Sermon Tone Analysis

LESSONS WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF AT THE END OF THE ROAD!

1.  God knows what He’s doing.

Exodus ​

​ “So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea...”

Even if the way He’s leading doesn’t seem to make much sense and His timing seems off, or the wait and journey get long, and wandering in desert places is the last thing we want to do, we can trust Him.

Always.

He knows our way.

He sees the big picture.

He has good in store.

And though it may not have been what we would have chosen,  or how we would done things, we can thank Him for His Sovereignty, His care over us, and His leadership.

​

​2.

When you choose to follow God, He goes ahead of you.

.

“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to given them light…”

God will not leave us to fend for ourselves, struggling to find our way.

He will lead us.

He promises to.

We may not see him in a pillar of cloud or fire these days, but we have His Word, and the Holy Spirit to give guidance to our days.

He is with us, He gives wisdom, He provides direction, so we never have to fear being left on our own to figure things out.

He goes ahead of us, He walks with us, and He guards our way from behind.

His Word gives truth and life and shows us the way to walk in this world.

you’ve got to leave your past behind

3.  God is in control of you destiny..

He holds all things in His hands.

He can turn around the evil workings in this world to ultimately bring glory to His name, so that all will know that He is the One True God.

“And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them.

But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”

A.  What you see as an obstacle, God sees opportunity.

He will make a way where there seems to be no way out.

The bigger the problem, the greater his ability to shine right through it all.

“The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea...” Things were looking bleak and dark, yet God had a plan.

And it was amazing.

B.  God allows us to be tested so we can practice trust.

The Israelites were terrified when they saw the enemy coming their way.

They doubted their leader, they questioned God, they complained, they grumbled, they panicked.

Yet God didn’t get mad at their humanity or fears.

He only asked for their obedience.

And their trust.

“The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” 

2 cor 5:

C.  While prayer is vital, don’t use it as an excuse for complacency!

Living Bible (TLB)

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Quit praying and get the people moving!

Forward, march!”

God may ask for stillness and trust and other times he might say, “Get going and keep trusting.”

God said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”

It’s so important to listen for his voice, to know when to be still, and also to know when to get up and move forward.

His voice will lead us, He never leads in confusion, but always with assurance and clarity.

There’s times in life when we pray about a decision and even though God shows us what to do, we get stuck along the way.

So, we just say we're still "praying about it."

Over and over.

Instead of moving forward.

And doing what He’s already said to do.

If we ask Him for wisdom to know the right steps to take, he will always provide direction.

He will open doors on our behalf and close those that need to be shut too.

George Müller

Answers to Prayer

God Brought a Chair in Answer to Prayer

It was my happiness to cross the Atlantic in the company of this dear brother on the steamship Sardinian, from Quebec to Liverpool, in June, 1880.

I met Mr. Müller in the express office the morning of sailing, about half an hour before the tender was to take the passengers to the ship.

He asked of the agent if a deck chair had arrived for him from New York.

He was answered, No, and told that it could not possibly come in time for the steamer.

I had with me a chair I had just purchased and told Mr. Müller of the place near by, where I had obtained it, and suggested that as but a few moments remained he had better buy one at once.

His reply was, "No, my brother, Our Heavenly Father will send the chair from New York.

It is one used by Mrs. Miller, as we came over, and left in New York when we landed.

I wrote ten days ago to a brother who promised to see it forwarded here last week.He has not been prompt as I would have desired, but I am sure Our Heavenly Father will send the chair.

Mrs.

Müller is very sick upon the sea, and has particularly desired to have this same chair, and not finding it here yesterday when we arrived, as we expected, we have made special prayer that Our Heavenly Father would be pleased to provide it for us, and we will trust Him to do so."

As this dear man of God went peacefully on board the tender, running the risk of Mrs. Müller making the voyage without a chair, when for a couple of dollars she could have been provided for, I confess I feared Mr. Müller was carrying his faith principles too far and not acting wisely.

I was kept at the express office ten minutes after Mr. Müller left.

Just as I started to hurry to the wharf a team drove up the street, and on top of a load just arrived from New York, was Mr. Müller's chair!

It was sent at once to the tender and placed in my hands to take to Mr. Müller (the Lord having a lesson for me) just as the boat was leaving the dock.

I found Mr. and Mrs. Müller in a retired spot on one side of the tender and handed him the chair.

He took it with the happy, pleased expression of a child who has just received a kindness deeply appreciated, and reverently removing his hat and folding his hands over it, he thanked his Heavenly Father for sending the chair.

"In everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God.” "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you."

Mueller did not sit in the paralysis of analysis.

He prayed and then went about the business the Lord had for Him.

There are times when we use the cover of prayer to hide our sinful complacency.

How often have you already known the Lord’s direction and used the comment, “I’ll pray about it?”

You don’t fool God.

You need to get up and move!

Taken from the Wonders of Prayer by Daniel W. Whittle

III.

Learn to Obey before you expect to see God act.

While God can part water, walk on water, bring a big fish or use blinding light, he typically works through revealing His intention through an understanding of His Word, His Nature, His work in your circumstances.

You will often find that the Lord will ask you to do something simple.

God asked Moses to do one thing.

“Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.”

Moses was asked to obey God's voice.

And with staff raised and hand outstretched, God's Mighty Power unleashed.

That sea not only divided, but the people walked right through it on “dry ground.”

Not even a hint of sinking sand.

As God’s children, we aren’t destined to walk in mud and mire.

He dries up the path before us so we’re heading out on firm ground.

He is our sure foundation.

Our obedience to His voice will always lead to blessing.

A.  Trust that God will fight on your behalf.

He will send his angels to fight for us and guard us.

He Himself will fight for us and guard us.

That’s how much He loves us and desires to set His protection over us.

“Then the angel of God…withdrew and went behind them.

The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them…”  He will hem us in from all sides and keep us under His care.