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Amen. All right we're in Exodus chapter number 8 look down at your Bibles at verse 22 says and I will sever in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. Now the title of the sermon this morning is Goshen when a nation is in crisis. Goshen when a nation is in crisis. I do want to bring some comfort and some reminders this morning in this sermon in in light of everything that's going on with the coronavirus COVID-19 and a lot of the hysteria that's going around are going around and so I want to talk a little bit about that in comparison to what we see here in the book of Exodus chapter number 8. Now in chapter 8 we find ourselves in the middle of the plagues of Egypt right we see that Pharaoh does not want to let God's people go Moses is sent to deliver them from the hand of Pharaoh he hardens his heart and the Bible tells us that because of this God begins to rain down all types of plagues and to destroy the land of Egypt and to destroy their lives and their cattle and everything around in order to cause them to release God's people and we see that he continues to harden his heart and harden his heart now here's what's interesting is that in the midst of all these plagues in the midst of all the flies the fire all of the death that's taking place you know you have God's people in the middle of that right every aspect of Egypt really was being destroyed it was being affected by these plagues except for one area and that was Goshen okay and Goshen was obviously the residence of God's people now go with me if you would to Genesis chapter 45 hold your place there in the book of Exodus and go to Genesis chapter 45 now Goshen is an area city that is mentioned just a few times in the Old Testament and twice when it's mentioned it's mentioned in Genesis and Exodus and both of those times were in a time of crisis okay because in the Old Testament in Genesis we see that it's mentioned as a place of refuge for the children of Israel when there was a famine in the land so when there is a scarcity of food when there is a famine God providentially allowed Joseph to go to Egypt to become the vice-pharaoh there and ultimately to see much save much people alive and he was allowed basically to bring his father and his brothers to Egypt and to dwell in the best of the land known as Goshen now the second time that it's mentioned what we see in the book of Exodus in chapter 8 when God begins to rain fire and he begins to plague the land of Egypt we see that the children of Israel are in a city of refuge known as Goshen so both of these times it became sort of some somewhat of a strong tower for the children of Israel when there is a crisis in the land one of them was just a a natural disaster so to speak where God allowed famine in the land the second time was literally his judgment upon a nation because of their wickedness now look at Genesis 45 verse 9 it says hasty and go up to my father and say unto him thus saith thy son Joseph God hath made me Lord of all Egypt come down unto me tarry not and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen and thou shalt be near unto me thou and thy children and thy children's children and thy flocks and thy herds and all that thou hast and there will I nourish thee for yet there are yet excuse me for yet there are five years of famine lest thou in thy household and all that thou hast come to poverty so we obviously understand the story of Joseph he sold into slavery ultimately God of course is leading him he becomes a man who is a leader in Egypt and God allows him to bring his family to rescue his people in order to be able to survive that famine and so we see that there now go with me if you would to go to Psalm 37 if you would Psalm 37 Psalm chapter 37 so what was Goshen Goshen was just a place where God can take care of his people it was a literal location in the midst of Egypt where God was able to just take care of his people you know in spite of all the things that were going around around the world now Egypt in the Bible was a literal place but in the New Testament we would see it as it's a picture of the world in fact many principles in the Old Testament dealing with Egypt symbolize it and there's like foreshadowing there of the world system so we can say we live in Egypt right because this is the world this is where things that are anti God are the philosophies of this world the people of this world they dwell in Egypt and you know what we're not Amish we live in Egypt right we are not of this world the Bible tells us but we do live in this world and we ought to behave ourselves just as the children of Israel did when they were in dwelling in the land of Goshen now the same principles apply even though you know we're not being plagued with you know hail mingled with fire with lice with all these plagues that God brought upon Egypt but you know the same principles apply especially when we think about the crisis going on with the disease and the virus is taking place and let me just say this I'm not saying that the virus is not dangerous any virus can be dangerous right you know any virus can cause a lot of health problems you know and it's obviously what it's doing most of all it's just instilling fear in the masses and fear is one of the most dangerous things a person can entertain in their personal lives because it can literally debilitate them you know cause them to not serve God cause them to to not trust in the Lord and and to step out in faith and believe that God can protect them and so you know people today they're going crazy you know it's just like just the bare necessities people are just buying these in bulk and not even sharing with people you know I know people I've seen people just on offer where they're selling like packs literal packs of toilet paper for like $200 it's like they're trying to capitalize on this you know they're trying to they're trying to make a lot of money and you know people are just hysterical and you know it's unfortunate but sometimes God's people can get caught up in that where they believe the hysteria they see the fear of the unsaved and it can often infiltrate their heart and cause them to not fear the Lord or not have faith toward God this is not what we want for our lives okay and let me just say this if you can't survive the coronavirus you know just good luck on the during a great tribulation good luck during the tribulation you know if you can't even survive the coronavirus let me just say this something worse is coming down the pipeline that's worse than the coronavirus all right and you know the Bible talks about Revelation chapter 6 that there's pestilences right during that time and you know I believe those are man-made pestilences I believe you know that part of that is the government and this world Egypt creating these diseases in order to create a so be the solution so to speak so that people can go towards them and if you're freaking out right now for the for the kovat 19 good luck during the great tribulation you know this is a testing ground okay you know take this as a test take this as just a droplet in the bucket of what we're gonna see in the end times okay but that's not to say that you know even sometimes myself I have children I have a wife I have an elderly mother I know people who are elderly that I care about and I know they can be infected I know it could be hazardous to them and so you know there's there's sometimes a little fear that even comes into my heart for the sake of others not necessary for myself I think I'll be fine I think my immune system is strong I could be wrong but you know I I fear for others and there's times when you wonder like man what is gonna happen you know we're traveling to Belize tonight and I'm thinking myself this is the worst time for me to be traveling outside the country you know and just leaving my family my children during this time of crisis but then I kind of have to just grab myself and say hey just keep trust in the Lord you know and you you can't control everything and so you need to ride the wave you need to make sure you have faith in God keep serving the Lord and and at the end of the day you know the Lord upholdeth us in his hand right look what it says in Psalm 37 verse 25 it says I have been young and now I'm old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed baking bread so hey folks make sure you remember that verse when you go to the grocery shop and the the shelves are empty when you can't find any food when you can't find anything you know nutritious to eat and there's that the shelves are completely empty the Bible tells us I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread I mean when worse comes to worse we could beg someone for food I'm sure there's people out there that we can but the Bible says here I haven't even seen them begging for food I mean think about this folks what about the famine during the time of Elijah's day right was he begging for food no in fact God just ordained a raven to bring him food every single day catered food was catered to him right it was just brought by a raven said well how can God provide for us well you know he could bring a raven he could cause a raven to come and give us food if that's what it takes he can cause your food to multiply in your cabinets he can take care of you God will take care of us we will never see the righteous forsaken but I want you to notice righteous not only means hey they're safe people but righteous means they're walking righteously so guess what if you're backslidden if you're not living for God if your heart's not right with God now's a good time to get right with God now's a good time to start serving the Lord to get out of sin to start obeying your authorities to start obeying the Word of God start sowing because you need God's favor right now you don't want you know God will not forsake the righteous you will not be begging bread if you're serving him you know let me say this there's plenty of people in the Bible who suffered who people who were saved people who suffer because of their disobedience to God and God allowed them to be swept up by the famine swept up by the pestilences so on and so forth of course you have your your exceptions to that rule which would be job you know many a lot of heartache and pain came upon job but you know he came forth as gold at the latter end it wasn't because job was living wickedly it wasn't because his heart was not right with God it's because he was bearing so much fruit God had to prune him in order for him to bear more fruit right so we see there that the righteous are not forsaken they will not beg for bread but they need to be righteous they need to live righteously okay the Bible says go with me through it to Proverbs chapter number three Proverbs chapter 3 I'm gonna reach you from Proverbs 14 in the fear of the Lord the Bible says in Proverbs 14 26 in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge you know we too as the children of Israel have a haven of rest it's like a Goshen so to speak right it's the city of refuge for us and look our Goshen is not a literal city you know a lot of those these these pro-american and and pro-republican you know their Goshen which is America's falling apart you know right now it's just like whoa before I was like we're so invincible we're just the greatest country well you know coronavirus is here too you know and now people are freaking out now it's time to know now it's time to see where Goshen really is well Goshen is the name of the Lord Goshen is the presence of God Goshen is a life that's live in obedience to him Proverbs 3 25 says be not afraid of sudden fear neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh for the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken the Bible says God says hey let God be your confidence not some vaccine let God be your confidence not your personal your own immune system let God be your confidence not the government let God be your confidence right he's the one who will keep our foot from being taken you know Goshen represents the presence of God it represents of life who is just lived in obedience to him the Bible says in Psalm 71 you go with me to Psalm 31 if you would Psalm 31 it says in Psalm 71 verse 3 be thou my strong habitation where unto I may continually resort thou has given commandment to save me for thou are my rock and my fortress the Bible says so what habitation should we be looking for do we want to be quarantined do we want to just stick to our houses and not serve God and not go sowing do we want to just you know find the most outskirt you know habitation out there where there's no people know the habitation we need is the fortress of God the habitation we need is when we're in the Word of God I'm not saying be careless but I'm what I'm saying is this hey we need to walk with the Lord now more than ever right Psalm 31 verse 19 oh how great is thy goodness which thou has laid up for them that fear thee which thou has wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men thou shall hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man