Just go forward
Key Passage: Exodus 13:21-22
Date: June 7, 2024
Turn your Bible, if you would, to Exodus chapter 13. Exodus chapter 13.
Verse number 21, which we are going to get these two verses real quickly and pray and get going in it, verse by verse basic tonight. Verse number 21: “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.”
And would you pray? You’re here. And we’re going to take some time. So why you’re here, we might as well get something from God. So pray. You’re here on Wednesday, and I believe you’re sincerely hungry. So let’s just let him know right before we get going. Lord, do something tonight. Speak to my heart. Encourage me. Give me what I need tonight. Would you pray that as I pray the same? Would you do that?
Father, thank you. You’re able. You’ve been so good, always, Lord. I think about last night this morning, Lord. Just thank you for your working. We’re so appreciative of that. And Lord, tonight we need you. Lord, would you give every single person here something special from your word? Lord, those that might be watching online, speak to them. And Lord, use your word as a sword tonight in a great way to help your people. Father, we don’t want to cut to hurt. I pray to be sort of the Spirit. And your Spirit would use the sword to heal and to help tonight. Father, we thank you for what you do. Father, would you do so? I ask in the name of Jesus, we pray. We’re resting in him, Father. And in Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated. Would you look back at verse number 21? I think something sometimes we miss. Would you notice what he says in the very first part of verse number 21? “And the Lord,” now notice that’s capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D. That’s Jehovah. And Jehovah, the Lord, went before them.
Now, so I know it’s Jehovah. Would you look over in 1 Corinthians? Keep your finger there. Look over in 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, just very briefly. I’ve said this before. There’s much more to this study than just this one passage. But I’ve said this before, Jehovah is Jesus. And this is just one example of the Bible showing and teaching that.
But 1 Corinthians chapter 10, would you look in verse number 9? 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse number 9? And of course, this whole beginning of chapter 10 is talking about Israel coming out of Egypt and soil in the wilderness. And he says there in verse number 9, “Neither let us tempt Christ,” as some of them also tempted. Now, what is it right? He’s talking about the New Testament, those don’t tempt Christ. As some of them who the children of Israel in the wilderness also tempted, who? The same person, Christ. Who went before them? Jehovah. Who was it? It was Christ. Christ is Jehovah. And we’re destroyed of serpents. And I want you to say that. Jehovah, Jesus, went before them. They’re leaving Egypt. They’re going to the wilderness.
And Christ went before them. Just go back over to Exodus. There’s just a couple things here in this verse number 21. So the Lord, that’s Jehovah, that’s Jesus, went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud. Now, wait a second. They’re going out in the wilderness or the desert. Deserts get mighty hot in the daytime. Has anyone ever spent a lot of time in a desert? Some of you have. My goodness. I mean, I’ve not spent a lot of time. I remember one time in California, and I’d given my wife my shoes. She had flip-flops or something. The sand was hot. And I was like, I’m tough. I’m fine. You know, I gave her my shoes. And I thought I was fine that day, and I was fine that day, till the next day blisters came up on my feet, you know. And man alive, I found out we were kind of what they called the desert of California, not near as bad as some deserts, but I thought, boy, it’s hot in the daytime in deserts.
Now, we’ve talked about the pastor leading, or altogether, it’s a million, a half, two million people. And you’ve got two million people. There’s some people that are maybe sickly, if you will. Not their fault, but they’re just sickly. They’re Jewish people, but there’s probably some that are a little bit more fair-skinned. You can’t be out in the sun as much as others. You get too many people that’s going to be part of it. I mean, for anybody to be traveling through the wilderness and traveling in the daytime is going to be tough, but can you imagine? Two million people. Wow, the infirmary is going to get real full real quick. But God brought a pillar of cloud. Isn’t it amazing how God takes care of his people? Amen.
Look over in Psalm 105 very quick. Keep your finger there, but just a couple of thoughts on some of these things here. Look over in Psalm 105. And look at verse number 39. Psalms 105, 105, verse number 39. And I want you to notice how he words this. Psalm 105 is a lot about the children of Israel. And look at verse number 39. “And he spread a cloud for a what?”
