Promise Land

There's a story in Numbers 13 about the children of Israel and the land God told them they could have. It was referred to as The Promise Land. 

This of course is the Gena translation, as always I suggest you read the facts for yourself.

There is a man named Caleb, at God's command he and some spies are getting ready to go check out the land they were told by God to take over.

The spies were made up of men Moses chose, one man from each tribe who was considered a leader. Per God, Moses tells them to check things out and see what the land is like. Are the people weak or strong? Are there a lot of inhabitants? Is the land in good condition etc. They were wanting a mental picture of what the land they were entering was going to look like. Maybe to prepare themselves for the unknown.

After 40 days the spies return to camp and tell Moses and the people that the land is in great condition, they even bring back some of the fruit to prove how well the harvest looks. BUT they go on to inform the people, in a fearful tone, the men are hUgE and the land all around it is occupied by our enemies! They weren't lying they were just focusing on what their natural eyes saw.  In the midst of this doom and gloom report Caleb speaks up and says

Numbers 13:30 “let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

But the other spies were more convincing with all their reasons it wasn't a good idea. They are too strong, they are too Big, we look like grasshoppers compared to them! 

The whole community started crying and complaining to God. They let fear's voice be louder than God's words.

If only we died in Egypt, if only we died in the wilderness, if only we hadn't become victims. If only....

Have you ever had one of those "if only" conversations?

Joshua and Caleb respond:

Numbers 14:8-9 “If the Lord delights in us, then HE will bring us into this land and give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”

Caleb was saying we can chew them up and spit um out!

Are you ready for their response? The whole congregation wanted to stone them! As in dead!

Why do people want to stone us when they don't agree with what God has told us?

God goes on to tell Moses that the whole generation that didn't believe Him would not enter the promise land but Caleb would. 

Numbers 14:But my servant Caleb, because he had a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully.

The difference between Caleb, Joshua and the other spies was a different spirit. A spirit that decides, in spite of the negative reports, to fully follow Jesus. 

When the other spies hear their not getting into The

they change their minds and say OK we will go too. It's funny when people realize maybe God did tell them to go and now they can't go they want to go.

Their like, to show our good faith we will enter right now. 

No harm no foul right God?

Moses responds with v42 Your plan will not succeed, for the Lord is not with you because you turned away from the Lord.

Gems if God is not giving you the plan He is not responsible to make it succeed. If you tell God what He promised isn't true your calling Him a liar.

OK so let's apply this to our world today.

In some ways our journey resembles the children of Israel. We don't have a Pharaoh keeping us in bondage and God didn't have to bring on 10 plagues however, whenever we fear following God we are in a kind of bondage. We are keeping ourselves from our own Promise Land.

I may not have witnessed His plagues in my journey but I have witnessed His past miracles in my life, way more than ten!

I will continue using my recent experience as it is on going.

When God asked me to move to TN and I asked how I will know where to go the only plan I had from Him was

Other than that it has been on a need to know basis. Even as I write this there is a lot of unknown ahead of me. And trust me I want to know!!!

Here are a few of my own spy facts.

If I had known how affluent Franklin was, like those spies, I would have said, this may not be a great idea.

I may have made myself a victim before I even arrived.

I would have been trying to figure out how I would pay such high rent and all my bills. I would have been using my bank account and abilities and not God's.

This is where Caleb's advise was so important, let us go up at once.  Gems when your head gets full of doubt the best thing to do is  move at once before you think yourself right out of God's will.

God knew, like Caleb, I have a different kind of Spirit

(I know that's a nice way of putting it) and would follow Him but that doesn't mean it was an easy transition.

Before I left Florida, you can ask any of my friends, I was constantly talking about moving to TN. My momentary Promise Land. I was jealous when someone even visited TN. God finally moves me and I start crying “I'm lonely, I'm scared, I'm ... Oh if only I would have stayed in Florida.” Sound familiar?

Are you seeing a resemblance here? Following Jesus can be one of the loneliest places you can travel. Being completely alone in a new place really puts your faith where your mouth is.

Just like the children of Israel we need to see ourselves as lions among the giants not grasshoppers.

Have you ever wanted to please God? The book of Hebrews tells us it is impossible to please God without faith!

If I told you I was always full of faith, I would be full of something but it wouldn't be faith.
Our circumstances are our giants, but we can't have circumstantial faith. God wasn't angry with His children sharing the conditions He was angry with their conclusion.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

When I catch myself speaking negative words into my life I have to STOP, ask God to forgive me and change my thoughts. I need to remind myself of all the things I have overcome with the help of the Lord and remember my circumstances don't have any effect on God's plan.

Even if you ask God to forgive you, if you don't have faith you still may not move forward. Saying your sorry but not changing your actions is kind of useless.

The bible says faith without works is dead. Joyce Meyer says “do it afraid” I love that.

The Bible says that faith comes by hearing. That's why I write Gena's Jewels and share them with you. I want you to hear my story to build your faith. I have to be careful what I say not only to me but to you too. 

Gems I don't know what Promise Land God is sending you to right now but this is my prayer for you. 

"If the Lord delights in you, then HE will bring you into this land and give it to you. Only do not rebel against the Lord nor fear the people of the land, for they are your bread; their protection has departed from them and the Lord is with you. Do not fear them.”