Have Faith In God

Turn with me in your Bibles to Mark 11. Look down at the 21st verse with me this morning. This is not the text we will be looking in, but rather will serve as an introduction.

Mark 11:21-22 “And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.”

Mark 11:23 “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

Let’s pray…

I wanted this morning to give to you something the Lord gave to me during my personal time with Him. It has been on my mind this week ever since I read a passage during my personal devotion time.

The Lord says it plainly in Mark 11 doesn’t He? Have faith in God. This is the main thought of what we will look at here in a just a moment.

What I have discovered in my own life, is that I have faith in God…

I believe most of us would declare unashamedly that our faith is in God… But then there is the fine print. The fine print…that small print that no one can read except the ones who put it there… in the fine print is all of the exceptions to the statement “Have faith in God…”

It goes something like this, I have faith in God…but not in dealing with that person or this person because they will never change…

I have faith in God, but this situation has been going on so long… it could never change…

I want you to realize this morning before we go into the text… that you might be thinking already yep… that’s me! I want you to know, that is me too. I struggle with the same things.

I hope you realize that “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)

I am not saying, “It’s ok...” But rather trying to let you know that you are not alone.

As a matter of fact God gives us so many very wonderful, transparent examples in His Word that show others, whom God has used mightily, dealing with these same things…

One such example we will find in Exodus chapter 3.

Did you notice the last verse we read (4:1)?

Exodus 4:1 “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.”

Now look at verses 17 and 18 of chapter 3. Exodus 3:17 “And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.”

It is clear from this text that Moses at this moment was lacking faith in what God had told him. And in the fine print perhaps it was because He knew the people.

In the fine print it was perhaps because he knew himself…

Whatever the reason, we see that Moses was lacking faith.

You and I of course have the entire record and see that everything happened according to God’s Word.

I think because of this we look at Moses’ lack of faith and can see the foolishness of it.

But I think, if you and I were to look at our own lives, we would see oftentimes this lack of faith as well.

I want to give you three points as we examine this record that would be a help to us this morning.

First of all, we notice:

God’s Declaration

As we look at this passage, we see that it begins with Moses tending the flock of Jethro on the backside of the desert in the Mountain of Horeb.

You will remember the back story leading up to this point. It really begins with Jacob and His sons. Jacob and his sons, end up in Egypt during a terrible famine as a result of God’s protection and providence. Joseph shelters the family and provides for them as second ruler in Egypt.

As time goes on an that generation steps off into eternity (including Joseph and his brothers), a Egyptian Ruler comes into power that knows not Joseph (Exodus 1:8). As he looks at this people group that have come from the children of Israel— he believes that they pose a risk to the nation of Egypt. He surmises if this people continue to multiply and war takes place, they may side with our enemies. And so because of this fear, he puts the children of Israel under bondage and afflict them with rigorous work. (Exodus 1:10-11) It is from this point that the nation of Israel multiplies exceedingly, but remains under bondage to the Egyptians as slaves. (Exodus 1:12) It is also during this time that Egyptian ruler attempts to slow down the population growth of the nation, by the ordered death of all Israelite male children. (Exodus 1:22) However, through God’s protection, this does not take place.

And God’s Word gives us the narrative of one young man by the name of Moses, who providentially is spared and in fact grows up in the royal household. The Bible tells us that Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and mighty in word and deed. (Acts 7:22)

Over time, Moses comes to the place where He believes God would use Him to deliver His people. He goes out to see His people and ends up murdering an Egyptian trying to spare His people. (Acts 7:23-24) Upon discovering that this murder was known and the rejection He receives as He tries to lead the people He flees to where we find Him in our text in Midian. After 40 years (Acts 7:25) — he attempts to start a new life.

The Bible tells us in verse 3, as Moses is shepherding the flock He sees a bush on fire that is not consumed.

He sees an amazing sight. Really, something that defy’s the laws of nature. To be honest with you as I think about this incident, I do not know that I would have been as quick to turn aside and see this burning bush the way that Moses did.

It is from that point in our text that we find God’s declaration.

God speaks to Moses from the midst of the bush. He begins to unfold a magnificent, and seemingly impossible plan.

As a matter of fact, if you were to try to read this plan as it is laid out, without knowing the rest of the story… in other words, imagine it being delivered to you by God without knowing the result--- you would have to come to the conclusion the with men this would be impossible but with God all things are possible.

There are several declarations that God makes to Moses. We are reminded that what God promises, always comes to pass.

And although these relate specifically to the nation of Israel and their exodus from Egypt, I believe that you and I similarly as being God’s children can see that these promises in kind apply to us as well.

Notice with me that God declares first of all perhaps to help our faith this morning:

I AM God. v6

I think sometimes it is that we forget this simple truth. The God we serve and know, is the only One True Living God.

He is the same God that is revealed to us in the Bible.

