Welcome to today's Daily PBJ devotional. If you're reading the Old Testament according to schedule this year, read Exodus 14, Job 32, and Psalm 62. This devotional is about Exodus 14, verses 10 through 15. I'll read verses 1 through 15, which is about half of the chapter, but read the whole thing, obviously, if you're trying to follow the schedule and finish the Old Testament this year. Then the Lord said to Moses, Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-Ha-Hi-Roth, between Migdal and the sea. You are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal-Ziphon. For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, They are wandering the land in confusion. The wilderness has boxed them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them. But I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." So this is what the Israelites did. When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us. So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites who were marching out defiantly, the Egyptians, All Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops, pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zaphon. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified and cried out to the Lord, They said to Moses, was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Did we not say to you in Egypt, leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. But Moses told the people, do not be afraid, stand firm, and you will see the Lord's salvation, which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still. This is God's word. Although they saw the miraculous power of God repeatedly in the 10 plagues, God's people became fearful in this chapter when they saw the Egyptians pursuing them. Verse 10b says, they were terrified and cried out to the Lord. That's the NIV's reading. Their crying out, however, was not for his help or his power. That would have honored God. Their cries were cries of unbelief, as you can see in their words to Moses in verses 11 through 12. Moses' answer in verses 13 and 14 was magnificent. It radiated faith in God's promises. Moses said, and again this is the NIV's reading of verses 13 and 14, Do not be afraid. Stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still. Despite this perfect response to Israel's unbelief, Moses must have felt some fear too. God rebuked him in verse 15. where scripture says, again in the NIV, then the Lord said to Moses, why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. The Hebrew word translated, you are crying out, is singular. In other words, God wasn't saying, why are you Israelites crying out to me? He was saying, knock off the praying, Moses, and get moving. Did you know that there are things in your relationship with God that you shouldn't pray about? Asking for God's help, strength, favor, or for his power to overcome fear in your life is appropriate. It's always appropriate. It is never necessary, however, to pray and ask whether or not you should do something He's clearly commanded us to do. We never have to pray about whether we should share the gospel, for instance, or go to church, or tithe, or read God's Word. We never need to pray about whether or not to obey any of the Ten Commandments or any other moral command of God's Word. Asking God whether or not we should obey his commands is not spiritual. It is an act of unbelief. God requires us to obey his word. There is no need for further discussion. Again, we can ask God for his favor as we carry out his commands. We can ask for his help so that we have the courage to obey his commands. We can ask him to comfort our fears as we carry out his commands. What we shouldn't do is ask for an exemption from obeying his commands. That is the opposite of faith. Is there any area of your walk with God where you're procrastinating on obedience? Are you putting out a fleece to borrow the words of Gideon when you should just be doing what God said? Quit praying about that thing. Just do what God's Word tells you to do. As Moses told the people in verse 13, So I hope that helps you and encourages you to move forward in faith and be obedient to something God has been bringing into conviction in your life. And I'll see you next time. May God bless you. I hope you have a great day today.