ERCC DEVOTIONAL (TEKAN) DAILY SPIRITUAL DIET; FRIDAY 13TH OCTOBER, 2023
TEXT: NUMBERS 13: 25 - 33.
SPIRITUAL FOCUS: THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD'S PEOPLE.
We already heard how fear and unbelief prevented the Israelites from moving forward. Because of the messengers ' report on the state of the country, its people, and its resources. The messengers were faithful in carrying out the commission given to them by Moses.
They did a lot of research, but most of them were afraid of the people they saw except two men, Caleb and Joshua. In faith they said, "Let us go and take possession of the land, for we are able to conquer it" (vs. 30).
Let us not forget, there are people everywhere who are prone to discouragement, and there are those who are encouraging. When Caleb asked them to go and fight the country, people said it was impossible.
According to them, the country was killing its inhabitants and those who live there are giants (vs. 32). That is a terrible news that is still true of some followers of Christ. In the Lord's work there are the faithful, and there are the lazy, the selfish and the coward.
Through unfaithfulness they become a stumbling block to others. Fellow believers, if there is one thing, we are to be eager to do, it is to be faithful in all things.
That is, we should be honest at work, religion, marriage and so on. Dishonesty breeds shame and sadness, but some are unaware of it. Today we need to take Caleb's attitude of faith and say the truth even if it is bitter. This is what the Lord wants us to do even if it means leading us to death.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Faithfulness brings dignity.
PRAYER: Lord God, I beseech You, help me to be faithful in all things, so that You may be glorified in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
NUMBERS 13: 25 - 33 (KJV).
25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
