led the people out of Egypt? Why do we consistently think the grass is greener back there?

Oh, oh, I think there's a song coming in my spirit. Sometimes it can be great to pause and glorify our living Savior in worship. People who are lost don't understand what being found is all about. Here's the lyrics.

🎵 Oh how he loves you and me, oh how he loves you and me. He gave his life, what more could he give? Oh, how he loves you; Oh, how he loves me; Oh, how he loves you and me. 🎵

Obviously, those lyrics apply to Jesus. But God did the same for the Israelites coming out of Egypt. What more could he have done for them? All the miracles, all their needs were met.

With all their travel through the wilderness, their clothes never wore out, and they never needed a new pair of Nike shoes. (Deuteronomy 29:2-5). (Smile). And yet with all that God did for them, they kept looking back.

We live in a microwave society in 2025. No one wants to wait on anything good that might come to them. It reminds me of that misbehaving bad little girl in the first Wonka movie. She wanted everything immediately.

She wanted instant gratification. Her attitude was having this high maintenance appearance, and she was very demanding. Ironic that her name is Veruca Salt. Remember Lot's wife? The Israelites were also very demanding.

They complained and murmured against Moses and God about returning to Egypt approximately ten to fifteen times while in the wilderness. They kept wanting Egyptian bondage over wilderness hardship.

And this was primarily after seeing God's glory and his miracles. How quickly they had forgotten how hard it was in Egypt. How they quickly forgot about their cries of suffering under King Pharaoh. (Exodus 2:23-25; 3:7-10).

It seems there's always a crowd that comes along and ruins it for everybody else. Ever been around people like that? The Israelites had other non-Israelites who joined in the Exodus. (Exodus 12:38; Leviticus 24:10).

We have them in our culture today. They are called agitators and activists. They swoop in and cause others to rebel, many times in violent ways. But just as God delt with those in the wilderness, he will ultimately deal with those today.

Once in the wilderness, the people didn't take long to start reminiscing about what they had back then. Whether it was food (Numbers 11:4-6), or whether it was about fear of everything, including dying, God had enough and judgment came.  

You would think after the miracle of God parting the red sea for them to walk on dry land, and fight the Egyptians for them would cause them to trust God's complete provision, but they seemed to be shackled in their hearts to Egypt.

You can take some people out of their environment, but sometimes their environment travels inside with them. It's like when politicians tell others who are moving into their state, "Please leave your negative politics there."

The people kept testing God. Each complaint was a test of God's provision and faithfulness, demonstrating their lack of trust despite witnessing his power. All this led to (Numbers 14:22). Still, God's mercy and grace is awesome.

Please read these verses into your spirit. (Numbers 14:18-39). When reading this passage you get to see all that complaining did was cause judgement to fall and God decided to allow those under the age of twenty to enter the land.

Again, fear, rebellion, and lack of trust after hearing the report of the ten faithless spies. (Numbers 13:31-33). Looking back from a moving forward God can bring devastating results.

Moses pleaded with the LORD for mercy that the Israelites were not destroyed. Today, as the body of Christ cries out to God to hold back judgement upon a nation that continues to rebel and test his commandments, judgement can come.

God can raise up Individuals who will continue to proclaim his righteousness in the earth. He chose those under twenty years of age, except for Joshua and Caleb. (Numbers 14:28-30; 32:11-13, Deuteronomy 1:35-39).

The Bible encourages us to let go of past experiences that bind our thoughts to negative past hurts and holds our feet in shackles so we cannot move forward as God did through the wilderness with Israel. (Numbers 9:17-23).

God has given you eyes to see forward. They are not placed in the back of our heads. Please read these verses into your spirit. 18} “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19} Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19 KJV). Also (Isaiah 30:19-22).

[The Lord gave his people “adversity for food and suffering for drink,” but he promised to be with them, teach them, and guide them during hard times. God expects much from us, and at times, following him can be painful.]


🗣📢 Last words: Paul the Apostle had every reason to turn and walk away from everything after going through many difficult persecutions that many afflicted upon him. (2 Corinthians 11:20-31). But Paul had the right focus.

Please read (Philippians 3:7-12) into your spirit and then read aloud so all of Satan's fallen devils can hear you say this as you continue to choose to follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Our God is light for every step we take.

13} "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14} I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14 KJV). Paul had reason to forget the past. Are you ready to let go and let God be your guide? (Psalm 119:105).

[Because our hope is in Christ, we can let go of past guilt and look forward to what God will help us become. Don’t dwell on your past. Instead, grow in the knowledge of God.]

Authentic believers do not have to carry unnecessary past burdens alone. The Bible tells us to cast all our cares of past guilt upon him. (1 Peter 5:6-9). We can let go of past events, whether good or bad to see God moving for you today.

As we do some look back over today's message to keep our focused on Jesus, we know the Bible examines both looking forward and backward, but it strongly emphasizes looking forward.

Especially when it comes to growing in faith. When your children ask you questions about life, questions like, "Why did God create life?" How much time you spend with God may determine how you answer the question.

Will the discerning power of the Holy Spirit speak through you or will your answer be filled with the flesh covered response of hole filled evolutionary gobbledygook lies. Faith grows through spiritual growth in maturity.

The Bible frequently uses metaphors and cautionary stories to warn against dwelling on the past, while also instructing believers to focus on the future and what God is doing now.

So, looking back has wonderful benefits when attaching the Lord to it. Everything I think about my testimony and how Jesus miraculously saved me through dream and vision, brings such great joy to my soul. Hallelujah!

However, I know I can't set up camp and live there. Jesus did all that but had something I needed to do. Moses couldn't stay on the mountain in God's glorious presence after receiving the commandments.

The disciples couldn't stay feet glued to the ground watching Jesus ascending to glory forever. The angels came along and basically said, (paraphrase), "Hey, no time to stand here gazing, it’s time to get moving forward!"

Our only reason for looking back is to encourage and strengthen our trust in the his present and future for our lives. Since I had my born-again birthday, I rarely look past that because there's a whole lot of dark events back there.

Forward moving in Christ enhances your spiritual growth. If you’re following him, you have less time to sit around with a fleshy idol mind that you don't want to waste. An idol mind of looking back is for sure the devil's playground.

We are to have our minds renewed with God's principles that lead to spiritual progress. Jesus was great at gathering individuals with the words "Follow me" after ministering to them. But he also cautioned warning about looking back.

59} "And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60} Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

61} And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62} And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:59-62 KJV).

What are these verses illustrating? Was Jesus being uncaring and heartless? Not at all. Many times, looking back at responsibilities can pull us back and slow our commitment to following the Lord.

Remember beloved, Jesus can read our true motives around every excuse we make for not following him. The Lord is not against people taking care of their departed loved ones.

Remember, he took care of funeral arrangements concerning Lazarus and his sisters. Remember the words, "Jesus wept." So, Jesus cares deeply about family affairs. But he won't allow you to wallow in following him.

Even in the face of sorry, God will love on us with great comfort but he will still want us to anticipate what he has prepared for us, even when our present circumstances are difficult. Following Jesus has a cost.

We must stay focused and understand that God has a living beautiful future planned for those who love him with all their heart, soul, and mind. (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).

Again, beloved, looking back with God in mind at how he was with you through every stumble, fall, good times and bad is to keep you moving towards the prize, Jesus himself. It reaffirms God's goodness and character toward you.

And what does this do? It strengthens your faith and trust in him to help you through the next hurdle in life. Having reflection (looking in the mirror of life) should equip us not paralyze us with past guilty trips.

You should never worship the past. In fact, God doesn't want us to ever be stuck the spiritual mud the way your car might have been, just spinning your tires and going nowhere.

"Stop looking over your shoulder. Difficulties are the salt of life, don't look back!"

Praise God! One last song. 🎵 "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace. 🎵


🛐 Here’s a prayer you can pray to stop looking behind to past hurts. "Heavenly Father, thank you for today's message. I have seen myself take two steps in seeking you but then take three steps backwards by looking back.

I can recall many times feeling like Lot's wife and kept thinking I'm missing all the fun that's back there. But it turns out it wasn't fun at all when I saw great devastation of hurt and pain run through my friends and family members.

Lord help me to seek you as Solomon did in (Proverbs 4:25-27). Father set my face towards things above and not on this earth. Help me get to the finish line of faith you set me to live by until I am in your loving embrace.

Thank you Jesus for faithful servants like Paul so we can learn what it means to keep running forward into the future of eternal life that you planned for me.  Help me to not cling to past destructive things.

Father, I pray for your divine strength today to help me focus on the present. Remind me Lord of all I have to look forward to. Jesus, I pray your voice echoes in my mind when I start to feel the pull on my heart like Lot's wife.

Jesus, you are always the person for me the enemy tries to tell me the grass is much greener but in reality it is filled with spiritual land mines. But you Lord have carried me through all obstacles.

You are my all in all Savior, Messiah, living water, and eternal friend. Thank you for returning the smiles on my face as I seek your glory. I welcome your uplifting countenance in my hearts, in Jesus’ name, Amen."


❤ "If you would like to know Jesus as your Savior, please read the drop-down page entitled "How to know Jesus."


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🙏 Please remember to pray for the people in Israel. They are God's people because of his covenant promises to them. (Genesis 12:1-3; Numbers 6:22-27; 24:8-9). ✝️



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