Amen.
Life of Caleb.
So Caleb is a great man of God in the Bible, and there in verse 11, the Bible is saying
that out of all the children of Israel, there's going to be two people that get to make it
into the promised land, Caleb and Joshua.
And so it's pretty, it's pretty elite thing to be one of two of the whole nation to get
to go into the promised land and Caleb is a great man of God.
I want to learn some lessons from his life tonight.
Number one being that your ethnicity is not a barrier for doing great things for God.
Now it's sad that in 2020 we even have to say this since the news media is acting like
we're living in the 1860s that there's racism on every corner.
It's bizarre.
I've lived in the state of California, the state of Idaho, the state of Washington.
I live in the state of Oregon.
I've been to other states and I can't even think of a time where I've seen racism with
my own eyes in my life, okay?
And yet the news wants to tell you that we're living in a time where everybody hates people
of different ethnicities and we're living in a time where we're acting like people of
different ethnicities are held back from doing great things in their life because of the
color of their skin.
But you know what?
It's not that way when it comes to God.
Even if you perceive that there is a barrier in your life because of your ethnicity or
your race or anything like that, well guess what?
That barrier is not there with the Lord.
God is not a racist and guess what?
Caleb was a Kenizite.
Let's read verse 12, "Save Caleb the son of Japhune the Kenizite and Joshua the son
None for they have fully they have wholly followed the Lord. Why is that important? Go to Genesis chapter 15, Genesis 15
Genesis 15 look at verse number 18 the Bible reads
In the same day the Lord made a covenant with abram saying unto thy seed have I given this land
From the river of egypt unto the great river the river euphrates the kenites
And the kenizites and the cadmianites and the hitites and the parisites and the refraims
And the amerites and the canaanites and the gergashites and the jebusites. Those should be some familiar
Names to you if you've read through the old testament, obviously the canaanites. What were they? They were a heathen nation
They were a gentile nation and there it talks about the kenizites which what?
Caleb's father jefuni was a kenizite now go to go to numbers go back to numbers 32, please
Numbers 32 now when you're looking at these genealogies, it's really easy to get confused
There's another caleb that came from juda by blood. He came from juda through tamar. That's a completely different caleb
But caleb the son of jefuni his father is a kenizai. I'll read for you numbers 13 6
The bible says of the tribe of juda caleb the son of jefuni
So caleb the son of jefuni he belongs to what tribe the tribe of juda, right?
And in verse 12 of numbers 32
It says save caleb the son of jefuni the kenizai and joshua the son of none for they've wholly followed the lord
So here's the thing. Yes caleb was of the tribe of juda, but the bible says his father was a kenizai
So that makes me think that either his father or maybe caleb himself at some point joined the nation of israel
So what does that prove?
Well, it proves that caleb was a gentile and that's going to make the zinus really upset
But here's the thing caleb was not of the stock of israel
He wasn't of the perfect bloodline of israel because his father was a kenizai. So what does that mean?
It means god's not a respecter of persons
God did not look down from heaven and say who are the two men that i'm going to choose to go into the promised land
Let me make sure I check their blood type real quick. Let me make sure I check their dna real quick
No, he looked at their hearts and although caleb was the son of japhune the kenizai
He was one of the two that made it and guess what your ethnicity is not a barrier
To how far you go for the lord even if you perceive that it's a barrier for something in the united state
Or something in your town or something in this world. It's not a barrier for the lord
And you can never ever use that excuse. Let's go to
Acts chapter number 10 acts chapter number 10 acts chapter number 10 look at verse 34
The bible reads then peter opened his mouth and said of a truth
I perceive that god is no respecter of persons
But in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him
So does god look down from heaven and judge a person by the nation that they're from
By the ethnicity that they have the bible says god is no respecter of persons
And every single nation the people that fear him there those are the people that he has respect to the people that fear his name
Verse 36 the word which god sent unto the children of israel preaching peace by jesus christ
He is lord of all that word
I say ye know which was published throughout all judaea and began from galilee after the baptism which john preached
How god anointed jesus of nazareth which the with the holy ghost and with power
Who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for god was with him
And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the jews and in jerusalem
Whom they slew and hanged on a tree excuse me him god raised up the third day and showed him openly
Not to all the people but unto witnesses chosen before of god even to us who did eat and drink with him
After he rose from the dead and he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is he
Which is ordained of god to be the judge of quick and dead to him give all the prophets witness that who so that through his name
Whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins
So is it just a certain nation that's going to be receiving permission of sins?
