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A heart like Caleb How many of you have heard from God to move out, go forward, face the challenge and "take the land"? What is your response to His leading? Do you ponder, do a risk/benefit analysis, or step out in faith...even if you don't know all the whys and the wherefores? God sometimes gives us great vision that we initially receive with much excitement. At least until we start seeing all the obstacles in the way. Excitement can give way to fear...even to the point where that fear paralyzes and we are rendered ineffective. While I am spontaneous when it comes to fun and adventure, major change can rattle my cage a bit; I begin to look at the obstacles and sometimes they grow so large in my sight that I lose the initial excitement over a new opportunity, a new direction. I find too that when I let myself look too long at the obstacles, my focus does not remain on God. Fear and worry are great opportunists; they will wait for that moment when you are so overwhelmed with what ifs, and can't make it happens, that you can barely distinguish their influence from your own thoughts. Is it God's desire for us to embrace His vision and direction with fear and trepidation?...even if we obey, the wrong heart attitude can cause us to not only falter but even to miss out on the promises of God. When Moses sent a team of men to spy out Canaan, after God had promised to give it to the Israelites, some of the group were overwhelmed at the apparent power and might of the people already living there...to the point of trying to encourage the others to scrap the plan to enter in. The fear and obstacles became larger than the promise of God despite all the good things that they had seen in the land. Fear spread like contagion and the people rebelled; Caleb tried to redirect the focus back to God "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it," but the people let their fears overwhelm them. As a result they were not allowed by God to enter into the promised land. But God noticed and rewarded Caleb's heart; in fact He honored Him in front of everyone "But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it." The others were not allowed to enter in, even though the Lord forgave them. Our reactions and inner attitudes speak volumes about where our faith and trust really lie. If God can give us a direct promise and we let our fears and worries take over, are we not saying that God is not capable of doing what He promised? It is the essence of belief versus unbelief. And God has said an unbelieving heart is an evil heart. "See to it, brothers, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart...". Doubt cannot exist in the presence of faith; fear and worry give way to faith and trust. Not only should we believe that God CAN do what He promised, but that He WILL. When God speaks to us and tells us to move out and move forward, our heart attitude should be one of gratitude and expectation. That kind of heart pleases God...and helps bring His blessing in our lives. My prayer today with all that has tried to take the focus off His promise is to have a heart like Caleb. Lord you are God, the ruler of the Universe, the creator of all...if you say it will be done, then I choose to live my life in the reality of that promise. It is your job to bring it to pass, mine to obey with a hopeful, grateful, expectant heart...I am willing, let's go for it! He is no fool if he should choose to lose the things he cannot keep to gain what he can never lose.....Jim Elliott Deena  |
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10/22/2008 9:41 pm |
Hi Deena Absolutely, let's go, couldn't agree more, but guess what, I'm gonna fail, always do. One of my favorite teachers ( Jon Courson ) included something in one of his teaching that was so simple I just never thought about in all it's simplicity. Essentially any work we do in God's name we have an element of us in it, even if we do the work well we recognize our accomplishment and even in the most subtle of ways pat ourself on the back, that's pride. Is the whole work therefore burned up and all the reward forfeited ( precious stones and ruby's ) because of the element of self that was involved. No. He takes and milks out all the good He can find in that work and then rewards us for it, obviously the remaining portion of leaven is lost. In another teaching he reminded us that when the person took his trespass offering to the high priest the high priest didn't examine the person, only the offering. Jesus is our sacrifice lamb, when the Father looks our direction He doesn't see the flawed sinful individual that I am, He only sees the offering, His son, thank God! What does that have to do with your posting, not much directly anyway. Your posting was so insightful I guess it just motivated me to add my 2 cents, thanks for the opportunity to share over at Deena's place, Hugs!
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10/22/2008 10:28 pm |
Do all you girls in Florida have mysterious smiles like that? Kinda like, "Bet ya can't guess what I'm thinking"? lol.
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10/23/2008 12:57 am |
Hi Deena Absolutely, let's go, couldn't agree more, but guess what, I'm gonna fail, always do. One of my favorite teachers ( Jon Courson ) included something in one of his teaching that was so simple I just never thought about in all it's simplicity. Essentially any work we do in God's name we have an element of us in it, even if we do the work well we recognize our accomplishment and even in the most subtle of ways pat ourself on the back, that's pride. Is the whole work therefore burned up and all the reward forfeited ( precious stones and ruby's ) because of the element of self that was involved. No. He takes and milks out all the good He can find in that work and then rewards us for it, obviously the remaining portion of leaven is lost. In another teaching he reminded us that when the person took his trespass offering to the high priest the high priest didn't examine the person, only the offering. Jesus is our sacrifice lamb, when the Father looks our direction He doesn't see the flawed sinful individual that I am, He only sees the offering, His son, thank God! What does that have to do with your posting, not much directly anyway. Your posting was so insightful I guess it just motivated me to add my 2 cents, thanks for the opportunity to share over at Deena's place, Hugs! ‘HE will rule them with an iron scepter.’... He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.... On HIS robe and on HIS thigh HE has this name written:... KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
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good word and thoughts Deena
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10/23/2008 7:56 am |
Oh Deena this is so timely for me. Fear can just ruin everything. And yes, keep us from our blessing and rewards. I always loved Caleb. I named my son in heaven Caleb. I just loved how Caleb believed God, and kept his heart towards God. Joseph is my next favorite, or probably my most favorite actualy. I love how his whole life parallels Jesus', and how faithfull he was. and of course King David. When I read the Word, it is so real for me. Not just stories about people, but I feel I know them. Isn't the Holy Spirit good when we are in the Word, to illuminate it to us, and show us it is alive? The Word is living, sharper than any two edged sword.....Thanks for the message. It really helped me. I love ya girl. Btw what branch of the military were you in? You rock! Blessings, Robin   "Love is Patient..."
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10/23/2008 6:55 pm |
Thanks for your service Deena.  I'd like to hear more about what all you did. Blessings to you and yours "Love is Patient..."
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