Sunday Morning April 12, 2009
Bel Aire Baptist Church
Series: “Moving With God (Exodus)” [#15]
A TIME FOR HEALING
Exodus 15:22-27
Introduction:
Do you ever feel like you are on a roller coaster? You get started in a particular direction; but all of a sudden you feel like you are just going up and down and all around with no purpose.
Often times as a preacher, it seems like I’m standing up here trying to sale you something. There’s probably a lot of truth to the statement that preachers make good used car salesmen. Please understand that my life is just as crazy and unpredictable as yours and I have moments where I want to just give up too.
Sometimes as preachers, we try to paint a picture of the Christian life being easy, no problems, all cheery, etc… The reality is that life is still going to be life and that there will be difficult days.
I believe that we do that, (especially on special days like to day) because we as pastors and churches feel the need to impress people so that they will come back to our church. I believe that the Lord has sent many people here today that…
> They’ve been hurt.
> Their problems have consumed them.
> They don’t think that anyone cares.
> Their tired of being judged by others, especially church people.
> They are tired (physically, spiritually, mentally, etc…)
> They have come to believe that not even God can help them.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”
This morning, I want to tell you that there is a time for healing. Now I know when I say healing that you automatically think about a physical healing, and that might be what you need today; but many of us need a spiritual healing also.
The Lord has led me this morning to stay in the sermon series that we have been in for 15 weeks- “Moving With God” (Exodus). I believe that we need a word from the Lord today that is relevant to what we going through.
As we move with God, there are times…
1. Of deliverance.
Exodus 15:22 (NIV)
“Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea…”
At the Red Sea, God had parted the waters so that over 2 million Israelites could safely cross and get away from the enemy. That’s what Easter represents! Today is about the fact that Jesus Christ became sin for us and died on the cross; and on the 3rd day defeated the enemy as He arose from the grave.
It is through the sacrificial blood of Jesus that we can be saved. We can be delivered from the enemy through the power of Jesus Christ.
Now this exactly what I was saying earlier is just because God has promised to deliver us from the enemy doesn’t mean that He promised to deliver us from the attack of the enemy.
As we move with God, there are times…
2. Of walls and drought.
Exodus 15:22 (NIV)
“…and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.”
The name of the Desert was Shur, which means “wall”. They were in the Walled Desert. Doesn’t that sound inviting? Not only did they walk around in the Walled Desert for 3 days, but they were trying to find water and they couldn’t.
You are going to have times in your life when it seems like everything you do doesn’t work. It’s like you are cursed and if you touch it, it will surely break. It’s during these times that you are unhappy because you desire better.
Maybe you are sick and you are tired of being sick. It seems like no matter how many doctors you go to, how much medicine you take, how hard you try to do what is prescribed; you just can’t get well.
Maybe your relationships all seem to be filled with arguing, dissention, etc…; and people just leaving you feeling stupid and worthless all of the time. You come to church, but that doesn’t help. You read your Bible, but that doesn’t help. You pray, but that doesn’t help.
Maybe you are so thirsty for friends, for success, for relief, etc…; that you would do anything just for just a touch of water.
As we move with God, there are times…
3. Of disappointment.
Exodus 15:23-24 (NIV)
“When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"
They finally found water and then it was contaminated- It was poisonous. Just when they thought they found relief and their hearts were filled with joy; they were faced with the fact that they were still without water.
Why? Why does God let us think that we have found the answer to our problems just to realize that we were no better off than we were before? I believe so that we know where our healing comes from.
As we move with God, there are times…
4. Of direction.
Exodus 15:25-26 (NIV)
“Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."
Moses cried out to God for help and what did God do? God showed Him a piece of wood. Moses took the wood and threw it into the water. Why? Because, God had led him to do so. God tells us that, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."
This morning, the Lord is telling us if… If you will stop grumbling and complaining about your life and listen to Me, then I will heal you. If you will trust in Me, I will heal you. If you will believe in the impossible, I will heal you.
God will wait to speak to you and show you what to do until you are in a place of desperation. He will wait until you have exhausted all other options, because He needs you to trust in Him and the fact that He can do the impossible. How does God speak to us?
He speaks to us through…
> Scripture.
> Prayer.
> Circumstances.
> Other people.
It is God Who heals!
As we move with God, there are times…
5. Of rest and peace.
Exodus 15:27 (NIV)
“Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.”
It is God who can lead us from that which is bitter and contaminated to a place of peace and rest.
Conclusion:
Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
