Numbers 32:8-15

8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.(A) 

9 After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol(B) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 

10 The Lord’s anger was aroused(C) that day and he swore this oath:(D) 

11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more(E) when they came up out of Egypt(F) will see the land I promised on oath(G) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(H)— 

12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’(I) 

13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel(J) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.(K)

14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.(L) 

15 If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.(M)”

There is a beautiful lesson to be learnt and reflected on when we read the above verse. The congregation that moved out of Egypt with great joy and freedom they saw the power and glory of Gods hand move for them they stood in awe but when times of testing came their belief was not as grounded and rooted as it should have been. This is really important as even today every single believer counts what you do; what you say; what you believe in as although you walk personally your walk should be in a way that you support and uplift each other as and in the body of Christ. There is a lesson here that needs to be considered there needs  to be absolute unity in thought and ability to encourage each other as part of the congregation of Gods church. Unlike the days gone by the congregation of Israel seeing the mighty acts of God should have been really very strong in faith but when God showed them the promised land, most of them agreed and believed that it could not be taken except for two - Caleb & Joshua it was a discouragement for all of Israel- even today as we walk with the Lord together some of us believe and the rest don’t stand in this belief that — if God has promised He will do it !! And as we see for Israel God punished them by letting them wander in the desert for 40 Years! - so the question we need to ask ourselves is : are we a congregation that is pressing on walking in faith or are we only a church that is ‘Wandering’ about in the desert ?

All one requires is deep faith in Gods ability to take you through to the promised land. And this faith has to move together as one in the body of Christ encouraging and uplifting all to press on and believe and receive the promise that God has kept for us. For if we don’t believe with all our heart as we note above - because of a few Israelites who did not believe the whole congregation was judged from age of 20 years upwards none of them entered into the promised land but God made them to wander about the wilderness till they were no more. 

As the body of Christ we are all called to believe and it is our belief/ faith  and actions that make us doers of Gods word. Let us understand and make necessary corrections to our lives  as the body of Christ to behave and act like a Living Church which walks by pure faith and not sight in Jesus name Amen! 

God bless!

Pst Owens 

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Matthew 4:4

Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Amen!