Abounding Grace

Guest (Male): Pastor Ed Taylor says, "Take your problems to God."

Pastor Ed Taylor: You want your marriage saved? No pastor's going to save your marriage. Jesus can.

You want help with your anger? No pastor's going to be able to solve your anger problem, but the Lord can.

You're living a loveless life, or you feel like you just don't love anyone? You're upset with people? No pastor's going to be able to solve that problem, but the Lord can. To get your eyes back on the Lord.

Guest (Male): Our verse-by-verse journey through Exodus continues today on Abounding Grace. We join Pastor Ed Taylor in chapter 17 today. When things don't go our way or we're disappointed at how life is turning out, we can so easily settle into complaining.

As we'll learn today, that's actually a sin. We're to take our problems to the Lord with thanksgiving, knowing that He'll provide. The children of Israel are about to be tested in this area as their wilderness wanderings continue. Here's Pastor Ed.

Pastor Ed Taylor: Open your Bibles to Exodus chapter 17. I've entitled our Bible study "Together in the Fight." The nation of Israel at this point in their lives is in the middle of the greatest thing really to ever happen to them. They were delivered from Egypt, from bondage, from slavery.

Not only that, their deliverance was an answer to their prayers. The deliverance was an answer to prayer. They were crying out to God, remember? God said, "I've heard your cries." He sent Moses, the deliverer, who was perfectly trained.

Don't you think, "I'd like to be perfectly trained. I'd like to be prepared"? But remember, Moses, a half or a third of his life up to this point, half of his life before, was training in the wilderness. If it's the school of the wilderness, maybe I don't want to be trained so much. I'd rather read a book or watch something on YouTube. I'll be trained that way.

Life's experiences are training us. For 40 years of his life, he was on the backside of the desert in obscurity, in a position and a place I'm sure he didn't expect, and God was using that. The children of Israel received what they asked for dramatically, powerfully, delivered.

But even the good things in life, which is where they are, even the good things in life, deliverance, powerful, dramatic, everything you've ever wanted, even the good things in life will draw out from us the realities of our hearts. It's easy to say, and we see this to be true, trials reveal, and difficulties show up.

They reveal in us what was really there. You might be going through something and you're just so angry, and then you're like, "I wouldn't be angry if it wasn't for this trial." But the anger has been in you for a long time. It's the trial that's drawn it out. But it's not just trials and difficulty. Good things are also used by God to reveal.

This good thing for the nation here was hard and arduous and difficult. They suffered from hunger and thirst, discomfort, tiredness, and complaining and murmuring. They're experiencing the miraculous, but remember, we don't live by the dazzling movement of miracles. We live by faith, simple faith, trusting God day by day.

Notice with me as the testing continues in verse 1 of chapter 17. "Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink." A major part of the wilderness experience, the wanderings, was testing.

First, it was no food, and what did God do? He gave them manna, faithful food with all the needed nutrients to keep their bodies strong. God graciously provided. Now, it's another test, the test of thirst. These are real things. These are basic things. These are not luxuries. Food and water are basic and essential to life.

Surely they've learned. They've got manna between their teeth, and the faithfulness of God on their hearts. Surely they'll turn to the Lord right away. They know He's going to provide, as with the waters of Marah, you'll remember. This isn't the first test with water. They were at the waters of Marah. What does Marah mean but bitterness?

God was dealing with them. He came through there. From the waters of Marah, where did they go? They went to Elim, where the city of palms and the wells of water were there and the shade of the palms. They have manna breath from His supply. Surely they're going to trust Him here. Isn't that the story of our lives from time to time?

You look at your life at any amount of time, both as a believer and even as an unbeliever, and see how good and gracious and caring God is. For those of us that got saved a little later in life and maybe lived through some rough, stupid, sinful decisions, I think back of how many times God literally spared my life from what I got myself involved in and the choices that I made.

He spared my life. He provided. I don't know that I would have voiced this, but the Bible says that I lived a life of animosity and enmity toward God. That's the position for anyone listening to me right now that is not in a right relationship with God. You are literally an enemy of God. While you may not be able to articulate that or even choose those words, I'm going to help you along the way because it's important for you to understand the posture that you've taken toward God.

God's been gracious to you. Even if we never got anything ever, we received life, and that day by day. You don't need to worry about your heart beating. God's taking care of that for you. You don't need to worry about breathing. Even if you held your breath right now, you would pass out so that your mind can shut down and you'll start breathing again. God is so gracious to you.

I know that life has been hard and difficult, but you have to understand the difficulty of life is because of the failure of sin. Sin is the source and the root of the pain that you experience. It's because of man's rebellion against God. Not only have we experienced the pain of sin, but some of us have inflicted pain in people's lives because of our own sin.

Sin is devastating, and God has given a remedy for sin and your enmity. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross, to shed His innocent blood, so that by faith in Him, the work of your salvation is complete. All you need to do, really, God is inviting you even now, is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, that you would trust Him with your life.

