What are you focused on?
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I’m going to be reading to you from . That’s numbers chapter 13. But let me give you some back ground on this first. So God told Moses to send 12 men into the promise land to explore it. He said to send one from each tribe to just look at it. When God wants to test us, he gives simple commands to see if we are faithful in following them. It reads:
The LORD said to Moses: Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, which I’m giving to the Israelites. Send one man from each ancestral tribe, each a chief among them. So Moses sent them out from the Paran desert according to the LORD’s command. All the men were leaders among the Israelites
But what happened? Moses gave them a few other commands in addition to what God told them to do.
17 When Moses sent them out to explore the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up there into the southern plain and into the mountains. 18 You must inspect the land. What is it like? Are the people who live in it strong or weak, few or many? 19 Is the land in which they live good or bad? Are the towns in which they live camps or fortresses? 20 Is the land rich or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Be courageous and bring back the land’s fruit.
God didn’t tell them to do all of what they did. He just told them to go look at the land. That’s it. Too many times we try to complicate what he says which does nothing but confuse us. It takes of off our focus.
God didn’t tell them to do all of what they did. He just told them to go look at the land. That’s it. Too many times we try to complicate what he says which does nothing but confuse us. It takes of off our focus.
The command was simple but you see how we complicate things by doing more than he asked us to do?
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), .
Now how did they respond to this?
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), .
“They returned from exploring the land after forty days. They went directly to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Paran desert at Kadesh. They brought back a report to them and to the entire community and showed them the land’s fruit. Then they gave their report: “We entered the land to which you sent us. It’s actually full of milk and honey, and this is its fruit. There are, however, powerful people who live in the land. The cities have huge fortifications. And we even saw the descendants of the Anakites there. The Amalekites live in the land; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the mountains; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”
30 Now Caleb calmed the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of it, because we are more than able to do it.”
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), .
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), .
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), Nu 13:25–29.
In this case what happened? 10 out the 12 he sent only focused on the obstacles in their way. They only focused on the people who were already there who were like giants except Joshua and Caleb. Isn’t it funny how 2 different people can face the same situation and view it very differently?
For example, a good friend of mine was diagnosed with rhumatoid arthritus and her world seem to cave in. On the opposite end of that and I’ve told you of you this, I was diagnosed with arthritus a few weeks ago and all I could think about was, “that’s just more money to buy my tesla.” No seriously. What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about what God sent you here to do or are you thnikng about all the reason why you cannot and are you complicating what he said to do like Moses did here. Check this out. Back to chapter 13 and it says:
17 When Moses sent them out to explore the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up there into the arid southern plain and into the mountains. 18 You must inspect the land. What is it like? Are the people who live in it strong or weak, few or many? 19 Is the land in which they live good or bad? Are the towns in which they live camps or fortresses? 20 Is the land rich or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Be courageous and bring back the land’s fruit.”
30 Now Caleb calmed the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of it, because we are more than able to do it.”
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), .
So what happens next. 10 of the 12 came back and told Moses all the reason why they can’t take the land. Verse 25 says:
They returned from exploring the land after forty days. They went directly to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Paran desert at Kadesh. They brought back a report to them and to the entire community and showed them the land’s fruit. Then they gave their report: “We entered the land to which you sent us. It’s actually full of milk and honey, and this is its fruit. There are, however, powerful people who live in the land. The cities have huge fortifications. And we even saw the descendants of the Anakites there. The Amalekites live in the land of the arid southern plain; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the mountains; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”
Nevertheless, all it takes is one with the right mindset and he or she can change things for everyone. All it takes is 1 with the right focus. Did you hear what he told them and what he was telling himself?
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), .
30 Now Caleb calmed the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of it, because we are more than able to do it.”
What are you telling yourselves? Are you saying look God I don’t think this is for me. I don’t think that I can make it. Or are you saying that I am more than capable or are you saying that I can I will and I must? Lets keep reading.
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), .
But the men who went up with him said, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we.” They started a rumor about the land that they had explored, telling the Israelites, “The land that we crossed over to explore is a land that devours its residents. All the people we saw in it are huge men. We saw there the Nephilim. We saw ourselves as grasshoppers, and that’s how we appeared to them.”
31 But the men who went up with him said, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we.” 32 They started a rumor about the land that they had explored, telling the Israelites, “The land that we crossed over to explore is a land that devours its residents. All the people we saw in it are huge men. 33 We saw there the Nephilim (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We saw ourselves as grasshoppers, and that’s how we appeared to them.”
Common English Bible Chapter 13
31 But the men who went up with him said, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we.” 32 They started a rumor about the land that they had explored, telling the Israelites, “The land that we crossed over to explore is a land that devours its residents. All the people we saw in it are huge men. 33 We saw there the Nephilim (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We saw ourselves as grasshoppers, and that’s how we appeared to them.”
31 But the men who went up with him said, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we.” 32 They started a rumor about the land that they had explored, telling the Israelites, “The land that we crossed over to explore is a land that devours its residents. All the people we saw in it are huge men. 33 We saw there the Nephilim (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We saw ourselves as grasshoppers, and that’s how we appeared to them.”
Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), .
Common English Bible Chapter 13
25 They returned from exploring the land after forty days. 26 They went directly to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Paran desert at Kadesh. They brought back a report to them and to the entire community and showed them the land’s fruit. 27 Then they gave their report: “We entered the land to which you sent us. It’s actually full of milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 There are, however, powerful people who live in the land. The cities have huge fortifications. And we even saw the descendants of the Anakites there. 29 The Amalekites live in the land of the arid southern plain; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the mountains; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”
Now who are you going to listen to God or that negative person in your barracks? Are you going to listen to God who gave you this divine appointment or are you going to listen to the thoughts on the enemy inside of your head. You’re gonna make it because your patient positive and persistent just like Joshua and Caleb were. And with that let me tell you this. DO’t give up because thins are not the way you want them to be right now.
In the far east, there a plant called the Chinese bamboo tree and it takes 4 years to grow. They have to water it every day for 4 years without seeing anything. But once it breaks through the ground within 5 weeks it grows 90 feet tall. Keep your focus because the harder the battle the sweeter the victory.
Let us pray.
Common English Bible Chapter 13
25 They returned from exploring the land after forty days. 26 They went directly to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Paran desert at Kadesh. They brought back a report to them and to the entire community and showed them the land’s fruit. 27 Then they gave their report: “We entered the land to which you sent us. It’s actually full of milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 There are, however, powerful people who live in the land. The cities have huge fortifications. And we even saw the descendants of the Anakites there. 29 The Amalekites live in the land of the arid southern plain; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the mountains; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”