Two wolves inside
Numbers 21:4-9
A Cherokee Elder was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me... it is a terrible fight between two wolves.”One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride and superiority.
"The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.” They thought about it for a minute and then The One With No Name asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?
The old man simply replied, "The one you feed."
1. Israel fed there souls with Impatience with God and with Moses
• Numbers 21:4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,C to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way
• Impatience insists that others conform to our expectations (My Way)
• Israel desires God and Moses to conform to their expectations
quick, comfortable trip to the Promised Land.
2. Not only did Israel feed their soul with Impatience but they also fed their soul with Complaints.
• Hear the complaints found in Numbers 21:5 we detest this miserable food!"
• Hear what the Lord said in Numbers 14:26The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 27"How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.
• John Roberts pastor in Colorado says, “Everybody complains about stuff all the time. We are so surrounded by complaining we never even notice it."
• God does notice it God is so serious about it he says,
Philippians 2:14Do everything without complaining or arguing
3. Impatience, Complaints, were what Israel fed their souls and finally, they fed their souls with Anger
• 5they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water!
• The anger was so bad Look what God did
. 6Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many
Israelites died.
4. Results of souls that are fed with Impatience, Complaints and Anger
God feeds these sins with Judgment
• 6Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.
5. The people realized they had fed their souls with venomous Stuff
• 7The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
6. Our God feeds the wolf in side of him with Grace, Mercy and Hope that Heals
• . God said, ", "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."
• . God appears to be harsh but is also merciful
• . God’s justice is Severe but yet God is Gracious
• . God sends death but offers Life
• . Hear the wolf inside Our God
• John 3:16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. LOOK UP and LIVE. .
Sermon idea from Homiletics March Issue.
