THE LORD GOD WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES

Proclamation:

“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.  The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and The Lord swept them into the sea.  The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.  Not one of them survived.” Exodus 14:27-28 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God struck down the first born of Egypt, Pharaoh let the Israelites go. (Exodus 12:29-32)  As they left Egypt, there were about six hundred thousand men, not counting the women and children. (Exodus 12:37)  When they left, they took with them the spoils of Egypt (Exodus 12:33-36) and they also took the bones of Joseph with them. (Exodus 13:19)  The Lord God led them on their way out of Egypt. (Exodus 13:21)  He told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and he would pursue them, but He would gain glory by dealing with them. (Exodus 14:1-4)  Pharaoh gathered his army and pursued the Israelites.  When they saw them coming, the people panicked. (Exodus 14:8-10)  The Lord God told Moses to raise his staff and stretch out his hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (Exodus 14:16)  Then The Angel of God, who had been traveling in front of the people, withdrew and went behind them and blocked the path of Pharaoh’s army. (Exodus 14:19-20)  The Israelites crossed the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and left side, (Exodus 14:29) but when Pharaoh’s army followed them, they all drowned.

Application:

The Lord God protected His people from an army that they could not defeat with a pillar of fire.  He made a way out of no way when they were in an impossible situation by parting the Red Sea.  He fought a battle for them and defeated an army which they were not prepared to fight by drowning Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea.  There are some battles which we are not prepared to, or able to fight.  Those battles The Lord God will fight for us.  Some battles are not against people, but are against principalities, and evil powers, and wicked spirits. (Ephesians 6:12)  That is why we need to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17) and just stand.  We need to stand still and behold the power of our God. (Exodus 14:13, 2 Chronicles 20:17, and Ephesians 6:14)  The Lord God will take care of His people, including all believers.  He did it then, and He can do it again.

MY TEACHING IS NOT MY OWN IT COMES FROM GOD

Proclamation:

“The Jews there were amazed and asked, ‘How did this man get such learning without having been taught?’  Jesus answered, ‘My teaching is not my own, it comes from the one who sent me.  Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.  Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.’”  John 7:15-18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the teaching of Jesus, The Christ, at the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles and His dialogue with the Jews who did not believe Him.  Jesus went to the feast in secret because there were those there who sought to kill Him. (John 7:1 and 10)  The people there murmured about Him, some saying that He was good, and others saying that He was a deceiver. (John 7:12-13)  During the festival Jesus went to the temple courts and began to teach. (John 7:14)  The Jews were amazed at His teaching.  He told them that His teaching was not His own, it came from God, The Father, who sent Him.  He also offered an explanation for His healing of the lame man on the Sabbath. (John 7:21-24)  Then He repeated that He was not there on His own authority but that God, The Father, had sent Him there. (John 7:28-29)  After that, He said that soon He would leave them and return to God, The Father, who sent Him. (John 7:33-34)

Application:

When we present The Word of God to others, whether it be by telling them, teaching them, or preaching, the purpose is to glorify God and not self.  We are not to seek personal glory; we are to give God the glory.  We must choose to do the will of God, to spread His Holy Word, and to give Him glory.  Spread The Word of God, share The Word with others, but remember that it is not about us, it is all about Him.

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD

Proclamation:

“Praise The Lord … Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness … Let everything that has breath praise The Lord.  Praise The Lord.”  Psalm 150:1-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm are also thought to have been written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm is the “grand finale” of the “Hallelujah” psalms and the final psalm.  The focus of this psalm is praise.  The word praise is mentioned three times in the first verse and twice in each of the remaining five verses.  The Lord God is the object of our praise and everything that has breath should praise Him.

Application:

We should praise the Lord God more often than we do.  It does not matter how often we praise Him, we could never praise Him enough.  Even if His praise was continually in our mouth, we would never give Him too much praise.  When we think of who He is, and all that He has done, and all of His goodness that He has shown to us, we should shout praises to His name.  To God be the glory!  Hallelujah!  Praise The Lord!

To God Be The Glory

"And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that The Son may bring glory to The Father.  You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it."  John 14:13-14 (NIV)

Jesus, The Christ, told His disciples that He would do whatever they asked in His name.  He said that they could ask Him for anything and He would do it.  However, the important phrase in what He said was that He would do it so that He could bring glory to God, The Father. 

Today a lot of people quote John 14:14, and they use that verse as a bases for asking God for the things that they want for their own benefit.   We often pray for things without regard for the glory of God.  A lot of our prayers are not answered because what we ask for is outside of the will of God and it would not give Him glory.  If we are doing God's will and we pray for things which will bring Him glory, then we will get what we asked for.  May we seek to give God glory in what we say, do, and pray for.

Do Things For The Glory Of God

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)

This was the advice of the Apostle Paul to the Christians in Corinth.  In all that they do, it should done to the glory of God.

All Christian conduct and speech should be done so as to give honor to God.  In fact, if what we say or do does not give God glory, it is a sin, since all unrighteousness is sin. (1 John 5:17)  Even things that we consider to be neutral, neither good or bad, are also probably sinful.  On judgement day we will have to give an account even for the idle words that we speak. (Matthew 12:36)  Our words reveal the state of, and the issues within, our heart. (Matthew 12:34)  God knows our thoughts so He can judge our intentions as well as our actions. (Psalms 94:11)  We need to ask ourselves, are we doing this, whatever it is, to give God glory?  We need to make a conscience effort every day to do more things which glorify God.

Living For God

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)

According to Henrietta C. Mears, Christian educator, author, and renown Sunday School teacher, the Christians to whom Peter was writing were suffering "fiery trials" from people who did not believe in Jesus. The Christians would not join their pagan idolatry and drinking and lust, so they were hated leading to active persecution. Here he offered them advice on Christian living and living for God.

We should love each other enough to overlook the sins that are committed against us and forgive those that committed them. We are to be gracious to one another. Whatever spiritual gifts that The Holy Spirit has given us should be used for the benefit of others. (The gifts of The Spirit are "... wisdom ... knowledge ... faith ... healing ... miraculous powers ... prophecy ... distinguishing between spirits ... speaking in tongues ... interpretation of tongues ... and He gives them to each one, just as He determines." 1 Corinthians 12:7-11) We are to be instruments of God's grace. All that we say and do, should be said and done such that someone is helped and that God is glorified, otherwise we are just wasting the precious little time we have left.