As I was talking to one of my friend's last night, he told me to listen to a message from one of my former pastors. It really encouraged me and I hope it might gain perspective for you as it did me. When God prompts us to go, stay, step out in faith, expect challenges to compromise In Deuteronomy 1:19-32 the challenges came from the inside. The Israelites did not choose to go in faith and trust God at His word. When we don't go in faith and at His word, there are five consequences that we will encounter when choosing to explore rather than obey.
1. We waste a great deal of time and opportunity. The Israelites were gone for 40 days and then when they came back they took time to debate the results of their exploration. The 40 days turned into 40 years. We don't need to confirm God's promises but to claim them. God will confirm them for us.
2. We allow doubt to settle in. For the Israelites their doubt gave away to fear. "Where can we go?" vs 28 God knows that when we walk by sight only, we are filled with doubt and fear. We are to live by faith and not by sight.
3. We tend to confirm to the majority. 10 spies said it could not be done. 2 said it could be done Joshua and Caleb. Numbers 13:30 says "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." They chose to listen to the 10.
4. We end of up living complicated lives. The Israelites wondered for 40 years living as nomads in the desert. How less complicated our lives would be if we followed God's financial principles, instead of society's, if we followed God's principles for love and marriage, for family, and sexuality. Tom Kelly says " The fruit of the obedience is simplicity."
5. We often settle for less than God's best. "Not a man of this evil generation will see the good land I swore to give your forefathers." Deu 1:35 Not a man except Joshua and Caleb.
When will we stop exploring and just plain out obey? We were meant to be obey and not to explore. May we truly live our lives by faith and not by sight.
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3 comments:
So how do you think that statement interacts with looking for a job or for looking for a mate? Does that mean we should just wait for God to put things in our lives or does that mean we can explore within certain boundaries?
OOps I read a little and then commented without really reading the whole thing. So I am assuming that they mean when we are told something from God, That we should then just obey and not explore around for other options?
To answer your question about how it relates to looking for a job or a mate, exploring is completely fine. I mean part of "dating" is seeing if you are compatible, and that if it is worth pursuing. Looking for a job is all about exploring all options. God designed us to work and not stay at home twidling our thumbs so in this regard it doesn't relate. In reference to your last comment, yes if God told you to do something, it might be unorthodox or weird to you, but thats where faith comes into play. With the Israelites, what started out as a 40 day adventure turned into 40 years of wandering. If God tells us to do something and we know its from Him, then we need to obey,and trust that He will do the confirming for us.
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