Alright Amen, well thank you very much for coming tonight and it's great to be here at
Stronghold Baptist Church Camp and thank you Pastor Berzins and Miss Leslie for everything
and all the Stronghold family and we just appreciate the hospitality, it's been great,
we've had a want of nothing and so the food's been great, the fellowship's been great, the
preaching's been great and so I'm very excited to be here and it's just been a great time
of refreshing with my wife, my lovely wife here, Miss Sherry and some friends, a lot
of friends here so very thankful, thank you very much again for all the hospitality.
Now we're in Exodus chapter number 14 and the title of the sermon tonight is, which
camp do you want to be in?
Which camp do you want to be in?
Let's have a word of prayer, Heavenly Father we thank you Lord so much for this great camp
Lord I pray that Lord that you fill me with your Spirit Lord and power and boldness and
help me to get across the message you put on my heart tonight in Jesus' name I pray
Amen.
Alright so Egypt in the Scriptures pictures, it pictures the world and it pictures sin
and most preachers will tell you that and so when the children of Israel were let free
by finally Pharaoh let them go, Egypt had to be destroyed basically by God in order
for him to let him go and so but that pictures you know a salvation when the children of
Israel left that they were freed from that bondage from the world and from sin and the
children of Israel went forth to go and serve the Lord now obviously it wasn't going to
be that easy because Pharaoh and his men pursued after them but you know obviously that pictures
you know the pictures of them trying to go to the promised land pictures of us going
to heaven and all that but there's two different kind of camps that you saw if you were reading
along in the Scriptures and you had the camp of the Egyptians and you have the camp of
the children of Israel.
Now of course the children of Israel represents the saved people of God here and so what I
wanted to ask tonight is what camp would you want to be in and so as we go through you'll
understand kind of where I'm coming from but there's two different camps and sometimes
Christians they want to go back to the world.
They want to go back to the camp that they used to be in because they forget what it's
like to be in that other camp.
They forget why they wanted to be free in the first place and as you saw in the Scriptures
some of the children of Israel started to ask well why did you even take us out here
Moses and so sometimes the people of God they begin to forget what it's like and they wax
wanton against Christ and you know we shouldn't be that way.
We should always want to be the camp of the Lord.
We should always be striving to go forward and to want to work and serve the Lord and
not go back to the bondage of sin.
So there's two camps which one do you want to be in tonight and in a crowd this size
there's probably going to be people that end up leaving and going back to the world and
it is possible to be saved and get backslided and that's something that we don't want to
do and we need to keep our focus on God and not our focus on the world.
See the more you dabble with the things of the world the more your flesh is going to
want to be drawn back to go back to those things and that's not something that we want
to do.
So I got a few statements for you tonight.
Statement number one is when you get saved the world wants you back.
Statement number one when you get saved the world wants you back.
Now look at verse number one in our text it says,
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn
and encamp before Pihih Horeth, between Migdal and the sea, over against Baal-zephon, before
it shall ye encamp by the sea.
Now obviously also in the scriptures the sea can represent the world and I would just say
this that God wants us to be in the world but not of the world.
So that's very clear in the scriptures but excuse me.
Look at verse number three it says,
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness
hath shut them in.
So the Bible says that Pharaoh will say this of the children of Israel and so the world
look when you get saved the world wants you back.
You know your family members they want you back.
They see that you're saved and that you want to serve God and you know what they try to
do they try to come back for you and they try anything they can to get you back.
Your worldly friends, your old drinking buddies or whatever it is I know obviously we have
a group of mixed people here we have children and you know what this message is for children
too.
This message is for children too because hey even if your parents stop serving the Lord
let me tell you something you have to make a decision to be saved in your own heart too.
You can't just count on mommy and daddy to be your you know obviously they're supposed
to lead you but if your parents ever just say I don't want to serve God anymore you
know what you can still serve the Lord anyway.
So listen up kids because it's important you have to have your own walk in the Lord and
you can't just depend on other people to walk it for you for the rest of your life.
But anyway so Pharaoh says they're going to be entangled in the land the wilderness has
shut them in.
See Pharaoh realizes he lost his army of people that actually did all the work for them and
he's upset you know his first born son has died because he refused to listen to the Lord
and you know Egypt is destroyed.
And so like I said it's a picture of the world wanting them back when Pharaoh begins to pursue
after them.
In Galatians 5 one it says stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made
us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
See Pharaoh said they're going to be entangled in the land and I think it's very interesting
that Galatians 5 one uses that language where it says be not entangled again with the yoke
of bondage.
See Egypt represented the bondage and that yoke and we want to we're supposed to once
we get saved we're free, we're free to serve the Lord, we're free whereas before we were
not able to serve the Lord because we were not saved and we were not free from sin.
