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.

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/8cmv3NWIQq8

Summary of the Sermon: “God’s Plot” & “A Tool in God’s Hands”

Introduction – The “Brookie”

• People often struggle with decisions, like choosing a dessert.
• A “brookie” (brownie + cookie) is the result of not choosing—and this sermon is the same: two messages blended into one.
• Both come from Acts 9 and the story of Saul’s conversion.

SERMON 1: “God’s Plot”

1. God Uses Unlikely People (Acts 9:1–2)

• Saul was a violent persecutor of Christians—the last person we would choose.
• Scripture shows God repeatedly chooses the unlikely (e.g., David overlooked by his own family).
• God’s choices don’t align with ours; He sees the heart.

2. God Uses Unlikely Circumstances (Acts 9:3–6)

• Saul’s change began with a dramatic encounter on the road to Damascus.
• Ministry often happens in strange, unexpected situations—Facebook posts, random meetings, unusual life moments.
• What looks unpromising to us is often exactly the place where God works.

3. God Brings Others Into the Story (Acts 9:10–14)

• Enter Ananias, the reluctant helper.
• God always provides people at the right time (like Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch).
• Ministry is interconnected—God uses people to reach people; we are not meant for isolated Christianity.

4. People Still Must Choose (Acts 9:17–19)

• Even after the encounter, Saul still had to respond—he had a choice.
• Ananias obeyed regardless of how Saul responded.
• God brings opportunities, but He does not remove human responsibility.

5. People Really Can Change (Acts 9:20–22)

• Saul immediately began preaching Christ.
• People were shocked—“Is this the same man?”
• Transformation still surprises people today, but God can radically change lives.

Summary of God’s Plot:
Unlikely people, unlikely circumstances, unexpected helpers, personal choice, and real transformation—all repeated over and over again. God’s plot hasn’t changed.

SERMON 2: “A Tool in God’s Hands” (Shorter Sermon)

1. Saul Was a Chosen Tool (Acts 9:15–16)

• God calls Saul a “chosen instrument”—meaning a tool designed for a specific job.
• Like a surgeon’s instrument or a custom-made tool, Paul was crafted for a particular purpose.

2. We Are God’s Tools Too (Ephesians 2:10)

• All Christians are God’s workmanship—created to accomplish good works prepared in advance.
• God designs us uniquely for the assignments He intends for our lives.

3. Tools Sometimes Get Worn or Hurt (1 Peter 4:12–16)

• Being used by God often involves struggle, hardship, and spiritual “pressure.”
• Suffering for Christ is not strange; it’s part of being a tool in God’s hands.
• Paul himself endured hardship (2 Corinthians 12:7–10).

4. The Worst Thing for a Tool Is Not Being Used

• A tool left on the shelf becomes wasted potential.
• Christians are meant to serve, act, go, shine, and endure—not sit unused.

Conclusion – “Are You Really That Different From Paul?”

• Paul’s story shows a pattern God still uses:
  • An unlikely person
  • In an unlikely situation
  • With another person involved
  • Who had to make a choice
  • And who shocked others with real change
• That same pattern is seen in our lives.
• God designed each of us as a tool for His purposes—large or small.
• Whatever someone needs (help, prayer, support, answers), God loves them, the church loves them, and the invitation is open.

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Watch the Video Version Here: https://youtu.be/0-xJ7lnlAXI

"Being Certain Not Circumstantial," is a sermon delivered at the West Side Church of Christ. The speaker uses a real-life survival story and the biblical book of Habakkuk to discuss maintaining faith during hopeless situations.

Summary of the Sermon:

• Opening Story of Survival: The message begins with the story of Briana Cassell, a woman who crashed her car into a drainage ditch in rural Illinois. She survived for six days with two broken legs, drinking water wrung from a hoodie, before being discovered by a contractor [00:11]. The speaker uses her ordeal to illustrate feelings of hopelessness and the sense that no one is coming to save you [03:30].
• The Prophet Habakkuk's Complaint: The sermon transitions to the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk, who lived during a time when it felt like evil was winning and God was silent. Habakkuk cries out, asking how long he must call for help while God seemingly does not listen [04:21]. The speaker notes that despite appearances, God always knows and cares about our situation [08:11].
• Waiting on God: Although Habakkuk struggles with God's plan (using a wicked nation to judge His people), he decides not to abandon his faith. Instead, he chooses to "stand at [his] watch post" and wait for God's answer, demonstrating patience and a willingness to listen rather than just complain [13:08].
• Certain vs. Circumstantial Faith: The climax of the message focuses on Habakkuk's prayer in Chapter 3. After recounting God's power, the prophet declares that even if the fig tree does not blossom and the fields yield no food, he will still rejoice in the Lord [18:07]. The speaker argues that true faith, love, and trust must be certain (unwavering) rather than circumstantial (dependent on things going well) [18:48].
• The Example of Job: The sermon concludes by referencing Job, whose faithfulness was tested to prove he didn't just love God for the blessings ("stuff") he received. The speaker challenges the audience to consider if their own faith would survive if their circumstances fell apart [20:22].