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Day 50 or February 19. Be wholehearted as you follow God.

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Our thoughts today are from Numbers chapter 33 verse 55. But if you do not drive out the

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inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and

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thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. And now the

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big picture surrounding this verse.

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Normally, when you think of the Promised Land, the area coincides with the present-day homeland

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of the Jews and the Palestinians, west of the Jordan River. The book of Numbers reminds

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us that some of the tribes chose to settle on the east side of the river, the land which

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is called the Kingdom of Jordan today. Ruben, Gad, and Manasseh, with permission from God,

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are planning to settle outside the Promised Land. This land looked good and very suitable

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for their large flocks, so they see it as a better option than crossing the Jordan with

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all the other tribes. The tribes on both sides of the river have their work cut out even

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though God is on their side. The locals will not give up their land easily. Most of the

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tribes are preparing to cross over and settle in the land promised by God. Not long to wait

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now, but God has more to tell them before the dream becomes a reality.

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And now today's action step.

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There's no more uncomfortable place than trying to have one foot in the world and the

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other foot in the Kingdom of God. People in this predicament are often accused of sitting

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on the fence, but where spiritual matters are concerned, there is no fence. Jesus said,

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Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually

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working against me. That's in Matthew chapter 12 verse 30.

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God gives a solemn warning to the tribes of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised

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Land. It can be summed up like this. Don't be half-hearted when you follow God. You have

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to decide. A half-hearted life satisfies no one. A life of commitment is more rewarding

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than you can ever imagine. Committed you win. Half-hearted you lose.