So we're not supposed to be entangled again.
Now turn to 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 20, 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 20.
We will be turning to a lot of scripture tonight and my goal tonight is to have someone fall
over and go to sleep, no I'm just kidding.
Of course not but I'll try to rise you from the dead if you fall you know and break your
neck or whatever but anyway yeah so look at 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 20 it says for after
they have escaped the pollutions of what?
The world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, what's it say there?
They are again entangled therein.
See the Pharaoh he said hey they're entangled in the land and that's what he was expecting
he you know the world wants to catch back up with us and entangle us again in the yoke
of bondage they want you know your unsafe family members they want you back, your unsafe
friends they want you back, your co-workers want you to be the same old co-worker you've
always been, your friends at school want you to be you know if you go to school if you're
home schooled then your siblings no but yeah they want you to be entangled again and the
world wants you back.
So it says you're getting entangled therein and overcome the latter and is worse with
them than the beginning so we don't want to go back to Egypt we don't want to go back
to the world once we've been saved we want to continue to serve the Lord Jesus Christ
for all the days of our lives.
Now let's go back to our text in verse 21 it says so you're going to want to keep a
finger or a ribbon or a bookmark or something like that in Exodus chapter 14.
Actually I'm sorry stay in 2 Peter chapter 220 I meant to read the second verse there
I apologize we're not on verse 21 yet I just realized that so look at verse 21 in 2 Peter
chapter 2 it says for it had been better for them to not have known the way of righteousness
than after they had known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
Sorry I'm messing with new technology here it's kind of messing with me I'm good.
Alright so verse 22 but it has happened unto them according to the true proverb the dog
is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her walling in the mire.
See our flesh does want us to go back to Egypt our flesh wants us to go back into the
sin and the worldly things that we were involved with before and if you do that it is possible
to go back to that life but it's not going to be the same it's going to be worse for
you if you go back and you don't want to be chastised by the Lord see a lot of people
think well you know I'm saved I got my you know get out of jail free card and all that
but see God as a good father is going to punish his children when they get out of line and
you know God has no you know God does not want us to go back to the things of the world
look at Luke chapter 8 verse 14 see the world is going to want you back and the Bible even
explains this look at Luke chapter 8 verse 14 Luke chapter 8 verse 14 says and that which
fell among thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and are choked with cares
and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection see Pharaoh was
saying they're going to get entangled again in the wilderness they're going to fall among
these thorns right and that's what happens to new believers if they don't get out of
the world and get separated then they're going to fall and get choked with the cares and
riches and pleasure of this life and want to go back to that bondage and so the world
does want you back your old sin life in Egypt wants you back but we need to move forward
and serve Christ statement number two when you get saved the world will turn against
you the world will turn against you those you love those you don't love friends families
and again co-workers they'll turn against you see once they can't get you back they're
going to try everything to get you back but once they can't do that then what are they
going to do they're going to turn against you because the world loves their own and
so you know God's people are supposed to love each other and they're supposed to love sinners
also but look when the people realize that you're not going to come back to the world
then they're going to turn against you and try to fight against you so look at verse
number five in our text it says and it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled
and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people so he's gearing
up to go and get them back and now he's turned against them and they said why have we done
this that we have let Israel go from serving us so the flesh and the old man wants to make
war against the spiritual the new man so we have a flesh and a sin nature still within
us even though we're saved and that flesh and old man wants to war against the spiritual
new man the world loves its own and once they discover that you're not with them they will
turn against you and they will hate you and so we can't be worried about who hates us
and who doesn't you know what's most important is that we serve the God that saved us and
that's the most important thing we can't worry about division see people say well Jesus Christ
is the prince of peace which he is but he also is a god of war isn't he and he's a man
of war the bible says but turn to Matthew chapter ten verse thirty two Matthew chapter
ten verse thirty two see the flesh and the old man they want to go against the spiritual
new man and in this life people are going to turn against us the ones that we love the
most will turn against us why because there's a division that happens once you get saved
a division that's supposed to happen and if you look at Matthew chapter ten verse thirty
two says whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before
my father which is in heaven but whosoever shall deny me before men will I also deny
before my father which is in heaven think not that I am come to send peace on the earth
I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his
father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against the mother
in law and a man's foes shall be they of his own household so the bible teaches very clearly
that Jesus says I'm not I didn't come to bring peace but a sword when you get saved and you're
trying to get other people saved in your family and things like that once you know they don't
want to get saved or whatever they don't want to they don't want what you want they want
