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Look and Live: Overcoming Discouragement in God's Plan

Explore the familiar story of snakes and salvation from Numbers 21:4-9 in a new light, focusing on the theme of discouragement. Discover how past experiences, hardships, lack of progress, and family problems can lead to complaints and destruction. Reflect on God's unconventional plan to save through a brass serpent on a pole and draw parallels to finding hope and eternal life in overcoming discouragement. Stay alert, look to God in faith, and experience the transformative power of overcoming discouragement in His plan.

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Look and Live: Overcoming Discouragement in God's Plan

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  1. Snakes and Salvation Numbers 21:4-9

  2. Familiar Story • I am sure most of you have heard of this story • Israel complained AGAIN • God sent poisonous snakes to bite the people • They cried for help • God instructed Moses to make a brass serpent, put it on a pole • All who look on it will live

  3. Familiar Story • I am sure most of you have heard of this story • THE REAL STORY HERE IS ONE WORD • DISCOURAGEMENT • Discouragement does great damage to our lives • Why do we become discouraged?

  4. DISCOURAGEMENT:The Past • For Israel – the past 40 years • Dust • Disappointment • Death • For us – “Here we go again” • We see the pattern beginning again and we don’t like where it is taking us

  5. DISCOURAGEMENT:The Past

  6. DISCOURAGEMENT:Hardships • For Israel – They were constantly in need • Food • Water • Hot – no shade • For us – The economy, unemployment, heart attack, cancer, death in family • Hills, bumps, rocks, potholes • When will life get better?

  7. DISCOURAGEMENT:Hardships

  8. DISCOURAGEMENT:Lack of Progress • For Israel – 40 years going nowhere • Wandering • Move from place to place • Promised land it just past that city • For us – Hamster on a wheel • The hurrier I go, the behinder I get! • Where is life headed? Will I ever get there? Kids – “Are we there yet?”

  9. DISCOURAGEMENT:Family Problems • For Israel – The obstacle was Edom • Edom is Esau • Esau is Jacob’s twin brother • They were refused passage to Canaan • For us – Marriage, Family, Children • These are more discouraging than other areas of our life

  10. DISCOURAGEMENT:Family Problems • For Israel – “We will have to go the long way around the land of Edom.” • For us – Take the long way • There are no “quick fixes” for marriages, raising children, having a happy family • It is a long road – slow progress – continual setbacks

  11. DISCOURAGEMENTLEADS TO COMPLAINTS • They complained about everything • In Egypt • At the Red Sea • About the water • About the food • About Moses • About lack of progress • Everything that happens is someone’s fault.

  12. COMPLAINTS LED TO DESTRUCTION • Fiery serpents came among the people • The Lord SENT the snakes • The snake bite was fatal • Natural reaction – Complain some more

  13. GOD’S PLAN IS NOT LOGICAL • Make a snake out of brass, put on a pole • All who look will live. • Numbers 21:8 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." • DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?

  14. GOD’S PLAN IS NOT LOGICAL • DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? • I have heard the same comment about the plan of salvation in the NT. • Baptism does not make any sense.

  15. CONCLUSION • BE ALERT • Discouragement can show up in our lives • We must recognize and overcome it • LOOK AND LIVE • Look to God – not other sources • Look in faith • You can have eternal life with God

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