The Power of a Tree

"Then he (Moses) cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet." (Exodus 15:25)

The Israelites needed water. Two million of them. They were searching (in the wilderness). They were looking - for three long and thirsty days. (Exodus 15:22) They were becoming desperate. Then they saw it. ("Yay! Our prayers have been answered.") They found water. But it was bad. (Ouch.) (Exodus 15:23)

And some of us have a strange idea about the Christian life. (Especially in America.) We think that we won't (shouldn't) suffer hardship, challenging circumstances (at least at the extreme level). Like God wouldn't bring us to the brink, would He? (Could He?) After all, the Scriptures don't read that way. (Yes, they do.)

The truth is God can't get "Egypt" out of us (break our sinful nature) without digging deep (via painful and even hopeless situations at times). His goal is to get us to totally trust in Him and nothing else (not our jobs, not our bank accounts, 401ks, anything).

At Marah (and the bitter waters there), Moses sought God for help. And the Lord showed him a tree. (Don't you think that odd?) The Lord showed Moses a tree that if he would just throw it into the bitter waters, they would be made sweet. Moses obeyed and two million Israelites had their thirsts quenched, hope restored and sinful natures broken a little bit more. (Cool.)

That's the power of a tree! ~ which speaks even more, points to and is a picture of another tree ~ a transcendent, glorious and most precious tree!

It's the cross (Oh, the wonderful cross!) upon which the Prince of glory died! That's the tree...

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a TREE.'" (Galatians 3:13)

"He (Jesus) Himself bore our sins in His body on the TREE, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

It is this tree (Christ's cross and what He accomplished giving up His life for us on it) which, when tossed (via faith) into the bitterness of a soul trapped in sin and destined for hell, will "sweeten the waters" ~ free us to drink from the water of life. (John 7:37-38; Revelation 22:1)

And more than that, it is this tree (the cross of Christ) that will sweeten any of life's bitter waters. (Selah ~ pause to reflect)

I don't know what you're experiencing right now. What I do know is that it's the power of a tree that will "sweeten" it / see you through.

Lead me to the cross where Your loved poured out.
Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down.
Rid me of myself, I belong to You.
Oh lead me! Lead me to the cross.
(Lead Me To The Cross by Hillsong United)

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• A "Somebody" Becoming A "Nobody"
• About Fixes (Are You in a Fix?)

About "Fixes" (Are You in a Fix?)

"Then the Egyptians chased after them (the Israelites) with all the horses and chariots of Pharoah, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea." (Exodus 14:9)

A "fix." Simply put, it's a place where we find ourselves trapped. (Been there? Done that?) Think back to the fixes you've found yourself in. (Are you in one now?)

In Exodus 14 God directs His people into a "fix" (a corner). He's freed them from Egypt. (That's great.) But now God places them in a trap. (So what's up with that? Doesn't God know what He's doing?)

Of course, we know how the story turns out. (Btw, all stories turn out like that if you love Jesus. See Romans 8:28.)

And let me just give you a few more thoughts about "fixes." Sometimes God puts us in fix because He's got a higher purpose behind the scenes and we need to be in a fix so He can accomplish what He wants to accomplish and He couldn't accomplish it unless we were in a fix. Make sense? (Read it again to let it sink in.)

Think again back to the fixes you've found yourself in. Evaluate: What was God's part in it? (I happen to be in a fix right now. It's one of the tightest traps I've ever found myself in in my life, quite frankly. Btw, America is in quite a fix right now, too.)

And sometimes we're put in fixes just because we're serving and obeying God and living our lives surrendered to Him. (Read that again, too, to let it sink in.) We are required to just do what God tells us to do and not worry about the rest. (Like tithing.) If we end up in a "fix," we end up in a "fix."

Some people are out of the will of God. They won't submit to the "fixes" God has planned to put them in. (Read that again to let it sink in. I know I've been saying it a lot.)

One last thing about "fixes" to not forget: God will make a way where there seems to be no way.

"The sons of Israel went through the midst of the [Red Sea] on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (Exodus 14:22)

(Picture above in the public domain: HERE. PD-US)

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• A "Somebody" Becoming a "Nobody"
• From Bad to Worse (God is Rescuing Us?)