thou shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues blessed be the Lord for he hath showed me his marvelous kindness in a strong city for I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee here are you praying today you know are you praying on a daily basis for God to provide you know now you know before you might have not even prayed for your paycheck to come in you might not even pray for God to provide the food but I guarantee you now you have a lot of motivation to pray when there's no food when there's when there's shortage of resources now it's time to say Lord I need you to provide for my needs help me you know seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness so these things can be added unto you right you know and by the way it says them that fear thee those who fear the Lord and tremble at his presence those who fear the Word of God and know that there's consequences to disobeying him this is what we need to do proverbs 18 10 says the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and it's safe so what if I get and I die man that's like the best thing that can happen to you kidding me go to heaven amen you know what this does this is my last point of my sermon at the very end but I'm just gonna say it right now you know something like this does it causes us to long for heaven so much more doesn't it it causes to realize man this place sucks you know you know I'm not I'm not trying to like take the first vehicle to heaven but you know if I die then man that's the that's like the best thing that can happen to me go to heaven you know and it causes us to loosely hold the things of this world you know you go to the because we went to the grocery store a couple times and just to find just basic food and the things that that people leave and they don't take are like the luxuries right that's funny all the things that people used to grab all the time you know and they leave the basic stuff behind now now everyone drinks water and that interesting and then everyone's buying toilet paper I'm like what were you doing before you know but it's just like and we were there last night actually we're trying to get some stuff because I'm leaving we're trying to make sure I'm trying to make sure my wife is taken care of you know before I go and the kids and literally like there's shelves of all the basics are gone but the things that are luxuries are there and my wife say you know when it time comes people realize what's really important you realize what's really important the most basics and I guarantee people are loving their children a little more today they're loving their wives a little more today they're loving their husbands a little more today they're loving their family a little more than they're thinking hey this is kind of dangerous you know now the things that you used to worry about are not really that big of a deal anymore it's just the basics right and so we see that now you know there's a lot of similarities of what's taking place what took place then and and what's taking place today and let me just say this what does Goshen represent to us in the New Testament because what the sermon is this you know let's go to Goshen let's live in Goshen let's reside in Goshen you know what does that mean well let's start with the person who placed the children of Israel in Goshen which is Joseph go with me if you would to John chapter number 10 go to John chapter number 10 you know obviously there's a lot of glaring similarities between Joseph and Jesus right we've seen that in times past Joseph Joseph is very symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ he was sold into slavery slavery and through a series of events unsavory events became one of the rulers of Egypt now why was he allowed why did all those bad situations happen to him in order for him to come to Egypt well the Bible tells us it was to save much people alive the Bible tells us in Genesis 50 20 but as for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive so all those bad things and persecutions and and lines and all these things happened to Joseph in order for him to save much people alive and what happened he gave them life right he gave his own family life and he gave it to them more abundantly how do we know that because he placed them in the best of the land the fattest of the land look at John 10 10 says the thief cometh not before to steal and to kill and to destroy I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly so just as Joseph was able to save his family from the famine of the world where they were where they're abiding you know he was able to give them life and life more abundantly he gave him Goshen Goshen was the best of the lander in that time not only that but Jesus said I've come to seek it to save that which is lost okay go with me through it to John chapter 9 just the chapter behind Joseph's was sent to save much people alive just as Jesus was sent to save the world right Joseph was also a light in Egypt you know he was a ruler and he was a light in Egypt while he was alive the Israel Israelites had really nothing to worry about look what it says in John 9 verse 4 I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world and isn't it interesting that as soon as Joseph was taken out of the picture there arose a new Pharaoh which knew not Joseph and everything started going downhill for them from there for those who are part of the children of Israel go back to John chapter 6 back a couple more pages chapters to chapter number 6 you know we see as I mentioned that Joseph came in a time of famine there was no bread there was no food and they had to travel far and wide in order to find Egypt and try to buy bread but at the end of the day when they came Joseph just gave them that bread right look what it says in John 6 35 and Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst you know the children of Israel could say of Joseph that hey we shall never hunger now because now we're in a good land Joseph is the ruler he's taking care of us he became like the bread of life to them well that was figurative symbolic of Jesus Christ who is the bread of life when Joseph died the only light that was left were those who followed him John 20 verse 21 says then said Jesus to them again peace be unto you as my father had sent me even so send I you so Joseph gave the children of Israel platform right he gave him authority and a platform or place to grow but once he left it was all up to them after that so Goshen if you think about it was a temporary dwelling place of