A RED SEA MOMENT

What is a “Red Sea moment”?  “These are the difficult situations we encounter throughout our lives when we do not know what to do. Like the Israelites standing in front of the Red Sea, we are facing a seemingly impossible situation and need God’s supernatural intervention.” (18 Feb Responding To Your Red Sea Moment February 18, 2019)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 NIV

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you…For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior… Isaiah 43:1-3, NIV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9 NIV

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: Psalm 37:5 NIV

There is a saying that says, “When we rest, God works.”  Resting and trusting in God are synonymous.  If we truly trust God, then we will not be afraid.  We will not worry and we will have faith that He will work it out in His time and in His way.  Also it is said that “God is never early and He is never late but He is always on time.”

Many of us have had “Red Sea moments.”  Some more miraculous than others but essentially it is a moment when ultimately we have to trust God to “part the sea” in those situations that are seemingly impossible.  So many times it is about timing.  Our timing is usually not God’s timing.  One might argue why did God wait so long before He parted the Red Sea and had the water drown out the enemy?  It seemed to be at the very last moment.

 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.  The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.  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.  I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.  The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”  Exodus 14:13-18 NIV

9 Powerful Reminders from the Red Sea Miracle: (“9 Powerful Reminders from the Red Sea Miracle” Debbie McDaniel February 10, 2017)

 God knows what He’s doing.  God sees the big picture.  He alone know what is best.  It may not be what you had hoped for but God is sovereign. 

God leads our way.   God went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud by day and gave them light with fire at night. God leads us and guides us when we trust in Him.

God is able to turn the hearts of kings.  God hardened Pharaoh’s heart but it only brought about God’s Glory.

When we see obstacles, God sees opportunities.   Obstacles are never a challenge for God.  They only bring greater Glory to God because we then realize that only He could have removed them.

We can focus on the problem or we can choose to trust God.  Although the Israelites were frightened, God only asked for their obedience and trust.  If we truly trust Him and want to be obedient, He will direct us

Prayer is vital, yet sometimes God says, “It’s time to get moving!” We need to listen to His voice and know when to be still or when to move forward.

God will work powerfully on our behalf, but He often asks for our obedience first.  Moses obeyed God and lifted up His staff and the waters parted.  He didn’t ask why but had faith that God would do a miracle of His choosing.

God will stand between us and the enemy. We never fight alone.  The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”  Exodus 14:14

Our God is a God of miracles.  God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  What He did then, He can do now. 

Whatever “Red Sea moment” you are experiencing or have experienced, be assured that God is always with you.  He will never abandon you.  He loved you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die for you and redeem you.  Rest in Him and He will act on your behalf!

Marcella Ward December 29, 2021

                                                             RESTORATION

Restoration—“To return to a person, as a specific thing which he has lost, or which has been taken from him and unjustly detained. We restore lost or stolen goods to the owner.” (King James Dictionary)

Ever since the fall of man at the Garden of Eden, God has had a plan to restore us to His Kingdom and the plan that He has had for us since the beginning of time.  “Restoration in the Bible is synonymous with healing, repairing, returning to a previous state of being. Psalm 51:12 says "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."  (Bible Verses about Restoration Compiled and Edited by BibleStudyTools Staff on 7/21/2021)

 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.  Acts 3:21 NIV

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.  Galatians 6:1 NIV

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 NIV

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.  Job 42:10 NIV

 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.  I Peter 5:10 NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

There are five people in the Bible that were seemingly failures but were restored by the hand of God; Job, Joseph, Moses, Gideon and Peter. (Beliefnet.com)

JOSEPH

Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him because of their jealousy of one of his dreams that showed his destiny but instead of killing him they sold him into Egyptian slavery.  He was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison.  Joseph found favor with the warden of the prison and he was appointed his right-hand man.  When the king’s royal cupbearer and baker were imprisoned, Joseph successfully interpreted their dreams.

