Overcoming the Grasshopper Mentality

“We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”—Numbers 13:33

The Torah portion for this week is Shelach, from Numbers 13:1–15:41 and the Haftorah from Joshua 2:1–24.

Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” What we believe to be true about ourselves often becomes our reality.

When the spies sent by Moses to scout out the land of Canaan returned to the desert, they described what they saw. They saw great produce and a land flowing with milk and honey. But – and this was the key word – the people were unconquerable. In describing the inhabitants of the land, the spies said that they saw the Nephilim. According to the Sages, these were actual giants. The spies explained that in the eyes of these giants, they appeared to be little grasshoppers.

But wait a second! How did the spies know what the giants were thinking about them? After all, they were spies in the land and shouldn’t have spoken to anyone along the way. How could they be so sure that they looked like grasshoppers – like insignificant, vulnerable bugs – to the inhabitants of Canaan?

Wild and Crazy Faith

 Written by Kristi Huseby

Get to know God better with our interactive study “Discover Your God” 

“But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NLV)

What would cause someone to go against the tide of social influence?  What would make them stand up against a vast amount of their peers and refuse to go along with what they believe?  Peer pressure is a powerful force and few can stand against it.  However, there were two men in the Bible who did just that.

Because He Said So

"Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,' so that we confidently say, 'THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.  WHAT SHALL MAN DO TO ME?'"  Hebrews 13:5-6

When I was in college, I was introduced to a popular teaching known as “name it and claim it.”  The crux of the teaching went something like this: “What do you want?  What big item, dream, healing, or wish is in your heart?  It is yours in Jesus … so just name it and claim it.”  Multitudes of people fell in love with this teaching, and began naming and claiming everything under the sun.    

Does the Bible really teach a name it and claim it theology?  The correct answer is “sort of.”  But the one who names it is not you or me, it is the Lord Himself.  We can claim by faith anything that He has first named for us.  If He hasn’t named it, you have no claim to it.  Moses surely couldn’t name and claim going into the Promised Land, because God had given him an emphatic, “NO!  And don’t ask Me about this again!” (see Deut. 3:26).  Paul couldn’t name and claim a mission trip to Bithynia, because “the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them” (Acts 16:7). 

Sling Your Stones at the Real Enemy, Not the Saints

DANIEL K. NORRIS

 

464

 

25

 

0

 

63

 

Evangelist Daniel K. Norris encourages believers to sling stones at the enemy, not the saints. (© Newphotoservice / StockFreeImages.com)

Serious giants are facing off against the American church at this moment. Abortion has claimed more than 50 million casualties and counting. Terrorism is no longer isolated to foreign fields. Secularism is advancing through society and infiltrating the sanctuary, and radical agendas no longer hide in secret—they’re written into law.

The church has the spiritual weapons within its arsenal to take these giants down, so why do they still stand? Sunday after Sunday we come together to celebrate, singing “How Great Is Our God” and “Nothing Is Impossible.” We sing and shout about it while the giants continue to defy it. Sound familiar? (See 1 Samuel 17.)

No doubt we could debate for countless hours about what needs to change. I believe there is one thing we can all agree must change: It’s time to stop slinging stones at the saints and start saving them for the enemy!

Defeat Your Giant

"Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (1 Samuel 17:26)

You may be facing a giant today. He may be a giant of sickness or failure, of financial shortage or another kind of trouble. But don't let him scare you. You have a secret weapon. A weapon that once turned a shepherd boy into a bear-busting, lion-killing, giant-slaying champion. That weapon was a blood covenant with Almighty God.

Back in David's day, circumcision was the sign of that covenant. So, when he called Goliath uncircumcised, David was saying: This guy may be a giant; he may be strong; but he has no covenant with God and that's why I can kill him.

Like David, you, too, have a covenant. But yours is better. The covenant David had offered a wealth of blessings to those who kept it, but it also included curses for those who broke it.

Yours doesn't. Yours is a New Covenant that Jesus bought with His own blood. It doesn't depend on your ability. It depends on Him and what He has already done. He has done it all! All you have to do is believe it and receive it.

Defeat Your Giant

"Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (1 Samuel 17:26)

You may be facing a giant today. He may be a giant of sickness or failure, of financial shortage or another kind of trouble. But don't let him scare you. You have a secret weapon. A weapon that once turned a shepherd boy into a bear-busting, lion-killing, giant-slaying champion. That weapon was a blood covenant with Almighty God.

Back in David's day, circumcision was the sign of that covenant. So, when he called Goliath uncircumcised, David was saying: This guy may be a giant; he may be strong; but he has no covenant with God and that's why I can kill him.

