When you switch on your TV or Radio to listen to the news channel, it is depressingly sad news everyday. Wouldn’t you agree? Stories of war and violence, drugs and alcohol, disease and sickness, confusion, depression, cults, deception and the list goes on and on. In spite of all these bad news, God works through these problems because He is still in control. When we diligently seek His face everyday, He is close to you in your daily challenges.
Numbers 13
When we read about great men of God or hear about the testimonies of God’s people. It does not show us the greatness of those people rather it shows how great their God really is. As we read this message, we see how God works through His people to accomplish His task. Furthermore, when God chooses to use us it is an indication of God reaching out to mankind because of his grace. He is merciful and we are undeserving participant in his master plan. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and His word is not in us (1 John 1:10).God is working through our problems to make a way for us.
People of Israel now at the border of the river Jordan are due to leave a place called Paran (Numbers 13:3) to take possession of the promised land of Canaan. Paran is located near Mecca in Arabia and it is where Abraham took Hagar as his wife to whom Ishmael was born. The Lord commands Moses to select 12 leaders, one from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. The 12 were asked to go and survey the country of Canaan and bring a report to Moses and their people. They return after surveying the land and report that the Canaan was flowing with milk and honey, there were fortified cities and people were built like giants. Ironically, 10 out of the 12 leaders were afraid of the big burly men of Canaan, they were too frightened to possess the land which the Lord has promised Abraham, only Caleb and Joshua saw things differently. As the 10 were giving a pessimistic view of their chance to possess the promised land, Caleb and Joshua were optimistic about capturing Canaan, the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Numbers 13:30)
All the 12 leaders saw the same truth that is ‘their people were powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. They even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak’ (Numbers 13:28). It depends on whose perspective they saw the problem? If they saw like Caleb and Joshua from God’s perspective, then even the impossible will be made possible. However, if they saw from man’s point of view then the promise of God seemed too distant. The problems will continue to be problems if God is not part of the equation.
In spite of seeing all the miracles God performed in Egypt, the leaders did not trust God. When God said He would give them the Promised Land, the 10 were saying it is not possible. They were implying that God was a liar. They did not believe God is strong enough to fight the Canaanites to fulfill his promise. Often times it is the minority group who will trust God to see the way God sees things. The truth is that God’s words will always produce fruits; He will accomplish what he wants (Isa 55:11). The influence of the architect of lies – Satan, becomes very evident in our lives when we lie about God. It was Satan who tricked Adam and Eve to disobey God. Cain became angry and killed his brother Abel because Cain chose to come to God on his own terms not on God’s terms. People during the time of Noah refused to believe in God’s words but chose to live the way they wanted and then faced God’s retributions. The unbelief and idol worship of the Egyptians continued even after God had shown His mighty power in releasing Israelites from Pharaoh. This is because Satan who is ‘the god of this age has blinded the minds of many (2 Cor 4:4)
About this time before Israelites entered the Promised Land they were about 120,000 in number. They all complained to Moses and Aaron about the supposedly good life they had in Egypt. Israelites were ungrateful to God. They had no trust in God’s promise in fact they are implying that God is a liar, in capable of fulfilling what He said. (Numbers 14:1-4). We too tend to become like this when our dreams are not fulfilled and when we want everything our way rather than waiting upon the Lord. Our plans ought to be on God’s timetable rather than ours.
God had to deal with a whining and ungrateful generation, let’s see how God deals with Israelites when we meet next time….
Numbers 13
When we read about great men of God or hear about the testimonies of God’s people. It does not show us the greatness of those people rather it shows how great their God really is. As we read this message, we see how God works through His people to accomplish His task. Furthermore, when God chooses to use us it is an indication of God reaching out to mankind because of his grace. He is merciful and we are undeserving participant in his master plan. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and His word is not in us (1 John 1:10).God is working through our problems to make a way for us.
People of Israel now at the border of the river Jordan are due to leave a place called Paran (Numbers 13:3) to take possession of the promised land of Canaan. Paran is located near Mecca in Arabia and it is where Abraham took Hagar as his wife to whom Ishmael was born. The Lord commands Moses to select 12 leaders, one from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. The 12 were asked to go and survey the country of Canaan and bring a report to Moses and their people. They return after surveying the land and report that the Canaan was flowing with milk and honey, there were fortified cities and people were built like giants. Ironically, 10 out of the 12 leaders were afraid of the big burly men of Canaan, they were too frightened to possess the land which the Lord has promised Abraham, only Caleb and Joshua saw things differently. As the 10 were giving a pessimistic view of their chance to possess the promised land, Caleb and Joshua were optimistic about capturing Canaan, the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Numbers 13:30)
All the 12 leaders saw the same truth that is ‘their people were powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. They even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak’ (Numbers 13:28). It depends on whose perspective they saw the problem? If they saw like Caleb and Joshua from God’s perspective, then even the impossible will be made possible. However, if they saw from man’s point of view then the promise of God seemed too distant. The problems will continue to be problems if God is not part of the equation.
In spite of seeing all the miracles God performed in Egypt, the leaders did not trust God. When God said He would give them the Promised Land, the 10 were saying it is not possible. They were implying that God was a liar. They did not believe God is strong enough to fight the Canaanites to fulfill his promise. Often times it is the minority group who will trust God to see the way God sees things. The truth is that God’s words will always produce fruits; He will accomplish what he wants (Isa 55:11). The influence of the architect of lies – Satan, becomes very evident in our lives when we lie about God. It was Satan who tricked Adam and Eve to disobey God. Cain became angry and killed his brother Abel because Cain chose to come to God on his own terms not on God’s terms. People during the time of Noah refused to believe in God’s words but chose to live the way they wanted and then faced God’s retributions. The unbelief and idol worship of the Egyptians continued even after God had shown His mighty power in releasing Israelites from Pharaoh. This is because Satan who is ‘the god of this age has blinded the minds of many (2 Cor 4:4)
About this time before Israelites entered the Promised Land they were about 120,000 in number. They all complained to Moses and Aaron about the supposedly good life they had in Egypt. Israelites were ungrateful to God. They had no trust in God’s promise in fact they are implying that God is a liar, in capable of fulfilling what He said. (Numbers 14:1-4). We too tend to become like this when our dreams are not fulfilled and when we want everything our way rather than waiting upon the Lord. Our plans ought to be on God’s timetable rather than ours.
God had to deal with a whining and ungrateful generation, let’s see how God deals with Israelites when we meet next time….
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