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The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist
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message from God's Word will be a blessing to you.
This is. A text that the Lord really knit
on my heart a few weeks ago when I was reading it and as I began
studying it, man, it just kind of chewed me up and spit me out.
Right and and I don't. I don't want it to do that to
you as well necessarily, but I'm just.
Hoping to make me communicate. Some truths and it was really an
idea. That that was kind of new to me
and and. Convicting to me.
And and so I. Hope it'll be a help.
And a blessing I don't. Want to give too much away, kind
of like what pastor was talking this morning.
I want to I don't want to let the cat out of the bag too
early. And so I'm trying to kind of
finagle through that because I think.
It is a passage and I'll just let you know it's numbers.
Chapter 11 if you turn your Bibles there, numbers Chapter 11
probably a little bit. Of a passage that's more obscure
in our minds and maybe something that we're not super familiar
with and I'm not being. Original here.
This isn't. This isn't my words.
This is what God has to say. But but I do want to convey a
truth that that might maybe be new to us or a reminder from
maybe a different. Angle and and so I just I just
want to be a help to us that's all I want to do really and
share something that the Lord's put in my heart and so if you
just bear with me like I said it is a new passage for me
definitely a new sermon and so I hope it's fresh and something
that you can just walk home tonight and say man that was
that was helpful and and so. I am going.
To I'm kind of I. Was wrestling this afternoon
about? Exactly how much to read?
Because I, I I. Do want to read the?
Beginning and the end and then kind of.
Come back, do cutbacks. If we will to different parts to
kind of see what's going on. So I'll, I'll begin.
In verse one. And we'll probably.
Just read a couple verses and then Fast forward a little bit.
But this is all kind of take this whole chapter is taking
place in. Kind of the same timeline.
You see the first few verses dealing with their desire for
quail and then the last. Few verses the outcome of that.
And then in the middle, you kind of have this section where Moses
needs our desires more help in the leadership department and so
the Lord. Provides that.
And so there's kind of. A gap there.
But we'll read the first part. And then and then the last part
and and come back to a few different verses to kind of try
to get a glimpse of what's going on here.
And so I don't know. What you're used to, but if
you're. Willing and you're able, I would
enjoy if you could stand for the honor of the reading of God's
Word, and I believe the Lord will be pleased.
And so Numbers 11. Let's be in verse one.
And when the people complained, it displeased the.
Lord and the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled, and the
fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that
were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
And the people cried into Moses, and when Moses prayed into the.
Lord, the fire was quenched. And he called the name of the.
Place Tabara because the fire of the.
Lord. Burnt among them and so we see
the situation that they're coming off.
Of, I mean, pretty pretty bleak. Interesting situation.
Where the Fire Lord? Reigns, I mean, they were just
reprimanded for complaining. Literally just right there in
verse 3. And then in verse.
Four probably. Well, I'll stop in this first
section. It says in the mixed multitude.
That was among them fell. Lusting and the children of
Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh?
To eat. So we see that.
That they're, they're wanting meat.
Right. They've been being fed mana.
God's already established that as his provision.
And now they're desiring meat. And I'm hoping that we're kind
of. Asking the question as we go
along. You know what?
You might first see that. And say, well, what's what's
wrong with wanting meat? But we're going to see that
there's some things. Going on here, that's more than
just they want to mix it up, you know, and we're going to see
that and so. Now let's just jump down.
I don't want you to keep reading.
I don't want to spoil it. All right?
And so we'll jump down to verse 31, All right.
And so this is. I mean, this is this is God.
Giving them what they wanted, OK in its essence.
And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails
from the sea. And let them fall.
By the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it
were a day's journey on the other side, round about the
camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
And the people stood up all that day and all that night and all
the next day. And they gathered the quails.
He that gathered least, he that gathered least notice like I
mean the person that gathered the least amount gathered 10
homers and they spread them all about for themselves round about
the camp. And while the.
Flesh was yet between their. Teeth ere it was chewed, the
wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord
smote the people with a very great plague.
And he called the name of that. Place Kibaroff had of a.
I'm working on my pronunciation so I looked up YouTube videos.
That's how they said it, so if I'm wrong please correct me and
so. And they called that place.
Kibiroth had of a unto Hazaroth and abode.
