Today’s Readings:
Numbers 10:31-32; 11:10-15, 27-29; 12:1-2; 14:1-4
“Please do not leave us,” Moses pleaded. “You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide. 32 If you do, we will share with you all the blessings the Lord gives us.” (Numbers 10:31-32 NLT)
“Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining (querulous, cantankerous, moaning grumbling, complaining), and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly?” Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!” 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favour and spare me this misery!” (Numbers 11:10-15 NLT).
“A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses assistant since his youth, protested, “Moses my master, make them stop!” But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!” (Numbers 11:27-29).
“While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticised Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. They said, “has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” (Numbers 12:1-2 NLT).
“Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. ”Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Would not it be better for us to return to Egypt?” Then they plotted among themselves, “Let us choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!” (Numbers 14:1-4 NLT).
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armour so that you may be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting (wrestling) against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world (principalities), against mighty powers in the dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armour so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armour of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times, and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike (for slave and free born, for circumcise and the uncircumcised) . I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So, pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:10-20 NLT)
As much as this message is not to scare or discourage our many readers, the truth about the decisions we take must to be told. Has it ever occurred to you that anytime you decided to be more serious with your Christian living, that is the time you experience explainable set back, attacks (both spiritual or physical), you are at times rejected, and a lot happens to hinder or distract you? The fact is that from the moment we make that bold decision, you have been marked by the enemy, the devil himself, as a target. By that decision we have made ourselves vulnerable and a personal target of the enemy. Our Christian founding fathers experience this and have gone through the path of peril for the sake of Kingdom expansion. Paul the bold servant of God saw it all and admonish that, “We are human, but we do not wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 6 And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.” (2Corinthians 10:3-6). The mysterious fact is that, our obedience to live a holy lifestyle attracts peril. This decision moves us into a perilous realm, where one starts to experience what one can call ‘the peril principle’. For example, we may have recently decided to walk closer with God by spending more time studying the word and prayer or embark on a new plan to evangelise or dedicate one’s substance or strength to the Lord. Know for sure that because of this commitment, one has become a target of the enemy’s attack. One will then start to face various peril that may sometime lead to spiritual injury. But in all these, as believers, is the One who lives in us is mightier and greater than the one that is of them of the world (1Jn. 4:4). The enemy cannot be so formidable that we cannot fight and stand firm in the face of attacks. When we are closer with God, we live in the real threat of the enemy. The holy lifestyle is not easy, but it is very possible, it is endangered and very eventful.
What do we mean by peril?
A peril is not something that will certainly happen or has already happened. It is a threat of something that may happen and if it does happen, it can injure us spiritually. When we face a perilous moment, we are at risk. A fisherman that goes out to fish in a high tide with a small vessel, is likely to face the peril of a shipwreck. This does not mean that there will be shipwreck, but the danger could happen. A perilous occurrence makes one vulnerable to risk of dangers. A driver that set out to drive at a high speed on a wet day faces the peril of accident on the slippery high way. That does not mean accident will occur, but the risk of it happening is very high. Also, an adult of 40 plus that decides to play football faces the risk of knee or broken bone injury that takes time to heal or may never heal. It does not mean that the injury will occur, but the risk of the peril of badly bodily injury or fractured bone is very high. In the passages of today, Moses’ life is an example of peril principles. He often faces peril from his own blood relatives, from the people he leads, even within his own heart. He is sometimes discouraged and afraid (Numbers 10:31-32; 11:10-15). He faces the peril of jealousy, of false ideas that he is indispensable to God’s work (Numbers 11:27-29; 12:1-2). He is sometimes misunderstood, misrepresented, ignored, rejected and called names (Numbers 14:1-4). He is very much opened to peril of harbouring resentment and seeking for revenge.
Therefore, as we determine to tread the path of God’s holiness, we should remember that at each point of peril, He is present with us, he will hold us by his right hand and lead us by the way. Whatever peril we face for the Kingdom sake, we should remember that –
God will never abandon us nor leave us, and so we should not be afraid.
The peril will draw us closer to God;
Whenever we face peril for the Kingdom sake, we commit our lives, family and all we own to God. He is always present with us.
In the face of peril, we turn to the promises of God relating to such danger;
In the face of peril, we pray specific prayers, and lay our burdens unto Jesus Christ. We are not to try to walk around it. We learn to lay our worries and cares on Jesus Christ. (Ps. 55:22)
In the face of peril, we are to patiently walk with God. The answers to our prayers may not come speedily but it will surely come. (Ps 27:14)
In the face of peril, we do not let cares of the world hold us captive. May God help us all and strengthen us in all challenges of perils we face for the kingdom sake.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
My Father and my God, thank you for the knowledge that in all challenges of petals, you are always with me and will manifest your mightiness, in Jesus name.
Father, in my walk with you empower, and strength me to make bold decisions for You not minding the cost, in Jesus name.
Father, that I may know Christ, and experience the power of His Resurrection, in Jesus name.
Father, let owners of evil load in my life and family, carry their evil load by fire, by force, in Jesus name.
I walk in holiness through the days of my life; and I shall be a good example to all around me and the world, in Jesus name.
I stand firm in the faith and in the mighty power of the Almighty God, in Jesus name.
Father, empower and encourage Your Church to stand firm and bold in her faith in You, in Jesus name.
Let your purpose for our nation be fulfilled, in Jesus name.
Father, heal spiritual and physical wounds sustained by Your people in situations of our nation, in Jesus name.
Thank you, Lord, for upholding our nation by your mighty hand of power, Lord use the situation in our country to expand Your Kingdom, in Jesus name.
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