Today's sermon at church was something I really needed at this time in my life. A lot of heartbreaks, hurt, pain, unforgiveness, and shame has been harboring in my heart and in my mind for a very long time. "Go Forward" was the title for the sermon and it will become my life's theme for 2016.
Scriptures used in the sermon included the following:
Exodus 14:11-15
11 "And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the LORD said unto Moses Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:"
Proverbs 118:1-17
1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Egypt represents our past, our mistakes, our shame, our hurts, our unforgiveness, and pain. God wants us to move forward in our lives; receive forgiveness (for others and ourselves), move on from our past and get past the pain caused by our shame and mistakes or by others. By moving forward, and leaving the past in the past, we can finally receive the healing that we need in our lives and when healing has been received; God can do great things in us and through us. The Red Sea represents our journey in life, going through the changes and once we hit dry land, the Red Sea closes behind us, Egypt remains on the other side - our past stays in the past.
Pastor also shared that when we hurt, when we are in pain, we respond differently to people often times we hurt others when we hurt. Looking back, I hurt people while I was hurting and I am ashamed because I could have responded better. My actions and how I responded to others has really brought me to a place where I am at my knees with God. I cannot go any further without God in my life, in my family's life.
I am ready to give forgiveness, I am ready to heal from my past hurts, I am ready to heal from my pain. I am ready to move on from my shame, I am ready to move on from my mistakes (and I know the enemy will do whatever it takes to try to keep my mistakes in my present using people around me or circumstances in my life - but I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me Phil 4:13). I have to trust God and allow him to work this healing into my life so I can have the peace I am looking for while developing a more deeper relationship with God. I cannot go back to the way I was before, it was a lonely life....
Be blessed
