1 Corinthians 10:5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
Numbers 14:21-24 but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord-- because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.
In this NT passage Paul distinguishes the multitudes of Israelites who never entered the Promised Land, in that they never apprehended the destiny which God intended for them, but, instead, perished in the wilderness. The only adults that entered the Promised Land were Joshua and Caleb. What distinguished Joshua and Caleb? A "different spirit".
It is astounding to realize that so many failed to apprehend this spirit, and Paul makes it clear that this example has the most serious implications for New Testament believers. The spirit of whole-hearted commitment, apparently rare as the finest rubies, receives the inheritance, the rich rewards of the "Promised Land". What this "Promised Land" may be for those who are as faithful in the present age, we may wonder. But be assured it will flow with "Milk and Honey" just as the Land of Israel did in those ancient days, (and is again experiencing today!) Following God "with all that we had" will qualify us for the greatest eternal rewards.
The great test for Joshua and Caleb involved the godly courage to face massive giants in battle. They had learned and believed in the miraculous power of God to deliver, protect, and provide for His chosen. And Caleb, because of his great faith, was able to maintain his youthfulness even at the age of 85. (Joshua 14:10-12)
So, while these are days of tremendous testing, we have the finest examples to follow: Joshua and Caleb, whose spirit was different, whose hearts were whole, and whose faith was built on the witness of God's repeated demonstration of His miraculous power. They knew they could afford to trust YHVH with all they had, and we can too. The Promised Land is waiting for those who will.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Yeshua (Jesus) gave us some signs and indications of what society would look like just before His return. One sign was the sign of Lot.
People read this verse, and think God is telling them to be passive — to overlook what happened. That is not a bad thing — but it isn’t exactly what Yeshua (Jesus) was saying. Turning the other cheek is not about being passive. It’s about being active! So active that it actually confounds your enemy! Turning the other cheek is about taking an action so revolutionary, so shocking, so out of the ordinary that it shocks everyone around. It confounds the world — and can also change it!
For over 25 years we’ve been covering Christian Persecution, and whenever I come across an amazing story of how a saint endured such hardships, it encourages me. I remember reading about Watchman Nee and his imprisonment. The Chinese government would change the guards at his cell daily for fear that Nee would lead them to the Lord. Their fears were justified — many of those guards did come to faith! Apparently Watchman Nee had learned a powerful lesson from the Apostle Paul.
A careful reading through the life of the Apostle Paul will yield insight concerning those who surrounded him. In this brief devotion, I want to focus on two of Paul’s friends — Luke and Demas.
Whew! What must the disciples have felt back then as they saw the waves crashing against their boat? They we’re being swayed from side to side in the deep dark sea. They were afraid for their lives! But our Lord was there all along. He just wanted them to trust.
As a pastor who has traveled extensively and also met and ministered to believers from all walks, backgrounds, and denominations, I feel I have a unique perspective on what is happening in the world and among the Body of Christ.
As I look at the big picture, I have noticed that since the recent war broke out in Israel in October of 2023, several ministries that have played a key role in Israel’s spiritual revival have come under intense attack.
So often when I’m counseling someone, he speaks of his life as a life of struggle and even defeat. But what is our true spiritual reality? The Bible describes the enemy as ALREADY defeated! We who are walking as pilgrims in this world, fighting on a daily basis, are fighting a defeated enemy. Let that sink in! He has already been defeated … even though throughout our entire lives we’re in combat with the enemy of our souls.