A young adult leaves home to set out and make a life on their own, but after a series of unfortunate events, mixed in with some bad decisions, they end up drowning in credit card debt and hit rock bottom…before humbly returning home seeking help from his/her parents.

Suppose the parents are more than willing to welcome their child in and help them get back on their feet; even offering to pay off all their accrued debt. Such a scenario might surpass the expectations of many of us, even if living in perfect world. So let’s assume that son/daughter is overcome with gratitude, knowing they were undeserving of such mercy and grace to have their debt cancelled like that, and they are now determined to ‘get their act together and turn a new page on their life story.

Now imagine…that despite living back at home for a while, they begin to slip back into some of those reckless spending habits, racking up more monthly debt while being unable to pay their bills. And once again, they go to their parents seeking relief. Granted, the amount ‘due’ is not as large or significant as the previous debt that led to their demise, but still, they need help; and once again Mom/Dad come to their rescue and pay off their credit cards.

If this becomes the ‘pattern’ over the next 12-18 months, or years…at what point do we pause and ask: “What’s wrong with this picture?” Anyone see where I am going with this yet?

Is it possible, that many in the ‘church world’ today…find themselves living their ‘walk of faith’ in a similar fashion. In other words, they had a ‘sinning problem’ that nearly destroyed them (prior to knowing Jesus), and their heavenly Father came to their rescue, picked them up out of the miry clay and paid off their debts, which is what God did for each of us through Christ’s atoning death on the cross. He then welcomed us back home and extends the invite to ‘abide in/with Him’ (John 15). He also tells us to ‘go and spend(sin) no more’. (John 5:14; 8:11). And yet, we do, constantly. In fact we are taught by well-meaning, but misguided friends…that we will always have a ‘sin problem’…because that is what ‘flawed humans’ do; we sin. But…no worries because we serve a loving God whose mercy knows no bounds and He is always willing to ‘forgive us’ of our sins and trespasses. At least they shouldn't be as 'bad and plentiful'...as they were before...coming to Jesus, right?

Friends…let us never forget that there is always a thread of ‘truth’ woven through a deceptive lie…which is what makes it so deceiving.

Let me ask you this: Have you ever struggled with a particular sin in your life, that you've never been able to fully overcome? And you knew it was sin and have gone to God repeatedly and ‘asked for forgiveness’…believing that He forgave you, (which He does -1 John 1:9)… but you still continued to stumble and fall in the same area. Have you ever noticed how over a period of time, the condition of your heart changes…gradually, as it becomes…calloused, and hardens. Your ‘brokenness’ is not as ‘genuine’, your tears of repentance have dried up, and your words of confession have become more mechanical and rote. It’s almost like you are locked into a dead end ritual of ‘punching the clock’ each day and nothing ever changes. And then it becomes more of an ‘expectation’ to be forgiven; and no longer an extension of seeking His loving mercy and grace.

That is what sin does to us; not only does it harden our hearts (Heb. 3:12-13) but it creeps in and drives a wedge of separation between us and God; and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise (Isa. 59:2). That’s because sin has a tendency to ‘spread’…like ‘yeast in a batch of dough’. (1 Cor. 5:6); not to mention that it leads to death and will keep you out of God’s kingdom (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:21). The tragedy in this all too common problem is …most of us were taught to expect nothing less – that we are ‘all sinners who continue to sin’. You might say we ‘believed the lie’…that Paul talks about in 2 Thess. 2:9-11. Which leads me to the ‘final straw’ we talked about yesterday, the one that kept that first generation of Israelites out of the promised land. It was their unbelief, marked by their disobedience. (Heb. 3:18). And do you know where it all came to a screeching halt for them?  Let's turn to Numbers 13-14.

Time was getting close when the Israelites were to cross over the Jordan river and begin a new life, a life of overcoming… walking in covenant with God in the land of Canaan. Yes, there were some formidable foes on the land that would need to be dealt with, but God had already assured the people they would not be a problem, provided they listen to Him and do as He asked. Now prior to their crossing over to enter the land, a decision was made to send 12 spies to first scout out the land; so one man from each of the 12 tribes were selected and sent over as a group to spy things out for 40 days. When they returned, everyone was anxious to hear their report, and the 12 men did indeed affirm that the land was as wonderful as God had told them it was, even bringing back samples of the fruit. But that’s when things took a turn, for the worse.

10 of the 12 men began to chatter about how big and mean and ugly those people were on the land, suggesting they were as ‘giants’…and that they themselves were like ‘grasshoppers’ in comparison. (Num. 13:28-33). They had absolutely convinced themselves that despite what God had already told them the plan was…that they would never be able to carry it out. As we continue on in to chapter 14 of Numbers, fear and dread and misery and discouragement spread as they all ‘lifted up their voice in weeping’ … they complaining against Moses and Aaron. Have you ever noticed how fast misery and defeat can spread among a group of people? “We’re all gonna die!”. They began to voice regrets that they had not died earlier (sort of like Job 3:11), and then had the audacity to accuse God of bringing them out there …to be killed (Num. 14:3). That’s when they got the idea to ‘select a leader to take them back to Egypt’ (4). 

You do realize here…that the people were basically calling God a ‘liar’, yes? God had already made it known that there were enemies on the land that needed to be dealt with, and that if they just stuck close to Him and did what He told them to do…they would overcome ‘all their enemies’, as they lived in peace and rest. There were also somber warnings as to what would happen if they let any of those enemies to continue to live amongst them.

Two men…stood up in an attempt to calm the crowd and confront their needless hysteria and doubt – Joshua and Caleb (6-9). There words of reassurance were basically…”Yes, we can do all that God has told us we would do and triumph over all the enemy!” [Yes…you can…and better overcome…murder and greed and pride and resentment and hate and envy and lust and strife etc., or else. (Gal. 5:19-21).]

Care to guess what the response of the people was when they heard this? They wanted to gather up rocks and stone Joshua and Caleb. (10). I’m going to let you finish reading chapter 14:11-38 on your own; and as you do… ask God to show you how and why this is relevant to us today (1 Cor. 10:6-11). He will…if it’s light and truth you yearn for (John 3:19-21).