No, peter's saying it's whoever whoever in any nation believes in jesus christ. That's who's going to be saved
Verse 44 while peter yet spake these words the holy ghost fell on all them
Which heard the word and they have the circumcision now talking about the jews which believed were astonished
Why are they shocked? Why are they shocked that peter's saying hey whoever believes is going to be saved
Why are they so surprised as many as came with peter because that on the gentiles also was poured out the gift of the holy ghost
You see these people actually were racists. They actually were shocked
They were astonished the bible says that these people had the holy ghost because they were gentiles and they were jews, right?
And you know, there are a group of racists today still alive and well in the united states of america and they're called zionists
That's the real racist they think that god looks down from heaven and just because someone is a physical jew
They think that god respects them more than someone who's not people like sam gibbs say oh us gentiles
We're plan b. We're god's plan b
Okay
So yeah like god had this plan a that he failed and if he would have not failed that plan that none of us
Would be able to be saved really it's ridiculous. But what is that? That's racism is what that is. It's complete racism
It's not the racism that the garbage lying cia run media tells you is happening. It's
Zionism, that's a real racism verse 48 and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord then prayed
They him to sit to tarry certain days
So he commands these Gentiles that got saved to be baptized just like a Jew who got saved needs to be baptized
We're all one in Christ Jesus. God does not respect
Nationalities go to Acts chapter 17 Acts chapter 17 because here's the thing
We're living we're living in a time where people want to make
Excuses for their life for the things that they don't have for the things they don't achieve because of the color of their skin
They want to make excuses for that
You know it white privilege is not the privilege you should be worried about it should be about saved privilege
Because we actually have privilege when we're saved when we're the children of God
I have great privilege in the fact that God is my father
I have great privilege in the fact that I have the word of God
Instructing me in the paths of righteousness leading me in the way I need to go in life. That's my privilege
I've no privilege for being white. In fact, I got denied service the other day by a black man for not wearing a mask
Where was my white privilege then right? Give me a break. Give me a break
But I do have saved privilege look at acts 17 verse 26 and have made of one blood all
nations of men for to dwell in the face of the earth and have to determine the times before appointed and the bounds of their
Habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him though
He be not far from every one of us. God is not far from the black man today
God is not far from the Mexican today from the Japanese man today
God is not far from any ethnicity in this world because he wasn't far from Caleb the son of Jafuni the Kenazite
God was not far from him when he chose him to be one of the two
Elite to make it into the promised land because it has nothing to do with your ethnicity
And if you as a Christian want to use your race or your ethnicity or your nationality or your background as an excuse
God is not going to respect that God is the God that can do anything right through Christ
We can do anything you know what all doors are open to you through the Lord Jesus Christ not through your skin color
Numbers 32 I'll read for you verse 12 says save Caleb the son of Jafuni the Kenazite and Joshua the son of none for they
Have holy followed the Lord. So what was it that God said? Hey, this is the reason these people are entering into the promised land
It's because they holy followed the Lord
And like I said, I feel like I'm beating my head into a wall even just preaching this because it feels weird that this even
Needs to be said but outside of these walls people think I'm crazy for saying that racism almost doesn't exist anymore
Which it almost does it obviously in the hearts of men racism is always gonna exist
But this institutionalized racism is over in America and has been for a very very long time
Turn to Galatians chapter 3 Galatians 3. I'll read for you Philippians 4 13
I could do all things through Christ would strengthen at me not through your skin color through the Lord Jesus Christ Galatians chapter 3
Look at verse 26. Let's hammer this in here for year all children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus for as many as for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ
There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither bond nor free. There is neither male nor female
For you're all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ, then are you Abraham seed and heirs according to the promise?