You might say, "I don't know about that kind of belief, Pastor. I don't know that I could really live that kind of belief." Listen, you live by faith in so many different ways in your life right now. Did you know that? How many of you drove or were driven to church tonight? Most. You drove here. I want you to understand something. You drove here with a tremendous amount of faith, an amazing amount of faith.

There's one thing you've got to hear. You drove here believing that the other person that was going 40 miles an hour on the other side of the road in his car, and you were coming on this side of the road 40 miles an hour in your car, you drove here by faith that the double yellow lines down the middle of the asphalt mean the same thing to the anonymous drivers that they do to you.

You don't ever think about that. It is so much a part of you that you don't even think about it anymore. That's God's will for you in relation to Him, that you believe in Him so much that it's not even a thought anymore because you know the Lord personally because of the provision of forgiveness and His graciousness.

Because if He was gracious, and He was, to all of us when we rebelled against Him, the Bible says how much more now, in Christ, in relationship. Surely water, palm trees, manna, deliverance, faithfulness, a leader provided out of nowhere, surely the children of Israel have learned, just like you, right? All of you have learned so well and become so mature with all your experiences.

Well, verse 2 says, "Therefore the people contended with Moses and said, 'Give us water that we may drink.' And Moses said to them, 'Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?' And the people thirsted there for water, and the people murmured against Moses and said, 'Why is it that you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?'"

Same song, different tune. Complaining and murmuring. Again, I've mentioned this in previous studies, but it's good to be reminded. For those of you in spiritual leadership, because of your proximity to people that are dealing with deep issues in their lives, you will often be the one they're most upset with when you really haven't done anything but represent God well.

You're like, "Why are you mad at me?" and whether it's spoken or not, they should just say, "Because you're the one in front of me, that's why. It's your fault." Ultimately, when we murmur and complain about the circumstances of our lives, in a real way, we're murmuring and complaining against God, who's allowed them.

Moses gets the full brunt of it. Here's their problem when it comes to Moses, and here's our problem if we're looking to human leadership, even God's appointed leaders, even good spiritual leaders. I'm just talking about good godly men and women that God has given us, imperfect, but really love the Lord, leading us, but we get upset with them or we take it out on them.

Here's the thing. Their problem was the same problem we see today within the body of Christ. They expect from a human leader only what God can provide. They expect from a human leader only what God can provide, which is often a real difficulty within the church because you're going through a trial, a difficulty. You make an appointment with the pastor. You want to sit down and all the pastor's trying to do is get your eyes on the Lord.

You get so mad at them as if they don't understand, saying, "I need this, and I want you to do this, and you don't understand what's happening." And the pastor says, "No, man, we just need to pray." That's not enough. All right, well, what do you need? "I need water." And then the pastor gives you water. Now what? "And I need..." and before you know it, you're complaining again.

You want your marriage saved? No pastor's going to save your marriage. Jesus can. You want help with your anger? No pastor's going to be able to solve your anger problem, but the Lord can. You're living a loveless life, or you feel like you just don't love anyone, you're upset with people? No pastor's going to be able to solve that problem, but the Lord can to get your eyes back on the Lord.

"Moses, what's your problem? I can't believe it. There's millions of us, and you've got no water for us." No. How is Moses supposed to come up with this water? Remember as David was tending the sheep, maybe beginning to think about his own needs and his own struggles, his own issues, his own fears, his own anxiety, he begins to write what's on his heart. Remember what he wrote? "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want."

That's the place of safety and security, remembering that the Lord is our shepherd. That's the choice when we choose to lean or trust on man's abilities. Then we are limited by what man can do. Maybe you sit down with a pastor and he can give you good advice, but we can't do it for you. We might show you a scripture, but we can't read it for you. We might even get you out of a little bind, maybe you need a little help here and there and we can help you, but we can't get you out of the next one or the next one.

We can't help you with the fundamental foundational issues that are related to your disconnected life with God. Only you can do that. Only you can. We can lean on man's abilities, looking to man, or we can lean and trust on God and His omnipotence for us, knowing that He has ways that you and I don't know anything about.

God has resources that you and I don't know anything about. He has knowledge about our lives that you and I don't know anything about. He has a purpose and a plan that's being revealed, and up to this point, He's revealed to us where we are, but He has plans up ahead that we know nothing about. He has people He wants to reach through your life and situation that we know nothing about.

Do you think for a second, a millisecond, that the complaining, murmuring nation of Israel here thinks, "You know what? My story's really going to bless people 5,000 years from now"? I don't think they're thinking that at all. You know what I think they're thinking? "Where's my water?" I mean, "What's going on, Moses? You're a lousy leader because here we are again. I wish we'd stayed in Egypt. You're a lousy man. We don't want to follow you. You're going to kill our kids."

That's where they're at. But what do we see now with 20/20 eyes, just like you and I? We can look back a few times in our own lives and see, "Oh, I remember that trial. I remember that trial like it was yesterday. Now I can see what I didn't see in the trial. God had 52 people He wanted to reach, and I pray for them by name every day, or three people, or He had a situation He wanted to reveal in my heart I didn't even know was in my heart."

God has ways and things and people and places. He has solutions. He has strength. He has hope. He has peace tucked away that no man could ever provide for you, or woman, for that matter. No human being can provide to you what only God can. Complaining is a sin.

The Bible tells us to do all things without murmuring and complaining. Complaining is a sin. Philippians chapter 2. It's just one of those areas that you want to crucify before the Lord because it's counterproductive to your spiritual growth. Next time you feel like complaining that God isn't fair or He doesn't bless, just remember how good God has been.

Be careful lest you ever say to God, "Give me what I deserve." Tell us first so we can step back a few steps. Never ask for that. Instead, come to the Lord with thanksgiving. Be anxious for nothing, but in all things by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

What? The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds. Isn't that where the spiritual warfare is? Spiritual warfare is always at the emotions and always at the beliefs. The mind and the heart, emotions and our thinking. That's where it all takes place, because that's where our emotions mess with our beliefs, and bad beliefs lead to bad behavior.

What's the Bible word for bad behavior? Sin. That's the warfare. It's not as complicated as it seems as you sort it all out. They complained, but I think there's a good chance we don't want to be too judgmental of them because we complain and put ourselves in this situation. We may have been caught up in it as well. May the Lord deliver us.

Verse 4 says, "So Moses cried out to the Lord," that was a good choice, saying, "What shall I do with these people? They're almost ready to stone me!" And the Lord said to Moses, "Wipe them out!" No, He didn't. Some pastors listening might think, "Well, what did the Lord do? They're going to stone me!" and some pastors think, "Well, you just go to another church." No, there's people there too, and people there too.

Notice His answer in verse 5. "Go before the people. Take with you some of the elders. Take in your hand a rod which you struck the river and go. Behold, I'll stand before you there at the rock Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Then he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the contention of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" He takes some of the leaders that were with him, the elders of the tribe, so that they might see the glorious hand of God. They get to witness this. Take this rod, which was once an instrument of judgment, and strike the rock. The rod of judgment now becomes a symbol of provision and mercy.

The rock is often a picture and symbol of God Himself. Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 4, Psalm 28 verse 1, Psalm 62 verse 2. A rock, strong, stable. The rock, durable. In the midst and the cleft of the rock, there's safety. This one is a picture of Jesus Himself.

They drank, in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4, they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. Out of the rock came forth water. It refreshed the people. Jesus said in John 7 verse 38, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." We read through very quickly and there's great provision. God provides, Moses obeys, which you guys that are Bible students know that this scenario will come up again, but Moses will respond in anger. Because of his anger, a man with all these years of faithfulness, ups and downs, a man described in the Bible as the one that's most humble, a true humble man, because of his anger, he doesn't enter into the Promised Land.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to Abounding Grace with our pastor and teacher, Ed Taylor. Hear this message, "Together in the Fight," again at aboundinggraceradio.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Pastor Ed, here at the close of our program, you mentioned the anger of Moses and how he missed out on the Promised Land because of that. That reminds me of our pick of the month, "Anger is a Choice." Larry, what can you tell our listeners about it?

Pastor Ed Taylor: This is a phenomenal resource, Larry. I think many people should get and read it, if not for yourself, for others. In the book "Anger is a Choice," it has what you need to know on how to control the emotion of anger and even find healing for damaged relationships.

Because you know as well as I do that anger is something everyone struggles with, whether it's our own emotion threatening to explode out of control or the anger of others that makes us feel intimidated and afraid. But when we understand where anger comes from and how it shows or doesn't show, then we can really do something about it.

So, whether it's the outburst of wrath, the work of the flesh, or it's just this low-level seething frustration and anger, this is a great resource to gain more insight so that the Holy Spirit might lead you in a way to live in the fruit of the Spirit, you know, that peace and patience that's ours by faith. So pick it up, "Anger is a Choice." I know it's a topic that seems pretty narrow, but it's super helpful. Again, whether you need it for yourself or you're going to use it to encourage others, pick it up. I know the Holy Spirit will use it in your life.

Guest (Male): Get a copy of "Anger is a Choice" for a gift of $25 or more to Abounding Grace. Call 877-30-GRACE. We can help you with the ordering details, or go to our online store at calvaryco.store.

Abounding Grace is made possible through the generous support of our listeners. As we continue to deliver God's word one verse at a time, we're looking to our listeners for help. Together we can reach people with the love and truth of Christ and make a difference in these last days. To make a secure donation, drop by aboundinggraceradio.com or call 877-30-GRACE. Next time on Abounding Grace, we'll continue Pastor Ed Taylor's study of Exodus. Thank you for listening today, and we'll look for you tomorrow as we open the Word together in search of God's abounding grace.

Pastor Ed Taylor: Abounding Grace is brought to you by Calvary Church, Colorado, here in Aurora.