Escaping From Tight Places Part 2

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. The sea in front of you, 600 Egyptian chariots behind you. That's what's called being in a tight place, a place where only God can get you out. Today, the parting of the Red Sea as Moses and Israel watch God destroy the army of Egypt before their very eyes.

Stay with us. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, could God do this again, part our Red Sea as the church's back is against the wall?

Dave, I'm contemplating your question. And of course, on one level, God can do whatever he wants whenever he wants to do it. Depending on what the Red Sea is in our experience, of course he can part it. But you know, there are times when God allows us to be squeezed and squeezed hard. Is there a path of deliverance? Yes, it is through his word and through faithfulness, that sometimes that faithfulness comes at a price.

Before we turn to the Bible and find out how Moses was able to navigate his tight place, I want to remind you that if you're blessed as a result of Running to Win, it's because other people have invested in this ministry. Would you consider becoming an endurance partner, someone who stands with us regularly with prayers and gifts? Of course, you need more info. Here's what you can do. Go to rtwoffer.com.

When you're there, click on the endurance partner button, or if you prefer, you can call us at 1-888-218-9337. Let us open our minds and our hearts. Let us enter into the experience of Israel with the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh close behind. 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. 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. You're in a tight place, cry up to God and God will confirm it. And then you say, oh God, it's up to you to take care of Pharaoh. Now there are some times when we really don't know what to do. We cry up 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 who has 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? Have you ever noticed 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 and I'm always assuming that you've 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 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 Pharaoh 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, and 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 took the cloud. He said, Israel, I want to give you a good night's 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 and I'm going to put it behind you so that it separates you from Pharaoh. So Pharaoh's not going 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, it is going to separate you from your enemy and there's nothing quite like an enemy when God has decided to fight him. And so the Lord says, have a good sleep, would you? Because I'm going to be your protector. I am going to fight for you.

Wow. 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 they have such a great victory that 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 two, turn back and change your course of direction and give Pharaoh the impression that you're confused in the wilderness.

They did this. The zigs and the zags of the desert were ordained by God. They were in a tight place, right in the middle of God's will, obeying him. You think you can be in a tight place as a result of obedience?

Oh yeah. Remember a young woman who came to us here, moved from another city, all of the difficulties involved in moving, and she gets a new job here, which she thinks is God's will, and she discovers three months into it that they're expecting her to do something unethical. So she talks to her boss and says, I can't do that.

And he says, if you can't do that, you're out of here because you either have to play the game the way in which we play it or it's curtains for you. So she left. But then she begins to wonder, could I have been led by God to the city of Chicago? Of course she could have been. And she could have been led to that job because sometimes it is God who leads us into tight places. You might be in a tight place today by the hand of God. But I do have to admit that there are some tight places that we create for ourselves. Some of you are laughing already.

We could have personal testimony time now, couldn't we? Tight places that I have created for myself. I was up in Canada recently and the headline was that a teenager at the age of 15 got behind the wheel of his parents' car, supposedly without their permission, with four other friends, crossed a median, hit a truck, four friends dead. He's alive. He's in a tight place. Has to live the rest of his life knowing that stupidity and doing what is stupid, illegal and wrong can have tremendous consequences. And he's in the tight place because of his own fault, no question. But does God abandon him and say, well, you know, this kid, look at what he's done. No, God doesn't abandon us even if we are in tight places that are our fault.

God is there to meet us. For example, we could say that in this instance, Israel was in the desert because of obedience. But for 40 years, they end up wandering in the desert because of disobedience. God says, this is a judgment. I'm not going to let you into the land. I'm going to confine you to the wilderness to let a whole generation die. They were under the judgment of God. Did God say, well, you know, this wilderness experience is your fault. See, if I'm going to come through for you, you know, figure out your own tight places.

Of course not. He's there providing for them. He's giving them manna.

He's leading them. He's giving them direction because God is just as able to help us in tight places that we have created as he is to help us in tight places that others have created for us. He's the God of tight places. Secondly, in tight places, God provides a way of escape.

There's always a way of escape. There is no temptation or trial taken you, but such as is common to man. And God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation make a way of escape. Listen to me now from my heart to yours. However, you may be listening to this message because this comes to you now from God.

