Here is a great article by our friend Don Garey over at Castling Kings. Please remember to follow the hashtag #CelebrateLife15 and stay tuned here for upcoming articles for our Celebrate Life Month!
January 2015 is going to be a very special month for us at the PFP. We are going to be hosting a "blog carousel" with a number of our brothers and sisters in Christ here on the internet. What that means is, you're going to see some of the biggest blogs in the brotherhood, and some like ourselves that are smaller, producing content designed to highlight the blessings and good that come from a life in Jesus Christ.
So many today focus on what Christianity tells them not to do, be or think but Jesus focused on the good things that come from following Him. And that's what we're going to try to do! So, as soon as January rolls around be on the lookout for almost daily blogs from the PFP as well as us sharing and linking to all the great articles that will be posted on other websites taking part in our Celebrate Life Month. If you'd like to follow the articles, just keep an eye on the hashtag #CelebrateLife15. “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of Me.” Recently, my husband and I had a conversation about Matthew 10:37; this is one, short scripture that most of us can probably quote with ease, even if we don’t have its exact location committed to memory. Nevertheless, this seemingly simple verse deserves a closer look because abiding by Matthew 10:37 can require great effort and is not always so natural to put into practice in our everyday lives. Secondly, and more importantly, how we live out this verse will determine whether or not we are found worthy in the sight of our precious Lord. Matthew 10:37 can basically be boiled down to this: Never choose anyone or anything over Christ; if you do, you will not be found worthy of Christ and those special blessings which are only found in Him. We must seek first the kingdom (Matt. 6:33) and set our minds on things which are spiritual (Col. 3:1-2) above all else. Even though it may be hard, when we are faced with the choice of pleasing man or pleasing God, we must choose Him. As Christian women who are doing our best to be found worthy by our Savior, let’s take a moment to consider a few practical ways to apply Matthew 10:37 in our daily living. 1. Be Intentional With Our Time. If you are anything like me, you might get distracted by the “little things” in life or even by the “bigger things,” devoting so much time out of your day to your children, husband, home, and self interests that you leave very little time, if any, for personal Bible study. Sure, we might read and discuss a Bible story with our kids or prepare an occasional lesson for a ladies Bible class, but do we take the time each and every day to show our love for God by digging into His word? Is He our top priority? Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here; yes, God absolutely expects us to care for our children, spouses, and homes (Titus 2:4-5), but are we keeping our priorities in proper perspective? Are we willingly rearranging our schedules to make time to be present at our little ones’ ball games, family gatherings, and even date nights, but failing to make time for spiritual nourishment? 2. Don’t Sacrifice or Compromise the Truth As An Effort to “Protect” a Relationship. Now, here is the easier-said-than-done part. Sometimes, we become so desperate to salvage or keep a relationship with a loved one that we inadvertently or even intentionally “loose” things that we ought not to loosen. Maybe we know a loved one is in sin, but to avoid the possibility of a disagreement, awkwardness, or the loss of a bond, we keep our mouths shut and act like everything is okay. Perhaps, deep down, we know one of our children struggles with a particular sin, but we make excuses for him instead of holding him accountable for his own actions and immediately confronting the issue head-on. Sure, it hurts to admit when our loved ones are in sin; as Christian women, that reality can bring us pain and sorrow. Yet, by compromising the word of God in such situations, not only are we showing our lack of love for God, but also, we are showing our lack of love for that individual’s soul and eternal destiny. Sin is a big deal; it put our Lord Jesus Christ on the cruel cross of Calvary and therefore, it’s not only okay to act like it’s a big deal, we ought to act like it’s a big deal. The Bible very plainly lays out how we are to confront those who are in sin (Matt. 18:15-18). We also need to keep in mind verses like Proverbs 27:5, which states, “Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed,” and Galatians 6:1-3, which says, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” 3. Remind Ourselves of the Differences Between Those Things That Are Temporary And Those That Are Eternal. Our earthly relationships with our children, spouses, mothers, fathers, and sisters or brothers are relationships in which we should be invested. Though our time together here on Earth will eventually come to an end, there is the hope that we will be reunited in heaven someday. The hope of being in heaven with those whom we love ought to cause us to conduct or not conduct ourselves in certain ways towards them. We should constantly reflect on whether or not we are carrying out our Christian duties such as evangelizing and confronting sin in a loving manner when necessary. If we strive to do those things that are in accordance with God’s will, we can look forward to reaping rewards eternal. Matthew 19:28-29 states, “So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” 4. Pray
It is that time of year again! Lights and other decorations of red and green adorn our houses and public buildings. Malls and shopping centers are filled to capacity with eager shoppers in search of the perfect gifts for their friends and loved ones. December 25th is recognized by many as “the most wonderful time of the year” because of the giving and receiving of gifts and the drawing together of family. However, to many the significance of this holiday is the celebration and recognition of the Saviorʼs birth. Though it is wonderful when one chooses to reflect upon the life of our Lord here on earth, for many this is the only time of year where such a reflection is made. It also seems as though more attention is given to the “Nativity Scene” than to the proceeding life of Christ. Their focus tends to be on the infant rather than who He was to become.
