CALEB'S OLD AGE PENSION

Joshua 14:7-15
 
When Caleb was 40 years old the first time he went into Promised land
            Was one of the 12 men sent to spy out the Land of Canaan
            They all came back telling of the richness of the land
            It was a land flowing with milk and honey
            1 cluster of grapes so large, took 2 men to carry
 
But the beauty of the report was marred by their testimony!
            Regarding the size and the fierceness of the people
            Only 2, Joshua & Caleb felt that they could conquer the land
            So the children of Israel refused to go in
            And they wandered for forty years.
 
Caleb tells his story
            45 years before , he had gone into Canaan
            Now he comes to request a certain portion of the Land
            He says: "Now, therefore give me this mountain.
           
We can learn a lot from Caleb's story.
 
1. CALEB WAS A MAN OF ADVENTURE
 
Joshua 14:7 "Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-Barnea
to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in my heart."
 
The story of the spies going into the Promised land is in Numbers 13-14
            They found a rich country, but came back & said we can't take it
            But Caleb said, "We are well able to overcome it."
           
The other spies said
            "We saw giants . . . and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their
sight."
 
Many Christians have the Grasshopper mentality today.
                
The beauty of their report is marred by their testimony
            They sing the songs at church
            They praise God and speak of the wonderful things of God
           
But, they see themselves as grasshoppers
            Small and insignificant             Weak & ineffective
            Afraid to take on challenges            Afraid to step out on faith
            Sit in their pew on Sunday where they are comfortable
            Some wander around in the wilderness, hopping around from Church to church
            Never finding comfort or a place to serve God.      
            They are spectators,
                     finding fault and complaining
                     On the sidelines of the game
                     But they never get in the game!
                     If in the game they wouldn't have time to complain
                     If in the game, would concentrate on doing God's will
 
We need more Calebs & Joshuas today!!!
            Were undaunted by the bad report
            They insisted that the land could be taken
            If the people would simply trust God and move forward!
 
Caleb was a man of adventure!
            Who says that being a Christian is boring!!!
            Following the Lord makes life an adventure!
            It is the most exciting life that can ever be lived!
            The Christian life is an ADVENTURE
 
First, there is the AMBIGUITY of life 
            No one really knows what is coming tomorrow
            So we must trust God today! 
            That's what Caleb told the people
            Caleb & Joshua said:
                     "The Lord is with us, fear them not!"
            But the people were afraid to step out on faith!
            They would not go forward, comfortable where they were.
 
Life is always uncertain
            We have no promise of tomorrow,
The days ahead may be good or bad
But if we are Christians,
            We follow the Lord & Trust Him all the way!
            We are unafraid of the uncertain way!
 
Second, the ADVERSARY is always there
            Caleb and Joshua saw the enemies, the giants in the promised land
            Those enemies were still there, they hadn't gone away!
            But Caleb still said "Give me this mountain!"
            A man of adventure, still determined to go forward.
                     determined to take the land
                     determined to take the place God wanted him to have.
 
Christians our enemies will always be the world, the flesh, and Satan.
            We need to recognize them for what they are
            Be on the lookout!
            We do not need to compromise with them
            Battle against them & move on to the victory that has been promised
 
Third we need the ATTENDANCE of God
            We can't cope with the hazards of like without the PRESENCE of God!
            In verse 12, Caleb said that he could drive out the enemy:
            "If so the Lord be with me."
 
What is the promise of God to us?
Romans 8:31   
If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:35-37       
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . .Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us."
 
2. CALEB WAS A MAN COMMITTED TO GOD
 
He said it himself in verse 8:
"But I wholly followed the Lord my God"
 
Moses agreed in verse 9
"Because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God"
 
The word of God recognizes Caleb's commitment in v. 14:
"Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Juphunneh the Kenzite unto this day,
because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel."
 
Nothing is more beautiful than a life committed to the Lord
            Caleb lived for God
            No one can argue about it          No one can doubt it
            He was committed to the Lord.
 
