Are you watching?

What will it profit us to cherish pride of spirit... 
and pray for humility? 

What will it profit to seek eagerly the friendship and applause of the world...
and pray for heavenly affections?

What will it profit to indulge in passionate temper and un-Christlike words...
and then ask for the meekness of Christ? 

This is not watching unto prayer.

In the lack of that faith that works by love and purifies the soul 
lies the secret of unanswered prayer.

If the church will arise in the strength of God to meet her responsibilities, 
consecrating to God every power,
the Spirit of the Lord will be poured out in rich abundance.

—from Manuscript 35, January 8, 1893, "Publishing Work."


Oh, to know Him... to know His grace.

Believe. Trust. Obey.

They didn't know who God was. If they did, they wouldn't have said it.

"Because the LORD hated us, He hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us."*

It's not even possible for God to hate; He only loves. So why did they even think this? Their interpretation was influenced by their unbelief, distrust, and fear.

They didn't believe the giants could be overcome. Because of this, they lost the promise.

Their error? They didn't believe. They didn't obey. They didn't trust the God who had led them so far already (as Moses reminded them).

They lost the promise, and as soon as they heard it, they were repentant. But God would no longer listen. He was among them no longer. He told them not to try to fight the giants, because His power wasn't with them.

They fought anyway. But the victory went to the Amorites, as God had already said. They didn't believe Him - again. (Just shows that they weren't really repentant the first time they said it)

God knows what He's talking about. He knows what is best. The task might look difficult, even life-threatening, but He knows.

Believe Him. Trust Him.

And not only that...

Obey Him (right away).

*Deuteronomy 1:27