Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him, and obey His voice, provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for My Name is in Him. But if thou shalt indeed obey His voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For Mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the LORD your GOD, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. (Exo 23:20-25)
GOD went before the Israelites and prepared the way. He called all His children to obey His commands and hearken to the voice of His Angel. He promised to remove the enemies of Israel and to protect them from hunger and sickness. GOD had already promised this land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants, and now they were to follow Him and take possession of that which was theirs. All they were to do was to obey GOD, be a holy people separate from the unrighteousness around them, and be His people and a testimony of His power, love and grace.
As Children of GOD and Soldiers of Christ, we are to be a royal priesthood for GOD, representing lost people to Christ. We are to be His witnesses, declaring the mighty works of GOD to the children of men. We are commissioned to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that Christ has taught and spoken through His Word. GOD is gracious, and continues to chastise His own, and correct His people, all the while loving us, yet not excusing our failures, for He has left us here to accomplish His will and work.
We must strive to be about our Father's business. We are holy in His eyes, because of our faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, but we must work out our Salvation, gaining victory over the sIn that so easily besets us, not by our own power, but through the power of GOD in us. We must rest in Him, and let Him replace that sIn with disciplined and committed adherence to His Word and His ways so that He in us can overcome that which He seeks to correct.
As we grow in Christ and seek Him and His power in us, we are to minister to the hurting and the lost, that they may see Jesus in us. We are to disciple one another in the Word and in love, that others will know that we are indeed His disciples. We are commanded to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ as we go. To tell this lost and dying world of the mercy and grace of GOD through Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness and reconciliation with GOD that those who hear and believe can receive through faith in Jesus Christ.
For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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