Several years ago, I heard the soft, gentle voice of God calling me to become a speaker for Him. My replies were much like Moses. I reminded Him of all my inadequacies and that I did best speaking as I was currently one person at a time. Then, as though part of the training process, I began to teach and speak in a jail ministry. It was there that I realized that God would provide the words when I needed them. I also was asked to speak at some conferences for a small church. I finished writing the three books God had asked me to write and I began the discipline of writing these devotionals for you. During that time, there was a lot of chaff that needed sifting and a lot of Bible study to do; but God always remained patient and gently guiding each step. As always, He sent the right teachers each step of the way. Now, He is drawing me to step out further to be the speaker He is calling me to be; the one He has spent my whole lifetime preparing. I recently went to the SCORRE conference and realized this is the direction He is drawing me toward and that His Grace will provide the words needed as I "boldly before His throne of Grace, find mercy and the grace to help in time of need" I realize that it is His Grace that under girds me when I speak and I must ask for that grace each and every time. Without His coming down to uphold me, then nothing I say can be of any importance or consequence. Sometimes as I move forward, I look ahead and see such obstacles like Giants in my pathway. As I keep asking for reconfirmation that this is what God desires for my life, I am amazed at His patience in step by step guiding me along this path. The Israelite nation was about to cross the Jordan to go in and take the land that God had promised them through Abraham and this was the admonition of Moses, as well as the warning to follow once God had given the land to them.
Deuteronomy 9 (NIVUK) Hear, Israel: you are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. 2 The people are strong and tall – Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: ‘Who can stand up against the Anakites?’ 3 But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
4 After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, ‘The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.’ No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
So when God has called you to bid His Will and step into whatever promised territory He has planned for you, keep your eyes on Him and kept stepping forward. If when you are looking ahead, you see what appears to be insurmountable Giants standing in front of you; remember this God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy all those giant obstacles one by one. Then, there is one more very important principle which I must never forget, nor you when you reach that area of promise. That principle is that it is not because of my righteousness, nor my deserving anything—it has been grace each step of the way. It is not about me. If ever, I forget that; then I pray God rip everything from me before I can cause harm to His ministry in any way.
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New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
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