At Hazaroth you may be. Seated.
Let's pray, Dear heavenly. Father, thank you for this day.
Thank you for the opportunity to be.
Able to preach to this wonderful people, Lord.
And I I don't want to take it. For granted.
And I don't want to do this in the arm of the flesh, Lord.
And you know my heart, Lord, you know that.
I'm nervous and I'm anxious. To just preach your word, Lord.
And I just want to convey the message that you've given me,
Lord. And so just help it to come
across. Clear Lord and just help it to
be what we need here to hear today Lord and just call my
nerves Lord be with the people. Just bless this church Lord.
I'm helping to be a beacon unto this community Lord, and just
help us all to. Love you and serve.
You and be used by you. Thank you Father for all that
you do in Jesus name. Amen.
And so before maybe just as a little bit of way to engage with
you guys, have you all ever got? Into something or.
Not necessarily buyer's remorse to be like buyer's remorse.
Sure, that. You probably relate with that.
But maybe even buyer's. Remorse.
Inexperienced, inexperiential way.
In the sense that you, you, you got into something that you had
in mind that was going to be awesome.
And let's just say that it disappointed.
Your expectations? You know, this was my experience
and I'm just going to share. With you, my experience when it
came to hunting. OK, I am not an outdoorsman by
any stretch. Of the imagination I was born in
Miami, FL, city fied as could be.
And then we came to Kentucky and that was like the thing like.
If you were. Going to be cool.
Or like if you were going to really, you know, connect with
people, that was it. It was hunting and fishing.
Like they loved it. The guys loved.
It and so here I am. I'm probably 12 whenever I.
First came across my mind. Man, I want to go hunting.
I would love to go. Hunting and of course.
Deer and Turkey are the main 2. And but my dad told me.
I mean, my dad knows me, me and my.
Dad are exact, like we're clones with each other and he said,
son, you're going to hate it. You're going to hate every
moment of it. And even said something like
this. We.
Are not built to be. Hunters and I'm like Oh no dad
no we're different it's going to be great it's going to be
awesome and so I ask and I ask I mean it's been 2-3 years now
that I. Wanted to go hunting.
And I have it in my mind and my dad's already warned me.
He's already told me what's. Going to happen if I.
Go, he said. You're going to be disappointed.
You're going to be maybe discouraged with it.
I mean, it's going to be waste. On you for to do that, but I
begged and I. Begged and finally.
He gave in. And so I'm 1415, I get my
Hunter's license. I, I, I do everything and oh,
excuse me. About to fall there.
And, and I get everything together and there's a guy in
the church who's. Willing to take me?
And I take off work and I go and it's, you know.
Freezing cold outside. Freezing cold and you guys.
Know that better than I do. And and but you know my mind.
I've got it all. You know, unbelievable
expectations for the situation here.
I I'm thinking, OK, I'm going to go out there.
The adrenaline's running. I'm going to shoot. 10 deer in a
matter of like 5 minutes. And it's going to be great.
And so I'm like, I don't even need a coat.
You know, I, I don't need anything.
And so I go out there, I've got my little orange shirt on and my
orange pants and my dad's like you should probably be.
Probably more coats than that. And I'm like, oh, that's fine,
it's fine. So he drops me off and like we,
we set up our blind, we go out. Trekkie, we set up our.
Blind and and we've got the hot chocolate.
Out and life's great. And then I ask the gentleman
that took me, and I say, well, OK, now what?
You know we're. We're here in this blind.
We've got our rifles, now what? And he says, well now we wait
and I'm like that's fine, I can wait 5. 10 minutes for a 2020
point buck. You know, that's not a problem.
I am happy. To wait for this buck.
And then three hours later, my hands are falling off.
We're out of hot chocolate. My stomach is gnarling.
At me because I'm so hungry. I didn't eat breakfast, you
know, I was just, I didn't know what I was getting myself into.
And I kid you not, if I could have.
Used my fingers. I would have pulled out my.
Phone and called my dad right then and there to come pick me
up. I would have.
I had no shame in it. And the saddest part of all is
we're out there for 810 hours, you know?
Forever. We didn't see a.
Thing, but we I didn't get to shoot a gun.
I mean, it was. A waste.
But I got what I wanted and and yet I remember.
Even so vividly, I kid you not. We're driving.
Out of there we get in his pickup truck.
And we drive past the. Field and there's like 6 deer in
there literally like. 6 deer and I look at them and of course
like the sun's going down now so we can't shoot and it's like
they just stared at me. And we're waving at me.
And I was like, this has been the most disappointing, the most
awful experience of my life and I've never gone.
Hunting again. Deer hunting that.
Is I, I haven't. And, and I remember getting home
and I was just kind of down and discouraged and, and my dad was
just like, you know. I I told you what to expect, I
told you what to. Expect and and and you see I
got. What I wanted, but not what I
expected. And in this passage we see
something. Similar going on.
They get what they want, they do, but it's not just that it
was a disappointment. It wasn't it, man, man, it was
just a waste. Of a couple days retrieving
quail. It was actually really
destructive. And I'm concerned that all of us
here today. Are in grave danger.
Of not listening to the. Warning of our Heavenly Father
that He placed here in this passage for us.
And so today I want us to look at exactly what's Happening in
in this historically recorded account for us.
And, and it's been really, if I could be honest, it's been
really. Convicting to me to.
Read and study this passage and to see how.
Often this situation pops up in our lives and it's more than we
might. Think so today.
I I never do sermon titles. Because I'm terrible at them.
I'm so bad. But today I've titled my sermon.
Drop the shovel. And hopefully.
That'll make sense to you as we go along, but drop the shovel
the. Other title if you're into.
Subtitles would be this. When you get what you.
Wanted but not what you needed. When you get what you wanted but
not what you needed. And the children of Israel they
got. What they wanted, but they lost
what they needed. And and so they wanted.
Quail and we'll see why that's an issue.
I hope that's on your mind. I hope you're saying why, Why?
What's, What's up with that? And so.
They got the quail. But it cost them seeing out
God's provision in their life. And so, you know, the children
of Israel and before we think, you know, before you think,
well, you know, they've been in the wilderness forever.
It makes sense that they would want.
Something different than mana. This is only two.
Years after the exodus from Egypt.
Only about two years, not not that long.
And this is only a couple chapters before ultimately, yes,
those 40 years. In the wilderness.
Began. I believe it's.
In chapter 13, whenever they go to explore.
What would be the promised land? And it's an important here to
note to explain. Where this all started, people
were consumed. We saw that in verse one through
3. They're consumed for their
complaining. Right, that this just.
Happened and then. Excuse me in verse 4.
We see this mixed multitude. I'll just read that verse again.
Chapter 11, Verse 4. It says and the mixed.
Multitude that was among them fell lusting, and the children
of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to
eat so it? Starts with this mixed
multitude. Now I don't, I don't want you to
to get. Misunderstand Misunderstand me
here. This mixed multitude would have
been people that came with them from Egypt or from other parts.
That were that were a part of Israel at this.
Point that were mixed in, but every man in this.
Story is responsible for their decision.
They were influenced by this mixed multitude.
But it's all of them that end up not.
All of Israel, but all of the ones that.
Go out and want. This thing and get this thing,
each man is responsible for that.
It's just noting and it began with this mixed multitude.
And so this group begins lusting after flesh, the Bible says.
And and like I said, it's, it's more than that.
And this attitude? Or consensus.
Begins to overtake the camp and you guys understand?
How things like that can? Happen.
You know, one person says something and then, Oh yeah,
that's a great idea. It's not a good idea.
And we're going to see. Why?
And So what? We'll circle back and continue
reading a little bit further, but but let's come back to
verses 31 and 30. 2 Just to get a picture here.
It was a long. Journey to get the quail here.
You know, we'll get more into it, but there's basically 2.
Interpretations with how they obtain the quail.
And I'm not. I can't be dogmatic.
About exactly what this looked like.
But if we can picture it, we know obviously from the text
that it says that. Then there went. 4 foot went
from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let
them fall by the camp, as it were.
A day's journey I I don't think it's saying here that there's a
day's journey worth of. Quail all around side the camp
from from the middle out. I think it's saying that it took
a day to get. To these quail.
And then from there there's there's twos lines of reasoning
here. A.
Is that either these? Quail were heaped up literally
in piles that are what does it say 2 cubits high and.
As where it is you run about the camp and as where?
Yeah, 2 cubits. High so that.
Would be about 3 feet. So so you can say that there's
piles 3 feet high in the. Circle of the outside of the
camp. Or the other line of thought
would be. That.
The wind and the Lord caused them to.
Fly 3 feet above the ground and then they.
Were caught from there. Either way, we're talking about
a lot. Of quail here a lot of quail.
And, and just to illustrate that, you know, the Lord sends
this wind. And another thing that's very
intriguing to me about this situation is that unlike the
manna, if we think of the manna, we don't know exactly what it
was. We know that the Lord.
Provided it. That was his intended provision
for the people of Israel, and he puts it in the middle of the
camp. And and they gathered it right?
Well, this. Unlike that they have to go a
day outside the camp on the other most and this is the same
spot. That these people were all just.
Burned up, it says on the. Uttermost parts of the camp.
And and and I think that can be an important distinction from
this. We also.
Know that the Tabernacle was set up in the middle of the camp.
That's where the cloud is. That's where the Lord.
Speaks to his people. This is where the his.
Presence is in that cloud. And and so I would I, I think
that there's. Some red flags here.
That the Lord is is purposely. Giving them to say hey.
Any desire? Of yours that's taking you
farther from my presence. Is probably.
Not going to be beneficial to you.
And, and, and that's not my message, but, but I think that
that is a red flag. Any desire that that is whether
we're wanting it to or not, but it's causing us to, to get
farther away from the, from the presence of the Lord, that
that's, that's a dangerous desire.
And so they're willing. I mean, it's finding it amazing
to me. The, the, the manna, It's just
right there. I mean, it's, they gather it up.
They they don't have to go far, but but for this flesh, they're
willing to go at great. Lengths.
They says they worked for the day and the night and the next
day. I mean, this is quite the
undertaking. They they go a day's distance to
gather it up. And I think it's really
important here that we understand they are gathering in
excess at this. Point not in necessity.
Just for context, the Israel knows the warning of God-given a
few verses before and we'll look.
At that here in a second but. Despite this, they don't gather
a little. I said this earlier, they don't
gather a little to mix it up. They gather 10 homers.
Now, if you know what a Homer is, it's the.
Equivalent to what would essentially.
Be most of our modern day bathtubs and that was the.
Least of them this is. 10. Bathtubs worth of of quail.
Like this is no small amount this, this was an undertaking
and and let me let me illustrate this way and you guys, you guys.
Probably understand this but just another illustration that
proves my lack of outdoorsmanship but.
I remember again in Kentucky and there's a guy in the church and
he was slaughtering pigs. He did that.
He's kind. Of a farmer and he tells me and
my dad hey why don't you come and help and then you get to.
Keep a lot of this. And so my dad said OK, so we
show up on the scene and I remember the first thing that
hit me was my nose. It stunk.
And then the second. Thing we're walking to where
they were, you know? Cutting, chopping, or whatever.
You call it, I have no idea. I mean they just gave me a knife
and said here, cut. And I was like.
OK, but I remember walking by and on the.
Back of his pickup truck, like pulled up to his shed.
There's the pig's head and I'm like, this is not what I was
thinking. And so we we get.
There, and I'm not trying to be gross.
But I mean as you can imagine. Just slabs of of of.
Meat and and there's blood and there's intestine.
I mean, it's nasty. Work.
And and the idea here was when we were doing.
This it wasn't. Man, I'm I'm going to.
Cut all this pork so I can eat it for dinner, you know what I'm
saying? Like, like we, we.
Had an ulterior freezer for. This like we were gathering to
store up and and and and I remember so.
Vividly, and I think this is an application here is.
We do it all and. We freeze it.
We. Store it and my mom.
Goes to make breakfast burritos and I love my mom's breakfast
burritos. Great with pork sausage.
And she goes. To make it.
And I remember taking a bite of it and all I could see was Mr.
Piggy. Mr. Piggy said.
Like that was the only thing that I could see and can I put
it this way? Air.
It was chewed between my teeth. I despised it, I really did.
I spit it out and I I kid you not, me and my dad that usually
can stomach food. OK, we couldn't eat it.
And so I just sat there and, and, and my point is here, I
think we understand this principle, but, but there's no
excuse. For them to say.
Hey, I just I just want something a little.
Different. Maybe for dinner.
It's it's not that they're they're.
Dissatisfied wholly with with. God's provision.
They're not gathering dinner. They're stockpiling desire.
That's what they're doing. And the problem was not that
they didn't have enough. The problem was that enough was
never enough. And God is using their misled
desires to expose their hearts. And so God allows.
Israel's desire to. Become their destruction and I
think sometimes that God allowing us to have an.
Abundance of what we are asking for is often more detrimental
than beneficial. You say, well, what do you mean?
We have to understand that not every.
Desire, no matter what it looks like on the surface, is
something that would ultimately be good for us.
And I on the surface, I think we look at this passage and you
say, well, it's harsh, man. They just, they just wanted
some. Quail.
That's pretty harsh. We.
We don't know what the. Plague exactly looks.
Like, we know a lot of people died and you say, well, that's
really harsh, but it's much deeper than that.
And we do the same line of process that that they would
have done with their desires. And we wonder why things are the
way they are and forget that sometimes the.
Things we want most, whether good or bad.
Can. Undermine God's plan for our
lives. And for example, just as an
example, think of. Like a lazy.
Person. How are they punished?
Often by an abundance. Of ease.
Think of the proud how are they often punished in the sense that
that their. Success in flattery.
Is it? It becomes its own punishment.
Why? Because the truth is that often
our desires when given. Cause us never to grow.
And and it's not here that God is judging them because he
didn't want them to eat quail. It's more than that.
And you're probably asking this. OK, you've you've, you said that
enough. We understand.
It's not just that they want. To quail what's going on.
And I would say the answer is this.
Simply put, Israel was out of Egypt long before Egypt was out
of Israel. That's the issue.
Let's let's go back. All right, so we go back.
Let's let's read verse 5 of Chapter 11 and we'll come back
later and read verse 6 as well. Well, let's get the context.
Verse four and the mixed. Multitude that was among them,
fellow. Us and the children of Israel
also wept again and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
We remember the fish. Which we did in Egypt freely.
The cucumbers. And the melons and the leeks.
And the onions and the garlic. And if we, if we look, if we
look down. Further into let's read verse.
Let's go down to verse. 18 Now this is God.
Speaking to. Moses and commanding him to.
Repeat what he's. Saying, And this is what he
says, and say now unto the people.
Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow.
And ye shall eat flesh. For ye have.
Wept in the ears of the Lord, saying.
Whom shall give us flesh to eat? For it was well with us in
Egypt. Therefore the Lord will give you
flesh. And ye shall eat, ye shall not
one day, nor 2. Days nor five days.
Neither 10 days nor 20 days. But even a whole month?
Until it come out of your nostrils, and it be loathsome
unto you, because that ye have despised.
The Lord which is. Among you and have wept before.
Him saying why can we? Forth out of Egypt.
So. So let's get this very clear
here. It's not just that they wanted
meat. It's not just that they wanted
variety. It's that their desires cause
them to despise. The Lord.
And it's, it's, it's, it is as though that they had been
delivered out of Egypt, but Egypt.
Was not out of them. And God had heard their cry.
He had taken them out of Egypt. I mean, do we not remember
whenever they're going out and they're crying against Egypt,
they're crying. Against Pharaoh, they want out.
And yet here, two years later, not that far removed, they're
saying. Yes, Lord, you delivered me.
But we want to go back. That's basically what they're
saying. And you say, OK, so I see what's
happening there. Well, I want to show you a a New
Testament. Example and and you don't.
You don't have to turn there. But in in John.
Chapter 6, John Chapter 6 the Lord actually brings up.
The manna that he sent. From heaven.
And I find it very. Interesting what goes on here.
This is hundreds of years. Later.
And Jesus brings up the man, and that was provided, and he makes
this statement. I.
Am the bread of life. So he's talking to the Jews, he
says. I am the bread.
Of life. And let's see how the Jews now
respond. To God's provision.
Let's see what's going on. Verse 41 and. 42 So Jesus just.
Just made that claim and the Jews then murmured at him
because. He said.
I am the bread which. Came down from heaven.
