Bibledoorajar: New Beginnings

"You can't go back and change the beginning but you can start where you are and change the ending."

       C.S. Lewis

The children of Israel had one more assignment from Moses before he died, They could not go back to Egypt and start over from the redemptive beginning, but they could start over where they were and change their lives. Before God that meant that the warriors were to completely ameliorate their enemy, Midian, who had enticed them into sin. All were to be wiped out, even the women because they had enticed so many of God's men to sleep with them. Moses was extremely angry when the men brought some of them back alive. They were slaughtered outside the camp because the inside was to remain pure before God. If Balaam had shown up to get his reward from the Midian leadership for assisting in the ploy to deceive God's people, his reward was to face death by the sword. The spoils of war that were valuable were cleansed and made useful for the peoples of the Lord. 

We are living in a time when deception is running rampant. People my age are saying, "I never thought I would live to see...." Fill in the blank. It is startling. Christians must be ever vigilant in dealing with any entrapment in their lives and slaying those enemies. God will use the spoils taken from our enemies for our good. We will live in greater peace and rejoice in our freedom in Christ. The word makes it clear whom we war against:

^" For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."  Ephesians 6:12

It sounds like a daunting task and it is easy to think we are losing. But those thoughts can be deceptive because rarely are victories in Christ publicized by the media. Here is some advice from the new Nancy, 2018. Know where the bites are and don't give up. Happy New Year!

By Olivia Jaimes