The High Cost of Wavering Faith - Stressing the Rails - October 20, 2021, Stressing the Rails with Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr. - Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church with Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr.

The High Cost of Wavering Faith - Stressing the Rails - October 20, 2021

October 20, 2021

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FROM PASTOR WESLEY October 20, 2021

The High Cost of Wavering Faith

Then we set out from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness and we came to Kadesh-barnea. I said to you, `You have come to the hill country of the Amorites which the LORD our God is about to give us. See, the LORD your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.' Then all of you approached me and said, `Let us send men before us, that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up and the cities which we shall enter.' The thing pleased me and I took twelve of your men, one man for each tribe. and they brought us back a report and said, `It is a good land which the LORD our God is about to give us.' Yet you were not willing to go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; and you grumbled in your tents and said, `Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us. Where can we go up? Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, The people are bigger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified to heaven. And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there."' …..Then the LORD heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers, except Caleb; he shall see it, and to him and to his sons I will give the land on which he has set foot, because he has followed the LORD fully.' The LORD was angry with me also on your account, saying, `Not even you shall enter there. Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there; encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it. Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it. But as for you, turn around and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.' Then you said to me, `We have sinned against the LORD; we will indeed go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.' And the LORD said to me, `Say to them, Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; otherwise you will be defeated before your enemies."' So I spoke to you, but you would not listen. Instead you rebelled against the command of the LORD, and acted presumptuously and went up into the hill country. The Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah. Then you returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD did not listen to your voice nor give ear to you. So you remained in Kadesh many days, the days that you spent there. Deuteronomy 1:19-46

God has called believers to walk by faith, trusting Him and His Word in every situation. But sometimes, like the people in today’s passage, we start to doubt the Lord and His ability to do what He has said. So, let’s learn from the Israelites who suffered 40 years of wandering in the wilderness because of their unbelief. They ...

Listened to the wrong voices. Instead of trusting God, they believed the bad report of some of the spies (Numbers 13:25-33). To walk obediently with the Lord, we need to guard against the influence of those who don’t recognize His greatness.

Relied on human perspective. The Israelites focused on the obstacles rather than the power of God. When we choose to trust the Lord despite the seeming impossibilities, we’ll discover He is bigger than any obstacle.

Let feelings overcome faith. Emotions constantly fluctuate, but the facts about God never change. So instead of making decisions out of fear, let’s rely on what we know about the Lord.

Unbelief often results in aimless wandering and decisions we come to regret. But when we courageously trust God and His Word, we will find fulfillment in His purpose.

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About Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr.

Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr. is a native of Birmingham, Alabama where he was educated in the public school system. He graduated from Tennessee State University, Nashville,Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education. He received a Master’s Degree in Music Education; a Class A certification in School Principal ship and the Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. In addition, Dr. Wesley received a Bible Diploma and Bible Certification from Birmingham Baptist Bible College. He completed the Beeson Institute for Advanced Church Leadership Program from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. Dr. Wesley earned the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Louisiana Baptist University and Theological Seminary in Shreveport, Louisiana May 2006.

Dr. Wesley retired in 2003 after a brilliant 26-year career as an educator in the Birmingham Public Schools. He served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal of three different schools (Powderly Elementary; Arrington Middle and was the first African American principal of Woodlawn High School). He served on the Central Office staff as Extended Day Principal and Coordinator of Safe and Drug Free Schools.

Dr. Wesley is regularly sought after to speak in both schools and churches. He has had the privilege of speaking across the nation and in several foreign countries. His spiritual gifts of teaching and preaching are well documented. He is a member of many organizations. His civic and professional associations are too numerous to mention.

Most recent is the evidence of his leadership, occurred with the completion of a multimillion dollar edifice and education facility located in the heart of the West End community.

Dr. Wesley is currently the pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in the West End community where he has given thirty years of service. He has a great love for people and for learning.

He is married to the former Venita Burkes, and is the father of two sons, Rev. Michael Wesley Jr. and James Edward, one grandson and two granddaughters.

Dr. Wesley is the author of three books, When God Changes A Church, Everybody Deserves A Good Funeral and Reaching the Unchurched_Pathway to Church Growth.

Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church

Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr.