Thorns in Your Side
We all have problems. They are part of life in this world. However, we can and should avoid many of our problems. God has shown us how to do that, just like He showed the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land.(Numbers 33:55) This is a valuable lesson for all of us, as believers.
The inhabitants of the land of Canaan were pagans with terrible lifestyles and religions that sought to manipulate their gods to get pleasure and prosperity. They followed human nature into all kinds of sins. Therefore, God was clear in His command. They were to drive out all of the people of the land and not leave a single one to infect them with their sinful lifestyles and religions. If they failed to do this, the people would be thorns in their sides and irritants in their eyes to harass them to sin. This was not God's will. God desired for them to be holy, so they would obey God and flee from sin.
The same is true for believers today. Once we are saved, God wants to help us grow to be like Jesus. If we leave the things in our lives that came from our previous life, or if we live like the folks who are not believers, we will experience problems that God never intended for us to have. We must simply root out those things, and do God's will. It is always easier to cast something out completely than to try to live with it in moderation or to try to ignore it, even though we see it continually. Think about all of these things that cause you trouble, and then decide to put them away from you completely. It will be a great blessing, because you will remove the thorns and irritants that have been holding you back.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Numbers 36 and Deuteronomy 1-2.
The inhabitants of the land of Canaan were pagans with terrible lifestyles and religions that sought to manipulate their gods to get pleasure and prosperity. They followed human nature into all kinds of sins. Therefore, God was clear in His command. They were to drive out all of the people of the land and not leave a single one to infect them with their sinful lifestyles and religions. If they failed to do this, the people would be thorns in their sides and irritants in their eyes to harass them to sin. This was not God's will. God desired for them to be holy, so they would obey God and flee from sin.
The same is true for believers today. Once we are saved, God wants to help us grow to be like Jesus. If we leave the things in our lives that came from our previous life, or if we live like the folks who are not believers, we will experience problems that God never intended for us to have. We must simply root out those things, and do God's will. It is always easier to cast something out completely than to try to live with it in moderation or to try to ignore it, even though we see it continually. Think about all of these things that cause you trouble, and then decide to put them away from you completely. It will be a great blessing, because you will remove the thorns and irritants that have been holding you back.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Numbers 36 and Deuteronomy 1-2.