THE CALL OF MOSES

 

God is Great; Ascribe to him Greatness

 

“Moses, the Meekest Yet One of the World’s Strongest Leaders”

Deuteronomy 32

32 “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. ² Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass. ³ For I proclaim the name of the Lord:

Ascribe greatness to our God.

⁴ He is the Rock, His work is perfect;

A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.

His praise endures forever.

New King James Version (NKJV)

  

Moses, the meekest (according to the bible,) yet one of the world’s greatest and strongest leaders called out to the children of Israel and is calling to us today!  

The call of Moses was given to the Israelites when they were delivered out of Egypt and about to enter the promised land.  Moses tells the people to give ear- to pay attention. 

Moses was about to speak some very important words. He was about to pass the baton to Joshua. God had told him he was to go to a mountain and there he would die. Moses knew the baton was passing to a new generation. The older generation, all but he, Joshua and Caleb had died in the wilderness due to rebellion and unbelief.  Now the new generation would go into the promised land with Joshua as their leader.  Moses is telling this younger generation to:

PAY ATTENTION!

We, many generations later have the opportunity through the bible, to glean from the wisdom of Moses, yet not only the wisdom of Moses, but the wisdom of God himself, the inspiration and author of these precious words.  

His call is to follow the ways of God, to let his teachings fall into your ears as dew on dry ground; to thirst and crave the teachings of the one you understand is perfect in all of his ways.

Moses speaks of the greatness of God; but not only greatness, the perfection of God.  

The bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Are you one that fears the Lord?  

We have the blessed opportunity to learn from the greatest of greats and the wisest of all, God himself!  He is not only great but he is perfect! To understand God is to understand life!

Psalm 111:¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

The most important thing you can do is fear (stand in awe, amazement, wonder & respect of) the Lord.  When you fear the Lord, you have just begun to be wise. When you heed his commandments, you have good understanding.  

To live your life without first fearing the Lord, means you will at some point have to return to square one, the beginning!  

Moses call is to ascribe greatness to God and to understand his ways are perfect.  Ascribe to him the greatness he is worthy of.  To ascribe is to not only write the Word of God, but to speak it out loud- to proclaim it.  

We have his written Word, but God wants us to speak his Word. Often it was hard to translate words from Hebrew to English and the King James version and other versions did their best.  The word, ascribe in English means only to write but in Hebrew it means to call it out loud.  It means to name something or someone.  God’s name is great.  God wants our mouth to speak about his greatness and to proclaim his greatness. He hasn’t called us to be secret Christians, living one way in public but believing something entirely different in our hearts. He wants our life to line up with his Word and he wants our mouths proclaiming his Word.  To ascribe means not only to write but proclaim and name. 

When you ascribe greatness, you communicate to others about the great one! God is great and we cannot keep it a secret. This is step one to living a life that not only inherits promises from God but walks in them. 

Israel is about to inherit their promised land but will they remain there forever? At the time this was written, Moses knew prophetically they would at some point in their future fail and he showed them the way back. 

At this point in our future, none of us know what lies ahead but we can know from this point on the first step in understanding is to not only attribute greatness to God but ascribe it, meaning to proclaim it and live according to his teachings! Let’s ascribe greatness to God, knowing his ways are perfect and live our lives filled with understanding! Amen!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2032&version=NKJV

THE INHERITANCE Of JOSHUA

Wow, Joshua is a leader that amazes me. As I've journeyed through the book of Joshua I've seen a fearless relentless leader that believed the Lord, trusted him, obeyed him and above all else valued his presence. When Moses and Joshua went into the tabernacle, Moses left but Joshua lingered behind in the glory. When Moses went up the mountain, Joshua followed just to be near the presence. When Moses sent 12 spies into the promised land only 2 of them believed God- Joshua was one along with Caleb! When Moses died, Joshua was appointed leader by God. Joshua was a faithful leader that walked in faith and obedience and was able to bring the children of Israel all the way into their promises.

After Joshua led the children of Israel into the promised land and after all the land was divided, Joshua was able to choose the land he asked for. It says he was able to choose his land according to the Word of the Lord.  That's what the reward of faith is! You get to choose what you want and receive it of the Lord.  In the same way he had told others to survey land and divide it among them, so they gave him his portion and he was able to survey his land and make his choice just as God had promised.  Not everything is appointed. Some things you just ask for and because of your reward God gives it to you.  There are things about which he says, "You have not because you ask not!"  God says "Ask and you will receive whatever you ask for (paraphrased.)  This is the reward for those who desire God's will, make the choice to walk in obedience, have faith through trials and tribulations and become an example others can follow!  Joshua's reward was his choice of land!

The bible says the land was divided at the door of the tabernacle. Joshua as leader gave the tabernacle place in the new land. Joshua is an Old Testament character and therefore did not have the Holy Spirit inside. He could not yet BE the tabernacle because the Holy Spirit had not yet been given. I'm sure that if Joshua could have taken up residence inside the tabernacle he would have.  He couldn't live inside the tabernacle because he was not a priest but as an older man, Joshua chose to give place to the presence of the Lord and the Word of the Lord! I have grown to love this man named Joshua and I think I want to follow his example!

Lord may we all be like Joshua who believed you, followed you, trusted you, obeyed you, believed you in the midst of battles and adversity and all of his days followed your word and gave place to your presence! May we all so fully obey you that we too can choose our inheritance! Amen!

Neglecting or Possessing- A Little Umph for Your Get Up and Go!

NEGLECTING OR POSSESSING

a little "umph" for your "get up and go"

Joshua18:2 But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. 3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you? 4 Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me. 5 And they shall divide it into seven parts.

IF A STEP IS REQUIRED,  THEN A STEP YOU MUST TAKE

What has God promised you, that he has also revealed to you, that the time to receive that promise is now?

Sometimes we are not actively pursuing what we know we've been promised and what we know God has said it is time for now!

Go is a word of action. It means to take steps. Joshua said go and possess. Before you can possess, you first have to go. Some people just need to take a step and watch God move on their behalf.

We all have heard how Peter walked on water but he never would have done that if he hadn't taken a step.

We've all heard of how Abraham left his homeland to come into the new land God was showing him but that never would have happened if he hadn't taken a step.

Even Joshua would have never led the children of Israel into the promised land if he had refused the leadership role and refused to move forward.

We could go on with example after example of those that took steps in order to receive their promises.  I won't take time to tell the stories of Elijah, Elisha, Ruth, Nehemiah, Ezra, David and many many more! How about the wise men, the shepherds, and even Mary and Joseph?  Each had to take a step of obedience.

One thing is for certain- if a step is required, then a step you must take! 

Joshua had led the children of Israel into the promised land.  They were in the land and had defeated many kings and enemies through the help of God! 

In Joshua 18:2 it says, though that seven tribes had "not yet" received their inheritance.  This is in spite of the fact the possession was right in front of them- right under their nose!

Is there something you know you should have possessed already that you haven't?  Is there something God has promised that he has told you is available now? 

SOME UMPH FOR YOUR GET UP AND GO

Joshua had to confront these seven tribes and inject a  little "umph"  into their "get up and go!"

These Israelites were complacent where they were. They were not taking the steps necessary to inherit what was right under their nose! Joshua asked them why they were neglecting to do what was clearly time to do. Here Joshua told them to go and survey the land, pick out what they wanted, and come back to him and they would divide it!

Maybe some people need to just start moving forward in their plans, survey their land and watch God perform a miracle on thier behalf!

If God spoke the promise to you, then he will surely fulfill it but if he has said the time is now, then it's time to take a step.  Don't get this far, to your appointed time and abandon the promise now!

Go ahead, get up and go, take a step, survey the land and possess your inheritance!  Amen!

AT THE END OF THE DAY

In Joshua 10 we find a pretty intense situation.  Israel was in the promised land and there were battles to fight.  They would find themselves fighting for a nation that had at one time been an enemy but was now in covenant.  The surrounding armies were in fear and everyone had something to say:

·         The remaining enemies had something to say.

·         The new found friends had something to say.

·         God had something to say.

·         Joshua had something to say.

It really doesn't matter who says what! What matters is what God says.

