And God Knew [Part 1]

Pastor author and Bible teacher Alan Wright will not let his words fall to the ground return to him void. God is moved by compassion of his heart for the people, even more so God is by the word that is established for all eternity and the blessings that he promised Abraham would come to pass. No matter what, he was not allowed his covenant to fall apart because he spoke Pastor Alan Wright to another message of good news will help you see your life in a whole new life excited for you to hear the teaching today. In our series called Moses is presented for an older church in North Carolina you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now.

Yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries so as you listen to today's message. We encourage you to go deeper as we send you today special offer. Contact us at pastoralan.org that's pastor out in.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program but now let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright okay God hears God remembers God sees God knows.

Exodus chapter 2 is we have found launched into a series on Moses was started with the Red Sea wherein we have spoken a New Year's blessing that Moses spoke of the Israelites that planted courage in them as the Red Sea was about to part and we spent three weeks looking at this incredible image of the Red Sea and then we have jumped backwards to start at the beginning of Moses life and all throughout chapter 2 we see how Moses grew up as a sojourner I he named his first child Gershom with me sojourner and we saw how he was like an alien. He was Hebrew but raised in the Egyptian court and exiled to Midian. It set him up to be the perfect mediator he could he could he could meet with the Hebrews he could meet with the Egyptians to meet with the people he could be with God and in chapter 3, we're going to see in coming weeks to see the call experience of Moses, the burning bush, the famous burning bush right here at the end of chapter 2, there are three little verses that are some of the most beautiful verses that I've ever read and I were in no hurry so we gonna pause here and look at these few verses at Exodus chapter 2 verse 23.

During those many days the king of Egypt died and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help.

Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God and God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel and God knew to see the four verbs that are there.

God heard their groaning. God remembered his confident God saw the people of Israel and God knew author Tony Campolo had a friend who had little girl.

Her name was Jennifer. She was five years old and one night it was a big big storm light thunder crashing that the sky was just illuminated with electricity. That night, and the mother was looking around the house for her five-year-old I didn't see her and was concerned that little girl might be tucked away in the corner of her room scared so she went up to her little girl's room and found her much to the mother surprised standing up against the window seal with arms spread out like this phasing out the window. The mother said Jennifer what are you doing and she said I think God's trying to take my picture that's a healthy esteem. If you go to the storms of life and you think God's paying special attention to you, but for a lot of us when we go through the storm yes times in life.

That's when we begin to wonder if God sees us in all and here is Israel having been in hundreds of years of slavery, and they are crying out to God and what we did these these couple of beautiful verses that says here's how God responded to the cry for help from his people who were so heavily burdened that God heard their groaning he really heard them look at what that means. And then God remembered, but he remembered something very specific. He remembered his covenant with Abraham. We look at that and this is in God's all the people literally that the children, the sons of Israel saw them, and then the last statement and God knew some of your translations might put in an object. In that sentence. God acknowledged them or something like that. But the hero just says and God knew he heard remembered he saw he knew and it is a word for any of us who have ever wondered what's God doing when it seems like I'm walking through difficult times and for all of us, even those who are most glorious times of life, out of bondage to remember this is the God who has who has saved us personally pay attention to is the idea of Israel crying out to God, the word really is repeated twice and then another word for grown so therefore different mentions here Israel groaned cried out there cry for rescue. God heard their groaning. So the words just sort of pile up here about their cry and what's interesting is that this is the first mention of the people of God, crying out to God in the midst of their slavery and not saying that because the Bible is silent about this that no one ever prayed to God or no never cried out to God, but the Holy Spirit wanted to highlight for us that in this particular juncture. The people cried out in a in a very deep and very passionate way to God what it happened was that the Pharaoh who had been so oppressive died and some scholars say that the Hebrews were probably hopeful that under the new regime things would get better, but they didn't get better, they got worse and so when they realize that a change in the political arena was not going to help their situation. The people of God in their desperation they just cried out to God. They had they had become aware in some new way of the depth of their their need and it's interesting that the Bible is silent about any cry to God before any any of this any of this calling out, not before this time I had scheduled Chuck also story of a boy that didn't talk and his parents and and medically were both so concerned, he never spoke to me just I was mute. He seemed to understand everything he does, never spoke. The truck driven good can speak. He didn't speak and then when he is five years old. He was eating some soup kitchen table and I was suddenly open up as Maddie said this. It was cold. They said oh you can speak your spring. How wonderful how marvelous is that you, but you've never spoken before and he said up until now, everything's been okay really talk about crying out to God.

A this cry of the Hebrew people this when I finally spoke up.

This was not a sign of their despair. It was actually a sign, though it may be only small.

