JOSHUA & CALEB BELIEVED!
How many of us have heard the story in the Bible about God making a covenant promise to Abraham? The Israelites would be His people and He would be their God. He promised to give them a land flowing with milk and honey – a promised land. In fact, after Abram was 99 years old and Abram's wife Sarai still had not conceived, the LORD appeared again and said:
"I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers…No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful." Genesis 17:2, 5a
Whose report would Abraham believe? Would he believe what he could see in his natural eye or believe what the Lord had spoken to Abraham as a promise? Isaac was born. This promise was going to come to pass from God and had been spoken from generation to generation, from fathers to their children, from Abraham to Moses. Now the Israelites were almost ready to see their promise come true. They were on the edge of their promised land and all they had to do was listen to Moses and obey God.
The LORD said to Moses, "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders."…So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath…At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. Numbers 13:1-2, 21, 25
Are you listening and obeying the Lord for His promises for the restoration of your marriage which will impact your children, grandchildren and many generations to come?
I pray that you will read Numbers 13 and 14 as part of your devotions today to get the impact of the commands and instructions that God gave Moses and the disobedience that caused severe consequences to God's people.
They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there." Numbers 13:26-28
Can you hear the unbelief of the ten spies? They looked at their circumstances and knew they would be defeated. They did not trust in God or believe in the promises that had been passed down from one generation to another. What would you have said to Moses?
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size." Numbers 13:30-32
Whose report would Moses believe? Whose report are you going to believe every day of your spiritual journey toward a restored marriage? Bob and I would never share all the details of his life in the far country as it will not help anyone. We continue to share and tell you how he had become tempted by the enemy, and lived in rebellion, blinded and deceived.
Learn from my mistakes. I allowed my heart to become hardened because of Bob's unfaithfulness. But God sent me a message of hope and a couple with a restored marriage. I repented. Then the Lord started directing my steps and speaking marriage restoration. I knew I had an assignment from my Lord for life. I was to pray for my husband's heart to be touched and transformed forever, regardless of how long it took to get to my promised land — to our marriage restored. God was faithful!
Unfortunately, we work with standers who look at and watch the bad reports and then stop standing for the restoration of their marriage. In fact, we hear from standers around the world who give up their stands and then they personally fall into their own sinful lifestyles. How big was their God? Did they not believe all that the Lord had been speaking to them previously?
What is your bad report that you are facing today? What circumstances have you so discouraged that you are thinking of giving up the fight for your husband or wife and marriage? What words have been said that you dreaded to hear? I hate divorce. But, we really get so discouraged because churches and men and women are not wanting to fast and pray for prodigal spouses and children to be set free from Satan's clutches.
When the Israelites went to take the promised land, they had to fight battles with God's mighty power empowering them. Remember, God will rout your enemies. God is bigger than any of the bad reports or circumstances that are coming against you now or forever!
Whose report are you going to believe? There are consequences to disobedience, grumbling and complaining. Are you going to believe the bad report of the evil one or the words from the Lord? Do you believe in the promises that are in the Bible? Never doubt that the Lord is on your side. God is able to do anything! What are you to do? You must choose to believe and trust in God. That is why you and I must read the Bible every day!
How many "buts" do you want to say to me or are you already saying them to God? "But, you don't' know what I am going through! But, you don't know all that my husband or wife has done or is doing. But, you don't understand how hopeless my circumstances are! But, my spouse has abandoned me and they are battling alcohol and drugs. But, my spouse moved to a different state or country. But, my spouse now has a baby. But, my spouse legalized their adultery by marrying the other person. But, my family, my pastor and church do not believe my prodigal spouse will ever come home."
Whose report will you believe? Never forget, that God will make a way when there is no way! I love the song, More Than Enough, which says that our God is more than enough for all our problems regardless of what we are facing. He is our Deliverer, our Shepherd, our Savior and Lord, our Protector, our Provider and our Healer.
Do you believe what the enemy is telling you or will you believe what the Lord is telling you? You have a choice. Never forget the lessons that we are to learn from the Israelites, Moses, Joshua and Caleb.
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."…Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son, of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived." Numbers 14:6-9, 38
Out of all the Israelites that God had brought out of Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb entered the promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb had the faith and the courage to listen, believe and walk in faith every day. Are you living by your fears and circumstances? You must choose to become like Joshua and Caleb and believe what the Lord has promised and walk in faith and confidence because God is with you all the time! Whose report will you believe?