You know today we don't even follow the tribes and then our bloodlines and stuff like that
The Bible says to avoid genealogies in the New Testament. Why is that because now in the New Testament there is neither Jew nor Greek
There's no difference between us with the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't know if I come from the Kenazites
I know pastor Thompson probably comes from the anachems. That's my guess but we can only tell that because he's six foot eight
We probably don't know where we're coming from and he didn't get that from a genealogy
I think it's just pretty obvious for him. But here's the thing
We don't need we don't need to follow that kind of stuff
Right because we have the Lord Jesus Christ that makes us all one your skin color doesn't matter
God doesn't care about your skin color. He cares about your heart
He cares about you. Holy following the Lord and he could open any door
He wants to you regardless of your background go to numbers 13 numbers 13
So number one your ethnicity is not an excuse to not serve God
It's not a barrier for you to not serve God number two
We will get more done for God with a positive attitude than with a negative one
You know God loves to use people that have a positive attitude
There are people in the Bible that God used that had it and have a negative attitude
But God loves to use people that have a positive attitude
I'll read for you second Corinthians 9 7 Bible says every man according as he purposeth in his heart
So let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God love at the cheerful giver
And obviously this is in the context of financial giving but you could apply this to any area of Christian service for God
God loves it when you serve him not grudgingly not of necessity not like you have to he loves it when you cheerfully serve him
And he has respect to that when you have a good attitude
When you're serving God and Caleb was a go-getter with a positive attitude. That's one of the best attributes about Caleb
Is that he just had a positive attitude and everything he did. He wasn't a complainer
He wasn't a negative Nellie look at numbers 13 verse 7
For 17 and Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said unto them get you up this way
Southward and go up into the mountain and see the land what it is that and the people that dwell there in whether they be
strong or weak few or many and what the land is that they dwell in whether it be good or bad and what cities they be
That they dwell in whether intense or in stronghold and what the land is whether it be fat or lean
Whether they be wood therein or not and be of good courage and bring of the fruit of the land
Now the time was the time of the first ripe grape so Moses
He sends these spies on what kind of a mission a fact-finding mission. He didn't ask for their opinion
He didn't ask. Hey, tell me you know if you think that we can accomplish taking over of the land
He just said I want you to just tell me how the land is. What are the people that live there?
What's the fruit like? What's the land like just go bring me the facts guys. That's what he's saying. He's the boss
He's saying just go get me the facts and here's your one. Here's your one charge. Just be of a good courage
That's his one charge verse 21
So they went up and searched the land from the wilderness of Zen under rehab as men come to Hamath
And they sent it by the south and came unto Hebron where a high man Shashei and Telmei the children of Anak work
now Hebron was built seven years before Zohan in Egypt and they came onto the brook of Eshkol and
Cut down from thence a branch with one cluster cluster of grapes and they bear it between two upon a staff
They cut down some grapes and it's so heavy that it takes two men to carry one cluster of grapes
Sounds like the land's pretty great sounds like the promised land that God's
You know promising to them. Sounds like it's gonna be a great deal for them. They should be excited
They should be like man
Look at what we have coming to us and they brought up the pomegranates and of the figs
The place was called the Brook Eshgal because of the cluster of grapes
Which the children of Israel cut down thence and they returned from searching of the land after 40 days and they went and came to
Moses and to Aaron and to all the congregation of the children of Israel until the wilderness of Peran to Kadesh and
Brought back word unto them
Here's the facts that they're gonna present that they found and had all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land and they
Told him and said we came unto the land whither thou sent us and surely it floweth with milk and honey
And this is the fruit of it
Nevertheless 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 dwelt in the land of the south and the Hittites and the Jebusites and Amorites
Well in the mountains and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and by the coast of Jordan
So here's the thing these people they just saw grapes so big that it takes two men to carry
They saw the land that flow with with milk and honey. They saw a beautiful land that God already promised them
He already guaranteed to them. It's gonna be theirs and when he comes they come back to bring the facts to Moses
They're like, yeah, it's a good land. Here's the fruit. Here's the problems though
Here's a giant list of problems of why it can't be done Moses
Here's a giant list of negativity
And things that we're gonna complain about of why we're too afraid to go into the promised land and you know that people in authority
Absolutely hate having people underneath them that are just complainers and negative Nellie's
You know, you know if pastor Shelley here wants to start a ministry
Maybe you shouldn't the first thing out of your mouth is what about what about the money?
Do we have the money for that? What about this problem? What about that problem?
