Faith When The Way is Dark - Part 1 of 2

Will the fire, and additional share. Bailey Junior welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible today are subject is faith when the way is Mark.

I think everybody would agree that we been going through some dark times with the covert virus with rioting in many cities across the country with the uncertainties that surround all of this.

We certainly need faith trusting God to see us through dark times.

If the message today is a blessing to you, hope you will write and let us know. Our address is the Baptist Bible.

Our box 17/37, Cincinnati, OH 45217 spoken to you a couple times recently on the subject, choosing by faith regarding the faith of Moses. Moses is one of the outstanding characters in the Bible you can see divine providence in his life from the time of his birth as God spared him. Although the commandment of the king was the male Israelite children should be put to death when he came of years.

It said that he according to verse 25 of Hebrews 11 was choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God and to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. It is only when by faith we see that which is not tangible that which cannot be seen with the natural live at that which is seen by faith we are able to move forward in obedience to God's command.

Since we been looking at that segment of Scripture wanted us to go on to the next verse, verse 29, which is by faith. They pass through the Red Sea, as by dry land which the Egyptians are saying to do were drowned course. This chapter is well known as the chapter of faith begins with a definition now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen and then emphasis is put upon the importance of faith in verse six when it says but without faith it is impossible to please him significant statement powerful statement without faith it is impossible to please person might do a lot of things that would be commendable things that other people would complement things in the world with the phone as being noble but without faith it is impossible to please God, matter-of-fact Roman letter tells us that without faith that it is sin that which is not of faith.

This is sin, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. So we have some wonderful examples of men and women living by faith in this 11th chapter is inspiring is designed of course to strengthen our faith not only to emphasize the importance of it to begin with, but the fact that we are to be living by faith ourselves. Just as these patriarchs, prophets and others of God's servants of old times were living by faith when Moses left Pharaoh's house making that choice by faith, not fearing the king's commandment not being concerned about what could perhaps befall him, but ultimately stood before Pharaoh and made the demand that the people should be let go. Kind of weave in and out a little bit of the sequence of events to emphasize certain points here, but the text says that when they finally reached that point of being at the Red Sea. It was by faith that they were able to cross on dry land question may be raised there. When you read about how faithless the people often were and how is a matter fact it was spoken concerning many of them that they were without faith becomes evident that it's not indicating that every person who crossed the Red Sea had faith. Some were doubters.

Some did not believe God, but they benefited by the faith of others at something that's clearly seen at various places in Scripture.

How there are individuals who have been benefited by the presence of a child of God, a man or woman who was walking by faith I feel confident that those who were on board the ship with the apostle Paul when it fell apart in the storm profited to the fact that there was a man of God with them.

And the Lord revealed to Paul that there would be no loss of life. I feel that there are no doubt homes today that are blanched and favored just because there is one believer not because of remember the family as a believer, but because there is one person walking by faith, their example, their testimony, the influence they have the blessing of God upon that individual can often also be of benefit to others within the family. No doubt America itself is being spared and favored abundantly because of the faithful, littering, don't know what the number may be that God requires. Remember when the Lord was talking to Abraham about the destruction of Sodom and tomorrow they got down to 10 righteous and couldn't find even that number and destruction came, God has revealed to us what may bring about destruction of this country or any other country in the future, but it is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God and realize that ultimately judgment does come yet. For the sake of the faithful God often blesses families, individuals even nations so it was by faith Moses was a man of faith as we have already noted here and he was demonstrating that faith when it came to this crisis at the Red Sea. Just think about the panic that these people were feeling. They been slaves all these years are not warriors have equipment to prepare them for battle. They got women and children with them is not just military men going on an expedition and they face the Red Sea and Pharaoh's heart being hardened has sent his army in pursuit after them and all they can see from the human vantage point is immediate destruction.

They are terribly troubled. Some of the observations and that can be made from this number one God's children often face great trials here soon after their deliverance. Soon after the play's that came upon Egypt have devastated the land and the people march out as freeman might think they would breathe a sigh of relief and say well it was was rugged those days of hard labor were extremely difficult and when Pharaoh increased our burdens.

I thought I couldn't bear up under an hour free, but whatever sense of joy they might've felt was short-lived because soon they see that their lives are in jeopardy there facing a great trial. I think that we would all have to recognize that this trial was my divine providence.

First of all, God made the sea where the Red Sea come from one just one of the pop the battleground one day in the Lord discovered there was a big body water there that he hadn't planned on God is the creator of heaven and earth. He created the Red Sea and he put it where it was. Now, God commanded his people to follow Moses's leadership and to leave Egypt. When God told him to leave that he know where the Red Sea was that he know they were going to encounter the opposition they would be facing by the Egyptian army pursuing them. Did you know they were going to be shut in.

So there was no way of escape. No immediate solution from the human vantage point through it all have to agree that God knew that God was in charge of the whole event. That's about of a symbol. Why would God want his people to face such a predicament.

If he was in the whole matter of their deliverance to start with.

He and preserve the life of Moses raised him up in the Pharaoh's house made the demand of the people he let go.

Sent 10 plagues including the death of the firstborn in order for them to be released and then the Lord knowledgeable of the fact that they will immediately come into this place of challenge while what Wendy Stearman another way. Bye-bye Wendy restrained Pharaoh in Cumberland right bargain through enough to see that human reasoning God knows how to run his own business and he does it in a way that's for his glory for the good of his people send questions to be asked in the experience of Job's Job was a prosperous man, flocks and herds large family. Everything's going well.

Monday Satan is having a conversation with God, which is rather startling in itself. If the Bible didn't reveal that that occurred. Probably most of us would say will I'm sure the devil never talks to God, but there reveals in the Scripture that Elise had that conversation and God was the one that brought up the name of Joe, have you noticed my servant Joe and Satan immediately responds and says well Joe you built a hedge about it, anybody would serve you for what you can get out what they can get out of that's a concept. A lot of people have about God, serve God, as long as he gives me everything I want.

If it's if it's going to mean I'm going to get a better job of a bigger bank account have all my sicknesses immediately healed.

I read and sign up. But God said Satan you can take it all away and will see what happens. You know the story is flocks and herds are carried away servant. You killed wind blows brings down the house is 10 children die.

Joe was worshiping God. Satan will you let me touch his body and then getting his got boils all over his body is in misery says, though he slay me, yet will I trust.

Now, when God had that conversation with Satan and God brought up Job's name do you think he knew what was going to happen.

The Bible reveals that God knows everything, his eyes go to and fro in the whole earth. He sees the end from the beginning.

I believe in the mind and purpose of God that God knew every word that was going to go in the Bible in James chapter 5 was an important part of what he says remember the patience of Job and Job's experience was in the plan of God. God work in Job's life, and gave him the grace so that he stood in the most difficult of the darkest times one could imagine, and gave a beautiful testimony. That's an example for us. Well, so I might say that's that's Old Testament times I think.

I think things are different listless just look briefly at the book of Mark chapter 6 see how Jesus worked in the lives of his disciples. Man that were his closest associates man that he loved, not only in the covenant of grace, but that he love from his personal fellowship relationship with them in their labors travels. This follows the feeding of the 5000 was a great day story.

I love to read over and over again as to how Jesus blesses such a small amount to feed so many and they have an abundance left so it's it's been an uplifting day in a been a happy day David they know about would often recall and think about in in time to come. In verse 45. Mark chapter 6 it says, and straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side before on the Sabia while he sent away the people Jesus constrained the disciples to get in the ship they were planning a joyride a work saying let's do a little exploring, and go to the other side here across the sea. Jesus told him to get in the ship and when he had sent them away. He departed into a mountain to pray and when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea and he alone on the land and he saw them toiling and rolling for the wind was contrary under them something to get the idea that Jesus was extremely limited in his humanity, but you can see his divinity here because even in the nighttime. In the midst of a star he could see them. He was on the land, praying that the midst of the sea rolling and he sees them. The fourth watch of the night. He cometh under them walking upon the sea and would have passed by having now the disciples are in a difficult situation is a terrible storm there rolling their willing harbor. They feel like they're making no progress. Now Jesus comes walking on the sea and when they saw him walking upon the sea. They supposedly diminished spirit and cried out, they all saw him and were troubled and immediately he talked with them and say, if under them, be of good cheer inside the not afraid and he went up under them into the ship and the wind ceased and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered to myself why would Jesus tell them to get on the ship when he knew there was going to be a storm. Obviously he had a purpose in departing for them while they were toiling.

That's up precious truth to me. Sometimes when we're toiling.

Sometimes when we're rolling hard sometimes we're struggling in the midst of our difficulties feel all alone. But even if everyone else has momentarily forgotten about us, our Savior has not. He prays for us. He intercedes for us and then he comes walking on the water and when they first showing the assumed it was a spirit, and they were afraid cried out for fear that tells something about our experience to the sometimes the very thing that the Lord is doing for our benefit as he comes to our rescue wheat we don't understand what is doing in and it momentarily increases our fear, resentment looks like things are getting worse, not only we are here to storm.

We've got a spirit moved across the water coming to us, but when he arrives and gets up in the boat and speaks to Mrs. be of good cheer as I be not afraid, we certainly can see from all of this that is not unusual for God's children to face great trials. The children of Israel faced tremendous trial at the Red Sea.

Joe noted as a man of suffering great hardship. The disciples here facing a time of great challenge in the darkness of the night when they were gripped by fear but in every case, you can see divine providence God unfolding these events because he was going to reveal something about himself, but not be a big gap out of the Bible. If there had never been the deliverance of the Red Sea that I be interested just to know how many times when you look at both the old and the New Testament there some reference made to the deliverance of the Red Sea. They a big portion mission.

