Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ May 15, 2005
Great Blessing brings Great Testing!
Part 1
Many Examples is seen in God’s Word...
· Jesus’ Baptism > Tested in the wilderness (Mt 4)
· David conquered enemies > Fell to Bathsheba (2Sam 8 & 11)
· Elijah calls down fire > Terrified of Jezebel & flees (1Kings 18-19)
· Nehemiah rebuilds the walls > enemy raises opposition (Neh 2)
· Peter walks on water > Denies the Lord 3 times (Lu 22)
· Solemn last supper > dispute over whose the greatest (Lu 22)
· Adam & Eve perfect, sinless > Satan, Sin, Death (Gen 3)
· Noah’s ark, safe thru flood > Uncovered drunk in tent (Gen 6-9)
· Abraham- God’s covenant promise > Wife Sarah, Hagar (Gen 15-16)
· Moses meets God on Sinai > Aaron leads in idolatry (Gen 31-32)
· Paul’s miraculous conversion > Jews conspire to kill him (Acts 9)
· Cross Creek’s Celebration Sunday > ...
Exodus 14 we see God parting the Red Sea – a tremendous miracle and blessing for His people.
They went through on dry ground with a walls of water on their right & left (14:29)
I even have underwater pictures of chariot wheels & axles recently found in the Red Sea!
Moses & the people sang a song of deliverance to the Lord... Lord reigns forever & ever (14:29)
They experienced great blessing, then only three days later they were confronted with a great testing.
Exodus 15:22-26 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. 23 (That is why the place is called Marah.) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"
25 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. 26 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."
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
“There He tested them” – there He proved them. There God tried to grow them spiritually.
1. Testing is for our GOOD. (Vs 22-23)
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. 23 (That is why the place is called Marah.)
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
God brings men into deep waters not to drown them but to cleanse them.
In adversity we usually want God to do a removing job when He wants to do an improving job.
Leads to...
Maturity
Ephes. 4:13 (Pastors to prepare God’s people, body built up)... until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Character
Romans 5:3-4 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
1 Cor. 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Keep Your Mouth Shut
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It got so cold it froze up and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some manure on it. As it lay there in the pile of manure, it began to realize how warm it was. The manure was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the little bird singing, and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of manure, and promptly dug him out—and then ate him.
The morals of the story are:
1. Not everyone who drops manure on you is your enemy.
2. Not everyone who digs you out of a pile of manure is your friend.
3. When you’re in the manure, keep your mouth shut!
To realize the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the storm. (Aircraft structural integrity)
2. Testing always Reveals our Heart. (Vs 24-25)
24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" 25 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.
Hebrews 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
Becky recently finished her final exams on Thursday... she was tested in certain areas.
Testing reveals what we are, our true nature. Spiritual testing reveals our hearts condition.
No one enjoys testing or trials. They are not something we would choose to go through.
My heart aches when I see someone from our church family in the midst of trials... strength & growth
Lord willing, we’ll go into this aspect in more detail next week.
3. When Times of Testing Comes... (V26)
26 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."
Seek the Lord!
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Listen carefully to the voice of the Lord.
Get alone with Him, come before His throne... repent of all known sin, draw close
God desires to be in every aspect of your life.
Digest His Word!
Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."
Obedience brings blessing while disobedience brings judgment.
We must be in His Word, even before the trials come... digest His Word.
Thankful for so many reading through your Bible this year... it will change you.
Trust His Grace!
2 Peter 2:9 “...the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment”.
Always remember, God is in control... He knows what you’re going through.
He is able to rescue you from any trial you may encounter... firmly trust in His grace.
The Lord is molding your life, He’s conforming you to the image of His Son.
Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.
The problems began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said “hello” when “ssssopp!” Chippie got sucked in.
The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie—still alive, but stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.
Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter who’d initially written about the event contacted Chippie’s owner to see how the bird was recovering. “Well,” she replied, “Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore—he just sits and stares.”
It’s hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . That’s enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart.
In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 11
4. “Camp-Out” with Jesus in Sweet Victory! (V27)
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
Proverbs 2:7-8 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
You may be in the midst of a trial... there’s light at the end of the tunnel & it’s not a train.
The Israelites were so close to good water – 7 miles to 12 springs, yet so far.
Camp out with Jesus. Learn to trust Him and to walk in His grace.
“Camp near the water” of Jesus... Hang out with the Lord, live with Him in obedience for blessing.
John 4:13-14Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Let’s Pray...
Thank you for your many blessings, we even thank you for the testing in our lives.
Lord help us as we go through trials and testing, allow us to get the victory!
Help us to grow spiritually, individually and as a church family... I pray for those who are in the midst...
Lord encourage them, strengthen them, Lord grow them, draw them to a deeper walk with yourself.
You may be here this morning and have never truly trusted Christ to save you from your sins. You need to be saved before it’s eternally too late. Jesus loves you and died for you so He could forgive you and take you into eternity with Himself. He stands at the door of your heart knocking to come into your life. Will you let Him?
Would you quietly pray this from your heart:
Dear Lord thank you for your love for me, thank you for knowing everything that is going on in my life at this time. I ask you to forgive me for my sins, cleanse me and come into my life. Thank you for dying for me and I trust you to be my Savior and Lord.
For those who have invited Jesus into their lives, I ask that you would open their eyes so they may see.
Open their ears so they could hear, open their hearts so they could believe. We thank you.
