The Desert Song - I

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, you want to hear from you. Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's greg@harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment on as a human being tend to think of the here and now God can't trust things more of the boy and why I think about what will make me happy in the moment, God's more interested in what will make me holy coming up today. Pastor Greg Laurie points out, the Lord wants us to choose the kind of joy that will follow us into eternity got in the game is to make us more like Jesus is preparing us for heaven because heaven is prepared ways prepared and in more tension to expiration date.

You may see a dozen cartons of milk on the show but a careful book shows that the expiration dates on some cartons are much further into the future, but sometimes we don't think carefully about the other things of life that may affect those things that bring quick enjoyment often bring long-lasting disappointment coming up today.

New beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie helps us focus on the things above the study of motions. I remember as a little kid I used to go to the desert. I live with my grandparents I mentioned earlier that I was conceived out of wedlock so basically I was with my mom.

Part of the time I was with aunts and uncles, but I spent a good part of my childhood with my grandparents a little bit of it in military school and does so my grandparents are interesting. There were from another century right there. Were you want to talk about old school. They were the oldest old school you could get. So we lived in Southgate California and they had little cabin in Yucca Valley and if you ever been to Yucca Valley.

Okay, that's the desert. Yucca Valley so we have this little cabin on the premises, did not have electricity that we would often get there at night and I just remember it was freezing cold, so they'd like a little kerosene lamps and the potbelly stove. But the most dramatic thing for a little kid was having to use the outhouse. There was no bathroom. I went to the outhouse at night.

It was cold. It was scary. It didn't smell good. Okay, if that wasn't enough trauma.

My grandfather was of the persuasion that food should be fresh.

So instead of like normal people going to the market and buying frozen chicken breast, he would kill the chicken and we have it then that was tasty but scary because he took up chicken live, Chickamauga six-year-old kid watching this, he puts it on a stump job to turn off the chicken body rolls off the stop flopping around blood going everywhere. The little heads land there III really believed to this day that that body was added at me toward me and I thought how is this happening is they had seen turn right turn right. Go straight.

I don't know what but so these are some of my memories of hanging out in the desert and I didn't really have anybody to hang out with. So I go and look for lizards and one time I was allowed to bring a friend out, and so on. The drive out he got sick in the car and threw up everywhere. Everybody got out of the car.

They said Greg Yorke to clean it up.

So in the hot desert sun.

I cleaned up my friends vomit.

One of the great highlights of my life. So when you say desert I don't get excited, so maybe that gives new meaning to the word yeah Valley right that's what it was for me the offense if you're from there. I know it's a pretty ways.

I bring this up because sometimes we find ourselves in a desert. We find ourselves in a wilderness of sorts, and we don't know why were there we can make any sense out of it at the time of trial and hardship that you're going through might be a personal need that you have before you and you don't see how that need will ever be met. Might be a time of spiritual dryness in your life and you are trying to figure out why this is happened to you. Let's see what happened to the Israelites as they went into their wilderness. Quick recap almost ordered catch up to where we are now your member course already alluded to it.

Moses is spared by God because the fair would put out a decree that all the Jewish baby boys were to be put to death. He was taken into the house of Pharaoh, adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh, the Princess of Egypt. He basically was eating the finest food in the world. Yet everything one could want. It was literally the Prince of Egypt and the Jewish historian Josephus believes that Moses was potentially being groomed to be the next Pharaoh. But underneath the royal robes be the heart of a Jew, he saw his fellow Jews being mistreated in a distrust up. He wanted to do something about it. But even know what to do. One day he saw an Egyptian slave driver mistreating the Jew and so we intervened in the Bible says they look to the right knee look to the left and he killed the Egyptian and when the Pharaoh heard about that. He put a contract out of Moses and Moses ran for his life so he was no longer the prince of each at he was no longer of the royal family and the love for North America, though the wrong story to Prince Harry and Megan Mark lots another story, but there after 40 years in the wilderness, thinking his life was done for God recommissioned him as I've said before, Moses spent 40 years in the Pharaoh's court finding out he was a somebody 40 years in the wilderness finding out he was a nobody than 40 years finding out what God can do with this somebody realizes there is nobody commissioned by God to lead the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt. Moses takes along Aaron would prove to be trouble later that in a future message he demands a release of the Jews.

The Pharaoh did examine refuses a series of plagues come upon Egypt and finally the Israelites are free and now they're making their way to this new land, but they come to what looks like an insurmountable obstacle is called the Red Sea and we also read in Exodus 1410.

