Do You Know Why God Loves You?

1) God created man and woman in his image, with a pure heart, clear conscience and free will, to live in harmony and enjoy sonship and fellowship with Him eternally.

But because they once disobeyed God, sin entered their hearts, and they lost the privilege of being immortal and of having sonship and communion with God.

2) As a result of the transgression of the first man and woman, we have all inherited their sinful nature of thinking negative thoughts, speaking negative words, and doing negative actions. 

The power of sin is ruling our minds and hearts to the point that we do things we don't want to do, and we don't do things we want to do.

However, God didn't completely abandon us, as He sent prophets and gave us his commandments, the moral code to show us what sin is. But man could not follow the commandments by his own strength to have a pure heart and a clear conscience. 

3) Sin separates us from God's glory and brings us to eternal perdition.

However, according to the law God gave to Moses, forgiveness of sins is only achieved through the shedding of blood. To achieve this, animals had to be sacrificed every year. But these animal sacrifices could not purify men's consciences.

That’s why God sent Jesus—his divine and only Son, Messiah and Co-creator—about 2,000 years ago on a special mission.

Jesus came from Heaven and became human like the first man before he sinned. In fact, he was the only man who was born of a woman and of God's Spirit. That’s why he was sinless and could redeem us from our sinful nature and eternal perdition.

At the age of thirty, Jesus was baptized in water as a sign of his commitment to reveal his divine glory and to be persecuted and killed for openly confessing who he was. And right after, he received the fullness of God's own Holy Spirit, which descended from Heaven to anoint him and empower him to fulfill his mission on earth. 

Jesus proclaimed God's truth, healed the sick, and freed those oppressed by the devil. He continually showed his love and grace to all, until out of envy one day he was arrested, falsely accused and mistreated by the Jewish religious leaders. They then handed him over to be executed by the Romans, at the end of his ministry three and a half years later.

Jesus was cruelly beaten and whipped, then crucified, mocked, and cursed on a cross. And after some long hours of pain and agony, he died without mercy, rejected by all and even without the Spirit of his Father. 

Jesus shed his blood as a sin offering for our sins, as the perfect Lamb of God. His sacrifice was able to pay the debt we owed to God. Through his bloodshed and death, he was able to remove the curse of sin's power over us and forgive all our sins, so that we could be made righteous before God, his Father.

But because Jesus was sinless, God raised him from the dead on the third day. He ascended into heaven at the right hand of God and sent us his Holy Spirit so that Jesus can live in our hearts and work through us.

4) How can we be saved from the power of sin and be reconciled to God?

• We must believe that God sent Jesus to save us from the power of sin through his death and resurrection. 

• We must repent wholeheartedly of our sins and turn to God so that He may remove our hardened hearts and give us a tender one.

• We must be baptized in water in the name of Jesus to bury our old sinful nature and rise with him, so that our sins may be washed away and we may have a new life, and so that Jesus, who gave his life for us, may become our personal Lord and Savior.

• We must receive the gift of God's Holy Spirit (God's spiritual presence) within us. By receiving this gift, we become a new creation—adopted children of God with a divine nature.

At that moment, God will help us do good because sin no longer has dominion over us. We have a new nature, the glorious nature of God, and we want to do what pleases Him. 

5) What is God's will for us, his adopted and born again children? 

• God wants us to have a daily personal communion with Him and with Jesus, by praying in their Holy Spirit and meditating on their Holy Word, in order to receive more of their selfless love and to become one in mind and spirit with them. 

▪︎ God wants us to love all humanity with his selfless love, and especially those of the family of faith in Jesus.

• God wants us to proclaim boldly and faithfully the Good News of God's salvation (from the power of sin and eternal perdition) and reconciliation to Him, by his marvellous grace and through faith in Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection.

• God wants us to bless and heal those who need physical and/or spiritual healing, laying on hands and commanding healing to come in the name of Jesus and the power of God.

▪︎ God wants us to build one another up, equip new believers in the faith, and work together to advance God's Kingdom by bringing Jesus to many.

6) Jesus lived a holy life on Earth, constantly thanking and praying to God in the Spirit, and loving everyone. And also he lived in obedience to God, speaking his words of truth and showing his miraculous healing power, and dying for all humanity. 

