Misguided
- Venus Jackson
- Jan 6
- 4 min read
Upcoming week (01/06/26) Numbers Ch.15 Next week (12/13/25) Numbers Ch.16 |
When you get a moment watch this example of how God works in our lives:
Questons for Numbers Chapter 15 - 01/06/2025
Why do you think God is asking for these offerings?
Was the stoning of the man too harsh?
Recap from 12/09/2025
Fellow Walk and Talkers, Joan and Doris, added greatly to our discussion of chapter 14.
Doris emphasized the death of those who agitated their fellow Israelites to the point that they openly challenged Moses.
In our previous blog, we established that God is not intimidated by our concerns, doubts, or questions. The life of Moses alone makes that abundantly clear.
Here are just a few examples of the questions Moses asked God (from the AI Overview):
Exodus 3:11 – “Who am I?”Moses questions his own worthiness to confront Pharaoh and lead Israel out of Egypt.
Exodus 3:13 – “What is His name?”Moses asks what he should tell the Israelites when they ask who sent him.
Exodus 4:1 – “What if they don’t believe me?”Moses fears the people will not listen or trust his message.
Exodus 4:10 – “I am not eloquent.”Moses points out his difficulty with speech.
Exodus 5:22 – “Why have you mistreated this people?”After Pharaoh increases the Israelites’ workload, Moses questions God about the added suffering.
Exodus 33:12–23 – “Show me Your glory.”Moses asks to see God’s glory, and God reveals His goodness while shielding Moses from His full presence.
So if God was patient with Moses’ questions and doubts, why did He become so angry in Numbers 14 that people died when the Israelites questioned the wisdom of entering a land filled with giants?
There is a difference between expressing concern and stirring rebellion.
Did you notice what Moses did in the face of the Israelites’ grumbling and anger?
Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the assembly (v.5)
Moses pleaded with the people not to defy God (vv.7–9)
Moses defended them against God’s wrath (vv.13–16)
Moses asked God to forgive them, as he had done many times before (vv.17–19)
What stands out most to me is that not once did Moses mention himself while navigating God’s anger and the people’s defiance.
I find that amazing.
Personally, I think I would have been more than a little perturbed. After all, Moses had been pulled from a comfortable life, sent back to a land where people once wanted him dead, commanded to confront the most powerful ruler on earth, and tasked with leading a group of fearful, complaining people who had front-row seats to God’s awe-inspiring power—yet still doubted Him.
But Moses didn’t go that route.
He set himself aside. He kept his eyes on God.He focused on the salvation of the people.
And it mattered.
God did not send the plague He had initially spoken of to destroy the Israelites.
Yet even after all God and Moses had done, the people disobeyed again.
What makes this disobedience especially sad is that they were misguided. They believed they were doing the right thing by heading toward the Promised Land—after God had told them they would never enter it. They convinced themselves that delayed obedience was somehow pleasing to God.
Reading about the Israelites’ inconsistency is frustrating—but if we’re honest, we can probably find similar moments in our own lives.
Is there an area where you felt you received God’s answer—one you didn’t like—yet chose to push ahead anyway?
Has God presented you with an opportunity you didn’t appreciate at the time, only for you to force it later and watch it fall flat?
Moses said it bluntly and beautifully in verses 41–42:
“Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies…”
Don’t be misguided by fear, good intentions, popular ideas, or carnal desires.Always focus on going where God is with you.
Prayer requests:
Jamaican families during and after the Hurricane Melissa - a catastrophic storm that hit Jamaica and other islands. With sustained winds of up to 185 mph, It was the most powerful hurricane to approach the island in recorded history
Safety, protection and healing over all Walk and Talkers (past present and future) and their families
Quick healing over Sammantra's son. He is looking as handsome and unbothered as ever but he did miss out on basketball this season.
Healing and repairing of Frances' ankle and neck, Neck surgery is comlete! Praying for full recovery. Frances carrying herself with her usual grace and has even returned to work though she still has to be careful.
For God to not only physically provide for Joan's friend and her family but also provide physical and mental strength - update: prayerfully she has a new job!
A quick recovery for Joan's friend who broke her hip - can't have surgery because of her heart so she is doing therapy.
Venus' dad who has recovered from cancer but needs all malignant small nodes on lungs to be destroyed (update - Dad is doing well. He will have to go through treatment over the next year but he is thankful)
Praying for all of us to have an encounter with God in our own unique ways especially during this fasting month.
Renee is trying to get back to Ga. Please keep her family in your prayers. Her daughter who recently had a baby is trying to get a job in Georgia.
Trail Walk
Saturday
Date: TBA
Sandy Creek Park
Time: TBA
Potluck Tuesday was also a suggestion from last semester. Anyone interested in doing a Potluck once a month? Open to suggestions on an ideal day and time we can do this.
Health goals
Pray and think about the goals that God has for your life. He has many, but one of the areas we concentrate on in Walk and Talk is our health. How do you think God wants us to care for ourselves? What steps are we taking to be the best person we can be?
See you Tuesday!!
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