LivethruJesus

Courage is not being absent of fear. Courage is moving forward in spite of the fear we feel. We all are fearful sometimes. The question is: Do we act in fear or in faith? We face very different outcomes depending on which one we choose.

The 10 spies who had a spirit of fear faced their demise, while the two spies who had a spirit of faith had a hope filled future. We can have both fear and faith, but we cannot act on both. God rewards according to our doing and these two groups of people did two very different things. Today we look at the consequences of each of their decisions and what God says about our feelings and our actions. This episode will inspire you to rise above your feelings, trust God, and obey Him.

As Christians we are known by God's name. That is why it is so important that we represent Him well. Do others see Him in you? Do they know the Lord better because they know you or do they have a distorted view of who He is because of how you depict Him? In studying Moses's prayer and searching the scriptures, we can be inspired to know and reflect Him better.

When the people refused to enter the land God was giving them, He considered killing them all and starting over again with Moses. But, Moses prayed for mercy. Although it wasn't for their sake but for the sake of God's reputation. He knew the people were known by their God and he didn't want anyone to think that God either had evil intentions or lacked the power to fulfill His plans. So, he prayed in accordance with God’s promises & His character. Moses understood that wrath & punishment were justified. But he’d also seen God’s patience, forgiveness, & steady love from the beginning. So, he asked the Lord to continue exhibiting those characteristics towards His people.

As Christians, we too are known by His name. Do we care that much about God's reputation? Do we reflect Him well to the Lord? Do we even know the character of God well enough to reflect it or pray according to His will? In studying Moses's prayer and searching the scriptures, we can be inspired to know and reflect Him better.

How do you react when your dreams don't come true? Do you trust God with your future or do you give up? Are you able to focus on Him instead of yourself or the things of this world? Where do you place your hope?

The Israelites forgot the love and power of God when they faced a battle that looked impossible to win. They were focused on their own limitations and not on the limitless power of God. When it seemed impossible that their dream could be fulfilled, they gave up hope and lost faith in the Lord. Sitting on the edge of the Promised Land, they were defeated before the battle had even begun.

God hears our prayers. He sees what we are going through and understands the burdens we carry. Most importantly, the Lord has the power to strengthen us and to bring us out on the other side of whatever we are dealing with.

The Israelites were becoming too much of a burden for Moses and He cried out to God. God heard his despair and gave him not only an immediate fix to his problem, but also a long-term solution for dealing with the people. He is gracious to listen and care and He has ability to answer our prayers miraculously. No person can help us in the way that God can.

Why does God give His children such hard lives? Why do bad things still happen to good people? Have you ever felt like you are being asked to do things you have no ability to do? Or have you felt the weight of a constant, seemingly never ending, all-consuming responsibility? How can we handle the weight of our burdens?

Moses was in charge of millions of people who were needy, dependent, and whiney. This episode we listen in as he expresses his burden to God and tells Him that he doesn't think he can handle it any longer. He compares them to infants and toddlers and says he'd rather die than do this forever. If you have ever felt something that so burdens your heart and consumes your time and energy that it seems to rule all your thoughts & actions or if you’ve ever felt something so perpetual or heavy that at that moment, you would do almost anything to make it stop, listen to how God can help you lift your burden.

Is Christianity boring, limited, and restrictive? Do we let the world convince us that they have something better to offer? Do they? How do we keep ourselves from complaining when we aren't happy with our circumstances. What can we learn from the Israelites complaining and inability to objectively look at the past and hopefully look towards the future.

The Israelites listened to the Egyptians talking about all the different kinds of food they ate freely in Egypt & they grew discontent with the monotony of the manna that the Lord had provided them for the last 13 months. Somehow they had forgotten about the forced labor that provided them that “free” food. On the other hand, the food that God provided was truly free and it tasted like a sweet pastry. Also, they were on their way to the promised land which was flowing with milk and honey. Their limited state was temporary and full of God's grace and freedom.

Through the Holy Spirit, we can have God with us all the time just like the Israelites did in the Tabernacle. But His Presence with us is even better because it is not corporate but personal.

God blesses Israel because they belong to Him

The census

The second Passover