battle and business

Posting here will display how terribly behind I am, but oh well. I am absolutely determined to be caught up by the end of the week. Just you wait and see!

But anyway, lookie what I found!

When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God
is with you, who brought you out of Egypt. So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. And he shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'

Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: 'what man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it. Also what man is there who has planted a vineyard and has not eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it. And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.'

That passage, to me, is just awesome. If you think about in terms of God's people today, it is so relevant! First, when you go out to battle against the powers and principalities of darkness, don't even bother thinking about how great they are compared to how little you are. We have God on our side, so the seemingly mighty enemy is really nothing!

But I like the second part better. If you have a house you haven't dedicated, go and dedicate it...if you have a girl you haven't married, go marry her. Get your business finished up! We can't be going into battle with unfinished business. One of Mr. Schneider's most used phrases is "let's deal with unfinished business." If we have "unfinished business" with God, how can we go into battle?

Cool litttle picture, huh? I don't want to leave any business unfinished before God. We *are* in a spiritual battle - but the enemy is nothing in the face of our God!