Stay Strong in the Lord

Stay Strong in the Lord Colossians 2:6-7 Joshua 14:6-14 October 10, 2010

This past week we witnessed the happy ending for the 33 Chilean miners. I was watching an interview of one of the miners. He said that everyday his foremen would tell the men to stay strong. Every day he gave them only one type of encouragement, be strong. The Bible consistently gives us the same message. Scripture such as Colossians 2:6-7 teaches us to live our lives rooted and built up in Christ, established in faith. Those are instructions and encouragement to stay strong in the Lord. Sometimes the very opposite seems to happening in Christians and Churches. People talk about barely hanging in there and churches describe themselves as only holding their own; instead of growing in the number of people being led to Christ. When Jesus was raised from the dead, that was God’s big Goodyear Blimp type of message that were on the winning team; but sometimes we act more like we’re weak and defeated. It can happen. Subtlety life can wear you down, and rob us of joy.

I read an article this past week that stated Welsh researchers are finding that people tend to become grumpier as they grow older. The grumpiness seems to begin to show itself at about age 52. That was inspiring news to hear since I am about to turn 52. (John Johnson, Newser staff, October 9, 2010)

But God understands that life can take a toll on us. Today we look at a man from the Bible that we heard about a few weeks ago. He would cause me to think he was not one to grow old and grumpy; but optimistic, hopeful because he stayed strong in the Lord. His name is Caleb. Ironically according to the Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary, Caleb’s name means either “slave, dog or snappish.” How would you like to have affirming parents like Caleb’s to name you? Rates right up there with Johnny Cash’s old song about a Boy Named Sue. But in the scripture we are about to walk through, I don’t hear the words of a grumpy old man. I don’t hear the spirit of an old man who takes delight in hollering at kids to stay out of his yard. His words describe a person who remained strong in the Lord. Caleb said things like “I am as strong today as I was on the day Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war, and for going and coming.” V.11

Forty years earlier, Caleb served under the command of Moses. Now we read of the time when he came to Joshua in his mid 80’s to ask for the reward of land that Moses promised to him. Caleb knows he’ll have to fight for the land, and there is work to be done. There were no “Extreme Make Over” programs then for a nice home to be built for a worthy old leader and all Caleb had to do was ride and claim the prize. Let’s look for principles why he was able to stay so strong in his relationship with God and the people of God.

Read: Joshua 14:6-14

Stay reflective of your spiritual condition: v.6 Caleb remained strong in the Lord because he was a man of reflection. Verse 6 describes how he was not afraid to look back and evaluate his life. He is able to look back because he measures the quality of his life based on God’s activity and standards in his life. There is difference to viewing life by God’s standards versus the world’s standards of winners and losers, haves against the haves-not’s. We see this reality in the recent news stories about the problem of bullying in our schools. That problem only exist because kids and their parents live by a standard of winners and losers, strong versus weak; not godly principles.

The word reflection carries the meaning “to bend back.” (Webster Dictionary II) To stay spiritually strong requires looking back to assess. It means to ask how have we lived our lives to this point? What has God done through our lives? What is God seeking to do? What changes do we need to make so we can be in tune with his will.

I was reading in 1Timothy the other morning and the Apostle Paul told Timothy “pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching.” (I Timothy 4:16.) He was reminding Timothy stay strong in the Lord by being reflective and careful of how you live.  Be thoughtful, and if we do we’re more apt to see God’s blessing and have contentment.  Be careful and we’re more likely to change course when we know we have strayed off.

Sometimes we are not strong in the Lord because we are too strong in our self will. We don’t want to look back or look closely and ask the deeper questions because we may have to see we are not living by God’s will. There is an African curse that says, “May you always stay just as you are.” (Source - unknown) To never evaluate or be reflective is bring a trouble upon ourselves.

Caleb was still looking to God for direction, like a pilot who from time to time checks in with the control tower to make sure they’re on the right course for their flight.

