Facing a Crisis? Do Nothing!
Wednesday Night Service at Calvary Church
Exodus 14:1-14
As I taught through this section, we looked at biblical truths, focusing on the theme of facing crises and the necessity of deepening our faith in God’s unwavering faithfulness. I pray it will provide guidance for you as you navigate your own challenges, emphasizing the importance of trust, humility, and reliance on the Lord.
Here are the highlights of this section of scripture.
Exodus 14 is a story of miraculous deliverance, and yet the Israelites found themselves in fear and doubt. It’s a powerful reminder for us today. The command from the Lord is to “stand still” and witness God’s deliverance. We must trust in God’s ability to make a way where there seems to be no way.
Reflecting on Pharaoh’s pursuit of the Israelites, we see the futility of relying solely on our own strength. It’s a great reminder to embrace humility and obedience, trusting that God’s plan is far greater than anything we could orchestrate ourselves. But I know that letting go and letting God is easier said than done. I even shared a little about my struggle to relinquish control and fully trust in God’s plan for my life. In times of crisis, our instinct can be to take matters into our own hands. Standing still is counterintuitive; we feel like we should “do” something. What we need to “do” is keep our focus on God, In doing so, we see beyond our immediate problems and can begin to trust in His greater plan.
Facing a crisis can lead us to complain and murmur. Is that where you find yourself, complaining or murmuring about the situation you are in? Just like the Israelites, we can be guilty of having an “eye” problem. When fear and uncertainty take hold, or when our eyes are on our circumstances, we tend to get caught up in what we see and our emotions causing us to complain or murmur. Resist your natural tendency to complain or murmur, it only exacerbates the situation. But what if we turned those complaints into prayers? By shifting our focus, our eyes, from our challenges to God’s promises, we can find peace and assurance in His sovereignty.
I want to give you several practical applications for when you are facing a crisis!
- Trust in God’s Promises: Just as God delivered the Israelites; He promises to do the same for us. Holding onto these promises, even in the face of doubt and uncertainty, is crucial.
- Reflect on God’s faithfulness: Reflect on instances where God has demonstrated His faithfulness in your life. This will strengthen your trust in His promises.
- Turn to Prayer: When faced with challenges, turn your complaints into prayers. Ask God for His guidance and intervention.
- Stand Still and Trust: Resist the urge to take matters into your own hands. Stand still and trust in God’s ability to deliver you.
Exodus 14 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of trusting in God’s faithfulness during times of crisis. Navigate your own challenges by emphasizing complete faith, turning complaints into prayers, and standing still. I encourage you to shift your focus from the immediate problems to the promises of God, ultimately finding peace and assurance in His sovereignty.
I also want to personally invite you to join our midweek Bible Study here at Calvary Church! It is a sweet time of worship, prayer, and Bible study with your Church family, and I know the Lord will use it to grow and encourage you!
FULL UNEDITED TRANSCRIPT
INTRO (00:00:03) – Welcome to the Study of God’s Word with pastor and author Ed Taylor, recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora, Colorado. To learn more about the many resources available through abounding Grace media or to tune in to our live stream services, visit us online at Calvary Coat Church or download our free Calvary Church app. Now here’s Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
Pastor Ed (00:00:28) – Amen. Open your Bibles. Exodus chapter 14. As we tackle the first half of Exodus 14, I’ve entitled this Bible study. Are you facing a crisis? Question mark? Do nothing, do nothing. And there are those times in the life of the believer where God brings us to places of deeper faith. We would prefer that they come through reading a book, and sometimes they do, or going to a seminar or conference. And certainly God can build our faith there. Maybe some homework that’s given to you by a pastor or a counselor that says, here, this is going to help your faith. But most of the time, God will bring us to these places where we literally have nowhere to turn but to the Lord.
Pastor Ed (00:01:18) – And that’s how God would have it normally and naturally to turn to him and to trust him. But our tendency is to go off on our own, our tendencies to trust in ourselves, our tendencies to think that we really don’t need the type of help from God that we needed last year or two years ago or three years ago. But God would have us to daily trust in him, not forgetting about him. And so circumstances change and either sent our way or allowed by God so that we might get our eyes back on him. Chapter 14 highlights the need for complete and total faith. That’s where the nation is. The nation of Israel is at a place where they need complete and total faith. And what a true story it is to inspire us in God’s delivering power. Though the natural way of escape for the nation as they’re leaving Egypt, as God has done a great deliverance, the natural way of escape was one way God will bring them the opposite way on purpose. And if you just take a moment and consider your life for a moment, you will see the same thing.
Pastor Ed (00:02:30) – Where you’ve got things planned out, or you have desires, or you kind of think the way and God will take you the exact opposite way and remember how it made you feel or how it’s making you feel right now. You’re like, oh, pastor, that’s why I’m out right now. And how it’s easy to panic and to walk in fear and to doubt God and to wonder what’s going on. Today, we’ll find that God deliberately leads them into a trap. And yet he did it to show his great strength to reveal himself in a new and a fresh way. You’ll remember God’s promise was to be with them in the midst of it all. That he would send the deliverer, that he would deliver them. Not only did he promise that he would be with them, but he promised that he would take care of them, and they have his word so that the enemy, just like from the Garden of Eden, will try to get them or even get us by way of application to doubt the Word of God.
Pastor Ed (00:03:31) – The doubt is promises to doubt the promises he’s given to us personally. And God does promise us so many things in the scriptures, and we’re to hold them close. My pastor would say this all the time. He’d say, God said it, I believe it. That settles it. It’s just a great place to be. God said it, I believe it, and that settles it. You could even take out the middle part, can’t you? God said it. That settles it. If you want to enjoy it, then you need to believe it. That’s the key of enjoying the Word of God is faith and trust. And we have His Word church. We can trust Him in His word. Even though the battle of the mind is real. Jot it down first. Kings chapter eight, verse 56 I love this in first Kings eight, verse 56 it says, blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Then he says, there has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised from his servant Moses.
Pastor Ed (00:04:34) – There hasn’t failed one good word, not one. So pick up with me in verse one, chapter 14. Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and count before pi half between Migdal and the sea, opposite Baal Zephan you shall camp before it by the sea. For Pharaoh will save the children of Israel. They are bewildered by the land. The wilderness has closed them in, and I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so he will pursue them, and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over his army. That the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so. I love this about God here with Moses. If you stand back from the dramatic parts of this true story, the plagues or the doubts of Moses, or the reluctance, if you just stand back one step, you’ll see that God was always giving Moses insight about what he was going to do. He was always telling him ahead of time, this is what’s going to go down.
Pastor Ed (00:05:43) – This is what I want you to do. This is how it’s going to happen. This is what’s going to happen. And he does it one more time. He says, this is what’s going to happen. I want you to go in this way. I want you to stop here, because at that moment, Pharaoh is going to begin thinking about you. And it says, Pharaoh is going to say to the children of Israel, look there. They’re twisted up. They don’t know where they’re going. They’re stuck, they’re bewildered. They’re all closed in verse three. And it’s then God says, I’m going to deal with Pharaoh’s heart, and he’s going to pursue you. He’s going to pursue the nation, and I’m going to gain honor. He says, verse four, and over the army. And the end result would be that the Egyptians know that I am the Lord from Pharaoh’s perspective as he assesses the situation. The real situation is, is that his economic strength has just left. This was the economic engine of the nation.
Pastor Ed (00:06:39) – He’s far more concerned about money than he is his own people. How the first born just died throughout the land. He wants to take back control. They just let their entire economic strength walk out, and it’s dawning on him that it’s going to hurt. And God, he speaks to Moses, letting them know what’s going to happen. And hearing from God directly is a wonderful experience. Personally, I’ve never heard a loud audible voice of God speaking to me from a burning bush or or from a cloud somewhere, or a fiery pillar. But I have heard the voice of the Lord. I have had that sense of his direction in my life. I’ve had that sense of confirmation and even times in that sweet moment, usually in my car, usually coming up, Buckley making the ride on Hampton, where God seems to speak very loudly at that corner. I think I need to go a different direction sometimes, because it seems like Hampton and Buckley is the place where God really deals with me. Whether I’m on my win in the office or on my way home.
Pastor Ed (00:07:44) – That seems to be a place where a conversation starts in my car as God begins to speak to me about something I taught, or something that’s been heavy on my mind, or something I won’t let go, or some scripture he’s bringing to my remembrance some lesson he wants to teach me. I have heard the voice of the Lord, and it almost always is tied to what God has said in His Word, to a truth that’s immovable. God revealing to me what to do, how to do it, when to do it, what the results might be. Sensing the leading of His Holy Spirit. I’ve never had a conversation like he’s had with Moses. I think I would want to, but then I wouldn’t want to. I think I’d be real excited. Well, God, you want to talk to me? Yeah. Well, wait a minute. Go ahead. Tell me what’s going to go on. Oh, man. It’s going to be so bad. I don’t want to hear anymore. Because you know how when people come up and they go, well, I got good news and bad news.
Pastor Ed (00:08:40) – What do you want to hear? Well, you know, give me the bad news first. Let me just get it out now, because I want to end with the good news. But, I mean, if I have a choice, just give me the good news and you deal with the bad news. I mean, I’m not a big bad news kind of guy. I don’t like it. Even though much of my life and leadership is to help bad news become good news, you know? And so I get that, I like that. But then I think a part of me really wouldn’t like that, I really wouldn’t. I mean, there’s part of me it’s like, yeah, give me the five year plan, Lord. But then if I knew something was going to happen four years ago or four years ahead, that is going to be so hard and so difficult. I know me and I know some of you, there would be a real sense for you to try to avoid that fourth year.
Pastor Ed (00:09:23) – To do whatever you can to avoid it. To beg and plead like. Like if God told me in four years, something really devastating would happen. My whole life, I just know my flesh, my whole life would be stuck on that fourth year. So I’d lose year one because I’m worrying. I lose year two because I’m worrying worse year three. And then I’d be so dreading the day. And so I’m grateful that God leads us by faith. I’m grateful that he’ll give me what I need when I need it. Almost always, he holds us on a need to know basis, and if I need to know, he’ll tell me. If I don’t need to know, I can walk by faith. He’s given me what I need. And so I think this is really a powerful time where God is giving insight to Moses, even as he wants to give insight to us. He wants to show us that he’s with us. And that I’ve found that God, when he wants to speak to your heart, when he wants to commune with you.
