Grace Emmanuel Church

Pastor Sam Chess

Dealing with Discouragement

Grace Emmanuel Church

05/24/05

This is Memorial Day weekend. We , as a nation pause to reflect and honor those who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. It brings into stark reality the fact that this world is not always a pleasant place. The US, because of it’s foundation in God’s Truth, and Justice does not set out to wage war on countries for reasons of ego: We do not declare war to take over a weaker countries. (I realize there are those who see America as a bully and tyrant but our history does not bear out what they are saying to be true.) We repeatedly go to the side of our allies often only to have it thrown back in our faces. We constantly go to the aid of, and even spill our blood for, oppressed little countries who can not possibly do anything for us in return.

This last week, we who were at Moody, got a crash course in reality. One man who worked for the State Department showed us pictures of Rawanda where 800,000 people were murdered by their peers; villages where scores of bodies were just strewn around rotting. He showed us photos of young girls forced into prostitution and made to live in dungeons. The world we live in is filled with the most hideous sin and is, in many cases a wicked, wicked place.

A Muslim man, now Christian, showed us photos of Christian Arabs who were literally stacked on top each other with their limbs hacked off. People.. children.. even babies with their heads severed and laying beside their bodies….all in the name of delivering this world from infidels in the name of Allah.

You can turn on your TV or go to some churches and some misguided minister will try to convince you that God’s plan for all Christians is that they be happy beyond their wildest dreams… all the time… That the sign of God’s blessing in one’s life is perfect health and insane wealth and if you just have faith God will bring waves and pure bliss into your life.

Somebody try to tell that to the Arab Christians just before they and their families were hacked to death. Tell the “riches” story to all those Christians who have had all their possessions taken and they, themselves, have been thrown into prison.

There are millions and millions in this world right now who are being persecuted, tortured, and killed for their faith…..How could God get is so wrong? ___________

Surely when God redeemed us he meant for our lives to smooth out…. Surely He doesn’t expect His children to live in pain and hardship and sorrow… does he?

Some of you right now are looking at the circumstances in your own life and wondering if God has forgotten you.. others seem to be enjoying his “blessing”…but not you!!

I. A Life Lesson from the Pool of Marah

A) God’s Children experience “tremendous triumphs”

(Exodus 15:19-21) When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea." (NIV)

… Riding the wave of victory… Their troubles are behind them…. The pathway to the promised land is clear… After facing the Egyptians what else could possibly stand in their way?

B) And God’s children experience “not so tremendous triumphs”

(Exodus 15:22-24) 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. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" (NIV)

Picture the scene..

-The have skins full of water… they are in great shape

-Day two they worry little, they know they can trust their God and his leader..

-Day three their skins are getting empty, worry sets in…

-They see water in the distance, run to it stick their head in, and spit it out!

How could God do such a thing?? How could he lead them into such a mess right after he gave them such a tremendous victory? What had gone wrong? Where had they strayed from the path? Why was God punishing them? How could Moses have made such a mistake discerning God’s direction?______________________________

Imagine three million people all complaining at the same time…Israel was unprepared…Moses was semi-prepared…God was not unprepared!

While Israel grumbled……Moses prayed!

(Exodus 15:25-26) 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." (NIV)

What was there about the tree that made the water sweet? Did the tree make the water sweet?.. If not what?

The casting of the tree into the water was an act of faith that released the power of God.

This is the way God tends to get the big things done in our lives. He puts us in impossible situations. He beckons that some deed will be an act of faith

on our part. The specific act of faith releases the miraculous power of God!

II. Specific Lessons from the Bitter Pool

A) Great Victories Prepare us for Great Testing!

1) Life is made up of victories and tests

(James 1:2-4) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of any 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. (NIV)

2) Deliverances equip us for the coming tests

B) The “Bitter Pool” was directly part of God’s purpose for Israel

C) Facing trials in God’s way

(James 1:2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (NIV)

(James 1:3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (NIV)

Q: Perseverance is brought about by the testing of our faith?

Q: So we learn persevering by persevering?

(James 1:4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (NIV)

(2 Corinthians 4:11) For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

(2 Thessalonians 1:4-5) Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. (NIV)

(1 Peter 1:6-7) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV)

(1 Peter 5:10) And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (NIV)

III. I am the Lord who heals you!

(Exodus 15:25-26) 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." (NIV)

Many people lock on to this verse and focus on the provision. People line up in droves at healing services… It amazes me that often, no one asks what their relationship with God is. They are not asked if they have confessed their sins or if they even believe they need to. The focus is on the provision…this is what God has provided… it’s available to all who want it… come and get it!

A) -The purpose of the provision is to point us to the Provider!

If we get all focused on the provision of God we miss the whole point.

Israel wasn’t to get focused on the tree, God provided Moses… that was just a tool.

Israel wasn’t to even to get focused on the bitter water.. turned sweet… they would soon be thirsty again.

The point of the provision was to turn their attention to the provider.

Every revelation of God…if we follow it to it’s intended conclusion… will bring us to God himself as our ultimate Source…our only true source.

for I am the LORD, your healer…your “doctor.”

God had allowed the people of Israel to arrive at the bitter waters of Marah so they would receive a new revelation of Him. God leads you to the pools of Marah in your life so that you can see him more clearly. God never intends us to stop short at an experience or a specific blessing. He wants us to find Him at our bitter pools.

(Exodus 19:4) 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. (NIV)

(Psalms 73:26) My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (NIV)

B) Pushed to the limit…

(2 Corinthians 1:8-10) We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, (NIV)

Have you ever thought: I can’t take another step! I can’t endure one more ounce of pressure, God why are you allowing this to happen?

Paul:

-far beyond our ability to endure..

-even despairing of life…

….this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God…