When we find ourselves in a battle- whether fighting for ourselves or fighting for friends, we need only to know what God says.

Once we know what God says, that's what we are to say.  When we do that, we demonstrate the kind of faith God honors.  The child of God that will stand in faith, look the enemy in the face and fight the good fight in confidence will see the hand of God and the power of God come to their defense.

For Joshua, the sun stood still at his command!

There was no day like that before and no day like that after that day!  

Even the calendar has changed because of that day! 

What changes are we affecting by standing on God's word?

THE ENEMY ARMIES SAID WHAT?

The kings of the surrounding enemy armies spoke in fear among each other, planning and conspiring how they could defeat the Gibeonites.  This obligated Israel to protect Gibeon as if they were one nation.

These kings spoke!  What came out of their mouth was an evil yet futile plan to attack Gibeon and preserve themselves!

Joshua 10:3,4 Wherefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem, sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4-Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel......5- Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.

·         They said they would smite Gibeon.

·         They said it alone and they said it together.

·         The defeat of Gibeon, was spoken from the mouth of the kings.

Sometimes what the enemy, being the devil, says will come into your ears. When the talk comes into our ears, we just need to call upon the name of the Lord!

THE GIBEONITES SAID WHAT?

Joshua was the leader of the army of Israel and this nation had made peace with Israel.  The Gibeonites called on Joshua for help according to covenant!

Joshua 10:6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

Joshua means Savior and surely he would be that to the Gibeonites.

When we call on our savior he comes running.  When the Gibeonites called on Joshua, he came running, bringing ALL the armies with him.

Joshua 10:7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

GOD SAID WHAT?

Here's what God said as Joshua stepped out to help their new friends:

Joshua 10:8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.

·         God says fear not!

·         God says he's already delivered us!

·         God says he will fully defeat our enemies and really, already has!

·         God says he will not do a partial work!

WHO SAID WHAT AND WHO DID WHAT?

It doesn't matter who said what when God has spoken. Only what God says matters.  God said he had delivered them and that's what happened!

Joshua 10:10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11-And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

JOSHUA SAID WHAT?

Joshua said, "Sun stand still" 

God had said, "There shall not be a man standing!"

Joshua held God to his word.  It says he spoke to the Lord but commanded the sun to stand still. 

God will stop at no lengths to bring his Word fully to pass even if he has to stop time. 

Joshua 10:12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon 13-And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. 14- And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

When we line up our mouth, in faith with what God has said, God will listen to our voice.  Joshua was a man of faith. He had full confidence in God's ability to do what he said and was so confident he was willing to speak to the Lord and command creation.  That reminds me of a scripture:

Isaiah 45:11  Thus says the LORD, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “ Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons;

And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.

God wants us to know that he will honor his Word above his name.  God has given us dominion and the ability to speak in his name!

·         He has said we could speak to mountains.

·         He has said we could ask anything in his name.

·         He has said, "Whatever we ask in prayer believing, we receive.

·         He has said we will have what we say!

·         He is looking to someone that will confidently, in faith, believe him, even in the face of great battles.

The day was over. The night was upon them. There were enemies still standing yet God had said, "There will not be a man standing before you!"

Have you ever heard the saying, "At the end of the day?"

Well at the end of the day, it didn't matter who said what; it only mattered what God and Joshua said.  God is looking for those who will believe him, and stand in faith in what he's said.  Then concerning the work of his hands, we can command and God will honor his word!

At the end of the day, God's word came to pass!

Some of us may want to give up before the end of the day but don't give up!

Keep fighting and keep speaking and you'll see, at the end of the day, God's word is true!

AT THE END OF THE DAY

At the end of the day, the sun stood still.  At the end of the day, God's word was true! At the end of the day, they could all look back and say, "Who said what?" 

We can know for certain that it doesn't matter what the enemy said - it only mattered what God said! 

What is God saying to you concerning things you're going through.  Whatever God has said, that he will do.  Hang onto his promises and stand in faith.

I wonder what the enemies said..... AT THE END OF THE DAY!

TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE WHEN GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE PT 2

TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE BECAUSE GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE- PART 2

In the last blog we were talking about how the people of Gibeon in Joshua 9 had decided to enter into a covenant with Israel rather than fight against them as the other surrounding people were.  This angered the other kings who came against Gibeon in a unified front in Joshua 10.

Joshua 10:5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

Gibeon called for Joshua to come on the scene because they were in covenant relationship.  When you're in covenant, you are no longer an enemy of God and you are promised rights of protection. 

TIME

It seemed like an eternity!

Joshua responded and was on the way to help but to Gibeon it may have felt like an eternity. They were already surrounded and Joshua was an entire night away.

Sometimes we feel surrounded- as if God is a million miles away!  It's at times like that he says, "Do not fear or be discouraged. I will not leave you or forsake you."

THE LORD COMES ON THE SCENE

Time is on your side because God is on your side!

If you are a Christian, you are in covenant with Jesus, Yeshua, Joshua, the savior of the world.  He will come on the scene for you when you call upon him, believe and confess his Word!  Those Gibeonites said, "Save us," because they understood they were in covenant!

Did Joshua sit back and ignore these new friends?  No he didn't.  He ascended- he went to them- he helped them!

Now the bible says Joshua had to come from where he was to fight for Gibeon!

It took Joshua all night to get there!

9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 

Sometimes it seems in our darkest  hour, that God is a million miles away!

Time is on your side because God is on your side!

Josh 10
7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.”

So Joshua stepped out honoring the covenant and then, after he ascended, the Lord spoke!

Isn't it amazing when the Lord speaks?  There's nothing like getting a Word from God in response to a battle you are in!  God said, "Don't fear!  I have delivered them into your hand!"

That's amazing!  Before the battle was fought, God said, "I have delivered them!"  God truly does the end from the beginning and calls things that are not as though they are!  The battle was won before it was fought!

Time is on your side because the battle is already won!

In the same way, when we call upon God he says, "I have delivered them into your hand!"

GOD FIGHTS FOR YOU

When God comes on the scene, you can fight but really it gets easy from there.  This says more died from hailstones from heaven than from the sword of man.  God really did take care of things for Israel.

Joshua 10:11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. 

Time is on your side because God is on your side!

With the Lord on our side, who can stand against us?  That reminds me of a song:

The enemies fled and descended!  It's interesting the bible puts it that way. 

Joshua ascended but the enemy descended!  Sure the reason is because Gibeon was on a hill but surely there's some prophetic symbolism there.

Ascend means to go up, spring up, meet and to be superior!  Jesus is superior and he springs up to meet us.  He ascends to give us victory and in fact has already ascended and won every victory in advance on our behalf.  Just as God said here, "I have delivered them into your hand," so our enemies have already been defeated!  Look at a few scriptures about the ascension of Jesus:

We are free because he ascended!

Ephesians 4:8
Therefore He says: “ When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”

Because he ascended he is able to fill all things. Because he ascended the Holy Spirit was poured out and now abides inside of us filling us with the glory of God, something they did not have in Joshua's day.  My how fortunate we are to have been born into this day and hour.

He ascended, set us free, delivered us from all bondage and now fills us and gives us gifts that are all we will ever need in this life! Hallelujah!

Ephesians 4:10
He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Joshua is a type of Jesus.  When you're in covenant with God, no matter what your past, he will jump up from where he's at to meet you where you are and right where the trouble is!  He's a covenant keeping God!  He has already won the victory.  He has ascended, and is seated at the right hand of God as the victor!  He has poured out his Spirit who now lives inside of us.  He has made us more than conquerors!

SPEAK OUT IN FAITH

Look what else happened!  God had said not to be afraid. 

He had spoken to Moses and said not to be afraid.

He had promised to never leave them or forsake them.

He had told Joshua to have great courage and here Joshua had great courage and spoke out in faith!

Joshua 10:12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: 

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”

13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to godown for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.
15 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE

You know, sometimes it seems time is passing by and the battle still hasn't been won but God is a redeemer of time.  Here God even heeded the voice of Joshua and caused time to stand still ensuring the complete victory.  God is a redeemer and it's never too late and the battle's never too intense for God!

