Give Me This Mountain

O. T. #473  "Give Me This Mountain"
March 5, 2015
Joshua 14-Part 2
Now therefore give me this mountain, wherefore 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. 
Joshua 14:12

LET IT GLOW

Do you like living in the mountains or on the flat land? I have lived in both, but I prefer the mountains. I grew up in the mountains. In fact our farm is on a small hill. The highways leading to this area go up and down the hills. The major highway climbs the mountains. There is something about the mountains and hills that gives me encouragement. Perhaps it is that I see the work of God, that they have rocks and boulders on and in them, standing firm. Yes, like Caleb, I would fight for this mountain on which I live.
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Like the writer of Psalm 121:1-3, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Caleb reminded Joshua that God promised him the land he spied out 45 years earlier was Caleb's inheritance. It was because Caleb wholly followed the Lord and believed God could give Israel's first generation the Promised Land. He and Joshua were the only ones among the 12 spies who believed that. When he claimed it, Caleb said, Give me this mountain. (verse 12) so Mt. Hebron became the land where the Kenezites came to live.

Caleb said that if the Lord helped him, then he would drive out the Anakites and live on the mountain.


Life Application Study Bible says:

When Joshua gave Caleb his inheritance, it fulfilled a promise God had made to Caleb 45 years earlier. We expect such integrity and reliability from God, but do we expect the same from His followers? How about you? Is your word this reliable? Would you honor a 45-year-old promise?  God would-and does. Even today He is honoring promises He made thousands of years ago. In fact, some of His greatest promises are yet to be fulfilled. This gives us much to look forward to. Let your faith grow as you realize that God keeps His word.

LET IT GROW

Here are some interesting points from my husband's sermon on this chapter:

• Caleb would not allow others to determine how close he got to God.
• He would not settle for less than what God promised him.
• He refused to take the easy way out.
• Caleb stood up, stepped up, and spoke up.
• What we think is what we are; we can't strattle the fence with God.
• What we do is what we believe; everything else is God talk.

Did you notice that throughout those 45 years Caleb kept following God?
He remembered what God had promised him, even though Caleb was 85 years old.
He didn't settle for a land that was easy to get to, but a mountain which he had to climb.
Caleb was willing to drive out the Anakims, the giants of the land, and conquer their cities in the hill country.

Here are some lessons to ponder:
What do we think about throughout the day? Are we singing praised to our Lord Jesus?
Are we repeating memorized scriptures? Or do we allow the worldly talk around us to dictate our talk?
Are we putting walk to our talk?
Do we let others determine how close we get to God? How easily are we discouraged?
What do we settle for in life-God's best and God's promises or whatever comes our way?

Do you have any mountains to climb in your life?

LET IT GO

Stand up for Jesus.

Step up for my faith in Him.

Speak up for our Lord, His Word, and His ways.