Faulty Memory

Faulty Memory/Lack of Faith

We must know that “God is a Big God” July 25, 1999

Exodus 16:1-4

Is it just me or are these Israelites, these people that God has rescued from slavery,

saved from a charging army by parting the Red Sea, and has protected and provided for at

every turn, YET, THESE PEOPLE THEY SEEM TO HAVE NO FAITH.

I don’t know, maybe they all suffer from some Jewish Faulty Memory Curse? God

is forever making them stop, build an alter, give it a name, and do you know Why? So

they will remember what He did for them.

These Israelites, in our passage, at the end of Chapter 15 they are grumbling

because they are getting thirsty, so Moses calls upon God, as if he didn’t know what was

going on, and God in His Goodness, provides water for them.

Those people, how could they doubt God after all that He has done for them? It’s

not like they don’t have a history with Him, ???????

Boy, AREN’T YOU GLAD WERE NOT LIKE THOSE ISRAELITES?

HOW MANY TIMES DOES GOD HAVE TO PROVE HIMSELF TO ‘SOME’

PEOPLE BEFORE THEY REALLY TRUST HIM?

Church, aren’t you glad that we don’t allow the lack of WATER or FOOD to ever

make us grumble at God, or your leader? Those Israelites, so immature.

Now to be fair, Food and Water is abundant in Clarksville, AR. these Israelites

were in the middle of the desert, so those things were major concerns for them.

Surely there’s nothing so BIG that we would find ourselves grumbling to God

about, or to your friendly Pastor/leader is there?

Because I know, and you will remember that One of the first things you ever

learned at your first VBS or SS class as a child was that God is AllPowerful, He’s Bigger

than any problem, in fact I have a little song my kids play almost every night as they go to

sleep, let me just play a few lines for you, and you will hear about God is bigger than

Anything we might face, even the Boogyman.

(PLAY TAPE)

God’s Word is full of Promises that tell us About a God who loves to give in

abundance, our part is to have Faith, and Trust in His Word.

He gives Abundant Life: “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have

come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

He gives Abundant Grace: “And God is able to make all Grace abound to you, so

that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2

Cor. 9:8

He gives Abundant Power: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more

than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians

3:20

He will give Abundant Supplies: “And my God will meet all your needs according

to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 4:19

I believe God’s Word with everything I have, Don’t You?

I believe you do.

Is your God big enough to take a church of Forty people, not just any Forty people, but

Forty people who are Passionate about Christ, not forty people who don’t think about

church until it’s time to set the alarm on Sat. night, I’m talking about Forty disciples of

Jesus Christ, is your God big enough to turn those Forty into Eighty disciples in one year?

If you can’t imagine God doing that here at our church, then your God is way too small,

and he’s not the God of the Bible.

Is your God big enough to help you live on 90% of your income because you give back

the first 10% back to him in tithe? In fact, 10% is just the minimum tithe, if your God

can’t stretch 90% or 80% of your income to meet your needs, then He’s too small for the

Bible.

How big is your God?

In our passage, the God of the Bible not only provides water, but gives these

doubting, grumbling bunch food from heaven every day for the next forty years. That’s a

Big God, one who always provides for His people.

This morning I want to challenge you in your Faith. You say you believe in a Big

God, I want to challenge you to live life as if you not only believe that in your head, but

also in your heart where it’s lived out.

Pastor Hector, that’s his first name, I can’t pronounce his last name, Pastor Hector

has a Big God. He is the pastor of the 2nd largest church in the world, in Buenos Aires,

Argentina. He has a Mighty God. His church grew from 0-500 in one year; then it grew