On A Pole and A Piece of Cloth

"[King Hezekiah] removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan." (2 Kings 18:4)

To rescue the Israelites from biting serpents, Moses was told to put a snake on a pole. (John 3:14; 12:32) If the people looked to the pole after having been bitten, they would be healed. The problem arose later, however, when the people began to worship the pole.

It happens with pieces of cloth, too.

The Shroud of Turin, that burial cloth of Jesus (purported to be), is "venerated" by the Catholic Church and others. "Veneration" (according to dictionary.com) and/or "to venerate" means: "1. to hold in deep respect; revere 2. to honor in recognition of qualities of holiness, excellence, wisdom, etc." It's a form of worship. Notwithstanding the fact that carbon dating has placed the Shroud of Turin between approximately 1260 and 1390 A.D. How could it have then wrapped the body of our Lord in the first century?

The Shroud of Turin is not genuine no matter what those who stand to make a buck on it tell you. It's amazing how far even the most learned scientists and scholars will go to sell something ~ a documentary, a picture of Christ? (It's done with politicians and global warming, too?!)

The conclusion: We don't worship (venerate) a piece of cloth (the Shroud of Turin), pole (Nehushtan of old), political figure, painting, place, Pope or preacher/pastor (it happens in bigger churches) ~ or whatever else kind of "p" you can come up with (principality, power). We worship a Person. (Exodus 20:4a; Matthew 4:10)

(Both pictures above are in the public domain: HERE and HERE.)

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• An Attitude of Worship
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From Bad to Worse (God is Rescuing Us?)

Moses meets God at the Burning Bush. (Exodus 3:1-10) He is then sent to Egypt to rescue the Israelites. In his first meeting with Pharaoh, Moses says, "Let the people go." (Exodus 5:1) Pharoah's response? "Okay, Moses. I will do it right now." No, it isn't. In reality Pharoah says, "Are you crazy? They're my workforce." (Exodus 5:2-5) (In America he would have said, "They're my tax base / 'revenue' source / voting block.") Pharoah will go on to increase the workload on the Israelites (no straw for brick making). He will have the Jewish foremen beaten. (Exodus 5:6-14) The people's situation goes from bad to worse. (Exodus 5:15-21) Of course, we know how the story eventually turns out. It is true that sometimes things turn sour when God steps in to bring about deliverance. (Remember the cross?)

As it has to do with America and Americans, we have this strange view (some of us) that just because we prayed, everything is going to change in our country by the time we wake up in the morning ~ no sweat off our brows and no fight. (That's not how it worked for the Founding Fathers.) Not that I don't believe in God's ability to move quickly, but He doesn't always operate that way. With stubborn wills involved (like Pharoah's ~ a picture of any godless leader), it can take a little longer and things can get a whole lot tougher before the morning dawns. But the sun/Son always rises ~ and to the occasion. Be hopeful. Jesus Christ is not only in control, He is in charge. We don't lose. \o/ (Above picture made available under the GNU Free Documentation License: HERE.)

A "Somebody" Becoming a "Nobody"

Do you remember the story of Moses? He was found in a river by Pharoah's daughter after his mother hid him there. He was then raised and schooled and received his degree from the educational system of Egypt. Later as an adult he killed an Egyptian who was abusing one of his own, a Hebrew. Then he ran for his life when Pharoah found out about it. And finally, after many years in the wilderness as a sheepherder, Moses came across a burning bush where God then commissioned him to rescue Israel. It's Moses' story. It's a story about a "somebody" becoming a "nobody" and back again. Do you see that? And if we would be used by the Lord in His service it needs to become our story, too. We must be broken. We must become bowed down in our hearts in surrender to Christ. Egypt needs to be stripped away of us. So many would do great things for God yet they are still in bondage to sin. What is it that you're holding on to in your life? Is it a "Look at me and who I am and what I have to offer" thinking pattern? After all, you've received your degree from Egyptian schools. You've been raised in Pharoah's house. You're (quote) "somebody." The problem is you can't be used in that condition by God. If you are, you'll destroy yourself and everyone around you. (Moses killed the Egyptian.) It's time to give up and become a "nobody." (Has Christ been speaking to you about it?) Then God can make you into a "somebody" in His plan.

Living Like It's Your Last Day

Pastor Mike talks about priorities in life. And so what if today is your last day?