The Red Sea Rules: Week 10

8/6/2019

Today, we are concluding our Summer Book Club-Style Bible Study with Robert Morgan's book The Red Sea Rules.

Week-by-week, since early June, we have been thinking about what it means to live by faith. Each week we've studied a biblical principle and thought about how to apply it to our lives when we are going through difficult times. The final rule is a simple one: Don’t forget to praise Him.

Still need to get the book? Click here to order or download your copy (less than $10 for the hardcover and less than $2 for the Kindle version).

Need to catch up?
Read Week 1 here, Week 2 here, Week 3 here, Week 4 here, Week 5 here, Week 6 here, Week 7 here, Week 8 here, and Week 9 here.

Want to read all 10 posts in one place? Download The Red Sea Rules eBook for free today!

"On the way to Jerusalem He was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When He saw them He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving Him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19

Today and going forward, let's be the one who turns back praising God with a loud voice!

Red Sea Rule 10: Don’t forget to praise Him.

In some ways it’s amazing that we should even need this rule. When you and I are in the middle of some crisis or trial, we imagine that when God gets us through it we will be so filled with thanksgiving that no one will be able to stop us from praising God! Yet the sad reality is that we do so often forget even to say thank you to God. That’s why we need this rule. Don’t forget to praise Him.

Think about that story of the ten lepers

On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus travels along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As He enters a village, ten men with leprosy meet Him there. They stand at a distance and call His name, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When He sees them, He says, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they go, they are healed. One of them, when he sees that he is healed, turns around and comes back, praising God loudly. (Let's be like him!) He throws himself at Jesus' feet and thanks Him. Jesus asks him, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner" (Luke 17:11-18)?

Do you feel convicted when you read that story? I know I do. We need the reminder that we find in Red Sea Rule 10: Don’t forget to praise Him.

The song of Moses

"Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him" Exodus 15:1-2.

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Post Continued

Let's praise Him today!

That is exactly what we are going to do! As we are reading this post we have the opportunity to share with each other the ways that God has provided for us. Feel free to share in the comments section anything that you are thankful to God for.

“He lets out His mercies to us for the rent of our praise, and is content that we may have the benefit of them so He may have the glory.” — John Trapp

I'll start us off right here: I praise God for the way He guides and stretches us, while He encourages us to grow in faith!

I’ve finally completed writing a book entitled The Heart That Heals: Healing Our Brokenness Through the Promises of God. It took me 17 years to write this short, 150-page book. I was learning and growing every step of the way. How I treasure that time—seeing God’s faithfulness to me over and over again!

If you have a desire to reach out to those who are hurting and broken, whether they know God or not, this book is an excellent resource. It's like a catalogue of God's promises. Plus, the plan of Salvation is clearly laid out in chapter 7. It will be available on Amazon September 1, 2019.

Maybe you have something you need to express thanks to God for. Or, maybe you would like to share with us how The Red Sea Rules have helped you. How has God provided for your spiritual growth through this Bible study and these biblical principles? Is there one of these rules that has helped change your outlook on some difficulty that you are facing? Would you be willing to share that with us today? That would be encouraging to the rest of us, and it would also be honoring to God. Let us join with you in praise! Comment below.

Let's revisit The Red Sea Rules

Realize that God means for you to be where you are.
Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief.
Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord.
Pray!
Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work.
When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith.
Envision God’s enveloping presence.
Trust God to deliver in His own unique way.
View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future.

If God has helped you through those nine rules, then don’t overlook the tenth one. Don’t forget to praise Him!

“Commit whatever grieves thee into the gracious hands of Him who never leaves thee, Who heaven and earth commands; Who points the clouds their courses, Whom winds and waves obey. He will direct thy footsteps and find for thee a way.” —Paul Gerhardt, German hymns

I want to tell you one more small thing that I am thankful for. Throughout the summer, as we have been studying The Red Sea Rules, I have found it to be such an encouragement to me personally. The study has come at a time in my life when I was feeling overwhelmed and honestly, a little discouraged. I really needed these types of reminders this summer. I give thanks to God for that! This little book, The Red Sea Rules, doesn’t say anything that’s never been said before. That is one of the reasons I like the book. It is such a good summary of tried-and-true biblical principles. It’s nice to be able to be reminded of them and to pass those principles on to others.

We have had several requests to make these 10 blog posts into a printable version. So, we will be working on that this fall and I'll let you know when it's available. (The resource will be a free download in an eBook format.)

I appreciate everyone of you who have followed along this summer and participated in the comments!

“Wash your face every morning in a bath of praise.” —Charles Spurgeon

Now is your time. Please tell us how God has been working in your life. Don’t forget to praise Him!

This week's discussion questions:

If you read carefully, you’ll discover the people in Exodus 15 praised God both for who He is and what He did. From the first several verses of the chapter, jot down some ways the worshippers described the person of God.
What can you learn about praising the Lord by seeing how the Israelites praised Him?
Right now, pause and record one possible reason you should be praising God in the midst of your journey through the Red Sea.
What steps in your daily routine will help you make praise an ongoing habit in your life?

Can I challenge you to memorize Exodus 15:2 with me this week?

"The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him." Exodus 15:2

portions of this post are quoted from www.efcbemidji.org

18 Comments

Michele Morin link

8/6/2019 09:27:26 am

So much wisdom here, because it takes a truly God-given perspective to view even the dark times as a gift from His hand.

Patsy Burnette link

8/6/2019 11:31:54 am

Yes is does Michele! And how can we even begin to have that kind of perspective if we are not women after God's own heart? There is the key to a right perspective.

Laurie Hess link

8/6/2019 12:11:35 pm

Yes, absolutely! Let's be the one who praises and thanks Him! Thank you for this very much needed reminder, Patsy!

8/6/2019 02:06:53 pm

It's a reminder that I need daily! So often I find myself behaving just like the Israelites—one minute praising and worshiping the God of our salvation, the next building a golden calf. Such a sad reality for sure!

Lisa notes link

8/7/2019 03:09:59 pm

Not having much energy today, but it doesn't take much energy to praise him! I can praise him for showing up in ways that I can't. Thanks for this series. I've enjoyed it.

8/8/2019 07:17:27 am

Lisa, I hope you find your energy! You are so right though, praising God is something everyone can do—energy or no energy.

Jerralea Miller link

8/7/2019 04:56:34 pm

The story of the ten lepers always got to me, too. Only one out of ten gave praise! That's is a terrible percentage! I always want to be that one that remembers to praise.

8/8/2019 07:20:44 am

Jerralea, Let's DO be the one that turns back and praises God! And I agree, 10% is a terrible percentage!

Jana link

8/8/2019 09:55:41 am

Praise is an area I need to grow in. I have no problem praising God when I'm talking to others, because I love to declare His faithfulness. But it's in the quietness of my own home or when I'm alone that I neglect to praise Him. It's a practice I must fight to maintain, and one well worth fighting for!

I, too, have enjoyed following along with this study through your blog! The rule that is most challenging for me is "Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief." While I am concerned about God's glory, I know I'm often MORE concerned for my relief because of how I'm praying. God, change my heart!

8/8/2019 03:02:28 pm

I agree Jana, I struggle with "Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief." too. I get REAL concerned for my own comfort!

Thanks for following along this summer. It's been a great study at a time in my life when I really needed these kinds of reminders.

Kathleen Alvito

8/9/2019 09:59:53 am

Jana, I agree with you. It is so easy to praise God with others, but when I am home alone I also forget to thank God for the things he is continually doing for me. It is a struggle that I would like to win!!

8/9/2019 10:03:51 am

Well. . . Jana and Kathleen, I am home alone today. I've got the worship music going and I'm going to make a conscious effort to be praising Him all day. Thank you girls for this important reminder!

8/9/2019 08:20:23 am

This week’s study question 1: If you read carefully, you’ll discover the people in Exodus 15 praised God both for who He is and what He did. From the first several verses of the chapter, jot down some ways the worshippers described the person of God.

Describing the person of God from The Song of Moses in Exodus 15:
* Triumphant & Strong
* Worthy of Praise
* Worthy of Exaltation
* Glorious in Power
* Great in Majesty
* Steadfast in Love
* Majestic in Holiness
* Redeemer & Savior
* Great Guide
* To be Feared
* Awesome, Holy & Eternal
* There is None Like Him

Rule 10: Don’t forget to praise Him.

8/9/2019 10:00:54 am

This study has been such a blessing. I have grown and learned to wait on God, to remember that God is in all things, even the waiting. I have found such peace through this study.

8/12/2019 10:38:56 am

Thank you so much Kathleen! It's been good for me too. I love your statement about remembering that God is in all things, even the waiting. EVEN IN THE WAITING! <— That is SO TRUE, and a good thing to keep reminding ourselves of.

8/10/2019 07:53:21 am

Study question 2: What can you learn about praising the Lord by seeing how the Israelites praised Him?

In Exodus 15, we read again the song of Moses where the Israelites sing praises to God. They praised Him for Who He is and what He has done and will do, and they do it in great detail. Then they say, “Who is like You?” and end with “The Lord will reign forever and ever.”

Rule 10: Don’t forget to praise Him.

8/11/2019 01:57:37 pm

Right now, pause and record one possible reason you should be praising God in the midst of your journey through the Red Sea.

The Heart That Heals <— that’s my reason! I’m praising God today that we are 3 weeks out from the release of my new book (my book baby) The Heart That Heals. This book has been 17 years in the making. It’s been my little Red Sea. I see the Sea parting. I feel my toes on the dry land. I’m praising God for this. It’s been ALL Him!

Rule 10: Don’t forget to praise Him.

8/12/2019 10:40:25 am

What steps in your daily routine will help you make praise an ongoing habit in your life?

1. Beginning my day in prayer and praise. If I’m too busy to begin my day with Him, I’m too busy!
2. Having Scripture in front of me throughout the day, whether it be a sticky note on the bathroom mirror, a framed passage on the wall, a magnet on the fridge or a 3x5 card in the car. Your Word is always before me.
3. Looking for opportunities to praise Him. If we don’t diligently seek them out we may miss them.
4. Ending my day with intentional praise. As I lay my head on the pillow at night, before I fall asleep, I am reviewing my day and praising Him for all the little goodnesses He weaved in there.

Rule 10: Don’t forget to praise Him.