Our Promised Land

1 Cor 10: 1-6
Num 14: 19-20

God was with the Israelites in the form of a cloud by day and fire by night. They were fed supernaturally, given drink the same way, and all of them passed safely through the Red Sea. They had visible and tactile evidence of the awesome powers of God. Yet, all but 2 of them grumbled, complained, tried and tested God (and that means around 2 million people minus 2...that is a lot of grumbling). He wasn't sufficient for them. His provision wasn't sufficient for them. They were lustful and craved carnal pleasures instead.

It wasn't just a temptation for them, it's a temptation for us as well. We at NLC are on the verge of monumental growth. We are already seeing God's awesome power first hand in our healed marriages, in our loved ones who are calling on the name of Jesus for the first time, in the loosening of the chains that were once binding some of us, and in many, many countless ways. James is on top of his game, and is leading us from a Spirit-filled level that is second to none. Yet, if we aren't mindful, and forget the “examples” God has graciously given us in His Word, we, like the Israelites, will be tempted to grumble and complain, to be disquieted and dissatisfied with the provision God offers us.

He is leading us to our promised land, He is opening the way for hearts to be healed, for souls to be saved, for lives to be changed. I dare say He is guiding us to lead the way for a whole community to know His name!

Take heart, and have faith. Be like Joshua and Caleb, who believed God, who took Him at His very word. All 13 men who scouted out the promised land reported that “surely it flows with milk and honey”. They even brought some of the fruit from the land back and showed it to Moses, Aaron and the entire congregation. But, they also saw giants. There are giants in our way as well. But they are not here to defeat, they are here to be defeated so that the name of God will be glorified! Don't be tempted to believe what your eyes are seeing when you know it is contrary to the vision God has given us. Joshua and Caleb saw the giants as well, the same as the others. The difference was, they CHOSE to BELIEVE GOD.

Remember His glory and His signs, and remind those that God has placed under you. As for the rest of the Israelites, they were forgiven, but they did not make it to the promised land. Let's choose to believe and let's enter the land - together...with not one missing.