You know, sometimes it's good to just be positive about things happening for the work of God
Look at verse 30 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, you know, it's like it's contagious being around positive people when we're going out to do something for the Lord
And people just have a good attitude. Hey, let's go soul winning. You know what? Yes, let's go soul winning
Let's go get lots of people saved. Let's go get people baptized. Let's get them in church and teach them the Bible
Hey, let's go do a great work for God in this area, right? That's a contagious spirit
That's a positive spirit that Caleb had and God loved that when he saw that in him
God chose him for that spirit he had but you know what it sucks being around miserable people
They're just so miserable and helpless and they tell you all the problems that they have in their life and you say hey
Can I help you have you tried this? That's not gonna work. Okay, have you tried that? Well, that's not gonna work
Have you tried this? No, you know, they don't want to ever hear any solutions
All they want to do is just look at the giant list of problems, right and as a leader
There's nothing worse than that and there's lots of leaders in this room
Even if you're not a pastor or a church leader or something like that, if you're just a husband
Do you like it when your kids are just negative or your wife is maybe having a rough day and just negative about everything, right?
That's like a drain to your soul when people are like that
You know what Caleb was not like that at all and God loved that about him. Look at verse 31
Verse 31 but the men that went up with him said we'd be not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than
We and they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched under the children of Israel saying
the land through which we have gone to search it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof and all the people
That we saw in it are men of great stature and there we saw the Giants the sons of Anak which come of the Giants
And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers and so were we in their sight
So here's the thing when you have a great blessing that God is able to bestow on you when there's the promised land that you're able
To conquer, you know
If you're just focused on the negativity you forget about all the blessings
These people weren't just thinking about the fact that they just carried grapes on their shoulders
It was so big, you know, they weren't thinking about the land that flows with milk and honey
They weren't thinking about all the blessings that God was gonna be giving them
All they're thinking about is the obstacles and that is a destructive spirit. That's gonna hinder you from doing great things for God
That's gonna be a destructive spirit to where God's gonna say. Hey, you're not gonna enter the promised land
Then I'm gonna go give it to Caleb because Caleb has a good attitude because Caleb actually trusts me and he believes that we can do it
He has faith there's nothing worse than your followers having a bad attitude
In fact Moses asked God to kill him. Okay, that's how much of a drain it was on him
He's like God. Can you just kill me?
I'll read for you Hebrews 13 17
Bible says obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an
Account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you
Do you know that if steadfast Baptist Church was just full of all these negative people the people that aren't like Caleb
You know that's not profitable for you when your leader is not doing his job with joy
You know what if pastor Shelley just got home after a long hard Sunday comes in the driveway
Slugs into the house, and he just gets on his knees and says God will you just kill me?
Right would that be very profitable for your guys's church?
And I'm not saying that that's how it is here because I know it's not but here's the thing
don't ever let yourself get to that point when you're around the negative people hey get away from those people because that's a
Contagious attitude just like a positive attitude is contagious. So is negativity when people are just we can't do that
We can't do this. We can't do that
Just you know what just distance yourself from those kind of people because it's gonna hinder your walk with God if Caleb would have bought
Into all that garbage he wouldn't have been going into the promised land either and you know one of the things I love
About my church sure foundation Baptist Church. We have a church full of Caleb's pastor Thompson. He gets ordained
He's like hey, we're starting a church in Canada. We're like whoa great awesome. Hey, whoa okay a few months later starting to church in Spokane
Awesome great pastor Thompson a couple months later. Hey, we're starting church in Hawaii. Amen. We got your back pastor Thompson
We're not like do we have the money for that? Oh, how are you gonna get chairs over there? You know?
Are you sure you're gonna go to Hawaii? It's pretty rich. How are you gonna support? You know the guy over there, right?
No, we're just like hey pastor. We got your back go do great things for God
We have the leaders back have a good attitude and just trust. Hey, didn't God give us the Great Commission
Didn't he say go into all the world?
Do we need to sit there and pray about starting churches or if we could start a church?
Why don't we just start a church and just be happy about it and just have faith that God's gonna take care of us
God already gave us the Great Commission if your pastor is out there fulfilling the Great Commission have his back on it
Don't sit there and be complaining when your pastor is starting churches
What a weird thing to complain about but you know I've been in churches before where people in the church want the leader to fail
And they hear oh hey, we you know pastor says hey, we just got a building
We don't have to be in the house anymore like well. How'd you do that? You sure you sure?