God bless,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
How many of us have heard the story in the Bible about God making a covenant promise to Abraham? The Israelites would be His people and He would be their God. He promised to give them a land flowing with milk and honey – a promised land. In fact, after Abram was 99 years old and Abram's wife Sarai still had not conceived, the LORD appeared again and said:
"I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers…No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful." Genesis 17:2, 5a
Whose report would Abraham believe? Would he believe what he could see in his natural eye or believe what the Lord had spoken to Abraham as a promise? Isaac was born. This promise was going to come to pass from God and had been spoken from generation to generation, from fathers to their children, from Abraham to Moses. Now the Israelites were almost ready to see their promise come true. They were on the edge of their promised land and all they had to do was listen to Moses and obey God.
The LORD said to Moses, "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders."…So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath…At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. Numbers 13:1-2, 21, 25
Are you listening and obeying the Lord for His promises for the restoration of your marriage which will impact your children, grandchildren and many generations to come?
I pray that you will read Numbers 13 and 14 as part of your devotions today to get the impact of the commands and instructions that God gave Moses and the disobedience that caused severe consequences to God's people.
They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there." Numbers 13:26-28
Can you hear the unbelief of the ten spies? They looked at their circumstances and knew they would be defeated. They did not trust in God or believe in the promises that had been passed down from one generation to another. What would you have said to Moses?
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size." Numbers 13:30-32
Whose report would Moses believe? Whose report are you going to believe every day of your spiritual journey toward a restored marriage? Bob and I would never share all the details of his life in the far country as it will not help anyone. We continue to share and tell you how he had become tempted by the enemy, and lived in rebellion, blinded and deceived.
Learn from my mistakes. I allowed my heart to become hardened because of Bob's unfaithfulness. But God sent me a message of hope and a couple with a restored marriage. I repented. Then the Lord started directing my steps and speaking marriage restoration. I knew I had an assignment from my Lord for life. I was to pray for my husband's heart to be touched and transformed forever, regardless of how long it took to get to my promised land — to our marriage restored. God was faithful!
Unfortunately, we work with standers who look at and watch the bad reports and then stop standing for the restoration of their marriage. In fact, we hear from standers around the world who give up their stands and then they personally fall into their own sinful lifestyles. How big was their God? Did they not believe all that the Lord had been speaking to them previously?
What is your bad report that you are facing today? What circumstances have you so discouraged that you are thinking of giving up the fight for your husband or wife and marriage? What words have been said that you dreaded to hear? I hate divorce. But, we really get so discouraged because churches and men and women are not wanting to fast and pray for prodigal spouses and children to be set free from Satan's clutches.
When the Israelites went to take the promised land, they had to fight battles with God's mighty power empowering them. Remember, God will rout your enemies. God is bigger than any of the bad reports or circumstances that are coming against you now or forever!
Whose report are you going to believe? There are consequences to disobedience, grumbling and complaining. Are you going to believe the bad report of the evil one or the words from the Lord? Do you believe in the promises that are in the Bible? Never doubt that the Lord is on your side. God is able to do anything! What are you to do? You must choose to believe and trust in God. That is why you and I must read the Bible every day!
How many "buts" do you want to say to me or are you already saying them to God? "But, you don't' know what I am going through! But, you don't know all that my husband or wife has done or is doing. But, you don't understand how hopeless my circumstances are! But, my spouse has abandoned me and they are battling alcohol and drugs. But, my spouse moved to a different state or country. But, my spouse now has a baby. But, my spouse legalized their adultery by marrying the other person. But, my family, my pastor and church do not believe my prodigal spouse will ever come home."
Whose report will you believe? Never forget, that God will make a way when there is no way! I love the song, More Than Enough, which says that our God is more than enough for all our problems regardless of what we are facing. He is our Deliverer, our Shepherd, our Savior and Lord, our Protector, our Provider and our Healer.
Do you believe what the enemy is telling you or will you believe what the Lord is telling you? You have a choice. Never forget the lessons that we are to learn from the Israelites, Moses, Joshua and Caleb.
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."…Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son, of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived." Numbers 14:6-9, 38
Out of all the Israelites that God had brought out of Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb entered the promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb had the faith and the courage to listen, believe and walk in faith every day. Are you living by your fears and circumstances? You must choose to become like Joshua and Caleb and believe what the Lord has promised and walk in faith and confidence because God is with you all the time! Whose report will you believe?
God bless,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
