability to do so much
within our lives……I want to look at just two of the abilities or certainties….
I believe that Gods Divine Power has the ability to:
1.
Do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine……it was Paul who ended his prayer
when he prayed for the Ephesians recorded in Ephesians 3:20 Now to
him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to His power that is at work within us This verse leads me to the shores of the
Red Sea…..thousands of people, women, men and children, camping.
·
They had come to a stop on their journey and camped at this place
just in front of the Red Sea
·
Not long into their journey word came from the back that Pharaoh
and his men were on their way…it seems that he had changed his mind once again.
·
I believe there was pandemonium, people running backwards and
forwards. Some pulling their hair out while others were trying to protect their
families
·
As they looked ahead – they saw the sea. Looking behind them –
they visualised the dust as the chariots pursued
·
They were captured –all they could think was…. death ahead and
death behind
·
The sea was not even an option
·
Sounds of “Moses, Moses – what now? They wanted urgent answers.
·
Remember, the Israelite's lived
pretty much in an uninformed society.
·
There was no sound or voice of “just check google maps quickly” to
see which way would be best, or check if there are any ships or ferries coming
this way, or just check to see the breadth of the sea – maybe it isn’t so far
across or maybe it isn’t so deep, we could walk through the water – uninformed
– they had no idea – can you imagine
·
Remember also that it was unknown territory – they were slaves in
Egypt – so they could not leave Egypt…there were no opportunities for holidays
along the coast - so they did not know that area
·
Backwards and forwards, they ran to this poor man Moses who knew
that the God who ordained Him had the power – the divine power to do anything,
yet, I doubt, had the thought of the red sea parting.
·
There was no smart Alec
that ran up to Moses and said “Moses - ask God, ask God to open the sea
so that we can walk through it quickly
·
It looked like Moses too forgot how God had used the staff in his and
Aaron’s hands to deliver the very people shouting at him – ranting at him –
really tearing a strip off him.
·
The staff became a snake
·
The Nile turned into blood
·
Frogs came up over the land
·
Dust became gnats
·
Locusts covered the land
·
They all ”forgot” about the “Divine Power” and even though Moses
tried to calm them down by telling them not to be afraid and that they will get
through this….Ex 14:13 Moses
answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will
see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.
The Egyptians you see today you will never see again….he still
did not have an inkling of how this would happen, neither did it appear to him
that he could ask…….
·
And this is why I say today and echo the verse…”Our God can do
immeasurably, unfathomably, incalculably more than what we:
i. Ask for……no
one asked God to open the sea…..God
told Moses “Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide
the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground
(Ex 14:16)
ii. Or even Imagined…who
would have imagined this….for me – the sea is daunting….too much water – that
would definitely not have entered my mind…..the Israelite's, including Moses –
did not give this a thought – I believe if it did – they would have verbalized it….
I want to pause here for a moment –
We, even though we have seen His
Divine Power being displayed, are pretty much the same as the Israelite's, when
we hit a brick wall – we automatically go into ‘panic mode’. I want to
encourage us this afternoon…….
There is no one who can do what our
God can….I don’t want this to sound like a Christian cliche – let it be
meaningful……There is no one like our God!
This Divine Power that was displayed on the shores of the red sea – can
be displayed at the shores of your situation.
Often we run around like – like the Israelite's did – all they saw was death ahead and death behind……little did they
know that our God was about to do Immeasurably, unfathomably, incalculably more
than what they had asked or imagined……He can do the same for you today.
Secondly – God’s Divine Power has
the ability to:
2.
DELIVER… We know the Israelite's walked through on dry land….God caused a strong east wind to blow
and hold up the waters on both sides…..I put myself in this situation….I
wonder….to me it would be…..a case of “I have nothing to lose” so let’s just do
this.
·
It sounds all pretty easy – but I think the Israelite's hurried
through on dry ground….they now had two fears
o
The Egyptians behind them and
o
The sea they were walking through….
·
I’m sure there must have been thoughts of “how long is this water
going to stay up”
·
Thoughts of what they verbalised to Moses when they heard the
Egyptians were on their way….”Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that
you brought us to the desert to die” - doubt
·
The event recorded does look simple and as if it just happened –
but as I said to the ladies yesterday – these were people just like you and
me….so let’s think how we would have reacted to this display of Divine
Power…..I doubt we would even have had casual conversation – we would have
wanted to get out of that situation as quickly as possible
·
I mentioned – that the Israelite's were pretty much an uninformed
people – so they had no idea how long or how quick this was going to take
·
No whatsapping from the front to say – okay – we have an hour to
go……they truly walked through….just trusting the moment……and again….believing
the man God had chosen for a time such as that – Moses.
·
They got to the other side – they got there not knowing – what
now….are the Egyptians coming – I’m sure that they looked to see what the next
step would be.
·
With bated breath they looked – still fearful as to what now. In
their minds – the Egyptians were still coming
·
But we know….because we read it in scriptures that God’s Divine
protection was in action throughout their journey through the red sea – God’s
Divine Presence was also evident throughout the journey.
·
During the last watch of the night – the Lord looked down from the
pillar of fire and cloud and caused confusion amongst the Egyptians who were
pursuing…
·
However, when all the Israelite's were safe on shore – God
instructed Moses to stretch forth his hand over the sea so that the waters can
flow back……the Egyptians all drowned…
·
Now – we know that – but the Israelite's did not….they could have
thought that they turned around and made it safely to the other side and that
Pharaoh was going to devise another plan to destroy them…
·
But this God – he never leaves us hanging………remember what Moses
said to the people…. Ex 14:13 Moses
answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will
see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.
The Egyptians you see today you will never see again
·
Exodus 14:30 says…..and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the
shore……
you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. This – was their deliverance
·
The Egyptians you see today you will never see again …vs 28 says…that not one of them survived! Total Deliverance
I encourage us ……Do not be afraid, Stand firm…..it is then
that you will see the deliverance.
His Divine Power – it has the ability to:
Do immeasurably more than we ask for or imagine and…it has the
ability to deliver.
I believe godly living is a desire that every Christian should
have…..and Peter tells us that His Divine Power has given us everything we need
for this…..we don’t need to grovel. We have just seen this Divine Power being
displayed at the Red Sea…..that is how powerful the enabling of us living godly
lives is…..we have it all.
Lord – Revive us again……….because, like the Israelite's, we are so
inclined to forget all your mighty deeds and the displaying of your Divine
Power!!!
Comments
Post a Comment