Call On God For Help! Series

CALL ON GOD FOR HELP  

Exodus 1-3

Introduction

We are beginning a series of messages for this month under the theme of CALL ON GOD. As we make our way through the story of the OT we find that people discover the power of calling on a powerful God! We especially need to know that God is there for us when we need help - when we can’t go any farther on our own.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Someone said, “If what's ahead scares you and what's behind hurts you, just look above, He never fails to help you.” This is the message we want to see as we spend some time in Exodus 1-3 in this message. From a very familiar story we see four principles of calling on God when we ned help!

1. God’s Help Comes in Providence, So Trust Him! (Exodus 1-3)

Genesis ends with the deaths of two iconic Hebrew figures: Jacob and Joseph.  The children of Jacob (Israel) are in Egypt, avoiding the effects of a famine, and working alongside Egyptians. The story takes a dramatic turn in

Exodus 1:8 “Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power…”

This new king was worried about the size of the Children of Israel’s population. Pharaoh made three attempts to correct this problem:

-He oppressed them and forced them into slavery. (Exodus 1:11-14) He “made their lives bitter with harsh labor… the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.”

-He commanded two Hebrew midwives to kill any male born to the Hebrews.

-He gave an order to all the people, “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” (Exodus 1:22)

Throughout the story of God’s people, He is working behind the scenes, providentially providing and carrying out His will. Providence is God’s eternal, infinite, and (mostly) invisible hand at work in nations, tribes, families, and individuals. In Exodus 2, Through God’s Providence:

-Amram and Jochebed floated their infant son down the Nile where Pharoah’s daughter found him. She named him “I drew him out of the water” - Moses.

-Moses’ own mother was brought in to nurse and care for him.

-Moses grew up in Pharoah’s household, giving him access and insight for a mission he did not know was coming.

When he ran away from Egypt he spent 40 years as a shepherd, preparing him to shepherd God’s people out of Egypt.

Providence…

-May not always be evident to us

-May not always be pleasant to us for a season

-May not always be about us getting what we want

-Is always about God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven. We trust God through the seasons of life because we know He is at work.

God’s help comes in providence, so trust Him!

2. God’s Help Comes in Prayer, So Talk To Him About it.

During that time: Exodus 2:23-25  During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

Twice in this text we have an important principle.

-Exodus 3:24 “God heard…”

-Exodus 3:7 “I have heard…I am concerned…”

Old Song: Jesus on the main line, tell him what you want.

In our darkest moments, God hears our cries. No matter how dire our circumstances, God listens to our

prayers.

Madeline Pena offered this prayer for H.E.L.P.

-H. “Hear me lord and answer me for I am poor and needy.” (Psalm 86:1)

-E. “Establish my steps in your word.” (Psalm 119:133)

-L. “Let your compassion quickly meet our needs because we are on the brink of despair.” (Psalm 79:8)

-P. “Protect me, God, because I take refuge in You. I say to the Lord, You are my Lord, apart from You I have nothing good.” (Psalm 16:1)

2 Chron 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and

turn from their wicked ways, then I will  hear  from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

He is attuned to our suffering and moved by our tears. God’s help comes in Providence, so trust Him!

God’s help comes in Prayer, so talk to Him about it!

3. God’s Help Comes in Presence, So Invite Him In. (3:1-4)

Moses saw God in a burning bush, but God was there all along. How often do we go through our days not thinking about the presence of God walking with us?

Psalm 139:7-10 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens,