Verse
of the day: Exodus 14:16 “But lift
up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the
children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the
midst of the sea.”
Moses
prayed a silent prayer looking for guidance. God’s response was to question why
he was still crying out to Him, and instructed him to tell the Israelites to
move forward. God further instructs Moses to lift up his rod and part the Red
Sea. For so many years, from the time that I became a Christian, even until
today, I hear people say that Moses parted the Red Sea. Well, for those who
still say that, Moses did not part the Red Sea. God parted the Red Sea. Moses
was the instrument that God used to lead His people, but it was God who was
really leading, as Moses obeyed the Lord’s commands. When Moses went before
Pharaoh to demand that he let the people go, it was God who performed the
miracles and brought the plagues upon Egypt. Now, at the edge of the Sea, it is
God who is going to protect them and make a way of escape for them. In verse
21, we read, “Then Moses stretched
out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong
east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.” Moses accomplished
what he accomplished because he obeyed the LORD. I would like to remind all of
us who are in some type of leadership position, or position of authority, as
Christians; we can only be the best leader, whether in our homes, in our
churches, or anywhere else, if we are following God’s instructions, and His
leading. I have seen a silly bumper sticker that reads, “God is my Co-pilot”. My
first thought is always, “If God is your Co-pilot your plane is eventually
going to crash, because God should be your Pilot.” I cannot say this enough, “A
good Christian leader is one who is following the Lord.” We cannot truly lead
in our homes, in our churches, or in society, and make a difference for the
Kingdom of God, if we are the ones who are taking the lead, as born again
believers. Moses would never have been able to keep the Egyptian army at bay.
It was God who did that (v. 19-20). Moses would have never been able to part
the Red Sea; it was God who did that (v. 21). So it is today that we are
nothing without the Lord. Jesus plainly told us in John 15:5, “I am the vine,
you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears
much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” The Apostle Paul
recognized this in his life. He penned these words, by the leading of the Holy
Spirit, in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.” However, too many Christians have taken this verse
completely out of context and used it to proclaim that they will accomplish
things that God never called them to accomplish. They have even used this verse
as a “name it, claim it” verse. What exactly was the Apostle talking about when
he wrote this? Keeping the verse in its context, the Apostle wrote this in
Philippians 4:11-13, in respect to the generosity of the Christians at
Philippi, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have
learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and
I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be
full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all
things through Christ who strengthens me.” In other words, all that God
allowed the Apostle to suffer in the ministry God gave him served as a lesson
on how to depend on God, and how to trust Him to help him get through the tough
times. It was a valuable lesson in contentment, regardless of what
circumstances he found himself in. The Apostle Paul, in his own strength, would
have accomplished little to nothing without Jesus. Moses and the Israelites
would have perished at the edge of the Red Sea without God coming between them
and the Egyptians, and parting the waters. We will fail miserably in our
Christian walk if we insist on doing things our way, or if we insist on trying
to take credit for that which God does, and enables us to accomplish in our
lives. We give room to our prideful self when we insist on bragging about how
much we have done for the Lord, as if He were the One who needed us, when in
reality, we are the ones who need Him. He must increase, and we must decrease
(John 3:30), in our homes, in our churches, at our jobs, and in our social
circles. We must recognize that it is by the grace of God that we are where we
are today, and that we are who we are today; if, in fact, we are doing anything
that is worthy of heavenly reward.
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