The Lord Will Fight For You!

We have this Scripture on the walls of our hearts.  We have this Scripture on the walls of our house.  This Scripture is one of my wife's favorite Scriptures in the Bible.  I, too, love Exodus 14:14.  However, I love the entire passage found in Exodus 14.  The Israelites had experienced so many miracles from God.  God rescued them and moved them out of captivity.  God provided for them and protected all along their way.  Oh, how quickly they forgot about the miracles and the goodness of their God!

Pharaoh and the Egyptians changed their minds about the Israelites; they realized how desperately they needed the service of their former slaves.  They pursued the Israelites with all of their fighting men and all of their chariots and magnificent weaponry.  The Israelites looked in one direction and saw the mighty Egyptians coming; the Israelites looked in another direction and saw the mighty waters and waves of the Red Sea.  Exodus 14:10 says, "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching toward them.  THEY WERE TERRIFIED and cried out to the Lord."  Then they began to complain and fuss at Moses.  Yes, the Israelites cried out to the Lord, but in this moment they did not fully surrender to and trust in the Lord.  They immediately gave way to the terror, to the fear.  What we see in the Israelites in this moment is still true for us today: If we don't truly surrender to the Lord and trust Him completely, our FEAR will lead to FUSSING.  We will fuss at the Lord, and we will fuss at our family, at our friends, and at anyone whose attention we can grab.  Our FEAR can and usually does lead to our FUSSING.

We need to be grounded in God's Word; we need to be in the Word and allow the Word to be in us.  We also need strong brothers and sisters in Christ in our lives who can tell us the truth and encourage us and challenge us.  Yes, I love Exodus 14:14, but listen to what Moses says in verse 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.'"  And then Moses says in Exodus 14:14, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."  Some versions use the word "silent" for still, and some versions use "peace."  In others words, Moses was telling the people that they need to SILENCE their fears and their fussing.  They need to truly surrender to the Lord and trust the Lord!  Instead of focusing on the Egyptians on one side and the Red Sea on the other side, the Israelites need to focus on their God.  I love what Brandon Lake sings in his song, "Praise You Anywhere."  He sings, "Sometimes you've gotta dance through the darkness, sing through the fire, praise when it don't make sense.  Sometimes you've gotta stare down the giant, worship from the lion's den.  Sometimes you've gotta shout it from the mountain, louder in the valley, TRUSTING that He's gonna get you there.  Sometimes you've gotta welcome the wonder, wait for the answer, WORSHIP with your hands in the air."  Oh, I love that song!  In the moments when life hits hard and the mighty Egyptians face us on one side and the might Red Sea faces us on the other side, we need to cry out to the Lord but do so with TRUST!  We need to praise Him in the good places and the hard places.  We need to WORSHIP Him in the good places and the hard places.  We need to SILENCE the fear and the fussing that comes with it!  But there is more...

Exodus 14:15 says, "Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me?  Tell the Israelites TO MOVE ON."  Wow!  It was time to TRUST and to MOVE!  Dr. David Jeremiah says in his commentary: "The fact that Israel was facing the Red Sea posed no problem for God.  When things seem impossible, the people of God need to obediently follow Him in faith, leaving the outcome to Him."  God didn't tell Israel how He was going to fight for them; He didn't give them a detailed plan.  The Israelites had to make a choice to MOVE ON, to walk forward in faith.  Is it any different for us today?  We should cry out to the Lord, but we should also cry out with trust; and when the Lord tells us to MOVE ON, we need to MOVE ON obediently.  Lord, help me today to trust you more and more.  Help me today to be consistently prayerful but to also be consistently obedient.  Help me to silence the fears and the fussing in my life, and help me to unleash the worship and the praise and faith!  Thank You, Lord, for fighting for me!  Amen!

You Are Mine

Three of my favorite words in the Bible are found in Isaiah 43:1.  God says to His people, "YOU ARE MINE."  Actually, Isaiah 43:1-2 are my favorite verses in the Bible.  Isaiah 43:1-3 says, "1 But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; YOU ARE MINE.  2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Saba in your stead."