If we follow Jesus' teachings, we will also live holy and obedient lives. And consequently, we will love God and anyone around, and fulfill Jesus' command to spread God's Good News everywhere and at every opportunity, so that many may enter his marvellous heavenly Kingdom.

God loved us so much that He sent his only Son Jesus to give his whole life for our sake, so that we might live eternally. Are you willing to give Jesus your whole life, to follow him and obey his commandments to love God intimately and those around you as you love yourself?

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The Life of a Follower of Jesus (Bible Study)

1)  A Follower of Jesus, not a simple Church Christian

   Matthew 4:18-22;  10:24-25, 37-39;  28:18-20;  Mark 4:1-20; 8:34-38;  16:15-20;  Luke 14:26-33;  1Corinthians 15:3-4

   2)  Faith and Obedience to God

   Matthew 6:25-34;  7:24-27;  Mark 16:15-20;  John 3:31-36;  8:31-34;  14:23-26;  Acts 16:25-33;  Romans 2:17-29;  2Corinthians 5:14-21;   Titus 2:11-14;  Hebrews 3:12-19;  11:6;  James 1:22-27;  2:14-26;  1Peter 1:17-22

   3)  Repentance towards God the Father 

   Matthew 4:17;  Luke 3:7-9;  Acts 2:37-38;  3:19;   26:20;  Romans 5:12;  7:18-20;  2Corinthians 7:9-10;  2Peter 3:9

   4)  Baptism in Water in union with Jesus the Messiah 

   Mark 16:15-16;  John 3:1-8;  Acts 2:37-41;  22:16;  Romans 6:1-18;  Galatians 3:26-27;  Colossians 2:11-14;  Titus 3:4-5;  1Peter 3:20-21

   5)  The Filling of God’s Holy Spirit

   Luke 3:16-15;  John 14:15-18;  16:7-15;  Acts 1:6-8;  2:1-18;  8:9-25;  10:44-48;  19:1-7;  Titus 3:4-7

   > Walk in the Spirit, Pray in tongues, Life in the Spirit

 Romans 8:1-17, 26;  1Corinthians 14:2, 14-19;  Galatians 5:19-25;  Ephesians 6:17-18

   6)  Relationship with God and Jesus 

   > Love God and His Word with all your heart, soul, mind and strength

   Joshua 1:7-8;  Matthew 4:1-4; 6:24-34;  11:28-30;  Mark 12:30;  Luke 10:38-42;  John 4:19-24;  6:35-58, 63;  8:31-34;  14:23-24;  15:1-8;  Romans 12:1-2;  2Timothy 3:14-17;  James 1:19-27;  4:4-10;  1Peter 2:1-3;  1John 1:1-4

   > Pray without ceasing

   Matthew 6:5-18;  Luke 10:2;  11:1-13;  John 16:23-24;  Acts 4:23-31;  1Corinthians 14:1-4;  Philippians 4:6-7;  Colossians 1:9-12;  1Thessalonians 5:16-18;  Hebrews 4:14-16;  11:6;   13:15;  Jude 20-21

   > Live in the Light

   Romans 13:8-14;  2Corinthians 10:3-6;  Ephesians 4:17-32;  5:1-20;  6:10-20;  Colossians 3:1-17;  1Thessalonians 5:1-11;  1Peter 1:13-25;  2Peter 1:3-21;  1John 2:28—3:10;  5:18-19

   > Love your neighbor as yourself

   Mark 12:31;  John 15:9-16;  Matthew 5:43-48;  Romans 12:9-21;  Hebrews 13:16;  1John 3:11-19;  4:7-21

   7)  Preaching the Good News, healing the sick and casting out demons, and making disciples 

   Matthew 28:18-20;  Mark 16:15-20;  Luke 4:18-21, 38-44;  10:1-20;  John 14:12;  15:16;  20:19-23;  Acts 8:1-4;  11:19-21;  14:21-22

   8)  Organizing house churches and having fellowship

   Acts 1:12-14;  2:42-46;  4:32-37;  Romans 16:5,10-11;  1Corinthians 14:26-40;  4:19;  Ephesians 5:18-21;  Colossians 3:16;  4:5,15;  2Timothy 4:19;  Philemon 1:2;  Hebrews 10:24-25