We're gonna be sure you're gonna be able to afford that there's people that want the leader to fail
There's people that don't want to go into the promised land because they're weak themselves
Stay away from people like that. Let's go to Psalms chapter 95 Psalms 95 and here's the thing
Does God use people with a bad attitude? He has Jonah for example, Jonah wasn't very
Enthusiastic about his job. He wasn't like hey, let's go conquer, you know this city for God
Sometimes God just he needs the job to get done. He's got to use someone to do it, right?
He's the only one that's gonna do it. You got to swallow him up in a whale
I guess but he'll use someone but he doesn't want us to have that attitude Psalm 95 verse 1
Let's read the whole thing here. Oh come let us sing unto the Lord
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with Thanksgiving and make a joyful noise
unto him with Psalms for the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods in his hand are the deep places of
The earth the strength of the hills is his also the sea is his and he made it and his hands form the dry land
Oh come let us worship and bow down
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of
his hand today if you will hear his voice pardon not your heart is in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the
Wilderness when your father's now he's gonna start talking about the situation that we were reading with with Caleb when your father's tempted me
Proved me and saw my work 40 years long was I grieved with this generation and said it is not it is a people that do
Air in their heart and they have not known my ways under whom I swear in my wrath that they should not into my rest
So God's saying 40 years long. I proved these people. He says I was grieved in my heart
How would you like that to be said about you?
He's like, you know, I tested this person their whole life and you know
What it I was just grieved in my heart at their attitude
I was just grieved in my heart that they didn't believe my promises. They didn't ever walk out in faith in their life
They didn't ever try to do anything or accomplish anything for God
They didn't want to take the promised land that I had right before them
And you know what? It just grieved me in my heart
That's not something that I want the Lord looking down on my life and saying about me
And I'm sure everybody in here feels the same way
But you know what at the beginning of Psalm 95 he's saying let us come in and sing unto the Lord
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. That's the opposite, right?
That's just having a good attitude having a positive attitude about serving God
God wants people that are happy to serve him and he's way more likely to choose someone that wants to serve God
Then someone he has to drag kicking and screaming and drag into the belly of a whale to do it
And it's gonna just grieve him at his heart. Anyways, just like what's the point of that?
You want God to be pleased with you have a good attitude
Let's go back to numbers 14 numbers 14 numbers chapter 14 verse 1
And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried and the people wept that night and all the children of Israel murmured against Moses
And against Aaron and the whole congregation said unto them would God that we had died in the land of Egypt
Or would God we had died in this wilderness and wherefore had the Lord brought us unto this land to fall by the sword
That our wives and our children should be a prey were it not better for us to return into Egypt
And they said one to another let us make a captain and let us return into Egypt
You know why a lot of times people have bad attitudes about great things being done for God. It's cuz they want to go back to Egypt
That's why because they're backslidden
They're wicked in their heart and they just hate seeing someone with a good attitude that wants to do great things for God
They want everyone to be like them. They want everyone to be mediocre. Just like they are you see a person
That's just constantly negative about the work of God just take it to the bank
They just want to go back to Egypt and if they let that attitude fester in their heart for a long time
They'll end up back in Egypt
They'll end up back in a life of sin and wickedness and just a complete unprofitable life doing nothing for God because their attitude
That's why because they don't have the positivity. They don't have the joy of the Lord
They don't have anything to strive for all they can do is just look back into Egypt say man
I wish I could just go back
We'll just go back then because we don't need your negative attitude in the kingdom of God when people are out here trying to do
Great things for God. We don't need that negative attitude. Anyways, guess what?