As I have read the Bible, one thing is very clear to me: God is in the redeeming business!  We see God redeem His people Israel and call them by name.  He says to them, "YOU ARE MINE."  God is faithful and merciful, and it is because of His faithfulness and mercy that Israel is redeemed.  Redemption is not based on the merits of Israel; it is based on God's great love!  And God's great love is available to us today through His one and only Son, Jesus.  Redemption is a gift not just for Israel but for all mankind.  These words that were spoken to Israel in Isaiah 43 are just as powerful for us today.  We don't deserve nor can we earn God's faithfulness, mercy, grace, and love.  However, He offers it to us through our repentance of sin and faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.  I am a child of God, and that is who I am (1 John 3:1).  I am God's special possession, and I have received His mercy (1 Peter 2:9-10).  I can say these things because of the perfect life, the sacrificial death, and the victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ!

I can also see in these passages that there will be times when the waters, the rivers, and the fires are overwhelming in my life.  There will be challenges in my life.  The challenges may come physically, financially, relationally, or even spiritually.  The challenges may come at home, at work, at church, or in the community.  However, God says to me, "I will be with you.  They will not sweep over you.  You will not be burned.  The flames will not set you ablaze."  I can rest in the promises of God.  He has called me out of darkness and into His wonderful light so that I might declare His praises to the world!  No matter what challenges I am facing today and no matter what challenges may come tomorrow, I know WHO I am, WHOSE I am, and WHY I am.  Thank You, Father, for calling me by name.  Thank You, Father, for saying to me personally, "YOU ARE MINE!" Thank You, Father, for You love, grace, and mercy in my life.  Thank You, Father, for giving me the opportunities over and over again to glorify You and to sing Your praises to the world.  Help me, Father, be who You created me to be and do what You created me to do.  Amen!

I Do Believe!

Over the past few weeks and months, I've been listening to a couple of songs over and over again.  I've been listening to Jon Reddick's song, "I Believe It."  The chorus states, "I believe in the life of Jesus.  I believe that He conquered death.  I believe in the resurrection.  I believe He's coming back again.  I believe that His Spirit's with us.  I believe that He gives us power.  I believe that He is the son of God.  I believe it; I believe it; I believe it!"  It is a powerful song.  Another one I've been listening to is the song, "Believe You Will," by Jeremy Rosado.  The chorus of that song states, "You will turn this into something good, show up right on time for me, do everything You said You would, I believe, I believe, I believe You will.  You will turn my sorrow into joy, calm the storm with just Your voice, do everything You said You would, I believe, I believe, I believe You will!

As I have been listening to and singing these songs, I cannot help but go to that passage of Scripture in Mark 9.  A man brought his son to Jesus; his son was possessed by a spirit and was suffering seizures and could not talk.  The man had asked the disciples to drive out the spirit, but they were unsuccessful.  The man turned to Jesus.  Mark 9:21-29... 21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"  "From childhood," he answered.  22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.  But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."  23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus.  "Everything is possible for one who believes."  24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I DO BELIEVE; HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!"  25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit.  "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."  26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out.  The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead."  27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.  28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"  29 He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."

I don't know about you, but I am a lot like that father many, many times.  I DO BELIEVE!  However, I desperately need the Lord to "HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!"  The father went to the right place and he found the right One to help...both him and his son.  Notice what the father said at the end of verse 22: "But if you can do anything, take pity on US and help US."  I struggle with this...daily.  I struggle in this journey of faith and belief.  I am desperate for the Lord to help me!!!  I struggle like this father; many times I am praying to the Lord, "If you can."  I love what Dr. David Jeremiah says in his commentary: "Even though the father of the afflicted boy did not have great faith, Jesus did not refuse to help.  Still, Jesus did not heal the boy immediately either; instead He drew faith out of this anguished father."  That is what I want.  I want the Lord to keep on showing me His love, His power, His grace, and His mercy.  I want the Lord to keep on growing me in the faith He has given me; I want Him to draw it out more and more, as Dr. Jeremiah says.  

One of the ways I am growing in my faith is through the study of God's Word.  I am not only reading the Bible, but I am inviting God to read me; I am inviting God to show me who He is and show me who I am.  I am desperate for God's presence and God's Word in my life.  Songs like the ones I mentioned earlier remind me that I DO BELIEVE, but they also remind me that I need the Lord's help.  I need the Lord to HELP MY UNBELIEF...every day, every week, all the time!