I heard a news report recently of a couple in
Every detail had been worked out -- & they were so excited.
Then hurricane Frances hit the state; -- the preacher left town; -- the church building was boarded up; -- the bridesmaids & grooms men were not able to come; -- the place where they were to get the wedding dress & the tux was closed; -- nothing fail into place as planned.
Determined to get married anyway -- the couple was able to use the lobby of the hotel where the groom worked in security; -- they located a substitute minister; -- used the guest of the hotel as witnesses & had their wedding anyway!
The newsman concluded his report with the comment: -- “Life is what happens while you are making other plans.”
It is true -- life does not always go according to plan.
Life is full of ups & downs! -- Both the good & the bad!
Life happens! -- The good -- the bad -- & the ugly!
There are good experiences -- & bad experiences.
Life is both bitter -- & sweet.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans.
If you are a human being -- you are going to experience life!
In many ways -- it is a dangerous world -- in which we live.
In many ways -- it is almost dangerous to live as a human being.
The question to ask is not why things happen as they do.
Things happen because -- well, that’s life!
It rains upon the just -- & the unjust! -- Life happens!
Life has its bright days -- its gray days -- & its dark days.
Life has both joy & sorrow! -- Successes & failures.
The question we need to be asking ourselves is -- how am I going to deal with this -- or with that situation!
As Christians -- we do have the advantage of not only having God -- Who loves & cares for us -- & Who will assist us through the storms of life -- but we also have a Book -- the Holy Bible -- that contains many words & examples of how to deal with life’s issues!
Exodus
After years of suffering in bondage in
When they are trapped at the
Now they are free to pursue their dreams of the Promised Land.
But shortly after they have crossed the
For three days they journeyed across a hot, dry wilderness -- in which they could find no water.
Suddenly -- up ahead -- they saw what looked like an oasis!
Imagine how the excitement built -- as they passed the word along: -- “There’s water up ahead!” -- “There’s water up ahead!”
They ran to the waters & they began to drink -- only to discover that the water was bitter!
Their hopes were dashed -- when they tasted the water of Marah -- & found it to be bitter & unappetizing.
Needless to say -- they were disappointed!
Imagine the keen disappointment of a thirsty people -- finding water -- only to discover that it was undrinkable.
Are the waters of life bitter for you today?
Life is not going according to plan -- & you taste bitter water;
Disappointment, frustrated plans…bitter waters.
The Israelites had faced the
Now -- they faced another obstacle in their journey.
So now -- what would they do?
What do you do when the waters of life are disappointing & bitter?
We read in vs. 24 -- “The people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What are we to drink?'”
The Israelites started doing what we all do best! -- grumbling, murmuring, & complaining!
As I studied on this passage -- there were four questions that came to my mind; -- questions that help us to examine ourselves in the midst of the bitter waters on the journey of life.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
The question we need to be asking ourselves is -- how am I going to deal with bitter waters life brings my way?
Changes come into our lives on a regular basis.
One day the sun is shining & things seem to be all going in our favor;
The very next day something happens that rocks our world!
The big question is -- how do we handle these life’s bitter waters when they come? -- & they will come!
We are all affected by the changes that happen in our lives.
In what manner do we handle them? -- I have four questions to ask you:
Question #1 Are you Better…or Bitter?
In the same way the Israelites came to the bitters waters -- so there are bitter experiences which come into every life!
How we respond to them will either make us bitter -- or make us better!
They will either become stumbling blocks -- or stepping stones.
We must come to accept the fact that there will be things which happen in our lives; -- things that will test us beyond our own strength.
Bad things do happen to good people!
Only in this way will we discover that we are not the ones in control!
God made this world -- & He alone controls it.
When we come to the bitter waters -- the question we must entertain is -- why has God brought me here? -- What is His object (purpose) in all of this? -- did this just happen? -- Or does God have a plan?
In the case of our story -- the people of
God was testing them -- proving them -- teaching them to trust in Him no matter what! -- Even when they come to bitter waters.
Later -- Moses called all the people of Israel together & said to them -- “Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for 40 years -- humbling you & testing you to prove your character -- & to find out whether or not you would really obey his commands” (Deut 8:2 NLT).
