Scripture:
Joshua 14:8-11 ESV
[8] But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. [9] And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ [10] And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. [11] I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.
Observation:
45 years before this point the Israelites stood at the edge of the promised land. With the ability to overtake it. GOD HIMSELF would have fought for them. Fear kept them from moving forward. Caleb and Joshua however, had the courage needed to suit up and show up. The report those two gave was yes and amen, while the report the others gave struck fear in the hearts of GOD’s chosen people. A whole generation has passed by and now Caleb and Joshua are dividing the land that they said they could take 45 years beforehand. Caleb was now 85 years young and had just as much if not more courage as he did then. Standing in front of his leader Joshua. He asked for the portion of land he was promised. But there were still people to be driven out of that land. Not only did the victory that the LORD gave increase his courage but he was kept healthy and strong by following the LORD.
Application:
Have you ever noticed how some older people just never give up? They just press on knowing the LORD has them. I did a podcast with a young lady a few weeks ago. It was one of my favorites so far she was very sharp in her mind still and had lots of life left when she was 92. What a wonderful experience it was to sit with a lady with that much wisdom. The victories the LORD had given her did not decrease her courage she managed the steps of the church and gave a great performance on the mic. A wonderful godly woman. My point is this I know that allowing GOD and living the way HE tells me to will not decrease the length of my life and will not take away from my health and mental awareness. It’s not how you start it’s how you finish that matters. I am going to press on to win the prize of the upward call of GOD. My daughter is 13 and I will see her graduate get married have babies and live the life that GOD intended for her. I want to and do my best to wholeheartedly follow the LORD. I do have to say it wasn’t always that way. There was a big turnaround a few years back. However, the victories the LORD has given me since then have not decreased my courage but increased it and I hope to be standing here at 85 ready to fight with just as much vigor and honor as I have right now at 49. My last statement is this following GOD is the only way to go. The Bible says the enemy comes to steal kill and destroy, but HE came that we may have life and have it in abundance. Sin has a price, and that price is your life. The wages of sin is death, and the enemy would like nothing more than to see us dead lifeless, and without hope. Jesus is my hope. HE came so that I could have another shot at life, and HE did the same for you. Don’t take that for granted. GOD is not trying to take your fun away HE is trying to give you a life worth living. One that you can look back on and say…yes I’m 85 but I can still move that mountain.
Prayer:
Father, I pray that the words spoken in this SOAP will plant on fertile soil and take root and produce good sweet fruit. I know that a life lived for you is well worth it. You have given us a promise of long life as we follow you the victory you give us has only increased our courage and we stand before you ready to fight to capture more ground. To be the men and women of GOD that you intended us to be. We may not have started off well but thanks to Jesus we can finish well we thank you for the life that you have given us and pray for the abundant life that you have promised us. You are so good and your plan is good. You take a broken thing and make a mosaic. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen