One More Night With The Frogs (From our 12-7-25 Worship)

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/y25gCnePW3Q

Title: One More Night with the Frogs (Getting Unstuck)

Main Text: Exodus 8:1–15

I. Introduction: The Danger of Ignoring Signs

• The Mount St. Helens Illustration (May 18, 1980)
  
  
  • The mountain gave warning signs (swelling, heat) long before it blew.

  • Harry Truman (The Lodge Owner): Despite warnings, he refused to evacuate his home at Spirit Lake.

  • The Result: He perished under 150 feet of ash and debris because he refused to move.

• The Spiritual Application
  
  
  • People make decisions every day that are spiritually reckless.

  • Every person is teetering on the edge of eternity (Heaven or Hell).

  • The difference in destination is determined by the decisions we make to move or stay put.

II. The Warning: We Are Not Without Notice

• Scripture: Exodus 8:1–2
  
  
• The Context:
  
  
  • God told Pharaoh exactly what would happen: "If you refuse to let them go, behold I will plague all your country with frogs."

  • The arrival of the frogs should not have been a shock; it was a promised consequence.

• Application:
  
  
  • We live in a world of warning labels (some silly, some serious).

  • God has given us clear warnings through His Word (the Bible).

  • We often get "stuck" because we ignore the warning signs until we fall into the hole.

  • Key Truth: Change cannot happen until we admit we ignored the warning. We must stop blaming others and take responsibility.

III. The Pride: Making the Problem Worse

• Scripture: Exodus 8:5–7
  
  
• The Magicians' Response:
  
  
  • Instead of removing the frogs, the magicians used their secret arts to bring more frogs upon the land.

  • Reference: This follows the pattern of Exodus 7 (turning staffs into snakes), though eventually, they fail to replicate God's power (referenced Exodus 8:18 regarding the gnats).

• The "Run the Wheels Off" Mentality:
  
  
  • Human nature dictates that when we mess up a little, we might as well mess up a lot (e.g., cheating on a diet or relapsing in addiction).

  • Pharaoh’s magicians tried to disprove God rather than help the situation.

• Key Quote: "Circumstances can make you a victim, but only pride can keep you one."
  • Fighting against God is a losing battle; you cannot outsmart Him.

IV. The Procrastination: Choosing "Tomorrow"

• Scripture: Exodus 8:8–10
  
  
• The Absurd Exchange:
  
  
  • Pharaoh asks Moses to plead with the Lord to remove the frogs.

  • Moses asks, "When?"

  • Pharaoh answers, "Tomorrow."
    
    
• The Logic of Being Stuck:
  
  
  • Why spend one more night with frogs in your bed?

  • We often choose to stay in our mess because it is familiar (The "warm poopy diaper" analogy).

  • We want to hang on to a shred of control.

• The Turning Point:
  
  
  • There is a difference between "I want it fixed" and "I want to fix it."

  • Scripture: Luke 15 (The Prodigal Son). The change happened when he "came to himself" in the pig pen.

  • The hardest step is always the first one—moving from the unknown into action.

V. Conclusion: The Danger of Relief

• Scripture: Exodus 8:12–15
  
  
• The Outcome:
  
  
  • God did exactly what Moses asked; the frogs died and were gathered into stinking heaps.

  • However, when Pharaoh saw there was a "respite" (relief), he hardened his heart again.

• Final Challenge:
  
  
  • Don’t be like Pharaoh. Don't wait for "tomorrow" to deal with your spiritual condition.

  • God is capable of bringing better things, but we must be willing to get unstuck.

  • Consequences may remain (the land still stank), but the heart can be healed.