By the actions and priorities of the majority of society, it seems as though they would like to keep the Lord in the manger. The account of Christʼs birth is fundamental to the Gospel. When Matthew began recording the beginning events of the Gospel, he wrote “now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise” (Matt 1:18). It was precisely on that wise that the Lordʼs incarnation as man was foretold by the prophets of old, thus “now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet” (Matthew 1:22). The writer then quotes the words of the prophet in Isaiah 7:14 which gave details to the event. In addition to the fulfillment of prophecy, this account is significant because of the humble nature of His birth. However, too many focus on this portion of His life as if there were no more to it. They would rather see baby Jesus than see the man who cleared the temple of the moneychangers or who later brought the price of sin to manʼs attention. After all, man would owe no gratitude--no personal responsibility to an infant in a manger. What if there were no more to the life of Christ than His miraculous birth and humble beginning? While these things are indeed important and beautiful, they are but a small part of the vast mosaic which is the account of our Saviorʼs life. When the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, he was told to name the child Jesus, “for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). After leaving the manger, “the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). He began His ministry at the age of thirty, teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, confirming the message by healing (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; cf Mark 16:20). Throughout His life He remained sinless, a quality which enabled Him to carry out His mission to be our sin offering (2 Corinthians 5:21). This sacrifice was realized when He selflessly gave Himself to die on the cruel cross of calvary. If the child had never left the manger, there would be no hope of salvation for us. When one limits his view of Christ to the precious little babe in Bethlehem, he doesnʼt see who the child became and all that He did for mankind. Perhaps while leaving the Lord in the manger, many also choose to leave the seeking up to the shepherds and magi. It is essential to oneʼs salvation that he seek the Lord. On one occasion our Lord said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The Hebrews writer stated that “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 emp. added). Therefore in order to be reconciled and rewarded one must seek the Son! This can be done in the obedience of His Word. This is clearly seen in Jamesʼ assessment that “of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures” (James 1:18). Every December 25th multitudes of people celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus, never to seek the Savior He became, but instead to seek worldly pleasure and revelry only five days later. When one leaves the Lord in the manger and leaves the seeking to the shepherds, it only follows that he would leave the offering up to the magi. Christmas pageants and carols throughout the country recount how the wise men made their journey to Jesus, guided by a star, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Many acknowledge and accept this account without so much as asking themselves “what do I have in offering to the Lord?” Man is expected to render his reverent service to the Lord. Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). In addition to offering oneʼs self by living for Him, one must continually give an offering of praise and worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). It was a command when the Holy Spirit through the hand of Paul proclaimed “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col 3:16). Because the righteous seek the home prepared for them, they must “offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15). It is precious when you choose to meditate on the birth of his Lord and Savior no matter what day of the year it happens to be. In fact, Christʼs entire life should be the focus of your daily meditation for as long as the breath is within you. When the Savior stated “this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me,” it was a practice to be done on the first day of every week (1 Corinthians 11:25; cf 1 Corinthians 16:2; Acts 2:42; 20:7). Let us focus on His whole life often, always remembering His sacrifice and what it means for mankind. Dave Ramsey, entrepreneur and financial coach, runs a company that is comprised of over 300 team members, does millions of dollars of revenue per year, travels the country teaching people about leadership and has the biggest talk radio program in the country. His company is unified, which is why they have been so successful. Other than the Bible and the Almighty, Ramsey is probably the third best place to look for guidance in unity. How can a congregation, how can the church worldwide, how can a family have the unity which is God wants in His divine organizations? First, we have to see whether or not God actually wants unity in those places.
