In His Grip

This is one of the most amazing miracles of the Old Testament. In this chapter we watch this pivotal miracle that made a way in the desert, the parting of the Red Sea. This miracle is disputed by theologians and hotly debated. Israel is primed for Revival, boldly and joyously moving away from Pharaoh. Suddenly, as they are obeying the Lord in their journey, God commands them to turn back, to camp between a mountain and a sea. God is using them to bait Pharaoh, promising that God Himself will protect them. What is God doing? They are on their way and God tells them to circle back toward Egypt. By obeying God the Israelites have no way out unless God miraculously intervenes. There is a bigger picture that the Israelites cannot see, similar to the challenging journeys of many of us. Yet, God was at work behind the scenes. Take hope, struggling, fellow strugglers. God is always working out something miraculous behind the scenes of our lives. Just like the Israelites, God is leading you to a place of victory.

God is in the process of preparing the nation of Israel for the outpouring of His presence. Some of us, like the Israelites, live on the edge of the desert where we long to go back to life before Jesus. Yet, we keep our eyes on the promise of God to provide all we need for that difficult desert journey. God gives us what we need when we need it. As He did for the Israelites, God promises to provide protection, power and purpose for each of His children and His local churches that are committed to His call. One of the ways He makes provision is through community, in particular the faithful local church. He calls on us to remember His past faithfulness as we long for Him to meet us in our own desert journey.

God is in the process of preparing the nation of Israel for the outpouring of His presence. Some of us, like the Israelites, live on the edge of the desert where we long to go back to life before Jesus. Yet, we keep our eyes on the promise of God to provide all we need for that difficult desert journey. God gives us what we need when we need it. As He did for the Israelites, God promises to provide protection, power and purpose for each of His children and His local churches that are committed to His call. One of the ways He makes provision is through community, in particular the faithful local church. He calls on us to remember His past faithfulness as we long for Him to meet us in our own desert journey.

Does God perform miracles today? What is the greatest miracle of today? God certainly performed miracles for the Israelites. How did He lay the groundwork and prepare the Israelites for those miracles? this message Dr. Betters unpacks the third principle of miracle preparation where he provides all that we need to live distinctive and holy lives on the edge of the desert. They were no match for the journey. God provided protection, power and purpose. Just as God provided everything the Israelites needed to journey through the desert for forty years, He provides all we need for our life journeys. Your spiritual desert might be a broken marriage, a terrifying medical diagnosis, a prodigal child. The Israelites are on the edge of the desert, close enough to turn back to Egypt. Choices had to be made, just as we must make choices in the way we respond to our own personal deserts. There is great hope as we will see in the journey of the Israelites.

Does God perform miracles today? What is the greatest miracle of today? God certainly performed miracles for the Israelites. How did He lay the groundwork and prepare the Israelites for those miracles? this message Dr. Betters unpacks the third principle of miracle preparation where he provides all that we need to live distinctive and holy lives on the edge of the desert. They were no match for the journey. God provided protection, power and purpose. Just as God provided everything the Israelites needed to journey through the desert for forty years, He provides all we need for our life journeys. Your spiritual desert might be a broken marriage, a terrifying medical diagnosis, a prodigal child. The Israelites are on the edge of the desert, close enough to turn back to Egypt. Choices had to be made, just as we must make choices in the way we respond to our own personal deserts. There is great hope as we will see in the journey of the Israelites.

The Israelites had clung to the promise of God’s deliverance and now the moment has come. What was that joy like as they prepared to leave? The Promised Land was in their grasp. How many listeners like the Israelites are claiming the same promise that sorrow endures for a night and joy comes in the morning? And yet, the Israelites experienced great sorrow before the promised deliverer arrives. Are you tired of waiting? Take hope from the journey of the Israelites. In this mini series on Exodus 13 we learn three principles that lay the foundation for God to work miracles, to start a revival, whether in a local church or in an individual’s heart. The first one is that God always distinguishes His people by setting them apart as belonging to Him and then puts His reputation on the line in their lives. In this message we see how God commanded that the Israelites set apart every first born. He calls on us as individuals and local churches today to identify as His children and secondly to live a life of holiness.

The Israelites had clung to the promise of God’s deliverance and now the moment has come. What was that joy like as they prepared to leave? The Promised Land was in their grasp. How many listeners like the Israelites are claiming the same promise that sorrow endures for a night and joy comes in the morning? And yet, the Israelites experienced great sorrow before the promised deliverer arrives. Are you tired of waiting? Take hope from the journey of the Israelites. In this mini series on Exodus 13 we learn three principles that lay the foundation for God to work miracles, to start a revival, whether in a local church or in an individual’s heart. The first one is that God always distinguishes His people by setting them apart as belonging to Him and then puts His reputation on the line in their lives. In this message we see how God commanded that the Israelites set apart every first born. He calls on us as individuals and local churches today to identify as His children and secondly to live a life of holiness.

Exodus 12 is a pivotal chapter in the biblical record, a spiritual turning point for the Israelites that challenges us today. God demands circumcision as an outward sign that the Israelites belonged to him, that they are set apart from other nations. But what about the heart? On what are you basing your salvation? The Israelites tried to be righteous through their good works. Yet we see that even in the Old Testament, good works fall short when it comes to salvation and pursuing God’s approval. So what is the answer? In this message Dr. Betters clearly outlines what it means to be secure in our salvation, purchased by God’s only Son. But you may ask, what about good works? Listen and be encouraged by God’s truth.

Exodus 12 is a pivotal chapter in the biblical record, a spiritual turning point for the Israelites that challenges us today. God demands circumcision as an outward sign that the Israelites belonged to him, that they are set apart from other nations. But what about the heart? On what are you basing your salvation? The Israelites tried to be righteous through their good works. Yet we see that even in the Old Testament, good works fall short when it comes to salvation and pursuing God’s approval. So what is the answer? In this message Dr. Betters clearly outlines what it means to be secure in our salvation, purchased by God’s only Son. But you may ask, what about good works? Listen and be encouraged by God’s truth.

Post Abortion Stress Syndrome – though not recognized in the medical community as a real diagnosis, thousands of women and men live with guilt, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, depression and more in the aftermath of abortion. In this interview Jill, a woman who has had four abortions, offers her story as a means to encourage women and men to discover the healing that is possible. Marian, director of a crisis pregnancy center, describes alternatives available to those terrified by an unexpected pregnancy.

For more help and hope visit:

www.rachelsvineyard.org/ 
Rachel’s Vineyard is a safe place to renew, rebuild and redeem hearts broken by abortion. Weekend retreats offer you a supportive, confidential and non-judgmental environment where women and men can express, release and reconcile painful post-abortive emotions to begin the process of restoration, renewal and healing.

Facing an unexpected, crisis pregnancy? Find Help and Hope at a local Crisis Pregnancy Center:
www.lifecall.org/cpc.html