Hold on to the Promises of God

Scripture: Joshua 14:6-9

Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know the word which the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. "I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. "Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully. "So Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God fully.'

 

Insights: In today’s verses we see Caleb holding on to the promise the Lord gave him concerning his possession of the Land in Canaan.  There are so many truths found in these few short verses, but I am only going to focus on one.  The Lord Jesus has promised us some truths as well.  Just as God promised Caleb the land, the Lord Jesus has promised us His presence.  Now in the context of Jesus telling us He would be with us always it is in relation to our going out and proclaiming the gospel.  Here is the point.  Just as Caleb took his promissory note to Joshua and cashed it in by reminding him of God’s promise to Caleb, so we are able to take Jesus’ promissory note and go evangelize the world and can have full confidence Jesus is right there with us.  One of the things Caleb did was “remind” God, as if God needed reminded, of His promise to Caleb.  When we are quoting back Scripture to the Lord as a “reminder” of His promises to us, we are acting by faith just as Caleb did regarding the literal land.  Beloved, this is a good practice to get into because in order for you to “remind” God of His promises, you are going to have to spend time with Him in His Word, the Bible.  Let me again encourage you to begin now reading along with us in our daily Bible reading of the Scriptures.  Today’s reading is Judges 1:1-3:30.  Ask the Lord to open your heart and reveal His promises and truths to you from this passage of Scripture, then live life confidently in His great presence.

 

Questions:

1. What promises has the Lord given to you?
2. Are you willing to wait forty-five years for the promise to come to pass?

Prayer: Father, let my heart be strengthened and increase my faith so I might be able to believe without reservation or fear the promises You have given to me.  I know they will come to pass at the appointed time.  Let me not grow weary in   Amen.