The Bible tells of a Pharoah, who knew not Joseph, who began to cause the people of God hardships and much suffering. After the crying out to God over a period of time, God raised up a deliever in Moses.Even though these same people saw the miracles from God, they wanted to go back to Egypt after they had come out. Egypt had become a lifestyle that most of the people of God had learned to accept. In Egypt the children of Israel were housed, fed and provided for. The only bad thing about this arrangement was that they were slaves to the Egyptians: Pharaoh's property.
After hardening the heart of Pharoah many times, God brought his people out at the cost of the first born of the Egyptians. Later God would destroy Pharoah and his army at the Red Sea. After the people came out and were heading toward a promised land, they had it spied out and found that there were giants dwelling in that land. This was the time when they wanted to return to the fleshpots and safety of slavery in Egypt. They curse Moses for leading them into the wilderness to die. After Moses died the leadership was turned over to Joshua. During his leadership the people of God served the Lord for the most part and finally took possession of the promised land.
During the time of the judges and kings the people of God generally lived ungodly lives. There were exceptions as in the case of Elijah, Samuel, Elisha and some other righteous prophets. There were God fearing kings like David, Asa, Hezekiah,Jehoshaphat and others that warned the people of God that they would be punished for their sinful lives. Isaiah 30:2,3, and 7 tells how the people thought they could depend on Egypt even after God, through his prophets had fore told of 70 years of captivity. Isaiah 31:1, "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord."Verse 3." the Egyptians are men and not God;," their help is all in vain when God is dealing with his people. The people of God had such a hard time breaking away from Egypt's influence.
I believe Egypt is a lot like the denominational churches for the most part. They will bring you into bondage of their teachings. Good people are slaves to some Church and usually the only connection they have with God is what their Egypt allows them to have. Again, God needs to bring His people out of their Egypts. Why can't a called out people fellowship with each other? Coming out of Egypt should have people experiencing the mighty presences of God through the Holy Ghost. Being brought out, we should no longer be slaves to the doctrines of men. The folks Moses brought out had become to dependent on Egypt, just like some people have become too dependent on what some preacher says instead of what God says.
I have watched many good people being spoon fed from someone else's reading and studying of God's Word. We need to read the Bible for ourselves,God has called us to become sons and daughters of the most high God. I am tire of being beat up by Preachers who claim to be free in Christ, only to bring me into a denominational's bondage. Proclaiming to have the only truth of God's word with some denominational flavoring added to it. Coming out of my Egypt has brought me to a place of peace with God. I would like more of the people of God, to come out of their Egypts. He who the Son of God has set free from Egypt or human bondage is free indeed. Remember the words of Martin Luther King Jr.:"Free at Last! Free at Last!" Thank God almighty, Im Free at Last! but only through the blood of Jesus.
I clutched it in my bosom and I vowed we'd never part. Though the Spirit dwelled within me, I wooed vices that I treasured, attitudes that I held fast. Though I claim God was my Master, I still lived in the past. Oh I knew the Christian language, I could fake it with the best. I would don my spiritual vestige till I looked like all the rest. I knew scriptures upon scriptures, I could quote it by the score. But with all my spiritual know how I was living as before. Sure I fooled a lot of people, even fooled myself sometimes. I could hide behind my talents writing prose and making rhymes. But when the cards were on the table, when it came to push or shove. Was my heart so full of Scriptures that it had no room for Love?
If my faith were just examined, would I find it true to God? Did I look to him for self worth or was my faith a facade? Was I more concerned with how I looked to others here below. More concerned with repution, earthly things and worldly show? O Dear Lord, look deep inside me; bare the things I try to hide; Rip out all my pious nonsense, my self-righteousness and pride. Take my stubborn willful attitudes, old vices that I nurse, Blot out hates and hang-ups and the complaints, I rehearse.Take this mask made of hypocrisy and make me look within, Take my past filled with self pleasure, Lord, and make me see it's sin. Like it says within scripture, Father make my spirit new, So that I'll forget about myself and dwell on pleasing You.
And What so ever You do, Do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men. The time has come that the Pentecostal Church now desires respectability more so than the teachings of Holiness. Let us never forget that without Holiness, no man shall see our God. For our God is a Holy God, even to the point following Holy after him will cause others to disrespect us. Wrong is still wrong if the Bible says it is, regardless of the World's view.
Author to Respectability verses Holiness, Unknown.