"We are as grasshoppers in their sight"
Deuteronomy 1:1-6
(Prayer)
The underlying theme of the book that I hold in my hand is that Our Heavenly Father, Almighty God, wants to give us the good things in life and bless us not according to what we deserve but instead according to his riches in heaven. At the creation of mankind in Genesis 1:26, we were originally created to have dominion over the whole earth and everything in the earth but sin came into the world causing us to die and eat only from the sweat of our brow because of the curse placed on Earth. Yet throughout history God has still chosen to find and bless those with a heart to believe in him…
Enoch was taken up to heaven and never died
Noah was rescued because he loved the Lord
Abraham was chosen because he had faith
Joseph saved the family because God never left him
God wants his people to have faith in him and to believe that he desires to bless his children, but also throughout history we must recognize that UNBELIEF AND DOUBT has always caused us to miss the mark of God’s intentions for us.
(1) In the gospel as recorded by Matthew 13:58 Jesus himself was unable to do many miracles because of UNBELIEF
(2) Hebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please God for we must believe that he is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him
There have been those in scripture that believed God and had faith that God was in control but this morning I’d like to talk to the church and to the individuals here that doubt God is still able to do everything written in this Living Word of God. Moses had faith and Rahab had faith and Elijah and Elisha and on and on I might go but until we cross from this ground we’re standing on right now to the other side, OUR FAITH WILL NOT GROW AND WE WON’T EXPERIENCE THE SUPERNATURAL PRESENCE OF THE BLESSINGS OF GOD.
· Note with me that these are the children of those who have died in the desert because of their doubt and unbelief. When they were originally brought to the border of the promised land just this side of the Jordan river, they sent in twelve spies to survey the land and it was a good land because they came back each and every one with a good report of the unspeakable, uncontainable blessings of a Holy and righteous God. They saw that this was indeed everything that God had told them it was BUT TEN OF THOSE TWELVE EXPLORERS NOTICED THE SIZE OF THE ENEMY WAITING TO BE DEFEATED.
· WE ARE AS GRASSHOPPERS IN THEIR SIGHT
Numbers 13:32-33 tells us the whole story of the mistakes made just this side of glory but to sum it all up quickly, THEY REFUSED TO HAVE FAITH THAT GOD WAS IN CONTROL.
Think about who these people were… they had seen God bring plague and hardship on the nation of Egypt and been delivered completely from slavery. They walked on dry ground through the Red Sea and were fed manna and quail from heaven, given water from a rock and god had even taken this ragtag bunch of nobodies and made them into a great army defeating armies of other kings.
Yet for all they have experienced about God, for the good report they could have given at testimony time, they lacked the faith to enter the promised land. They looked only at the size of the obstacle and the threat of the enemy instead of fixing their eyes on
Jesus and following him.
WHY DO WE DO THAT? WHY DO WE TAKE OUR EYES OFF THE ONE WHO CAN WALK ON WATER WHEN THE STORM IS RAGING ALL AROUND US?
You may sit here today and say I live a pretty good life Brother Mike so I must be in the promised land you’re preaching about…
Matthew 6:25-34 (read) Jesus said that our needs will be met and we’ll be provided for, can you see that? We spend most of our lives chasing these things and looking for the hand of God, for the provision of a father for his children’s physical needs. YET GOD WANTS TO GIVE US SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. GOD WANTS US TO EXPERIENCE HIS LOVE AND FELLOWSHIP. JESUS WANTS US TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND BE HIS FRIEND SO WE CAN BE LIKE HIM. THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTS TO EMPOWER US AND FILL US WITH GRACE SO THAT WE CAN BE A LIGHTHOUSE TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD AROUND US. GOD WANTS US TO PRAY AND THEN SEE OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED. HE WANTS US TO LAY HANDS ON THE SICK AND DYING AND SEE THEM HEALED. JESUS WANTS US TO CAST OUT DEMONS AND REJOICE THAT OUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE HIS BOOK OF LIFE…
AND HERE WE ARE WORRYING ABOUT OUR ELECTRIC BILLS AND IF WE’LL HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY ALL OUR BILLS.
I remember when some of you were losing your jobs or thought you were losing your jobs and if you were really honest about it, you were afraid but God never dropped you did he? HE DIDN’T TEACH YOU TO SWIM SO HE COULD LET YOU DROWN DID HE? HE DIDN’T LIFT YOU UP TO DROP YOU!
In Deuteronomy 1:6 there is a very strange invitation issued to the children of the slaves set free from hard bondage. You have lived long enough on this mountain!
God wants us to put the past behind us and his heartfelt desire is for us to experience the promised land possession. An invitation was given once to come into the blessings and mercy of God but it was refused and a death sentence was pronounced. 40 years it took for all the doubters and unbelievers to die in the wilderness. I wonder what was on Caleb’s mind then?
God is giving you an invitation this morning too my friend because he wants so much for you to put the wilderness behind you and enter into the land of overflowing mercy and grace but if you’re ever going to walk in the promised land you need to understand the requirement.
(1) Jesus must be the Lord and Savior of you life by his blood shed on Calvary’s hill and you must follow him with all your heart
(2) 2 Chronicles 7:14 (read)
What is seeking the face of God?
If you and I were to have a conversation with each other one of the primary ways we would communicate would not only be the language spoken but the expression on our faces, wouldn’t it? If I were to put up a simple barrier between us and you couldn’t look into my eyes or see my expression, you would do everything you could to remove that barrier so that we could see each other. Why?
a. Truthfullness is determined by eye contact
b. Remember when moma used to tell you to look her in the eye?
By seeking the face of God, we are seeking the HOLINESS OF GOD and that allows us to experience more of his character. To come into the presence of God not seeking a handout but instead to become more like him and experience more of him causes us to deal with the barriers we’ve put up…
WHAT BARRIER DO YOU HAVE BETWEEN YOU AND GOD? Is it a hidden sin, a past hurt, a habit or attitude or something you’ve put in the place of God? Have you stayed on that mountain long enough or do you want to live there for a little bit longer? The children of the Israelites could have said no thanks God we’ve already driven our tent stakes down and we’re familiar with this area. We don’t want to enter the promised land because we’re happy right where we’re at.
I’ve know plenty of Christians like that and plenty of churches like that in my short time serving God. I’ve seen God write ICHABOD, the glory has departed, on the mantle of the doorpost and business may go on as usual but the PRINCE OF PEACE NO LONGER VISITS. THE HOLY SPIRIT DOESN’T WORK THERE BECAUSE HE’S BEEN BLASPHEMED AGAINST AND HINDERED! The word of God is that you’ve lived on this mountain in the wilderness long enough so who are you going to believe?
Yourself?
Devil?
World and everybody else’s opinion?
Or is it time to believe God? I think it’s time we take the barriers down and stop putting conditions on our service and run to the foot of the cross covered in the blood of Jesus so that we can become Holy like he’s told us to. So that we can be separate and peculiar to the world around us instead of compromised and defeated. Holiness is being like God and thinking like God and loving like God and acting like God even when nobody’s looking!
God never stopped loving the rebellious children and he never stopped providing for them BUT HE WANTED TO GIVE THEM SO MUCH MORE! YOU HAVE LIVED ON THIS MOUNTAIN LONG ENOUGH AND IT’S TIME TO POSSESS THE LAND THAT I’VE PROMISED TO YOU!
WHAT BARRIER IS KEEPING YOU FROM SEEING THE FACE OF GOD? YOU DO REALIZE THE INVITATION ISN’T FOREVER?
