Following With Gratitude
Following God into the Unknown – Week #7
Following with Gratitude
Exodus 15:22-25; 16:1-4; Numbers 11:4-6; 14:1-4
As followers of Jesus Christ, we should have a consistent attitude of gratitude
God will make a way when there is no way
Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. Exodus 15:22
The miracle that God wants to do in and through you is in direct proportion to the problem that’s in front of you
When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). Exodus 15:23
Bitterness and gratitude can’t occupy the same space
Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. 25 So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink. Exodus 15:24-25
Then the whole community of Israel set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there on the fifteenth day of the second month, one month after leaving the land of Egypt. 2 There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. 3 “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” Exodus 16:1-3
The enemy wants us to glorify the past
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. Exodus 16:4
Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. 5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!” Numbers 11:4-6
Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. 2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. 3 “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” Numbers 14:1-3
Right before we step into the Promise Land, the enemy is trying to get us back to slavery
Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!” Numbers 14:4
It took 40 days to get Israel out of Egypt. But it took 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7