You're not going to the promised land. Anyways, God is not gonna want to use you
Anyways, where's 15 then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation and of the children of Israel
And Joshua the son of none and Caleb the son of Chafunneh which were of them that searched the land rents their clothes
Caleb's upset about this verse 7 and they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel saying the land which we pass through
To search it is an exceeding good land if the Lord delight in us
Then he will bring us on 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 bred for us their defense is departed from head from them
And the Lord is with us fear them not so Caleb's upset about this and he's like look guys if the Lord wants us to do
This we're gonna succeed. You know they saw all the people of the land
They're like man. We were as grasshoppers in their sight, but how did Caleb see them? They're bred for us
Wow, I don't think that Caleb had a different set of eyes
It was just seeing different people than they were seeing you know
They saw the same people one looked at them and said wow look at all the problems look at all the Giants look at all
The obstacles and then Caleb said hey, that's bred for us if God's for us. That's the attitude
We should have hey if God's for us who can be against us if God wills that we do a great work for him
Nothing's gonna stop us don't have a scared attitude
Don't have a worried fretting attitude about the work of God be like Caleb be a like Caleb having a positive attitude
Let's look at verse number 11. Here's God's response and the Lord said unto Moses
How long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signs?
Which I have showed among them. I will smite them with the pestilence and
Disinherit them and will make of be a greater nation and mightier than day say God by the way
God was already ready to give up with the children of Israel right here
He was all ready to give them up and make a new nation
There's a lot of people today that can't even believe that the that the physical children of Israel are now replaced by
Spiritual children of Israel people that are saved. That's a little side point, but you just see right there
God's ready to disinherit them look down at verse 22 because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles
Which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and attempted me now these ten times and have not harkened to my voice
Surely they shall not see the land which I swear unto their fathers
Neither shall any of them that provoked me see it
But my servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully
Him will I bring into the land where into he went and his seed shall possess this you got to realize if you want to
Have a negative attitude your whole life if you want to just be a person that doubts and doesn't have faith
You're only shooting yourself on the foot because some opportunities will be lost to you that you could have had if you would have had
A positive attitude because God promised the whole nation that he would bring them in to the promised land
He says you know what because all of you people don't believe me because all of you people have a negative attitude
You know who's gonna get it Caleb and Joshua
So you want to see the opportunities in your life just diminish and diminish and diminish?
Have a bad attitude and keep a bad attitude and that's exactly what you'll see go to Joshua chapter 15
So number one your ethnicity is not a barrier to serving God number two
You will get more done for God with a positive attitude than with a negative one as you can see Caleb's a great man of God
Number three we should care about our children. This is another lesson that we can learn from the life of Caleb
Like I said, he's a great example in many different areas and this is one of them Joshua 15 look at verse 16
And Caleb said he that smite if Keir Jastifer and take it that to him
Will I give Aksa my daughter to wife and Othniel the son of Kenas the brother of Caleb took it and he gave him
Aksa his daughter to wife, you know Caleb cared about his daughter and Caleb wanted his daughter to marry a good man
He didn't want some man bun wearing soy milk sipping guy to marry his daughter
He said hey you go take this city and I'll give you my daughter, right? That's a great example
Hey, we should care about who our daughters marry, right? There's too many wicked
Disgusting men in this world to just not give a rip about who your daughter marries
And obviously we don't believe in arranged marriages or anything like that
But you know what Caleb at least made sure that the man that was gonna marry his daughter was a real man
You know and that's the thing we're not gonna pick our daughter's spouse
But you ought to make sure at least they're saved and if you're a great man of God like Caleb is if you have raised your daughter
Your whole life to follow Christ to do great things for God
Don't just pass her off to someone that doesn't care about serving God even if they are saved
You know you you invested your whole life into raising your daughter in the ways of the Lord
And you're just gonna give her to some guy that doesn't even go soul winning that's saved and doesn't even go soul winning
You know that's not a good idea Caleb made a good choice for off Neil off Neil later in the Bible and judges chapter 3
He was a deliverer for Israel when they were in bondage to Mesopotamia, and he saved the nation. He was a strong guy
He was a good leader. He did the right thing by allowing her to choose off Neil because hey it worked out
He was a real man. He was a
servant of the Lord go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 6
2nd Corinthians chapter 6 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14 be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers
for what fellowship have righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion have light with darkness and what concord have Christ with
Belial or what part have he that believeth with an infidel the Bible says not to be unequally yoked together with
Unbelievers, you know if you marry the wrong person that you could just totally destroy your life
And if your child marries the wrong person you know that they could just totally throw their life down the drain
You know marriage the Bible teaches is till death do you part and there's no exceptions for that you marry some rotten drunk
Some person that's gonna you know domestically abuse you behind closed doors someone who's not gonna
You know care about how your kids raised you know that you're stuck with that till death do as far as what the Bible teaches
That's what your children are gonna be stuck with if they marry the wrong person
That's why Caleb sought saw fit to make sure his daughter married a godly person
So what does that tell me it tells me Caleb was a good dad
Caleb actually cared about his children enough to ensure that she married right go to Joshua 15 again Joshua 15
He also did something else that's interesting that shows me that he was a good father
Joshua 15 verse 18 and it came to pass as she came unto him that she moved him to ask of her father a field
She lighted off her ass and Caleb said unto her what wouldest thou who answered give me a blessing
But that was giving me a south land give me also springs of water and he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs
I don't know about you, but this guy sounds like a pretty great guy his daughter gets married and she's like hey dad
Can I have a blessing and he's like here's all this land. Here's all these springs, you know, God bless you daughter
That's a great example and obviously not every father is just gonna be able to give their daughter lands
Obviously, especially in times like this things are very expensive at times like this
But here's the thing his daughter asked him for something. He was able to provide it to her. He said here you go daughter
I love you, you know, that's how we should be to our children. That's how God is to us, right?