Pastor Ed (00:10:23) – He wants to share hope and encouragement. But our attitude often becomes like Pharaoh, where Pharaoh will be like God will be leading us and guiding us and giving us direction. And then like Pharaoh and in Exodus chapter five, he says, who is the Lord that I shall obey his voice? Almost like we approach God, that we could do it better, or we have a better plan, or, you know, God, you know, leading us into a trap that ain’t going to work. That’s not how things work. There are easier ways to go. There are quicker ways to go. I’ve traveled this path before, and so quickly. We want to come outside of the place of faith where God and this is a battle. Maybe even what we’re praying about, the battle of the flesh. God wants us to stay in a place of dependence, and we want to be in a place where we’re in control. And those two are incompatible. So God is preparing Moses for what’s up ahead. Notice in verse five, now is told the King of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people.
Pastor Ed (00:11:21) – And they said, why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? So we made ready his chariot and took his people with him. And he took 600 choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, with captains over every one of them. Verse eight. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And he pursued the children of Israel. And the children of Israel went out with boldness. I like that. So the Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, his army, and overtook them by camping by the sea beside Pi. Ha ha! Wrath before Baal zephan Pharaoh again wants once again takes the lead in pursuing God’s people. Egypt’s firstborns are dead. The cries and the wails of the nation continue throughout the land and where do we find Pharaoh? He’s angry. He’s upset. He sees his 2.5 million people workforce gone, and he comes to that place. My son is dead. My country is in chaos.
Pastor Ed (00:12:30) – I have to do something. So he takes his own chariot. The Bible says in 600 toys, chariots. These were advanced, you know, technologically advanced fighting war machines. That’s what now Farrow is going to lean on. He’s not going to soften his heart. He’s not going to humble himself. He’s not going to seek the God of the of the Israelites. He’s not going to consider the ten plagues. He’s not going to recall all ten of the times. God was gracious to him and merciful to him. None of that. He’s going to take things into his own hands. He takes these chariots of Egypt with the captains over them, and he takes off to pursue them. And it’s interesting because. The Egyptians knew the power of God. Pharaoh knew the power of God. He watched it with his own eyes. If the if the plagues weren’t enough, if the frogs and the boils and the flies and the grasshoppers and and the firstborn weren’t enough. Farrell still has one more. One more thing he’s trusting in not all of these little gods.
Pastor Ed (00:13:39) – And now he has one more thing that God’s going to show his power over. And to some commentators, they point the the they point it directly on the military might that God’s going to show his power over Egypt’s military might. And he is. But I suggest something there’s even greater that Pharaoh is going to learn. That’s more than his military might. God is wanting for all going to show Pharaoh and the nation that God is greater than Pharaoh. Pharaoh has to learn that. The nation has to learn that. And this is the episode. They’re going to lean on their military strength. They’re going to go and recover what’s been taken after everything that’s happened. I think it’s good just to pause here for a moment and let’s be very, very careful here, even though I understand that Ferrell’s lost and unsaved and all, I agree, but let’s just be very, very careful that we’re not so quick to point the finger at Farrell and just kind of shake your head and go, what is this guy’s problem? Because this is a pattern I see among believers, among those in and out of our church, or those that might email or connect with us, I see the same thing.
Pastor Ed (00:14:50) – God has shown himself faithful, shown himself faithful, shown himself faithful. I mean, how many, how many years, how many times? How many situations can you look at it in your own life and see God has been faithful. God has been gracious. God has been merciful and still. You want God to prove himself to you. Still you won’t trust, still you won’t lay down your agenda. Still it’s still continually something you won’t let go. You won’t let go, and they’ll lean on whatever else you have and lean whatever. This is a pattern I see. We see Pharaoh. Sometimes the Bible is a mirror, even in an unbeliever that rebukes us. Because how much more is it for us who know God and are born again, and live in the new covenant that would turn to lean on the arm of the flesh? It wasn’t too long ago that we studied the life of King Saul, and it wasn’t too long ago that we studied the life of David when David was on the run.
Pastor Ed (00:15:48) – And you’ll remember how many times David was tempted, or had the temptation before him to take things into his own hands. And fix it. And I’ll end this, and I’ll take this, and I’ll do this. It’s a it’s a real difficult place to be because it’s often in a place of pain. It’s often in a place of kind of feeling like you’re not in control. And it’s a very uncomfortable place, as we’ll even see today with the children of Israel and their response to a faithful God, where you are in a place where you just want some semblance of control. And God says no. I’ll take care of that for you. Just look to me. And we’re like, yeah, I actually just don’t want to look to you anymore. I just don’t. I love you, God, and I appreciate you, but I’m. I’m you’ve you’ve let this go on too long. It wasn’t too long ago where I had that opinion about a very important situation in our own personal life, my family’s life where I just came to the end and I’m like, this is this is too.
Pastor Ed (00:16:55) – It’s just been too long. I could take care of it. I’m going to take care of it. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was here on a weekend service teaching whatever Bible study was there. God seemed to bless his word and encouragement, but I went home super discouraged. I went home just overwhelmed. Situations is just too much. Man, it’s gone on too long. So I go right up and go right to bed. I’m going to take a nap. And that evening we had scheduled the afterglow on a Sunday night. Just a gathering of prayer. Come together and seek the Lord together. And. And I remember as the home was getting ready, Maureen, my daughter was getting ready to go. And I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go. Just go without me. I’m going to stay in bed and I’m feeling kind of foul right now. You guys never get in a foul mood. Yes. No. It’s like, oh, Ed, you’re so horrible.
Pastor Ed (00:17:44) – What about you? Like. Like I’m just in a foul mood. Like, I just don’t feel good. I got all this wrapped around. I’m just battling, like, take care of this. And and, you know, I’m so I finally I’m like, I’m the pastor. I can’t let them go without me. I’m going to go. And I sat downstairs and I just had my head down for an hour and a half. I didn’t participate, I didn’t pray. It’s one of those times. And maybe you’ve been there where I’m just waiting for them to say amen so we can go home. And I don’t want to be there, but I’m there nonetheless. Pastor Matt was with us back then. He’s leading the thing and. And wouldn’t you know it, wouldn’t you know it? As God began to move in that room, speaking forth His word through different people, there were different words that kind of started in front of me and then started around kind of went around the circle in the room, and they were really specific words that were very encouraging and, you know, almost just like being repetitive, repetitive, don’t think take things into your own hands, that kind of stuff.
Pastor Ed (00:18:42) – It’s going around the room and it’s going around all the way up into behind me. And even Marie is kind of going, I think that’s for you. I think that’s for you. And I’m thinking nothing. Is this for me? I want to go home. But I was listening. That’s the beauty of being in the company. You can’t, you know, I wasn’t going no no no no no no no no. The whole time that would not have looked good. So I was listening and I was there, even though it was a battle, the spirit against the flesh, the spirit was willing, but man, the flesh was weak. And so as it goes all the way around, I’m sensing, man, this is for me, this is for me. And then as we’re getting ready to go, I’m like, well, maybe not so much because it’s time to go now. Matt’s winding it down and as Matt is sharing, he shares something about, you know, like obedience.
Pastor Ed (00:19:27) – Like something about obedience. Like, you know, there’s somebody for this word for you got to respond, because if you don’t, you’ll be disobedient, disobedient. And that is a place where God knows me. That’s a place. I’m not saying I’m not disobedient or I haven’t had those things, but that’s something that God deals with me when he brings something to me that’s black and white. It’s very difficult for me to choose to disobey. Very challenging. And so he’s pressing the issue, pressing the issue, and I’m like, yeah, I don’t I don’t think I want to respond to this because like, this is where pride comes in. I’m the pastor. And all the words were like pretty strong. Like, somebody messed up in this room and everybody’s waiting, you know, get up. Messed one, messed up one. I’m like, I don’t want to be the messed up one. But the Lord was dealing with me. He’s dealing with my heart and I believe, literally saved me from making a decision that could have led to great consequences.
Pastor Ed (00:20:29) – It would not have been successful. And I did respond and just started bawling and crying. And everyone’s coming around laying their hands on praying on the one messed up person in the whole room. The word was for one person. You see the battle of the spirit in the flesh. It’s real church. Please don’t dismiss it. Don’t think it’s no big deal. Don’t just walk away like you’ll get over it or it’s not that bad, or I don’t want to be that messed up one. I may just tell you you are that messed up one. You and I are walking in a world that’s hurt and it’s scary and it’s hard and it’s difficult, and you have your own issues, and God might even lead you to a place where this is where I want you to go. And you’re going to feel a lot of things there, and I want you to feel it. I want you to feel it this way. I want you to come to the end of yourself. I want you to be in a place where you have nowhere to turn but me.
Pastor Ed (00:21:37) – That’s how it started. When you were born again, that’s what you admitted. That. That’s when you stood to receive the Lord, when you raised your hand, when you came up to a stage like this and you prayed for the salvation that God offered you by repenting of your sins, that’s where you were. You were stuck, nowhere to go. You couldn’t go to the left or to the right. You couldn’t walk out the door the way you came in. The only logical, valuable, important place you could turn to was the Lord. And you did. And over time. You stop turning to the Lord. Over time you start started to lean on your own understanding. So once again, God will lead you to a place. Where will you look to me now? Because I wish I could say, you know, hey, that episode a few years ago, that was the only time I was the only messed up one in the room. But that’s not true. We walk in, often broken and beaten.
Pastor Ed (00:22:37) – No matter what we’re carrying around, no matter what our role is, no matter what our title is, the Lord’s working deep in us all so that we might trust him. Notice verse ten. Now this is interesting. Turn our attention from Pharaoh now to the children of Israel, who just must be so filled with faith, right? This is just amazing what they’re a part of. They are literally watching the hand of God work 400 years. Generations of slavery ended in a moment. Verse ten, and when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid. And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Now that sounds very spiritual, doesn’t it? They cried out to the Lord. But then what did they do to poor Moses in verse 11? Because there were no graves in Egypt? Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us? To bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt saying, leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians like, for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than we should die in the wilderness.
Pastor Ed (00:23:50) – Can you believe your ears? Just a few moments being delivered, just a few days being delivered from generations of slavery. They’re telling Moses. Didn’t we tell you we never wanted to leave? Then we tell you we like life the way it was. Which tells us they just. They are not thinking clearly. Why was Moses sent to them to begin with? Because God heard their cries. Because they were asking for help. Because they were in a different, desperate situation that God met them. This is the first of many times where the children of Israel will cry out with murmuring and complaining. Where they really do believe their ways better. And it comes notice as a time in verse ten you might want to market. They were very afraid. They were very afraid. It was a crisis. It created panic. Ahead of them is the Red sea. In its uncrossed bowl. On either side of them, or mountain ranges or hills impassable behind them are angry, pursuing marching Egyptian army, and they begin to panic and cry out to the Lord, what were they crying out to the Lord? A form of what they were telling to Moses out of the abundance of the heart.
Pastor Ed (00:25:22) – The mouth speaks, so they didn’t switch. So. Oh, Lord, you’re so good. You’re so wonderful. We’re so glad we’re stuck, Moses, don’t you? It’s all your fault that they didn’t change that quick. It’s all in there. They’re crying out to the Lord and they’re taking it out on Moses. Oh, by the way, those of you that want to be in spiritual leadership and you want to be a pastor one day or whatever, this is your life, the rest of your life, people are crying out to the Lord and taking it out on you, and you just got to learn. You got to learn that most of the issues that pastors and leaders and overseers experience in the church really have nothing to do with the pastoral overseer, just somebody going through something, and you’re the closest one that they get to take it out on. That’s usually what it is. You’re the one that they’re you’re the one that represents God to them in some way, or you’re just proximity wise.
Pastor Ed (00:26:19) – You’re just the one that has to take the burden and help people get through things. And it’s really not that personal after all. But here, when you see the children of Israel, what was their problem here? I would suggest to you that they have an I problem, not I the letter. Not a self-centered problem, but an eye problem. E did you notice this? They lifted up their eyes, and all of the rest of it comes from what they saw. What they saw. They have an eye problem. What they were looking at determined their actions. And what does this look like to the eye? It would look like exactly what you would see. You would see the same thing if we were there with them. I don’t know that we would be too much better than them. We would see the same thing. We’re headed out, we’re making progress, and the red sees before us. We have no idea how we’re going to get our stuff and our children and our why. We don’t know how we’re going to pass that.
Pastor Ed (00:27:20) – And there’s really no option to go right or left. We’re a little bit questioning. It doesn’t seem like the right way to go. It would have been there was an easier way. And here they are. They say, well, let’s go back. And they see the dust rising and they hear the noise. I mean, it would be the equivalent of. I was taken off in a direction and we got nowhere to go. And when we turn around, like the United States Army is coming after us at the order of the government. It would instill fear. But it wasn’t the truth. It was just what they saw. And that’s what’s deceptive. Write this down. Jot it down. Not everything you see is the truth. Just because you see it doesn’t mean your conclusion is the truth. Not. Or what do they say? Not everything is as it appears. So yeah, you’re assessing everything you see in front of you, true to hills on, you know, mountains, small mountains on either side of you.
Pastor Ed (00:28:31) – True. The Egyptian army behind us. True. We’re done. We don’t know that yet. And not only do we not know that yet, what do we do? We fall back on the promise of God who said he was taking us into the Promised Land? That’s what he said. I will deliver you and take you in all the way. What it appears to be is a trap, and the trap is. What it appears is that the children of Israel are led into a trap. But that’s not the truth. The truth is God setting the trap for Pharaoh. It’s the exact opposite. It’s. They’re not trapped. Pharaoh’s trapped. The Egyptian army’s trapped Pharaoh is falling into God’s trap. He should have just let him go. That he was told ten times to do. He should have just let him go. But now he’s trapped. This is what God does when you follow him. Church. This is a part of the Christian life. He’s going to lead you into places where your enemies will be caught, where you will be delivered, and they will be trapped.
Pastor Ed (00:29:48) – It’s hard to believe because we only see and feel what we’re seeing and feeling. Just like David so many times we only see and feel what we see, what we’re feeling and seeing. David said in Psalms 27, verse two, when the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. He says that after the fact. Psalm 56, verse one, be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up fighting all day. They oppress me, my enemies hound me all day, and there are many who fight against me, O God. And then notice. Turn over to Psalm 124. I want you to see this. It’s a quick psalm, and this is one of the many reasons why we like to read through the Psalms together as a church, because it plants these things. And it wasn’t too long ago that we read Psalm 124. Look at this one. This is so such, such a good psalm. Listen in Psalm 124, verse one, it says, if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, let Israel now say, if it had not been the Lord who was on our side.
Pastor Ed (00:30:53) – When men rose up against us, they would have swallowed us alive. Their wrath was kindled against us, and the waters would have overwhelmed us. The stream would have gone over our soul. Then the swollen waters would have gone over our soul. Blessed be the Lord who is not given us as prey to their teeth, our soul as escaped as a bird. From the snare of the Fowler. The snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. And to that the church says Amen. This is the word of the Lord. But it doesn’t always feel that way. I want to write a song like that. Well, you got to get through the first seven verses, don’t you? So you can get to the eighth. And what would they really? What would verse eight really mean if you didn’t experience the first seven where you can actually not just hear it with the ear and see what the eye, but you lived it.
