Exodus 4:3 And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Ah my Friends, today we’ll continue talking about one of the enemy’s most potent weapons in the battle for the human spirit; that simple word ‘worry.’ It seems relatively small and innocent, but believe me it’s not. It’s one of those unseen weapons that creep unobtrusively into our souls, and having quietly infiltrated it, mushrooms into the giant killer we nicely term stress. Right now, in our scared, fearful, terrorized world, it’s the biggest killer, albeit a silent one. Sometimes you don’t even know it’s there. And I can vouch for that from personal experience. A few years ago I suddenly developed some stomach pains, but all the medical tests came back negative. A little later though, I took and island vacation, and would you believe, after a few days of salt, sand, sea and rum, (smile) the pain vanished. Now I don’t recall being overly worried about anything, so stress was the furthest thing from my mind, apparently the doctor’s too. But I guess just the overall cares of life, work and LOVE must have gotten a bit much for the system and it began to rebel. Put simply my Friends, fear leads to worry, which leads to stress, which can end in death, both physical and spiritual. Take the example of the Israelites in Today’s Bit: Moses grew up officially as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, but later identified with His Hebrew brethren when he saw them suffering under the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, and one day he killed an Egyptian who was abusing an Hebrew. But the next day when he tried to break up a fight between two Hebrews, the aggressor sullenly mouthed; ‘Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian.’ (Ex.2:14-15) And who can blame Moses for running when Pharaoh wanted his head and his Hebrew brethren did not appreciate his efforts to help them. ‘But this same Moses whom they refused…the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer…’ (Acts 7:34) many years later, when ‘the children of Israel sighed by reason of bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God…And God heard their groaning and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them,’ (Ex.2:23-25) Yes Friends, that’s where the faithfulness of our God truly rises to the forefront. He remembers His promise to their Fathers and decides it’s time to act. So He finds Moses tending his father’s-in-law sheep in Midian and tells him; "I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. (Ex.3:7-8) And though Moses claimed he was incapable of doing the Lord’s bidding because he stammered and the Hebrew people nor Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to him, the Lord gave him Aaron as a spokesperson and put supernatural powers in his rod. But Moses’ basic problem was fear and worry about his old deeds in Egypt. The Lord had to tell him; ‘Go return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.’ (Ex.4:19) Moses obeyed, though still somewhat sceptical, and with Aaron gathered the Hebrew elders together. ‘And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.’ Oh Friends, both Moses and the enslaved Hebrews doubted that God could and would keep His promises, and had to be spoon fed to get them moving. As Jesus said; ‘O ye of little faith.’ It’s the same thing that’s happening to us today. The world’s reeling from a multitude of negative problems, and though we believe, these rough times are certainly trying our faith. But my people, it’s the same way God sees our current affliction, and we must believe that He’s actively working behind the scenes to alleviate our problems. Let’s not be like Moses and the Israelites, and only believe when we see signs and wonders, ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’ (2 Cor.5:7) And on that note, we’ll let Bruh Paul take us home: ‘and faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’ (Heb.10:1) ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for it? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.’ (Rom.8:24-25) Let’s remember one thing Friends; let it sink deep into our souls: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) Much LOVE!…don’t worry…be happy…have faith…God is still in control…
Ah my Friends, today we’ll continue talking about one of the enemy’s most potent weapons in the battle for the human spirit; that simple word ‘worry.’ It seems relatively small and innocent, but believe me it’s not. It’s one of those unseen weapons that creep unobtrusively into our souls, and having quietly infiltrated it, mushrooms into the giant killer we nicely term stress. Right now, in our scared, fearful, terrorized world, it’s the biggest killer, albeit a silent one. Sometimes you don’t even know it’s there. And I can vouch for that from personal experience. A few years ago I suddenly developed some stomach pains, but all the medical tests came back negative. A little later though, I took and island vacation, and would you believe, after a few days of salt, sand, sea and rum, (smile) the pain vanished. Now I don’t recall being overly worried about anything, so stress was the furthest thing from my mind, apparently the doctor’s too. But I guess just the overall cares of life, work and LOVE must have gotten a bit much for the system and it began to rebel. Put simply my Friends, fear leads to worry, which leads to stress, which can end in death, both physical and spiritual. Take the example of the Israelites in Today’s Bit: Moses grew up officially as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, but later identified with His Hebrew brethren when he saw them suffering under the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, and one day he killed an Egyptian who was abusing an Hebrew. But the next day when he tried to break up a fight between two Hebrews, the aggressor sullenly mouthed; ‘Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian.’ (Ex.2:14-15) And who can blame Moses for running when Pharaoh wanted his head and his Hebrew brethren did not appreciate his efforts to help them. ‘But this same Moses whom they refused…the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer…’ (Acts 7:34) many years later, when ‘the children of Israel sighed by reason of bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God…And God heard their groaning and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them,’ (Ex.2:23-25) Yes Friends, that’s where the faithfulness of our God truly rises to the forefront. He remembers His promise to their Fathers and decides it’s time to act. So He finds Moses tending his father’s-in-law sheep in Midian and tells him; "I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. (Ex.3:7-8) And though Moses claimed he was incapable of doing the Lord’s bidding because he stammered and the Hebrew people nor Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to him, the Lord gave him Aaron as a spokesperson and put supernatural powers in his rod. But Moses’ basic problem was fear and worry about his old deeds in Egypt. The Lord had to tell him; ‘Go return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.’ (Ex.4:19) Moses obeyed, though still somewhat sceptical, and with Aaron gathered the Hebrew elders together. ‘And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.’ Oh Friends, both Moses and the enslaved Hebrews doubted that God could and would keep His promises, and had to be spoon fed to get them moving. As Jesus said; ‘O ye of little faith.’ It’s the same thing that’s happening to us today. The world’s reeling from a multitude of negative problems, and though we believe, these rough times are certainly trying our faith. But my people, it’s the same way God sees our current affliction, and we must believe that He’s actively working behind the scenes to alleviate our problems. Let’s not be like Moses and the Israelites, and only believe when we see signs and wonders, ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’ (2 Cor.5:7) And on that note, we’ll let Bruh Paul take us home: ‘and faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’ (Heb.10:1) ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for it? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.’ (Rom.8:24-25) Let’s remember one thing Friends; let it sink deep into our souls: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) Much LOVE!…don’t worry…be happy…have faith…God is still in control…
SCRIP-BITS 