Title: Lord, Let Me Learn the First Time Exodus 7:8-13 (NKJV)
- In this portion of Scripture, we see Moses and Aaron coming to the Pharoah with a miracle that is used as warning to the Pharoah. The miracle is supposed to get him to heed the demand-
- “Let my People Go”. Pharoah has had the Israelites in slavery, over worked them, killed their children, and overworked them some more. But here, God is giving Pharoah a chance to repent
- God is about to bring some horrible plagues upon Egypt and this miracle is a last ditch effort to show the Pharoah that God means business. “Look at what I can do” God is saying, and Pharoah Doesn’t relent. Pharoah doesn’t learn the first time so he’s going to get a bunch of plagues.
1. Lord let me learn the first time- let me heed the warning!
- Pharoah don’t listen. God Does an amazing miracle to get his attention and its not enough
- Bible says “Wages of Sin is death” “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” “Some have strayed from the faith” and “wide is the path that leads to destruction”
- Bible people did not heed the first warning from God and faced consequences for their actions.
- What if Adam and Eve learned the first time: God warned them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They didn’t heed this warning, and sin entered the world.
- What if everyone around Noah learned the first time: God warned the People and Noah of the flood. Noah listened. Everyone else didn’t.
- What if Lot’s Wife learned the first time: Lot and Family warned to flee Sodom before destruction. His wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.
- What if King Saul learned the first time: Warned by Samuel to obey God completely, he was disobedient and rejected as king
- What if Ananias and Sapphira learned the first time: Warned to not lie to the HS, lied and were struck dead.
- What if Israel learned the first time: All the through the OT, prophets warn Israel against idolatry. They often turned away. They left and worshipped other Gods.
- Judas Iscariot: Judas was warned by Jesus about his betrayal, and he didn’t listen!
- God’s warnings are his blessings and Grace! Praise God for his warnings and rebukes!
- His warnings are means of escaping his judgment and wages of Sin! He gives us the out!
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
- And you know people like this! People whom God is clearly speaking to, that he gives clear warnings through his word or the Holy Spirit and they just don’t listen and they just don’t learn
- Keep going back to the same sins. Constantly destroying relationships. Sabotaging their marriage. Wrecking their kids. Bankrupting their finances. Ignoring their God.
- 2 lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Lord! Let me learn the first time! Let me heed your warnings!
2. God will use miracles or whatever means to get us to learn the first time!
- In this scripture, God is using miracles from Moses and Aaron to get Pharoah’s attention
- He has Aaron turn his rod into a Serpent. Pharoah has his magicians do the same, and then Aaron’s rod swallows up their rod
- This miracle is a warning to the Pharoah– A serpent is a very powerful animal in Egypt.
- Serpent is another name for snake. Snakes in Egypt include vipers and cobras with lethal bites
- When Aaron is using a serpent for his example towards the Pharoah, it is a strong one!
- Its an example against other Gods, Pharoahs faith, political power, His standing in the world
- Pharoahs response is- I’m not concerned at all, My magicians can do the same thing. Look at what they are able to do. I’m not afraid against you at all. I can do what you can do without you.
- God’s final act is that he has Aarons rod swallow up Pharoah’s rod, showing HIS ultimate power
- But Pharoah Doesn’t repent. He doesn’t heed the warning. So God is going to step it up.
- Understand this- God is a God of miracles. The bible lists over substantial miracles in the OT and NT. Over 80 in each. Over 25 in the Book of Acts alone! God still performs miracles today.
- All of these miracles should have got the attention of those who witnessed them. It should have changed them and how they viewed God. Sadly, many will see God move, reject it, or ignore it.
- We’re going to see Israel go through the Red Sea on Dry ground- isn’t going to be enough to sustain them. They are still going to complain and murmur. They will not learn the first time.
- You see disciples fall away from following Jesus, even after witnessing miracles.
- People who walked with Paul– turned away even after seeing miracles!
- Truthfully, a miracle isn’t enough to save you, but it should be enough to get your attention!
3. God tries to get our attention so we’ll learn the first time.
- God has many means that he uses to get our attention. He’ll use miracles or whatever.
- Primarily right now he uses his word as a means to get our attention.
- When we read, mediate, memorize, preach and study the word, it becomes alive in our lives and God speaks to us through it. HS Reminds us. We apply it. We believe it. We live by it.
- This is a powerful way that God gets our attention! We read and study what God has done, what he will do, and what he is doing, and it should get us back on the track of righteousness.
- This is why 2 tim 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
- Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- When you know his word, you know his will and you are not led astray. You don’t get weird.
- There’s many other ways God can speak to us. Through Preaching, worship, other people, Nature, circumstance, in prayer, by the Holy Spirit etc. God speaks!
- But it will always line up with his word. Every single time. By his word. Primary means.
- Sometimes people don’t respond to the easy way. They don’t learn the first time. The first attempt, so God has to go to another approach- Affliction. That’s whats going to happen to the pharoah. He didn’t heed the first word! God has to get his point across, so he’s going to go through ten more plagues!
