Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1958-05-14

haS ohC Hldl Wi'Oh Soo ha0
named from each Of the twelve
tribes OF Israel t. spy out the
land" of Canaan or the Promis-
ed Land. Years before. In Cen
esis 15:13,l4, God promised
Abraham that his descendants
should be strangers in strange
land, but after four hundred
years he would bring them out
of bondage into .and flowing
with milk and honey" The
time arrived in today's lesson.
The twelve spies had return
ed after forty days of scouting,
bringing with them figs. pome-
granates, and a bunch of grapes
so huge that it took two men
to carry it. They found it was
indeed a Gland flowing with
milk and honey" but they also
found 1t was a land of strongly
fortified cities; a land that de-
voured its inhabitants; a land
where all the people were
giants and living among them
were the sons of Anak, whU
were giants among giants.
Contrasting themselves with
these people ten Of the spies
reported, 1--WE seemed like
grasshoppers to ourselves and
so we seemed to them" They
were towards; fear had de
stroyed their courage and their
reason. They forgot that God
had promised Moses, Certain
ly 1 will be with thee" They
had faced The Red Sea, the ten
plaques, the dry desert, the
passover of the death angel;
but they feared zone as they
did the entrance into Canaan,
the Unknown Lard.
Now they were standing al
the threshold Of the Promised
Land but they were too cring-
ing to make the great advance
Today God calls Us to do great
things for Him pu. We are just
as fearful of His leading as the
ISraeliteS were.
The other two spies. Caler
and Joshua, had a good report
backed up by courage ano
faith. Caleb. about whom God
had said he had Il different
spirit and has followed me full
ly," urged Moses, Let us go
up at once and occupy it for
we are we'll able 10 overcome
ii If the Lord delights in us,
then He will brig us into this
land and give il to Us; only re-
bel not we against the Lord;
neither fear ye lie people; for
they are bread for US; theiI
defense has Geported from
them, and the LORD is with US
fear them not"
A faith like Cdlcb'S always
reduces our Problems. This
man of God saw "s land that
devourS its Inhabitants" nc
more than bread for the Israel
ties if THEY would do as God
instructed. Later, when Jesus
came TO seek and to save" He
conquered Ill the Christians
enemies, even death. His prom
ises for us today are far great
er than those gwen to the
profits of old. ASK and it shall
be given you; seek and ye shall
find; knock and it shall be
opened upto you" is a key to
all the blessings and rewards
God has in store for us.
Like the ten SPIES, there are
people today who see the dark
side of all opportunities anc
problems. Gods promises NEAR
nothing to them. 10, l ali
with you always. even to the
end of the world" is only {
sentence in Book they never
read. The excuse for not read.
ing 1t: Il canro. understan;
it" but the real reason is sale
in their actions, II am not int
crested in anything God has t.
say to me He asks too much o
people"
In this lesson God deals witt
those who are always findini
fault, criticizing, doubling, ant
rebelling agains. His laws an
His churches. God made tn
Israelittes, who cid the sam
things, wander in the wilder
ness forty years until you
carcasses shall fall in the wild
erness." Moses prayed God
forgive his people and God die
but he speaks their destiny
Numbers 14:22,23. None of tn
men who have seen my glor
and my signs which I wrougf
in Egypt and in the wilderness
and yet have put me to the tei
these times, and have n,
hearkened TO my voice, sha
not see the land which I swor
to give to their fathers"
The others who had not muI
INJURED against God receive
His blessings and the Promise
Land. The same disobedieIl
selfish, indifferent, doubtinl
and fearful people CT today ar
passing up opportunities tn;
may not come again in the
lifetime lust as many OF III