andrew shearman does a great job talking about the kingdom of God and how we as bearers of the truth now have the role of bringing the kingdom back to earth (on earth as it is in heaven). In the old testament, God made a promise to abraham that was to be fulfilled by succeeding generations. the promise to abraham is multi-fold, but i want to look at only 1. God promised abraham that his descendants would be a great nation. After God led the Israelites out off 400 years of slavery in Egypt, He did so with the intention of His people truly being HIS people and He would deliver them to the promised land and thereby fulfill His promise to abraham to make his descendants a great nation. Moses (whom i have heard referred to as the Jesus of the old testament) was to be the one that would turn that promise into reality. 1 problem- lack of faith from the Israelites and a constant rebelling and turning away from God. God’s response- His presence left them and they wandered around the desert for 40 years until that rebellious generation was dead. out of that entire clan, only 2 were faithful to God and had the ultimate confidence that against all odds that God is always true to His word even when all circumstances mount in front you like giant mountains. Joshua and Caleb were those two men that said with the Lord in front of us, we will slay every “giant” that stands in the way of us inheriting the promised land. Our God is bigger and badder than any giant that tries to come against us. If God says we will conquer, then we have to have the faith of joshua and caleb and confidently move forward. We are called into battle and attitudes should reflect that we march against the enemy with the knowledge that we win! Joshua and Caleb knew this and eventually God rewarded their faith and confidence in Him. they crossed the jordan and took possession of what belonged to them. as i was reading in joshua this morning, i came across a verse that reflects the attitude that i want to have until my body is in the ground and my soul is eternally celebrating. Caleb was asking Joshua for his inheritance (a city called hebron) and i Joshua 14: 10-12 he says “i am 85 years old and i am as strong today as the day Moses sent me out (to scout the land, caleb was 40)…i am just as vigorous to go out to battle now as i was then…..now give me this hill country!!!!” i love his attitude! Caleb knows that what God says He will do, He will do. Even as an older man, Caleb still is willing to battle for the Lord. this needs to be the attitude off this generation: battle ready at all times, confident fully in the Lord at all times, striving to the end no matter when that is. Caleb and Joshua did not fight alone and neither do we
We are a part of an army here on the world race. sure, it is a family but we are also an army. but i dont know that if any point during our first 5 months we were ready to march into battle TOGETHER. perhaps this is why we are still here in bangkok. God knew that we needed to grow together as a family before we proceed into the next battle. maybe God looked at our squad and thought “there are not quite where I want them to be, so I am going to give them the chance to get there.” i think that we have had moments where we have come together as a squad, but those moments seem to be inconsistent or in many cases we have had to have someone from the “outside” come in spur us on to be a squad worthy of the calling we have received. this has not sustained consistently. however, i do believe that things are once again on the upswing. the last few days we have been “stuck” in bangkok but we as a squad have come together in all facets of ministry. we have laughed together, cried together, worshipped together, eaten bugs together, prayed for one another, carried one anothers burdens, loved one another, accepted each other, been reconciled, confessed (painfully)….in other words we have been the church fully. it feels different this time. i dont think that it is once again fleeting. We have been a squad that has had great outward focus, but inwardly i think that God knew that we needed work and i think that is why we are still here in bangkok. as michael hindes puts it “the most important ministry is the family we have around us for this year.” i think we are waking up and walking into that reality. God is preparing us for the battle that is ahead. God is bringing us together so that we can confidently march into battle arm in arm as a family and as an army of the Lord. so are we really “stuck” in bangkok?? He is preparing us to truly bring Kingdom, to bring life, to bring water to the barren places. He is preparing us to lead others into the promised land just like Joshua and Caleb.