Now, let’s take a time out for a second. Let’s think about the sun’s beating down, 120 degrees in the wilderness, however it is, desert. And yet the Lord spread this cloud like a covering. Help me out. What does that echo? Shade. Praise the Lord. We’ve got shade in the desert. God’s taking care of his people. God knows what he’s doing, friend. He said, I believe my people. They’re not going the short route through the way. They’re going the long route through the wilderness. We discussed that last week. And God said, hey, I got a cloud that’s going to be like a covering. That’s what the Bible says. Sometimes you see these pictures just one little bit. That’s true. A pillar. But he says, hey, it’s spread like a covering. God said, I’m giving my people shade during daytime. Amen. God’s so good, isn’t he? They didn’t know how to take care of his people. Honest truth is we’re spoiled rotten, amen. That’s honest truth. Amen. God leads them out and he gives them a cloud, and he says over here, he spread a cloud for a covering and fire to give light in the night. That’s Psalm 105, verse number 39.
Now, let’s go back over here to Exodus. And we’re at verse number 21. The Lord, that’s Jehovah, went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud. Now we learn from Psalms, he spread it out like a covering, and boy, that’s, praise Lord for the shade during the daytime, you know, when it gets so hot in a desert, to leave them. But now it was to leave them also, for sure, to leave them the way and by night a pillar of fire.
Now, help me out. Some of you’ve been in the desert a whole lot more than me. Even in daytime, it gets mighty, mighty hot in the desert. But at nighttime, it’s amazing how it gets cold. You’re like, how can it be 100-something degrees in the daytime? At nighttime, it’s freezing. And God said, look, I’ll give you shade in the daytime. And this fire at nighttime. Well, help me out. What comes off of fire? Heat. God’s so good. Amen. And all the time God is good. It’s just amazing how God takes care of his people. By the way, we’ll learn they complain and murmured and God didn’t like it. He did that. Something about that from time to time. But he says verse number 22, he didn’t take that away. A mercy of the Lord endureth forever. Or so undeserving of it, but he’ll never leave you nor forsake you. And it’s so good. And he’s giving them this cloud to give them shade the daytime. And at nighttime, he gives us some fire. Not only does it get, warms them up, the nighttime when it’s all cold, but it provides light. And by night, a pillar of fire, to give them light.
You know, nowadays, we don’t have to have that per se because we got streetlights everywhere. God said, I’m going to give my people a big old streetlight that’s out in the desert and wilderness and whatnot, and you never know what kind of creatures are out there. And how many people don’t like spiders? Anybody here don’t like spiders? I got somebody said amen on that right there. You know, I think they’re pretty good if you barbecue them, they’re not too bad that way, you know. Or snakes, they had those sidewinders, you know, and all these creatures in the desert, you know. And God says, I’ll give you a streetlight. I don’t know. That’s what he gave them. Now, it led them. But it’s very obvious. He said, I’m going to light up your camp. He’s the light of the world, Jehovah is. Amen. And so I’m going to light your all these two million people. And they’re leaving where they’ve been for 430 years, and they probably have a little bit of a bondage mentality. And God says, you know what? Oh, Pharaoh, he’s somewhat took care of you, gave you the basics, but you’re in slavery over there. But I’m a good God. And I’m going to give you shade during the daytime. And at nighttime, I’m going to give you a blanket of fire to warm you up. I even give you streetlight at nighttime. Man, a God, amazing God. I mean, I said, I’ll just light up things for you, and you don’t have to be so fearful.
And here’s the amazing thing is, that was in the wilderness, the desert. And sometimes when you’re going through the desert times of your Christian life, tough times in the wilderness, and you just felt like everything’s going bad. In the good evening during the times when things are going bad, God gives you just what you need. You can always depend on him. He’ll always give you what you need. And even in the wilderness, in places where somebody said, you could never give that to 2 million people, God can. And sometimes God leads you into places like the wilderness with them. Well, God’s not going to take care over there. Watch him. Amen. Amen. And gave them shade the daytime. They’re made in shape of the lemonade, if you will. Amen, you know. Had it going there, you know. And of course, it was his direction. It would guide them. And I don’t think Moses always knew. I mean, but you wake up and that shade, well, the shade’s kind of moving today a little bit, you know. Yeah, we’re going to pack up and move. And stay under the shade, amen, you know. Pack up your belongings. I don’t want to be in the sun out here in the desert. God’s moving, time to move.