You understand what I mean by that. No matter the tight place that you are in, there is still one good move that you can make. There's still one good move left that you can make because with that tight place, there can be a way of escape. There's something that God has planned for you that you may not see now that if you are obedient, God will see you through and still have a purpose for you because there is no tight places to God. The tight places are ours.

They're never his. And that's why my third lesson is that our tight places must become God's tight places. One day there was a tree that was growing in the desert and somebody decided to cut down its branches and from that tree, somebody, maybe Moses or someone else made a staff that is a pole, perhaps three or four inches in diameter, five or six feet long. And that's what Moses carried. And you remember how I explained he picked it up in the penalty box while he was doing 40 years for manslaughter in Egypt.

That's what he got. He ended up with this staff. And now this staff, the staff of Moses becomes the staff of God. And the Lord says to Moses, take the staff that is in your hand.

I'm in verse 15 and 16. Lift up your staff and stretch out your hands over the sea. God says, Moses, what you picked up in the penalty boxes is going to be the means to remind you where you came from and remind you of my power. And so Moses puts his hand over the sea because Moses knew this. He may put his hand over the sea, but God's hand sustains Moses. The rod is in Moses' hand and Moses is in God's hand in the midst of this tight place.

And Moses in effect said, God, thank you for a situation over which I have no control. We can't take on the Egyptians. We can't fight them. We have no resources. We have no place to go. We are hemmed in apart from a miracle.

It's over. And God came through. Some of you are in tight places and the reason that you don't want to get out of that tight place is because you fear Pharaoh. Pharaoh is breathing down your neck saying, you get away from this. You leave that abusive relationship and I'll show you I've got the power.

I've got the might. I've got a hold over you that you can't break. And you're listening to Pharaoh. And I want you to know today from my heart that when we are obedient to God, the consequences of our obedience rest fully in God's hands and not ours.

So what we need to do is to say, God, I'm going to be obedient to you and I'm going to trust you to take care of old Pharaoh. There's probably another lesson that we should learn as a result of that and that is that tight places really do reveal our heart. See, that's why God puts us in tight places when it's his leading.

He wants to find out what's in our heart. Tight places do that. In tight places, some people turn to drink. Some people turn to drugs.

Some people turn to compulsive sexuality to cover the deadness and the emptiness of a life. They're in a tight place, but they can't handle it. They can't deal with it.

And this is the medication that they use. Some people simply resort to a troubled conscience and to say, I'm going to live without straightening this up. I'm going to live without telling the truth about the fact that I stole from my company. I'm going to live with abuse and not go for help. I'm just going to tough it out because because you fear the consequences of what would happen if the truth were known.

And so and so they hunker down and they say, this is my response to a tight place. The Bible would teach a different response. Cry up to God and say, God, I'm in a tight place.

That's number one. And God, whatever, whatever you show me in my life that has to be changed, whatever it is that you ask me to do, by your grace I shall do. And you, oh God, take care of Pharaoh because God is the deliverer from tight places or else he'll lead us through them.

One day Jesus was standing before Pilate and Pilate was beginning to rail on him and so forth. And Jesus said, do you not know that I could call 12 legions of angels that could deliver me? I could get out of this tight place very, very easily.

I could get out of it. You know, all that I'd have to do is to cry up to God and it'd be over. But Jesus didn't do that. He said, I'm going to walk through this tight place even though it leads to death. Sometimes being obedient to God costs us our life. Sometimes doing what is right costs us. But thank God that Jesus did it because as a result of that, you and I can be redeemed today.

And somebody's listening to this message who's not redeemed. You don't know God personally through Jesus. It's because Jesus didn't get himself out of a tight place, but God walked with him through the tight place. It is because of that that you and I can be forgiven.

We can be cleansed. We can be connected with God. Where are you today?

Where are you? Through Jesus we get to know the God of tight places. Call onto me in the day of trouble and I will answer thee and I will show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. You're in a day of trouble.

You're in a day of a tight place. You call to God, ask him what he would have you to do, but be obedient to do it. And for some of you that obedience means right now to receive Christ as your savior, as your sin bearer, to say, I believe in a savior who's qualified to save me and to forgive me. I end today with the words of Moses, the Lord will fight for you. Stand still, stand still and see his deliverance.

