About Andrew Schank

Andrew Schank is an Independent Baptist Missionary/Pastor who loves to blog about spiritual matters! His main ministry website is http://www.togetherinthegap.com. Andrew is also a contributing author to two other blogs/websites including http://linked2leadership.com and http://www.ifbkjv.com. Pastor Schank's Church website is http://www.greatcommissionbaptist.org

When Your Back Is Against The Wall

This sermon outline encourages us to look to the Lord at all times, but especially in the midst of our impotence. Let’s face it, many things are not within our grasp or under our control. May God help all who review this post so they can be reminded of God’s omnipotence!

Title: “When Your Back Is Against The Wall!”

Text: Exodus 14:13-14  

(Exodus 14:13-14) “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. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”  (KJV)

Introduction:

•    Many times in life we come to realize that there is not one thing you can do to change the situation for the better.
•    The best of parents, the best of doctors, the best of negotiators, and the best of many others cannot change the fact that some things you cannot do or better in your own strength.
•    Moses’ life is full of situations just like this.
•    I want us to see a great truth that Moses had to learn that should encourage us in our prayer life.
•    This great truth of which I am referring to is the truth of Importunity.
•    Moses was completely impotent in the situation at the Red Sea and in many other situations.
•    Sure he could have done certain things but they would have been futile.
•    I want us to see that we have to realize we are utterly helpless in this life apart from God!
•    We must come to Him in faith believing His Divinely Inspired word.
•     Let us examine our text for some tools in our prayer life!

Proposition: There are three things I see in our text verses that reveal importunity which we should adopt into our prayer lives!

I.    Don’t Fear!

A.    Sometimes things happen and we get scared!

B.    Many times we get scared because things are completely out of our control!

C.    A child of God should abandoned fear and seek out faith!

D.    Moses was probably a little scared but he soon recognized that fear would be disastrous

E.    All Moses knew when he called on God was that he had done exactly what God said to do and he was now in a predicament!

F.    We should not fear, but rely upon God!

(Proverbs 3:25) “Be not afraid of sudden fear..”  (KJV)

(Psalms 56:3) “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”  (KJV)

II.    Stand Still!

A.    The hardest thing to do sometimes is to keep your hands out of a situation!

B.    We are not in control of something and we try to fix it, but many times we end up fighting against God.

C.    Through this difficult and precarious position Moses was in God had a grand design and Israel did not comprehend what was going on!

D.    Standing still shows that you are resided in God’s hand and you are going to trust Him to work it out!

(Psalms 46:10) “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”  (KJV)

III.    Look For God!

A.    Sometimes no matter what you think, plan, figure out, you end up seeing that all is vain!

B.    God wants us to see Him all glorious and grand!

C.    If you are in His will then you can rest assured that He will work things out for His glory!

D.    Look at what God id for Israel!

(Exodus 14:15-31) “And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.”  (KJV)

Conclusion:

To The Christian:

•    God was proving His provision and proving His servant Moses’ leadership among those of Israel!
•    When your back is against the wall, Don’t fear, Stand still, and look for God to work things in His way and teach you something in the process!
•    Realize that you cannot fix everything the way you want them!
•    God is in control!

To The Sinner:

•    Accept Christ as a repentant sinner!

Prioritizing Pastoral Visitation

One of the simplest ways to gain the respect and admiration of any child of God is to visit with them in a time of need. Many Christians can recall a time when a visit from their pastor was the very event that helped them the most in the midst of crisis. Though pastors know this, it can be the hardest thing to consistently perform in ministry!

Even though pastors are stretched in their responsibilities, they must be sure to make quality visits. Not only quality visits, but also various types of visits. Balancing the priority between these can be wearisome. In spite of the frustration that can frequently arise with the visitation portion of ministry, without a doubt, it is the most rewarding experience a pastor can have.

Let’s face it, some visits are more important than others. We are not saying that people are unimportant or less significant, but we are advocating that pastors prioritize who they visit, when they visit and how long they visit certain people. Consider the following…

#1 Church Visitors – When folks visit your worship service, they need a visit! As soon as is humanly possible they need the pastor, and preferably another church member, returning the visit. Even if it is just a minute or two at the door where a gospel witness can be reiterated, this type of visit is essential.

#2 Unsaved People You Are Asked To Visit – Occasionally a pastor will be asked to visit a friend or relative of a church member who is lost. It is very important that the pastor make the visit as soon as he can. Much prayer should precede this, but no time should be wasted by deferring this matter very long.

#3 New Members Of The Community – This is often over looked in the ministry. Through various sources, a pastor can keep up with who has just moved into the community. New move-ins are prime territory for cults. It is best to beat them to the door!

#4 New Converts – These people are in great need of direction and personal care. Frequent visits may be necessary to help disciple the newly saved. The time spent here is never wasted!

#5 The Sick – When someone is ill or hospitalized, a pastor should be sure to make an appearance. These visits are longed for in many cases. People may forget your sermon title, but they will not forget it when you visited them in the hospital.

#6 Elderly And Shut-Ins – The senior saints must not be neglected nor forgotten. They need attention from the pastor. Set a routine and stick with it! These visits are a lot of fun! Enjoy your time with these people!

#7 Church Members – Visit people in your congregation as often as common sense deems appropriate. Don’t play favorites, but spend quality time. Pastors build relationships and this is only solidified with personal visitation!

Conclusion

Visitation is vital to a thriving ministry. No matter how many things are competing for your time, if you are too busy to visit, then you are way too busy! Build a better relationship with people by spending time with them!

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Would you consider purchasing…

10573: Preaching & Preachers Preaching & PreachersBy Martyn Lloyd-Jones / Zondervan

A classic from one of the most dynamic preachers of this century! Originally delivered as a series of lectures, Lloyd-Jones’s essays capture the essence of powerful preaching. His insights on the shape and preparation of the sermon, the preacher’s relationship to the congregation, and more will give you much to ponder as you write your next sermon.

Heart To Heart With Pastor Ed Bowen – #2

Pastor Ed Bowen was saved on March 24, 1957 at a revival meeting at Horse Branch Church in Turbeville, S.C. at the age of 23. Brother Bowen has been married to his wife, Margaret, for over 54 years. After being ordained in 1960, Pastor Bowen went on to preach in various places until he became pastor of Cherryvale Baptist. Having been there for over 43 years, in 2000, he had to slow down a bit due to prostate cancer.

Though unable to do what he used to do, Pastor Ed has just changed venues. For over ten years now, he has been encouraging people via email. He has graciously agreed to be a contributing author to this website. This series of posts entitled, “Heart To Heart” are the fruit of his times with our Lord Jesus! If they mean as much to you as they do me, then EMAIL him and let him know about it! 

The Power Of Private Devotion

(Psalms 23:1-6) <> “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”  (KJV)

“Let the foe be met and conquered in the closet of private devotion and defeat shall not be mourned when we meet him in public. We must come forth from the presence of God, before we enter into service for Him. The closet is the great battleground of faith.

David defeated Goliath, the giant warrior, in private devotion before he ever faced him publicly. The boldness of David came from faith in an all-powerful God, not from human courage. This was with David and will be with us in our battles with the ‘giants’ of our lives, the difference between success and failure.

The battle is indeed the Lord’s. He is seeking a yielded vessel to work through. The glory also is the Lord’s and David honored Him by giving Him all the glory for this great victory. We see in the text above, David’s confidence in the Lord’s shepherd’s care. Through David’s communion with Him, we see complete provision, perfect guidance, restoration of inner strength, victory over fear, comfort, joy, trust and security. These are ours also, as we face the go out to face the ‘giants.'”

Pastor Ed Bowen

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