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Today is Friday February 19, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Numbers, chapters 14-15. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-february-19

Title: Bible Study: Found, But Still Lost
Did you ever get so close to something or someone, knowing that it would have changed your life for the better, and lose it right before your eyes because of one wrong decision? Well, think of how the Israelite's must have felt being right at the border of the promised land, yet not able to go it? Moses sent twelve men to spy out the land so the people could be better prepared for the land they were about to enter. “And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.” - Numbers 13:17-20. The land was beautiful, they returned with grape clusters so big that it took two men to carry them, the people were so excited, but then came the news. Ten of the twelve spies were against going into the promised land, claiming that the people were too big and strong to take over the land. They got the people so discouraged that they began questioning God and promises. “And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.” - Numbers 14:1-4. The people were so angry that they immediately wanted to make someone a captain to head back to Egypt. The problem with all this was that instead of trusting God, they trusted the judgment of those ten spies. Only two men out of the group trusted God, but no one wanted to listen to them, instead they trusted the ten who did not and forgot what God had promised them.

Now, when God heard the Israelite's murmuring and complaining to Moses He became angry and was about to destroy them all. However, Moses reminded God of the promise that He made. “And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they. And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.” - Numbers 14:11-16. God did spare the people, but He vowed not to let any person over the age of twenty, except for Caleb and Joshua, enter the promise land because of their unbelief. For forty years they had to live in the wilderness, one year for each day that they spied out the land. It is okay to remind God of His promises, in fact, He wants us to remind Him of them. Why? Because He knows then, that you are reading His Word and holding Him accountable for His promises. Everything we go through in life, teaches us how to be accountable so we can trust in God to fulfill His promises, if we are following the will of God we learn to be accountable for Him. Therefore, we can go before God and say, “This is what you promised, I know You will not go back on Your Word.” and He will listen to us. And be accountable for His actions.

Later, God instructed Moses to speak to the people concerning offerings given to people who sin out of ignorance and deliberately. “Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.” - Numbers 15:29-31. Now, God was diligent with the people who sinned unknowingly, but those who sinned willingly He was not so diligent with. In fact, He despised anyone who knowingly rebelled against Him. A man simply picking up sticks on the ground on the Sabbath was stoned because He rebelled against God. Even the smallest thing that takes place before God can literally destroy us. Sometimes God's judgment seems so cruel, but truthfully, it is what we bring upon ourselves that brings the judgment upon us, if a person wants to rebel against God then He is going to use that person to show the rest of us that He is not kidding around. It was not him picking up a stick that angered God, it was the fact that he disregarded the one day of the week devoted to only Him. In God's eyes He saw this man as someone who thought himself too great, too good, and too wise to obey His commands. God intended for this punishment to be a warning to all, to make conscience of keeping His commands. He will not be mocked, we can not say that we want to follow Him and then turn around and do everything against what He believes. The right of God to a day of devotion to Himself, will be disputed and denied only by those who listen to their pride and the unbelief of their hearts, rather than to the teaching of the Spirit of truth and life.

God does love us and wants the best for us, but if we choose to follow the world instead of God, He will deprive us of blessings that we could be receiving. I remember when I was only 18, I worked with this guy that I had the biggest crush on. He would ask me for a drink of my soda and I would literally melt because his lips touched the bottle that I was drinking from, yet neither one of us every let our feelings be known to each other. He quit, but a couple weeks later came by to offer to give me a ride home,but I refused it. I let him walk out that door and that was the last time I saw him. I knew the second he left that I made a big mistake and believe that my relationship problems are a result of that. I can not take back that day, but I can change my future by listening and obeying God's commands, which He changes every day as I live my life for Him. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” - Titus 2:11-14. Praise God that we have hope in Jesus Christ, who redeemed us all from our sins, even those we did deliberately. Let us stay close to God so we do not get lost in the wilderness.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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