They saw the Egyptian army in pursuit so they took the rise of God and put them on that Egyptian army, which by the way was the mightiest army on earth at the time that were going to die in the kingdom. Moses would even a duty to bring us out here to watch the sky and Moses began to pray in the Lord effectively said this is not a time to pray for this is the time to move. Did you know there can come a moment in your life and you don't need to pray about something any longer. You just need to act on it that time it come for Moses lords and hold up the staff over the Red Sea and he did. The waters open up and parted in Israel trouble right through the middle of it. Then when they got to the other side, the waters collapsed on the pursuing Egyptian army and now the people of God, give glory to the Lord, bringing me to point number one remember to give thanks to God for his faithfulness to you again. Remember to give thanks to God for his faithfulness to you of someone 23 says the Lord has done great things for us, and were filled with joy.

So that's what they did. Exodus 15 one says the people of Israel sang the song of the Lord all sing to the Lord. He triumphed gloriously, Israel both horse and rider into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and my song that he has given me victory this is my God and I will praise him, my father's God and I will exalt him. A lot of times were passionate in prayer. We need something from God. There's nothing wrong with that. You pray about whatever you're facing. But after the Lord is answered your prayer limitation grateful how many of you have ever had God answer your prayer raise Randa again after he is answered your prayer be just as passionate to give him thanks you know we make a lot of noise and we have the meeting the Lord answers the request now say Lord, thank you for what you have done for me on this is interesting. They have their song their song in the desert.

That's why call this message by that title. Another going to go into the wilderness immediately on the heels of this great blessing reminding us that trials often follow blessings. Sometimes valleys come right after mountaintop experiences so-called never have that happen maybe go to a retreat in your less than you feel like your life is been impacted and when you return. There's all these troubles waiting for you work sometimes even after church difficulties come your way. Well, you find precedent for this in Scripture member Jesus was baptized by his cousin John in the Jordan River. The father said this is my beloved son in whom I will please the Holy Spirit came upon Christ in the form of a dove.

What happens after that. The Bible says immediately. The spirit of the Lord led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested immediately front of the heels of it for Jesus. After the dove came the double and for you after the blessing may come the trial. That is what was happening to Israel.

But listen, there are crews that can only be learned in the desert and I'm speaking metaphorically. There are things that can only be learned in a wilderness so to speak. Jesus wanted his wilderness, Moses came out of his wilderness. Remember, even the apostle Paul is is getting prepared to serve the Lord.

He went for a time into the desert as well.

There are things we learned there. It's been said Christians are a lot like teabags you don't know what they're made of them, so you put them in hot water so maybe you're the hot water trial right now. Lots of work for Greg Lord will have the second half of this message just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here inviting you to join me every weekend for what we call Harvest at Home. It's a church service. It's a worship service.

It's a Bible study and its wherever you wanted to be in your home in your car sitting on a beach walking down the street watching it on your phone wherever you are taking with you to be ministered to every weekend. Join us for harvested home@harvest.org will today. Pastor Greg is offering a number of important principles in his message from Exodus 16 called the Desert song.

Let's continue. Point number two God will allow trials in the life of the believer to help them to grow spiritually. God will allow trials in the life of the believer to help them to grow spiritually if he wanted to. The Lord could have just taken Israel straight to the promised land like come to the Red Sea, fast-forward, get airlifted right over to the land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey, that instead they were in the wilderness not I will add they were in their wilderness longer than they needed to be the Lord did want them there for a time, but they made it a lot harder than it had to be. But when any nice if the moment you accept Christ use went to heaven. The people in prayer there in heaven. Just pray this prayer Lord Jesus come into my life. I know I'm a sinner, thank you for dying on the cross for me, I give my life to you now in Jesus name I pray.

They met in heaven while the whole I like this got to do that, but instead he has us go through life we go through blessings and trials in all kinds of things as he prepares us for heaven. Why did the Lord let them go to the wilderness. The answer is given in Deuteronomy 82 when the Lord says remember how God led you through the wilderness for 40 years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character in the find out whether you would obey his commands. Bottom line, our spiritual roots grow deep when the winds around us, make us strong because God's endgame is to make us more like Jesus. He's preparing us for heaven because heaven is a prepared place for prepared people I is a human being tend to think of the here and now God. In contrast, things more of the by-and-by I think of the temporal God thinks of the eternal.

I think about what will make me happy in the moment, God's more interested in what will make me holy and happy. I look at the small picture God looks at the big picture. As I've said before, trials, hardships like God's chin. You break down the muscle to build up the muscle and I don't know about you but I don't like to exercise that I could find a way to never exercise again.

Never go to with Jim again. I would be happy very happy, but no such thing exists but I'll talk to people, they just want to run to a great run like what is wrong with you three really cause great.

I agree run when I went to In-N-Out Burger the other day but I put up with it because it produces something that some work in the same way we don't necessarily like trials like Hebrews 11 Tuesday 1211 says no disciplines enjoyable when it's happening. It's painful, but the end result is worth it all.

James says, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of trials in James one to present more modern translation puts it, consider it a sheer gift friend when testing challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith like this force into the open and shows its true colors.

