God Provides Series

Big Question - Who do you trust? Care - Provision, Protection

Choose the wrong one and you will be sorry

Protect the wrong thing and you will be sorry

Matt. 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Protect the soul - prosper the soul - it will last forever

House illustration - protect a throw rug from leaky roof letting the house rot

Protect the body and neglect the soul? Big mistake

Link provision to the story of Luann or Linda from Birthright -

also Christy to quit Sylvian - Shelley to quit Progressive

Logistics story See how God provides

3 to 3 ½ million Israelites in the desert:

1) 1,500 tons of for each day,

2) 4,000 tons of wood for cooking each day

3) 11,000,000 gallons of water for drinking and washing every day

4) a camping area of 750 square miles

Review the Deliverance Story

God protects Israel from the Philistines

EX 13:17-18 Pharaoh let the people go. The shortest road from Goshen to Canaan went through the Philistine country. But God didn’t lead them that way. God said, if they have to go into battle, they might change their minds. They might return to Egypt. 18 So God led the people toward the Red Sea by taking them on a road through the desert. The Israelites were prepared for battle when they went up out of Egypt.

Pillar of Cloud and Fire to lead - need to see

Ex. 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud. It guided them on their way. At night he led them with a pillar of fire. It gave them light. So they could travel by day or at night. 22 The pillar of cloud didn’t leave its place in front of the people during the day. And the pillar of fire didn’t leave its place at night.

Summarize Ex. 14:1-8

Why did God play cat and mouse with Pharaoh?

Decisive battle Deliverance by blood and water

Short sightedness leads to fear and belly aching

EX 14:10-14 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up. There were the Egyptians marching after them! The Israelites were terrified. They cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, "Why did you bring us to the desert to die? Weren’t there any graves in Egypt? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 We told you in Egypt, Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die here in the dessert 13 Moses answered the people. He said, Don’t be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the LORD will save you today. Do you see those Egyptians? You will never see them again. 14 The LORD will fight for you. Just be still.

Summarize Ex. 14:15-29

God caused a East wind to blow all night - pile up water - Israel crossed in safety

SS story

A boy returns from Sunday School and his mom asked him what he had learned that morning. ’Well we learned that Moses went behind the enemy lines and freed the Israelites. Then he took the army engineers and built a pontoon bridge across the Red Sea. Then when the Egyptians tank division started to cross over the bridge he called in the dive bombers and blew them to bits.’ His mother was outraged and said, ’IS THAT WHAT YOUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER IS TEACHING YOU?’ The little boy looked down for a moment and finally said, ’Well - no Mom, but if I told you what she taught us this morning there’s no way you would believe it!’

To cross the Red Sea double file would require 35 days and nights, the line 800 miles long, Instead the space must have been 1 mile (1000 people) wide 4 miles long.

Summary Ex. 15:22-27

Water Solution Camp at Elim - 12 Springs Water Softener

Food Solution - Manna

EX 16:2 In the desert the whole community told Moses and Aaron they weren’t happy with them. 3 The Israelites said to them, We wish the LORD had put us to death in Egypt. There we sat around pots of meat. We ate all of the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert. You must want this entire community to die of hunger. 4 Then the LORD spoke to Moses. He said, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people must go out each day. Have them gather enough bread for that day. Here is how I will put them to the test. I will see if they will follow my directions. 5 On the sixth day they must prepare what they bring in. On that day they must gather twice as much as on the other days.