I read a very thought provoking story in the thirteenth chapter of Exodus, today. (Ex 13:17-22)
God had delivered Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, whom they had been enslaved by for four hundred years.
The Scripture says there was a shorter and more direct path from Egypt to the promised land than what they took (through the wilderness and Red Sea), yet God didn’t direct them down the shorter more direct path. He knew it would require them to go to war with the Philistines. The bottom-line was Israel would have rather went back to Egyptian bondage than fight.
God is merciful, so He took them through the wilderness and then parted the Red Sea for them. They finally got down to the Jordan River where they could actually see into Canaan, the land of promise. Canaan was an incredibly fertile land. In fact, it was described as a land that flowed with milk and honey. When they realized inhabiting the promised land was going to require them to fight giants, they went back, choosing forty years of wandering in the desert instead. They would rather walk around in circles, never inheriting God’s promises, dying horrible deaths in the desert, than go to war.
There is a great falling away in America. People’s love for God and His kingdom are eroding. He has delivered them from sin (Egypt). He has led them around the land of the Philistines, making their paths smoother, because He knows they’ll immediately go back if they have to fight. He has parted Red Seas for them (working miracles on their behalf). He has brought them down to the Jordan River, allowed them to see the glory, love, joy, peace, and goodness of Jesus. He has offered them a fruitful and fertile land–a victorious Christian life–but they have chosen to go back to bondage. They have chosen to take their children back into death as opposed to showing them what faith and God’s glory looks like. They would rather drag their children through a desert than give them revival.
Here’s what I want to say:
TO THOSE THAT ARE GOING BACK ... STOP. It’s idiotic. You’re going to die out there. Your children will almost certainly die out there, too, and it will be your fault.
TO THE CHILDREN OF FEARFUL PARENTS: God has a plan for you. In this story, although all the parents died in the desert, their children survived and eventually went to war, defeating the giants! God fought for them just like He would have their parents. God gave them the promise despite their parent's failure.
God had delivered Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, whom they had been enslaved by for four hundred years.
The Scripture says there was a shorter and more direct path from Egypt to the promised land than what they took (through the wilderness and Red Sea), yet God didn’t direct them down the shorter more direct path. He knew it would require them to go to war with the Philistines. The bottom-line was Israel would have rather went back to Egyptian bondage than fight.
God is merciful, so He took them through the wilderness and then parted the Red Sea for them. They finally got down to the Jordan River where they could actually see into Canaan, the land of promise. Canaan was an incredibly fertile land. In fact, it was described as a land that flowed with milk and honey. When they realized inhabiting the promised land was going to require them to fight giants, they went back, choosing forty years of wandering in the desert instead. They would rather walk around in circles, never inheriting God’s promises, dying horrible deaths in the desert, than go to war.
There is a great falling away in America. People’s love for God and His kingdom are eroding. He has delivered them from sin (Egypt). He has led them around the land of the Philistines, making their paths smoother, because He knows they’ll immediately go back if they have to fight. He has parted Red Seas for them (working miracles on their behalf). He has brought them down to the Jordan River, allowed them to see the glory, love, joy, peace, and goodness of Jesus. He has offered them a fruitful and fertile land–a victorious Christian life–but they have chosen to go back to bondage. They have chosen to take their children back into death as opposed to showing them what faith and God’s glory looks like. They would rather drag their children through a desert than give them revival.
Here’s what I want to say:
TO THOSE THAT ARE GOING BACK ... STOP. It’s idiotic. You’re going to die out there. Your children will almost certainly die out there, too, and it will be your fault.
TO THE CHILDREN OF FEARFUL PARENTS: God has a plan for you. In this story, although all the parents died in the desert, their children survived and eventually went to war, defeating the giants! God fought for them just like He would have their parents. God gave them the promise despite their parent's failure.
You
can love God even if your parents don’t. You can be powerful even if
your parents aren't. You can live for Jesus if no one else around you
will. You can fight giants because you belong to the giant killer.
TO JOSHUA AND CALEB: The only two adults that God allowed to survive the wilderness was Joshua and Caleb. They wanted to go fight the Canaanites, but they couldn't do it by themselves. They ended up having to go back into the wilderness with all the fearful and ungrateful people. God honored their faith and courage though. He didn't forget them. They also inherited the Promised Land!
TO JOSHUA AND CALEB: The only two adults that God allowed to survive the wilderness was Joshua and Caleb. They wanted to go fight the Canaanites, but they couldn't do it by themselves. They ended up having to go back into the wilderness with all the fearful and ungrateful people. God honored their faith and courage though. He didn't forget them. They also inherited the Promised Land!
To
all the leaders that are getting discouraged with people that keep
going back ... THIS IS WAR! God has a plan and a people that will bring
that plan to fruition. You may not conquer Canaan with the people you
thought you would. It may end up being the little children running
around in your church that destroy the giants of your city. An aged D.
L. Moody said if he could start his ministry over, he’d minister
exclusively to children. Don’t underestimate God and His plan. Stay
faithful. Your time is coming.
Let us be willing to go to war. Whether we live or die is inconsequential. I want more life in my years than I do years in my life. Being in His will is everything. Experiencing His favor is everything. We must fight the good fight of faith for our children’s sake, for Christ’s sake. If we don’t ... Christianity will fade away in America.
Let us be willing to go to war. Whether we live or die is inconsequential. I want more life in my years than I do years in my life. Being in His will is everything. Experiencing His favor is everything. We must fight the good fight of faith for our children’s sake, for Christ’s sake. If we don’t ... Christianity will fade away in America.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
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