Bible Study Series: 1 Thessalonians 4: Are You Ready For The Good Times

 

ARE YOU READY FOR THE GOOD TIMES

 

1 Thessalonians   4

 

   

BE DETERMINED TO PLEASE GOD MORE

V:1.  Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

A. The primary focus of a Christian, should be to please God.

     1. Our life with Christ began at the cross.

     2. His death on the cross was his Fathers pleasure.

    

         Isa 53:10

         Yet it pleased the Lord  to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when   

          thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he

          shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord  shall prosper in   

          his hand.

 

       3. It is God’s pleasure to see us live a life of righteousness.

B. We should never get to the point where we think there is no

      room for improvement.

    1. Paul urges us to continue in our efforts to please God.

    2. The very best we can do is noting more than a filthy rag

        before God.

    3. The Word is our supreme authority,

    4. When we are obedient to the Word, we please God.

 

VALUE FAMILY

V:3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.

7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit

A. Paul is speaking of adultery and sex outside of marriage.

    1. The Greeks practiced open marriages

      2. In  Corinth, the Greeks worship the  goddess of the temple

          Aphrodite which housed temple prostitutes.

      3. Open marriages was also practiced by Hebrews.

         a. Starting with Abraham and Sarah;

            Impatient to have a baby, Sarah gave Abraham Haggar to

            have a child.

 

      4. Jacob’s uncle, Laban promise Rachel in marriage for 5 years

         of service. Laban substituted Leah on the wedding night.

          a. Both Leah and Rachel gave Jacob their maidens to have

              children.

       5. King David committed adultery with wife of one his dedicated

              soldiers.

        6. King Solomon had 500 wives and 300 concubines.

        7.  Paul gave clear warning for disobeying God’s commands.

 B. Marriage was the first divine human institution created by God.

    

           Gen 2:24

           For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united   

           to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

 

      1. God made it plain that marriage is sacred and not to be interrupted by   

          family members or outsiders.

      2. For the two to become one flesh is a permanent bond.

    

         Mark 10:9

         What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

 

C. The foundation of the Church is marriage.

    1. Christ is the bride groom and we are His bride

    2. We are all part of the body of Christ.

    3. We are all married to Christ.

    4. The body is the Temple of the Lord.  1 Cor 3:17

        

          Col 3:12

          Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of   

          mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

 

           Eph 5:27

           That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot,

           or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without

           blemish.

 

    5. If we do not honor our own bodies, we are not honoring God.

    6. Faith holds the entire Bible as true and applicable to you.

            

        Heb 11:6

        And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who   

        comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who

        earnestly seek him.

 

 

 

LOVE THE BROTHERS IN CHRIST MORE

V:9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.

A. Whatever we are doing that is good, God wants us to do more.

     1. God is love, therefore, He commands us to be a model of His

         love.

     2. We cannot love (agape, a love feast) our brother unless we

         love (agape) God first.

     3. The word Paul used for brotherly love is philadelphia which is

         affection or kindness.

         a.  In this verse agape is word Paul used for God’s love.

         b. The problem with brotherly love is it is selective.

             We chose the time and the person we want to be kind to.

         c. Agape love covers everybody all the time; friends and enemies.

      4. We have to know agape love before will know philadelphia love.

B. There is never an end to the more God does for us.

     1. There should never be an end to the more we do

          for God.

     2. The love God has for His elect is eternal.

 

 

 

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

V:11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

A. At he very least, God expects us to be role models for others follow.

    1. It should gives us joy that others see in us ways to improve.

    2. Our lives should be an open book to the Lord’s righteousness.

B. Paul gives us four characteristics to follow.

    1. Live a quite life.

        a. We don’t have to be boisterous about anything but the

             Lord Jesus.

        b. But even in claiming our belief in Jesus, we can do it in a

            manner, not upsetting to others.

        c. We can quietly disagree without saying a word.

        d. We can keep our opinions to ourselves, but let our actions

             do the speaking.

  2. Mind your own business.

     a. Gossip is a way of intruding in the life of others

     b. Stay out of the gossip circle by turning the conversation

         to Jesus

     c. Be at peace with what you have, taking care of your family

         and business.

     b. Wish everyone the best, praying for their success and prosperity.