to bring you back to the fold but then once they can't do that then they just turn against
you and want nothing to do with you and say you're in a cult right Baptists are somehow
in a cult every Baptist because we believe the bible see everybody wants to follow these
religious systems and those systems are okay you know being a Muslim is okay according
to the news right and you know all these people just love the peaceful Buddhists and
all this stuff and they're okay with those things but once it becomes about Jesus Christ
people change and your own dear sweet mother can turn her back on you your own dad could
turn his back against you because of Christ and that's why it says that he came not to
send peace on earth he came not to send peace but a sword and we have to understand there
is a division that must take place look what it says in verse 37 he that loveth father
or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than
me is not worthy of me and he that taketh not his cross and follow after me is not worthy
is not worthy of me see the father or mother that hates God or that doesn't love your Lord
if you love them more than you love Christ then you're not worthy of him isn't that what
the bible says it's not mince and words here he that findeth his life shall lose it and
he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it so you know that term where people
say you need to get a life well you know if you lose your life then you're actually going
to get your life according to God so you lose that old life that old man that old sin life
that used to be and you want to serve Christ well you're going to gain a real life because
really our life is about serving God isn't it as a Christian and so but a lot of people
will take you know where their parents are mad because they got saved or their brother
or sister is mad because they want to have you know your family wants to have lots of
children and people just get weird and want to like micromanage your life or they want
to get a hold of your kids ear and try to tell them that I know your parents are loony
but just wait until they're 18 or whatever you know you got all kinds of stuff like this
and look you got to cut people like that out of your life Christ said we have to make a
division and look do you love your parents more than you love Christ because if so you're
not worthy of them that's what the Bible says that's what it teaches look at back
at Exodus chapter 14 verse 6 it says that he made ready his chariot and he took his
people with him and he took 600 chosen chariots and all the chariots of Egypt and captains
over every one of them so what did Pharaoh do well he got ready his army but he took
600 chosen chariots and then he made captains over all of them so let me tell you this when
you get saved and you start to follow Christ then the devil is going to send his best after
you he's going to try to get you to go back to Egypt you know God warns the children of
Israel not to go back to Egypt why because that represents going back to the world going
back to their life of sin going back into bondage and so the devil's going to send his
chosen captains against you he's going to try to send you know and he knows what your
flesh likes he knows what your pitfalls in life are and if you won't forsake your old
life and stand steadfast he's going to win so you have to crucify the flesh and say you
know what I know what I need to do I need to follow Christ I need to forsake that old
path and I need to go and forward and serve Christ because the devil is going to send
his best against you he's going to send your queer cousin and say what do you don't believe
that homosexuals can be saved hey look that's a person you don't want in your life what's
more important the savior that loved you or your queer Siamese twin you know you got
to make the visions in your life and look those are types of people that you do not
want around your children one thing I can't understand is how safe people would allow
queers to come around their children they're molesters and they're wicked and they're the
last people that you should allow around your children it's disgusting you know first of
all they're disgusting and you don't want them around you at all but definitely not
around your children definitely not around your children so look what it says in verse
8 and the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued after the children
of Israel and the children of Israel went out with a high hand now this is a really
interesting term when the children of Israel left Egypt they spoiled the Egyptians and
they basically it says they borrowed stuff but they were never going to give that stuff
back so they borrowed it permanently okay so they spoiled the Egyptians when they went
out and it says they went out with a high hand and basically what that means is it's
kind of like an open rebellion like yeah we're out of here God set us free and so you know
when I think of high hands I think of like you know maybe high five and everybody's like
yeah we're out of here you know but it's not it's not definitely a proud thing but it's
like a victorious swagger or a confidence as they went out with a high hand and you
know I don't think Pharaoh liked that very much and your sin doesn't like that very much
when you're confident you're like yeah I'm saved I'm going to walk a new path I'm going
to be I'm going to live in my new man and your sin nature doesn't like that the devil
doesn't like that and he wants to try to put you back under the yoke of bondage look at
Revelation chapter 21 verse number 5 Revelation chapter 21 verse number 5 actually go to
2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 I'm just going to read Revelation 21 5 Revelation 21
5 says and he that sat upon the throne said behold I make all things new and isn't that
great that once you get saved that we have a new nature we have a new man there's a we're
a new creature in Christ Jesus look what it says in 2 Corinthians 5 17 therefore if any
man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are
become new we have what's called the new man our spirit is made alive and you know that's
the spirit that cannot sin you cannot you know that's that new man cannot sin but you
know what your old man can the flesh that's inside you can and that flesh is going to
strive against your spirit until the day of Christ it's until the day you die it's
going to be a struggle and you know they say the struggle is real the struggle of sin is
real and if you dabble in it and you mess with it and you go back to the ones you've