God led them. And someone yesterday was, and they got a big decision. And I was trying to encourage them. And God can give you leadership. God can give you direction. So many promises. I guess the one that’s on my mind so much the last couple of years in all the ways to acknowledge him, and “He shall direct thy paths.” Oh, he can guide. He can give direction. Someone said this, “The more I pray, the clearer it becomes.” Can I ask you that decision you need to make? How much have you been praying about it? How much have you been seeking the Lord’s leadership in that? It may be—I know it’s a dirty word, don’t throw any rotten—don’t get it, you know, don’t get things out of the garden, throw it at me here, you know. All right, I’ll duck, you know. But you may need to fast. Oh my goodness, it’s quiet all of a sudden. I probably don’t fast as much as I should, not trying to act like that, but just seek God’s leadership. And I wish he always says, “Lord, what do you want?” And God’s, boom. But it doesn’t work like that. Sometimes I have to pray over it for a while or a season. And the more you pray, so often the clearer it becomes. Seeking the Lord, his direction, his leadership. He’s leading the children of Israel, and he’s so good to them. And, friend, it’s so key that we seek his leadership.
Now, here’s an interesting thought about it. That fire was light for sure, and the cloud. What is this over there in Psalm 119:105? You know the verse: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Two keys to know God’s leadership, God’s direction for your life: prayer and the Bible. Amen. Hey, Lord, I want to know your will. Oh, seek it and ask and knock and keep asking about that thing, but also be in the Word. Be in the Word. It is crazy how people get so out there when they get away from the Bible. And we have the goal to think we know what God is and what God isn’t, what he likes and what he doesn’t like, and what is right, what is wrong, apart from his word. We’re lost. And so when you’re seeking his leadership, prayer and the Word. But he’ll guide. And he led them that cloud in the daytime and the fire by nighttime, and God took care of them, such good care.
Let’s keep going. Let’s jump over to chapter 14, chapter 14 tonight of Exodus. How many—how many of you worked and you’re tired tonight? Anybody like that? Anybody? Well, not too many. Not too bad. Not too bad. I got some of them there. Chapter 14, let’s just get these first three verses real quickly here. I may need your help on some of these words. My goodness. We might just call them Smith. We’ll see here when we get to them.
But chapter 14, verse number 1, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before—” Who wants to take a guess at it? Say it out loud. Pi-hahiroth. Pretty good. Sounds pretty good to me. I actually listened to it online today, and I still can’t say it. Amen. Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel that they are entangled in the land; the wilderness hath shut them in."
Now, Brother Josh, I apologize, I did not give you fair warning. But can you pull up those three maps? We used them last Wednesday. It’s the children of Israel leaving Egypt. And you’ve seen it last week. We’ll look at it again. But get you a little picture. Just visuals are helpful, as long as you’re not in the PA booth and the pastor didn’t tell you ahead of time. You know, they’re helpful if that’s not you. I want you to try to see where the Lord is leading them. And he made it very clear. He’s leading him over there. And it might be a minute. They’re looking. They’re looking. Not on yet, brother. There we go. Just got green. It’s coming. It’s coming. It’s blinking green, so we’re good on that there. Let’s see here. Anybody have a good joke to tell? No, I’m joking with it.
It’ll look like God is leading them into a trap. And in some ways he is. And that’s his divine plan. He has a reason for it. But humanly speaking, it’s leaving Egypt, brother. And Israel leaving Egypt one, two, and three. We’ll get there. But humanly speaking, people were just looking at it. And you would think for sure, that is the dumbest thing in the world. You’re like, military-wise, it’s like, don’t do that. You’re getting trapped. You’re going to get slaughtered. But God was leading that way. Had a plan. And sometimes in your life, you’ll think, wow, I got led into a trap. God’s working. And just hang on. He’s got a plan there. I want you to see it. I think it’d be so helpful for you to see it. And they’re looking, they’re looking. He’s holding up a finger. And I don’t know if that means one minute or one hour. I’m not sure, you know. But we’re getting there, amen. We’re getting there. My fault. My fault. But we’ve seen it last Wednesday. I want you to see it. I think it would help you comprehend what’s going on here, how God is leading. By the way, all these maps are touch different. And where exactly is Migdol? It’s according to who you talk to. And where exactly is Pi-hahiroth? Brother Patterson said it’s according to which commentary you look at, honestly. And we don’t get too specific and argue too much about it, but the concept’s the same for all of them. And they’re looking there. They got it. Good. Amen. Amen. We’re getting there. There we go. Look at that. Good job. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord, right? You know?
