God: The Way-Maker in Our Wilderness
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound truth that God is a way-maker, capable of creating paths where none seem to exist. Drawing from Isaiah 42 and 43, we reflected on God's promise to do a new thing, to make rivers in the desert and paths in the wilderness. These are not just poetic expressions but divine assurances that God can transform the impossible into the possible. The imagery of rivers in deserts and paths in wildernesses serves as a powerful reminder that God specializes in the extraordinary, turning our bleakest situations into opportunities for His glory to shine.
Throughout history, God has consistently demonstrated His ability to intervene in seemingly hopeless situations. We revisited the story of the Israelites at the Red Sea, where God parted the waters, providing a miraculous escape from their enemies. Similarly, the healing of the ten lepers and the woman with the issue of blood illustrate God's power to bring healing and restoration where human efforts fall short. These biblical accounts are not just ancient stories but testimonies of God's enduring power and faithfulness.
In our own lives, we often face deserts and wildernesses—times of dryness, confusion, and despair. Yet, God promises to be with us, to guide us, and to provide for us in ways that defy human logic. It's not just about hearing these truths but living them, trusting that God can and will make a way. This is not mere preacher talk; it's a call to live in faith, to expect miracles, and to witness God's hand at work in our lives.
As we navigate our personal challenges, let us magnify God rather than our problems. By focusing on His power and promises, we open ourselves to His miraculous interventions. Whether it's a financial need, a health crisis, or a spiritual battle, God is able to turn our situations around. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His power is available to us now, just as it was in biblical times.
Key Takeaways:
- God's New Thing: God promises to do a new thing in our lives, making rivers in deserts and paths in wildernesses. This signifies His ability to bring life and direction where there seems to be none. Trust in His power to transform your impossible situations into testimonies of His glory. [01:21]
- Miracles in Hopelessness: Biblical stories like the parting of the Red Sea and the healing of the ten lepers remind us that God can intervene in hopeless situations. These accounts are not just historical but are meant to inspire faith in God's ability to work miracles today. [09:57]
- Magnifying God Over Problems: Instead of focusing on our challenges, we should magnify God, who is greater than any obstacle we face. By doing so, we shift our perspective and open ourselves to His miraculous interventions. [16:25]
- Living in Faith: This message is a call to live in faith, believing that God can make a way where there seems to be none. It's about experiencing His power in our daily lives and trusting Him to provide and guide us through every trial. [11:20]
- God's Enduring Power: God's power is not limited to the past; it is available to us today. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His ability to make a way in our lives is as real now as it was in biblical times. [17:20]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:21] - God's Promise of a New Thing
- [03:00] - Rivers in the Desert
- [04:30] - Paths in the Wilderness
- [06:20] - God's Extraordinary Power
- [09:57] - Miracles in Hopeless Situations
- [11:20] - Living in Faith
- [12:37] - Magnifying God Over Problems
- [13:36] - Trusting God's Final Say
- [16:25] - Biblical Examples of God's Intervention
- [17:20] - God's Enduring Power
- [21:00] - Personal Testimonies of God's Faithfulness
- [24:12] - Expecting Miracles Today
- [26:43] - Praising God for His Works
- [28:25] - Closing and Encouragement
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Isaiah 42:16
- Isaiah 43:19
#### Observation Questions
1. What does God promise to do in Isaiah 43:19, and how does this relate to the imagery of rivers in deserts and paths in wildernesses? [01:21]
2. How did God demonstrate His power and ability to make a way in the story of the Israelites at the Red Sea? [06:20]
3. What were the circumstances of the ten lepers and the woman with the issue of blood, and how did God intervene in their situations? [09:57]
4. According to the sermon, what is the significance of magnifying God over our problems? [16:25]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the promise of God doing a "new thing" in Isaiah 43:19 challenge our understanding of what is possible in our lives? [01:21]
2. In what ways do the biblical stories of miraculous interventions serve as a reminder of God's enduring power and faithfulness? [09:57]
3. How can focusing on God's power and promises change our perspective on personal challenges and obstacles? [16:25]
4. What does it mean to live in faith, as described in the sermon, and how can this impact our daily lives? [11:20]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a "desert" or "wilderness" in your life. How did you see God make a way for you, or how can you trust Him to do so now? [01:21]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of magnifying God over our problems. What practical steps can you take to shift your focus from your challenges to God's power? [16:25]
3. Consider a situation in your life that seems impossible. How can you apply the lessons from the biblical stories of the Israelites, the ten lepers, or the woman with the issue of blood to your situation? [09:57]
4. How can you cultivate a lifestyle of living in faith, expecting miracles, and witnessing God's hand at work in your life? [11:20]
5. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to trust in God's promise to do a new thing. What steps can you take to align your actions with this trust? [01:21]
6. How can you encourage others in your community to focus on God's power and promises during their personal challenges? [16:25]
7. What is one practical way you can remind yourself daily of God's enduring power and faithfulness, as highlighted in the sermon? [17:20]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting in God's New Beginnings
God promises to do a new thing in our lives, making rivers in deserts and paths in wildernesses. This signifies His ability to bring life and direction where there seems to be none. Trust in His power to transform your impossible situations into testimonies of His glory. The imagery of rivers in deserts and paths in wildernesses serves as a powerful reminder that God specializes in the extraordinary, turning our bleakest situations into opportunities for His glory to shine. In our own lives, we often face deserts and wildernesses—times of dryness, confusion, and despair. Yet, God promises to be with us, to guide us, and to provide for us in ways that defy human logic. It's not just about hearing these truths but living them, trusting that God can and will make a way. [01:21]
Isaiah 43:19 (ESV): "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Reflection: What is one area in your life that feels like a desert or wilderness? How can you invite God to do a new thing in that area today?