   > Form good leaders to shepherd and prepare others

   1Timothy 3;  2Timothy 2:2;   Titus 1:5-9

   9)  The Resurrection from the dead and the Eternal Judgment

   > The Resurrection from the dead - (Our blessed hope)

   Daniel 12:2-3;  John 5:28-29;  6:40;  Acts 24:15;  1Corinthians 15:12-58;  1Thessalonians 4:16-17

   > The Eternal Judgment, and The New Heaven and New Earth 

   Matthew 24:42-51;  25:1-46;  Romans 2:1-16;  1Timothy 4:1-8;  Revelation 20:1-15;   21:1-27;  22:1-21

'Our Legacy of Following Jesus' > 

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Jesus Reconciled Us to God

The main reason God sent Jesus was so that through his sacrifice we could be reconciled to God his Father.  Jesus in the beginning was a Spirit like his Father (John 4:24), but He became human to be able to pay the price of dying for us, so that we would be freed from the power of sin and the fear of death (John 1:14; Hebrews 2:14-15).

Once we turn to God, and are baptized in water into Christ Jesus, and receive the Holy Spirit, we are then set free from sin (John 3:1-8; Acts 2:37-39).  And therefore our friendship with God the Father is restored, and we have fellowship with Him and with his Son, through the Spirit and Word of God (John 4:23 -24; Luke 10:38-42; 1 John 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Jude 1:20-21).

And the ultimate goal of receiving the Holy Spirit is so that we can obey the GREAT TASK of reconciling others to God the Father through the Spirit of Christ in us (Galatians 2:20; 4:6; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ).

Some Scriptures on Reconciliation

   "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."

Romans 5:8 - 11

   "Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 

   "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 

   "And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this Task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful Message of Reconciliation. 

   "So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin by making him sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."

2 Corinthians 5:14 - 15 ,17 - 21

   "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 

   "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 

   "So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."

Ephesians 1:3‭-‬8

   "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross."

Colossians 1:19‭-‬20

   "Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. 

   "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.   

   "Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 

   "He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us."

Ephesians 2:11‭-‬18 

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you >

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Jesus’ Immersion in Water

As followers of Jesus Christ, we must verify well that every new believer is ready to be baptized or fully immersed in water. The reason why is because we have seen many people getting baptised in water, but afterwards they do nothing or very little for the Lord. And this is because they didn't understand the real meaning of immersion in water, in the first place. 

JESUS was also immersed in water, but not because of sin, as He had a sinless nature. He was baptised by John the Baptist as a sign of COMMITMENT before his Father in Heaven, to WORK for Him, and also SUFFER and DIE and RESURRECT to take away the sins of the world. His only focus and goal was to redeem us from our sins and sinful nature by the shedding of his blood, so that we could be justified and reconciled with God his Father, and receive his Holy Spirit. (See Matthew 3:13-17; 20:20-28; 26:26-28; Mark 1:9-11; 10:35-45; Luke 3:21-22; 12:49-50; John 1:29-34; 3:1-21; Romans 5:6-20; Colossians 1:12-20; Titus 3:3-7; 1Peter 1:1-9; 3:18-22; Revelation 1:4-6.)

Because of his complete and unconditional surrender to do the will of his Father, Jesus immediately received the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Him, to be able to perform miracles and be a powerful WITNESS and a yielded VESSEL to DO the will of God and FINISH the work. (John 4:1-42)

What is the real meaning of baptism or full immersion in water?

> It's more than just a prayer of deliverance and washing of sins. It's not only deciding about not sinning anymore and just having a "holy life”, but about 100 % REPENTANCE and putting the KINGDOM of GOD and his RIGHTEOUSNESS first. It's about forsaking our own comfort zone and the idea of having just a "decent life" and going to weekly “church gatherings”. It’s about focusing on the HEAVENLY THINGS at all times, and not on the things of the flesh and of this world. (See Matthew 6:19-34; chapter 25; Luke 12:13-53; 24:44-49; Colossians 3:1-17.)