So the land of Goshen, this is where the children of Israel were. And instead of going this way, which would be the quickest way over to the promised land, Canaan land over here, Jerusalem down on here. That’d be the quickest way. But God said, no, I’m leading you a different way. And instead of leading them this way, God leads them down this way. There’s Migdol, Pi-hahiroth. And so somewhere along the line they’ve got to cross over, and they didn’t have portable bridges back in that day, you know. And so here’s the thing: they’re here, and Pharaoh and his military, there’s a capital, if you will, and then Rameses, and they’re coming down, and the children are going to get trapped right there. How many, it’s just like a trap? Can you go to map number two, if you would, please, sir? This was just a different. Here’s Goshen, Rameses up here, and Migdol here, and Pi-hahiroth right there. And either way you look at it, they’re stuck. They can’t get across the Red Sea on their own, and the military is coming after them. So they’re stuck. Well, you get the third map, if you would, please. And here, Rameses up here, and they came down by the way of Succoth, and Migdol down here, and Pi-hahiroth, and here, and they’re trapped. And I’m saying, humanly speaking, and military-wise, it looks like a dumb move. I mean, you want to say, duh! I mean, you trapped yourself, Pharaoh’s going to come, and he’s got you. But God had a reason. God had a plan for that. Sometimes you think, why is this going on? Because God wants to do a miracle in your life. God wants to show himself real to you. Amen. God wants you to be in a position where there’s nobody else that can deliver you but God. And God wants you to just realize, hey, when there’s nobody else you can depend on, you can depend on God all the time. He’ll lead you there sometimes.
I thought about studying for this this afternoon. I thought about when I was a freshman in Bible College. I’d saved money all summer long. And boy, I had, for me, a lot of money I fought. And I went there and I paid my first month’s tuition. And I had, for me, a good amount of money left over. And I thought, hoo-hoo! And I went to a fundraising banquet. I knew it was a banquet. I didn’t realize how much of a fundraising banquet it was. And whether I was just so young and dumb or the Lord was really—I’m not really sure to this day—but I felt like God was leading me to give the rest of it up. And I did. Green, wet behind the ears. I tell you what, man, they’ve seen me coming, you know. And gave up the rest of my money, didn’t have a job and no money now. And you know, pretty soon the next tuition bill’s coming, and I know money, but God wanted to be there because as a young man, I knew I had to have God. And can I say God came through, as he always does? And some said, well, I was dumb. Well, yeah, probably was on my part, but not for God. God knows what he’s doing. And sometimes he leads you. My brother, my younger brother, was here Sunday, and he was asking me, he said, “I remember where you worked at when you first got out of college?” He said, “Yeah, and you never talked to him.” And I didn’t—it’s from time to time. It’s been a long time since I have here recently. We’re still friends, whatnot. And he said, “Yeah, I remember, you know, he used to have, give it all Sundays.” And that’s when we made, I think, $125 a week, it was. And he would have—my younger brother was like, “Man, I can’t believe he did that,” you know. And he was a pastor, he had to give it all Sundays, and we would give our whole paycheck. And I think maybe just twice we were there. And somebody said, “Well, that’s dumb.” By the way, praise the Lord, your pastor hasn’t did that yet. Amen. I’m trying to prepare you for the building over here, you know. But, you know, we did that, and we needed God, but God always came through. And it was good for us as a young couple, and all those years later, God has provided for us. And sometimes God leads you, however it may work. God sometimes leads you the exact way that the world says, that’s just plain old dumb, but he leads you down there to get trapped, if you will, because he’s trying to do a miracle for you. And he wants to show himself strong on your behalf. And in order for that to happen over there, Exodus 14:10, you have to be depending on him. And sometimes God puts you in a situation where you have to depend on him because he’s the only one to bring you out of the situation. So just contemplate that a little bit. He led them there in that situation.
Now let’s keep going. We’re in chapter 14. Thank you, Brother Josh. Thank you for finding that so quickly after the pastor told you before service to find and everything. You know, thank you, Brother Josh. I appreciate it very much. Chapter 14, look at verse number four, if you would. Chapter 14, would you look at verse number four? And verse number four, and he says, “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them: and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” They did so. So God did lead them into a trap on purpose. He had a plan. He had a reason for it. And, of course, he delivered them out of it. We’re not going to get in that whole lot. I think, for the most part, you know that.
