Two familiar events

Moses and the Israelites come near the Promised Land

Moses sent 12 spies into Canaan to check out the area, to measure the enemy and gauge its power.

It was a reconnaissance mission. It's recorded for us in the Old Testament book of Numbers, chapter 13.

Ten of the returning spies were overwhelmed at the strength and stature of the Canaanites.

They reported that the land was indeed good and capable of producing much food. It was a land "flowing with milk and honey," as the LORD had said.

But, they said, "We cannot attack those people...they are stronger than we are. All the people we saw there are of great size."

The Canaanites appeared to be giants when compared to the Israelites, who seemed to shrink to mere grasshoppers.

The other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can do it."

What was the difference?

Had they seen different things?

Both groups saw the land and both groups saw the giants.

But the ten focused on the giants in the land and lost sight of God's powerful Presence and His promises of victory.

They did not really see the kingdom God promised them. Fear and doubt clouded their vision.

All they could see were the giants.

Joshua and Caleb kept their eyes on God, and it was the Canaanites who seemed to shrink in size.

The giants got smaller and God loomed larger.

They really saw the kingdom God promised them.

So there they all stood - on the edge of the Promised Land.

Should they believe God and move forward, or trust their own eyes and give up?


Jesus talks to Nicodemus - Seeing and Entering

Hundreds of years later the Son of God Himself came to earth, in the body of a human being.

One night a leader named Nicodemus came to Him saying, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

(The conversation is recorded for us in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 3.)

In reply, Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless He is born again."

A few moments later, Jesus said, "No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless He is born again."

So we can't even see the Kingdom of God unless we are born again with God's spirit.

And certainly we can't enter that Kingdom, if we can't even see it!


Seeing and Entering -
Or Not Seeing and Not Entering


So there stood the 12 spies, along with Moses and all of the Jews who had left Egypt -- most of them could not see the kingdom of God's promise right before their eyes!

They were blinded by doubt and lack of faith. They didn't want to trust God.

But Joshua and Caleb could see the kingdom before them, and they were allowed to enter.

The rest refused to see and so they could not enter.

A Deep Mystery

                                   A Deep Mystery

"This is a deep mystery, designed more for your enjoyment than for your understanding."

Does God sometimes say that to us? I'm thinking, "Yes, He does!"

In Deuteronomy 29:29 we read, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may follow  all the words of this law."

Moses is speaking to the assembly of Israelites here. They are the survivors of the 40 years wilderness wanderings. They are refugees getting ready to enter the Promised Land and he wants to remind them of who they are -- the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God's chosen, special people through which the redemption and restoration of the world will come.

He will be leaving them soon and this glorious information is vital for their survival and participation in God's grand Plan for the universe.

So God keeps some things secret, but reveals to us other things...why? So we will obey Him, Moses says!

My amazing great nephew used to discuss problems with me and I would try to explain how the world works. Often he would just shrug his shoulders and walk away saying, "It is a great mystery, Aunt Glorya!"

Yes, Carson, it is.

Psalm 25:14 tell us, "The LORD confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them."

He confides in us -- amazing -- the God Creator of all the universe sometimes lets us in on His secrets! Watch for it!

Sometimes in our Bible study He will show us previously unseen insights from His Word and we know He is sending them especially for us at that moment! And so often it relates to reminding us how much He loves us!

What God does show us tantalizes us and makes us eager for more! And more is coming! It's already on the way!

Job tells his friends that what we see of God right now is just the outer fringes of His power. That we just hear whispers when He thunders!

God gives us glimpses of His glory and we yearn for more. Yes, more will come!

Remember the woman who reached for the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed with just that fragile touch of faith? A Bible teacher once told me, "When you reach the end of your rope, just reach for the hem of His garment!"

(And that always works!)

In His Image

 "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish of the seas and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures'...So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God created He them; male and female He created them. God blessed them...It was on the sixth day." (Genesis 1:26-31)

Thank you, Father, for creating me in Your image. Thank You for giving me responsibility for and authority over Your Creation. Thank You for the Holy Spirit's power, filling me with the wisdom and strength I need to accomplish every task You have given me.

Because I am made in Your likeness, in everything I do or say, I want to be like You. I want to reflect more  and more who You are, in the way I live the life that You have given me.

