Deuteronomy 2:25 “This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.”

Remember how, when God brought Israel to the edge of the Promised-Land, they sent in scouts who returned with a message that filled Israel with “dread and fear”? (1:28-29)

God brought Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land—just like He brings us out of sin and death and to the Kingdom of His Beloved Son. But Israel didn’t want to go in! In consequence, they turned and wandered the wilderness for “many days.”

The Lord told the people to “see…go in and take possession” of God's blessings. But they were afraid. Despite Moses’ arguments, they refused. God sent them back to wander in the wilderness.

"And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it." (Deut 1:39)

First, “the LORD was angry and swore: ‘Not one of these shall see the good land’.” (vv. 34-35)

 Previously we’ve heard from Moses how the Lord had called the people to journey into the Promised Land (1:7). They were to “see…go in and take possession” of God's blessings.

Previously we’ve heard from Moses how the Lord had called the people to journey into the Promised Land (1:7). They were to “see…go in and take possession” of God's blessings.

Previously we’ve heard from Moses how the Lord had called the people to journey out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land (1:7). They were to “see…go in and take possession” of the blessings God had promised them.

But... Moses says twice here at the beginning of Deuteronomy, “I can’t bear you…” (vv. 9, 12)

Deuteronomy 1:11 May the LORD, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, as he has promised you!  

This is the first devotional in a short series on Deuteronomy 1-2.

The Gospel says in a painfully straightforward way that all that we desire, long for, dream about, and work to acquire or achieve or accomplish--in short, what every fiber of our being pulls toward and every moment of our life is devoted to--we miss.

If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. (Jam 1:23-24)

A big contribution The Letter of James makes to our faith, to a healthy understanding of the Christian life, and to the canon of Scripture, is how uncomfortable it makes us. Luther called it, "an epistle of straw." Many believers feel oddly about James, like it's either a regressive book too connected to Judaism, or it's somehow truer and more real with its "pull-no-punches" approach.

"The LORD sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters." (Psa 18:16)

[Pause from church ministries series. Reflecting on James's many commands...]

Our King who commands and our Shepherd who comforts are One!

One of my favorite things about God’s works is that God is never doing just one thing. His grace is full of wisdom. 

"What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?" 
Wouldn't you love to know the answer to this? 

We live in an age where, if you didn’t do it alone, it doesn’t really count. But what the wise observe is that, if you don’t do it together, it doesn’t actually happen.