These are the journeys of the children of Israel

.... who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron (Numbers 33:1). The Lord drew my attention to this passage this morning, and I was at first puzzled, because I had blogged on the literal truth of the Red Sea crossing on February 1 (see the post on philheathsblog.blogspot.com). Of course the World refutes the historicity of such events on a matter of principle, because in the eyes of the World miracles don't happen. But we know, that the world is caught in the snare of the Devil who as taken them captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). And the Devil is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). But this morning, as I sit here typing, I have a sense of certainty as to the truth of the Scriptures that are proved over and over by research, secular and otherwise. Of course I don't believe everything that I read, I am not naive, but I have come to have confidence in the reliability and the truth of Scripture.

There are still many things that I don't understand, and there are many more things that I have yet to learn. But having said that, I am sitting here confident that the one who made a way through the sea for Israel (Isaiah 43:15, 16), this One is still on His throne. He is not caught by surprise, and He is using this attack of the enemy to waken His church, the body of all true believers, to cause us to rise up in faith, to take up the authority we have been given, and to trample on this caronavirus snake (Luke 10:19). But He is also wanting to reset His church, to bring us back to the fear of the Lord, to obedience, and to a zeal, to come against every sin and compromise and start a new journey in our lives. We are in the midst of a battle and we need to take up the breastplate of righteousness, His and our own practical righteousness (sanctification).

Paul tells us that the weapons of our warfare are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5). It's not just the coronavirus that needs to be defeated, it's also the strongholds of our society that has rejected God, and spread lies and confusion and chaos having, as I said been taken captive to do the enemies will. And the verse that has been on my heart for several days now is verse 6 which says “being being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” Clearly it is not the obedient being punished, so who is it who is being punished? It is the enemy, the snakes and scorpions, the principalities and powers the over which the Lord has given us authority. And we can trample them “when our obedience is complete.”

Father, in identification repentance I repent this morning for myself, and on behalf of Your Church. We have been so lukewarm Father, we have compromised left right and centre, we have allowed the values of the world to permeate Your church, bringing compromise and outright sin. Lord all things are lawful, but not all things are expedient (1 Corinthians 10:23). Please grant us repentance Father to turn from our wicked ways. Forgive us Lord, and heal our lands in Jesus Name Amen