They Partially Obeyed

Scripture: Numbers 13:25-26

When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, they proceeded to come to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.

Insights: In order to understand today’s Thoughts by Scott you need to understand a little of the back story behind this passage.  If you were to go from chapter six of Numbers, which we looked at Sunday evening on the second of March, to this thirteenth chapter and give a one word summary of those chapters, what you would find is: complaining.  The Israelites grumbled, murmured and complained through every bit of their travels from Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea.  If you have been surrounded by negativity for days on end, how do you think your attitude is going to be?  Are you going to have a positive or negative attitude?  Without the help from the Lord our God, more than likely your attitude is going to stink.  When your attitude stinks, you are less likely to fully give your heart and activity to the objective before you.  In other words, you are going to give second bests and the leftovers of your energy.  Now that brings us to today’s verses.  These twelve men went into the Promised Land.  These twelve men brought back evidence of their adventures.  These twelve men gave a report.  Of these twelve men, however, only two were fully obedient to the Lord.  As we unpack this passage this week we are going to discover the full extent of these ten men and their disobedience to the Lord.  So, Beloved, here is the point of today’s thoughts: partial obedience is not obedience at all.  In fact, partial obedience is disobedience.  These men did do some of the commands of the Lord, but their hearts were not in it.  As a result, they persuaded the rest of the Israelites to rebel against the Lord and this action reveals the true nature of their hearts.  Whatever the Lord commands us to be about; we need to give our entire heart, mind, soul and strength to it.  We must whole heartedly obey the Lord and serve Him for His glory and fame.  Beloved, don’t be satisfied with partial obedience when the Lord’s standard is total obedience!

Questions:

1. Is there a command the Lord has given to you that you have not fully obeyed?
2. Are you aware that partial obedience is really disobedience?

Prayer: Father, forgive me when I partially obey You, which is really totally disobeying You.  May my life reflect total obedience to You and may my obedient actions bring You glory.  Amen.