Help me to respond in every situation -- every opportunity, every challenge, and every obstacle I face -- the way You have called me to.

Show me what to do and I'll do it!

Today and every day, I submit my mind, my will and my emotions to be governed by You. In every step I take, I want to be led by You.

You always have in mind what is best for me. Lord, I come from You and was made to be like You. I am Yours and I belong to You. With my whole heart, I want to be pleasing to You. I want to fulfill every one of Your plans and purposes for me.

In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Why did He choose them?

Reading in Mark, chapter 3, verses 13-15:

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to Him those He wanted, and they came to Him. He appointed twelve--designating them apostles--that they might be with Him... 

I have read this passage many times -- but here is something that now penetrates my thick skull....that they might be with Him....


He selected those twelve because He wanted them to be with Him -- like friends.... 


When someone on Survivor wins a reward challenge, sometimes they can take someone to share the special reward with them. How do they choose? Alliances? Future strategy? A payback? A whim? Sometimes it turns out to be a really bad choice.


But Christ carefully chose those twelve. They are the ones He wanted to be close to.  Even Judas?


I would have probably chosen a few disciples with wealthy family connections  - to help us out when things were tight....or maybe someone well-liked and influential, to assure us that our message would fall on receptive ears - someone popular or a celebrity would certainly be an asset to our group.


Maybe someone who had political alliances, to use their influence should we need someone to intercede for us, should the need come.........but I can't imagine I would have chosen those twelve. Did Christ see something others did not see?


Maybe Christ chose them because He knew what they would become, not what they were at that moment. He could see further than we can.


The scripture says....that they might be with Him....It was more than strategy or political correctness.  He was looking for...could He mean that...friends?


I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends...you did not choose Me, but I chose you. John 15:15-16


I did not choose Him...He chose me.....for the same reason?

Short Thought from 2 Peter

Peter was always "bigger than life" and that's how most of us remember him. He was the one to jump into the water to reach Jesus first.  He was the first disciple to ask, "Lord, save me!"
He was the first to understand Who Jesus was.

In John 13 when Jesus was washing His disciples' feet, we read:

     He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, "Lord are You going to wash my feet?"

     Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I doing, but later you will understand."

     "No," said Peter, "You shall never wash my feet."

Jesus' answer?

     "Unless I wash you, you have no part of Me."

Peter's reply?

     "Then Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

Peter always wanted more.....

And we all remember how Peter exclaimed, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will..." No one else made that bold claim.

But we know it came from a heart of courage and love.


These stories about Peter recorded in the gospels tell us a lot about Peter, and so tells us a lot about ourselves.

Peter's personality changed after the resurrection. He became a great preacher and his overwhelming character became more godly -- but when I look at 2 Peter, I can see some of the old Peter, especially in the opening verses:

     Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

     Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God of Jesus Christ...


Paul also begins his letters with "Grace and Peace" -- (grace always precedes peace) -- but Peter writes that they "be multiplied."  He is the only way to word it that way. And he did it that way in both of his letters.

And in 2 Peter 1:8, when referring to the desired traits of a Christian -- virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love -- he says that they should be in "increasing measure," or "abundance" -- just having these traits is not enough, he says --  they should be gaining power in our lives.

     For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. (2 Peter 1:8-9)

Good verses to memorize. If I am developing the traits of a godly life, in increasing measure, my life and ministry will be more effective. And it is linked to my knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing Him.

If I am not growing in these qualities, that means I have forgotten where I came from! (How could any of us ever forget? But I do!)

Every morning when we awake, every evening when we lie down, and throughout the day -- we need to remember where we came from and what He did about it!

If we get one lesson from Peter, I supposed it would be that we should always ask for more. As Paul said in Ephesians 3:20:  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above what we ask or think.....that's our God!

Tradition tells us that Peter died an agonizing death, crucified upside down, in front of jeering crowds. He did not fall away.

Today martyrs around the world are suffering. This would be a good time to stop and pray, fast and pray, for the struggling (no, not struggling, the strong) Christians in Syria, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Korea -- Christians being tortured and killed right now for their faith. It's too much to comprehend. But Peter knew about it first-hand, as did most of our early Church leaders.

Pray for the persecuted church around the world --