God wants to build character & strength into our lives -- if we will just allow Him to do so!
Before God can use a person greatly -- often God must bruise him deeply!
Sometimes God permits His children to walk in the darkness -- so that they might cling all the more to His outstretched hand.
My friends -- don’t fear the bitter waters of life!
Use them to your advantage! -- You can transform negative experiences into positive stepping stones for the future!
Learn from the bad -- & by God’s grace -- choose a better path!
Are you embittered & hateful & antagonistic & hostile & spiteful & nasty -- because of the bitter waters of life?
Or have the bitter waters made you better -- enhanced you -- improved you -- enriched you -- & made you more loving & caring?
Are you better -- or are you bitter?
There will be times of testing & times of challenge; -- they come to us all.
My friends -- learn how to walk through the bitter waters of life with your faith in God still intact! -- You can become better -- rather than bitter!
James was not pipe dreaming when he wrote: -- “My brethren, count it all joy when you fail into diverse temptations & trials. -- Knowing this, that the trying of your faith produces patience. -- But let patience have her perfect work -- that you may be perfect & entire -- wanting nothing -- lacking nothing” (1:2-4).
Luther Bridgers -- a traveling Methodist preacher in GA -- looked back & waved good-bye to his sweet wife & 3 children.
Before he returned -- a friend called to tell him the grim news: -- “Your house caught fire tonight & burned. -- Your wife & children have been burned to death.”
Bridgers dropped to his knees & prayed: -- “Lord, I have preached Your gospel to others -- & have told them it would comfort them in every hour of sorrow. -- Grant that this same gospel may comfort me.”
Almost instantly --he said -- he felt great -- strong arms around him.
Though he carried the agony of that terrible bereavement for months -- the love of Christ gave him victory through it all!
He wrote a song out of that tragedy -- that has blessed the hearts of many. There’s within my heart a melody.
Jesus whispers sweet & low;
“Fear not, I am with thee; -- peace, be still.”
In all of life’s ebb & flow.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest name I know,
Fills my ev’ry longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
I ask you today -- have life’s disappointments made you better -- or have they left you bitter?
Question #2 Are you Winning…or Whining?
The Israelites became upset -- & began to complain against God’s servant, Moses -- & of course against God Himself.
The people complained saying: -- “So what are we suppose to drink?”
Instead of learning their lesson -- & turning to God -- they started murmuring & complaining & griping & whining!
It is a fatal tendency on our part to grumble & murmur & complain.
Some of us do it better than others -- but we all have a tendency to do it.
In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul writes about the lessons that are to be learned from
And then he warns us -- in 1 Corinthians 10:10 -- “Don’t grumble as some of them did -- for that is why God sent His angel of death to destroy them.”
Wow! -- We had better listen up!
I know we sometimes need to express our frustrations -- & I truly believe it is okay to tell God what we are feeling!
But more often than not -- we grumble & complain to other people -- rather than tell our frustrations to God.
The battle is only a problem when we let it destroy us!
If it is just me -- & the problem -- I will loose. -- I can’t do it on my own!
The way to win -- is to place yourself squarely in God’s hands!
God is greater & mightier than any problem we encounter!
We cannot -- & we must not -- allow ourselves to get to the place where all we do is complain about how miserable & horrible our life is!
A whiner -- a grumbler -- is a very poor witness for Christ -- & a most miserable person to be around!
Bill Bright -- founder of Campus Crusade for Christ -- was one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century.
In 1956 he wrote The Four Spiritual Laws -- a booklet that has been printed in 200 languages & distributed to more than 2.5 billion people.
One of Bright’s most significant contributions was the commissioning of the Jesus Film -- a featured-length film recounting the life of Christ.
Since 1979 -- the Jesus Film has been seen by more than 5 billion people in 234 countries -- making it the most viewed film in history.
Bill Bright passed away at age 81 -- just this past July -- after a 3-year battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
Just days before his death -- he had a conversation with his dear wife -- during which she asked a question of him: -- “Why do you think you’re suffering? -- Why would God put you through this?”
