Exodus 7-8 | A Hardened Heart and Smashed Idols.

This is City Post Church. We're about three things.

Build equipped and send. All under the Lordship of Jesus

Christ. A small church plant in Fort

Worth, TX. Who decided to do things a

little differently? Adoramos Ayesu cristo.

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I love City Post because of the community we've been able to

build. To do ministry like Jesus.

For light to push back. Darkness.

This is City Post podcast. All right, so after last week,

Moses and Aaron, they are on. Their way to talk to.

Pharaoh, and you know they. Had a little bit of.

A conflict of belief and God met them there and today we're.

Going to look at a passage and we're going to look at a text.

That many people talk about and this is whole idea.

Of. Pharaoh hardening his heart

it's. Almost like God said.

I'm going to harden your. Heart Pharaoh so.

You're going to get mad because I hardened it and many people

read this text, and many. People take the text.

Out of context, So what? We're going to look at today is

as. Moses and Aaron step into the

calling that God told them, and they're going.

To do exactly what God. Told them to do.

Pharaoh is going to meet them with a hardened heart.

And we're going to see. How?

That becomes and then what we could learn from that and then

we're going to talk about some frogs and all that.

Cool stuff. All right, so look at chapter. 7

verse one and we're just going to dive into this thing.

Let's read verses 1-2 and three, and then.

We'll we'll we'll chat so. Verse one and chapter.

Seven, says the. Lord said to Moses, See, I have

made you. Like God.

To Pharaoh and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.

You are to say. Everything I command you and.

Your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites.

Go out of his country, but I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and

though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not

listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on

Egypt, and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my

divisions. My.

People. The Israelites, all right.

Let's go back to verse one. Verse 1 is a little bit

interesting when you look at the text because it's like man.

What is? What is God?

Saying here I'm going to make you Moses like God to Pharaoh.

So the Lord said to. Moses, I have made you like God.

To Pharaoh. So you got to remember, as we

tracked during this story, Pharaoh made.

A decision in. Exodus chapter 5, verse 2.

Exodus 5:2

Pharaoh's decision was I'm not going to.

Jack with your God. I'm not going to mess with him.

I don't believe in him. Exodus 52 says Who is the Lord,

that I should obey his voice to let Israel?

Go therefore God's like, OK, I'm not going to deal with you.

I'm going to send Moses to deal with you instead.

And I think this is a good lesson for us that I think

sometimes that when we reject the Lord and as God is trying to

call us and and get our attention and talk to us, he's

going to send other people in our path to convey a message.

For us. And that's what's happening,

Pharaoh made. A choice Pharaoh's like.

I'm not messing with this. God of Israel, so God's like,

OK. I'm going to send you Moses.

And he told Moses. This already he's like, you're

going to be like God to Pharaoh. And then Aaron is going to be.

Like the prophet. So that's exactly what's.

Happening now, but I will. Also say that this is.

Also another example of the. Richness of God's mercy.

Because we just. Spent all this these last.

Couple of weeks of. Of Moses wrestling with this

calling that. God placed on his life.

And God met Moses in that mess, and he explained everything to

Moses. Instead of chastising Moses, God

met with him and God explained it to him, and he's walking

Moses. Through which I.

Think is a great example. Of the God that we.

Serve. And his greatness and mercy now.

Verse 2. You're going to say everything I

command you so. What's the the key here is like?

Everything I say to you, Moses, you're going to tell Pharaoh and

your brother, I'm sorry, I'm you're going to tell Aaron and

Aaron. Is going to tell Pharaoh to let

the Israelites? Go out of this country, but God

gives them a condition. He's like, but I'm just going to

give you a. Heads up I will.

Harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and

wonders in Egypt, he will not listen.

To you. Now, this whole idea of

hardening Pharaoh's heart, I want us to be careful that we

think that God is is kind of turning Pharaoh against him,

when really. What we're seeing here is that

Pharaoh's desire. And this indication against.

Israel, what God is doing is that God is allowing Pharaoh to

accept that. Inclination in the.

Hatred that he has toward. Israel, God is giving.

Pharaoh over to what he. Wants And because God gives him

over to what he wants, Pharaoh's heart continues.

To get hardened. Now I.

Think one of the best examples I've heard of this if you think

about. A cement truck.

So anybody here in construction knows that when you have a

cement truck. The trucks show.

Up on the job. And as the truck drives to the

job, it is. Mixing the cement Now what

happens if there's no movement on the truck?

What happens if they throw all the cement in the truck and then

it drives an? Hour without the water.

And the movement and the. Mixture.

The cement gets hard. And listen, it's the same thing

whenever there's no movement in our life, when there's no

relationship in our life with God, our hearts begin to get

hardened toward Him. There's no movement, there's no

freshness. There's no.

Water of Life. And as you're going through.

Life your heart. Begins to harden for the things

of God. Your heart begins to harden.

For the people of God. And your heart begins to harden

for the ways of God. And what God does is that

whenever you start looking at things in that.

Light God does what you. Want and he says go.

Ahead and have it. And we see that out of Romans

Romans 1:24–28

chapter 1, verses 24 through 28, the Bible says that when people.

Started to follow the. Creation instead of the creator

God gave them. Over to their evil ways.

And says go for it. And the reason why he does this

is because he knows that everything that you're chasing

that's not him is going to end in emptiness and disaster.

You're going to get to. A place in life.

Where you're going to hit. Rock bottom and you're going to

have to look up and you're going to need a savior and The thing

is our. God is so.

Loving and kind that when that happens there, when that happens

to you, he's going to offer. You a way out.

So her pharaoh is. Hardened now he has accepted

this is what he wants. He has refused to this humble

request that Moses has made. He does not want anything of it.

He's like, OK, fine, have it. It's going to be your.

Choosing Now here's what's even. Crazier God is like, listen, his

heart is going to be hardened. He's not going.

To do what you say. And.

Here's what's even Wilder Moses. I'm going to do all these signs

and wonders that means I'm going to give him.

Opportunity after opportunity after opportunity.

To obey and come to me. And after every miracle and

after every opportunity, for some reason, he's going.

To refuse. He's not going to listen to you.

Then I will lay my hand on Egypt, and with mighty acts of

judgment. I will.

Bring out my divisions, my people to Israel.

Verse 4. When I read verse 4.

Go and put verse 4. Up when I read.

Verse four I was like, man, that's.

That's kind of a a, a strange verse.

The way it reads. And really with verse.

Four. In the scripture this is.

Called a double designation. Right.

So he's he's, he's. Giving Israel a double

designation here, so he calls. Israel, he's like.

I'm going to, I'm going to get out my truck, my, my divisions

and then my people, the visions, Israel.

Was set up. Kind of like as a military camp

to fight the Canaanites. So Israel is.

Set up in 12 tribes, 12 divisions purposely and God is

like, I'm going to pull out my divisions.

I'm going to pull out. The people of Israel, but.

Then the second term is what we call a possessive pronoun.

The possessive pronoun is. Because Pharaoh.

Right now thinks the Israelites belong to him.

Pharaoh's like, no, I own the Hebrews.

They're my slaves. They work for me.

Those are mine. And God is like, no, I'm not

going to just pull out my tribes.

I'm going to pull out my people, not.

Pharaoh's people, but. My people, God is making.

A. Statement here and what I want

to look at before we jump into verse. 6.

I think that there's some things that we can learn from Pharaoh's

heart and heart now. The older I've become, the more

I. Realize that I rather.

Learn from people's terrible. Decisions and mistakes than me

experiencing them myself. Now I know there's some of us in

here. Let's just be honest with my

have a friend where you're like, hey man, I don't think you

should eat that. And what's the excuse?

Well, I'm the kind of. Guy that has to.

Experience it for myself 'cause I'm hard headed.

You're like, OK all. Of us have been there, we've all

done those things. Bro.

Don't date her man. This is bad news.

That's going to be different this time.

Two weeks later. Don't save her.

She don't want to be. Saved, right?

I'll be like, that's the I. Was like I warned you.

J. Cole coming up.

Right, I get you were told. And many of us kind of go.

Through that and really like. My heart as a pastor, I think

that there's some things that we could learn that when you have

someone. That you look at through

history, who has. Hardened their hearts toward

God, who has leaned on their own.

Pride instead of saying yes to the Lord Jesus Christ or yes to

the Lord Yahweh, we see we see a pattern here with.

So let's what can we learn from Pharaoh SO3 quick things and

it'll be on the screen. Number one, it doesn't get

better. I know some of us are like, man,

Ricky, it's hard right now in life.

But if I just keep. Doing what I'm doing and if I

just line up my ducks in a row and everything is cool at the

same time of ignoring God, listen.

Pharaoh started. His heart got hardened.

He wanted nothing to do. With God and we're.

Going to see even after. The first couple of plagues.

He's like, Nah, I'm, I'm, I'm good.

My magicians could do it. And listen, it's going to get

worse and worse and worse and worse and worse.

So. Pharaoh has to bow.

His knee and say OK. Forget it.

Like just take it just. Y'all just leave and listen.

That's a lesson for us. Because if we're not following

the Lord, if you're turning on. Jesus things.

Are not going to get. Better for you it's.

Actually going to get worse. Because the Bible.

Says that the enemy. Comes to steal, kill and

destroy, but then Jesus says I've.

Come to give you life. Anything in sin is going to lead

you. To a place of.

Destruction and death and it's. Disguised in something that

feels. Good.

And it's real nice and I've seen.

People who have. Turned away from the Lord and

has lived. Life in years and years and they

get to a place. In life and they're like.

Yeah. Man, I'm still rocking.

It's awesome. But then you look back and it's

like. A trail of dead bodies.

Broken marriages. Bad relationships, death, all

these terrific like things that are.

Not working well for them. Why?

Because when you choose. Not to follow Jesus.

You're choosing not to follow. Not to take in life.

And forgiveness and grace and mercy.

And you're going to. Spend your whole entire life.

Searching and nothing is going to suffice.

Pharaoh started and listened. It don't get better.

It didn't get better for Pharaoh, it got worse #2.

What can we learn from Pharaoh when you choose to harden your

heart? It impacts.

Those closest to you. You know what's funny about

Pharaoh and all his pride and all his selfishness?

He didn't really think about the impact that was.

Happening on the. People of Egypt and what we're

about to look at is as God. Is working to free.

The Israelites in the Hebrews, the people of Egypt, are equally

suffering. They're taking on what?

Pharaoh's Pride is producing. Look at Jonah when Jonah

refused. To follow the.

Lord, he got on a boat and what happened?

Everybody on that boat. We're like we're all about to

die. And Jonah's like it's probably

my fault. Throw me off, throw me off.

Listen when you choose not to. Follow the Lord.

It doesn't just impact you, it impacts all of those around you.

It impacts your families, your. Kids, there's this ripple effect

that happens all because you. Chose not to.

Say yes to Christ. And not to follow him in the.

Heart. In your heart there's.

Some consequences that happen. And then lastly #3 what can we

learn from Pharaoh? God is going to smash your

idols. God is the idol smasher.

Man, I remember when. I love UFC when?

Conor McGregor was going to fight Khalif.

It's like the highest selling pay-per-view that ever happened.

2 undefeated fighters went at it and I remember that press

conference. Conor McGregor is hyping

everybody up and everybody's yelling at Khalif and Khalif

gets on the mic and he says this famous line.

He's like tomorrow night I'm going to.

Smash your boy. And that's all he kept

repeating, I'm going to smash your boy.

And whenever, whenever we come to God with other things, God is

like, I'm going to smash your idols.

He's going to crush them. There is nothing that will stand

against our God, and God will not share His glory with

anything. Else and Pharaoh is going.

To learn this the hard. Way God will destroy our idols.

And Speaking of idols, let's. Talk a little bit.

About what happens next, because now God.

Is going to start implementing his plan.

It is fight time. It is go time.

So look at verse. 6 Moses and Aaron.

Just did as the Lord. Commanded them.

Moses was 80. Years old.

Aaron was 83. When they spoke to Pharaoh,

you're never too old. To get involved, I'm just.

Saying the Lord said. To Moses and Aaron when?

Pharaoh says to you. Perform a miracle, then say to

Aaron. Take your staff, throw it.

Down before. Pharaoh, and it will.

Become a snake. So Moses and Aaron went to

Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded.

Aaron threw his staff down on the floor in front of Pharaoh

and his officials. And guess what?

It became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men

and. Sorcerers and the.

Egypt and the Egyptian magicians also, they did the same thing.

With their secret arts. Each one threw down his staff

and it became a snake. But Aaron's?

Staff swallowed up their Staffs, but yet Pharaoh's heart.

Became hard and. He would not listen to them.

Just as he had said. So think about this.

And we, I know we talked about. The staff what that?

Symbolizes but in the Hebrew. The word staff is actually the

same word that they use as tribe.

And how God is? Saying put the staff down and it

became a snake, but then it says.

That the sorcerers. And the magicians they.

Used secret arts. Which means almost like a

trickery. Like like, like.

I won't say like. Black magic or witchcraft, but

it was almost like the sleight of hand it was.

It was something trickery. And listen what was not.

Impressive. Was that their Staffs?

Became snakes as well. What really kind of pushed back

was when Aaron's. Staff ate the other snakes.

You see, everything was all good when the snake started coming.

Everybody's like that's. Cute, but because it was.

Secret art and this snake started to eat those snakes.

It was like, hold on a second, that ain't supposed to happen.

There's something going on here. Wait a second.

And what? We're going to get at Is that

God? Is going to use plagues.

Now. When you read about the.

Plagues you're like. That's kind of strange.

What are these? Plagues about blood and frogs.

And. All these like what is.

Happening here so. Go ahead and put the.

Slide up about the plagues. What God is going to do here is.

God is going to go. After every.

Single one of the Egyptian gods. That they worship every plague

is to address a God. That the Egyptians worship it's

not to make the. Their life.

Harder, you know, whenever. We see these.

Stories and whenever we watch Prince of Egypt, we see it and

we don't really. Understand but what God is.

Doing is that God is showing them and God is giving them a

way out in verse 5. I'll read this, so just keep the

slide up, it says. And the Egyptians will know that

I am God, I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against

Egypt and bring the. Israelites out of it.

What God? Is going to say is.

Listen, I'm not only going to free my people, but I'm going to

give the Egyptians an opportunity to become free as

well. You see, the plan was.

Always to free the Hebrews. It was never to destroy the

Egyptians. So what God is?

Doing is that God is. Showing his.

Prominence. He's showing who Yahweh.

Is in the way. That he has to.

Show his prominence. Is he's going to start?

Taking out all the other. Gods.

Little G. And that's the same thing he

does in our lives, isn't it? You know why?

Because he will. Smash your boy, he will.

Destroy your idols. So what I want to?

Do is is I'm just. Going to summarize, there's a.

Lot of chapters here. So I want us.

Just to walk through. I got the Cliff notes version.

So after the the staff gets thrown.

Down and becomes snakes then and remember we.

Talked about this last week. God, God told Moses.

What to do? Right.

Then he goes to the Nile River and.

He takes his staff and. He touches the Nile and it turns

to blood now. If you were to.

Tell the Egyptians hey, the Nile River is going to become.

