And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. (Num. 14:26-33)
When the evil report from the ten spies who did not believe the Lord was embraced by the people of Israel, they feared for their children and accused the Lord of failing them. God’s wrath was kindled against them for their unbelief and arrogant failure to trust His Word. God had heard their murmurings and grumblings concerning His purposes and declared that they would die in the wilderness while wandering for forty years, one year for each day the spies spent in Canaan. All those over twenty would die for their faithlessness in rebelling against the Word of the Lord, except Moses, Caleb, and Joshua. All those under twenty who the Israelites were so afraid would be slaughtered by the giants of Canaan would then enter in as God had commanded.
Forty years of wandering were promised to those Israelites who did not believe God nor trust that He would go before them just as He said He would. The land of the promise was already theirs, all they had to do was go into it by faith and possess it, and they failed to take God at His Word and enter into the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb had brought a glowing report, built on faith and God’s Word, and the people accepted the evil report brought by the other ten, who saw themselves with the eyes of flesh and trusted their own strength instead of the Word of the Lord. The result of the disobedience and arrogant grumblings against the Lord was forty years of wandering in the wilderness until their children, whom they feared would die in Canaan, grew up to possess the land themselves. The people never entered into the land they feared would swallow them up and died without receiving the promise of the Lord.
So many who have heard the Word of the Lord to repent and be saved will not enter in because of unbelief. They cannot accept that they can be forgiven of all their sins and be pardoned, not to sin more, but to live the live we were meant to live in Christ who is our life. Their pride, unbelief, or anger will not admit their need of God to save them nor will they let go of whatever holds them back from entering into the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Whether they are blinded by the god of this world, deceived by the great deceiver, or trusting in their own righteousness which is as filthy rags, they remain stubbornly outside all that God offers to those who repent of their sins and receive His gift of eternal and abundant life. Just as the Israelites of Moses time, they cannot see past the giants which they deem too strong to overcome that they might have true victory over whatever has defeated them up to now.
God has sent those of us that know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our GOD has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of GOD so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of GOD might have life in His Name.
GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
Forty years of wandering were promised to those Israelites who did not believe God nor trust that He would go before them just as He said He would. The land of the promise was already theirs, all they had to do was go into it by faith and possess it, and they failed to take God at His Word and enter into the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb had brought a glowing report, built on faith and God’s Word, and the people accepted the evil report brought by the other ten, who saw themselves with the eyes of flesh and trusted their own strength instead of the Word of the Lord. The result of the disobedience and arrogant grumblings against the Lord was forty years of wandering in the wilderness until their children, whom they feared would die in Canaan, grew up to possess the land themselves. The people never entered into the land they feared would swallow them up and died without receiving the promise of the Lord.
So many who have heard the Word of the Lord to repent and be saved will not enter in because of unbelief. They cannot accept that they can be forgiven of all their sins and be pardoned, not to sin more, but to live the live we were meant to live in Christ who is our life. Their pride, unbelief, or anger will not admit their need of God to save them nor will they let go of whatever holds them back from entering into the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Whether they are blinded by the god of this world, deceived by the great deceiver, or trusting in their own righteousness which is as filthy rags, they remain stubbornly outside all that God offers to those who repent of their sins and receive His gift of eternal and abundant life. Just as the Israelites of Moses time, they cannot see past the giants which they deem too strong to overcome that they might have true victory over whatever has defeated them up to now.
God has sent those of us that know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our GOD has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of GOD so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of GOD might have life in His Name.
GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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