3. Work with your hands.

    a. Be busy doing everything you can to improve your life.

    b. Lend a helping hand to others when you see a need,

    c. Serve the Lord with kindness, gladness and compassion.

    d. We can win the respect of others by always doing the right

         things

4. Try not to be dependant on anyone.

    a. Trust the Lord in all your situations.

    b. Pray without ceasing, so that you are always under His

        guidance and directions.

     c. Be grateful and use what God has given you wisely.

 

BE ENCOURAGED BY THE SECOND COMING

V:13. Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

A. Put your hope, that is your confident expectation in the second coming

      Of Jesus Christ.

   1. Whatever is going on around us, is under the Lord’s control for

        His divine purposes.

   2. Your birth and your death is in the hands of Jesus.

      a. He determined the day you were born and the day you will die.

      b. Many have died before us, but their fate was controlled by the Lord.

B. Paul gives us the order of the second coming of the Lord.

    1. Our hope, that is our confident expectation of our eternal resurrection

       is based and proven by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

    2. Jesus death and resurrection was foretold 700 years before it happen

        (Isaiah 53:10).

    3. The Lord will descend from heaven as He did the first time,

        not as a baby, but in His resurrected glorified state with all power

        over heaven and earth in His hands.

    4. The Lord will step out in mid air and call all those who died in the Lord

        into a resurrected body to be with Him.

    5. The Archangel will speak with Christ or for Christ awaking all the                  

        dead in Christ.

    6. The trumpet will be a battle call to victory for all those who believe

         in Christ.

    7. At the second coming of Christ, the entire Church body of believers

        still alive with be change in an instant into resurrected and gloried

        bodies to be with Christ forever.

C. It is the job of the Church to encourage everyone with the good news

     Of the second coming of Christ.

   1. Weeping may endure for a night, but there will be joy in the morning.

   2. Problems are designed to get us ready for the good times.

   3. We have to go to a physical death to get to eternal life.

    

          1 Cor 15:52-53

          In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the    

          trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we

          shall be changed.

          For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put  

          on immortality.

 

 

SUMMARY    HOW TO STAY ENCOURAGED

 

BE DETERMINED TO PLEASE GOD MORE AND MORE

 

PLACE YOUR HIGHEST VALUE ON FAMILY

 

LOVE MORE AND MORE

 

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

 

BE CONFIDENT IN THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

 

 

          THANK GOD FOR THE GOOD NEWS

 

 

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "The God Of Our Trouble", Exodus 17:1-7, 9/13/2020

 

THE GOD OF OUR TROUBLES

 

Ex 17:1-7

 

GOD DESIGNS TEST FOR OUR LIVES

V:1. The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."

Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?"

A. God’s divine plan grew Israel into a nation through 400 years of slavery  

     in Egypt.

    1. He took them from slavery to freedom.

    2. He took them from Egypt to the promised land.

    3. The distance from Egypt to the promised land is 526 miles

    4. At 25 miles per day on foot, it should have taken 21 days.

B. To get Israel from a slave mentality to a free mentality, God

     allowed Israel to wander in the desert for 40 years.

    1. Life is a series of tests.

    2. God put Israel through a series of tests to get them out of their

        slave mentality.

    3. It was God himself that guided them to places in the desert without

       food and without water.

    4. It was God’s way of getting Israel from looking back at what they

        had in slavery to see the opportunities of being free under Him.

    5. God designs tests for our lives to get us to trust Him.

C. There was no water in Rephidim, the place God brought Israel too.

    1. Israel looked at their circumstance and complained.

    2. The moment you start complaining is the moment

        you blind yourself to God blessings.

    3. During the three months out of slavery, they had been in

        situations where God had provided for their needs.

    4. The moment you start complaining, you shut down your prayer

        life.

    5. The moment you start complaining, you shut down your memory

        of what God has done and what God is doing.

    6. Your  “lack of” is God’s opportunity to be glorified.

D. When you need something you should ask for it in a grateful manner.

    1. Moses was the intercessor between God and Israel.

    2. Israel talked to Moses as if he was the cause of their lack of water.

    3. They could not see God as being in control and that their complaints

        was against Him.

