Out Of The Wilderness

It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount weir to Kadesh Barnea. Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord has given him as commandments to them,  Deuteronomy 1:2-3 Eleven days. That’s it. Eleven days. Yet forty years later they were finally making it. It blew my mind. When I read this verse and realized how crazy different the story would’ve looked if they had just trusted, obeyed, and believed God. Because of the disobedience and lack of trust they were no longer able to take part in the beautiful promise of God, and it took SO much longer than it could have. That is crazy. It’s crazy because I look at my own life and I see how often I also lack obedience, trust, and belief that God can do as He says He will. I’ve been learning to delight in His word and truth. But I can’t truly until I believe Him. So often I make it harder than it...

I am small and despised, Yet I do not forget Your precepts. Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, Yet Your commandments are my delights.  Psalms 119:141, 143  If it were not for His word. So often we can feel overcome by so many things. And His word is the only thing which prevails. It is what gives life. It is what helps us to press on. It is where we can find strength and hope. In His living word. This season of my life has been one of learning to find joy, comfort,and hope in Him alone. And that only comes through searching Him out in His word. I must diligently take of it everyday to know Him better. So often I have felt downcast and alone and I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. Yet He was with me. But I couldn’t hold onto His truth because I really didn’t know it. I have had to learn that His word is what can guard my heart. His word and constantly meditating on it changes my thought life. It changes my day to day because His word is transforming me. That is...

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.  Psalms 119:71  When I read this my desire was to have this same heart. So often when I face affliction I am grumbling, complaining, and focused on myself. I ask why, stomp my feet and run my mouth. I let my thoughts go wild and I cry and scream and just lose it. I know.. what faith. Jesus told His disciples to be sure that they would face tribulation. As a believer the fact that we will face struggles is not hidden from us. If anything, they are promised to us. Because if the hated Him, why wouldn’t the hate us? Life isn’t easy, and walking with Him doesn’t mean everything is sugarcoated. We have a hope and we know this isn’t the end but it is still difficult. He has given us His word, and He promises to us that He is with us. His word is what comforts our souls when we are afflicted. It is in the affliction that we are truly able to live our and learn what His word says. Because it is more t...

Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints.  Psalms 116:15  He is pleased when we die because we then enter into perfect eternal communion with Him. So beautiful. We finally enter into our eternal home. We are finally with Him. Forever praising Him. Amazing. But this also makes me think of dying to the flesh. I must die to myself and all the desires of my flesh to also experience communion with Him as I go through life. I must die to my desire to walk in disobedience and to live in rebellion against His law. Because innately because of sin that will always be the struggle. As my spirit is willing yet my flesh is weak. But it delights Him for us to walk in obedience to Him and His word. He desires for us to walk uprightly and in line with the way He has called for us to live. Because we are to be set apart, and holy as He is holy. He has called us to be different quite evidently, in all things, to glorify Him and make His kingdom known. What a beautifu...

If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.  Proverbs 2:4-5  You must seek wisdom. To find wisdom you must seek the Lord, for He is the one who gives wisdom and knowledge and understanding. And as we seek the Lord and learn more of Him we will fear Him, and we will begin to grow in wisdom. As psalm 111:10 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” We must fear Him. As I spend more and more time with God the more I realize the greatness of who He is. And the reality that He is so much bigger than I can even understand. He cannot be explained with words, for there are not enough. He alone is God and worthy of all praise. He is also to be feared. And we are called to fear. Not to be so afraid we never come close. But to see Him as He is in all His goodness and holiness...