22/3/18 – Numbers 13:26-33, Numbers 14 – Luke 4:14-37 – Psalm 36:1-12

Num 14:34

According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’

A year for each day – that was the price of their disobedience. Fear robbed the nation of a different story.

The story of Israel could have been one of a short time in the wilderness – followed by a conquest of the land. Even Moses had not been disqualified at this point – he could have been the one to lead them into the land they’d been promised.

Just think for a moment how different that it could have all been. Moses leading the fight against Jericho… Caleb fighting as a younger man.

I know that’s speculation to some degree, but the only thing keeping them back from going right into the land was their disobedience brought on by fear.

And that’s the same old story for all of us.

There’s only one who’s ever lived that totally followed the plan of God for their life, without any disobedience – Jesus. He’s the only one that truly lived a life that reflects the perfect plans God makes for us.

Imagine how different our lives could look if we’d just stayed in the place of obedience.

There’s nothing we can do about the past. But we can effect our future. Stay in obedience. Stay in His plan, and our lives will be lives of such blessing. There’s no knowing where HIs plans could take us.

Luke 4:44

And He continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.

“Jesus wouldn’t be in the church” Ever heard anyone say that? “He’d be out there amongst the people who need Him. He’d be on the streets.”

That’s true. It’s also not true.

Jesus did both. As people we can be somewhat either / or – whereas Jesus is both / and.

Jesus regularly spoke in the synagogues. Why? Because those people needed reaching too.

He went to those who had a form of religion and some who had genuine religion and He gave them the good news too. It was His custom to be in the Synagogue come Sabbath. But He also was out in the world.

Jesus was in both… that’s where we should be too. We gather together… but we also scatter. We need less either / or in church and more both / and.

Ps 36:1-3

Transgression speaks to the wicked

deep in his heart;

there is no fear of God

before his eyes.

For he flatters himself in his own eyes

that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;

he has ceased to act wisely and do good.

Sin (or transgression) speaks to the wicked – deep in their hearts. And it tells them… “your sin won’t be found out. Don’t fear God – just get on with it.”

That’s the trouble with sin when we don’t have a healthy fear of God… we just get on with it, flattering ourselves in our own eyes by saying “I’m not that bad – this is ok”.

When there is no fear of God there is no shame of sin. And that’s the world we live in. But it’s all a lie… God does care about sin and it does matter.

Don’t let the little voice tell you it’s ok. It’s lying. Deal with your sin.