But would you jump down? Would you jump down in verse number 10? Chapter 14, verse number 10. “And when Pharaoh drew nigh”—Pharaoh and the Egyptians are chasing after the children of Israel—what will we do? Why are we letting our slaves go? “And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and beheld the Egyptians marched after them.” By the way, they had 600 chariots. That’s kind of like equivalent to tanks in our day and time. Children of Israel weren’t armed. They’ve been slaves for 400 years. It was just going to be complete slaughter. And they lift up their eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them. And they were sore afraid, and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. I like that.
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? 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.” Now, a little sad, what was going on here. A little sad commentary.
But I want you to see, this next verse is just a great verse. We covered the sad commentary last Wednesday. But verse number 13, “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not. Help me out. What’s the next two words? Stand still.” “And see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.” Tell them goodbye. Bye-bye. They’re about to be gone forever, you know. Now, that “Fear ye not,” that’s a great, great—well, that “stand still.” Sometimes God just tells you to stand, even when the enemy is on your tail coming after you. And God says, “Hey, stand still.” Pharaoh’s breathing down your neck, 600 chariots and all their other military might coming after them. And God says, “Stand still.” They could have took off running back up to the north. Now, Pharaoh’s probably coming a little bit from the north. But they could have took off going—I’m not going to bring it back out again, Brother Josh. Don’t worry about it. Brother Josh says, come on now, twice in one. That’s too much. We’re not going to do it. But they could have took off running north and tried to get around the top of the Red Sea. I don’t think they’d have made it, but they could have tried. Or they took off running south, you know, trying to get away that way. Or they could have just ran to Pharaoh and his military waving white flags. We surrender. But God said, “Stand still.”
Sometime in your Christian life, God will just say, “Stand still.” And everything inside of us wants to go this way or that way or just freak out and panic. And God says, “Fear not.” Stand still. Sometimes, you know, when we get under pressure, we want to jerk the wheel. And God says, “Fear ye not, stand still.” It’s the Spirit of God will say that sometimes. And if you’re not careful, you’ll be so frantic and just, you know, I’ve got to lose something, but they’re going to get—but if you listen, the Spirit of God says, “Fear ye not. Stand still.” Just stand there. And your emotions and your intellect said, “Oh, my God, do something.” But you can’t see the salvation of the Lord unless you stand still. Did you notice as I read that? “Fear ye not, stand still,” and then, “and ye shall see the salvation of the Lord.” And there’s times in your Christian life the Lord just says, “Stand still.”
It may be 10, 11 years ago, I don’t know. But there’s a situation. I tried everything I knew to make some things happen and to get some things resolved. And everything I’ve been taught, I tried all that. I’d used all my energy, all my methods, all that. I used everything. And it wasn’t happening. And I never forget, I was riding home on Baker Road. We’d go one mile lane, typically Baker Road over to Old Nashville Highway, and I was riding down one Baker Road there. And I had my old red Dodge Dakota, amen. I was just a fancy—it was a 2003, and that was 10 years ago. But anyway, you know, I was riding that truck, and I think it was CD, and someone had me a CD. And I remember riding down, boy, that thing—I was so burdened about it. I’d been trying for months and months to make that thing happen, and I couldn’t. And a CD, I put it in there. It is not the best quality CD, the music. It’s from a children’s home over in Cleveland, Tennessee. Well, God has really probably used that CD as far as music ministering to me, maybe probably more than any CD I’ve ever had. Quality is not the best, but poor, the Spirit of God working through that, it’s the best, amen. That’s what really matters when it’s all said and done. That thing’s ministered to me. And I put that CD in, and I don’t know if it was the first time I listened to it or not, but I remember putting it in there. And I was just so burdened about that situation. And I tried everything I could, and this song came—well, let me read for the lyrics of it. So on came on and said, “It’s out of your hands. You have done all you can do. You’ve given God the problem. It’s no longer up to you. You prayed the prayer of faith. You’re standing in God’s truth. While you’re waiting on an answer, He has a question for you: Is anything too hard for God? Who’s got a problem beyond His power to solve? Are there situations He’s not the Master of? Is anything too hard for God? Second verse: Only believe, trust His word, you’ll see. His plans are now unfolding, performing perfectly. It’s clear how much He loves you. Look at all He’s done. For all your questions, there’s really only one: Is anything too hard for God? Who’s got a problem beyond His power to solve? Are there situations He’s not the Master of? Is anything too hard for God?” Boy, the Spirit of God just saying, “Stand still, Paul.” Sometimes God will use a song to minister. Boy, I just remember the tears, you know. That’s when you’re making sure the window’s up and nobody’s looking because there’s getting dust in your eyes, you know. I’m talking, glad you’re alone, you know. And he’ll say that sometimes, “Stand still.” I don’t know how much after that it was, but God eventually worked. He gave me what I felt like we were supposed to be going after. But stand still. Stand still. We don’t like to stand still in '23. Everything just instant. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go. My God sometimes says, “Stand still.” By the way, it takes faith to do that. Especially when Pharaoh’s coming behind you. You can kind of feel his breath on the back of you, and he’s just breathing down your neck. That’s when it takes a lot of faith. But God, he moves according to your faith so often. Faith is the key that unlocks the door. According to your faith, we have done that, faith hath made you whole. And sometimes that faith is just—it’s made real in you standing still more than God tells you to.
By the way, sometimes a lot of peace. Would you just say, “All right, I’ve done all I can do. Nothing else I can do. I’m just going to stand still.” It requires faith. But faith is a thing that God responds to in such a great, great way. Let’s keep going. Just a couple more verses. Two more verses, and we’re going to go home. Amen. Look at verse number 14. Exodus 14 is a great, great passage here. I would challenge many of you to memorize this. It is a great verse. Exodus 14:14, “The Lord shall fight for you; and ye shall hold your peace.” Oh, that’s a great verse. Wow, what a verse.
And one of my heroes, if you’ve been around here, you know I love Bobby Robertson. He’s in heaven. But I was—he had preached for us. And we were sitting over here at Cracker Barrel. Praise the Lord for that, amen, you know. And sitting there, Bible arrived, we’re eating together. And he told me, he said, “Yeah, I remember years ago when Clarence—” Now, he was talking about Clarence Sexton over at Crown, you know. He said, “Clarence called me one day. And he said, ‘Hey, Brother Bobby, I got a verse. Got a verse for you,’ you know.” And he said, “I remember Clarence told me about Exodus 14:14. ‘The Lord shall fight for you; ye shall hold your peace.’” And boy, sitting in Cracker Barrel, awesome, and I’m going to memorize that. That’s a good verse. And a lot of you ought to memorize that. We’re not careful, we want to fight and claw for ourselves. And sometimes God might lead you to fight. Fight the devil. He’s your adversary, but sometimes we’re fighting battles God wants to fight for you. Sometimes when you’re busy fighting, God says, “All right, I’ll let you fight it.” So often there’s bloodshed for years after that. God fights the battle as done. He ain’t going to see those Egyptians anymore. Tell them bye-bye, you know. It’s about to be over, you know. That’s when the Lord fights for you. And he shall hold your peace. By the way, if you can’t hold your peace, something’s not right. You know, the Bible says, “If I can’t bridle my tongue, my religion is vain.” Wow. If I can’t pull back on my tongue, then my religion, boy, it’s your work. You’re telling me when that’s the person of the Lord, your religion is at home. Oh, my kids listen to me. Well, maybe you can’t bridle your tongue, your religion’s vain. And sometimes that’s part of the Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. What a promise. Can’t it kind of just challenge you to memorize that verse? You memorize those verses, and it’s kind of like an arrow in your quiver when you’re ready. You pull it out, ready to go. And the Holy Spirit can bring it to mind and bring you to memory. It’s a great, great verse. Short verse, amen. Easy to memorize. Come on, I like that, you know. Great verse.
