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CERTAIN

By January 8, 2018Daily Devotionals

CERTAIN
January 8, 2018

Prayer: Please remind us, Lord, that You are still a giant slayer.  We are grateful that You are with us today.

Scripture: they gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which You sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 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 13:27-33  NIV


Twelve men were sent to spy in the land where God had promised Moses and the Israelites. Exodus 33 in verses one and two, it said, “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’’  I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.”

But somehow they forgot that important promise – a substantial one in my opinion – ten of the twelve came back after their 40 days of spying and reported “we can’t.”  In Nephilim they saw the descendants of Anak the giant. The ten whined that the Israelites seemed like grasshoppers compared to the giant’s size and strength. Well, you know the rest of the story; God was furious and swore that none of them, except Joshua and Caleb, would enter in to the land He promised because they did “not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst.” Then they wandered in the wilderness until that generation had all died. How awesome for us to find out in Joshua 15:14 Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

What promises has God given to you? There are many; the Bible is filled with them! We also have our own “giants” – temptations, finances, challenging relationships and students, or even illness. Name a “giant” you have struggled with or are currently up against.

Your students have “giants.” Peer pressure is at an epidemic level. In the elementary as well as secondary schools, we have never seen the amount of pressures we see now. “Giants” like drugs, alcohol, sex, cheating, lying, stealing, and so much more are still there, but there also is pressure for acceptance, success, and stuff. Cell phones, technology, clothes, and cars: it surrounds them and drains them to give in. Like the ten spies, you can hear them say, “We can’t.” It is up to you to help them slay the “giants.” Yes, parents should be the frontline offense and defense, but we know that is not always the case.  You must be certain that you can face the “giants” and defeat them as God has promised. Then you must help those around you to be certain and help them drive out the “giants.” My prayer for you is that you would be certain and do it.

Copyright Kathy Branzell.  Email [email protected]