If you feel time is passing you by, take courage and speak to the time and say, "Stand still!"  Remind God that he is a redeemer of time and be assured that he is a redeemer of time.

God will go to whatever length is necessary to help you.  He will not forsake you.  He will spring up and come to you at your point of need.  He already has defeated the devil who is your true enemy. 

For you, my friend, God will even make time stand still! Amen!

Covenant- Strangers But Accepted

COVENANT- STRANGERS BUT ACCEPTED

In Joshua 9, the Gibeonites came to Joshua's camp as enemies of God. They were not God's people yet they were requesting covenant.  They recognized and had heard that THIS GOD, the God of the Israelites was a victorious God, a God that drove out enemies and a God that protected his people. Rather than fight this God, they wanted to join this God!

Joshua 9: 3- But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, 5 old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. 6 And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” 

God will never turn anyone away that comes to him truly desiring to enter into covenant with him!

They came in as liars and deceivers to the Israelite camps.  The Israelites were blinded to who they were.  They came in wearing old shoes and carrying old wineskins and wearing old clothes.

Just as the Gibeonites came with the old, but were given new, and were accepted into the Israelite camp, in that same way we have been grafted into the covenant promises of the nation of Israel.

                       

Ephesians 2:11Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Although coming to him as sinners, apart and separate from the covenants of God, we are accepted into covenant as we are!  We are made new!

It was later uncovered who they were just as we are continually sanctified and who we are is exposed.  God still protects us even as we are.  We are still in covenant even as we are.  It is in covenant relationship begins as we are grafted into the tree of Israel and given the same covenant rights!  It is then he begins to change us as we walk in a new relationship!

Joshua said, "Let them live!"   In that same way, Jesus says to us, "Let them live as we are given new life with new and better promises than the life that was the source of our old wineskins and our old clothing. 

• They were destined for death but this covenant gave them life!
• They came in with old wineskins from their past but were given a new life within covenant!
• They chose to be reconciled to the God of Israel than live a life of defeat!  Wow!

2 Corinthians 5:17-17  17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

They were cast into the mercies of God, throwing themselves upon his mercy rather than remaining enemies. 

Josh 9:25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. 26- And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

Although they came in as deceivers and liars, they were accepted as servants in the house of God!

Josh 9:22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We [are] very far from you; when ye dwell among us?  23-  Now therefore ye [are] cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.  24- And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25- And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. 26- And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. 27- And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.

Even though they were servants it's better to be a servant of God than an enemy of God!

Psalm 84:10
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

• Even in light of all of this we can see that these people were given covenant.
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  • Even in light of all of this we can see that these people were given covenant.
  • Even today the nation of Israel is dealing with people that remained in the promised land during those years.
  • Many have their roots in these very people that were given covenant.
  • Israel is not to treat them unkind but is to be good to them and protect them- and that's what we see in Israel even today.
  • God will still honor his word so long as they don't come against Israel- in fact any nation coming into covenant to protect Israel will be afforded the same protection as they are.
  • In the same way, God now protects us as the apple of his eye!  We have eternal life and he has assigned angels to watch over us! We have absolutely nothing to fear!
  
  
  BLINDED TO THE TRUTH
  
  
  Historically Israel was blinded to the fact that God reached out to the gentiles and gentiles were grafted into the tree of Israel.
  
  
  • The gentiles that have accepted Christ have been afforded a new covenant, better than the old we came to him with.
  • We have the same protection as Israel.  We have the same God!
  • It didn't matter how they came- it mattered what they be-came! 
  
  
  WE HAVE BECOME FRIENDS
  
  
  We still must remember this is an old testament story that just gives a shadow of what was to come.  They became servants but we have become friends.  Thank God that he accepted us as we were even though we were unworthy and made us friends!  Amen!
  
  
  John 15:15
  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
  
  
  
  
  • Today I'm thankful that God accepted me with all of the deception of my past.
  • I'm thankful to be his servant and even more thankful to be made friend.
  • I'm thankful for his continual work of sanctification that exposes who I am but changes me to be more like him.
  • I'm thankful for his eternal protection and destiny in my life.