Hear and Understand, Pastor Wendell Williams

Sunday, June 3^rd, 2012                                   Pastor Wendell Williams                             Hear and Understand!

First part of recording is Membership Installation: Naomi Smith and Althea Wood.

Numbers 13:1-2

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them." (NKJV)

Pastor prays…

• Speak Lord
• We are listening
• God is trying to find men that He can speak to… to those who will listen and do what He says!

God is giving directions to Moses to give to the children of Israel to go and seek out what He [God] is giving them.

Numbers 13:17-18

Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, "Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; (NKJV)

• Moses gives specific guidance and directions
• Send to Canaan to seek
• Gives specific directions to the people

We are to hear from God and give you a ‘plain’ plan!

Numbers 13:19-20

…whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes. (NKJV)

• You have been appointed
• Take heart where you are going [Moses encourages them]

Numbers 13:21

So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. (NKJV)

Numbers 13:25-30

And they returned from spying out the land after forty days. Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan." Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." (NKJV)

Numbers 13:33

There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." (NKJV)

• Moses heard from God
• Send spies
• Selected them
• 40 days
• Came back with evidence of fruitfulness
• Testimony of inhabitants of the land
• BUT something ‘trips up’ in their dialogue.

BUT nullifies whatever came before it. Nevertheless [whatever follows is nullifying whatever came before].

• Nevertheless = BUT

This book [the Bible] has contents that are more necessary [for us] than food!

• Change culture from doubt and unbelief to faith and hope!

Matthew 13:1-3

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; (KJV)

• Wouldn’t it be great if were willing to seek and find him…

Matthew 13:4-9

And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (KJV)

We are here to be instant in the season and do what God tells us [immediately]!

Matthew 13:18-21

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. (NKJV)

• We live in a society where people are persecuted because of the Word of God; there is persecution in our hour.

Matthew 13:22-23

Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (NKJV)

• V19… The ‘fowls’ come = devil
• The ‘seed’ is the Word of God

Only 1/4^th of the seed became fruitful

The 1^st seed was stolen by the devil

The 2^nd seed is lost because of the stony place [of the heart]; an offended heart where there is NO joy!

• We want you to grow
• I am not afraid if you leave BUT I want you to stay
• If you are mad all of the time [then] go!

The 3^rd seed is choked by the impact of culture and materialism; these are issues in the world

• Aspects of the culture will try to influence you and trump God’s influence
• Don’t let the culture deceive you and keep you from God
• “Wake Up” America, Congress, Clergy, Mr. President…
• The standards of God still stand!

Cares = distractions… which cause you to be unfruitful!

The 4^th seed grows and expands…

• Hears the word
• Understands the word

Hears = give audience to the word of God

Understands = comprehend and put together; apply intentionally and spiritually

• Teaching
• Preaching
• Modeling

Numbers 13:25-27

And they returned from spying out the land after forty days. Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. (NKJV)

Numbers 13:28-29

Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan." (NKJV)

We must walk by faith even in the face of what we see…

• They were intimidated by what they saw

Faith [still] triumphs over fact.

• We can stand upon the Word of God for our victory

Two out of ten came back with a testimony that said, “We are more than able” [Caleb and Joshua]

• Remember that they had come through the Red Sea
• Had left Egypt

Manna = Miracle in the Midst

• A Miracle out ahead of you!

Numbers 14:6-9

But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.' Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them." (NKJV)

• If only they had deposited seeds of faith and obedience…
• Would not have spent years wandering

Numbers 13:30

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." (NKJV)

Numbers 13:30

Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it. (AMP)