I like that translation. But what we do. Often we complain Lord, why are you letting this happen.

Living look at verse three of chapter 16 of Exodus this.

If only the Lord and killed us back in Egypt. There we sat around pots filled with me. They made all the bread we wanted had you brought us into this wilderness to starve us to death.

What this is one month after they were delivered from Egypt, which had been praying about forever. This is one month after the Red Sea had been parted and their enemies are drowned and they basically said all great. You have brought us out here to die and we remember how awesome it was back in Egypt we have had pots filled with meat meat everywhere bread almost so much bread and she that wasn't true at all because he is you read about their history they suffered. They were in Keene was so hard for them.

But you know sometimes the devil is clever to bring back certain memories from our past and they're never the miserable memories of the few good times that we had. We all have a little fun before we were Christians. Let's be honest in the devil will say remember that one time when I is fun. Hey limit this other time of this is great deal. There is a remember the time when you were so depressed he wanted to kill yourself number that member how you are racked with guilt each and every day. Remember when he'd wake up in the morning with a hangover member that a memo we had to face the repercussions for your sense wasn't that cold out. It is a reminder that stuff. So the same way they're having this memory that isn't even based on reality.

The first step to going back is looking back. That is why were told no men having put his hand of the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of heaven so you know you can get people out of slavery in a day, but you can't get slavery out of people, all that quickly. It's a process, Allen Redpath, a great British preacher that I have the privilege of getting to know a lot of amazing books that my son Jonathan his middle name was from Allen is Jonathan Allen Lori's so named after Allen Redpath, rep have made this statement and I quote the conversion of the soul is the miracle of a moment, but the manufacturer of the saint is a task of a lifetime. That's called sanctification. Salvation is instantaneous sanctification becoming more like Christ.

That takes a lot of time infected takes a lifetime. So they pray and they asked God to intervene and he did intervene and that brings me to point number three God will always provide what you need when you need God will always provide what you need when you need it sometimes look for never after.

Now the Lord cannot provide them with something to eat. Called manna. Let's read about it.

Exodus 16 verse 11 then the Lord said to Moses, I've heard Israel's complaints. No tell them in the evening he wanted me to eat in the morning. 11. Bread that all the bread you want then you will know that I am the Lord your God. That evening, vast numbers of quail fell in and covered the The next morning the area around the camp was what would do with the dog operated a flaky substance of flaky substance is finest frost blanketed the ground the Israelites are puzzled when they saw what is it they asked each other. They had no idea what it was no remember these people never read the book of Exodus. Okay so so cycle happening in real time cuts as I give you meat in the ring quail Bergen you there's any and now here's your bread. It's called manna that were told it was sweet and it was a flaky substance is finest frost comes from the Hebrew frost over flake out, not really, but time member frosted flakes.

I see those on us again. I like them but it was bread from heaven that the Bible describes it is Angels food on angel food cake, but the food of angels, no interest in me.

In the Bible. Bread is a staple of life.

So if you're on the Quito diet. Sorry about that Ron Atkins good friend was a part of pretty much every meal you take your bread and dip it in the various sauces inside temperature mission there, and so forth and so that's why Jesus said in the Lord's prayer and he taught us to pray said we should pray. Give us this day our daily bread. That's not just talking about bread. In particular, it's effectively saying God to be everything that I need in life. So bread would be in your food, it would mean your housing that would be in your career, it would mean everything that you name your money back to 20 back in the 60s. We used to call money bread is a humidity of the bread which is another way of saying, can you give me some money so bread, so this is something God gave to all of them. Here's the thing that we need to remember God's promise to provide all of your needs according to his riches in glory and grace. But he is not promised to provide all of your wants you provide all of your needs, but he won't provide all of your hurt. Creeds and sometimes I think we confuse the two. Lord I really need this new car, or maybe wanted. I don't know if you need it. I really need this bigger house. I really need this other thing, or maybe you needed. Maybe you don't listen.

If you have food in your stomach and a roof over your head. God has met the needs in your life. So remember to give him thanks.

Having said that, we also read in Scripture that he's able to do exceedingly above and beyond that which we could ask or think. So you might stable Lord I don't know this is a need or not it's something I would like the Lord may say no, but then again he might say, oh, actual, to give you more than you pray for that happens to this. So the Lord will meet your needs. These promise to do so he gives them this manna. Practical encouragement coming from the experience of the Israelites in the desert is part of Pastor Greg Lori's message today on the new beginning titled the Desert song. Now hopefully you got the entire study today. But if you missed any part you can get an instant replay by going to harvest.org or request a copy on CD by dialing 1-800-821-3300.

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Write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 go online to harvest stock for next time more insight from our study of Moses leading the Israelites in the wilderness as part of the serious water fire stone. Join us your new beginning and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor greats free daily email, devotions@harvest.org