He's the God of tight places. Let's pray. Our Father, we pray today for all who have listened to this message. For those, Father, who are in very, very tight places filled with fear, filled with fear to do what they know they should. We ask today, Father, come to them by your spirit. Remind them, Lord, that Pharaoh is no match for you. Remind them that you will honor their obedience no matter the cost. Remind them that even if they go through what they are fearing, that you will walk with them through that experience and that blessing always comes from obedience.

Show that to them, Father. For those who have never trusted Christ, may they believe on him at this moment and say, Jesus, thank you for dying for me, for not being delivered from the place of death. Going to close this prayer in a moment.

Whatever it is that God has said to you at this moment, would you just say back to God what it is that you need to tell him? Maybe this afternoon, this week, sometime seek a quiet place, spend an hour with God, lay the matter entirely before him and say, God, whatever you ask, I'll do. Father, in the hurried schedules of life, help us to take out time, to take out time to give you our hearts, our obedience and all that we are, that we will see your glory in tight places. In Jesus name. Amen.

Amen. Well, my friend, this is Pastor Luther. Today, I want us just to pause for another moment. I want us to pray because I can't help but think that there are many of you who have listened to this message.

And if the truth were known, you're in a very tight place and you don't know what direction to go. I want to pray for you. Father, I ask in the name of Jesus that all who call upon you at this moment may receive your wisdom. And after you open a door for them showing what direction they should go, we pray that you'll grant them the grace to be obedient to that calling and to follow you and to believe you in the midst of a situation in which they are absolutely overwhelmed. Show your glory in our tight places.

We ask in Jesus name. Amen. Now I want to emphasize today, I trust that this message has been a blessing. And of course, Running to Win exists as you frequently hear us say, to help you make it all the way to the finish line. Did you know that during the coronavirus, during that epidemic, that more people were listening to the radio than previously?

That's why the ministry of Running to Win is so absolutely critical going forward. We have many new listeners. Would you like to become a part of this ministry?

Would you consider becoming an endurance partner, someone who stands with us regularly with their prayers and their gifts? Take down this info. Go to RTWOffer.com. That's RTWOffer.

Of course, that's all one word. RTWOffer.com. Click on the endurance partner button. Or if you prefer, you can call us at 1-888-218-9337. Thanks in advance for helping us get the gospel to thousands upon thousands. Time now for another chance for you to ask Pastor Lutzer a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Jeffrey listens to Running to Win on KDKR in the Fort Worth area of Texas. He has a question about business practice. He writes, My father-in-law runs his own contracting business remodeling homes and doing landscapes.

Lately, he's received over $60,000 in hot checks from several clients. This has caused him to go into debt and risk losing his house and vehicles. He thinks he's honoring God by forgiving them of their debt rather than taking legal action for the service he's provided them. I need some biblical advice to give him as to why he can maintain godliness and still pursue these cases.

He won't seek counsel at all. Well, Jeffrey, thank you so much for your question, and I do think that your dad is wrong. I think he has every right biblically to pursue some kind of legal action against these clients who haven't paid him. Now, if they are Christians, the Bible says that we should not bring a lawsuit against Christians. It teaches that, but at the same time, if they are, he ought to go to their church where they are attending and make sure that the leadership of the church gets involved as a resolution of this to recognize that this member is not in good standing as long as he does not pay his bills and his obligations that he has promised.

So I think that, yes, your father cannot exist continually with this. You already say that he's going in debt because of the fact that he simply, quote, forgives their debt. You can't run a business that way.

Something else I'd like to suggest going forward, in light of the fact that there are so many people today who are fraudulent, I suggest that your father in advance be paid for certain jobs that he does, or at least a good percentage of the total amount. In this way, it will keep him from simply taking somebody's word, when in point of fact, he will not be paid. I think that good business practice can be a part of every Christian businessman's life.

And apart from that, I'm sorry to say, business just cannot continue. A word of wise counsel from Dr. Erwin Lutzer. Thank you, Dr. Lutzer. If you'd like to hear your question answered, go to our website at rtwoffer.com and click on Ask Pastor Lutzer. Or call us at 1-888-218-9337. That's 1-888-218-9337. You can write to us at Running to Win, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60614. Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, as recounted today by Dr. Erwin Lutzer in a message on escaping from tight places. This was message number 6 of 12 about the life and times of Moses, a man getting closer to God. Next time, troubles in the aftermath of a great victory. Don't miss Winning Over Disappointment. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.