- I’m not saying God ALWAYS uses affliction. I’m saying he CAN use affliction to get our attention. Its not his PRIMARY means- but its in the scripture.
- God’s grace and mercy is such that he will lovingly use whatever means necessary to lead us
- The truth is that God Uses Affliction to get our attention. Its because he loves us.
- It’s not fun. It can be painful to be allowed to go through something in our lives.
- But it can do great things in our spiritual walk if we embrace it. (Lord, use WHATEVER you need)
- It can Purify our Faith and grow our joy 1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.
- We can learn to have JOY and our FAITH to be purified in affliction! LET ME LEARN THE FIRST TIME- Let me learn to have joy in the trials, to count it JOY- YES! I’m Going through it! AMEN
- It can teach us obedience away from Sin
- Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.
- Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.
- I’ve sinned since I’ve been saved. I have. And every time It pains me. It ruins my sleep, my spirit, my joy, my focus. PRAISE GOD FOR THE PAIN! It keeps me from sin! I tell myself, I don’t want to feel that way again. I hate going against God. That affliction from sin- the shame and guilt- I want to learn it the first time! I don’t want to live in a cycle of Sin, repent, forgive, do it again.
- It can refine our character Ro 5:3-4 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
- Lord- Let me learn the first time! Let my character GROW into what you want it to be!
- When I Go through something, teach me every last thing you need to teach me to refine my character so that I don’t have to go through them again.
- Let my tribulations produce the character and hope you need in me- but do it the FIRST TIME
- It can Build Fruit in our lives John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [a]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
- Your prayer should be that God prunes you. He’s the vinedresser. The only way you can grow is if he is cutting things off of you that you don’t need-
- Praise God- it hurts. Oh it hurts horribly- But its for HIM. For HIS purpose and Glory!
- So let your prayer be that the cut is deep. Its sharp. It takes off everything he needs
- Lord, let me produce fruit the first time- I don’t need that second cut. One good cut is enough!
- It can teach us to comfort others 2 cor 1: 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
- Lord, let me learn the first time in my tribulations so I can be a comfort to others.
- I want to be used by you! I want to be the person who can put a hand on the shoulder of the hurting and comfort them as I went through it and was comforted. Let me learn the first time!
- It can get us to look towards heaven 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
- Lord, as I walk through the pains of this “light affliction” let it be for a moment.
- Let it be a time when I learn it the first time. Lord, let it get me to lean towards heaven, and not love this earth, to think and focus on the future Glory I am going to have in you.
- Lord, one time. Do it the first time Jesus. Transform the Rod and I’ll do what you ask.
- James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
- I want that Crown! I want to go to heaven! Refine in me what you want and need!
4. Lord Let me learn the first time!
- See, when I read this scripture, and see Pharoah ignoring God and not responding, my prayer is, Lord, let me learn the first time! Please Lord, let me understand and follow your promptings!
- Lord let me gather everything I need to learn through whatever season you’re bringing me through. Let me just go through it once! (electrical outlet- learn first time to wrap)
- I never understand when people get upset about warning scriptures! I love em! I want to be refined, I want to grow! I need a reminder of where I’m at and what I’m doing and I want to keep my self from destruction! I want to know what NOT to do. I don’t need the pain.
- When I’m sitting in a sermon and the word goes forth and it pricks my heart, I’m thankful
- I’m thankful that the Holy spirit is still moving in me. I’m thankful that I still respond to scripture. I’m thankful that God loves me enough to redirect the whole service. I’m thankful that He hasn’t given up on me. I’m thankful that I’m being conformed to the image and likeness of his son. I’m thankful that I’m being sanctified. I’m thankful that I’m not who I used to be, and I’m about to be who I’m supposed to be. I’m thankful!
- Lord, you’re speaking, and I want to hear you. I want to hear your rebuke, your correction, your promptings, your direction s! Speak and let me respond! And let me learn the FIRST TIME
- I don’t want to go through ten plagues! Let the first rebuke be clear enough that I respond!
5. Learn to Recognize the voice of God in your life to learn first time!
- You cannot recognize the Voice of the Lord in your life if you do not know His word
- This is from you reading your Bible. My preaching is great, but you should be reading your Bible more than just listening to my sermons. Get a concordance. Read it. Listen to hermeneutics
- A sermon is a distillation. Its whats leftover after a long bit of study. Its conclusions
- But you cannot live off my conclusions. You cannot live off others conclusions.
- God will speak to you- John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.He 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you will hear His voice,
- Cultivate a heart of humility and obedience – God speaks to humble. Resists the proud
- Take immediate action when God warns you – Have prompt obedience to his word!
- “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22 NKJV)
- Develop a Sensitive Spirit – “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27- Learn to hear from God for YOURSELF- Not for OTHERS. For YOUR obedience!
- You can’t learn to hear and trust God if you’re always following someone else. ASK- then be obedient and see what God does- YOU DON’T EVEN NEED TO SHARE That you’re learning obedience. But you’ll LEARN to decipher what the sound of God’s voice sounds like.
- The Goal of God speaking to you isn’t for someone else. Its for YOU to grow in HIM
- Be obedient. Experience his grace and mercy. Live for Him.
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