Day 2: Witnessing Miracles in Hopelessness
Biblical stories like the parting of the Red Sea and the healing of the ten lepers remind us that God can intervene in hopeless situations. These accounts are not just historical but are meant to inspire faith in God's ability to work miracles today. Throughout history, God has consistently demonstrated His ability to intervene in seemingly hopeless situations. We revisited the story of the Israelites at the Red Sea, where God parted the waters, providing a miraculous escape from their enemies. Similarly, the healing of the ten lepers and the woman with the issue of blood illustrate God's power to bring healing and restoration where human efforts fall short. [09:57]
Psalm 77:14 (ESV): "You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples."
Reflection: Think of a situation in your life that seems hopeless. How can you actively seek God's intervention and expect a miracle today?
Day 3: Magnifying God Over Problems
Instead of focusing on our challenges, we should magnify God, who is greater than any obstacle we face. By doing so, we shift our perspective and open ourselves to His miraculous interventions. As we navigate our personal challenges, let us magnify God rather than our problems. By focusing on His power and promises, we open ourselves to His miraculous interventions. Whether it's a financial need, a health crisis, or a spiritual battle, God is able to turn our situations around. [16:25]
Psalm 34:3 (ESV): "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!"
Reflection: What is one problem you are currently facing? How can you shift your focus from the problem to magnifying God today?
Day 4: Living in Faith
This message is a call to live in faith, believing that God can make a way where there seems to be none. It's about experiencing His power in our daily lives and trusting Him to provide and guide us through every trial. In our own lives, we often face deserts and wildernesses—times of dryness, confusion, and despair. Yet, God promises to be with us, to guide us, and to provide for us in ways that defy human logic. It's not just about hearing these truths but living them, trusting that God can and will make a way. [11:20]
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Reflection: What is one step of faith you can take today to trust God more deeply in your current circumstances?
Day 5: Embracing God's Enduring Power
God's power is not limited to the past; it is available to us today. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His ability to make a way in our lives is as real now as it was in biblical times. Throughout history, God has consistently demonstrated His ability to intervene in seemingly hopeless situations. These biblical accounts are not just ancient stories but testimonies of God's enduring power and faithfulness. [17:20]
Ephesians 3:20 (ESV): "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us."
Reflection: How can you remind yourself of God's enduring power in your life today? What is one way you can rely on His strength rather than your own?
Quotes
The Lord says, I'm going to do a new thing. And this new thing is a river in a desert. And he says, I'm going to put waters in the desert. And a way in the wilderness. I'm going to put waters in the desert. If you've ever been in a wilderness you know it's quite hard to find your way often when you're in a thick enough wilderness it seems like it seems like there's no direction there's no light at the end of the tunnel. [00:02:14] (35 seconds)
But the Lord says, I will prove to you because you're my people, I will make a way for you in the wilderness. And all of that is, that's not natural stuff, y 'all. That just doesn't just happen every day. That's God's stuff. And I've just come to say today, God can still do God's stuff. God can still do hard God's stuff. And what looks like would be hard for us, it's not hard for the Lord. [00:05:56] (24 seconds)
The battle's not yours. That's a word for somebody. The battle is not yours. The battle is the Lord's. He'll take care. Come on, somebody. He'll take care. If you'll just stand your ground and stand in faith, he'll take care of your battle for you. We all know what it's like to look at what looks like impossible odds, impossible. How could we ever make it through? How could we ever come through this? [00:15:00] (30 seconds)
But if we could just turn the table on that, and we could, instead of magnifying the problem, we can magnify God who said, oh, magnify the Lord with me. The Psalm writer said, let us magnify the, don't magnify your problem. Magnify the Lord. Don't magnify. Don't magnify your setback. Magnify God. He's a setback. Change in God. Doesn't mean it's over. We've got the Bible record of many coming back from what looked like just the grave. [00:15:50] (43 seconds)
I know what people will say. Yeah, you can preach that because you've seen that. You have seen that, and I have. Many of y 'all have seen it too. But if we have never seen it yet one time in our life, I promise you before God in heaven as my witness, you can see it before that God can do something that we didn't even think he could do. Bring somebody in. Turn something around. Change something up. [00:20:55] (40 seconds)
My grandfather had about a fifth or sixth, fourth or fifth grade education, but he preached this gospel in this church as a result of him with no education, sharecropper's son, but he had an anointing, and he had a fire in his heart, and he refused, he refused to accept hell's taunts and ridicule and accusation. And jokes about him not having an education. He did a work for the Lord that we're a part of here still today. [00:25:48] (28 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Dec 05, 2024. Do you have any questions about it?