Unmasking the Domestic Abuser in the Church

Up Against the Red Sea

2Co 1:9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

There it is. The hardest lesson to learn. In the middle of trials and perhaps even more importantly, in the midst of the “good times,” to learn to stop putting our faith in ourselves, but rather in the Lord.

Pro 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Leaning on my own understanding. There is the problem. How often do we “pray” but in fact what we are doing is telling the Lord what we want Him to do? Writing the script and saying to Him – “here you go, this is the plan”?

All of us who know Him have been or are presently in trials – often some pretty severe trials. We either were in one, or we are in one, or we are headed for one. The real issue in it all is – will we trust the Lord and believe His promises, following Him where He leads us? Or, will we keep “leaning on our own understanding” as Proverbs puts it?

The Lord is good to His people. His promises never fail. If we are going to follow Him, then we are going to have to deny ourselves, die to ourselves, and go where He takes us. If we belong to Him, He is going to keep bringing us up to the Red Sea with no visible way out, until we learn the lesson of faith.

2Co 5:6-7 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, (7) for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Trust Him. Believe Him. Give Him the reins – hand them over. Only then will we experience the peace He is waiting to give us.

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2 Comments

  1. Denise

    Thank you for this encouragement and exhortation, Jeff!

    3
  2. Sarah

    Thank you, Pastor!

    2

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