Stay obedient to God’s leadership: vs.7-8 Verses 7-8 recalls how Caleb was sent to spy out the Promise Land, and the scripture says, “he brought back a report that was in his heart,” and he “whole heartily followed the Lord.” Noticed he said, he whole heartily followed the Lord. His obedience was complete, 100%. Staying strong in our relationship with God requires a continual striving to live totally by God’s will and the teachings of scripture. Remember in Caleb, we are describing a man who was as strong spiritually and he was physically. He didn’t want to have a relationship with God that was just fire insurance against punishment for the day he died. He didn’t just seek God when there was a crisis of illness or some other concern.

Our relationship with God and one another is weakened when we have a less than 100% heart to live for Jesus Christ. Pastor Bill Hybels, has said 99% effort is 1 percent short of giving your whole heart. Tell your spouse you are in the marriage 99% and see how impressed they are with you. Tell your boss that you’ll give your best 99% effort to your job. Tell your coach the same thing and you’ll be riding the bench for a long time.

When God has our whole heart it gives God’s word and power a chance to change us and motivate us in the midst of what we face in our lives. But a heart that only seeks to be obedient to God when it feels good to us is going to fall short of God’s will. James 1:8 states that a doubter, is being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”

Illustration: There is a story is told of a man who rode in his car as it was being towed to be repaired. When they arrived at the repair shop, the tow truck driver told him, "I didn’t think I was ever going to make it up that big hill." The man replied, "I didn’t either. That’s why I kept the brakes on so we wouldn’t roll backwards."

To live without striving for total dedication to Jesus Christ is putting on the spiritual brakes as God is trying to go forward and yet hold back at the same time. Caleb was strong in the Lord because he didn’t drag his feat in being obedient to God.

Stay humble in your dependence on God: vs.10-11 Caleb remained close to God because he knew there was a power, at work in this world greater than any human potential. He gives credit to the Lord for keeping him alive through all the battles. There is a humility there that God can use. When we think we don’t need God, we have all the answers, the Bible isn’t really relevant for today then we grow apart from God and the church. But Caleb’s humility helped him remain dependent on God’s strength. Happiness and peace of mind is not having everything in life fall favorably our way; but knowing we lean on God regardless what we face in life. Caleb would even say in verse 12, he would take the land “if the Lord is with him.” He never assumes God is in his hip pocket. There is a certain amount of acknowledgment that he could be wrong; but he humbly trusts in God.

With an attitude like that:  we’re more likely to say we’re sorry when wrong,  risk failing as we take a new direction; instead of settling for a rut,  ask for help rather than fake like we have it all together.

Stay hungry to pursue His promises: v.12

Caleb remained strong in the Lord because he was hungry to experience the promises of God. Verse 12 tells us he came to Joshua at Gilgal. Now Gilgal was a location near the Jordan River. Gigal was a lowland, flat type of area. Caleb didn’t ask for land at Gilgal where he was already living nearby. Even in his mid 80’s, he asked for the land promised to him by God through Moses.

Here are two significant points about the land Caleb requested. The land was hill country. Second the people who occupied the hill country were warriors and their cities well fortified. So, the land Caleb asked for would require hard work in battling the people and taking the hill country. Yet, Caleb still wanted the land promised to him even though it might be the toughest to obtain. He didn’t try and take land that would be easier to settle, less work, and no battles. He didn’t try and modify the promise of Moses. He wanted the land with a view and refused to settle for “easy street.”

Staying strong spiritually happens by staying hungry for what God promises us. There can be easier ways to live than following Jesus Christ; but none will be more meaningful, and none hold the promise of eternal life. It can be easier to go with the trends of society; than take a stand for biblical values. It can be easier to be non-specific about our beliefs than commit to certain principles and be ridiculed. It can be easier to be non-committal about a direction or goal God gives us; than to take a risk and possibly fail. It can be easier to tell people what they want to hear; than to tell them what the Bible teaches.

But the reason those easier ways don’t fail to keep us spiritually strong is because they don’t exercise our faith in God. They don’t depend on God to bring us strength to get us through. They don’t get the spiritual heart rate up, and so we never really find out the mysterious ways of God and what God can do through us.

Caleb was hungry for the promises God had given him. Staying strong personally and as a church requires staying hungry to live the teachings of Christ and scripture and discover a fulfillment in life only God can give.