following with a whole heart
DUDE! while reading today, i came across this awesome example in the Bible of wholeheartedly following the Lord. this example inspires me to live a life COMPLETELY for my God!
Caleb Requests His Land
6 A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, 8 but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. 9 So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’
10 “Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. 12 So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.”
13 So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as his portion of land. 14 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath-arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the descendants of Anak.)
And the land had rest from war.
Joshua 14:6-15
WOW! to have the confidence to boldly say "for my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God" and then ask for the promised reward for my obedience...this guy had some serious faith and trust in the Lord his God. besides the fact that the dude was as strong at 85 than he was at 40 (which is commendable and TOTALLY my goal in life), he also, i believe, was actively following in the way of the Lord all the way up to 85 years of age. he was still clinging to the promise he had received from Moses 45 years earlier and trusting that the Lord would be faithful to reward to his obedience.
as followers of the Lord, we choose to obey God and His Word. God gives His children a choice...but He always promises wonderful things that accompany obedience to His Words, that if we were to not obey, we would miss out on some blessings from the Lord.
David wrote Psalm 40.8 "I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart" probably partly because he had seen God reward him for his faithfulness to Him. he was clinging to the promises that God said what He would do for those who were faithful to Him. David trusted in the Word of the Lord and his hope rested in God.
being a part of God's mission and following the Lord with our whole heart is an amazing thing! it's not a "should do" as our Christian duty - but a "we GET TO!" and God invites us into this wonderful thing called LIFE! REAL life! to follow the Lord with our whole and be a part of His will for our lives is not a burden with no purpose, but freedom and life! "These instructions are not empty words — they are your life!..."
"We experienced a kind of revival by just being involved in our Master's business..." On The Wall - Rick Whitney
God blesses those who follow Him. He promises good and long life to those who walk in His ways. He takes care of those who obey Him. He promises life to those who loose their worldly life for His sake...
"Following the Lord and doing His will, will link you heart-to-heart with the highest quality of men and women upon the face of this earth." Jim McCotter
i strongly believe that following the Lord with your whole heart, seeking His kingdom first in all that you do, and yielding yourself to His plan for your life will allow you to experience more in this life than you ever imagined! if i may use the words of nike "JUST DO IT!" there are no regrets in a life hidden in Christ.
Caleb Requests His Land
6 A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, 8 but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. 9 So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’
10 “Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. 12 So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.”
13 So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as his portion of land. 14 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath-arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the descendants of Anak.)
And the land had rest from war.
Joshua 14:6-15
WOW! to have the confidence to boldly say "for my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God" and then ask for the promised reward for my obedience...this guy had some serious faith and trust in the Lord his God. besides the fact that the dude was as strong at 85 than he was at 40 (which is commendable and TOTALLY my goal in life), he also, i believe, was actively following in the way of the Lord all the way up to 85 years of age. he was still clinging to the promise he had received from Moses 45 years earlier and trusting that the Lord would be faithful to reward to his obedience.
as followers of the Lord, we choose to obey God and His Word. God gives His children a choice...but He always promises wonderful things that accompany obedience to His Words, that if we were to not obey, we would miss out on some blessings from the Lord.
David wrote Psalm 40.8 "I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart" probably partly because he had seen God reward him for his faithfulness to Him. he was clinging to the promises that God said what He would do for those who were faithful to Him. David trusted in the Word of the Lord and his hope rested in God.
being a part of God's mission and following the Lord with our whole heart is an amazing thing! it's not a "should do" as our Christian duty - but a "we GET TO!" and God invites us into this wonderful thing called LIFE! REAL life! to follow the Lord with our whole and be a part of His will for our lives is not a burden with no purpose, but freedom and life! "These instructions are not empty words — they are your life!..."
"We experienced a kind of revival by just being involved in our Master's business..." On The Wall - Rick Whitney
God blesses those who follow Him. He promises good and long life to those who walk in His ways. He takes care of those who obey Him. He promises life to those who loose their worldly life for His sake...
"Following the Lord and doing His will, will link you heart-to-heart with the highest quality of men and women upon the face of this earth." Jim McCotter
i strongly believe that following the Lord with your whole heart, seeking His kingdom first in all that you do, and yielding yourself to His plan for your life will allow you to experience more in this life than you ever imagined! if i may use the words of nike "JUST DO IT!" there are no regrets in a life hidden in Christ.
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