Chris' Corner -- Sunday, June 27, 2021
A lot was going on. Moses was about to die. He wasn’t going into the Promised Land. Joshua, the new leader, had been appointed. Israel was preparing to cross the Jordan and conquer Canaan.
We can read the speech Moses gave on that day in Deuteronomy 31. He said God would help them to destroy the wicked nations of Canaan. The Lord told them before that they would move into the cities and houses they had not built. They would take possession of vineyards and fields they had not planted.
Moses said, “The Lord will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you.” It was going to be intense. Because of God’s hatred for idolatry and the sacrificing of children to false their gods, He commanded Israel to kill all the inhabitants of Canaan. That would be difficult.
Moses encouraged them, saying, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
“Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:5–8).
The writer of Hebrews took these words to encourage Christians today. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (13:5-6).
Paul told the Ephesians, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (6:10).
We must approach everything God commands with confidence because He promised us victory. We will face the great enemy, Satan, every day. No matter the challenge, no matter the difficulty, God is our helper. He promised never to leave us or forsake us.
The Christian life is a daily challenge. We must abandon our old ways and follow the new path the Lord reveals to us in His Word. We are constantly learning from our mistakes. Both good and bad circumstances will cause us to reflect and change our attitudes and actions. This is all part of the spiritual growth process.
Trust in God. Be strong and courageous!
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