Escaping From Tight Places Part 1

Horace, Jesus," which can't win scenario.

Pharaoh finally let Israel leave Egypt but then pursued in order to kill the people said we should have never left.

Bondage is better than death. Today, the power of God on display.

When we, like Moses find ourselves in tight places stay with us from the Moody Church in Chicago. This is to win with one looser was clear. Teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Estimates are increasingly the church in America finds itself in a tight place yesterday of the church in America finds itself in a tight place and the place is getting tighter. The good news is that the church of Jesus Christ has been here before.

It's always been an island of righteousness in a sea of paganism and speaking of tight places. We even go back to the book of Exodus now where Moses leading the people out of Egypt found himself in a very tight place the Red Sea in front of them. The Egyptians behind the mountains on both sides.

What was he to do. I can't help but think today that there are those who are listening to this message, who believe that that's exactly where they are a tight place. You know before we go to the pulpit of Moody church. I want to remind you that I've written a book entitled getting closer to God. Lessons from the life of Moses sexually based on this series of messages. So if you're blessed today. You might want a copy of this book for a gift of any amount you can go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Now let us listen carefully as we learn about Moses in a tight place. I'm speaking today about tight places for some of you. You're in a tight race because of financial difficulties, you've lost your job and you're looking for work, but the bill have to be paid. Some of you are in a tight place because of health issues. The doctor is given you some news you hope to God you'd never have to hear and so now you find yourself, squeeze your neck type place but the most difficult tight places are relational issues, aren't they. I think of a wife that I write about this past week who wondered whether she would ever have the nerve to ask her husband whether he had ever been unfaithful to her and finally after several years she got up her nerve and asked only to be told that the answer is yes. He had been unfaithful for years and she wondered later did I even want to know that. Shall I tell anyone she was in a tight place there. Some of you listening here today. Some of you mothers. God bless you, there may be abuse going on in your home right now your your husband may be abusing the children and yet you want to just you want to just ignore it, you want to remain silent because if you say anything if you go for help.

The whole family might become unraveled and you wonder how you would survive and so you're in a tight place. What is a tight place tight place is any predicament that we are in, where there seems to be no yes easy solution that's the type place tight places the question of the show we keep it secret.

Shall I not say anything or shall I say anything. Something I have the whole song come unraveled man called me and said you know I stole something at work. I'm as guilty as sin. But when they pinned me down.

I live my way out of it and I still have a job I civil you have to go make it right.

He says if I make it right.

I lose my job by the wife and children to support these in a tight place tight places that do we return what is stolen. We break a relationship that we know is destructive.

I think of a young woman in an abusive relationship warned about this man but continually going back to him for reasons that will become clear in this message today were talking about tight places and by the time 20 or 25 minutes is over, you're going to have an answer for your tight place.

Aren't you glad you came here today the blessing of all of this music and all of this worship now to hear from heaven as God is going to talk to you about your tight place. You're in the right place to hear about tight places 14th chapter of the book of Exodus, Moses is in a tight place. Specifically, Pharaoh put them into a tight place. Remember that the firstborn were killed in Egypt and Pharaoh finally relented and said to the people get out.

I hear and so Moses and the people left to million of them. You imagine them leaving for the desert where they had limited water and virtually no food having to trust God and that while they are there.

God speaks to Moses rather directly in chapter 14 verse two of Exodus tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pye hi Roth between McDonald in the sea in front of the bales of phone you shall camp, basing it by the sea what it what is God saying God saying Moses do a little bit of wandering in the desert. Change your direction so that you will entice Pharaoh to think that you're confused and so that he will come after you because I want to destroy Pharaoh and I want to get glory right. That's the agenda. So Pharaoh pursues the people, the Scripture says in verse six that he took 600.

Select chariots.

By the way, the Egyptians already had iron at that time 600 select chariots, plus the rest of the chariots of Egypt and he got them ready with all of his officers and they began to pursue the children of Israel and the people saw a cloud of dust and they were terrified. It says in verse six, so he made ready his chariot and took his army with him and took 600 chosen chariots and the other chariots of Egypt and the officers and the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh so that he pursued the people.

Verse 10, when Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes. And behold, Egyptians were marching after them and they feared he greatly and the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. They did the right thing, but they didn't wait for an answer. They were in a panic. Pharaoh was coming after them and so they cried up to God because the very next verse, verse 11 follows verse 10 is a matter fact it does that, throughout the whole Bible by going too fast for some of you here today. Verse 10 they lifted up their eyes and they feared he greatly they cried to the Lord. Verse 11 then they said to Moses, it is because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in this wilderness.

What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt is not this what we said to you in Egypt. Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians or it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in this wilderness or desert. There saying it would've been better if we had stayed in Egypt. Mind you there memories were very much distorted because Egypt was no picnic. They were being beaten and they had to make bricks and then more bricks and they weren't given strong and it was no picnic at all, but they said even Egypt is better than our predicament here. The minute you begin to do what is right, you'll discover that sometimes it is easier to serve Pharaoh, then it is to get away from him. Sometimes it's easier to simply be quiet and serve rather than be delivered.

I think of a nurse who was involved in some shenanigans financially with some other people in a hospital and I now because she's a Christian.

She wanted to come clean on her side of the ledger, but she was threatened.

You'll come clean and you will be dead after all Pharaoh, so to speak, is pursuing you, and we've got the attorneys and and we've got the connections and we can we can destroy your character. We can ruin your reputation and if we want we can kill you.

So what does she do remain silent and serve Pharaoh or does she try to get away from him. She's in a tight place.

The people of Israel are in a tight place. There is no easy option here at this point, but the children of Israel. God bless them, they cried up to the Lord. They cried up to the Lord and then they complained to Moses what they did not wait for an answer.

Is it possible for you today to cry up to the Lord in despair and not wait for an answer. Absolutely Israel didn't wait for an answer.

They cried up to the Lord and they complained to Moses and said why did you bring us here. It would've been better if we had stayed in Egypt easier to serve Pharaoh in Egypt than to get rid of Pharaoh when you leave Egypt some of your invocations that you should get out of but you say who's going to pay the bills.

I've to serve Pharaoh. So the first snapshot that we've taken of this text today is that Pharaoh pursued the children of Israel and put them in a tight place. Second, Moses cried to God and believe God when he was in a tight place. You'll notice that Moses says in verse 13 he said to the people, fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today for the Egyptians whom you see today, you'll never see them again. The Lord will fight for you and you only have to be silent Moses that I've heard from God were in a tight place but God is going to take up our cause.

Feel sorry for Moses, don't you. 2 million people mad at him 2 million people criticizing him, we get a letter of criticism and we as a staff read the letter and we wonder what the world to do one little letter to million people pointing fingers at you and saying why did you do this, it would've been better if we'd stayed in Egypt. Heart has to go to Moses and there was no use looking at the right to because there were some mountains and wilderness mountains and wilderness to your left the red sea is in front of you and behind you is the strongest army of the world at that time and the children of Israel had no weapons at all what Pharaoh probably was going to do is to kill a whole bunch of them to terrify them and then bring them all back to Egypt and make them slaves, the likes of which they have never been before to treat them more coolly than he had ever treated them so they were terrified, and Moses knew that there was no use trying to check his resources against Barrows is the children of Israel had no weapons. They had no chariots. They had no horses and so Moses is standing there and there's only one way to go for Moses, and that is to God because Moses knew that there is no wall so high there is no ditch so deep that you can cried to God in the midst of your despair and Moses cried to the Lord and the Lord even said now Moses you have cried to the Lord, and you listen for the answer. So verse 15, why do you cry to me. Tell the people of Israel to go forward, lift up your staff and stretch over you. Your hand over the sea and divided that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground and I will get glory. God says this three times in this passage all get glory from the Israelites, and I will get glory from old Pharaoh before he dies. He's going to admit that God is on Israel's side. What we do when we're in a tight place.

We cried to God but we wait for an answer and we are willing to do whatever God tells us to do were willing to do it but I say humbly don't even cry to God. If you have no intention of doing what he tells you to do because what you'll do is you'll cry to God and then go complain about your predicament note know you cried to God and you wait before God.

Until you know what to do now you say will Pastor Luther, God doesn't really speak to us as he does to Moses.

So what are we going to do well, now look into the white of my eyes.

If you can still see me if your eyes are still capable of seeing the at this distance were having coffee together and you and I are just having a heart-to-heart chat you're talking with your pastor and I'm going to talk to you plainly in most of the instances I would say 90% of the time. We know right well what God wants us to, but we don't want to do that because the consequences are too terrifying and were scared to death that we do it course that woman who came to me who said that she was manipulating the checkbook in such a way that she was stealing money from their joint account. Now she doesn't know what to do. You know, the husband might get mad lady are you sure you don't know what to do. Are you honestly telling me you don't know what to do. I don't even have to pray about that one.

No use even crying up to God course you have to confess it to them. Make it right. God may have been find out some other way. Anyway, better hear it from you than from the bank and that man who said you know I stole this stuff and I don't want to confess it because I'd lose my job because I have a wife and children, white ways, even calling to me calls me on the phone.

God bless them. That's the thing to do. You should talk to your pastor, but sometimes the pastor doesn't say what you want to hear you're in a tight place. Aren't you in a tight place very tight place you don't you do you do what is right and you let God take care of Pharaoh. That's what you do when you're in a tight place. He knew what he should do and I suppose in 90% of the instances we know exactly what we should do my dear lady, if there's abuse going on in your home. You should go for help. All right. And down deep in your heart you know that that's what you should do your in a tight place cry up to God and God will confirm it. Then you sale God is up to you to take care of Pharaoh.

Another sometimes when we really don't know what to do. We cried to God and we seek God's face and God doesn't seem to be answering or the issues are so unclear and at that time what you do is you go to somebody was some biblical wisdom, and ask them because there are situations you know that are very, very complex.

Have you ever noticed that human beings get themselves into some very, very intriguing predicaments of ever notice that so what you do is you seek for wisdom. But here's the point you go to God you cry up to God and you're willing to do what God lays on your heart to do. Now God says to Moses, a couple of things Moses first of all, the Egyptians are going to be wiped out. Secondly, I'm going to get glory to myself and even Pharaoh before he dies.

You can look at there in the text. I'm always assuming that you read the text ahead of time you'll notice that Pharaoh says in the last part of verse 25. Let us flee from before Israel for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians even be the Egyptians are drowning and they say God is God and God is getting glory by winning this battle, God would fight for them. So the first snapshot that we've taken today is that Farrell chased the children of Israel.

If we can put it that way into a tight place. Moses believed God in the midst of the tight place and then God delivered them from the tight place.

Scripture says that Moses put his hand over the sea took the staff the rod of God.

Then he put it over the sea and God divided the waters and you know what God graciously did for them is he moved the cloud I'm ahead of myself here because before they went into the sea. He he took the cloud he said he said Israel I want to give you a good nights sleep before you go through the Red Sea, so in order to keep you from Pharaoh. What I'm going to do is to take the pillar that was leading you. I'm going to put it behind you so that it separates you from Pharaoh's affairs not to be able to see you.

He's going to be very confused as to where you are because this pillar of cloud which is really me. God is saying is going to separate you from your enemy, and that there is nothing quite like an enemy when God is decided to fight him and so the Lord says have a good sleep. Would you because I'm going to be per your protector. I am going to fight for you while when God fights for you Pharaoh doesn't have a prayer that wonderful and so what God does is he confuses the enemy. Then he destroys the enemy and that they have such a great victory. The chapter 15 is the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.

It is a it is later on in the book of Revelation spoken of.

That way, it is the song of Moses of triumph over God and the horse and his rider. He's cast into the sea. Now let's talk about your tight place. What about your tight place. First of all, God leads us into tight places. Often, God leads us into tight places. I hurried over it though.

I did read it chapter 14 it is God who says in verse to turn back and change your course of direction and give Pharaoh the impression that you're confused in the wilderness. They did business zigs and the zags of the desert where ordained by God. They were in a tight place right in the middle of God's will, obeying him my friend. You're certainly going to have to listen to running to win next time to find out other lessons that Moses had to learn in a tight place.

Lessons that we also have to learn because I can't help but think that I'm speaking to somebody today uses pastor lutes or I'm in a tight place will as you know, the ministry of running to win exists to help us make it all the way to the finish line. I've written a book entitled getting closer to God. Lessons from the life of Moses, of course, it includes the message that you have just been listening to for a gift of any amount. This book can be yours. And when you have these messages in book form. You can look at them again and again you can underline the pages to remember all that God wants to teach us even as we read the book of Exodus.

So as I mentioned, for a gift of any amount you can receive the book getting closer to God. Go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or if you prefer, call us at 1-888-218-9337. As you think about your tight place today, know that God is here to help and he uses the experience of Moses to teach us ask for the book getting closer to God. Go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. We are here to enable you to make it to that finish line successfully is time again for use as pastor lutes or a question about the Bible nor the Christian life documents are people listen to every word you say and Diana in Connecticut takes issue with one of your comments and here's what it is I was disturbed by your recent comment that God is not safe if God is not safe then who is will Diana, I'm so glad that you gave me an opportunity to clarify what I meant. You know the statement that God isn't safe actually comes from the writings of CS Lewis. He's talking about Azlan the lion, which represents Jesus Christ and he's not safe what Lewis means there is that God is also a God of justice and judgment and furthermore I would like to add that the reason that God isn't safe.

I put that in quotes is because we cannot predict what God is going to do. I know, for example, in certain situations. What my father will do, but I don't know what my father in heaven might do so when we say that God isn't safe, we mean don't toy with God because God is a God of justice and righteousness. Now, having said all that, of course, he is safe in the sense that we can keep his promises of the Bible uses wonderful figures of speech like that we have come to trust him and that he hides us under his wings at the end of the day. The promises of God are sure but from here until we arrive at the heavenly city.

Many difficulties many hardships and we can never predict what's going to take place. God is safe.

If you look at it from the standpoint of his promises an ultimate grace that some safe counsel from Dr. Erwin looks or thank you Dr. Luther if you'd like to hear your question answered.

You can go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask pastor lutes or or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614. Today, Dr. Erwin, Luther began the story of Israel.

Finally leaving Egypt in a message on escaping from tight places. This was message number six in a series of 12 about the life and times of Moses, a man getting closer to God.

Next time, high drama is the Egyptian army is drowned when the Red Sea swallows them out for Dr. Erwin loser this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the teacher