His immediate reply was -- “I’m not suffering! -- It depends on the definition of suffering. -- Even grasping for breath for extended periods of time does not compare with what Christ went through during His trial & crucifixion. -- He had 6 hours suffocating on the cross. -- Think about Peter being crucified head downward; -- Think about Paul’s persecution & finally being beheaded. -- All the disciples were persecuted & martyred -- except John who was exiled.”
Bill Bright continued: -- “What I am going through is very minor! -- Suffering is a matter of perspective. -- It is not pleasant -- but God allows only so much.”
When Bill Bright’s oxygen dropped to 50 -- he asked his wife to read from 1 Peter -- the words -- “These trials are only to test your faith -- to show that it is strong & pure. -- It is being tested as fire tests & purifies gold -- & your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold” (1:7 NLT).
That doesn’t sound like someone who is whining! -- But rather like someone who is winning!!
How are you doing? -- Are you winning -- or are you whining?
My dear friend -- hold on to your faith; -- hold on for victory is coming!
Question #3 Are you Praying…or Perishing?
If the peril we must avoid is complaining & murmuring -- then we need to understand how to avoid complaining!
It is easy to talk about how we should not complain -- but we need to know how to handle things that tend to overwhelm us.
Look at our lesson here in the Scriptures: --
Moses did not punish the people -- or tell them how lousy they were.
Instead -- he immediately went to prayer! -- See vss. 24-25.
Moses cried out to the Lord for help!
He didn’t quit; -- he didn’t resign; -- he didn’t give up; -- he didn’t cancel his commitment to God.
He did what is a repeated pattern over & over in the Bible.
It’s right there in front of us! -- In fact it is so practical that I think we sometimes forget it -- or discount it! -- Moses prayed!
That’s what he did at the bitter waters; -- he prayed!
When Hannah was without a child -- she prayed (1 Sam.
When Elisha was in great need -- he prayed (2 Kings.
When Hezekiah was in trouble -- he immediately went to prayer (Isaiah 37:14)
When Daniel was threatened -- he prayed as usual (Dan.
When Peter was in prison -- the church prayed (Acts 12:5).
When Paul & Silas were in jail -- they prayed & worshipped God Acts 16:15.
When Jesus was in bitter
Prayer is the way to victory; -- prayer is the way to overcome.
Through prayer -- we trade our sorrows for the joy of the Lord!
As a teen-age lad -- & as a new Christian -- I learned one day that three of my best childhood buddies had been arrested for braking & entering a house -- while its owners were on vacation.
I was convinced that if I had not just recently given my heart to Jesus -- & experienced a whole new way of life -- I more than likely would have been part of that brake-in -- & I too would have been put in jail.
I felt that the best thing for me to do now was to go to the county jail in
I had no idea what I was going to say to them; -- as I drove toward town I turned on the car radio. -- It was set on a Christian radio station -- & I heard the announcer ask this question: -- “When you are in trouble -- really in trouble -- what do you do? -- Curse or Pray?”
The announcer went on to talk about the importance of prayer.
That question -- became for me an opening to witness of my faith to my buddies there in the county jail.
I not only was able to share my faith with them -- & pray with them -- I was also able to go visit their parents & do the same in their presence.
I ask you this morning the same question that radio announcer asked: “When you are in trouble -- really in trouble -- what do you do? -- Curse or Pray?”
Moses prayed! -- Others have prayed in times of the bitter waters of life.
Prayer makes all the difference in the world!
When the disappointments of life happen; -- when you taste the bitter waters of life -- are you praying -- or are you perishing?
Q. #4. Are you Trusting -- or Toiling?
Having prayed -- God told Moses what to do! -- vs 25.
The Lord showed Moses a branch -- & Moses took the branch & threw it into the water. -- This in turn made the water sweet & good to drink!
The Bible is so full of symbolism & spiritual types.
The tree branch used by Moses beautifully pictures the Cross of Christ!
The Cross of Christ -- takes the bitterness out of our deepest trials.
Only the Cross of Christ can sweeten the bitterest experience of life!