It was a sign of their hope in a seed of faith because crying out when you need help is actually a sign that you believe, at least in some way that it is possible that you could get help when a baby is born you like to hear of nice full cry. You'd never want your baby to stop crying.

If the baby was in real need. If the baby stopped crying and the baby given up by whatever help cry for help is a mark of hope and talent right will have more teaching moment. Today's important series like something is holding you back if you lack an important scene that could change everything. Is there someone you referencing stock health and well what's missing blessing on patient spoken over you can learn how to embrace the practice a blessing to Pastor Alan writes new book, which became an enzyme number one best seller after its recent until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month right ministries once send you the I thank you for your demos make your gift today discovered the power to bless the gospel is shared when you get talent right ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today. We will send you a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I banks from Alan Wright Ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor out.like today's teaching now continues here once again is in the award-winning film 12 years slave story depicts the true account of a New York State freeborn African-American man educated man Solomon Northup, who was cruelly kidnapped and in 1841 sold into slavery in the South and he spent 12 years wrongfully as a slave, not only under the injustice of slavery itself, but under the injustice of the fact that he was actually a free man lived in New York.

On a business and the movie is is heart wrenching and powerful, and in in a poignant climactic moment. This man, Solomon Northup, who had been beaten and abused and given a slave name clapped in a very important moment.

He decides to risk it all and tell a white man, a Canadian laborer who was working alongside of Northup for the master on a gazebo they were building a saw this Canadian labor seem to have compassion for the fact that this master was mistreating the slaves. So Solomon Northup decided to ask for help. He had previously asked someone in it almost cost him his life because the man betrayed him. So now he is at this moment will I ever cry for help again and when he asked him for helping so would you send a letter back to my hometown so that someone could know that I'm here. That's all it would take just one person that knew that he was actually Solomon Northup freeman that everything could change so he asked for help and the man agreed, and indeed he sent. He sent the letter and not long thereafter. One day while slaves working in the field. Sheriff pulled up and had a man with them and the sheriff called out which one it goes by the name of Platt and Solomon Northup came up and the sheriff said.

What's your name, and that was a moment in which which Northup knew that if he if he gave his real name, rather than a slave name he might be beaten. As he been beaten before but he looked at the sheriff.

He said I'm Solomon Northup.

He was saying was on the freeman. I have a name I have a life. It's up in New York. He was saying this by saying I'm Solomon or the sheriff should look at. Would you recognize that man, Solomon was a looked up after 12 years as a slave and he saw it was Mr. Parker who ran a business in his hometown at the Parker Susie recognize it was Mr. Parker approved of course that he had hold of the life of a New York and he was he was was set free that day under the protests of his slave master and in the end this this whole powerful heart wrenching scene came to pass why the clause is a slave, though he knew himself to be a freeman PE asked for help he cried for help. Why because the cry for help was an indication that he believed somewhere down deep inside of himself that he was not a slave he was not destined for slavery.

Same as when the people of God probably cried out to God and droned out to God, and they cried out, they might not of known anything else to do it just it just it might not even a better prayer might've just been a cry to God's might've been a groan is too deep for words, but in that groaning in that crying, there's something inside of these people that been slaves for hundreds of years that are saying there must be something else for us that when you come to that point in your life where if you have ever felt spiritual oppression or spiritual bondage. If you've ever felt that you have been under bondage to sin. If you ever see that your life feels more like drudgery more like slavery more like you're just living out of fear more like you're just in a monotonous routine where you're working for some slave master where where life doesn't have vision where life doesn't have purpose for life has no joy when there is no future where there's no hope and it just seemed like if you've ever been in that situation under some part of you just cries out for help to somebody somehow is an indication that there is a part of you at least a little part of you that knows you were made for more than this is what they did. They cried out for help, you shall call Isaiah 58, nine and the Lord will answer you shall cry and he will say here, I made is the kind of cry that comes when you feel like you're at a breaking point with third day song. There is hope for the helpless rest for the weary love for the broken heart.

There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing will meet you wherever you are, cry out to Jesus cry now Jesus in the first of these great verbs. And God hurt the word here in Hebrew is shown the Shema say that we may Shema, one of the support Hebrew words because this word is the word that is used in Deuteronomy chapter 6, which is one of the most Horton chapters in the Bible and one the most important chapters to the Hebrew people because in Deuteronomy 6. The text says Shema Israel, hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one God shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength and you know that later Jesus at all of the law. All exultation the commands of God can all be summed up and love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself, so that the Deuteronomy 6 command to love the Lord your God with all your heart is called the Shema because it begins is here oh Israel Shema to hear God heard God hurt.