> It's about denying ourselves and our own will; about being willing to suffer shame and persecution for Christ's sake; and about following and obeying Him by LOVING and PREACHING the GOSPEL to people around in a daily basis. (See Mark 8:34-38; 16:15-18; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-24; 24:44-49; John 14:12; 20:21-23; Romans chapter 8; 2Corinthians chapter 4.)

> It’s about being willing to lose our own life, and forsake our loved ones and house and material things and job and career, for Jesus' name and for living and preaching the Gospel at every opportunity. (See Mathew chapter 10; 19:16-30; Mark 8:31-38; 10:17-31; Luke 14:15-35; 18:18-30; John 12:23-27; Hebrews 10:32-39.)

> It's about having a big desire to constantly LOVE and WORSHIP and KNOW and SERVE GOD and JESUS with all our heart and soul and mind. It's about having a desire to be a living sacrifice, by praying in the Holy SPIRIT and meditating on the Holy WORD daily! It's about having a big desire to continually love OTHERS as we love ourselves! (See Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37; John 4:23-24; Romans 12:1-2; 2Thessalonians 2:13-14; Hebrews 13:8-16; Jude 20-21.)

> It's not about incorporating Jesus in our life and continuing doing our own thing... It's about dying to our old life and resurrecting with Jesus in a newness of life, to DO God's will and LOVE and SERVE Him unconditionally, as Jesus did on Earth. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a complete new creation, as old things have passed away, and all things have become new!" (2Corinthians 5:17)

This is the real meaning of immersion in water: a COMMITMENT for life to LOVE and SERVE God wholeheartedly, and become an active WITNESS who boldly and openly proclaim the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus, through the filling and anointing of the Holy Spirit!

By God's grace we are saved through FAITH in Jesus’ Blood shed for us, so that we may DO the WORKS of love toward others, as faith without loving deeds is non-existent at all! (See John 8:31-36; 15:1-17; Acts 1:8; chapter 2; Romans 3:19-31; chapter 6; 8:28-30; 2Corinthians 5:14-21; Galatians 3:24-27; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 2:6-15; James 1:22-27; 2:14-26; 1John 2:3-6.)

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Our Life Is In God’s Hands

We are living in some quite turbulent times now, when believers should evaluate their level of faith and obedience to God's Word. 

We can feel the winds of persecution and tribulation approaching fast and coming very soon against the true followers of Jesus Christ, in the Western world in particular. And surely many Christians will be worrying about it, if their faith is not grounded in God's powerful, life-giving Word.

But why worry about the coming worldwide persecution because of our faith, and even about dying for the name of Jesus and the Gospel's sake? In fact, we shouldn't fear, because this is what we pledged and committed to, when we gave our life to our Lord and Saviour. He bought us with his holy Blood, and we now belong to Him completely. And because of this, our time of passing away is in his hands!

According to the Scriptures, the Lord will let us know when will be the time of our departure from our present body to a heavenly realm, so that we don't need to worry in advance.

Jesus admonished us saying: 

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 

"When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 

"But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit of your Father." (Mathew 6:34; 10:23; Mark 13:11) 

Since the beginning of Jesus' ministry, the Jews were ready to throw Him down a hill; at other times they wanted to stone Him or take Him. But each time He managed to walk through them and escaped because it was not his time to die and go yet. 

The apostle Paul was warned by the Holy Spirit in every city he passed through, that he shouldn't go to Jerusalem because persecution awaited him there. But he answered the brethren saying: "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!" (Acts 21:13)

But Paul's time didn't arrived yet to meet the Lord. There was still work for him to do. Because later on the Lord reassured him saying: "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” (Acts 23:11)

In a second letter to Timothy, Paul let him know that his time to pass away was near when he said: 

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my race, I have kept the faith: Finally, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that Day: and not to me only, but also to all who love his appearing." (2Timothy 4:6-8)

The apostle Peter also mentioned about his departure: 

“For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent (body) to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent (body) just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease (death)." (2Peter 1:12-15)

No matter what will happen to us, the Lord wants us to be a WITNESS to this dying generation and He wants us also to REJOICE in persecutions, because we are partakers of Christ's sufferings and our names are written in the Book of Life. Hallelujah! 

When the apostles were beaten for preaching Jesus, "they feared greatly and stopped preaching..." REALLY? 