Like David, you, too, have a covenant. But yours is better. The covenant David had offered a wealth of blessings to those who kept it, but it also included curses for those who broke it.

Yours doesn't. Yours is a New Covenant that Jesus bought with His own blood. It doesn't depend on your ability. It depends on Him and what He has already done. He has done it all! All you have to do is believe it and receive it.

Right now, read Deuteronomy 28:16-68. That's a list of the curses Christ has freed you from. You might even call it a list of the giants Jesus has already slain for you. It contains every diabolical thing the devil could ever use to destroy you.

Read it and rejoice. God has healed you and delivered you from those things!

Don't let any giant intimidate you. You have a blood covenant with Almighty God. There's no uncircumcised circumstance on the face of this earth that can take your victory away from you.

Scripture Reading: Galatians 3:13-29

'Jack the Giant Slayer' is Fee Fye Fo Fantastic

ALAN MOWBRAY

 

63

 

1

 

0

 

23

 

Jack the Giant Slayer

Jack the Giant Slayer is literally following in the footsteps of revisionist screen fairy-tales such as Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and the Huntsman, Mirror Mirror and Once Upon a Time.

But this modern retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk is no average retread fantasy-adventure. Sure the movie reportedly cost $200 million to produce and originally was set to hit theaters in June 2012. However, X-Men Director Bryan Singer's latest film offers a good old-fashioned adventure where evil is evil, and good is pure and true throughout the movie.

Nicholas Hoult, in the title role, unintentionally reignites an ancient war between an army of men and race of giants from a land that hangs between heaven and earth. Jack sets out to sell his uncle's horse and cart, returning, as expected, with some "valuable" beans. These beans come with a warning: "Whatever happens, don't get the beans wet!"

A Wild and Crazy Faith : Caleb and Joshua

Written by Kristi Huseby

    Get to know God better with our interactive study “Discover Your God”

“But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NLV)

What would cause someone to go against the tide of social influence? What would make them stand up against a vast amount of their peers and refuse to go along with what they believe? Peer pressure is a powerful force and few can stand against it. However, there were two men in the Bible who did just that.

Caleb and Joshua were chosen, along with ten other men, to explore the promised land and give a report to Moses and the people. When they returned ten of the spies were against conquering the land. This is what they said, “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!” (Numbers 13:32-33 NLV)

Conquering Giants

Written by Rick Hepler

Do you have unbearable giants in your life? We’d like to pray with you.

“All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:47

Have you ever experienced the giants of Monday morning?  You go to bed on Sunday night dreading getting up the next day, because you know the problems you have in store for the week. I remember one place I worked, early every Monday morning we had an officers’ meeting. I hated going to bed on Sunday night because I knew what the next morning would bring. I would have nightmares concerning the job. This became a giant of a problem for me and almost made me sick. Finally I quit and found a job I enjoyed.

Trouble Ahead - God’s presence is a life preserver that keeps the soul from sinking in a sea of trouble.

by Joe Stowell

• Subscribe on iTunes
• Play MP3 (Mobile)

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Numbers 13:25–14:9

Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land; . . . the Lord is with us. Do not fear them. —Numbers 14:9

Bible in a Year:
Job 41-42; Acts 16:22-40

Inevitably, trouble will invade our lives: A bad report from a medical test, the betrayal of a trusted friend, a child who rejects us, or a spouse who leaves us. The list of possibilities is long, but there are only two options: forge ahead on our own, or turn to God.

Flying solo into the face of trouble is not a good idea. It can lead to bad behavior patterns, blaming God, and retreating into defeat. Like the Israelites, we may spin out of control and into despair (Num. 14:1-4).

When the majority of the spies brought a report of intimidating giants and dangers ahead, they used the pronoun “we” seven times with no reference to the Lord (13:31-33). The Israelites were on the cusp of the ultimate blessing that God promised to them. They were eyewitnesses to the miracles in Egypt and their feet had walked the dry bottom of the Red Sea in jaw-dropping victory. God’s faithfulness had been amazingly evident. What short memories! What disappointing faithlessness! Sadly, they turned their backs on God and left the blessing behind.

Caleb and Joshua, on the other hand, opted to turn to the Lord with this confidence: “The Lord is with us” (14:9). When your giants show up, what will you do?

In this world of sin and trouble 

Where so many ills are known, 

If I shun the ways of evil, 

I am kept by Him alone. — Smith 

  God’s presence is a life preserver that keeps the soul from sinking in a sea of trouble.

http://odb.org/2011/07/10/trouble-ahead/