God's people until they were relocated to where the promised land just as us this is a temporary location for us right this is temporary it's not forever until we relocate to the promised land we can say heaven okay but hey we could have a little heaven on earth right there were pilgrims and foreigners as I mentioned Egypt was a picture of the land of the world excuse me now remember what God said in Exodus 8 22 says I will sever in that day during the plagues the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there to the end now may us know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth so even though God was playing in the land a lot of destruction killings and and famines and sicknesses were taking place you know he dealt with Goshen just a little differently now go to John 17 if you would go to John chapter 17 the Bible says in John 15 verse 18 if the world hate you you know that it hated me before I hated you if you were of the world the world would love his own but because you're not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you wouldn't you say that Egypt hated the Israelites they were like a thorn and a snare in their sides they wanted to kill off all the the firstborn males they wanted them they wanted to just get rid of them just as the world hates us and would desire to get rid of us as well look at John 17 verse 14 I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil so Jesus was saying this about us he's saying look I don't want them to be removed from the world why because that's where the law centers are that's where people are and we are part of the ministry of reconciliation to go out and bring people to Christ right he goes what I want for them is for is for you to just keep them from the evil guard them protect them from the evil of this world the Bible says in Exodus go to Psalm 91 if you would Psalm 91 Exodus 11 verse 7 says but against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue against man or beast that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel so he's saying during this time not even a dog of Egypt is gonna speak against the children of Israel because I'm putting a difference they're gonna see that nothing's happening to them they're gonna see that the judgment of God is not coming upon them you know I guarantee you a lot of the reprobates and and and weirdos and freaks of this world who hate our guts they're not gonna raise their tongue against us right now they got other problems to deal with they got bigger fish to fry so to speak right they can't even find food okay now let me give you some points about living in Goshen what I'm saying is this is that you know Goshen is not a physical location it's just where the presence of God is and what I'm trying to get across this morning is you know we need to make sure that we're doing what we've always done if you've what you've always done is serve the Lord if what you've always done is pray and read your Bible and so in and just try to live a life that's pleasing unto the Lord keep living in Goshen right you know oh but man so many things are happening to the right and to the left of me yeah but if you live in Goshen you have nothing to worry about so let me give you some points about living in Goshen in time of crisis you know a lot of people are fearful right now but as Christians we can use this as an opportunity look at Psalm 91 verse 7 says a thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee that's a miracle you know how many battles that David survived to the point where he can say man you know thousand fell on my side ten thousand am I right but it never came nigh unto me you know and throughout history we see Christians that have that have gone through crisis they have gone through persecutions they have gone through afflictions and it didn't come nigh unto them what I'm trying to do is just instill confidence in you in the Lord amen instill confidence in your heart for the Lord to not fear so what are some things we can do well go to Genesis chapter excuse me go to Luke chapter 5 Luke chapter number 5 so what are some principles we can learn from this well number one it's time to relocate to Goshen if you're not living in Goshen it's time to relocate to Goshen if there's a time of famine if there's a time where you just backslidden you're involved in wicked things you're involved in fornication and adultery and drunkenness if you're doing wicked stuff and not living the life that's pleasing unto the Lord guess what it's time to move it's time to move well I don't want to move this is where I want to be okay then you're gonna die in the famine then okay then you're gonna suffer the consequences of living where you're at and not relocating to a place called Goshen you know don't be a stubborn Christian don't be prideful don't be arrogant just humble yourself and say man we need Joseph we need to go live in Goshen we need to go to the best of the land we need to start serving the Lord we need to just get our act together and become faithful again you know come to church except if you have the coronavirus and you know come to church except if your kids have a fever and a cough you know do what you're supposed to do unless one you have the coronavirus or two you're dead okay then at that point don't come all right but what I'm saying is this you know if you're backslidden today if your heart's not right with God now's the time to move okay the Bible says in Genesis 47 here in Luke chapter 5 it says in Genesis 47 verse 6 the land of Egypt is before thee in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren to dwell in the land of Goshen let them dwell and if thou knowest any men of activity among them then make them rulers over my cattle look God is offering that's this to us and if you're alive today folks and you've been in sin your heart's not right with God the mere fact that you're breathing today is is basically showing you do you have a second chance take advantage of the second chance that God has given to you don't think that you're gonna be the exception to the rule you know if God's giving me an opportunity to go to the best of the land to experience the abundant Christian life where it's filled with joy confidence and peace that passeth understanding I'm gonna I want to take it you know so the first thing I want to say is this is like hey you know get right with God now's the time to get right with God folks look at Luke 5 verse 27 says and after these things he went forth and saw a publican named Levi sitting at the receipt of custom and he said unto