Online Reporter
Trust Maanda
Looking at the Unseen
DEUTERONOMY 2:1-3 KJV
Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days. [2] And the LORD spake unto me, saying, [3] Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
Israel was journeying from Egypt to Canaan. They came to Mount Seir where they camped for a long time. God came to Moses and told him to tell Israel that they had encamped on that mountain for too long. He told them to move northward. God wanted them to have new experiences, new discoveries and make progress towards their destination.
God does not want us to be stagnant in every facet of our lives whether it is spiritual or in our natural welfare. He wants us to make progress.
Paul in Philippians 3:12-15 (NASB) said: “Not that I have already grasped it all or have already become perfect, but I press on if I may also take hold of that for which I was even taken hold of by Christ Jesus. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. [15] Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well.”
He was not resting on his laurels and thinking that he already achieved, but he was rather persevering towards the goal. His past achievements were in the past. He was reaching out to what laid ahead of him. He then admonishes everyone to have the same attitude.
Do not think you have achieved anything yet. If you attain one thing, use it as a stepping stone to achieve more. God does not want you stationary.
In 2 Peter 1:5-8 KJV, the Bible admonishes us to keep growing in our spiritual diligently adding the fine qualities of Christ.
To our faith we need to add virtue, knowledge temperance, patience, godliness and brotherly kindliness. These seven qualities will make us fruitful. They are not an end in themselves, but are the ingredients with which we work to produce more fruit.
Jesus said He wants us to produce much fruit.
The Bible says: “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
In 2 Peter 3:18 KJV, the Bibe says: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever.”
We are called upon to grow in grace. We should not remain as little children in the faith. We grow and put away childish ways like Paul who said when he was a child, he spoke a s a child, but when he became a mature man in the Lord, he put away childish ways.
Here is how he put it in 1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
You have stayed too long on your mountain. You have good business ideas, but you are afraid to start the business.
You want to write a book, but you continue procrastinating.
You want to build a house, to start a career, to buy that car, to marry, and the like, but you are not making a move. You have compassed this mountain for too long. God does not want you there. You do not belong to the mountain. You belong to the Promised Land.
You have a high calling. There is a prize to attain. Forget your past failures. Forget even your successes. Reach out for more.
Israel had conquered Egypt. It had conquered the Red Sea. But it had not conquered Mount Seir. It had not arrived at its destination. God did not want it there.
God does not want you settling for less than the full blessings. He does not want you settling for less health than He can give you. Use your potential to the fullest.
Start doing that thing you had procrastinated for a long time. Leave that mountain of complacency. Turn northward. Take a new direction.
Trust Maanda is a Gospel preacher and transformational speaker. He writes in his personal capacity. He can be contacted on +263772432646