Blood, you know. What they wouldn't really.

Freak out, there's a God called a psoriasis.

And the God, a psoriasis is the God of the Nile.

And the God of the Nile is the God that brings life.

And listen, if you study the Nile, once a year the Nile

overflows and it floods all the farmland.

Now remember Egypt is a desert nation, so whenever those floods

come, because it flows from north to South.

It it takes up that like red dirt, that red.

Clay So when it floods all the farm grounds, there's almost

like a red tint to it and what the Egyptians believe is that

the God of. Rices is is.

Taking good care of them. He is.

He's making sure that the people of Egypt are great.

Also Us Rises is the God liturgy.

Of resurrection and afterlife. Now here's the problem.

When the Nile turns to blood, everything dies.

The Bible. Says that all the fish.

Die. The Bible says that the the Nile

just stinks it smells so bad. Like Trinity.

I'm Shogun on the Dallas side. Not Fort Worth, Not Dallas,

right? That's just wrong.

All right, So what happened? To Australia, I thought.

I thought he was the. God of afterlife and

resurrection. But yet when the river.

Turned to blood. Everything died.

And there's death. All the fish are dead, all the

sea life are dead. It.

Stinks. Everywhere.

And think of how hard this is. There's blood everywhere.

There's blood like I. Can't wash my clothes now

because there's little blood in there.

I can't I. Have no drinking water.

How do we bathe? So what?

The Bible continues to say so. Think.

About like this is days without. Water in Egypt.

So what the Bible says is that they had to dig holes.

On the. Side like almost like.

Digging a well in. Order to get water so that water

that they're. Digging.

For is is like this murky water that they're probably.

Having to boil in. Order for them to survive.

So now the Nile is. Full of.

Blood. And you know what?

Pharaoh says too bad, let's go back to work.

His heart was hard. He saw that.

And he still didn't believe. So.

Let's go on to the next plague #2 is.

The frogs hit. What's up with that?

Now when I think of fighting somebody, I don't think of

frogs. So there's a God in Egypt called

Hecht. So the Bible says that frogs.

Swarm the land entering homes. And what's interesting is.

There's a, There's a. Detail in scripture in.

Chapter 8 that says that the frogs were.

Even in the. Beds of the Egyptians.

Why is that an important detail? Hecht.

Is the God of fertility. So what the Egyptians believed?

Is that Hecht? Is what?

Allows the women and families to bear children and to.

Grow their families. Actually, it gets even crazier.

That if you. Kill a frog in Egypt.

It's illegal. It's like.

If you kill a cow in India, it's illegal.

So there's frogs. Everywhere you can't kill them.

It says that there were. Even frogs in the oven.

So how are they going to eat now?

I can't kill the frogs in my. Food in my refrigerator, in my

oven. Frogs are everywhere.

They're in the beds. If I kill a frog, they're

sacred. That could be the death.

Penalty. So now there's no water, there's

no food. I can't cook nothing because

they're in the ovens. So there's no food, there's no

water. Like like what's?

Going on And then the frogs end up dying.

So what the heck? 'S going on, then the Bible.

Says that they had to. Take all the frogs and and they

had to put. Them in piles.

So think about this. You have a Nile.

That killed all the fish. And the stench.

That that created. Now you have.

Heaps and. Piles of dead frogs everywhere.

How does that smell? I mean, the place is becoming a

disaster. Quickly and Moses.

Says Pharaoh. Let our people go worship our

God. And Pharaoh's hard.

Hardens doesn't go well, then the next one is lice or gnats.

And here's the problem. What?

What what the Egyptians believe? Is that when things would cover?

I don't know in. Spanish called memes when

things. Are covered in gnats or.

If people. Had gnats or if people.

Had lice that. Means that they were considered

unclean and that they were not. Allowed to go to the.

Egyptian temples and. Worship the 42 other gods.

So what God does is that God. Covers the whole entire place.

It says that it's like dust. Turned into gnats or lice.

So because of all of this that takes place.

Now none of you guys, nobody here is worthy enough to go to

the temples and worship. Your gods.

What happened? Why are the gods not allowing

us? To go worship them because

they're dead. They're not alive, they're not

real. So one by one, God is knocking

them off. Listen, Austria, like the one

that you thought brought life? No dead.

Heck, the one that you thought. Brought this fertility that

brings. Life no pile.

Dead. You can't.

You want to go worship? Nope, they're not going to.

Let you, because they're dead. Too Next one are flies.

Now it's. Flies.

Oh, it's getting better. Now, when we think of.

Flies we think of like. Like mosquito flies?

But no, this is Egypt. These flies were actually

larger, larger bugs, right? There's, there's, there's.

Something called a scarab beetle, and this is kind of what

they're talking about. There's a God little G called

Key now. This little this little G God

had the head of A A. Scarab beetle and what the.

Scarab beetles would do is that they would.

Be like dung bugs. So they would take little

pieces. Of dung.

And they would. Roll.

They would push. Them and they would roll them

and then they would. Use it as food.

So think about you have. All these flies, all these

Skyrim. Beetles everywhere and what the

Egyptians? Believe is that this this little

G God chi would. Take the take the sun like a

dung ball and then it would move the sun daily and that's how

days and seasons would function. So what God is saying?

Is no, it's dead too, because it's covered everything.

And it is killing everything. So it's not bringing life, it's

not helping you. Produce life.

It's actually taking life then after the flies.

In the swarms of insects, then. We have this livestock disease.

All Egyptian livestock. Is dead, but the Bible says that

all of the Hebrew livestock stayed alive.

So with a lot of these. Plagues.

They're impacting Egypt and the Egyptians and a.

Lot of the plagues. Are not impacting the.

Hebrews and the Israelites. God is now separating them both

and he's like, look at my people, I'm watching them in.

Pharaohs Hard. Continues to harden and continue

to make him work regardless of what's happening now.

Why is it? Important that all the livestock

is dead because of a disease. Because Egyptians had 42.

Little G. Gods, a majority of those.

Gods had the features of livestock.

And God is saying Nope, all of. Those are dead as well.

Then the next. Plague.

It boils. Those are difficult.

They're. Painful.

Imagine trying to walk with a bunch of boils.

On your feet, so now. All the.

Egyptians are inflicted with boils, and the livestock that's

leftover are inflicted with boils.

Now this God is. Called.

ISIS. Now ISIS is falling because I

can't walk, I can't do business. I'm all like in pain.

And now, at this moment in time, in the text, people are

starting. To turn on Pharaoh.

And his counsel? They're starting to beg him

please, like, let them go. And Pharaoh's heart.

Continues to harden. Next we have hail.

Because he refuses. There's an intense hailstorm.

It says hail and. Fire, which is hail and like a

lot of. Lightning.

Now think about the. Climate of Egypt, you really

don't see a lot of rain and hail storms out there.

Hail. You need a cold.

Front to come in. So this is something people have

never seen before. There's a mixture of hail and

lightning and it's destroying all the crops and all the.

Trees and the gods of and the God of Horus.

Where are you? You're powerless to stop this.

You're supposed to be the gods of weather.

And the sky and agriculture and you're doing absolutely nothing

to save us in. Egypt because they're.

Dead and the next day. God.

Sends locusts, swarms and devours all the remaining

vegetation. So the God of set and rises

where they at? And listen, at this point, Egypt

is crippled. Egypt is done for.

I don't know if Egypt got anything left and all of.

This is because. Of one man's pride.

One man's pride, but you know the.

Two gods that are left are the two biggest.

Gods in Egypt and the the next one.

That God goes after is RA in Egypt.

RA is the God of. The Sun it is the.

One God that all the. Other little gods report to.

And what does God bring Darkness, not just over, when he

does darkness for three. Days.

Where's Rod? Where's the God of the?

Sun. It says that it was so dark that

it's like. Everything stopped moving.

Listen even your big time God Rod.

Didn't show up to help. You, you know.

The last God that God little G had to attack Pharaoh.

You see what Egyptian culture? Believed was that Pharaoh was

God as well that Pharaoh was half.

Man, half God and that. People would worship.

Pharaoh and that the gods. Would look at.

Pharaoh and be. Pleased with Pharaoh, So what

does God do? Now at this.

Point in time. After raw, after all the.

Darkness. Pharaoh sends Moses and Aaron.

Away. And he says if I.

See y'all. One more time.

If I see you guys. Again, I'm going to kill.

Y'all like I'm done with. You even there's a.

Sorry, I have my. Verse here.

Yeah, so. Exodus chapter 10, verse 7.

Exodus 10:7

This is kind of where we're at. Pharaoh's official said to.

Him How long will this man be a snare to?

Us, let the people go. So that they may worship.

Their the Lord, their God. Do you do?

You not yet realize that? Egypt is ruined.

They're like, enough is enough, Pharaoh.

We got nothing left and. Pharaoh calls a man and says, if

you come, if I see you again, I'm killing you both.

And in Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron walked out.

Now the last plague God sends the Angel of darkness.

And what this? Plague is is that.

Every Egyptian first born child and animal leading.

To the exodus is going. To die every single child.

But God sends a plan called the Passover, which we're going to

look at in a few weeks. Like I said, everything is

showing this. It's pointing to the Messiah and

God is going through these. Plagues and he's taking out.

Every single God. And when Pharaoh loses his son,

there's nothing that anybody can do to bring him back because.

Time and time again. God has shown that all your

gods. That you pray to are worthless.

They're all dead, they're meaningless.

I'm the only one true God. And he got to a place now where

Pharaoh finally said. Take all your people just.

Get out. Just get out.

You know, I started thinking, but my testimony as I was going

through this and I feel like many of our testimonies.

Is that is US? Following God and God

eliminating. All of the little.

G Gods in our life, one at a time.

Oh, you thought like popularity? Is going to make you happy.

Boom, you smashed it. He thought like, like, whatever

it is. It's going to bring you joy and

life. Boom, he smashed this.

And listen, this is the same thing with our story.

He continues to do this. Where he goes after the gods.

And the things that we. Try to.

Bring up in our lives and God says no, I am the only true God

and I'm going to eliminate it because everything that you are

chasing will never satisfy your life and listen he.

Loves the. Egyptians enough to say, come

on, I'm the one true God. I want you to know who I am as

well. Pharaoh Stubborn.

Now here's what's. Wild all of these plagues.

God gave them in order. For the people to be free, but

there's a plague. That God didn't give, but God

also. Had to step in so that way all.

People can be free and Jesus. Took the greatest plague of.

All and it's called sin. Sin came into this.

World. And Jesus stepped sin and says,

no, I'm going to take it no more plagues so that way we don't

have to suffer anymore. I'm just going to wrap this up

this way when. God comes after our idols.

It could be painful. First John chapter 5 verse. 21

1 John 5 · chapter mention

John tells. Us dear.

Children, keep yourself from idols.

Man. I had an interesting week.

I ended up having another Abscess in my great area and I

thought it was. Just a sore like I just thought

it was a. Callus or something.

No, I wasn't. And it was so painful, like just

to even move. I was sitting around and finally

Rachel. 'S like we got to.

Just go get that thing like taken care of because I'm

getting fevers and if you guys saw me on 1st Wednesday I was

sweating bullets for no reason and I was just fighting this

sickness. So I went to the.

Doctor and this whole. Time like Lord what?

What's going on? Like this is crazy.

And I remember like just lying on the.

Bed and the. Doctor and the Doctor.

Begins to tell me what he's had what he's going to do he's like

man I'm going to I'm going to have to inject this in there

he's going to burn and then he. Uses words that.

You don't want to. Associate with that area.

You know what I'm saying? Like needle burn?

Cut bleeding like let's. And I'm sitting here like.

Oh Lord. And then he begins and he's

like, now, Ricky. Is.

Going to hurt a little bit. And I'm here like, you know,

like I'm trying. To think like happy thoughts.

I'm thinking about like me and Rach and Dr. Like I'm just like

Lord. This is going to this is going

to be painful. And he started the whole process

and yes, it hurt a little bit. But you know what's wild?

Is when when the the. Pressure was released.

Half my body felt like a. Like a coldness, like a.

Relief. And it it just.

Felt like just this like. Oh, man, it just felt wonderful.

And I remember he just kept telling me he's like, you know,

it's, it's going to be painful, but it it's going to feel

better. The other day I was, I was

praying here. I just felt the Lord mention

something to me. He said Ricky, you know, like

pain is. Not always in the hurt.

There's going to be pain in your healing as well.

And when God removes idols in our lives?

Let's just. Be real man, it's painful

sometimes. Like the things that.

We've always thought. In our lives, like the things

that I've always believed, the things that.

I always thought would. Bring me joy, the.

Relationships, I always thought. Everything that.

I always thought I had. And God.

Destroys it Listen, it doesn't feel good.

It hurts there's. Pain behind it.

But there's. Healing in the pain and I think

sometimes we have to acknowledge that when things hurt, it's not

always bad. Sometimes when things.

Hurt. It's good because.

When that pain goes away, the healing process takes place and

man, you just feel like a new person again.

Man, I felt relief immediately after that.

And listen when God removes. Our idols.

It could be extremely painful. Jesus tells us in Matthew 624

you cannot serve 2 masters. You got to pick.

Jesus always talked about idols. But also this is the beauty of

this. All don't don't miss.

This like Ricky, but if it hurt, what?

What does Jesus say in Luke 19 he's hanging out with?

IKEA and everybody's looking. At Jesus, like man, you're

hanging out. These these bad people.

You're the Son of God you're not supposed to hang out with.

Tax collectors and cheats and what are you doing and what does

Jesus say for it is. Not the healthy who need the.

Doctors, it is the sick. Where I came to seek and to

save. That which was lost.

Listen to purpose Why. God destroys our idols is.

Because he wants what's. Best for you and he loves.

You, but I'm not going to lie to you.

It's going to be painful sometimes, but there's.

Healing in the. Pain.

It's going to hurt, but once the pains decide.

Like. You feel so much better.

Sometimes God needs to RIP. Some things out of our lives so

that way we can be better because we.

Sometimes don't know what we have.

Until the great. Surgeon fixes it.

I want to encourage. You today.

I know today. Was a little bit different.

It's the only way I can get. Through like 4 chapters.

In 140 minutes, don't. Let today go by with the

realization. That I'm still serving other

little gods. There's things in my life.

That I find more. Important than God and listen

God is. Going to destroy it.

And I think some of us in here, like Ricky, I'm there.

God is destroying my world right now and I'm in pain.

But listen, there's healing in the pain.

You don't have to be in pain alone.

God's going to meet you in that. Pain.

And listen, you're going. To feel way better.

So as we finishing this last song, I want to encourage you

guys. If you're on this side of the

room, there's going to be some brothers here that we want to

pray with you. If you're on this side, if you

want to come over here, that's. Cool too, the altar is also

open. If you just want to.

Pray by yourself or if you want to pray with a.

Friend, but if you need somebody to pray with, you don't have to

go through. Pain by yourself, God is.

Healing you right now, and sometimes it hurts and I think

we need to be vulnerable and say, Lord, I'm in, I'm hurting

right now. But also understand that God

loves you and he's doing it. To heal you, to give.

You life forgiveness of sin. You can experience pure joy.

We pray for us. So Jesus, thank you.