possess it – Praying Pint

50.y. Wilderness – 15.d. “As you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God”

Deu 11:31-32  For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you. And when you possess it and live in it, you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the rules that I am setting before you today.

Psalms 119:6  Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

Matthew 7:21-27    “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 28:20     teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Luke 1:6    And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-2   Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

A blessing, if we obey the call to repentance, to faith in Christ, and newness of heart and life through him; an awful curse, if we neglect so great salvation. Let us thankfully welcome these glad tidings of great joy; and let us not harden our hearts, but hear this voice of God while it is called to-day, and while he invites us to come to him upon a mercy-seat. Let us be diligent to make our calling and election sure. (Henry)

And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments,…. Take notice of them, and heed unto them, so as to practise them which I set before you this day. (Gill)

In Jesus we have blessings and curses.

John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

We intentionally choose to believe, trust, and rely in Jesus Christ’s atonement. Likewise we intentionally choose to live in a way that honors and glorifies Him. The problem is that much of the time we choose the blessings and forget the cost Jesus paid for our salvation and redemption. We live like we are free to live as we would as long as we claim the Blood of Christ.

Choose today to live to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in every thought, word, and action. The price paid by Jesus and the blessing of eternal life deserves no less than all of our hearts and minds dedicated to honoring, glorifying, praising, and worshiping Him.

49.y. Wilderness – 14.d. “Fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.”

Deu 6:1-3  “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Exodus 20:20     Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.”

Job 28:28    And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Psalms 111:10   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

Psalms 128:1   Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!

Proverbs 16:6    By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:13   The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Luke 12:5   But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

1 Peter 1:17   And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

The “fear” that brings God pleasure is not our being afraid of him, but our having a high and exalted, reverential view of him. To fear the Lord is to stand in awe of his majesty, power, wisdom, justice and mercy, especially in Christ – in his life, death and resurrection – that is, to have an exalted view of God. To see God in all his glory and then respond to him appropriately. To humble ourselves before him. To adore him. We tend to be in awe of worldly power, talent, intelligence, and beauty. But these things don’t impress God because “His delight is not in the strength of the horse (mighty armies, worldly power) nor his pleasure in the legs of a man (human strength).” But God delights in those who fear him – those who stand in awe of him – and instead of trusting in their own human abilities or resources, “hope in his steadfast love.”

By way of contrast, the wicked person doesn’t fear God – he doesn’t stand in awe of God. The wicked has a low view of God:

Psalms 36:1-4. Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.”

The wicked person has such a low view of God and such a lack of awe for God that he doesn’t think God can find out his sin or hate it. He doesn’t act wisely or do good because he doesn’t view God as holy and just and serious about punishing sin. He trusts in his own wits and strength. Obviously, the Lord doesn’t find any pleasure in the wicked. The wicked refuses to fear God. (Altrogge)

For the unbeliever, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God. For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer’s fear is reverence of God. Fearing God means having a reverence for Him that greatly impacts the way we live. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshiping Him in awe. Fearing God is good because it saves us from caving into our own sinful nature.

As I walk with the Lord, I discover that God poses an ominous threat to my ego, but not to me. He rescues me from my delusions, so he may reveal the truth that sets me free. He casts me down, only to lift me up again. He sits in judgment of my sin, but forgives me nevertheless. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion. (Eisenhower)

For the unrepentant, God-denying, and God-rejecting, fear should be like that of standing before an all-powerful tormentor and executioner who has complete authority and power to execute judgment upon you.

For the believer who trusts, believes, follows, obeys, and relies upon and in God, fear takes on a different form where there is such love, respect, and awe of God that displeasing Him deeply hurts them and they intentionally and purposefully choose to live in such a way that reflects this love, respect, and awe – and in doing so this desire permeates their life so that in all they think, say, and do it is purposefully set on honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ.

49.d. Wilderness – 13.j. “The Penalty for Israel’s Rebellion”

Deuteronomy 1:34-39 “And the LORD heard your words and was angered, and he swore, ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the LORD!’ Even with me the LORD was angry on your account and said, ‘You also shall not go in there. Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.

In response to Israel’s unbelief and lack of trust in God’s love, God swore an oath (Psalm 95:11) that the adult generation which came out of Egypt would not inherit the Promised Land, but would die in the desolate wilderness instead. The only exceptions were Caleb and Joshua. These were the faithful two among the twelve spies which came back with the report from the Promised Land. Even Moses himself would not enter the Promised Land. (Guzik)

And the Lord heard the voice of your words,…. Of their murmurings against Moses and Aaron, and of their threatenings to them, Joshua and Caleb, and of their impious charge of hatred of them to God for bringing them out of Egypt, and of their rash wishes that they had died there or in the wilderness, and of their wicked scheme and proposal to make them a captain, and return to Egypt again: (Gill)

Doubts form out of lack of trust and reliance in God and lead to disobedience. Knowing God and having an ever-growing desire to know more and more of Him will give us confidence in His power and sovereignty over all things on earth and in heaven. I dare say that lack of desire for His Word and knowing Him more and more leaves a void that will be filled with foolish thoughts, doubts, fear, anger, worry, confusion, etc…. His Word is given to us so that we have examples of His awesome power, might, and control over all things. It also gives us examples of His grace, mercy, and love, as well as, right and wrong thinking which led to distrust, disregard, and denial of His power, promises, purpose, and plans.

48.w. Wilderness – 13.b. “And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.”

Num 33:50-56 And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.”

God had a special role for the nation of Israel regarding the people of Canaan. He used them as a unique instrument of judgment against the Canaanites. Israel was not to tolerate a co-existence with the depraved idolatry and immorality of the Canaanites, which included even human sacrifice. “No false pity or selfish motive was to operate in such fashion as to leave any corrupting influence behind. The unequivocal command to drive out all, was based on the tenderest regard of God for the well-being of the chosen people, and through them, the whole [human] race.” God’s intent was not only to bring judgment on the corrupt culture of the Canaanites but also to give the land to Israel to possess. If Israel failed to drive the Canaanites out of the land, they could still occupy the Promised Land. However, the idolatry and immorality of the Canaanites would find a place among Israel and be a source of constant trouble and irritation.

It shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them: This warning was eventually fulfilled in Israel’s history. Though they possessed the land, they did not fully drive out the Canaanites or destroy their influence. By following the Canaanite idolatry and immorality, eventually God drove Israel out of the land in exile.

The abiding spiritual principle teaches us that it is of no use for the church to succeed in the eyes of man – as Israel had succeeded when they occupied the land and became a legitimate nation, instead of an enslaved people – if it merely allows the corrupt practices and attitudes of the Canaanites to take root among God’s people. If, spiritually speaking, a similar thing happens among God’s people today, they should expect to be eventually driven from their place of apparent success or influence. (Guzik)

Do you ever give thought to cultural influences in the church today in the name of tolerance or co-existence or acceptance? People who live lukewarm to God’s Word and things of God will find it comforting to be a body that embraces cultural acceptance of sins and lifestyles that clearly defy God’s Word and expectations from those whom Jesus died to redeem. Being tolerant of sins and not calling them out as sins, but rather trying to make room in God-honoring lives for those with alternative lifestyles and ideas of what it means to follow and obey God.

When there is no concern or thoughts of the sinfulness of sin in the light of the holiness of God people will become blind to things of God and drift through life on the waves of cultural norms whenever they present themselves. There used to be a time when pastors would call out cultural norms for what they were. There was a time when:

Divorce was considered a bad thing and it was sin

LGBQT was just called homosexuality and it was sin

Abortion was the murder of babies and it was sin

Working on Sunday and not having a day of rest “In the Lord” was sin.

Not working when jobs were available was sin

Pornography was sin

History was studied not abolished

The Church met on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, and numerous home bible studies during the week. It was a community of believers that met, prayed, studied the Word of God, and encouraged holy living.

Movies and TV shows promote of sinful acts were made known and avoided

Home visitation by the elders and pastor was common

Knowing what is either right or wrong in the eyes of God is very good to know and essential for a believer to identify the things of this world that are creeping into the Church. When the Word of God is not cherished, desired, or studied the minds of people will be led by the influences of “Cultural Norms”. Soon the believer is weakened and the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit fall on deaf ears. They are just content with being born-again believers with very little growth or knowledge and understanding of the things of God. They are confused by those who defend sinful life choices and styles and find it easier to be non-committed one way or the other towards them. Clearly, a charismatic speaker can persuade those who are weak and lukewarm in their commitment to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ to think a sinful act is acceptable.

I find this to be true – social media, news outlets, TV, and the busyness of life have eroded the hearts and minds of believers. These have watered down and diluted if not washed away what it means to be godly, holy, faithful, and committed. I am not saying that spending time on social media, listening to news outlets, or watching TV is all bad. However, when there is a lack of desire for growth and understanding of God’s Word so that you can better live in such a way that honors and glorifies Jesus Christ in all of your thoughts, words, and actions, then the cultural norms will become more and more acceptable. Sin becomes tolerated because right and wrong are allowed to co-mingle.

How is a person to gain understanding and knowledge of the things of God and what is pleasing in His sight if there is only but a weak commitment to it while at the same time, their lives are being filled with whatever is the new cultural norm being proclaimed? How is a person to hear the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit when their time is being occupied and filled with whatever the culture (social media, news outlets, and TV) deems important for the day? It would be far better for a believer to shut these influences out of their lives. I wonder if your TV and internet were broken and you could not afford to get another one for 6 months if anything would really change in your life by not having listened? I am pretty sure life would go on and you might even find time for God’s Word and things of God. You might talk more as a family. You might spend more time attentive to your family. You might spend time with friends. You might get more things done around the house. Children might find time to read.

The lives of believers are being too easily influenced by cultural norms because?????????

What shall be the sign?

Genesis 15:8 But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”

2 Kings 20:8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?”

Luke 1:18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Psalms 86:17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Genesis 24:2-4 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Genesis 24:13-14 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

Judges 6:36-40 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

1 Samuel 14:9-10 If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.”

Isaiah 7:11 “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”

Matthew 12:38-40 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

There are certain aspects of our christian life that definitely do not need a sign from God for us to follow.

2 Peter 1:4. Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

One thing is clear, if we do not spend time cultivating a life with these foundations being hammered solid through reading and applying His word, how its it expected to see a sign from Him in whom there is not daily desire to honor, glorify, serve, follow and obey. Walking with God this side of eternity has questions which requires living active faith. Faith that is grown and cultivated through His word.

We can ask God to give us a sign but I have found many times that He confirms directions for us to follow without us needing to ask. We just need to have our heart and ears tuned in to listening for the quiet small whispers of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Do you want a sign?

Do you want to hear Him speak into your life through His word?

Do you want to see things unfold knowing God’s hand is active in plans and purposes in your life?

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen. In our life of instant everything we seem have lost the ability to seek God with expectant faith anticipation.

Establish the work of our hands

“so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”

Psalms 102:28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

Psalms 22:30-31 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

Psalms 45:16-17 In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

Psalms 69:35-36 For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 59:20-21 “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

Isaiah 65:22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

Psalms 90:16-17 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

“Establish the work of our hands” I think much of the time we think about this and only apply it to our jobs. We ask God to bless us in what we do. We try to find meaning and purpose in what we do. There will be no blessing from God if we are pursing our own path in life. We should not take a job anywhere if we are not confident this is where God wants us. We will find no purpose in life if we go our own way, seeking what ever it is to please us. Purpose in life and blessings in life come from being in God’s will and seeking to honor and glorify Him. Seeking to hear His quiet small voice leading you in family and work will light your path and allow you to see blessing and give you purpose. How can we expect to give our offspring and generations to come anything to hang on to if we are not clinging to, relying on, and trusting in, and proclaiming the mighty glorious power, love, grace, and mercy of God. We don’t have to look very deep into our society / culture to see that our lack of commitment and complacency toward humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God has terrible results upon our children and the next generation. Our life can be one filled with purpose and blessing if we would seek Him alone with our heart, mind and soul.