Pastor Ed (00:31:49) – It is your testimony. It is your true story. It is what you have seen God do in your life. But the first seven verses of Psalm 124, just like the children of Israel here, are filled with terror and pain and panic and hurt. And this is the key for the nation. As long as they kept our eyes on the fiery pillar and followed the Lord and were walking by faith, no enemy could touch them. They don’t even need to worry about the enemy, because if they saw the fire, stay put the pillar of fire by day, the cloud by night. If it didn’t move, they weren’t supposed to move. That was God’s message to them. They knew it would be safe. They knew that’s where God wanted them. They knew that they could bed down for the evening. They knew that they could tuck the kids in. They knew. They knew that if God didn’t move the pillar, then they were safe. If God didn’t move the cloud, they were safe.
Pastor Ed (00:32:50) – But they took their eyes off of the cloud. They took their eyes off of the pillar here in the day. And they look to the enemy. And let me just tell you, church, you pay attention to the enemy all the time you’ll be freaked out to. You. Look what he’s doing in the world today. It’ll freak you out. You take your eyes off the Lord and you see the attack of the enemy. You see the work of the enemy. All you’re worried about is your enemies. The world, the flesh and the devil. Woe is me. Look at me. I’m given over to sin. It’s my problem. You want to live that way, you’re going to be a miserable person. You can live that way if you want this obediently, you take your eyes off the Lord. You’re all you’re going to see is your enemy. And your enemy is going to freak you out, scare you, undermine you, lie to you, undermine your faith, increase your anxiety.
Pastor Ed (00:33:38) – If you’re already an anxious person, the enemy is going to play with that. If you’re already a fearful person, he’s going to mess with that. If you don’t have the fear of the Lord, but instead you have the fear of man, you’re trapped already. And then what happens if you’re a complainer? If you’re a murmur, if you attack your spiritual leaders because of your own problems. It’s because you lack faith in God. You’ve left the place of trust. If that’s all you’re worried about. Is that guy over there. And why do we do this? And you’re just the complainer and a murmur. Here’s the route. The root is your faith relationship with God is broken. You’ve chosen not to believe God. You’ve chosen to trust in other resources. Trust in what you see. Trust in what you feel. And this is how it is when when things are okay. We’re okay. If things seem to be not okay, we get in a panic. The only cure for fear is to keep our eyes on the Lord.
Pastor Ed (00:34:44) – The only cure for anxiety is to keep your eyes on the Lord. Look to the Lord and follow him closely. We walk by faith. The Bible says, not by sight. What are the kids learning in VBS? Exactly what I have in my notes. When the storms come, Jesus takes a nap. Jesus takes a nap. And in that little makeshift boat they were making a day, they made one of those kids lay down and pretend to be Jesus. Every boat had a Jesus in it so all the kids could see. His rest and his care and his abiding in the father’s will. Everything was going to be okay. Why? Because Jesus said, we’re going to get to the other side. You hold on to his word. Don’t you care, Lord? Don’t you see what’s happening? Oh, I see everything that’s happening. I guess you don’t. And get your eyes back on the Lord. It happened right here with the children of Israel. He started to murmur and complain and.
Pastor Ed (00:35:52) – When we come to verse 11 again, I mean, put yourself in Moses sandals for a moment. I can get a little bit of Woody. It’s like, you know what? God, I didn’t want to do this to begin with. Didn’t I tell you? Send somebody else. This is not for me. I didn’t want to go to Pharaoh. And I definitely don’t want to hear him murmuring and complaining the rest of my life. But we don’t see that. Later on, Moses is going to describe himself as the most humble man on the earth. There was a quality about Moses that God saw that he didn’t even see. So that when he denied it, said he didn’t want to do it and send anyone else, you know, go ahead and get it out. Emote, Moses. But you’re the guy. I already know it. You’re the guy. You’re the only guy. You’re the only one. I want to do this. You’re the only one that’s going to. I have trained you for 80 years.
Pastor Ed (00:36:43) – You’re the guy. And so you’ll get through the murmuring and complaining. Moses, what you don’t know, and God didn’t tell him yet, is that you’re going to be doing this for 40 years, buddy. And these complainers, they know they’re they’re professional complainers and they’re going to want to go back more than once. It’s hard, though. The nation that you love that you serve is turned on you. But there is a part of spiritual leadership. I mean, you see it all throughout the scriptures. We’re following the life of Paul and the very people that Paul would sacrifice his life for and get beat up and stone and thrown in prison. We’re also turned on him. It’s just a human condition. And so if a leader can’t keep his eyes on the Lord, then he’ll be really messed up. Because now he’s not living by faith and has to deal with all the difficulties for the people that he’s been led to serve. But it’s interesting for the children of Israel because they they saw the ten plagues.
Pastor Ed (00:37:40) – They saw the power of God, the cloud, the pillar of fire, the release from captivity. And they still complain. To me, this section is a very convicting, convicting place in my own life. Because I know what it’s like to complain. And I know what it’s like not to. To like something. I know what it’s like to disagree with the leadership of a church, or I know what it’s like. None of us are innocent of these types of things. But even so is the scriptures convicting for me. I want you to. I want it to be convicting for you to. I mean, when you just think about complaining for a moment, what does complaining do to help the situation at all? It just makes it worse. Now we have the problem that you have so clearly identified. And now we got to deal with your bad attitude on top of the problem. And no doubt if you’re complaining then other people are agreeing and joining with you. You’re like infecting people with your bitter complaining.