him follow me that's all he said follow first 28 and he left all rose up and followed him by the way I don't think he's just like all right well I get off at three you know soon as I'm done at three I got I got some more paperwork to do I'm trying to put in some some OT you know so I can so I can buy this you know this horse or this donkey or this chariot or whatever you know I got I got a certain standard of living here I got to keep up with but for sure at three o'clock soon as I got off man I'm gonna follow you I think he literally just dropped everything and followed him you know why because Levi's probably thinking this comes this opportunity comes only once in a lifetime and literally you did right I mean when are you gonna have Jesus come to you and say follow me right and so you know he took advantage of it he's just like well this is God in the flesh telling me to follow him I need to just leave all and just follow him you know there's a small window of opportunity for him to be to be written in the Bible right now he's been used as an example of someone who straightway follow the Lord okay and what I'm saying is this is that you know when there's a time of trouble a time of persecution a time of famine a time of pestilence and disease you know follow take it as God telling you follow me take it as God saying follow me and don't don't be like the person who's a wall you know I just bought a burden of animals I need to go try them you know I need to go bury my father first I need to go do this or that do things that they are just you know primary and then Jesus and God is just secondary no just follow just go now's the time folks John chapter 12 go to John chapter 12 if you will I don't know about you but I want to live in the best of the land I want the best that God has to offer and let me just let me let me clarify that okay when I say the best of the land I'm not saying we're that God's gonna give me all kinds of money I'm gonna have all the whips and the rides I'm gonna have all the bling bling and all the luxuries of this world the best of the land means this that you have peace in your heart you have joy you have contentment you have love in your heart you know folks possessions makes no one happy it may give you happiness for a short short short season but once that's over once that possession is taken away from you you're back to square one you're back to the drawing board you know true joy and happiness come when we serve God when we're content with the things that we have when we have a great relationship with our parents we have great relationship with our spouses we have a great relationship with our children when our children respect us when they love us when our wives loves us when our husband loves us and taking care that's great that's the abundant Christian life folks hey abundance is when you read the Bible and God is teaching you there's plenty of people out there they're so duped and and just so enthralled with the news and the media they can't even read their Bibles because they're constantly thinking about coronavirus they can't even read the Bible because they're thinking about TV programs and movies and friends and all these things that are choking the Word of God in their hearts and they're becoming unfruitful hey I want the best of the land that when I read the Bible I'm able to focus I'm able to comprehend I'm able to have strong retention I'm able to allow God to teach me through his word I can learn new things this is the best of the land folks you know there's pastors out there there's Christians out there they need a commentary to help them to understand the Bible they need some unsaved dude to help them interpret the Bible they need other people to help him interpret the Bible hey I want the best of the land where God is just teaching me himself right yeah but look how's your bank account I'm broke yeah that's not abundant yeah it is because God is the one who owns a cat on a thousand Hill and if I'm serving him he's like the best boss I have because this money never runs out the recession never affects God right you know all these ships and in cargo coming into the United States to give us food my ship comes from heaven okay and so you know now's the time to follow the John chapter 12 verse 25 he that loveth his life shall lose it he that hated this life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal if any man serve me look what it says let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be hey folks don't you want to be where Jesus is when there's you know when you're in the fiery furnace you know who you want to see there Jesus right next to you just like the just like me Shaq Shadrach and Abednego when you're in a time of famine you want God to be there when you're in the jail cell because someone lied about you falsely you want the Lord to be with you when people are reviling you when there's famine when there's pestilences when when the world is falling apart around you and God is just sending plagues upon Egypt you want God to be with you well how do you do that let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be all these things are happening there shall my servant be okay if any man serve me he will honor him will my father honor I want to dwell on the best of the land I want the best that God has to offer Genesis 47 27 says in Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt and in the country of Goshen and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly so what does God give us Goshen as a platform so we can grow you know hey you know it's the perfect time if you're struggling in your Christian growth now it's a perfect time to start growing now is the perfect time to increase your prayer life increase your Bible reading you know to increase your faith to multiply and grow exceedingly so point number one is this hey it's time to relocate to Goshen you know and by the way you can be here at church and not be in Goshen right your heart can be turned back into Egypt you're not really serving the Lord you just kind of come with a bad attitude or maybe your heart is just filled with grease their heart is as fat as grease the Bible says you know well you know Goshen is not a physical location it's just a mindset of being in the will of God when we're reading the Bible when we're serving the Lord it's being in the presence of God's blessing okay so if you're backslidden get right with God okay go to Hebrew chapter number 10 if you would Hebrew chapter number 10 let me also say this is that living in Goshen is synonymous