    4. We cannot demand anything from God, but we can request anything.

    5. Jesus is our intercessor.

 

GOD SETS THE CONDITIONS FOR OUR TESTS

V:3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

A. God does not allow trials in our lives to destroy us, but to strengthen us.

     1. Trials are designed to make us see our weakness and areas of

          improvement

     2. Trials will make you face your fears.

         a. Israel was afraid to die.

         b. Israel was afraid to take responsibility for their lives as free people.

         c. They complained because they had no plan to be free.

     3. The leaders of Israel didn’t council together on how they would get

          to the promised land.

     4. They did council together to complain.

B. Notice the extreme pressure Moses experienced. God’s chosen leader was

     attacked for doing his duty.

    1. Moses was the leader of a people that could not be satisfied.

    2. They placed all their problems on Moses.

    3. They were like newborn babes; cry until you get what you want,

    4. Leaders have to be grounded in the Lord.

    5. The head of every household has to lead the charge to prayer.

    6. The head of every household has to comfort their family with

         the assurance of God's presence.

 

GOD IS THE SOLUTION TO OUR TEST

V:5 The Lord answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massaha and Meribahb because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord  saying, "Is the Lord  among us or not?"

A. Above all, leaders have to follow the directions of the Lord.

    1. You and I must stay in tune with the Lord so we can hear His voice.

    2. We are most effective when we let God order our steps.

    3. The complaint leaders were taken to a rock at Horeb which

          Moses struck with his rod.

          a. They witness water coming out of a rock in abundance

               for the people to drink.

          b. The best way to calm those who complain is to allow them

               to see God working through you.

    4. A picture is worth 1000 words.

         a. Since the elders saw the work of God, they could take that news    

             back to the people.

         b. Knowing that God is with you, give you the ability to see

             God working in all areas of your life.

        c. Perhaps they looked to the sky and saw the cloud that covered

            them by day and fire that lighted their way at night.

     5. We cannot take the everyday blessing of God for granted.

         They are all miracles,

 

   B. The burden of daily living should be shared with the Lord in prayer

       1. God instructed Moses to get a council of elders to take with Him

            to witness His glory.

       2. There will always be people who are gifted with leadership abilities

            who can cause trouble or promote peace and unity.

       3. Moses under God's directions chose the complaint leaders

           to accompany him to the site of the miracle.

        4. It is God’s design that we see Him at work in our lives.

 

THANK GOD FOR HIS TEST

 

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Park Way North

Houston, Texas 77041

 

For More Lessons, follow me on facebook and visit my blogs

revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Bible Study Series: "Encouragement In The Mist Of Trouble", I Thessalonians 3

 

               ENCOURAGEMENT  IN THE MIST OF   

                                        TROUBLE

 

1 THESSALONIANS 3

 

Change always brings opposition. Change makes us uncomfortable.            Pushing change can sometimes result in violence and death.

 

The church was born in the mist of opposition from the Jewish

Religious leaders. They incited violence which resulted in the

death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His apostles and

many disciples. Out of the violence, a Church grew that

changed the world.

 

At Philippi Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison

because of the objections by the Jews to their preaching of the Gospel.                                          They left Philippi and came to Thessalonica.

   

Acts 17:2-5  Paul and Silas at Thessalonica

As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.

 

But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.

 

According to the text, Paul and Silas spent at least three weeks in

Thessalonica before being forced to leave. At Philippi and Thessalonica,

Churches were started and flourish in the mist of persecution.

 

1 Thessalonians 3     

THE WORK OF THE PASTORS

V:1. So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.

A. Paul and Silas abruptly left Thessalonica to save their lives from a mob

     promoted by Jewish religious folk. 

     1. Paul grieve that he left the newly converted Christians in the mist

        of a Jewish mob.

    2. Timothy returned from Thessalonica with the news that the young   

        church was continuing in the faith of Jesus Christ.

    3. Our job is the proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and let

        the Holy Spirit do the rest.

    4. Paul, forced out of Thessalonica, didn’t have the pleasure of selecting

       a pastor, yet the Church flourished.

B. God shows His love for us by what He does not let happen to us.

     1. First, God showed His love by sending Paul and Silas to preach

         the Gospel and convict those chosen.

     2. Second, God showed His love by sending the indwelling of Holy Spirit

         to comfort the believers during trials and tribulations.

     3. Third, He strengthen the minds of believes to endure their

          trying circumstances.

     4. Forth,  God showed His love by sending Timothy to encourage the

         young believers.

     5. Fifth, God sends His leaders through trials to strengthen their

         faith in preaching the Gospel.

     6. God will not allow Satan to tear down what He builds up.

     7. This should encourage our pastors that God is fully in control, and   

          their work will be prosperous  in the Lord.

 

THE NEED TO ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTOR

V:4. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I (Paul) could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

A. You never know what your pastors are going through to keep you

     lifted up in prayer.

  1. When they have not heard from you, they are naturally concerned

      about your welfare because you are sheep under their care.

  2. Doing this zoom church time, to not see the faces or hear the

      voices of the members is troubling to the shepherds.

  3. For the members we don’t hear about, or hear from gives us

     cause for concern.

    a. We don’t know if they are sick or well.

    b. We don’t know if the devil has led them astray.

B. To hear good news about the testimonies of the members is always

     encouraging to the shepherd.

   1. I would be willing to bet, that your pastor and his wife has a desire to

       see each of the members in the flesh.

   2. It is encouraging to the pastors to know that you are lifting them up

       in prayer.

 

WAYS TO ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTORS

V:7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

A. Our Pastors need encouraging just as we do.

    1. They are encouraged to know that we are persevering in theses

         troubling time.

    2. Your pastors lives are tied to your faith in the Lord.

    3. Your pastor joy is tied to your spiritual well being in the Lord

B. The pastors job requires them to continuously be in prayer for you.

   1. We can encourage our pastors with phone calls, with texts and

       by showing our face on zoom.

   2. It is the pastors desire to know what areas you need encouraging.

   3. As pastors, we thank God for you because you enrich our lives.

 

A PRAYER FOR YOU FROM THE PASTOR

V:11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

A. It is the pastor’s prayer, that the Lord Jesus clear out what is hindering

     Us from fellowshipping together in the sanctuary.

   1. Love is the most important characteristic of the Christian faith.

   2. It is the pastors desire that God will make your love overflow

      for all believers and non believers.

  3. It is the pastor prayer that your heart be continuously strengthen

      a. Out of the heart flows the issues of life.

      b. It is your pastors desire that your primary issue be the love of God.

B. It is the desire of the Pastor that you be blameless before the Father

    1. Therefore confess your sins daily to have a flesh fellowship

        with Jesus.

   2. It is the pastors prayer that your hope be in second coming of the

       Lord Jesus Christ

   3. It is the desire of your pastor that you spend eternity with Jesus.

 

 

IN SUMMARY WE CAN ENCOURAGE OUR PASTORS BY:

 

APPRECIATING THE WORK THEY DO

 

UNDERSTANDING THE NEED TO ENCOURAGE

 

DOING SOMETHING PERSONAL TO ENCOURAGE

 

PHONE CALLS AND TEXTS

 

PRAY FOR THEM DAILY

 

THANK GOD FOR OUR PASTORS

 

 

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

 

Join us to night for live Bible Study

 

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Gratefulness Sees No Complaints", Exodus 16:1-15, 9/6/2020

 

   

 

GRATEFULNESS SEES NO COMPLAINTS

 

Exodus  16:1-15

 

PRACTICE BEING GRATEFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES

V:1.  The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the Lord 's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."

A. You can take the man out of slavery, but you make never get slavery out of the man.

    1. Freedom comes with responsibility.

    2. The first responsibility of freedom is gratefulness

    3. Freedom comes because of the conviction and labor of someone.

B. The Israelites cried out to God because of their slavery in Egypt.

    1. They witness the power of God through the 10 plagues and the

        death of the Egyptian army in the Red sea.

    2. Two months later they complained about their freedom.

    3. In Slavery, all the choices are made for you.

    4. In freedom, you have to make choices and be responsible for

        self and family,

C. Complaining focuses on you, and gratefulness focuses on God.

    1. Complaining blocks your view of the blessing in front of you.

    2. Gratefulness opens the door to the wealth of God.

    3. The same God that brought them out of slavery will protect

         them in their freedom.

 

BLESSINGS ARE DESIGNED TO TEST OUR OBEDIENCE

V:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way, I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day, they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days."

A. God hears our complaints as well as our praise.

    1. We must remember that Israel was just beginning their history

         with God as free people.

    2.  Two months earlier, they knew about God But did not recognized

         Him as God of their lives or the miracles was His

         work on their behalf.