already conquered then you know what you're going to have a hard time in this Christian
life and we need to you know follow after the things of the spirit we need to be filled
with the spirit so we won't be we won't fulfill the lust of the flesh and so look at John
chapter 8 verse 31 John chapter 8 verse 31 see we've been made free why would we need
to go back to Egypt when we've been freed why why would we want that again because the
flesh wants to go back the flesh lusts after things and it's like I said it's a struggle
it's a struggle between your spiritual man and the flesh John 8 31 says then Jesus said
to those Jews which believed on him if you continue in my word then are you my disciples
indeed and he shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free they answered him
we be Abraham's seed and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou you shall be made
free Jesus answered them verily verily I say unto you whosoever committed sin is the servant
of sin see what does whosoever mean again it means anyone doesn't it so anybody that
committed sin is the servant of sin and the servant abideth not in the house forever but
the son abideth forever if the son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed
see when you got saved you became free indeed and so God makes all things new Christ makes
all things new including our spirit and we need to recognize the fact that once Christ
has made us free we're free indeed now go back to your text in Exodus chapter 14 look
at verse 9 but the Egyptians pursued after them and the horses and chariots of Pharaoh
and the horsemen and his army and overtook them and camping by the sea beside Pihiroth
before Baal-zephon and when Pharaoh drew nigh the children of Israel lifted up their eyes
and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraid and the children
of Israel cried out unto the Lord so the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord
and this leads me to my next point and statement number 3 which is when things get hard don't
be the complainer in the camp see things are going to get hard once you become a Christian
yeah all things are going to become new yeah I'm saved it's great and then things start
getting hard then the devil comes after you then the world comes after you and then things
start to get hard you start to go through tribulation you start to go through persecution
it's not just the lust of the flesh that wants to go back but it's also then you become hated
of all men the Bible says that we would be hated of all men if they hated Christ they're
also going to hate you so don't be a complainer in the camp when things get hard because what
you know nobody likes the camp complainer right everybody you know people when people
go camping you know you heard that term they're not a happy camper have you heard that term
so nobody likes the person that's at camp that's always complaining about it's too hot
it's too cold you know there's not enough food whatever it is that you're complaining
about the kids are too loud at night I'm having a hard time sleeping that kind of stuff but
you know when you're persecuted in the Bible we're not supposed to necessarily complain
about that you might want to pray to God about that but don't be the person that just instantly
starts complaining but this is what happens immediately when in this chapter look what
it says in verse 11 it says and they said unto Moses because there were no graves in
Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness yeah Moses that's exactly what
you know what a dumb thing to say but this is what happens people start complaining about
the leadership people start complaining about Moses why'd you take us out here Moses just
so he could die I mean how do you answer that question as a pastor sometimes people start
to complain about stuff and you're just like why are you complaining about this it's so
stupid it says wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt as
if Moses is the one that really saved him God's the one that gave them this great victory
Moses was just the leader doing what God asked him to do right look at verse 12 it says is
not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt saying let us alone that we may serve
the Egyptians so these people are just like didn't we tell you we didn't want to go didn't
we tell you that we just wanted to stay and serve the Egyptians but where are they right
now they're with Moses and the children of Israel right so this is what happens people
start to complain people start to whine when they're getting persecuted and you know we
need to be people that just stand in there and take the persecution we need to be able
to take that hour of temptation that comes upon us and not to sit there and complain
to the pastor about it not to sit there and complain to God about it because ultimately
if you're complaining to the pastor about the way things are going oh I can't handle
this persecution it's too hard I can't believe all these sodomites are surrounding our building
right now and they're mad because it's something that you preached it's like hey we're preaching
the word of God what did you sign up for you know there's a lot of different churches you
can go to that you're not going to have sodomites surrounding your building because of something
that your pastor preached you know what it's called a country club it's called hey there's
plenty there's churches on every corner down here I'm from the northwest you know we gotta
go a little ways before we find a church but like down here there's Baptist churches on
every corner and it's really just it blows my mind about how many churches there are
down here and I just don't understand you know why would you why would you want to come
to a church like a church like pastor Burson's church or a church like my church or like
pastor Ed Williams or pastor Roger Jimenez pastor Jonathan Shelley why'd you want to
come to a church like our church when you don't have to go through persecution just
don't come to our church quit whining about it you know and obviously not there's not
a lot of whiners but look at these whiners right here are in scripture you know Moses
had to deal with this garbage while they're trying to go out and serve God and then he
got the whiners are starting to come out the whiners in the camp they're complaining
oh just let us alone we want to serve the Egyptians quit being weak take the persecution
hey Job put up with a lot of affliction didn't he Job put up with a lot of persecution you