Caleb obeyed God
            When he went out with the spies into the promised land
            When he had to wander with them through the wilderness
            Caleb remained steadfast all this time.
                     He was not up and down
                     He was on God's side all the while
            Was he perfect?  NO
                     But he made things right with the Lord
                     And he continued in his journey, day after day
                     Caleb was a man committed to God.
 
Here's the weakness of many Christians today.
 
a. We have no COURAGE
            Afraid
of own shadows
            We seek approval of others
            We don't want to cross anyone or upset them
            Sin has taken away our courage and conviction
            We worry about how we will look
            So much that we are afraid to take a stand for God.
 
b. There is little CONFIDENCE in God today
            Paul
said: Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God
            Our lack of faith is due to our lack of knowledge of God's word.
 
c. There is no CONVICTION among Christians today to move forward
            Paul
said in Phillipians 3: 13,14
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the
mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
 
Great things have been accomplished by determined people
            Take D. L. Moody as an example, a man determined to serve God.
            Said: "I don't know anything that America needs more today than men and women on fire with
the fire of heaven - Not great men, but true, honest persons God can use."
 
The Lord took him
            a man without education
            Made a great soul winner out of him
            He established three schools
            The Moody Bible Institute and two others up north
            Today we see books, hear radio broadcasts still reaching out
Why???? A person had    
a determination to live for God
                                 a determination to obey God
                                 a determination to remain steadfast for God.
 
Caleb was committed to the Lord
            At 85 years old, no weakening of his determination
            He pressed forward in faith
            He pressed forward believing the promises of God.
 
3. CALEB WAS A MAN OF VISION
                
First he saw the CHALLENGE (mountain)
            He said: "Now therefore give me this mountain"
                
It is good for us to see our mountains and determine to overcome them
            At 85 years old, Caleb moved forward
            This was no time to stop!
 
What is the thing that God wants you to do??
            Have you quit because of your age or sickness?
            Have you quit because of circumstances out of your control?
Caleb could have retired and took his pension
            Could have just quit and sat down & did nothing
            But he didn't, He said: 
"I want to press forward, conquer the enemy, and secure this land!"
 
Second, but he also saw the CHALLENGER (Giants)
            He saw the Anakims and their big cities
            But that didn't shake his faith at 40 or 85
He said:
            "We can take the land!"
            He wasn't disturbed by
                                          The big cities!
                                          The big walls!
                                          Or the Big people!
            He believed God!
 
Enemies should not shake our faith!
            True Christians will always have enemies
            Satan will see to it!
            Look Him squarely in the face!
                     Know his power!
                     Be conscious of His attacks
                     But move forward to gain the mountain!
 
Third, Caleb saw CONQUEST
            "If so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said."     
           
He knew his strengths and weaknesses but also knew the power of God 
 
We need to learn to rest in the lord and depend on Him
                 Be conscious of our weaknesses And aware of His power!
           

           
God places power in individuals
            They can bring defeat Achan Or they can bring victory as with Caleb
           
Where is our power today over our giants? What is it that we need?
                                                     
                       
We need to have contact with the Almighty God
            See our weaknesses,
            See our inabilities,
            See our limited knowledge
            But also see His power and His strength.          
 
Like Caleb, may our prayer be…
''Lord, Give Me This Mountain!''
 
 
WITH GOD WE CAN CONQUER THE:
 
(1)  Mountain of Indecision
             1 Kings 18:21; Proverbs 3:5, 6
       
 
(2)  Mountain of Indifference
        John 10:27; John 14:21-23
         
(3)  Mountain of Inability
              Phil. 4:13-“I can do all things…”; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
            
 
CLOSING: If we rely on God we can overcome any mountain ahead in our lives,
                 but we must trust God!  In 1 John 5:4, it tells us, “For whatsoever
                 is born of God overcometh the world:  and this is the victory that
                 overcometh the world, even our Faith."
 
             There may be one lost here today, you are facing one of the hardest
                 mountains to overcome, the mountain of unbelief, but if you will
                 come and place your trust in Jesus today, He will help you conquer
              that mountain also!
 
                 Christian, do you face any mountains in your life, if so be faithful
                 and bring it to Him.  Trust Him and with Him you can conquer that
                 mountain!