Two years later, King Pharaoh had two dreams and Joseph was able to interpret them correctly.  Pharaoh appointed Joseph as viceroy, second only to the king himself.  It was during the time of the famine, that his brothers, who had sold him into slavery, came to Egypt because of the famine that Joseph had interpreted from the Pharaoh’s dream.  Joseph’s identity was revealed to his brothers and he forgave them.  Joseph was not only restored to what God had planned for his life but everything that happened to him God allowed for a purpose so that the circumstances led to his destiny.  (The Story of Joseph in the Bible From Prisoner to Prince By Yehuda Altein)

JOB

One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”  Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”  Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”  “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied.  “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.  But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Job 1:6-12 NIV

Job lost all of his livestock.  He lost his health and was stricken by painful boils.  His seven sons and three daughters were killed but after Job prayed for three friends, God restored his health, his wife birthed seven sons and three daughters and he received twice his livestock.  Job lived for another 140 years.  God gave him twice what had been taken from him!

 MOSES

Moses killed an Egyptian and was exiled.  He knew that he had a calling on his life but he seemed to run away from it.  It wasn’t until he was eighty years old that he met Almighty God in the burning bush.  It was there that God told him his destiny.  Moses didn’t feel like he was worthy enough to do it but he obeyed God. 

It was his destiny to lead the people of God out of Egypt to the Promised Land.  God restored his destiny to him even though there were times where it seemed impossible for it to come to fruition.  Sometimes it is in the desert where there is a refining as gold is refined in the furnace in order to use us.

GIDEON

All Gideon wanted to do was to gather food and hide from the Midianites but God had other plans.  In fact, Gideon questioned God.

The angel appeared and spoke to Gideon, “The Lord is helping you, and you are a strong warrior.”  Gideon answered, “Please don’t take this wrong, but if the Lord is helping us, then why have all of these awful things happened? We’ve heard how the Lord performed miracles and rescued our ancestors from Egypt. But those things happened long ago. Now the Lord has abandoned us to the Midianites.”

 Then the Lord himself said, “Gideon, you will be strong, because I am giving you the power to rescue Israel from the Midianites.” Gideon replied, “But how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest one in Manasseh, and everyone else in my family is more important than I am.”

 “Gideon,” the Lord answered, “you can rescue Israel because I am going to help you! Defeating the Midianites will be as easy as beating up one man.”  Judges 6:12-13 NIV

  Gideon defeated the Midianites whom he feared and God restored the Israelites.

PETER

We know that Peter denied Jesus three times.  When Jesus and his disciples had finished eating, he asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than the others do?” Simon Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I do!” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus said.  Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you!” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus told him.  Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus had asked him three times if he loved him. So he told Jesus, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.”  John 21:15-17 NIV

 Jesus restored Peter after questioning Peter if he loved him because Peter had denied him three times.  Peter was no longer a coward but would stand strong in the faith to the point of being crucified upside down because he was not worthy to be crucified like Christ. 

“Heaven "received" Jesus when He ascended into heaven after the resurrection (Acts 1:9). At some time in the future, He will return and Israel will be restored. Not even Peter knows when this will happen, although he suspects it will be soon (Acts 1:6–7). And Jesus tells us that we should continue to live as if He can return at any moment—because He can! (Mark 13:32–37.)

The Old Testament describes this restoration in several places:

• The relationships between fathers and children will be restored (Malachi 4:6).
• Israel will finally hold the geographical borders God promised (Genesis 15:18–21).
• God's promise to David, that his heir will sit on the throne forever, will come to be (2 Samuel 7:12, 16).
• The people of Israel will follow God with their whole hearts (Jeremiah 31:31–34).
• All nations will serve Jesus (Daniel 7:13–14).
• God will restore the peace of the animals from the fear He subjected them to after the flood (Isaiah 11:6–9; Genesis 9:2).”  (Bible Reference.com)

How does this apply to our lives?  It applies to us because our identity was lost and stolen by the evil one in the Garden of Eden.  It was then that God had a plan to restore all things through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross.

In each of our lives, restoration is part of who we are because of our imperfections, mistakes and sometimes our turning away from God.  Just as a painting can be restored to its original state, so God is restoring us each day. He, the Master Designer, is restoring our lives to fit the painting, the story that was planned for us from the beginning of time.  Only the brush strokes from His hand will remove the scars, wounds, and even our sins with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ!!

Marcella Ward December 1, 2021

Marcella Ward, author of “Stolen Identity: Plan of the Evil One”