Pastor Ed (00:38:47) – And now, now we got all kinds of problems. You go. Come on, editor, you’re exaggerating a little bit. I’m not this group that’s leaving. Then the nation of Egypt and being delivered. This group. This group. Read ahead. They die. The whole generation dies in the wilderness. Because of a bad report. Of the leaders, the elders that were sent in to the Promised Land. They thought they were going on a on a reconnaissance mission. But what they were really going in is to see God’s faithfulness and bring back a report. We’re going to be just fine. And they didn’t. Which is another Bible study altogether. I think so much more could be happening in the Kingdom of God if we would stop complaining, stop murmuring. So much could happen for the kingdom of God in this world. If we just stop complaining, like, go ahead and say it once, look what’s happening and then stop. Like what now? You don’t need to say it 50 times now.
Pastor Ed (00:39:51) – What? What are you going to do about it? How are you going to step into it? Turn that complaint into a prayer and see how God might use you to be a part of the solution. But church. Don’t look at the devil. And don’t give him your time. Don’t talk to him. Don’t bargain with him. Don’t compromise. Don’t mess around with the world. Don’t take that first drink. Don’t say yes to temptation. Don’t go dating an unbeliever. Don’t turn around behind you. Keep your eyes looking forward on the Lord and you’ll be safe. All this stuff will be happening, but it will fall to the wayside. While you’re following the Lord and his plan and his purpose for your life, jot it down. Philippians chapter three, verse 13. It says, brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended but one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Pastor Ed (00:40:50) – So good. There’s 13 now. And Moses said to the people, do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians who you see today, you shall see again no more, for the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Some of you, if you notice in your Bibles, you might have an alternative translation. Their mind says, you shall hold your peace. The alternative translation is you should be quiet. Do you know how we say that today? Shut up! Ha ha ha ha ha! In a very kind way. What do you say? Stop it! Be quiet. Be quiet! Enough of this. God’s going to do this. And then you know Moses. He doesn’t know how. So he is requires some faith from him. He doesn’t know. It would be a just a thought. A way for him to join the complainers. Because he doesn’t know he sees the same thing, except that he has the word, doesn’t he? The relationship that we see between Him and God, that God was talking to him.
Pastor Ed (00:42:06) – I was with him. Remember the promises that God gave to Paul. When he was ready and freaking out, perhaps, or concerned about the circumstances. A palm with you. I’m going to protect you. I have a purpose for your life. I’m going to put people. There’s so many more people, Paul, you haven’t even met yet. You just look to me. You lay your head down on the pillow. I’ll take care. You go to sleep. You rest. I’ll take care of everything for you. You’re going to be just fine. Moses is basically saying the same thing with less words. Several times in the Bible, God says, don’t be afraid. Abraham, when he receives God’s covenant, don’t be afraid. Abraham. Joshua. When he’s crossing over the Jordan, don’t be afraid. You’re going to be fine. Joshua. Solomon. Gideon. The women at the tomb. This is a phrase used over and over. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose it.
Pastor Ed (00:43:06) – God is in control. He hasn’t forgotten you and maybe even you. Tonight, God has led you into a trap on purpose. He’s allowed this on purpose. He wants to show you his resources that you don’t know of. Maybe you’re in a corner and you don’t know how you’re going to get out. And the only way is that God will deliver you. Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid. I love what Moses. Moses didn’t jump in the mud with them and try to logically explain everything. Oh, let me just sit down and tell you what the Hebrew means in this and how God has been. He doesn’t. He’s just like, hey guys, calm down. Everything’s going to be fine. We’re going to be fine. God has told me what he’s going to do. He just told him to watch God work. He says, just stop. Which leads us to the title of our Bible study. You’re in a tough spot. You’re in a difficult place. You’re in a place of panic, of fear.
Pastor Ed (00:43:55) – You feel trapped. Do nothing. Just stand. Stand still. Don’t run away. Don’t think things into your own hand. The Lord’s going to fight for you. Verse 14. Thank God for the Moses in our lives. Thank God for the pastors and teachers that will give us the Word of God in due season. That will take the Word of God and explain it to us, and speak forth in the power of the Holy Spirit, and give us a word in due season, or what the Bible would say. A raymo word fresh manna every day. Not these warmed over microwave sermons that get downloaded. Or now you know this silliness of guys getting their sermons from I. Are you serious? God does not inspire ChatGPT to give you a word. You can you can have the AI. Artificial intelligence can get the facts right, but it has no ability to know your heart. Only God knows your heart. And the way that God has chosen according to His Word is he has gifted men, pastors, and teachers to give forth the Word of God because the Word of God always comes through us, not just to us.
