How To Move Forward For The Glory Of God

How To Move Forward For The Glory Of God

Exodus 14:15-30

If you survey the history of this church (or any established church for that matter) you will see many ups and downs. Within this assembly there have been some intense battles and some incredible victories. There have been certain seasons that grieved the Lord, and others that brought Him great glory. In this place, decisions have been made and actions have been taken that disgraced the name of Christ; yet there have been others that served to honor Him and advance His Kingdom.

Within these walls hearts have been broken, relationships have been fractured, reputations have been tarnished, and many tears of sorrow have been shed. However, on other occasions fractured relationships have been restored, broken hearts have been mended, souls have been saved, lives have been changed, backsliders have been reclaimed, and many tears of joy have been shed.

There have been periods of decline and seasons of revival. At times, the congregation has dwindled to just a faithful few, yet there have been other times when there was not enough seating, Sunday School rooms, or parking spaces. Today, as has been the case numerous times before, this assembly stands at a crossroads. The decisions that you make and the actions that you take as an assembly will certainly have an impact on what the next season of ministry will bring.

As a matter of personal advice, let me encourage you to resist the temptation to “return __________ church to her glory days”. I would also counsel you to ignore the current fads, programs, and whatever “church growth method” that the SBC is pushing this month. Save your money and leave the “How To Grow Your Church” books in the warehouse at Lifeway. Everything that you need to know about how to move forward as a church, and as individuals can be found in the pages of God’s Word.

One great example of this is recorded in the text that we have read together. In this passage, the Children of Israel have been released from the strong hand of Pharaoh. God has delivered them from 400 years of slavery and oppression in Egypt. They have begun a new journey of hope and great expectation. But after traveling for a while they find themselves in a discouraging situation. Their enemies are approaching, and it seems that they are trapped, and defeat is imminent. In front of them is the Red Sea, to the left is a mountain, to the right, another mountain and behind them is Pharaoh & the Egyptian army. Israel’s leader, Moses, sought the Lord for guidance and instruction. The Lord informed Moses that it was time for action. Moses responded accordingly and one of the greatest miracles in the history of the world was on the horizon.

As we examine the events in the lives of Moses & the people of Israel, there is much that we can learn about how to know and do God’s will. I would like to review this familiar Biblical narrative and consider “How To Move Forward For The Glory Of God”.

- It should be the desire of every church and every Christian to consistently move forward with and for the Lord. This indeed may be your desire, but you may be asking the important question “how are we to accomplish such a task?”. This event in the lives of the Children of Israel shows us that:

I. TO MOVE FORWARD FOR GOD’S GLORY, WE MUST LISTEN

v15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.

It goes without saying that prayer is a vital element in the success of any local church. Before leading the Israelites across the Red Sea, Moses spent time in prayer. The details his prayer are not recorded, but it is clear that he lifted up his heart to God, for God said, “Why are you crying out to Me?”. The Lord informed Moses that his prayer had been heard and now it was time to move.

The privilege of prayer is simply amazing. To know that we have direct, unhindered access to God is truly wonderful. But even greater is the promise that our Lord will not only hear, but He will answer our prayers. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.”.

I am sure that as a congregation of Believers you have been praying for God to reveal His will for this church. This is admirable, but it is not enough to ask what His will is, you must be willing to listen and obey His will when He responds. There are many times when God does not answer this sort of prayer the way that we would like. Often God’s will for a specific congregation is the exact opposite of what we would choose ourselves. Furthermore, His will for us as individuals may not be what we would choose.