Let's see what the apostles did after they were beaten 

"And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, REJOICING that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And DAILY in the temple, and in every house, they CEASED NOT to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:40-42) Hallelujah!

Jesus said in the powerful and marvellous book of Revelation:

“He who OVERCOMES shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will CONFESS his name before My Father and before His angels.

"Because you have KEPT My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your CROWN (glorious body). He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:5, 10-12, 20-21 )

(Prayer:) 'Thank you, Father, and thank you, Jesus, for your precious promises! Thank you for helping us to keep our eyes in you. We rejoice that we are part of your Kingdom and that you have a perfect plan for each of your children. We rest in you. Our desire is to do your will and be faithful each day, one day at a time until this blessed Day when we will meet. Hallelujah! Glory to you!'

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We Should Remember Jesus’ Sacrifice Daily

We both celebrate "Easter" EVERY DAY, and not just once a year as the majority of believers do. 

We thank God for giving us his beloved Son, and we REMEMBER with gratitude the extreme sacrifice and bloodshed and death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, for the remission of our sins and condemnation. And we do that DAILY, as we break and eat the bread, and we drink of the cup at dinner time. (See John 3:16-17; Mathew 26:26-28.)

"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat, this is My body which is broken for you; do this in REMEMBRANCE of Me.' In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as OFTEN as you drink it, in REMEMBRANCE of Me. For as OFTEN as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1Corinthians 11:23-26)

In fact, Jesus is the Lamb of the Passover, and He lives in us forever! (Exodus chapter 12; Galatians 2:19-20) There is great power that gets released from Heaven when we believe and know and obey God's Word registered in the Bible! Praise God!

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'Do It In Remembrance Of Me' (MP3 song):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a10kt_sgZSPM0pz2q8YPljjzqO1NTFNL/view?usp=drivesdk

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We Must Believe To Enter Into God’s Rest

What a joy we have when we read about the great deeds of our God. The Almighty God is our Father, and we are rich, because all things belong to us through our Lord Jesus Christ!

In all times there were men of faith who trusted their God no matter what the situation was. But also there were men who trusted in their feelings, in their five senses; they were carnal men who forgot their mighty God.

Two of these great men of faith were Caleb and Joshua. You can read their account in Numbers chapter 13 and 14.

After all the miracles God did for the children of Israel in Egypt, at the red sea and in the desert, they finally arrived at the door of the Promised Land. Moses asked one of each tribes, twelve men, to explore the land and see how it was, and how fortified were the cities. 

After 40 days they returned and gave a report before the whole assembly: "We arrived to the land that flows with milk and honey. Nevertheless, the people are strong, the cities are walled and very great, and we saw GIANTS in the land." AND Caleb said: "Let us GO and possess it for we are well able to possess it!" But the men said: "NO, we are not able, they are stronger than us! We saw GIANTS, and we were in our sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight!"

Sad to say, all the congregation started to murmur against Moses and Aaron and said: "If we only had died in the land of Egypt or in this wilderness! Why has the Lord God brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?"

After all the great signs and wonders God did for them, all this time they were still faithless, they didn't know their God. But Joshua and Caleb had faith: "And they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord God delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord God, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord God is with us. Do NOT fear them.”" (Numbers 14:7-9)

The whole congregation was ready to stone them, but the glory of the Lord God appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation and said: "How long will this people provoke me? How long they will not believe me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?" (Numbers 14:11)

So God punished them, and all this generation did not enter in the Promised Land; but their children did enter, as well as Joshua and Caleb, because they believed. 

This is a heavy lesson for us all! Let us examine ourselves if we are in the faith. As the apostle Paul exhorted us: 

"Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter in His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." (Hebrews 3:12-19)

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that  is in the world through lust." (2Peter 1:2-4)

(Prayer:) 'Lord God, remove from us all fears and spirit of unbelief. Give us the faith and courage of Joshua and Caleb. These men entered into your rest, the Promised Land. Thank you, Father God, that we have your Word and your promises to lean on. Your Word is the only truth. We don't want to believe the words of men but only your Word. Thank you, Lord God, for helping us to enter into your rest. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.'

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