New Feature: Sunday Teachings
Good Evening! First, I would like to apologize to anyone who has stopped by this blog and hasn’t seen any real progress since it’s inception. Sometimes I get so excited about starting something and putting it together and I don’t keep going with it once the initial excitement passes. Now I’m back, and I hope you will give me another chance.
Tonight, I am introducing the first of two regular columns. This first is our Sunday Teachings column, and will recount what I am learning every Sunday at Vertical View Church with a special slant towards Men’s Ministry.
Our first installment is from this week’s teaching entitled Grasshopper Mentality, and highlights our need to trust and obey the Lord, accepting what he is promising us, and not worrying about what else we may see in front of us.
This teaching comes entirely from the book of Numbers in chapters 13 and 14. These chapters encompass the story of when the Israelites finally reach the outskirts of the Promised Land. God tells His people that the land is filled with giants who live in fortified cities, but that He will deliver these people into the Israelite’s hand. Caleb, Joshua, and the other 10 spies are sent out by Moses to scout out the Promised Land, identifying what the people and their cities are like, as well as what the land has to offer. When they return, Caleb and Joshua are happy and excited, ready to lead the people to victory. But the other spies only report on the negative aspects such as fortified cities, and large numbers of giant opponents. This leads God to punish the people by not allowing anyone over 20 from these 10 tribes to enter the Promised Land.
The teaching beginning with verse 2. Moses tells each tribe to provide a leader to serve as a scout for this expedition. it is important to note that this is not just any group of spies but a group of leaders. As Pastor Ron put it, this is like a “Green Beret” reconnaissance team..
In verse 3 Moses obeys, sending out the spies, who accept their task without protest. This is a positive action for the Israelites, who often answer God with grumblings and complaints.
Verses 4-16 at first might not seem that important, as they are merely the list of names of spies sent from each tribe. But Pastor Ron pointed out two very interesting pieces of information. In verse 6 we learn that Caleb is from the tribe of Judah, who are known as the Praisers of the Israelites. In verse 8 we learn that Joshua was originally named Hoshea but his name was changed to Joshua which means God goes before you. This is important for identifying the two spies whose reports to Moses will be positive, and will obey God’s instructions.
In verses 16-20 Moses sends the spies out, telling them to be of good courage. Moses did not send the spies out to see IF they could do this, but to figure out HOW to do this. Moses thought he was sending out the “I Can” people. He was sadly mistaken.
Verses 21-27 describe the spies excursion and exactly what they saw. They did see giants of men, fortified walled cities, and other obstacles as God told them. But they also saw a wonderful, rich land flowing with milk and honey. Specifically in verse 23 it says that they picked a large cluster of grapes and carried it between two of them. The text does not say which two, but somehow I can just see Joshua and Caleb carrying the large cluster of grapes, and talking excitedly about reporting to Moses and possessing the land.
In verses 28 and 29, the spies return and give their report, saying that the people of the land are too big, there cities are too well protected, and despite the land being abundant beyond all imagination, they cannot handle taking it. Caleb in verse 30 tries to get the people to go in and posses the land as God commanded. He tries to magnify the Lord and be his man of “I Can.” But the rest of the spies (excluding Joshua) are men of “I Can’t.” This is why in Chapter 14 we see God nearly destroy all the people, only to have Moses persuade Him to spare them, and instead does not allow anyone over 20 to enter the Promised Land.
My question to you is this: when you set out to do something, whom do you magnify? Do you magnify the Lord, and focus on His Supernatural promise that you can do all things through Him (Phil 4:13), or do you focus on what you can’t do in the natural?
Pastor Ron concluded his teaching by pointing out that in verse 33 the other spies said the enemy was so big that the spies felt like grasshoppers in their sight. He called this Grasshopper Mentality. This is not how God intended us to see things. We are to see things as He sees them, and know that we can do all things through Him.
Next week, I’ll have the continuation of this teaching. Until then keep praying, and have a great weekend!