Does this mean that suddenly got gruesome years and that he could hear things that he hadn't heard before know it means that God heard the cry in a way that brought his entire being and commitment into alignment with the desperation of the cry that he had heard. This is best understood by the fact that the word Shema to hear in Hebrew is also used in Hebrew is the word for obey is very interesting as to hear in the Hebrew mentality is to obey, so I don't know a few weeks ago I was. It was I was off I was at home I was.

I have no idea is sometimes unpleasant tasks. I suddenly feel I have some grace to do it and so if I feel I have a little window of grace to do something I don't want to do. I just better do it right then because I may not get that feeling again for another year and I had the desire is as weird. I just know it's basketball season I got a basketball goal in the backyard. I want to shoot a few baskets and I just my basketball goal is been well unused and it is covered. It was covered with mildew. It was dark with mildew. I came out told asset. I will go out there I'm coming up the ladder. I will clean off the backboard.

I will make a thick spotless white again. Have we got a product that would do that here in the house. She pulled out some.

She said all this will do it. She said, but it's mostly bleach.

She said so look at me, listen to me if you get that on your clothes, it will immediately bleach them out.

You must be very very careful. I said okay. All Medusa spritz it onto the backboard and rub it all, but I got to work on it.

Then I go upstairs and put also grubby close.

No, no, I went after my black sweater and a nice black sweater telling the truth. He told me at least five times better be careful, this will bleach anything it touches. I went out there spritz. The thing is, I hate this is working no, but I had to scrub little bit and then I had to climb a little higher on lark spritz that thing and I starts anymore. I that I totally forgot I totally forgot I was wearing a black sweater. I totally forgot I was spritz in this bleach. I came down I think it's beautiful.

My backboard is beautiful.

Put a new net on it and I and I look down at my black sweater, and it looked like slick like just ahead bright red spots all over it and I just walked into the kitchen and said there at the said I didn't listen. In other words, if I go in about said if I said I listened to you then it would've meant I obeyed you. I would've met. I I harkens into what you were saying and so I put also close it didn't matter, but to come and say I didn't listen.

It didn't mean I didn't hear what you said, it just means that I did not line up with what you said. I didn't act according to what you said so in the Hebrew mentality to say you here somebody is to say, you obey is very interesting you can you can you can look in the Hebrew instances like like when the law was given to the people of God said we will be obedient what they really said as we will Shema so the people of God have grown and they cried out to God, and now the text comes. This is a God heard that is me.obeyed will not of this is like the people were telling God what to do and he obeyed them for me to say he heard them was it me that he heard their cry. The deepest level and everything inside the heart of God then lined according to the request of the people he he heard them. What does God hear God hears the groan and the cry of people who are in need. He is a parent and when a child is in need. There's something that is with in him is something in him like a mother. He says elsewhere in the Scripture said how could could on nursing mother leave her crying baby, no you can't, there's a physical reaction that happens inside of you that you have to respond. Here are teaching and God knew from the series Moses and Alan is back here in a moment with additional insight on this for our lives today. In today's final word stick with this blessing.

Your life grace filled vision for your rights, free grace and encouragement for every blessing. It's free. Just a quick pastor I got away feel like something is holding you back if you can important see what could change everything. Is there someone you love to sing stack to help them.

Well, what's missing blessing. We all need vision spoken over you can learn how to embrace who practice a blessing to Pastor Alan writes new book, it's a blast, which quickly became an enzyme number one best seller.

After 370s until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month right ministries once send you the I thank you for your demos make your gift today discovered the power to bless the gospel is shared when you get Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today.

We will send you a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I banks from Alan Wright Ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor out.work as we continue in this series on Moses, knowing that God knew knowing that he came to us and he was fully God and fully man and was someone we could both relate to, but at the same time. Respect is the authority of the world what you take away today. If we place a bookmark here with topic and God knew it's such a such a beautiful verse that at the heart of it is gotten new.

God hears God remembers and God knows God sees this word for no is a word of of intimacy. A word of closeness. It is word identification and is a powerful image to think of the people in their slavery that are calling out to God and God hears God remembers God knows them is so encouraging to us no matter what we're going through.

God knows he understands Alan, this series of Moses in today's teaching and God knew you were touching on the theological principle here of God's sovereignty and that and when you study that you get real academic and theological you study it you embrace it at school. But what about for those of us with dirt under our fingernails everyday life. What is the sovereignty of God's promises never failing and in his word that we can trust.

What does that mean to think about this, and when we look at his incredible tax to talk about God who heard and got to Saul in the God who knew is not just to say that he's this great big sovereign God and he knows everything going on is to say, at the same time he's like a father, and to say that he knows is actually a very intimate expression. It is to say that he knows us and he wants to be known by us so God hears God remembers God sees and God knows is ultimately the great news of the gospel that the one who died for you also knows you intimately and wants to be known by today's good news message listener supported production Alan Wright Ministries