know what he came forth as gold and hey we need just need to learn that sometimes when
we're going through persecution that's the best place to be because God's going to make
you better from that persecution he's going to make you be able to stand in there when
the times get even tougher than that and you know what there's a great tribulation that's
coming upon this earth there's a lot of worse things coming and you know what we might be
the generation that has to go through that we don't know I mean there's a lot of weird
stuff that's gone on the last two years hasn't there and so we need to be prepared to go
through persecution and affliction and take it like a champ and quit whining about everything
quit whining about stuff at church that doesn't make a difference hey we're trying to do something
bigger and better for God and you know what guess what your pastor is not perfect just
so you know they're not always going to make every decision a hundred percent perfect either
and it really just amazes me that people would be like oh my pastor's so great he's so good
you know he does and then he does one thing you don't like and you're whining about it
I'm ready to quit the church you know he didn't agree with me well guess what you know what
I'm not always going to agree with you you're not always right you ever thought about that
maybe I maybe you're the one that's wrong and so we need to take persecution and we
need to be able to take hardship and you know what if the pastor didn't agree with you about
something that's not really that hard is it why don't you just be quiet and maybe learn
something and hey if he is wrong well pray for your pastor then you know sometimes your
pastor is going to make mistakes maybe not every judgment he makes is going to be the
hundred percent perfect judgment because guess what we're not Jesus Jesus is the only one
that's going to make all the perfect decisions you know we try our best we do our best but
you know some people just it's they're ready to just throw their pastor in the dumpster
as soon as he does something that they don't like it's weird it's weird it is wicked and
he shouldn't have that kind of attitude about it so you know and people will think that
it's easier to go be a servant in Egypt than it is to be free and serve Christ because
of persecution isn't that true that that's why a lot of Christians fall away from the
faith because of persecution look at Matthew chapter thirteen verse twenty one Matthew
chapter thirteen verse twenty one and I'm going fast because I want to be done sometime
tonight so I apologize but if you don't have time to write it down or go to it just write
it down or just listen Matthew thirteen twenty one says yet hath not yet excuse me yet hath
he not root in himself but dureth for a while for when tribulation or persecution arises
because of the word by and by he's offended see there's a lot of people that get saved
and then as soon as a little bit of tribulation or a little bit of persecution happens they're
ready to hit the road they're ready to hit the road and they're like oh yeah pastor I'm
going to stand with you no matter what I'm going to stand with you till the tribulation
comes I'll be your right hand man and then as soon as some you know a couple of sodomites
show up to try to protest the church they're ready to flee and run away well I can't you
know I can't lose my job pastor well hey you better count the cost if you're going to if
you're going to a good church you know what you're going to get persecuted if you're living
in Christ Jesus you're going to get persecuted and you know what you should stand with your
pastor and you should stand with the man of God and back him up because you know what the last
thing that I want to hear from one of my church members if I'm going through persecution is how
can you pastor how can we didn't do this or how can we didn't do that quit whining quit being weak
stand with the man of God you know what we need is your prayers when we're going through stuff
like that you don't know what all is going on behind the scenes you're worried about your job
we should have thought about that before you join a church that is you know demon slain and dragon
hunting and ripping on ripping face on sin look you don't have to go to this church you don't have
to go to a church like ours but you should count the cost before you go to one because you know
what you might think well hey you know it's all sounds fun yeah whoo I'm in the new I'll be whoo
yeah but then it's like wait a minute I could lose my job hey go back to the old I'll be then
go back to the Church of Christ or whatever church you went to before go to community church you know
abundant life community church where you where the life is not really abundant you know you got
a lot of Chuck you got you know pizza parties and Chuck E Cheese and kids classes and all kinds of
stuff but you know what you're not gonna get good preaching you're not gonna get hard preaching
you're not gonna do any good works for God because guess what none of these churches go soul winning
they don't you want to earn rewards go to a great church but hey if you get persecuted because of
that be willing to take it and quit being weak and quit being a whiner and quit trying to quit
and nobody wants nobody likes a complainer when you're going through the heat of battle that's
the last thing as a pastor I want to hear somebody whining about something maybe you shouldn't have
preached that pastor you know and we had some sodomites come to our church not too long ago
last September and you know it was a light affliction it was fun but you know the only
thing we did is just put an invitation on some queers door well sorry for trying to get you saved
you little sissy but that's what that's what happened that's why we got persecuted you know
some pastors you know they they preach the hardest sermon ever against sodomites so they got
persecuted there's some pastors here some pastors have had like protesters at their at their church
how their church for like weeks and months that are in a row it happens but look don't be weak
don't be a complainer you signed up for it remember so don't don't just sit there and
complain about stuff like that you should get on the man of God's side and quit being a complainer
turn to Numbers chapter 11 Numbers chapter 11 look at verse 2 so this complainer camp kind of you
know kind of took root there was you know obviously in the there's millions of people in this exodus
