Numbers 14 - 7.26.24

Scripture: Numbers‬ ‭14‬:‭17‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

”Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’ In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.“

Observation:‭‭

God told Moses to send men to spy on the land in Numbers 13:1  This stood out to me as I read this and went into the next chapter. This is interesting because He knew they would see both the blessing and the mighty people they would have to conquer. He wanted the people to know what they were getting into: something really wonderful that would require faith and trust in Him to attain.

Why would they not have faith? God could do anything when they experienced Him parting the Red Sea as well as many other miracles. But they doubted again!

The spies saw how plentiful the land was, “flowing with milk and honey.”  They brought back samples of fruit that took two men to carry. They also saw that the people were mighty. Ten of the spies spread a bad report about the land and that they would never conquer the people. (About now an old camp song is going through my head. “Twelve men went to spy on Canaan. Ten were bad and two were good.” )

Caleb and Joshua, the two good ones, believed God would devour the enemy and bless them with the wonderful land. All the other people rebelled. They talked about picking a new leader and going back to Egypt. God came down in the cloud and was ready to destroy all but the faithful few and start over.

Moses made a plea for the people, even though he should have been frustrated, which is a huge thing that stood out to me. He has been having face to face conversations with God and His love and forgiveness has rubbed off on Moses. God forgave them. However, they did have a consequence, they would wander for 40 years and would not enter the promise land. Also, God’s words about Caleb, “He has a different spirit and serves me wholeheartedly.” 

Application:

First, I want to live in a way that causes God to say I serve Him wholeheartedly. When God reveals blessings to me that are wonderful, but look difficult, I want to be like Caleb and Joshua and say my God can enable me to conquer. Nothing is impossible with Him giving me strength. I don’t want to forget the many ways He has provided for me and others I know.  He makes a way for what He’s called us to. 

I also want to have a heart like Moses who pleads for the people even when they turn their back on Him. 

Moses also looks out for God’s image to be honored. What would everyone say if they found out these people all perished?  May I pray and intercede for those lost and in a way that brings glory to God.

Prayer:

Lord, you have such great love for your people. You see the big picture. There are times you share that with us in your plans, like the spies who went into Egypt. That can be overwhelming. If I spend time seeking your face and discovering who you are then I will trust in your faithfulness and ability to bring about what you’ve revealed. 

Thank you for all you are doing in my life and those I care for. Help me to have Moses’s heart and plead for those rebelling. May they experience who you are and walk in your forgiveness. 

Amen

- Cindy Howard

Numbers 13 - 07.25.24

SCRIPTURE - Numbers 13:30 NIV

“Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us GO up at once and take possession of it; for we will certainly conquer it.”

OBSERVATION

God delivered HIS People out of Bondage from Egypt SO they could ENTER The Promised Land. A Land of Milk and Honey. A Land that God had Promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—And a Land that God had reaffirmed the Promise of to Moses. God’s Promise was Assured!

God’s Promise was Israel’s Title Deed to The Land!

APPLICATION

Walk BY Faith—and NOT—BY Sight

Twelve Spies had been sent into the Promised Land to scout it out and make a report. They saw that it was INDEED a Land of Milk and Honey-so described because of the beautiful Lush Pasture for Livestock to Feed Upon and vast Farmlands with plentiful fruits, vegetables, and plants for bees to draw nectar from. The Spies brought back a Huge Cluster of Grapes the likes of which they had never seen hoisted on a pole that was carried by two men.

Nevertheless…This was the problem…

There should NEVER have been a “Nevertheless”.

Because ten of these men were “Walking By Sight” They looked at the people of the land and SAW Giants; They looked at the cities and SAW High Walls and LOCKED Gates; They looked at themselves and SAW Grasshoppers.

If Only they had Looked BY Faith TO God—They would have SEEN The ONE who IS Able to Conquer Every Enemy and who SEES The Enemy like Grasshoppers!

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably MORE than we ASK or IMAGINE, According to HIS Power

That is at work within us, to HIM be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus Throughout ALL Generations,

Forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV)

“I AM God, and there is no other; I AM God, and there is none like me.” (Isaiah 46:9b NIV)

PRAYER

LORD Jesus,

Thank You that You are HOLY and Sovereign and Perfect in ALL Your Ways. Thank You for Your Loving Kindness and Goodness. Teach me to Sabbath at Your Feet in the midst of the Storms. Thank You for Your Word that comes and Tabernacles WITH me. Deep calls unto Deep. May I learn to Walk by Faith. Lead me in the way that I should go. I will follow you all the days of my life. Here I am Lord, Send Me.

- Tina L Kudelka  

Matthew 1 - 7.24.24

Scripture

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us”. (Matthew 1:23, NKJV)

Observation

In the first chapter of Matthew, we read about the birth of Jesus Christ. Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they were married, she learned that she would conceive by God’s Holy Spirit. Joseph being a good man, considered secretly calling off the wedding without embarrassing Mary. While he was contemplating this, an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him that Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit. In verse 23, we read that all this happened so that God’s promise would be fulfilled that a virgin will bear a son and he will be called Immanuel which means “God with us”. Jesus came so that we would have God with us.

It is interesting that whenever God’s children felt inadequate to do the tasks in front of them, God did not give them a motivational message of “you can do this, you got this”. Instead He always said, “I am with you”. When Moses was afraid of facing Pharoah, God said “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12). When Joshua balked at the formidable task of stepping into Moses’ shoes as the next leader of Israel, God said “Just as I was with Moses, I will be with you” (Joshua 1:5). When Gideon was fearful of leading Israel, God said “I will be with you” (Judges 6:16). God tells us in Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear, for I am with you”.  When Jeremiah was fearful of the task God asked him to do, God said “I am with you” (Jer 1:7). The list goes on and on. The last recorded words of Jesus before his ascension into heaven after resurrection was “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Application

God with me makes me the majority. God with me is all I need. When I walk into those tough corporate boardrooms for negotiations for work, God is with me. When I face challenges at home, God is with me. When I struggle with parenting my children, God is with me. Whatever I am facing, I have all the help I need when God is with me. I will say with the Psalmist, “I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, I will not be moved” (Psalms 16:8). Because God is with me, I will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging (Psalms 46:2,3). A thousand may fall at my side, ten thousand at my right hand, but it will not come near me, because God is with me (Psalms 91:7). 

Prayer

Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Thank you Jesus, because you are Immanuel, God with me. Thank you for your promise that you are with me always to the very end of the age. Thank you because you are with me today as you were with Moses and as you were with Joshua and as you were with David. Help me to be conscious of your presence with me always. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight (Psalms 19:14). May everything I do bring glory to your name. May your will be done in my life as it is in heaven. May my life be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you (Romans 12:1). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George