God's word is indeed for our teaching and correcting. I have learnt soo much this past week and I believe documenting the lessons I learnt contributed to that.
The remaining 3 lessons I learnt from Numbers 14 are as follows:
4) Positive people are often disliked
Ever found yourself in a group of victim-mentality people and you tried being all positive and hopeful and you were treated like the weird, out of touch-with-reality person? I have found myself in such situations, more specifically while I was in varsity. My classmates would constantly make remarks like, “This course will chow us, almost the whole class failed last year”. I would be there with positivity like, “Not me! Even if they announce only one student made it, I’ll be that one”, that used to just aggravate my mates. But I just couldn’t find it in me to doubt the ability of the helper God gave me, the Holy Spirit. I was determined to trust him fully until the final exam I write at varsity.
Caleb and Joshua were threatened because of their willingness to go take the land regardless of the giants they saw.
But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. ~Numbers 14:10 NLT
The way to respond to threats is not to change your beliefs and compromise. Stand your ground! Don’t let anyone threaten you out of the values you uphold.
5) Fear and Cowardice is not of God
The bible in Proverbs tells us, the righteous are as bold as lions. The antonyms of bold are, timid, unadventurous, shy, pale etc. God is not the giver of the Spirit of timidity, refuse to embrace timidity and fear. Caleb and Joshua were zealous about the promise of God. They showed boldness and fearlessness, why? Because of their faith in the God who was with them and for them. As God’s child, you have no business being timid, or fearful. You only need to fear God, everything else, No. As long as you have God you have enough reason not to fear anything or anyone.
Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” ~ Numbers 14:9 NLT
6) A parent’s actions will affect their children
When God destroyed the 10 scouts, he also destroyed their families including the little ones. So, the children paid for their parents' decisions. When the Israelites complained against God, God decided due to the Israelite sinning against him their children would spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness. The children paid for their parent’s ungratefulness. We ought to place a premium on words, the words you utter today may have a good or bad outcome tomorrow for both you and your children. Be a well of gratitude, overflow with positive words, over yourself, your family. Be mindful of the testimony you give about God.
You said your children would be carried off as plunder. Well, I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised. But as for you, you will drop dead in this wilderness. And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness for forty years. In this way, they will pay for your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the wilderness. ~ Numbers 14: 31:33 NLT
Looking at the current situation across the country (riots, looting and burning of shops), I am reminded of just how significantly parents' decisions have an impact on their children and grandchildren's destinies.
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