Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.
But they soon forgot what he had done and did not
wait for his counsel. In the desert they gave in to
their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the
test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent
a wasting disease upon them. Ps 106:12-15
In Hebrews 11:27, we read that Moses 'persevered be-
cause he saw him who is invisible.' Yet in the above
passage, exactly the opposite was true of the Children
of Israel. They persevered only when their circumstan-
ces were favorable, because they were primarily influ-
enced by whatever appealed to their senses, instead of
trusting in the invisible and eternal God.
Even today we have people who live an inconsistent
Christian life because they have become preoccupied
with things that are external. Therefore they focus on
their circumstances rather than focusing on their God.
And God desires that we grow in our ability to see Him
in everything and to realize the importance of seem-
ingly insignificant circumstances if they are used to deli-
ver a message from Him.
We read to the children of Israel, 'Then they believed his
promises.' They did not believe until after they saw--'
once they saw Him work, 'then they believed.' They una-
bashedly doubted God when they came to the Red Sea,
but when He opened the way and led them across and
they saw Pharaoh and his army drowned--'then they be-
lieved.' The Israelites continued to live this kind of up-
and-down existence, because their faith was dependent
on their circumstances. And this is certainly not the kind
of faith God wants us to have.
The world says that 'seeing is believing,' but God wants
us to believe in order to see. The psalmist said, 'I would
have despaired unless I had believed that I would see
the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.'
Ps 27:13
Do you believe in God only when your circumstances are
favorable, or do you believe God no matter wha your
circumstances may be? C.H.P.
Reader, many of you are going through deep waters right
now and I pray that this will encourage you to trust God.
He not only knows your name but He knows what causes
you distress.
When I was doing visits to a care center with my dog, I
came across a new resident who was not adjusting very
well. She asked me to find a verse in the Bible. I was able
to locate it on a card at home and brought it to her the next
visit. Actually, God has placed this phrase in both
testaments!
Be strong and of good courage. fear not, nor be afraid
of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with
thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.
De 31:6 KJV
..."I will never leave you nor forsake you..."
Heb 13:5 ESV--check out the whole verse!
But they soon forgot what he had done and did not
wait for his counsel. In the desert they gave in to
their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the
test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent
a wasting disease upon them. Ps 106:12-15
In Hebrews 11:27, we read that Moses 'persevered be-
cause he saw him who is invisible.' Yet in the above
passage, exactly the opposite was true of the Children
of Israel. They persevered only when their circumstan-
ces were favorable, because they were primarily influ-
enced by whatever appealed to their senses, instead of
trusting in the invisible and eternal God.
Even today we have people who live an inconsistent
Christian life because they have become preoccupied
with things that are external. Therefore they focus on
their circumstances rather than focusing on their God.
And God desires that we grow in our ability to see Him
in everything and to realize the importance of seem-
ingly insignificant circumstances if they are used to deli-
ver a message from Him.
We read to the children of Israel, 'Then they believed his
promises.' They did not believe until after they saw--'
once they saw Him work, 'then they believed.' They una-
bashedly doubted God when they came to the Red Sea,
but when He opened the way and led them across and
they saw Pharaoh and his army drowned--'then they be-
lieved.' The Israelites continued to live this kind of up-
and-down existence, because their faith was dependent
on their circumstances. And this is certainly not the kind
of faith God wants us to have.
The world says that 'seeing is believing,' but God wants
us to believe in order to see. The psalmist said, 'I would
have despaired unless I had believed that I would see
the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.'
Ps 27:13
Do you believe in God only when your circumstances are
favorable, or do you believe God no matter wha your
circumstances may be? C.H.P.
Reader, many of you are going through deep waters right
now and I pray that this will encourage you to trust God.
He not only knows your name but He knows what causes
you distress.
When I was doing visits to a care center with my dog, I
came across a new resident who was not adjusting very
well. She asked me to find a verse in the Bible. I was able
to locate it on a card at home and brought it to her the next
visit. Actually, God has placed this phrase in both
testaments!
Be strong and of good courage. fear not, nor be afraid
of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with
thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.
De 31:6 KJV
..."I will never leave you nor forsake you..."
Heb 13:5 ESV--check out the whole verse!
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