Aren't you glad Job's experiences in their pen that helped you a few times along the way, what you glad to read about what the disciples experience that's about it might say wait a minute here.

Are you saying that every trial we face is something that God has planned and orchestrated that he has caused no officer there some things that come about because of our own failings. Person trials we have as a result of our own sin, we can't blame that on God. We can say that's that's his fault and not mine. One thing that's crystal clear throughout the Scripture is the issue of human accountability. Men are accountable fallen humanity is accountable.

Many would like to suggest that because of man's inability as a result of Adam's fall is no longer accountable. He's accountable and not a one of us can say to the Lord.

I would've done better, except you move me in the wrong direction. God never loses in the wrong direction but a man is tempted, he can't say that I'm tempted of God. He's tempted of his own lust fully responsible general. Even in those trials, trials that are alarmed making trials that have come as a result of our sin and our failure were not without hope. After David's great see.

And of course are familiar with the 51st Psalm Psalm 32 describes something of the deep anguish that he experience when he says in the third verse when I kept silence my bones waxed over my rule worrying all day long for day and night by hand was heavy upon me. My moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. Acknowledge my sin of the amount of iniquity have I not hid.

I said I will confess my transgressions on the Lord and Battleford gave us the iniquity of my sin. See the this show everyone that is godly prey under the time when thou may us be found during the floods of great waters, they shall not come, not under him, thou art my hiding place. Thou shall preserve me from trouble. Special compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. They didn't blame is seen on God and something to want to sit against Leavy only have us in the know this, even by sight. Acknowledge that God was just in whatever he meted out to human way of chastening. But even in the darkness of the night when he suffered so greatly. He speaks of God is his refuge is hope in his deliverer, but only to observe that God's children are often in great trials and that this particular trial that were looking at in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 29 was by divine providence, but God not only had arranged that they face the trial.

But he had planned the deliverance even before the trial came the Lord had deliverance in view affect sound when the strangest thing about this point it God have any plans for the salvation of sinners before Adam fell, Jesus Christ as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

So you see, the Lord never caught off guard.

God plans according to his sovereign pleasure. The glory of his name in Exodus chapter 14 Exodus chapter 14, 17th verse is the Lord indicating what is going to do that will lead up to this trial at the Red Sea and I've been told I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and shall follow them and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh and upon all his hose upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. What was God's design and ultimately bringing his people to this place where he would deliver them back his power to get his name himself a name for getting next.

That's the part that is so often forgotten by people you get to talk about certain issues and it's all focused on land, while what about the little Israelites that struggled so out there what what what about mother's work just about the welfare of their children.

But why, why would God suffer all of his design and his purpose was to get glory to himself and since God is absolutely holy. Anything less than that would not be in keeping with this character. It must be his purpose and designed to exalt his name and that's why does what he does now you can see how that was fulfilled when they had by faith come across the Red Sea. Look at chapter 15 I was reading over this today and I don't know where can I shorten that little bit and leave some of that out. Get a taste too good, so I read the whole chapter bliss justice is looking for something you just picture these people. I get excited reading the noun is a long time ago. Something about if you were there if you had just come across the Red Sea and you would see Pharaoh's host ground and you are part of the song service chapter 15 Exodus verse one, then saying Moses and the children of Israel. This Psalm of the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing of the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider happy throwing the sleep is my strength and song.

He has become my salvation. Here's my God and I will prepare human habitation. My father's God and I will exalt him. The Lord is our Lord is his name today so will know that God is love.

God was a man war God of love, but also been he makes war against his enemies, Pharaoh's chariots and his host Kathy Castillo to see his chosen captains also were drowned in the Red Sea depths are covered.

They covered them. They sank into the bottom as a stone. They come in all their pride and arrogance.

Beware of military force weight where we want to bring the slaves back. The change in plan, but they sank as a stone by right-hand the Lord has become glorious in power by right-hand the Lord had dashed in pieces the enemy is encourage you to be reminded of the God we serve. When you start looking at all the potential dangers we face in the world today. All of the evil and corruption, always wondering what the future holds for us individually of our own country, but to know that the God that we worship is the God who has absolute power and the God who in these times � the enemy to pieces and in the greatness of man excellency thou has overthrown them, but rose up against the house, set us forth by wrath, which consume stubble and with the blast of my nostrils. The waters were gathered together, the flood stood upright is in heat and the debts were congealed in the heart of the sea is comforting to know that in the most difficult times in the darkest of days that our heavenly father is ready to hear she's mindful of our circumstances, and may we pray that he will strengthen our faith that we can trust him and not be overwhelmed by challenges we face right in love is told to listen to the program today. Our address is the Baptist Bible Auerbach 1737, Cincinnati, OH 45217 now till we greet you next time. This is Sarah Bradley Junior beating you goodbye and may God bless and will in all