Pam Padgett ... teacher
In Numbers 13, God told Moses to send men to spy out the land which God was
giving to the children of Israel. Moses sent the men, but when they returned,
most of them brought a report that discouraged the congregation, saying that the
inhabitants of the land were too strong for them. But Caleb and Joshua gave a
report to encourage the children of Israel to trust in God to bring them into
the land, and to not fear the inhabitants of the land:
Numbers 14:6
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them
that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the
company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to
search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will
bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and
honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the
land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the
Lord is with us: fear them not.
I was reminded me of how God has
setup the church, the body of Christ, in such a way that we edify each other. We encourage and build each other in the faith as we
share what God has done in our lives or what He has shown us, everyone bringing
forth what they have been given to edify the body. By simply sharing with one
another as led by the Holy Spirit, we are strengthened to trust in God and not
in ourselves as we live on this earth, trusting Him to help us in each situation
we face. The flesh wants to trust in itself, and the devil brings thoughts to
cause us to doubt that God will help us. But we overcome by God alone.
1 Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come
together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a
revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto
edifying.
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