Periling Oration Presented

Scripture: Numbers 13:31-33

But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us." So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. "There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
 

Insights: Our final thought this week, unfortunately, focuses on the negative aspect of the facts.  In other words, on Tuesday we learned that the spies gathered the facts of the situation while out on their excursion of exploring the Promised Land.  Based on those facts they then had a choice to make.  They could choose to focus on the positive or the negative.  Yesterday we observed Caleb’s firm commitment to the promises of God and the facts before him.  Ten of the spies, however, focused on the negative aspects of those very same facts and they persuaded the people to rebel against the Lord.  It was for this reason that I titled this past Sunday’s sermon The Perceptions of Reality.  Each spy observed the same things, but two of them had a different perception on the scenario before them.  They were found faithful.  The other ten focused on the negative and were judged according to their disbelief.  Beloved, the next time I preach, which will be the 23^rd of March, I will expand on this idea of choices.  I pray you come to our mourning worship service that day and learn more about our decisions and the consequences of such decisions.  Choose Christ and you will be amazed at His faithfulness.

 

Questions:

1. Are you presently choosing to focus on the negative and disbelieve God’s promises for your life?
2. If you are, what will it take for you to stop and start choosing to focus on the positive aspects of faith and God’s promises?

Prayer: Father, thank You that each day I have a chance to start over.  I can draw a line in the sand each day and say, “Starting today, I will choose to follow the Lord.”  Help me Lord to be faithful throughout this day.  Amen.