And they said is not this. Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose
father and mother we know. How is it then that?
He say if I came down from heaven.
And and then of course, you just respond she.
Just therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among
yourself. They're still struggling with
the murmuring. Aren't they they're they're
still. Struggling with the complaining.
And, and, and it's amazing that they haven't learned their
lesson. I would say that we're.
Seeing here a pattern first. The Jews and and numbers 11 they
desired that was what was a. Strongly associated with Egypt.
That's what they want. A place of bondage.
They're saying God, your provision is not enough.
And then in in John chapter 6, we just read, they said, Jesus,
we understand what you're saying, but, but, but look at
where you're from. Look, look at who you are.
We, we don't. Believe that that you're.
Enough and we're talking about the bread of life.
Now we're talking about Jesus. Christ, the Son of God.
And they say Jesus. We don't think you're enough.
We, we don't, we don't want your provision.
And, and, and they're still desiring what they wanted and
not what God wanted. And I would say today that we do
the same thing. We've been saved from.
Bondage. And yet we want what the world
has to offer and we're basically what we're doing is we're
desiring things. That are associated with.
Bondage and we want wealth and rank and comfort, things that
which I'm not saying are evil, they're not bad things, but I
would say this, when we want those things more than God's
provision, then it puts us in a place where we literally.
Begin to despise the Lord. And it hinders us accomplishing
something for. His name's sake.
I'm worried today that all of us, myself included, myself
especially, we're being. Smitten with a plague of our own
making and it's indifference. Towards the things of God.
Driven by the desires of. Our own flesh.
And I'm worried that many of us may be out of.
The world, so to speak, God saved us.
But but the world. 'S not out of us.
And that leads us to verse 34 and 35.
And I'm telling you when, when we there, there's a clear.
Path that's being followed here. There's a clear path and I would
say that is this to. Cater to the flesh is to
impoverish the spirit. That's what we're getting at,
that they're feeding themselves what they want.
And, and, and I'm worried what's happening when we do this and
I'm I, I'm going to take you. One last time earlier in the
chapter to read one more verse from this chapter.
Verse #6. Right after they're talking
about. Egypt and the things they
remembered. They.
I mean, they admit it on the surface.
But now our. Soul is dried away.
There is nothing at all besides this manna.
This manna. This lowly manna, there's
nothing before us but God's provision there's.
Nothing at all beside this. Manna before our eyes and you
know what it says in Psalms one O 615 I'll just.
Turn there. I won't have you go there.
And it says and he gave them their.
Request but sent leanness unto their soul.
What a dreadful. Statement to me, basically you.
Know what I'm saying? They got what they wanted, but
they lost what they needed. Sure, they satisfied their
flesh. But they didn't heed the
warnings that that that they were given.
Did the Lord not say exactly what was going to happen?
He said it's going to be loathsome.
He said this is a product of your despising of me.
And yet they don't heed that and they go after these things.
And I don't know about you, but I don't want to fill my life up
with all these things that are going to.
Dry up on the outside. And and we.
Realized that we contracted, if you will, spiritual disease.
And it's the spiritual disease of leanness in our soul.
And not because I don't want you to understand.
I mean, this is this is the, we're talking about the children
of Israel, you know, the people of God and, and.
God has saved us. And yet sometimes we've done so.
Little of eternal value even after he saved us that we're
left with a lean soul. And I was reading a little bit
about this. Passage and an author wrote.
He made this statement we. Ever excuse ourselves for
wanting because what we want is not forbidden but only denied.
And this is this is the. Application.
I think that's here. Today is that so often we let
our desires. Control us and we.
Excuse them by saying, well, they're not explicitly.
Prohibited. I mean, that's what they're
saying. They weren't explicitly.
Prohibited or forbidden from having.
Quail. At least I don't.
I don't find that and and yet what happens is if if we can.
Follow this path of reasoning. We'll say something like.
This there's no harm in pursuing wealth or being rich.
And so so we do that and then we excuse our covetousness and end
up withholding our money from God.
Do do you see this line of reasoning?
That's happening here. We we, we say, well, we want to
move up in our job. We want to, we want to go.
Places we want to. Be a go getter and that's good.
Nothing wrong with that, but then we say well, since I want.
To do that. And that's a good desire, man.
There's nothing wrong with cheating and lying my way to the
top. You see what I'm saying?
And, and, and, and we, we take that on and on and we might say
something like this. Well, it's good to be.
Prepared, so it's fine to worry. You see what I'm saying?
We often let our natural desires undermine what God's trying to
accomplish in our life, and we don't even notice it because we
disguise. Them and we fit.
Them and we tuck them under these desires so-called, that we
think are good, that we think are fine.
We might even do this. We desire to be more like.
Christ. And so we find no shame in
talking. Poorly about those that we feel
aren't as close to him. We we might say, well, I desire
to have more. Family time and so we forgo
church or outreach. We say, well, I I desire more
social standing, so I'm not going.
To tell my coworker about Jesus. And and it's all these things
that are wrapped up in this wrapper of our own making that.
We so-called desire. And and and, friend, can I tell
you that just because God has not explicitly prohibited.
Something. Does not mean that it's
tantamount to actual. Allowance on the part of God.
And too often we say, well, God, you don't understand.
God didn't say no, so it must be fine.
And then we complain when it doesn't go the.
Way that we thought it would. And God wants us to have
prudence and say, where does this decision?
Take me. If I'm going to follow the
natural steps of my. Desire.
Where does that put me? Because I, I would contend with
this, is it going to draw you closer to being appreciative of
his provision or is it going to cause you to go around it?
Because if we're doing things, that is.
Going around God's provision. Then it's going to be dangerous
and and friend, can I tell you that many a Christian has dug
his own graves? And the graves of others with
the shovel of desire. Do you all know?
What to the word kibraf Hadava means means this?
The graves of desire. And and I I understand we're
not. Physically dead here.
Tonight, but many of. Us are spiritually.
And I don't want my. Tombstone to.
Bear the inscription here lies. Nathaniel Johnson.
He got what he wanted. But he lost what he.
Needed and the saddest. Part of me is.
When people don't allow God to. Take control of our lives.
How many? People's spiritual lives.
Do you think? We're ultimately throwing in the
dumpster if I if I can put. It this way, an application
point that has been on my mind is if I don't do what?
God's wanted. And I and I care more about what
I want and, and I don't go to Spain.
How many people? Over there.
Are dying in their sins. Basically with a shovel of my
own making. Why?
Because I said I'm not willing to go.
How many church? Planners have gone here and done
the same thing. They wanted what they wanted.
More. And so they gave.
Up and and and how many times has?
We as Christians because. We're not the witness, we're not
the person we got to be with, and I'm not trying to be trite
or. Or anything like that.
But but really, what we're doing is we're digging other people's
graves. Because if we don't tell them,
then who will if listen if we don't talk about the bread of
life and give them the bread? Of life like God instructs us to
do. Then who will?
And I don't want there to be a graveyard of my making because,
friend, there's a world out there that needs us to get on.
Board with God's plan for our lives.
And that can't start. Till we get our desires.
In check and in conclusion, I just want us all to go.
To the Lord today. And ask ourselves.
If God could name this church here today, what would he call
it? I'm being honest.
What would he call it? I know this, that I don't want
to go and start a church. That he would call Kibrath
Hadava the graves of desire. I want a church.
That that's not spiritually dead.
And I think that takes us all coming to the.
Lord and saying Lord, I'll drop the shovel.
Lord, I'll give up my desires. Why?
Because I don't want to miss out on your provisions, Warren
Weirsberry said. You can have all you.
Want and still not want what you?
Have and if the bread of life. Let me ask your friend if the
bread of life isn't good enough. For us, we're in grave danger of
having souls full of leanness. Sure, we might eventually get
what we want from the world's perspective.
Or or whatever it is that we desire.
But we'll get to the point where our desires no longer satisfy
us. It says Air.
While it was in their mouths. And we'll get to the point where
it no longer. Satisfies us.
It just buries us. And I want everyone here to see
the provision of God in our. Life as we diligently serve him,
the Israelites. Found out that no amount of.
Quail was lose worth. Losing out on the.
Blessings of God, so remember. Craving what God is withholding.
Will make you despise what he is providing.
Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of
Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing
to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us
know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org.
Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton,
MA. May the Lord bless you as you
grow in His Word.