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“THE MARAHS OF LIFE”EXODUS 15:22-27KEY VERSE: EXODUS 15:23—“And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.”INTRO: Three days earlier the Israelites had come through the Red Sea. They had come out rejoicing. In fact, the Bible says they were singing and shouting. Exodus 15:1-2 tells us—“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” But their joy and jubilation did not last long. They had been three days without water and when they come to a place where water was it was not fit to drink. The Bible says—“And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter…”. Not only was the water bitter but the people became bitter also. The people were hurt and disappointed in God and Moses. Friend, have you ever been hurt and disappointed in God? Have you ever doubted God’s purpose, plan, or provision? God can make bitter to us the things that we prize most and often does so that our hopes and disappointments in things that perish will drive us to HIM who is ETERNAL! It is THE MARAHS OF LIFE that causes us to pause and think. It is THE MARAHS OF LIFE that show us the quality of our relationship with God. The question tonight is, “Why does God bring us to the Marahs of life?” I want you to note that God lead them to Marah to:(1) PROVE THEM EXODUS 15:25b—“…there he proved them.”A. THE PLACE OF TESTING. The Bible says—“THERE he proved them.” Their place of expectation became a place of disappointment. When they come to Marah they expected to find water. They found water but it was bitter. Sometimes we find what we think we are looking for and in turns out to be bitter. We think if I had this car, this much money, that woman, that man, etc. I would be happy. But then when we have our desires fulfilled we find out that the place we left was sweeter than the place we find ourselves at now. Sometimes the destination turns out to be a disappointment. Sometimes the pleasure turns into pain. Friends, it is in these places where God can mend us, mold us, and make us into what He wants us to be. B. THE PURPOSE OF TESTING. To prove means “to test something or someone to determine the quality.” God was putting them to the test so that their weaknesses would come out. They needed to realize how much they needed to depend upon HIM! They were not capable of solving this problem by themselves. The truth of the matter is:NO ONE IS ABLE. The Israelites could not solve their bitter problem and neither are we able to handle and solve the bitter experiences of life. 2 Corinthians 3:5 tells us—“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.” Paul was saying that, “He had no power of himself to accomplish any thing. His fitness for his work, whether consisting in knowledge, or grace, or fidelity, or efficiency, did not arise out of any thing he was in or of himself.” (AN EXPOSITION OF 2 CORINTHIANS by Charles Hodge. The Master Christian Library Version 5. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany, OR). Friends, neither do you and I. If we are going to make it through the bitter times of life then we must learn to fully trust in the Lord. NO ONE IS INVINCIBLE. Man, at his best, is still a weak and frail creature , and will break under certain tests. Many brag, “I can handle anything life throws at me.” But friends, this simply is not true. Every person has a breaking point. God’s purpose was to prove to them that He can be trusted. God made a way when there was no way. He let them come to the end of themselves that He might show them His might and power. ILLUS: In a certain section of our country where wood is the source of heat for many, a Christian family had ran out of wood. A terrible blizzard was coming in. The father called his family together and prayed that they would not freeze to death. The blizzard came on with all its fury. Just then a knock came at the door. The father opened the door and there stood a man. The man said, “Sir, I was on my way to the city to sell a load of wood, but I can’t go on because of the snow drifts. And I really need to sell this load of wood. Would you folks be interested in buying it?” The man sold them the wood and headed back home leaving behind a happy family who knows a God who is able to meet every emergency. God lead them to MARAH to PROVE THEM but also to…(2) PURIFY THEMEXODUS 15:25a-26—“And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were madesweet…And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORDthy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to hiscommandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseasesupon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD thathealeth thee.”A. THE PLEA. I want you to notice that Moses cried unto the Lord “and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet…”. Moses did what the people had neglected to do; he cried unto the Lord. And God provided graciously for them. He directed Moses to a tree which he cast into the waters, when, at once, they were made sweet. (MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY ON THE WHOLE BIBLE CONDENSED VERSION by Matthew Henry. The Master Christian Library Version 5.Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany). Friends, no matter how bitter the waters God can make them sweet. But notice the necessity “he cried unto the Lord…”. God isn’t going to make our waters sweet if we don’t ask Him. Psalms 34:17 tells us—“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” Matthew Henry said, “It is the constant practice of real believers, when in distress, to cry unto God, and it is their constant comfort that he hears them.” (MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY ON THE WHOLE BIBLE CONDENSED VERSION by Matthew Henry. The Master Christian Library Version 5.Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany).B. THE PROMISE. They made a promise there that day to the Lord to be what He intended for them to be. Was not this what God had intended and desired for them all along? It took the MARAH experience to bring them to this decision. Why is it that many times we have to face tragedy before we will trust? Why is it that God has send problems our way before we will pray? ILLUS: The story is told about a young couple who were going through a divorce. The day before the divorce was to become final their little two year old baby wandered out into the street. A fast moving automobile came by and hit the baby. He was killed instantly. At the funeral service this husband and wife embraced each other. They left the cemetery with their arms around each other. Their hearts were broken and and bleeding, but it was the beginning of a new day for them. They cancelled the divorce and started going to Church, renewed their wedding vows and had a very successful marriage from that time on. God has a way of turning tragedies into triumphs. In fact, many times our tragedies are just turning points in our life. God lead them to MARAH to PROVE THEM and to PURIFY THEM but also to…(3) PREPARE THEM PROVERBS 3:5-6—“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thineown understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall directthy paths.”A. TO WALK. There was a long journey ahead of them. They had to learn how to walk trusting the Lord for their every need. There would be many years ahead for them. Friends, life is a journey and we better be prepared. The Israelites were going to face many obstacles, problems, and troubles on their way to the Promised Land. We will face many trials, troubles and shed many tears before we reach Heaven. We had better be prepared by trusting our all to the Lord! The hymn writer wrote:“Learning to lean, Learning to lean,I’m learning to lean on Jesus.Finding more power than I ever dreamed,I’m learning to lean on Jesus.”B. TO WITNESS. They could share with future generations their experiences with God. They could witness to the power, providence, and provision of God on their behalf. They could tell of His protection—how He fought for them against their enemies. Friends, can we not do the same? Are you sharing with others what God has done in your life? The psalmist said in Psalms 40:5—“Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” The Bible says we are to speak of the great things which God has done. We are told—“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” (Psalms 107:1-2). God lead them to MARAH to PROVE THEM, PURIFY THEM, PREPARE THEM and the final thing is to…(4) PROMOTE THEM EXODUS 15:26-27—“If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORDthy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to hiscommandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseasesupon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD thathealeth thee. And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, andthreescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.”A. THEIR REPENTANCE. When they got over their unbelief, stopped their murmuring and complaining, and got right with God then things began to change. Friends, I want to share something with you tonight, God gets tired of hearing us bellyache. Just because things are not going our way we still have no right to complain. The Church could accomplish so much today if its members would stop the bellyaching and start believing. Stop the whining and start winning. Stop the murmuring and start ministering. Friends, we need to repent and just be obedient to God’s will.B. THEIR REWARD. What a promotion they had. The Bible says in v27—“And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.” The name Elim means “a place of trees and water.” There was an abundance of water, grass, trees, and enjoyment. At Elim they had good water and plenty of it. God wants to bless us but sometimes the pathway of blessing leads through MARAH. It’s what we do when we come to our MARAHS that makes all the difference. We can either complain and murmur or else we can trust in the power of the Lord to provide for us. The Bible tells us— “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” (1 Corinthians 10:10). CLOSING: Though God may, for a time, order his people to encamp by the bitter waters of Marah, that shall not always be their lot. Let us not faint at tribulations. (MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY ON THE WHOLE BIBLE CONDENSED VERSION by Matthew Henry. The Master Christian Library Version 5.Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany). We grow and mature spiritually through adversity—not when everything is going smoothly …. [I]n a time of adversity or trouble, the Christian has the opportunity to know God in a special and personal way. —C. Everett Koop former U.S. Surgeon General.?Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 4. (Today’s Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4. Copyright (c) 1997 by Christianity Today, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright ? 2005, QuickVerse. All rights reserved.). The MARAHS OF LIFE are to PROVE, PURIFY, PREPARE, and PROMOTE. Friend, how will you respond to your MARAHS?(PREACHED BY BROTHER BRYAN L. BROWNING, AT ZION BRICK BAPTIST CHURCH, SLAUGHTERS, KY, SUNDAY EVENING, JANUARY 17, 2010). ................
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