and not everybody was exactly zealous for God you know so look at here's some more complaining that
they complained to Moses and the people cried unto Moses verse 2 and when Moses prayed unto
the Lord the fire was quenched actually I'm sorry Numbers verse 11 verse 1 and when the people
complained it displeased the Lord see God's not pleased when people are complaining God doesn't
think it's you know he doesn't think it's good when you're complaining it says in the Lord heard
it in his what anger was kindled so when God hears people whining the people of God whining
about stuff you know what he doesn't he doesn't think it oh maybe I should just baby these people
no it makes him mad his anger is kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed
them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp there's people in church that they're already on
their way out the door you know where they're at they first they're here they're like yeah pastor
I'm ready to go through persecution and tribulation and then you know sooner you know as time goes by
they start they start to get back towards the back of the church and that's why we always say
the the back of the church is the backslid row and our church is the ones where the families
with children are sitting but anyway some churches they're just they said the very back because they
want to be the first ones out where nobody notices they want to be the last ones in so that nobody
notices but you know what we should not be a people that is gonna be sitting in the backslid
in a row and you know that it angers God so he consumed them that were in the uttermost part of
the camp you know why because they they didn't want to be part of the action they wanted to be
on the outskirts and not do the things not not serve the Lord like they should look at verse 2
and the people cried unto Moses and when Moses prayed unto the Lord the fire was quenched and he
called the name of that place Tabra because the fire of the Lord burnt among them and the mixed
multitude that was among them fell a lusting and the children of Israel wept again and said who
shall give us flesh to eat so what are they doing they're complaining about the food that they have
now God's been providing everything for them they're they're in the wilderness but God's still
taking care of them isn't he but what do they want they want their luxuries back that they had
when they were in the world look what it says in verse 5 we remember the fish we we did eat in
Egypt freely isn't that a funny choice of words that they use they were bond servants in Egypt
and they're whining and but they're sitting when they're saying that they said that they ate in
Egypt freely they weren't free maybe they could freely eat fish but they weren't free the
cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic but now our soul is dried
away there is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes and if you think about what the
manna was the manna represent you know that God came down and was the bread of life so what are
they complaining about the manna that God gave them see sometimes Christians will get to this
point where they don't care about Jesus anymore they don't care that Jesus refreshes them morning
by morning and feeds them bread the bread of life out of the Word of God they just they don't care
about the Word of God anymore they just care about the things that they used to get in the
world they care about the melons and the leeks and the garlic which basically represent the
worldly things that your soul lust after they fell a lusting didn't they this manna represents
Jesus coming down from heaven and feeding us spiritually every morning and the children of
Israel despised it didn't they and as Christians we should never get to the point where we despise
the things of God where we despise the Word of God I don't want to read this Word of God I don't
need this in the morning I want the other stuff that I used to have in Egypt when I was freely
eating it but you know what that comes with a price that going back to Egypt comes with a
price and the price is your destruction so don't think food and luxuries that used to have in this
world are better than the things that God can provide for you because guess what we get we
get a life that never ends we get a life in heaven and we don't even know what those things
are it's kind of a big surprise but we do know there's streets of gold and we know there's you
know the New Jerusalem that's going to come down and that we get you know but nothing is really
explained in detail too much in heaven about what we're gonna get you know why because I think it's
a surprise I think it's gonna be a lot of great things now obviously he gives us some clues but
you know what it's gonna be far better than this world you're not gonna there's no gonna be not
gonna be any masks in heaven just so you know look at 1st John chapter 2 verse 15 1st John
chapter 2 verse 15 Bible says love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any
man loved the world the love of the Father is not in him Christians are not supposed to love
the world we're not supposed to love the things that are in the world if any man loved the world
and it's not talking about loving people it's talking about the things that the world would
provide the things that Egypt was providing for them that they're so waxing wanting against
Christ for you know those are not things that we're supposed to love God wants us to love him
and the things of God in Hebrews chapter go ahead and turn to Hebrews chapter 11 verse 24 see Moses
he had all the luxuries of Egypt but you know what he didn't care about those things a bee is
bigger than me anyway I look at what it says in verse 24 Hebrews chapter 11 verse 24 keep losing
my place on this thing sorry I keep touching buttons and it keeps going back to the
top of the page okay sorry about that all right verse 24 by faith Moses when he was come to years
refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season you know sometimes we're supposed
to suffer affliction and you know is that you know it's easier to go back to your sin yeah it's
easier to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season look sin is pleasureful otherwise our
flesh wouldn't want to do it but so what are we supposed to do go back to Egypt we've been we've
been given something better and we should serve the Lord with gladness and not worry about the
things of this world look it says esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the
treasures in Egypt for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward Moses knew that if he