How many—let’s do this. How many you say, you ain’t got to hold it up high, but you say, “I’m going to take the challenge. I’ll memorize that verse.” Anybody? You say good. That’s a great verse. You’ll love it. It’s a wonderful, wonderful verse. And Brother Tim said, everybody that quotes it to him next Wednesday, he’ll give them $20 each. Brother Tim says, “Pastor, you better give me some money then,” amen, you know. Of course, you know I’m teasing. Would you—verse number 15. We’re going to be done. We’re going to go home on this one right here. Verse number 15. It’s amazing what the Lord says. “And the Lord said unto Moses, ‘Wherefore criest thou unto me?’” That’s pretty amazing. Seems like the Lord already given Moses direction. I’m not sure. But it said, “Wherefore criest thou unto me?” Speaking of the children of Israel, that they—what’s the next two words? Go forward. I mean, how are you going to go forward? There’s a sea right there. We can’t swim that far. We’re not Navy SEALs. Go forward. That’s impossible. I said, “Go forward.” They could go forward a little bit. They weren’t in the water yet. It didn’t say, you know, go to your left, go to your right, go north and south. Didn’t say retreat. You know, sometimes when you’re in tough situations, and you just feel like, I don’t know if I can take another step, you’re going to feel like that sometimes. And sometimes God says, “Stand still, I’m working.” And in the meantime, go forward.
Go witness to so-and-so. Keep advancing. Keep praying. Keep reading your Bible. Keep going to church. Don’t say, “Well, I’m not going to witness to anybody else.” It’s amazing sometimes. You just feel like it’s impossible. But God says, “Go forward.”
Now, this is another one of those faith situations because humanly speaking, you go, “I can’t go forward. There’s a sea right there.” And God says, “Yeah, I understand that, but that’s 100 yards in front of you, 100 feet, I don’t know. And you’ve still got some space. I want you go forward.” You know, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense when God said, “All right, you’re in the first city.” I know it’s a huge one, Jericho, but march around it one time every day, seven days, seven times. That didn’t make a whole lot of sense. But that was God saying, “Go forward.” You know, children of Israel eventually, where they came to the Jordan River to enter into the promised land. You know, they came there, and it was overflowing the banks, and there was no way they’re going to cross it. In some ways, I think that might even be a greater miracle than the Red Sea crossing, because that was a flowing river. Both miracles, God, mighty, you know, mighty God doing a miracle. But that was a flowing river, the Jordan, and it was overflowing the banks that time of the year. And yet God said, “Let the priests that are carrying the Ark of the Covenant when their feet get in the water.” They just keep going when the—when the feet get in the water, that’s when God split the Jordan River. And a little bit the same thing. God said, “Nope, I want you to keep going forward.” We’ll get it next Wednesday. That’s when Moses put his rod out there and God split the water. Just keep going forward.
And so often when the old devil’s breathing down your neck and you’re about to get slaughtered here, and God led me in the trap, and you really it’s at that point you just like the song says, you trust and obey. And really, you’re just obeying out of faith. It doesn’t look like anything good’s going to come in. I wasn’t planning on telling him, but I think about Mom and Dad witnessing to my Uncle Johnny Frank. Uncle Johnny Frank, one of the years ago when I was young, a very proud man, and he’s in heaven now, so I say some things, but a proud man. I’ve seen his spouse coming in with black eyes from things and, you know, from—and just, I remember one time my dad was going to lead his son to the Lord, and Frankie was listening, and then he looked over at Uncle Johnny Frank. Oh, John Frank shook his head, no. And so his son, Frankie said, said, “Steve, Uncle Steve, I’m not interested.” And Uncle John Frank just—and Mom and Dad had witnessed to him so many times. We were living in Indiana at the time, and Mom and Dad said that we’re on the phone. They said, “We’re going to go down, we’re going to try to witness to Uncle Johnny Frank again.” You know, my weak, frail faith. My mind, I thought, just give it up. You witnessed him about a thousand times. He doesn’t want to hear, you know. And, of course, I didn’t say it. Praise the Lord. I was trying to bridle my tongue. I said, “I’ll pray.” And then went down there, and boy, that was the time. He was right, ready to get saved. And they just kept going forward. Kept going forward. Just looked like there’s no way. That’s when he got saved. And by the way, after that, man, God changed his life. He would tell some of the other relatives that come to visit him in the hospital, “Don’t cuss in here.” And he’d say, “Tell Stephen Knight and to bring their Bible when they come visit me. I want them to read their Bible to me.” But they just kept going forward. And didn’t look like there’s any way. And sometimes when you’re just—you’re just—God’s led you into a trap, you’re going to have to stand still. And that’s hard to do because everything inside you wants to go to split somewhere. You just stand still. And they cried out to the Lord, and Moses got that direction of the Lord, and “Go forward.” And God’s about to do a mighty miracle. And next Wednesday we’ll get across and over the Red Sea.
Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - Just go forward - - Wednesday PM 07262023