Faith In Action
“…and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers..."—Numbers 13:33
How do you look at the world? Do you look at the world through the eyes of flesh or the eyes of faith? Flesh sees the impossible, while faith sees the promise. After the Israelites had come out of slavery in Egypt, God had told them to go and take the Promised Land. Moses sent twelve spies to check it out before sending all of the people. After forty days they returned with some things to report. The land was good for both food and living, but they also told the people about some giants living there, too. These giants made the possibility of conquering the land seem impossible to the people. That, however, was not God’s perspective. Ten of the spies were looking at the obstacle in front of them with the eyes of flesh, but two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, looked at the situation through the eyes of faith. They said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”—Numbers 13:30
The eyes of flesh and the eyes of faith are like oil and water; they don’t mix, nor can they. The eyes of flesh see only what is, while the eyes of faith see what God wants to and is able to do. The two perspectives are at war with one another. The spies saw themselves as small and insignificant for the task God had placed before them. The Israelites, in their unbelief, favored the ten spies’ report on the land and refused to go in. As a matter of fact, the Israelites refused even to listen to Joshua and Caleb. They debated whether or not the decision to leave Egypt was the right one, then argued whether they would be able to return. As the conversation intensified, Caleb and Joshua had enough. They came before the people and said,
"The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8If the LORD delights in us, He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."—Numbers 14:7-9
The eyes of faith saw what God could and would do, if they just would believe and trust in Him. But the people would have none of it and talked of killing them. God intervened, however, and rebuked the people for their unbelief. He had them stay in the wilderness for 40 years, wandering around until all of those who did not believe had died off.
In the body of Christ are those in whom the Holy Spirit of God dwells. He longs to show Himself to be God on our behalf. He doesn’t delight in what we can do, or what we think we can do; He delights in doing what only He can do. Only He can transform a life, save a marriage, give the addict victory. Only He can forgive sin and give grace. Only He can turn a sinner into a saint. Only He can perform wonders and miracles, and only He can give life. He is God and we are His children. We are to respond to Him in obedience and faith, trusting in His will for our lives. He will not lead us where we cannot follow. He will only lead us to a place where self-sufficiency is lost and His sufficiency is manifest. Amen.
How do you look at the world? Do you look at the world through the eyes of flesh or the eyes of faith? Flesh sees the impossible, while faith sees the promise. After the Israelites had come out of slavery in Egypt, God had told them to go and take the Promised Land. Moses sent twelve spies to check it out before sending all of the people. After forty days they returned with some things to report. The land was good for both food and living, but they also told the people about some giants living there, too. These giants made the possibility of conquering the land seem impossible to the people. That, however, was not God’s perspective. Ten of the spies were looking at the obstacle in front of them with the eyes of flesh, but two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, looked at the situation through the eyes of faith. They said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”—Numbers 13:30
The eyes of flesh and the eyes of faith are like oil and water; they don’t mix, nor can they. The eyes of flesh see only what is, while the eyes of faith see what God wants to and is able to do. The two perspectives are at war with one another. The spies saw themselves as small and insignificant for the task God had placed before them. The Israelites, in their unbelief, favored the ten spies’ report on the land and refused to go in. As a matter of fact, the Israelites refused even to listen to Joshua and Caleb. They debated whether or not the decision to leave Egypt was the right one, then argued whether they would be able to return. As the conversation intensified, Caleb and Joshua had enough. They came before the people and said,
"The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8If the LORD delights in us, He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."—Numbers 14:7-9
The eyes of faith saw what God could and would do, if they just would believe and trust in Him. But the people would have none of it and talked of killing them. God intervened, however, and rebuked the people for their unbelief. He had them stay in the wilderness for 40 years, wandering around until all of those who did not believe had died off.
In the body of Christ are those in whom the Holy Spirit of God dwells. He longs to show Himself to be God on our behalf. He doesn’t delight in what we can do, or what we think we can do; He delights in doing what only He can do. Only He can transform a life, save a marriage, give the addict victory. Only He can forgive sin and give grace. Only He can turn a sinner into a saint. Only He can perform wonders and miracles, and only He can give life. He is God and we are His children. We are to respond to Him in obedience and faith, trusting in His will for our lives. He will not lead us where we cannot follow. He will only lead us to a place where self-sufficiency is lost and His sufficiency is manifest. Amen.
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