with obedience so don't think that just because you're a Christian or because you're saved that nothing's ever gonna happen to you right we'd be ignorant to say well I'm a Christian so I can go shake everyone's hand and and go around these these these coronavirus infected people and nothing's gonna happen to me you know by the way these Pentecostal snake handlers I want to see I want to see them go to work today you know because coronavirus is a deadly thing right all right mr. snake handler why don't you go to the most quarantined place in this in the United States you know go behind the ziplock bag and hang out with those patients for a while you know and see how that works out for you right well yeah but you can't freeze these people and then you know you can't freeze that disease and then you know because you know that's what they do with snakes what they do is they freeze the snakes and then when they bring them out they're so disoriented they're not gonna they're not gonna bite them and by the way most of those guys do give it common sense folks God gave us something called common sense right so this is not at the exclusion of common sense you know but living in Goshen is synonymous with obedience think about this you know when all these plagues were taking place one of the biggest plagues was the death right of the firstborn known as the destroyer but even the children of Israel were given instructions hey put blood on the post you know he wasn't just gonna favor them just because they were God's people he says you need to follow these instructions and you know if they didn't the destroyer would get them to understand so what I'm saying is this is that hey we need to make sure that as Christians we're living in full obedience to him as best as we possibly can obviously look at Hebrews 10 verse 26 for if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remain is no more sins for sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment a fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries he that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sword punishment suppose he shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God and has counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace you know if the children of Israel during the time that the destroyer was coming through their camps would have just disregarded the blood they would have suffered the consequences now people want to take this and say well this means you can lose your salvation no it doesn't means they can just lose their life okay that's all it means doesn't mean you can't you can lose your salvation you can't lose your salvation I've given to them eternal life and they shall never perish well we obviously know that people die physically so that's not referring to you know that's not referring to their physical bodies is referring to their spirit I will never leave you nor forsake you right this is referring to the fact that God's punishment God's judgment can even come upon God's people if they don't live in obedience to God okay and so just because we're Christians doesn't mean we're immune to any virus so hey practice cleanliness amen wash your hands make sure you're showering those of you young teenagers out there you know hey hey Paris that's it now is a good motivation to tell you know hey I know you didn't want to shower before but you know if you don't practice cleanliness you're you know you can get some some sort of virus or something you know you're like oh man you know I'm gonna start taking a shower once a week now that's a start son that's a start okay you know practice cleanliness prepare and look this is something we've always said in our church right like if you're sick stay home if you have sick children stay home that's why my family's not here because I don't want them to get infected by you I'm just kidding one of my sons is sick he has a mild cough and I don't want him to come and give anybody else a cough and look folks I I love the the family integrated church but you know it stinks sometimes because you know all the kids are in here then they start playing together and then I mean we obviously know that we've been plagued by sickness over the last like two months I mean my children have basically been sick every week all right how many of your children have been sick at least every week or every other week okay you know every week every other week kids are sick and it's because they're playing with each other or whatnot that's why we got to make sure that we you know practice this and say you know what maybe not about the time to come to church and infect everyone else because look if my kids are sick and they come here and none of your kids are sick I just basically just caused your absence of our church for the next like two months especially especially if you have a lot of kids right you know so we need to make sure that we practice cleanliness that we're being we're being careful harmless as doves wise as serpents now go with you if you would to Exodus chapter 10 Exodus chapter number 10 so we're talking about Goshen here talk about living in Goshen and Goshen is symbolic of just the presence of God dwelling in his blessing you know having God's favor in our lives that's what we need you know sometimes what we need is not necessarily a pay raise we just need God's favor sometimes what we need is not just a stronger body we just need God's favor you know sometimes what we need it what we don't need is more possessions it's just God's favor because God's favor just outdoes all of those things okay well here's my third point is this is that Goshen is a city that is set on a hill and cannot be hid what do you say what do you mean by that you know remember this when darkness came upon Egypt Goshen was able to shine that much brighter look what it says in Exodus 10 verse 20 but the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go and the Lord said unto Moses stretch out thine hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt even darkness which may be felt I mean this is a thick darkness what does it mean that it may be felt in other words they probably couldn't even see in front of their hands as if something was blocking them from even you know seeing their hand this is how thick this darkness was it says there in verse 22 and Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven and there was a thick darkness and all the land of Egypt three days they saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three days this sounds like the coronavirus you know the people