   3. Before we judge the newly freed Israelites, consider our

       history when we first met Jesus.

      4. We heard about Jesus from someone, but we had to learn to trust

           Him.

      5. I would be willing to bet, that you did not have complete trust

          in Jesus, two months after you accepted Him as your personal

          savior.

     6. It was not until you left home and got on your own that you

          learn to call on Jesus.

    B. As for me, I had some years of touch times, after I tried

          all I  knew that didn't work before I decided to trust Jesus

       1.  I had some growing up time in the Lord.

       2.  Their grumbling at Moses was really at the Lord who freed them.

       3. That sounds like me.

       4. I complained about not having enough to eat when I had a full

           loaf of bread in my hand.

       5. I could see the end of the bread, but could not see the hand that

           gave me the bread.

       6. You know you are maturing when you see the last piece of bread,

            but trust God to give you another loaf.

   C. Every day, God rains down blessings on us.

       1. The question is, do we see God in the blessings?

       2. The newly freed Israelites would have to learn to trust God.

       3. God started their training by answering their grumbling

           with enough bread and meat for a day for six days in a row.

    4. On the sixth day, they were commanded to gather enough for

         the seventh day.

     5. This would the start of the Sabbath memorial.

 

GIVE GOD THE CREDIT FOR THE GOOD IN YOUR LIFE

V:6.  So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we,  that you should grumble against us?" 8 Moses also said, "You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord ."

A. God gives us pastors to remind us of His Words and His works. 

     1. Pastors are given to us to hear God's instructions for our lives.

     2. When we complain against the Pastors, we are complaining against

          God.

B. It is the job of the pastor to bring attention to the Word, so you can see

           The glory of God at work.

       1. God had performed 11  miracles to bring Israel out

           of Egypt.

        2. They did not see God in the miracles.

        3. Moses gave The Israelites a specific Word from the Lord

            that they would have meat in the evenings and all the bread

           they could eat in the morning.

        4. Some time for you to take God seriously, He will do something

            specific to satisfy your need.

 

START YOUR DAY WITH THE LORD

V:9.  Then Moses told Aaron, "Say to the entire Israelite community, 'Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.'"

10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.

11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord  your God.'"

13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor.

A. When the Lord speaks, you will know that it is Him working in

      your life.

    1. The Israelites, a million-plus people was in the desert where there was

         no abundant life.

     2.  Yet quail covered the ground at night and bread covered the ground

           in the morning.

    3. Let’s state it again, they were in the desert, there was nothing to

        eat.

   4. Birds don’t flock together where there is nothing to eat.

       a. The first miracle was a large number of birds coming to the ground

            where there is nothing to eat,

       b. It is believed that migrating quail flew at night and hid during

            the day.

       c. The second miracle is they were in large enough numbers to

           feed a million-plus people.

        d. The third miracle is the quail didn't fly away when humans

             came toward them.

      5. This was clearly the glory of God.

B. The next event was a miracle that had never happen before.

     1. In the morning, thin flakes appeared on the ground

         after the dew dried.

     2. The flakes were in abundance enough to feed a million

         -plus people.

     3. God provides what we need to draw us close to Him.

 

GOD KNOW HOW TO GET YOUR ATTENTION

V:15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For    they did not know what it was.

Moses said to them, "It is the bread the Lord  has given you to eat.

A. The Lord is the bread of life,

     1. The true bread is the Word of God.

     2. Each time we study God's Word we are eating spiritual

         bread.

     3. Digesting the spiritual bread strengthens the mind.

B. Each time we study God’s Word we ought to have questions

     That leads us the deeper investigation.

   1. Reading the Word ought to wet your appetite for the wisdom of

       God.

   2. The wisdom of man is full of deceptions, miss information

         and selfish desires.

   3. The wisdom of God promotes unselfish behavior, humbleness, and

        the righteousness of God.

   4. When the Israelites saw the work of God, they wanted to know

        what is it, because all they knew was the evilness of man.

  C. They had to labor for food in slavery.

    1. But the Lord gave them food at no cost.

    2. God's salvation is free to us. All we have to do is open our

        and receive it.

          

THANK GOD FOR HIS TENDER MERCIES

 

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst. Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North

Houston, Texas 77041

 

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