Pastor Ed (00:45:11) – So don’t get ripped off by these guys. That might. Well, you’re just listening to you. That sounds like a robot, man. That sounds like a robot. Like, you need to go back to your prayer closet, bro, and get a word from the Lord. And it’s from his word. Here again, sounds like another Bible study to deliver one day, maybe at a pastor’s conference. I am chat pastor today. Like I was like, I don’t know. All right, look, if the children of Israel at this point in their life continue to disobedience, if they continued in doubt, if they didn’t listen to their leader, to their pastor, to their shepherd, to their spokesperson on behalf of God in their crisis, in their difficulty, if they didn’t receive the words, if they tried to run away, if they tried anything else than standing still in the trap. They would have died. Because the wages of sin is always death. This is the truth. The fight isn’t for you.
Pastor Ed (00:46:19) – The fight is against you. The enemy comes against you. What would you rather have? The enemy coming against you or God fighting for you? Listen, God is ready to fight on your behalf. He’s strong and mighty. He’s the Lord mighty in battle. So do me a favor today. Turn to someone near you or around you, or yell across the room. You don’t have to be afraid. Just say it out loud. You don’t have to be afraid. Come on. You don’t have to be afraid. You don’t have to be afraid. Stand still. Stand still. Look to the Lord. Okay. Enough, enough, enough. You guys got it, I like it. I’ll tell you. The Lord will fight for you. Just stand still. You don’t have to be afraid. Did you guys get it? Do you hear that? Enough! You don’t have to be afraid. You don’t have to be afraid. Doesn’t matter what it looks like, what it feels like, you don’t have to be afraid.
Pastor Ed (00:47:07) – The Lord’s going to fight for you. The Lord is fighting for you. He’s with you. He’s your help. He’s your strength. Here’s a word from the Lord for you. Ready? Receive it. Be open for it. For those of you who are fearful, for those of you who are panicked, for those of you who are overwhelmed, for those of you that don’t know where to turn, here’s the word of the Lord. Are you ready? Do nothing. That’s what you’ve been praying for. You’ve been desperate for an answer. Here’s the word of the Lord. Do nothing. Just stand there. Just stay still. That’s it. Just watch the Lord work on your behalf. It’s so counterintuitive, isn’t it? Because even when you’re standing still, you want to do something. You take me back to that little gathering? In my own illustration of my own life I shared earlier, and and I’m, I’m I’m sitting still, but inside I’m doing to all kinds of thing. I want to get out of here.
Pastor Ed (00:48:02) – Hurry up and early. It’s done. We got to be like it’s even in the standing still. You don’t want to stand still, but the Lord wants you in a place where he can speak to you. He wants you in a place he could show you his power so that you can say to someone, hey, I read about God’s power and I’ve heard about God’s power. But let me tell you something. I have experienced it. It has changed my life. I’ve seen God deliver me. I’ve seen God speak to me. I’ve seen God lead me. I’ve seen God stopped me. I’ve seen God take out the enemy. And if he’s done it before, he’ll continue to do it. I could write my own psalms. You can write your own psalms, but you got to do nothing. Standstill. You don’t have to do anything. God will give you the peace. God will give you the victory. God will give you the help. And we’ll get to the rest of the chapter next time.
Pastor Ed (00:48:57) – Amen. Lord, thank you for your word and just speaking to us and showing us your faithfulness like it’s so good. We’re so grateful for you, Lord, and to see how these studies weave together of what Paul was going through on his missionary journeys and how you showed up. And it seemed like Paul just needed a word from you. And now the children of Israel show you show up because they needed a word from you. And Moses is there, and now he’s got a different thing. Oh, you know, let’s go back to Egypt. I told you guys, I told you, Moses, we never wanted to go. Like what? What do you mean? And so we just pray for that supernatural strength. God, pour it out on us in abundance. We’ve said it to each other and now we want to receive it. You got nothing to be afraid about. Are you going to take care of us, Lord? You promised. You’re going to take care of the finances. You’re going to take care of our children.
Pastor Ed (00:49:55) – You’re going to take care of where we’re going to live. You’re going to take care of the food on our table. You’re going to take care of of of the clothes on our back. You’re going to take care of the government. You’re going to take care of the election. You’re going to take care of the laws. You’re going to take care of the depravity that seems to be running wild. Lord, we just just strengthen us so that we might.
INTRO (00:50:24) – What you.
Pastor Ed (00:50:27) – That we might trust you. That we might hear you and then we can move. You got a part, the Red sea, and we don’t even know what you’re going to do yet. We just got to wait. We don’t even know what you’re going to do. We just got to wait. You have a solution. There’s a way. God, you can make a way where there is no way. So forgive us for our eyes and our feelings are very real war. But they don’t always tell us the truth. We commit ourselves again today.
Pastor Ed (00:51:05) – Freshen anew that you might revive us, strengthen us, give us wisdom from above. In Jesus name, Amen.
INTRO (00:51:14) – We pray that you’ve been encouraged by this Bible study, delivered live from the Sanctuary of Calvary Church for prayer. Call us at 87730. Grace. That’s (877) 304-7223 to listen to this message in its entirety, or to join us for our live stream services, visit us online at Calvary Coat Church or download our free Calvary Church app. Be blessed as you worship Jesus this week.
KEY WORDS: Bible study, Pastor Ed Taylor, Calvary Church, Aurora, Colorado, Exodus, crisis, trust, faithfulness, God, biblical principles, spiritual leadership, divine guidance, prayer, worship, spiritual growth, live stream services, church app.