just forsook the pleasures of sin for a season that he had something better waiting for him
later on down the road and that's the mentality that we should have as Christians instead of
wanting to go back to Egypt statement number four God will fight for you when you separate from the
world let's look back in our text at Exodus chapter 14 God will fight for you when you
separate from the world and we should be separate from the world not only when we leave Egypt we
should leave with the mindset of we're going forward to serve Christ but and also he's going
to protect us when we go through tribulation and affliction he's going to ultimately bless us for
those things but it says that you know well God will fight for us when we separate from the world
see you can't just be in the world be of the world and expect that God is going to bless your
life for that he's not going to but if you will separate from the world then God will bless you
for that and he will take care of you look at verse 13 in Exodus 14 it says a Moses said unto
the people fear you not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he shall show to you
today for the Egyptians whom you have seen today you shall see them again no more forever the Lord
shall fight for you and he shall hold your peace which means you're going to shut your mouth now
you know these people are complaining you know God they'll see the salvation of the Lord too but
you know obviously God God wants us to separate he wants us to separate from the world look what
it says in verse 15 and the Lord said unto Moses wherefore cryest thou unto me speak unto the
children of Israel that they go forward but lift thou up thy rod and stretch out thy hand
over the sea and divide it for the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst
of the sea and I behold I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians and they shall follow them and
I will give me honor upon Pharaoh and upon the host and upon his chariots and upon the horsemen
and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I've gotten me honor upon Pharaoh and upon
his chariots and upon his horsemen and the angel of the Lord which went out before the camp of
Israel removed and went behind them and the pillar of the cloud went before their face and stood
behind them and it came between the camp of the Egyptians in the camp of Israel and it was a cloud
and darkness to them but it gave light by night to these so that one came not near to the other
all the night see there's a division between the camps that God put there and God wants us to have
a division between our camp he wants the people of God to be on one side and the world on the other
we're not supposed to mingle with the world and the things of the world he wants there to be a
division and so there's should be a division of our camps the world's camp and our camp 2nd
Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14 says be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for
what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath
light with darkness and what Concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth
with an infidel and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols for your it you are the temple
of the living God as God has said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their
God and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among them and be separate sayeth the Lord
and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you see God wants us to not touch the unclean
thing he does not want us to go back to the world he does not want us to go back to Egypt
he wants us to touch not the unclean thing he wants to separate from wickedness and worldliness
and so in Exodus chapter 14 verse 23 it says and the Egyptians pursued and went after them to the
midst of the sea even all Pharaoh's horses his chariots and horsemen see they came hard after
them and and I'm just going to skip down to verse number 27 Moses stretched forth his hand over the
sea and the sea returned to his strength and when the morning appeared the Egyptians fled against
it and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea and the waters returned and
covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the hosts of Pharaoh came into the sea after them
there remain not so much as one of them so God destroyed the children the the the Egyptians who
were pursuing after them and because there was that separation between them God did not allow
the Egyptians to come near the children of Israel but see when we separate that's going to be the
same thing that God does for us he's going to keep the world away from us and you know what
he's going to do he's going to destroy our enemies when they come against us but we have to be
separate we can't just mingle in the world we can't be double-minded we can't just you know
the Bible says a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways so we can't be that person
that's double-minded and you're in church on Sunday then they earn the bar on Monday we can't
do that that's not gonna God's not going to protect us he's not going to give us victory
over our enemies and so God did a great thing where he destroyed the armies of the Egyptians
and it's just a great picture of what God will do for us if we live a separated life also so just
to wrap things up here you know if you're not free you need to get free you need to get saved
and in a group this size there's gonna be people that aren't saved but let me tell you this Jesus
Christ will make you free all you have to do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible
says thou shalt be saved so if you're not free you need to get free if you are free you need to
stay free and you know don't quit don't go back to the world if you're free stay free and don't
quit so if you're going through persecution and affliction endure hardness as a good soldier don't
be a whiner a complainer and when we do that God will give us the victory and so men be men
you be what God made you to be don't you know don't be a sissy don't be a loser that can't hold
a job down take care of your family men work hard and women you know obviously an application for
you would be to be what God made you to be to don't go back into the world and try to you know
I can't wait to go back and work in my professional job you know what what the world needs is mothers
that will take care of their children you know what the world needs it needs mothers that will
be obedient wives to their husbands we got too much feminism in this world you know and we got
too many sissy men in this world we need men to be men and women to be women and you to accept your
role you know you got saved out of that you got you should have a different mentality now than
you used to have you know what people just just want to go back to Egypt why so some other man
can tell you what to do is that what you want they can put you in a pair of pants and then they can
and then they can tell you what to do you won't you don't want to obey your husband or listen to
your husband but you'll obey some total stranger that doesn't even like you I don't understand
that I don't understand why men would want to be a stay-at-home dad it's just look you know what's
gonna end up happening you're gonna get divorced you know nobody wants us no no no real wife wants
a stay-at-home husband where she goes out and works outside the home I mean maybe there's some
weird women out there that like that but ultimately every person every man I've ever known that said
I'm a stay-at-home dad end up getting divorced or their their girlfriend or wife left them we
need to be what God made us to be and not go back to the roles that the world was signs for us
you know what the world wants to do they want to put men in skinny jeans that's what they want to
do they want to put men in skinny jeans and pink shirts and pink ties and they want pastors to
stand up their barstools and you know hey pastors we need to be men and show the world what real
men manly pastors are like and we need to preach the Word of God without apologizing about it
and without oh I'm really sorry that I offended you no we the Word of God shouldn't offend anybody
great peace of day that loved by law and nothing shall offend them so and then again the application
to children serve the Lord your parents can't serve the Lord for you you have to serve the
Lord on your own you have to make the decision look we're not Calvinists here I hope nobody's
Calvinists here see kids you have to make your own decision to be saved and you have to have
your own walk and your own path in life and look don't be that person you know that that is a pain
in the neck to your pastor when Moses after the people of the children of Israel complain Moses
ended up saying just kill me just kill me I mean Moses is probably one of the greatest men in the
whole Bible and he's got a complaining bunch of people that you know there are making them want
to kill himself or we'll have God kill him you know we don't want to put our pastors in that
position where you're just like hey God just kill me I mean I want to live don't be a pain in my
neck don't be a pain in your pastor's neck you know don't you don't want to get into that situation
where you're making your pastor want to quit because look there's a very big dearth in the
land of pastors that actually get up and preach the Word of God you should be thankful that you
have one and again they're not perfect none of us are perfect as pastors but you know what we try
to do our best and so you should stand behind your pastor and be good to them now Romans chapter 6
verse actually I'm just gonna have you go to Romans chapter 12 and I'll end here Romans chapter 12
verse 1 says I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a
living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your what to say reasonable service hey our
reasonable service is to serve God who freed us from Egypt he freed us from that worldly life and
that's what God says and we're not supposed to be look verse 2 be not conformed to this world see
we're not supposed to be conformed he saved us out of this world don't be conformed to this world
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what that excuse me prove what
is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God you want to know what's good and acceptable
and perfect that perfect will of God that you're not conformed to this world don't go back to Egypt
it's not it's got nothing good for you there there's nothing good for you in the world besides
heartache and pain you go back to those things you're going you're like a hog going back to the
pig pen the hog that just got cleaned up you're going back to the hog pen it's like the the the
drunk or they went to puke you go back and to that puke nobody want you don't really want that
see your flesh wants it but see if you feed your spirit more than you feed your flesh then you're
gonna be doing a good thing so do you want to be free from the yoke of bondage and sin use your
freedom to serve Jesus Christ all the days of your life instead that's what you need to do and I'll
just read this last scripture I know I just had to turn to that last one but I'm gonna read this
last scripture and I'm done Hebrews 10 38 says now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw
back my soul shall have no pleasure in him doesn't mean you're not saved anymore it just means he
will have no pleasure in you you don't want to be that person that draws back and it says my soul
shall have no pleasure in him do you want God to have pleasure in you then serve him all the days
of your life and don't look back it says but we are not of them who draw back under perdition but
of them that believe to the saving of the soul hey if you're saved today don't draw back under
perdition don't draw back because you know what you want God do you want God to have pleasure in
you I'm sure everybody in this this group wants God to have pleasure in them so don't draw back
don't try to go back to Egypt don't go back to the world look it's not better than being a
Christian people just forget people forget what it was like but you know what you need to put
yourself in remembrance of these things and not draw back under perdition let's pray Heavenly
Father we thank you Lord so much for this group of people Lord I pray Lord you'd help us all every
single person that's here right now Lord to just continue to serve Christ all the days of their
life and Lord I pray that for all these children Lord that they would find the things of God
something that's a good thing to to keep and serve and Lord I pray if there's anybody here
that's not saved Lord that somebody would put their trust in Christ tonight or during this
camp through through Saturday Lord let's pray Lord that the Word of God would have free course
for the rest of this camp and to pray for the pastors that are coming that you give
them great messages to put on our put in our hearts and minds in Jesus name we pray amen