Our Complaints and God’s Promises Exodus 5.22-6.12

Our Complaints and God’s Promises Exodus 5.22-6.12 Moses has the Word of God, he obeys it, then he has to face the enemy. Today, you will receive the Word, all week you will read the Word, prayerfully each day. Today, you will face the enemy, and all week. Right now he is trying to draw your attention away from hearing the Word. Helmet of Salvation to protect the mind Breastplate of righteousness to protect the heart… out of it comes the issues of life. You have the full armor of God to stand firm. The apostles preached the Word and faced great opposition. Acts 13 The two go hand in hand. Persecution for sharing and obeying the Word of God. Now persecution and false teaching runs rampant. Persecution refines us. No one dared join the persecuted church unless they believed. They knew they were in danger. Acts 5. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. That sifts out those who are not serious. Persecution purifies God’s people. God had told Moses what He was going to do. Then things got worse. Moses complained. Exodus 5.22-23 We can be in that frame of mind from time to time. We obey God and things get worse. What are you doing, LORD? I obeyed You and now this? Why are things going against me when I have obeyed you. I have tried to do what is right. There are people a lot worse than me. Why is this happening to me? We are told by Paul, the apostle, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” Philippians 2.14 Yet some of God’s choicest people let their complaint known to God. David in Psalm 13 which we just read. There is a difference from complaining as a habit and bringing a complaint to the LORD. I pour out before Him my complaint; before Him I tell my trouble. Psalm 142.2 God hears us and answers many times. Other times He remains silent. Habakkuk complained. God answered. Jonah did as well. God corrected him. Asaph Psalm 73.2  But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
    I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills. Many believe that if they obey the LORD, then He owes them to give them smooth sailing. I am not sure what Bible they are reading… or what minister they are listening to. I am not sure how well they know the Man of Sorrows, Jesus. Life is not a fairy tale where everyone lives happily forevermore. However in God’s time He brings to pass His Promises. Because of His Mighty Hand… I believe we are going to see it in our families, in the church, in the nation and in the world! He is going to bring about His promises to those who obey Him. * As we wait for God’s Timing we find out He is going to do more than we can imagine. Look at Exodus 6.1 Not only is Pharaoh going to agree to let them go, he is going to drive them out… because of God’s mighty hand. This seemed so unlikely to Moses at the time. Things that seem unlikely have been happening here. In our lives. We all have had situations that seemed unresolvable, only to have God step in and do something more than we could imagine. Upstate NY got a lot of snow. In Parrish, lake effect snow was 8’! I pastored in a place for 5 years where we saw several feet one Christmas. It was frigid too. Cars were frozen. Jim Baker in the snowstorm, coming to get Billy and I in his Gran Marquis. Perkins Pancake House for dinner, home in a warm and comfortable vehicle. Home after a long long day. Here is some spiritual food. Wait for the LORD. Don’t complain about God’s inactivity. He is working more than you can imagine. Rest in Him. Trust in Him. Wait. Ephesians 3. 20 Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. * Moses had a Revelation of God that even Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not have. God revealed His Name. vs.2-3 2 God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by My name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them. El Shaddai YAHWEH I AM Remember the I am’s * I am the Bread of Life. John 6.35 manna * I am the Light of the World John 8.12 pillar of fire by night * I am the Good Shepherd John 10.11-18 pillar of cloud by day * I am the Door John 10.7-10 He was bringing them out by Pharaoh’s fear and disgust * I am the Resurrection and the Life. John 11.21-27 water from the Rock * I am the Way, the Truth and the Life John 14.1-7 Ten Commandments * I am the True Vine John 15.1-11 Israel spies This is what Jesus is right now! Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Hebrews 11. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11. 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. * You have Revelations of God Moses did not have. The Revelation of His Word in all 66 books Jesus Christ. In these last days. The Holy Spirit upon all who call upon the Name of the LORD. I Peter 1. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit on them!” Numbers 11.29 Moses’ wish came true 1,000 of years after he uttered these words. The Gospel is going out all over the world right now. Live in the moment. Live for Christ. If He does not return you will die. But many seeds are planted. Even though you are gone the seeds you planted will grow! * In the lives of those you are feeding and giving so they may have an education. My Bible College Professors are gone to Heaven and we are now, in this time, speaking the Word of the LORD. That dear generation is gone to be with the LORD. * Children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, seeing them embrace the faith. * People we are not even aware of! Romans 3.3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak
    and prevail when you judge.”” The New Covenant. Think about it. When we take the LORD’s Supper next week we will experience what Moses only experienced in a foreshadowing in the Passover. We take in what God was revealing. And there is more! He saves the best for last. * The Glory That Will Be Revealed in Us. Romans 8:18: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. This is not Heaven here. These bodies will be exchanged for a new glorious body. We will be with LORD forever. Our present sufferings Our light and momentary trials In this world… tribulation. We long for peace on earth. We long to see suffering end. The poor you will always have with you. You can help them anything you wish. These longings are because Heaven is in our hearts. I am seeing God work. I cannot figure out what God is doing. I will follow Jesus step by step. I will trust in the LORD.