Ok, this might be a little long for a blog but I was just blown away by this email that I received and what my friend understood from the Old Testament (yes it is possible to learn amazing things about the love, grace and mercy of God from the Old Testament. Let me share with you:
Hey Everyone!
So these past few days God has been giving me some really cool verses. I was re-reading my journal entry from yesterday and it’s basically what Steve teaches us every week, to trust God, but these verses really stuck out to me and I wanted to share it with all of you:
I was reading in Joshua and I read the story about when the Lord commanded the Israelites to destroy Jericho and everything in it, not to keep anything for themselves. They had victory and took over the land but some didn’t listen to the Lord and kept things for themselves. They next went on to take over another land but were defeated.
Joshua 7:12-13
…I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction…
…you will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.
Joshua 7:15
The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has.
God tells us that all who belong to him must become new. Our old man, our flesh must be completely destroyed. We can’t hold on to any part of it. It must all be layed at the lords feet because God can’t fix our old nature, he gives us a new one.
God promises that he will be enough, that he will give us everything we will ever need! So why do we hold onto things that aren’t of God? Why can’t we fully trust God will provide for us?
God tells us over and over that he will not abandon us. If we trust him, if we let go of everything and give it all to him then he will not only provide us with everything we need but that he will also protect and fight for us. We get to rest in his arms.
Each week we get to witness and share all the amazing things God has been doing in this body and in our lives. Whether good or bad, hard or easy God is so present and alive and living through each of us, yet we sometimes doubt he will really be there to take care of those deep deep painful areas in our lives that we hold so tightly too. God warns us:
Deuteronomy 4:9
But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live.
God loves us all so much. He wants to protect us, care for us. He rescued us from our old sinful nature, from the loneliness, from our depression, from the constant searching. He picked us to be his and to rest in his arms, to be relieved from all those things and to just accept his gift and honor him.
Deuteronomy 4:20
Remember the Lord rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord’s commands & decrees that I am giving you today FOR YOUR OWN GOOD.
Deuteronomy 8:18
Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful.
We must not forget all God has done for us, everything that he has saved us from.
Deuteronomy 11:22
…show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways & holding tightly to him.
Deuteronomy 15:6
The Lord your God will bless you as he has promised.
God is enough. We don’t need to hold on to certain areas of our lives in fear he can’t handle them. Because he can, and the truth is he can do a much better job then we can.
Deuteronomy 20:3-4
He will say to them: Listen to me all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today! Do not lose heart or panic or tremble before them. For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!
k
See it really is possible to experience God for real! It is possible!
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