Romans 1:17 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Psalm 84:5-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools.
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.
The journey of 1 million from Egypt into the the promises of God often mirrors our own journey of faith with God. Israel was found in slavery, bondage and poverty. We need to remember poverty is not the situation of not having anything. It is the in the position of having it but not able to have freedom and the privilege to bake the cake and eat it.
The Exodus of the 1 million across the Red Sea into the wilderness was suppose to be a journey of days became a journey of 40 years. We all know the story of the spies that came back with good report but with doubt that what they saw was really of God ! Too hard to get. Too impossible to achieve. Too difficult. Lets stay here and die here was their surrender.
People like Caleb was already 40 years old by then. It was only when he was 80 that he enjoyed all God had for them ! All because of the unbelieving believers ! But yet in the midst of unbelievers, Caleb, Joshua and I believed many more never stopped believing God !
Even in the wilderness God took care of their meals and shelter..all this while they were disobeying. This was the "ENOUGH". They had "ENOUGH" for each person, each family for each day and even weekend (Exodus 16:12-24). Just enough not more than enough.
How many times I hear people asking for their daily bread for their daily manna ? I wonder what is in their mind ? Manna was only for a season...but it was not God's ultimate plan for the Israelites and neither is it God's ultimate goal for you. Many people give-up in the enough. 50% faith enough. 50% of my life in obeying God !
Don't stop in the wilderness ! There's no complete rest and peace living in tents and shelters !. The Israelites had manna for 6 (man work) days for 40 years (trials and struggles) in breaking through to trust God fully !
When the unbelieving believers in the camp died together with Moses, Joshua now took over the reigns to lead the people across the Jordan into Canaanland. How did they cross the Jordan river ? God instructed the Levites to carry the ark with them. The moment they stepped into the water, the waters were held back ! Amazing !
Extravagant Worship, is always the priority of our lives. It is only in Worship we see miracles and revelations. Because our hearts are rooted in the love of God ! Never never give-up praying and bathing in the love of God for you !
9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.”
10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites:(Joshua 3:9-10)
God's promise to them to know GOd is with them is, they will see their enemies fall before them.
God is with you when you see everything that is against you becoming for you. Difficulty becomes nullified. Situations around you turned around for your good.. You see victory in everything ahead of you.
Joshua 5:11-12
11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day.
12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.
The moment they cross over into Canaanland, they began to enjoy the PRODUCE of the land. You see manna was not forever. Your current "ENOUGH" moments hand to mouth moments is not forever, God will bring you to a place where what He wants you to do, where He wants you to be will produce MORE THAN ENOUGH for you !. This is the rest God has for you.
Who is your more than enough ? it is Jesus Christ. He is not our means to everything..He is our everything. In moving with Him and obeying His word, He will produce the more than enough for you. Jesus is your rest !
You see, the produce of the land was not "produced" by the Israelites. It was the products of the "iets" Where were they ? The Jerichos saw the Israelites approaching, they all ran into the fortress of Jericho.
We will see in the rest of Joshua, the conquest of Israel on all that was occupying Canaanland. Why did God want them to bring down Jerichos and the Ai's?. Its the same God deals with us. So that they will not anymore chances to bring you down ever again !Never rebuild the old attitudes and lifestyles that destroys you. Never waste your time on the works of SIN. Sin has no more hold on you because the Blood of Christ flows freely for you !
In our Christian journey today is summed up by Lydia's experiences in Acts 16:13:-15
13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.
14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
From poverty to enough to more than enough ..is the journey of Christ in us. As we go from being an extravagant worshipper to a disciple (someone who listens to God) and to someone that follows (does what God wants us to do) Christ forever !
You are never a loser in trusting God at His word ! because God keeps His word always and through His word, He keeps You (see Jude 1:24).
Don't stay in the wilderness, don't be afraid Just BELIEVE !
Be Blessed
Edwin Koh Boon Leng (17/10/11)
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