He is the same God that Moses encountered here.

He is the same God that created all things as it is written in Genesis.

He is the same God that sustains us (Hebrews 1:3).

He is the same God that has declared the end from the beginning and has penned down the revelation of what is to come (Isaiah 46:10).

He is the same God that became flesh and shed His blood on the cross of calvary to pay our sin debt, died, was buried and rose again from the grave.

He is the same God that allows the powers that be and has sovereign rule over all time. He is the Almighty. There is no one that can defeat Him. There is no power but by Him.

And this is the first declaration that God makes to Moses. He says in effect, Listen you are speaking with the top. You are speaking with the One to whom all things pertain. And perhaps for you and I the reason our faith wavers… is that we make too much of our circumstances and people around us and minimize the awesomeness of God.

I have surely seen and heard. v7, 9, 16

v7 “And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people...”

v9 “...the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression...”

v16 “...I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you...”

Charles Spurgeon said this concerning this marvelous truth, “God had seen and heard, as if their griefs had had two avenues to his heart. God sees not with eyes and hears not with ears, as we do, but, “I have observed the misery … and have heard them crying out.” And then he adds, as if to show the perfection of his sympathy with them, “I know about their sufferings.” It is still true today concerning us and concerning our God—he has seen, he has heard, and he knows. When the sorrow is known, then God begins to work. He is no passive spectator of the misery of his chosen, but his hands go with his heart.” Spurgeon, The Spurgeon Study Bible: Notes (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 75.

It is thus an important reminder to you and I is it not, that we are hidden from the face of God. He sees our plight, He knows our difficulties. He is no stranger to what we face. And as I think about that wonderful truth, I should understand just as He has seen me, He sees others as well.

If we were to peer into the life of the Israelites in this very hour spoken about, we would conclude that they were forsaken and all alone. But as we see by the Lord’s own words, He reveals to Moses not only is He Almighty God, but He sees, He hears, and He knows.

I have come down. v8

“...I am come down to deliver them...”

It would be one thing, if I were to say, I am here for you! I will help you anyway I can.

But it is another thing entirely for the God who is, to declare that He has come to deliver!

And is not this the sum of the gospel message? The truth found in Luke 9:56 “56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them...”

It is a great helper to our faith to know that God has come to deliver us. Our God is the Great Deliverer. There is no deliverance apart from Him. And thus we know His name is Jesus - meaning God is our Salvation! We enter in to the deliverance that God provides when we trust in Christ as our Savior.

But it does not stop there. God has delivered us from the corruption in this world and one day we will be forever delivered from our corrupt bodies.

In our day, He has come down and abides in us. He enables us and equips us to have victory. “Not by might, nor by power...” but by His Spirit.

I will be with thee. v12

“…Certainly I will be thee...”

It is a truth, that we are able to press on knowing that our loved ones are with us. If we were yet alone in our struggles, they would surely be unbearable. But to know that someone is there… does not do away with the trouble, but somehow make it tolerable.

How much more to know that God is with us?

I am reminded of the verse, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

The man who penned such words did so from imprisonment. There words are both an encouragement to help us and a truth to remind us (or we might say a truth to stand upon). Paul tells us in the verse prior that he knows “both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Philippians 4:12)

In other words, because God is with me, I can go through the easy and difficult things.

I am reminded of God’s design was for Moses to go and speak to Pharoah knowing that he would not listen. And yet in the end Moses would succeed because God was with Him.

I will bring you out of the afflictions. v17

God declared, He would bring the children of Israel out of the afflictions of Egypt. And this is what came to pass.

There was no other path for the people to leave Egypt. The people themselves were powerless to save themselves.

And herein do we see how great this declaration that God made is.

Likewise, you and I, understand that God has released us from the bondage of sin through Jesus Christ.

And we understand, that through the Lord Jesus Christ one day we will be done with the afflictions of the present world.

Not only does God promise to bring the nation out of the afflictions of Egypt but He promises to take them to a land of blessing.

I will bring you into a land of blessing. v17

As I think about the manner in which God works, we are saved from a life of sin and seperation from God, to life of righteousness and relationship with God.

We are here living in a corrupted world, but we are destined for a perfect heaven.

We were living in a “land” that brings nothing but affliction--- but now we can experience the triumphant Christian life.

The psalmist stated it this way in Psalm 40:2–3 “2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”

I will exercise wonders and judgment. v20

I will give my people favour. v21

Moses Doubt and Disbelief

“We are not told to be successful, but to be obedient. It is the work of the Spirit to make men believe; we must deliver the message. Every preacher has to face human mistrust!”

D. L. Moody, Notes from My Bible: From Genesis to Revelation (Chicago; New York; Toronto: Fleming H. Revell, 1895), 29.

In verse 1 of chapter 4 we find Moses’ doubt and disbelief.

God’s Demonstration