It wasn’t God’s will to cause the older generation to perish in the wilderness. It was their rebellion. Their unwillingness to follow the straight “thus saith the Lord” prevented their entry. They preferred to set up their own rules and do their own thing. They rebelled against God’s chosen who always stood in the gap for them. With all the miracles God did and all the provisions He gave them, still they were unsatisfied and doubtful of His protection. Their rebellion prevented them from entering the Promised Land.

As we sat comfortably enjoying our lunches, the nagging feeling in our hearts began to tug louder and louder with each bite. Was it guilt? Undoubtedly guilt was involved -- guilt, not because we had food, but because we knew that with each passing moment we were losing an opportunity to truly live out our Christianity. Finally, we decided to act. Pitching in a few dollars each, we introduced ourselves to the homeless individuals, asking if it would be alright if we could buy them lunch that afternoon.

Trials are not all bad. You can profit from it. Just like risks – proper management can turn them into opportunities - the same is true for trials. Successfully overcoming your trials does produce a Fruit of the Spirit in your life. There are various levels of trails, and each level gets more challenging. If you fail any level, you will have to retake it until you’ve passed. You cannot get to the next level until you’ve successfully passed the previous one.