In the light of
Jesus always stands ready to help us bear our burdens -- & He works all things together for our good!
The prophet Jeremiah wrote: - “For the time is coming,” says the Lord -- “when I will place a righteous Branch on King David’s throne. -- He will be a King Who rules with wisdom. -- He will do what is just & right throughout the land. And this is his name: The Lord is Our Righteousness” (23:5 NLT).
My friends -- Jesus Christ is our Righteous Branch!
Are you trusting in Him today? -- or are you toiling & struggling alone?
There are some things in life you cannot solve! -- & some things you cannot resolve! -- You just have to trust the Lord to bring you through!
We so often do not understand God’s methods -- nor do we understand the reason behind them.
But the underlying issue is whether He is trustworthy -- & indeed He is!
Ours is a walk of faith & trust!
It is remembering to hold on to God’s invisible hand through all of the good times -- & even the bad times.
So trust God -- even on uncertain paths! -- in the times of bitter waters!
My friends -- the only remedy for our problems is Jesus!
He is the One who will enable you to endure the long dark nights -- & the bitter waters of life. -- So trust Him fully! -- trust Him completely!
He will give you the ability to keep your head above the flood.
Obey Him -- & do what He asks of you!
“Trust & obey -- for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus -- but to trust & obey.”
The God Who has delivered us in the past -- is worthy of our obedience today!
A beautiful illustration comes out of the Gospels -- when we are told that Jesus was preaching on the shore of the
The crowds were so great that they pressed in on Him to listen to the Word of God.
Jesus noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge -- for the fishermen had left them -- & were washing their nets.
Stepping into one of the boats -- Jesus asked Simon Peter -- the boat’s owner -- to push it out into the water.
Jesus sat in the boat & taught the crowds from there.
When He had finished speaking -- Jesus said to Peter -- “Now go out where it is deeper & let down your nets -- & you will catch many fish.”
Peter’s responds is so interesting -- & typical of so many of us today.
He answered saying: -- “Master, we have toiled all the night -- & didn’t catch a thing” (Luke 5:5).
My friend -- have you toiled all night long -- & not gotten anywhere?
Are you trusting -- or are you toiling?
Peter went on to say to Jesus: -- “But if you say so -- we’ll try again.”
And this time their net was so full it began to tear!
My friends -- instead of toiling -- just learn to trust & obey!
Conclusion: God had intended all along -- for the healing of the waters to be a sign to
God made a promise to
And He is the same God today -- Who says: -- “I will turn the bitter experiences of your life into sweetness; -- I will come & I will touch you physically; -- I will keep the diseases away from you; -- I will do all of this for you -- because I am the Lord who heals you.”
There in vs. 26 -- He says: “I am the Lord who heals you.”
God has not changed His character! -- “I AM”- is still the “I AM.”
As He was the Almighty -- He is still the Almighty!
As He was the Protector -- He is still the Protector!
As He was the Provider -- He is still the Provider!
As He was the Healer -- He is still the Healer today!
Today! -- This moment -- He is still able to say -- “I AM the Lord!”
Romans
But that’s not all! -- Along life’s journey God gives us blessings to compensate for our trails & disappointments!
He knows the journey is hard -- so He brings us to those needed places of holy contentment -- where wells of refreshment strengthen our faith!
Vs. 27 tells how the Israelites came next to a places called Elim -- where there were 12 springs & 70 palm trees.
There the Israelites camped beside the refreshing springs!
And today -- in the reviving shade of Elim’s 70 palm trees -- our testimony is renewed -- & victory is attained!
So cheer up -- discouraged pilgrim!
God will sweeten the bitter waters of your “Marah” -- as you look anew to the Cross -- & He will also refresh you spiritually by leading you on to a joyous “Elim”!!
Our relationship with God can deepen as we open ourselves to an even greater understanding of His mighty love & great faithfulness!
How are you doing -- my dear friend?
Are you better -- or bitter? -- Are you winning -- or whining?
Are you praying -- or perishing? -- Are you trusting -- or toiling?
In the journey of life -- are you walking with God -- or are you walking alone?