Between a Rock and a Hard Place? What Ifs...Part I

Between a rock and hard place: a dilemma; a situation offering at least two possibilities, none of which are acceptable.  Have you ever found yourself between a rock and a hard place?  I did recently.  I drove around for awhile angry in my car, called up a friend and complained, and then went to a single’s social to try to cheer up.  I wrestled with God for many days over the matter in prayer before I got angry and the matter escalated by that time and then after I got angry I got discouraged.  Anger for me usually leads to discouragement and despair in my life.

Be angry, yet do not sin." Do not let the sun set while you are still angry, Ephesians 4:26

For human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:20

I finally came to a conclusion, but then the matter worked itself out finally, and I did not have to take the recourse I thought I was going to do.  Jacob found himself in that situation when he was nervous about facing Esau.  He had deceived his twin brother Esau to steal his spiritual blessings from his father.  Jacob was taking too much thought ahead of time in considering those what if's questions!

In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. He thought, “If  Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.”  Genesis 32:7

After facing Esau then Jacob wrestled with God.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with man and have overcome.  Genesis 32:28

Moses and the Children of Israel found themselves between an angry Pharoah’s army who lost their first born children and the Red Sea.  Before that, when Moses had told Pharoah to let God’s people go it looked worse for awhile because Pharoah’s guards had the children of Israel making bricks without straw.   

And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.  Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as heretofore?  Exodus 5:10-14

Many times before a glorious victory happens in our lives, circumstances can look the bleakest!  It was bleak for many of the mothers who lost their boy babies when Moses was born.  Moses mother faced a horrible death situation for her newborn baby, but she trusted God in not allowing Moses to be killed.  She hid Moses for three months, and then put him in a basket on a river and asked his sister Miriam to follow the basket in the river.

Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country." So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly. Exodus 1:8  

"When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." Exodus 1:16

Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.

Stand Still And See the Salvation of God...(I Am that I Am)

What it all boils down to is either God’s word is inspired by God or it is not.  Either we believe all His word and His promises or we don’t.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I serve the God who created the UNIVERSE why am I fretting about my life?

Exodus 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

I serve a BIG heavenly Father and he cares about me a lot more than an earthly heavenly father and he likes to give me good gifts.  I remember my parents used to get so excited about me coming into their bedroom early on Christmas and waking them up when I got my first new bike from Santa Claus.  They knew that they were the ones that put it together for me.  How much more does our Heavenly Father like to give good things to those who ask him? I made my list to Santa Claus every Christmas.

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Mathew 7:9-11 Do any of you have a son? If your son asked for bread, would you give him a rock? No! Or if your son asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? No! {You are not like God}--you are evil. But you know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those people that ask him.

My God allowed plagues on Egypt including everyone losing first born children and cattle, rolled back the waters of the Red Sea, He made the sun go back 10 degrees, he fought for Israel so they won all their battles when they followed him, the Walls of Jericho came down, the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years had their shoes never wore out, no sickness and he fed them with manna every day.  They were under the old covenant and I’m under a better covenant.

Moses answered the people, "Don't be afraid! Stand still, and see what the LORD will do to save you today. You will never see these Egyptians again.  Exodus 14:14

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, Ephesians 6:11, 13-14

More Power To Ya by Petra

You say you've been feeling weaker, weaker by the day
You say you can't make the joy of your salvation stay
But good things come to them that wait
Not to those who hesitate
So hurry up and wait upon the Lord

More power to ya when you're standing on His Word
When you're trusting with your whole heart in the message you have heard
More power to ya when we're all in one accord
They that wait upon the Lord, they shall renew
They shall renew their strength

Jesus promised His disciples He'd give strength to them
Jesus told the all to tarry in Jerusalem
When they were all in one accord
The power of His Spirit poured
And they began to turn the world around

So be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might
Put on all His armor and fight the good fight
In all of our weakness, He becomes so strong
And He gives us the power and the strength to carry on