So, yes, I'd say unity is to be in all of those areas that God has given mankind. Let's look at the 5 main enemies of unity that Dave Ramsey believes will kill an organization, and that I believe will kill a congregation, the church or a family. 1. Lack of Shared PurposeThis is really what Paul is trying to convey in 1 Corinthians 1:10. He wanted the Corinth Church of Christ, a church with a lot of problems but the willingness to work through them, to realize that a shared purpose of following Christ at the expense of selfish ambitions and opinions was the only way that they were going to be effectively unified and work through the problems to reach the end result of being pleasing to God Almighty. 2. Sanctioned IncompetenceThis is an interesting point that Ramsey makes. Now, he's speaking of a company with the ability and obligation to fire those that aren't quite working out. Frankly, the church doesn't have that freedom and we shouldn't! Sure, we are to withdraw ourselves from the willful sinner amongst us (1 Corinthians 5:11) but we can't just go around firing Christians from the church simply because they make a mistake or don't "work out". But, there can still be incompetence that is sanctioned by the church's leaders. Elders, preachers, teachers and deacons that do not address problems where a brother or sister do not understand are allowing that Christian to continue in ignorance and thereby opening up the congregation to harm because when we don't know what we're supposed to be doing, we will cause others to not know also. 3. Poor CommunicationIf you haven't recognized it yet, the first two stem from this enemy! Communication in a family, business, church or any other type of organization is vital to its being able to continue in unity and strength. When we do not regularly communicate our purpose, the group loses sight of that purpose. When we lose sight of the purpose, we become incompetent to reach our goals. But it goes farther than that, just wait. 4. Unresolved DisagreementsPoor communication causes something to happen that is much worse than a momentary lapse of vision and purpose. It causes disagreements to be "solved" by not saying anything! "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother" There's a reason why Jesus said that. Not dealing with a disagreement or problem will kill unity within a matter of minutes. When someone doesn't believe you, as a leader, have done the right thing and that isn't dealt with, you lose credibility with that person regardless of whether what you did was actually wrong. 5. GossipDave Ramsey has a rule on gossip in his company that I really like. He calls it his "Zero Tolerance + 1" rule. That means, if you gossip and you work for him you get talked to one time about it. If that talking doesn't stick and you gossip again, you're fired on the spot. "Gossip is when a negative is discussed with anyone who cannot fix the problem." Now, I'm not saying we have a one-and-done policy in our congregations or our families, but we have to fight this disease with every bit of force we have at our disposal! The only good that comes from gossip is merely perceived unity with the person to which we gossip and most of the time they really don't care about the situation and if they do, they wish you had gone to that person instead of bad mouthing someone to them. "For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults" Without unity, everything we try to do as a church, congregation, family or business is a failure. Without unity we are causing harm to what God has given us. And the only way to have unity, is to fight for it!
Welcome to More Than A Title, a blog specifically geared towards cultivating winning leaders and ministers in the church Jesus built. Studies have shown that the leading cause of workplace depression (I mean that deep feeling of regret you get every time you walk into your office or think about the coming Monday) is the feeling that the individual’s efforts are not culminating in a measurable increase. As human beings, made in the image of the Creator (cf. Gen. 1:26), we have the overwhelming urge to make a difference! I believe the reason for such is because God is the eternal “difference maker” (2 Cor. 5:17). At the end of the day, we need to be able to look back at what we have done and be able to hold our heads high knowing that during the last 24 hour span of existence we have touched someone’s life, changed something for the better, started the ball rolling or kept it going on some project that is going to impact our world, etc. And the simple fact is, many of us aren’t able to see that. Because of that, Mondays have become the day that embodies all that we despise! It really ought not be that way. There are two ways to combat this feeling of dread and worthlessness. 1. Look for Work That Matters TO YOU We’ve all heard the speeches, quotes or advice often given to the young person looking for what he will be when “he grows up” and rightfully so. As leaders, future leaders and even those simply looking to make a difference, we ought to go for positions, careers and leadership roles in things that we are passionate about. Now, I think that can be taken to an extreme that is damaging to ourselves, which is why so many people graduate college with degrees only to end up living at home and broke because they are looking for that unicorn job that fits every single thing they are looking for not realizing that they could... 2. Make Your Work Matter TO YOU What happens if you are a leader in something that doesn’t precisely fit your passions?
Then there’s only one thing to do, make it your passion. You are obviously in a leadership role there because you are good at it to some degree. So don’t allow yourself to constantly look for something better, make your situation the absolute best it can be. Chances are those you are leading are struggling with the same problem. So when you start to change your passion and/or make your work matter to you they will be able to follow your example. A team (whether it is a church, a business, an organization, a family or anything else) will never exceed its leader. And if the leader doesn’t care about the work/goals, they won’t either. It's Christmas time again and that means parents all around the church are struggling with one question, "Should we buy in to the culture and teach our children that Santa is a real person?" Some have a conscience problem with doing so because it is telling a young impressionable soul something that isn't true. Others have no qualms about doing so because it is a fairy tale like Jake and the Neverland Pirates or Queen Elsa of Aarondale. But whatever your stance on the matter, I'm convinced of one crucial thing. That is NOT the biggest lie you can be telling your children, and yourselves, this time of year! No, there is a lie that is much more devastating to your soul and reputation during the waining months of the year. That lie? It goes like this, "January first I am going to start _______!" Also known as a New Year's Resolution. So, let's not lie to ourselves this Christmas. Stop setting the date on dieting, evangelizing, working harder, being more loving, etc. and let's start RIGHT NOW!! - Go! I'd like to take a quick moment and discuss something rather briefly...