We ask him for something Lord father. Will you please give me this blessing? Sure son. I love you. Here's this blessing, right?
That's how we should be to our kids too
If we have the power to do that Proverbs 327 says withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the
Power of thine hand to do it, you know if it's in the power of Caleb's hand to give his daughter good land
Why wouldn't he do that? You know, he loves his daughter. He has the ability to do it. She asks nicely. Here you go
What a great example of a dad
I think we should all strive to be like that as fathers as our children grow up when they ask us for something and we're able
To provide it to them. Hey, give it to them. They're not going to become a spoiled brat just because of what you give them
They become a spoiled brat by the way the attitude that you teach them to have by not disciplining them by things like that
It's not just the substance that they have that they have that make them spoiled because God is very rich to us
We're spoiled rotten in a sense of how much God gives us. I'll read for you Matthew 7
For seven the Bible says ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be open unto you
For everyone that asketh receive it and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh shall be open
Or what man is there of you whom if his son asked bread will you give him a stone or if he asked a fish?
Will you give him a serpent if you then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children?
How much more shall your father which is in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him so, you know, it's simple the Bible's like
Hey, it's really simple. If your child asks for bread. Don't give them a stone. They ask for fish
Don't give them a serpent give good gifts under your children
That's what God does for you
And we always got to remember all the great things that God does for us and try to do the same thing to other people
Try to bless other people in the same way that God has blessed our life go to Joshua chapter 14
Number one your ethnicity is not a barrier to serving God number two
We'll get more done for God with a positive attitude number three
We should care about our children number four
We should be strong in the Lord even in our old age. We want to talk about a person that was steadfast
That's Caleb because he was a man that served God his whole life into his old age
He never strayed from the path not saying Caleb was sinless that that he had never made mistakes
I'm sure he did but he was always going forward with his eyes on the promised land eyes on the things of God eyes on
Spiritual things go to Joshua 14 6 the Bible says then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal
And Caleb the son of Japhune the Kenazite said unto him
He's talking to Joshua thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in K - Barnea
40 years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from K - Barnea
To a spy 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 swear on that day saying surely the land where on my feet have trodden shall
Be thine inheritance and thy children's forever because thou has wholly followed the Lord my God and now
Behold the Lord have kept me alive as he said these forty and five years
Even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses so he's saying I'm eighty five years old now
while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness and lo now I am this day for score in five years old so he's
Eighty five years old and listen to what he says he says 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
This is a great spiritual picture about how the fact that when you're in your old age
When you if you get to live to be 85 years old, you know, you can be just as strong
Spiritually as you were when your 20s and your 30s and hopefully more spiritual
And hopefully even stronger than you were back then, you know, obviously this was this was miraculous that Caleb was 85
And he was as strong as he is that when he was 45
There's probably not that many people if any people in the world that are like that when they're 85 years old
They're just as strong. I think that's probably an extra blessing that God gave him
It's probably something miraculous. Maybe it is possible. But what is it?
It's a picture of the fact that when you're 85 years old, you don't have to be weak in the faith
You don't have to be a moss back beacon
You don't have to be someone that has stopped serving God and that is just riding on easy street and just coasting until you die
That's not how God wants us to be with our life. Even when you're 85. He said hey, I'm just as strong now
I'll read a few of verse you all know 1st Corinthians 15 58 says therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast
unmovable always
Abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord
Does the Bible say be steadfast unmovable until you're 85 then you can kind of stop then you can kind of slow down
No, he says you're always
Abounding in the work of the Lord. It's something that you're doing a lot of it's not something that you're just barely hanging on by bread
Deserving God no, he says be steadfast and always abounding in the work of the Lord
And you know, even if your body grows weak and decrepit and even if your physical body is worn out at 85 years old
You know that you could be just as strong as you were 45 years ago in the spiritual battle of prayer
You know
You could be just as strong in the spiritual battle of preaching people the gospel of Jesus Christ
As long as you have breath in your lungs
You can preach someone the gospel of Jesus Christ and be strong in that battle and be steadfast in that battle
And be unmovable like Caleb was in that battle teach your grandchildren teach your children the word of God
You can always abound in something spiritual. You can always abound in something in the work of God
Proverbs 16 31 go to go back to Joshua 14 and I'll read for you Proverbs 16 31
The Bible says the hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness
You know, what a great example Caleb was in that sense
I guarantee you that when he was old and had a hoary head that was a crown of righteousness to him
I bet you in his old age people respected him and looked up to him as a great spiritual leader
Because of what all these things that we're talking about because all these great examples that he left us Joshua 14 12
This is what he says
He says now therefore give me this mountain where of the Lord spake in that day for thou heard us in that day
How the anachems 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
He brawn for an inheritance he brawn therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenazite
Unto this day because that he fully followed the Lord God
So he wants to possess the land finally that he was promised 45 years after his great act
He's saying hey, I want to possess this now
Will you bless me he blesses him and look at judges chapter 1 go to judges chapter 1
We're gonna look at the last
Recorded act of Caleb in the Bible the last recorded act of Caleb in the Bible judges chapter 1 verse 19
And the Lord was with Judah remember
That's the tribe that he's a part of and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain
But could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron and they gave Hebron unto Caleb as Moses said
And he expelled thence the three sons of Anak. What a boss Caleb is
What's the last thing that the Bible says he does he goes and expels three sons of Anak?
He goes and expels three more Giants at 85 years old. What an amazing testimony that is he didn't just give up
He said hey, I want to possess that promise that God gave me
I want to take that mountain that God gave me and then he goes and does it
He takes those three sons of Anak in his old age just as strong as he was. What a great example
What a man of God he was studying this out. I was like man
I might just name my first son Caleb like this guy is awesome. What a great name
He has I'll read for you real quick Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verse 1 and we'll wrap it up
The Bible says a good name is better than precious ointment and the day of death than the day of one's birth
What a great name and legacy that Caleb has do we have any Caleb's in the room? No, no
I definitely know that there's a lot of saved and Christian Caleb's out there and that's because he has a great name
He has a great example and you know, we should strive to be people like Caleb in our life
So and you know that verse is talking about how it better is the day of death, you know
It's more important how you end your life than how you start your life
Preferably we would like to start our life. Well serve God our whole life and end our life
Well, that's pretty much what Caleb did but you know what starting today
Strive to be a man like Caleb starting today strive to be a Christian like Caleb and you know what you could still end like Caleb
Did you could still make it to 85 years old and be?
Strong in the Lord and still be kicking the Giants out of the land and still be doing great things for God in your old age
So number one your ethnicity is not a barrier to doing great things for God
God didn't care one iota the fact that Caleb was a Kenazite
He cared because of all the things that he did number two
We'll do more for God with a positive attitude than with a negative one number three
We should care about our children number four. We should be strong in the Lord even in our old age
Let's pray Lord. Thank you so much for this day, and thank you for the great example of Caleb Lord
I pray that every person here would just take a look at their life and strive to be more like him Lord
Pray that you just help us to be strong in the Lord help us to have a good attitude about everything
Help us to be steadfast help this church to be unmovable even in our old age Lord help us to keep serving you in Jesus
Name I pray amen