AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DESIGNATED WEEK OF THE MONTH.

In THE RED SEA RULES series we’re using the wonderful book by Robert J. Morgan as our guideline for a deep study of Exodus 14. Join me on the fourth Friday of each month in 2020 as we apply Morgan’s “10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times” to our lives today.

RED SEA RULE 2: Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief.

“Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, “They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.” Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” ~ Exodus 14:3-4

God Delivers Us In His Way and In His Time

When God led the Israelites directly to be blocked in by their enemy at the Red Sea shore, I’m sure they were wondering what God was thinking. After all, hadn’t He just rescued them from Egypt? Just like the Israelites didn’t understand, we’re often clueless to God’s reasoning for our circumstances.

” God deliberately orchestrated the Exodus events as an occasion for demonstrating the power He wields over both His enemies and the elements.” ~ Robert J. Morgan

The Exodus Story Teaches Us:

- - - God doesn’t waste suffering.
    - If God leads us in He will lead us out.
    - God delivers in His time and in His way.
    - God can use every impossible situation for His glory!

See Difficulties as God Opportunities.

If we could see our difficulties as an opportunity for God’s grace to shine on our behalf we would maintain a more balanced perspective and give God more glory in the middle of our struggles.

During our difficult times it would be good to remember Jesus’ submissive prayer after The Last Supper as He was looking ahead at the coming hours:

“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.Father, glorify your name!” ~ John 12:27-28

Give God Glory by Turning Problems into Praise.

Today instead of asking God to get me out of the mess I’m in, I’ll ask God how can I bring glory to His name in the middle of my mess.

Take a break from your trying times. Rise and shine with this energetic worship song and give God glory despite everything you see and feel.

Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. ~ Colossians 3:3 TPT

When we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we made a declaration of that new life and displayed it publicly by the act of water baptism. Submerged under the water we are buried with Christ. Lifted up out of the water we are raised to walk a new life in Christ.

Just as we know that our old sinful life is buried and dead, we can see our new life hidden safely in Christ. We are protected from the sting of eternal death that sin brings and from anything the Enemy tries to attack us with.

CHRIST IS IN ME

I AM IN CHRIST

CHRIST IS IN GOD

Using the image below as a visual example, we can imagine how this new life hidden in Christ works. With nesting containers, the smaller one fits inside the next larger size and so on until all the containers are inside the largest container.

Visualize yourself as the second container, with Christ (the top container) in you. Then with Christ in you, you are also in Christ (the third container). And together you are both in God (the bottom container).

With Christ inside us giving us peace, strength and direction we are protectively hidden in Christ and Father God’s hands. Not only are we safe from the Enemy’s sneaky tricks and hateful attacks, we are fully surrounded by God’s love.