I've written in the past about the "Church of Your Choice" phenomenon that is going on in our current culture and how it is so dangerous to a person's soul. That being said, there is something else that is somewhat similar happening that is equally as dangerous. That is, namely, the idea that people feel they are entitled to place wanted ads, if you will, for churches as if they were going to interview the leadership, the ministers, look over the directories and even as much as look at the budget of a congregation before gracing the church with their presence. It goes something like this, "Wanted: Church in our area to call our home. The church must have a vibrant youth program, worship that is in line with what I prefer, racially mixed, open to newcomers, a thriving benevolence fund, etc." Now, don't get me wrong, all of those are things that a church MUST embody (except the second one) but the attitude behind statements such as this is completely anti-Biblical. Remember, a great deal of Christianity is focused on matters of the heart, even so much so that sometimes the standing of the heart supersedes the mistakes of the body (cf. 1 John 1:7-9, Proverbs 3:5, 4:23, Romans 12:2, Matthew 5:8, etc.). Brethren, family, friends and strangers let me speak bluntly for just a moment. We have to stop treating the church of Jesus Christ like it is our employee only there to make us feel like we are pleasing God and reaping the spiritual profit of faithfulness. The church is here to help, absolutely, but only in as much as it is here to teach and encourage the world to follow Christ, outside of any and all personal motivators. When you became a Christian through baptism, you gave up your entire being, so your criteria no longer matter. What matters is God's commands. Welcome to More Than A Title, a blog specifically geared towards cultivating winning leaders and ministers in the church Jesus built. Leadership is difficult to define and yet ever more difficult to put to practice. It isn't some list of characters plastered on the wall of an office just to be overlooked every day as we sit, sip our coffee and try to make the world a better place and make the people in that world realize the saving grace of Jesus Christ enough to follow Him. Sure, we preach/hear sermons all of the time outlining the "10 Things that God Wants in a Leader" but the fact of the matter is, it's much more than that generic list of cherry-picked verses or the character study of some great prophet or leader of God Almighty. Leadership is an attitude, it is a lifestyle. And while that attitude and lifestyle must be cultivated, I believe that it is possible that by the end of reading this blog post, YOU can become the leader that God needs you to be. (That's right, God needs you to be a leader!) But, before we ever get started dealing with how to become the effective leader in your specific ministry (and I'm not just talking to those of us who have the immense blessing of being paid to preach the Gospel and help a congregation function, ministers are anyone who has been baptized into Jesus Christ and had their sins forgiven), we're going to have to answer a few vital questions that will become the basis of our journey together to better leadership and making the word "Minister" more than a title. 1. What is Leadership? Let's leadership and look at it through the lens of what is probably the most visible and clearest part of leadership within Christ's church, worship. "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things (in worship, LMS) be done for edification." Paul spoke of leaders in the Corinthian church. Now, it might be difficult to see with a cursory reading of 1 Corinthians 14:26 but read it again. Did you catch the part where he said that the brethren at Corinth came together each wanting to lead a different part of worship, and apparently doing so at the cost of order because they were trying to exert themselves and the particular aspect of worship that they were leading over the other brethren who wanted to lead? Leadership is taking a place before a congregation (or group) in order to bring about some edification. That definition goes well with any sort of leadership, not just the type that we're talking about in today's post. 2. Who are God's Leaders? Now, this answer is a little more tricky. The simple fact of the matter is that in the context of our study today, worship, leaders are those of the male sex. I know it's not the "PC" thing to say, but God never has been very politically correct and He's never apologized for not being such. Here, read the passage for yourself... "Let your women keep silent in the churches (i.e. worship gatherings, LMS) for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church (i.e. a worship setting, LMS)." Folks, that means two things. 1) Women are to do just that, keep silent in worship services, and 2) that men are going to have to step up, man up and stand up ready to lead at church. But, that doesn't mean that those of the fairer sex, women, aren't able to be leaders in God's Kingdom. It just means that the ways in which males and females lead are going to have to be different. My wife is, in my opinion, a perfect example of a female leader in the church, even on Sundays! The vast majority of things that are done to make sure that the congregation's worship goes off without a hitch and that it is able to edify those in attendance are done by her. Opening the doors, turning on the lights, straightening up, making the Lord's Supper, making sure the song books are available, welcoming visitors, speaking to members, encouraging the young children to pay attention, and the list goes on and on. Ladies, never think that because you are not allowed by God to have an official leadership position during the worship of the church or to be elders of His body, that you can't be a leader! Men, step up, man up and stand up ready to lead your congregation if you are needed! 3. What Can I Do RIGHT NOW While I'm Preparing to Lead? Leading singing takes education and practice. Saying a public prayer takes understanding and meditation. Speaking on behalf of God to teach those in attendance takes knowledge and experience. Bringing all of the worshipers' minds to the cross of Jesus Christ in preparation to partake in His Supper takes the ability to persuade and to paint verbal pictures. Leading in worship is work, and most Christian men aren't prepared to do those things, yet. So men, how can we lead the church in worship while we are fulfilling our obligations to get ready to lead in the official roles? It's quite simple. So simple in fact that I'm not going to take up my time or your time to explain it very much... BE AN EXAMPLE. That is to say, make sure that you are preparing yourselves and while you're doing that others will see and will be encouraged to do the same. Sure, you don't know how to effectively lead singing yet, so while the church is singing make sure that you are making the hand motions in your seat (don't over do it, but practice). If you can't preach yet, you better be paying attention when those that can are. If you don't know what passages to read or what to say to prepare people's minds for the Communion, you better be looking for those answers. If you do those things, you will be the leader that God wants you to be right now. Photo Credit: Rick Witter
“Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.” Probably my favorite person (not character, characters are make believe and a person is someone who actually lived) spoken about in the Old Testament in Caleb. The preceding verses sum up the man known as Caleb perfectly. Two things I would like to focus from these verses are (1) that Caleb wasn’t too old to do what needed to be done and (2) he wholly followed God no matter if others did not. 1. Caleb Wasn't Too Old to Do What Needed to be Done! Caleb had labored for God all of his life and now was 85 years old. Yet his age did not stop him from continuing to labor for the Lord. Caleb was working just as hard for the Lord at 85 as he was at 40. Unfortunately some Christians do not think like Caleb. I have heard many “older” Christians make statements like “I taught class when I was younger but now that I’m in my 50’s (or 60’s) it’s time for someone else to do it;” “I’m retiring from door knocking and teaching, I’ve done my time, let someone younger do it.” What if Caleb had this attitude? “I’m old Joshua, give me something easy and let someone younger have that mountain.” Folks, there is no “retiring” when it comes to Christianity. If one says that he/she is retiring from doing the things that all Christians ought to do, then he/she is saying that he/she is no longer going to be a faithful Christian. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life,” Revelation 2:10. There are many admonitions in the Bible for the “older” Christians to teach the younger. The Apostle Paul through inspiration wrote “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed,” Titus 2:3-5. Caleb never let age stop him from doing the Lord’s work and it should never stop any of us from continuing to be faithful Christians. 2. Caleb Wholly Followed God Even When Others Didn't! In Numbers 13, twelve men were sent to spy out the land of Canaan for forty days. When the twelve returned, they reported their findings to Moses. “And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan,” Numbers 13:26-29. Caleb did not agree with the assessment given by 10 of the spies. Caleb remembered God’s faithful promise to give them the land of Canaan (Exodus 13:11) and knew that God would not falter on His promise. Caleb responded, “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it,” Numbers 13:30. The other 10 spies again told the people that the inhabitants of the land were too strong, which caused the people to murmur against Moses, Aaron and God (Numbers 13:31-14:2). Caleb did not give into “peep pressure.” He along with Joshua stayed the faithful course. “And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not,” Numbers 14:6-9. Sadly too many today do not have the courage of Caleb. Too often many of the Lord’s congregations are being led away into denominationalism because of the lack of courageous leaders like Caleb. Sadly, almost monthly, one can hear or read about a congregation of the Lord’s church being drawn away by addition of the musical instrument. “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” Ephesians 5:19. Many congregations have adopted the idea of reaching across to the denominations and joining hands with them in fellowship, and even in pulpit swapping. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them,” Ephesians 5:11. It is past time for the leaders of individual congregations to step up and have the courage of Caleb and wholly follow the Lord, even when others do not. We can learn a lot from the Godly men and women of the Old and New Testaments. Never forget to wholly follow the Lord and never forget that none of us are too old to keep His commandments and be faithful followers of Him. Joshua 14:6-14 is truly one of my favorite passages.
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