aren't even leaving their houses right but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings amen Goshen was not affected now what does this represent go to John chapter number 8 I'm sorry go to Philippians chapter 2 I'll read to you from John chapter 8 what this represents is that hey folks we are the light of the world a city that is set on the hill cannot be hid neither do men light a candle put it under a bushel you know let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven now is the time to not be fearful why because in the midst of those who are fearful you're gonna trip people out there people are gonna be like why aren't you like why aren't you scared why aren't you doing this why aren't you getting vaccinated well I'll tell you what I'm not getting vaccinated you know why aren't you freaking out it's just like cuz I have the Lord let me tell you about him so you're not fearful either be a light right the Bible says in John 8 12 then spake Jesus again into them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness see those in Egypt who were following the Lord they were living in Goshen they had light in their dwellings they weren't walking in darkness like the rest of the world was he says follow me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life look at Philippians 2 says tell me that this isn't reminiscent to Egypt in Exodus chapter 8 verse 14 do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom you shine as lights in the world the Bible says where was Goshen it was in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation known as Egypt and the Bible tells us there that they can shine as light in the world we need to take advantage of this pestilence to go to people and give them the gospel and say are you 100% sure that if you're to die of the coronavirus today you go to heaven I got that for Miss Janelle Gonzalez she we're out soul winning as a group and and I came back to a chill sowing with ray and I was like how did it go yeah it didn't go too well and and she's like I think it's my introduction I think I need help on my introduction I'm like what are you saying she's just like why tell him you know are you gonna percent sure that if you died of the coronavirus today you'd go to heaven I was just like she's like I'm just kidding you know okay but now I'm thinking I was like hey maybe that's not have that to use you know that sounds like a good something everyone's mine but you know the darker the night the brighter the light and isn't it pretty dark out there right now I mean fear is at an all-time high right now so should we be like unto Egypt and dwell in darkness no we need to be joyous we need to smile we need to laugh we need to have faith right not at the expense of not being careful but hey you know we need to have the right spirit right attitude okay and win people to Christ now because now people are fearful and sometimes you know when people are fearful they they seek the Lord like God I guarantee you there's been more God help me God help my family this week than ever before you know God the people are just like Lord please help me you know I know I said I was an atheist but you know I know I said you know I was trying to make that Christian mad but you know I need you now you know now it's just like you know there's no atheist in foxholes right so we're in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation and this is our opportunity to shine now's your time to shine go with me if you would to Deuteronomy chapter number eight Deuteronomy chapter number eight so Goshen is a city that is set on a hill not literally but what I'm saying is that it was a light everyone in Egypt was probably like where's that light coming from look at it there's one place where there's light where is that well that's what the children of Israel oh yeah that's right I'm not going there you know I'm sure there's other people that did though because it wasn't there a group of Egyptians that came out with the children of Israel you know they were able to save some of these Egyptians from the judgment of God and they were able to come with them and and and they were integrated into the the Israelites there the community there and so in like manner let's seek to do the same thing you know Egyptians are just like a symbolic of the unsaved Israelites are just symbolic of the same people let's try to get them saved and be a light unto them okay what am I doing this morning I'm trying to like redirect our attention and and kind of use this crisis as an opportunity to do something for God next point is this please increase the faith of the people of God too okay I'll read to you again from Exodus 8 22 it says to the end that thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth so what are plagues do it causes us because you know we don't if we're not careful when we have an abundance of things we don't really like ask God for for the basics that we already have sometimes we just take things for granted but when there's a need it kind of helps us to remember oh man I do need God's help to the end that thou mayest know that there is a God in heaven you know look at Deuteronomy 8 verse 1 Deuteronomy 8 verse 1 says and all the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do that ye may live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers and thou shall remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldst keep his commandments or no and he humbled thee look what he says and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with manna which thou knewest not neither did thy fathers know that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceed out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live so a crisis can cause us to redirect our attention and recognize ultimately protection safety food anything we need comes from the hand of God and it increases our faith once again you know deep down inside I hope that this crisis gets just so much worse I hope that God just begins to destroy the finances that God destroys the health that God destroys and just takes everything why because it'll just make us better Christians that's why no no no don't take all those things for me you need it to be taken away from you we need it to be taken away from us I'm not my health oh man if your health goes I guarantee you'll get closer to God I guarantee it you will draw near to the Lord like well I don't want that to happen that you better draw near now because it's good for us it's good for us you know when there's famines when there's pestilences when there is a lack of food when there's a lack of resources because it just makes us better Christians and increases our faith so much the more like man please don't pray that please don't do that well you know what it's true though that's the reality of it when the bank account is low and you're in need you know I guarantee you'll be showing up to church more often like you know what I think I'm gonna go to church I need God's favor in my life yeah amen amen hey but they had what they needed you know they didn't have all the luxuries but they had the manna right the Bible says in John 16 33 these things have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace in the world each have tribulation but be of good cheer I've overcome the world and amen to that go to Hebrew chapter 11 and this is where we finish actually go to go to Matthew chapter 6 I'll just kind of breeze over this point because this is what I mentioned in the beginning dwelling in Goshen is in a time of crisis helps us to long for the promised land you know sometimes we just we live like as if we're always gonna be here all right don't we dwell here as if we're always gonna just be here and some a crisis like this helps us to remember like this world is not my home I'm just a passing through I'm a stranger and I'm a pilgrim and it helps us to long for heaven so much the more and that's what God wants us to do he wants us to be heavenly minded right to set our affections on things above not on groceries not on money not on possessions not on our health set our affection on things above none of the things of this world so allow this crisis to cause you to just think about long for and love heaven so much the more and thank God for your salvation amen thank God for the greatest insurance that we have right thank God for the greatest insurance the greatest health that God could ever give us give us is the redemptions of our body right the redemptions of our body we're going to heaven we have eternal life let's go out with the bang okay because we're not looking for this city we're looking for one to come okay now let me close with this verse here look at Matthew chapter 6 verse 25 it says therefore I say unto you take no thought for your life what you shall eat or what you shall drink nor yet for your body what you shall put on is not the life more than me and the body more than Raymond so when you're lacking in the next couple of weeks just remember this it's not life more than me by the way some of us can afford losing some weight amen you know start fasting get yourself into a top of G hey just remember this during the Great Depression when they're when people would eat once a day they actually extended their lives by an average of seven years so actually this this could actually make this not only better Christians but just better health-wise they extended their lives for seven years and that's what's known as the greatest generation they're so tough and fortified right he says it's not life more than me in the body than Raymond look at verse 26 behold the fowls of the air for they so not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly father feed at them are you not much better than they so when you're struggling in the next couple of weeks just look out the window look at your nearest bird and say I'm way better than that and that fat little bird looks like he's been eating pretty good stinking bird is not even saved when he dies he just dies God loves me more than that bird aren't you better than they you know the the the animal activities be like no verse 27 well you get a you get a vegan and an animal activist a star put some put some meat in front of them it's gonna look pretty good to them and all that vegan philosophies going on going out the window verse 27 which of you by taking thoughts can add one cubit unto his stature you can't think yourself to be tall and why take ye thought for Raymond consider the lilies of the field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these wherefore if God so clothed the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow's cast into the oven shall he not much more clothed you oh ye of little faith what does he say if he's able to just clothe and arrayed this world the beautiful aspects of this world with such glory and beauty and wonder just remember this that belongs to him he takes care of his possessions well don't you belong to the Lord too right this is wherefore if God so cold the grass which is today is and tomorrow's captain to the oven shall he not much more clothed you oh ye of little faith therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed for after all these things do the Gentiles the Egyptians seek for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things God knows what you need he keeps better track of your inventory than you do but seek ye first the kingdom of God in his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you he says look I know you need these things but here's the one condition you just got to seek the kingdom of God in his righteousness and I'll give you all these things priorities folks priorities so what am I saying this morning what I'm saying is this hey we're living in Goshen let's stay in Goshen and if you don't live in Goshen it's time to relocate to Goshen and and recognize that God can take care of us he can protect us and if he so desires not to it's for the glory of God okay fear not in God is our confidence he's our strong tower and we're gonna be okay let's pray father we thank you so much for your word and verses like even like Matthew chapter 6 are sometimes things that we don't even think about during times like this but it's it's what needs to be in our hearts during these times and Lord I pray God that should give us peace in our hearts I know even in my life sometimes I can get nervous or I can become fearful and having a cabinet full of food is not going to take the fear away having our bodies as healthy as possible is not going to take the fear away you know it's the peace of God the past with understandings that shall keep our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord and I pray God that you'd use this crisis as a means to help us to be better Christians better servants for you to think upon you upon your word to love people more help us to take full advantage of this pestilence that we would grow through it and we pray that your hand be upon us that you would protect us and provide for us in the midst of trials we love you so much we thank you pray these things in Jesus name amen