DCLM Higher Everyday 14 January 2024 — Rejection of Minority’s Report
DCLM Higher Everyday 14 January 2024 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Rejection of Minority’s Report
Topic: Rejection of Minority’s Report
Text: Numbers 13:26-33
26And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
28Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
29The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
30And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Key Verse: “And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature ” (Numbers 13:32).
Message
The grasshopper mentality engulfed the ten spies and soon infected the congregation of Israel with it. Dr. Reginald Klimionok counselled that, “As we confront the Hittite spirit of fear in our lives, we will soon see that the giants which seemed to have loomed so high, making us to feel so intimidated and afraid are themselves mere grasshoppers.” The Israelites in our text were standing at the threshold of the Promise Land. At the instance of God, Moses sent twelve spies to explore Canaan. This was a normal strategic planning action which in our era of technology can be done by drones.
Also Read: DCLM Higher Everyday 13 January 2024 – Verifying His Own Belief
Caleb, a man of faith, stood against the majority report of fear. He and Joshua believed in God’s promise and declared, “… Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” Sadly, the majority of the spies succumbed to fear, focusing on the challenges and the perceived might of the inhabitants of Canaan. This made their report “an evil report.” In challenges, be like Joshua and Caleb, standing firm in faith.
Quote: In challenges, be like Joshua and Caleb
Challenge: Demonstrate faith in God’s promises.
Prayer for today: Oh God, help me to believe Your promises, in Jesus’ name.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
