Base Camp Series: Base Camp
Base Camp Series – Part 1
May 6, 2018
New series today. I have chosen the title “Base Camp” because in the beachhead or staging area where mountaineers gather (camp) as they seek to conquer a mountain that they are about to climb.
Thesis: We all have different mountain’s we to face in this journey called life. Mountains are thought of as being symbolic of our challenges and difficulties.
Life is filled with mountains that must be scaled and conquered. In this series, we’ll learn about some of the universal keys to scaling and overcoming whatever obstacle stands in our path.
Being a fully committed follower of Jesus is not for wimps! Now you can be a halfhearted nominal Christian 'wimpy' believer who struggles to serve God, or you can be a mountain climbing conqueror like Caleb who declared, Give me that Mountain!
Josh 14:6b-12
"You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.' a
10 "Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said." NIV
Wow!!! Did you catch that Caleb at 85 years old and he says he wants the challenge of conquering Mt. Hebron! I don’t know about you, but I want what Caleb’s got! I want the spirit and attitude of Caleb that doesn’t back down from a challenge. The spirit and attitude that says bring on the mountains, challenges of life. The spirit and attitude that says, With your help I can advance against a troop d;with my God I can scale a wall. Ps 18:29 NIV - -- So as I studied the text the Holy Spirit showed me….
I. A Passionate Commitment (vs. 8,9,12) 8 but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.' a 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."
It must not escape your notice that Caleb up for this challenge, he is, a mountain conquers because of his passionate commitment. It is the combination of these two things that cause mountaineers to dominate and conquer mountains!
Many people are passionate about exercising in January for by February are back on the couch. Some make the commitment to a goal, buy a membership, signup for a class doesn’t follow through. But it is those who combine the passion with commitment who scale and conquer because like Caleb, the passionate commitment keeps them…
a. Un-swayed by others (vs.8) but my brothers who went up with me
Peer pressure is an often-under-estimated force. Someone once said, “tell me who you run with and I will tell you to want your like!” Caleb in our text is saying, “I didn’t listen to others because “of my passionate commitment to God’s
Word!’
· We live in a time where it seems everything is ruled by the opinions and thoughts of others
· Caleb was a mountain climber and difficulty scaler because he had a passionate commitment to God's direction.
· If you are going to climb and conquer the mountain you're facing today you must not listen to the voices of others when they tell you it cant be done, it's just too hard, quit trying, to conquer the challenge you face you must be un-swayed by others.
Shaquem Griffin just made history, The University of Central Florida linebacker became the first one-handed player to be drafted into the NFL after being picked by the Seattle Seahawks on the third day of the 2018 NFL Draft at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday.
b. Un-detoured from the goal (v.12) Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.
To climb your mountain, to face the challenges in your life require a passionate commitment that keeps your focus on the goal and the steps it will take to reach that goal.
Most people forget that Mountains aren't conquered in a day. They are conquered by the small steps in the journey long before they reach the base camp. There is a journey of passionate commitment to work through the pain to reach the plane of accomplishment. Repeat “It takes a passionate commitment to endure the pain to reach the plane.” (EVP)
Once you’ve made a passionate commitment…
To conquer any mountain or difficult like Caleb we must maintain…
II. A Purposeful Confidence (vs. 6,10,12) "You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 10 "Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."
As we read this it ought to be crystal clear that the confidence or trust that Caleb had was focused on God. Notice how he declares, “the Lord said, the Lord promised, but the Lord…. You see we can face life’s mountains and challenges when we like Caleb…
When you climb mountains and scale heights you must have equipment you can trust… rope, carabiner, harness, etc.…
a. Trusts God’s promises (v.10) … just as the Lord promised
Let me be quick to point out that God DID NOT promise that we’d have no obstacles, mountains, challenges or difficulties – even tragedies in life. Remember NO ONE gets through life without tragedy. We either become bitter or better --- the difference in the two words is the letter “I” Point I and I alone determine whether I become bitter or better.
God does promise to:
· Never leave us or forsake us
· Be with us Always
· Be a present help in the time of trouble
· Give us a hope and a future (Jere. 29:11) But don’t miss the context this would be after climbing the mountain, the challenges of Babylonian captivity. God promises the process of climbing the mountain will produce a good and great return in our lives.
Caleb trusted God’s promises and then he….
b. Trusts God’s provision (v.12) … but the Lord helping me
· It is crazy that Caleb says he is just as strong at 85 as he was at 40 years of age isn’t?
· But don’t miss that he isn’t trusting that that strength alone. When he talks of taking Mt. Hebron and the challenges ahead he has a focused trust in God’s Help!
· Faith in God means we rely on him and depend on his reliability. Having faith means realizing that God is bigger, greater, and better than me – and he loves me greatly.
To conquer any mountain or difficult like Caleb we must maintain…
III. A Resolute Courage (vs. 10,12) 10 "Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said." NIV
Point your attention to the screen to illustrate Resolute Courage.
Play WingClips Video: Elizabeth The Golden Age – Nothing but Horizon
a. Remains determine(resolute) in the face of age (v.10) kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses
· Most of the time ‘we’ tend to think either “too young or too old’
· But not God!
· God empowers, equips and uses keenagers and teenagers
· The shepherd boy David or the 85 yr. old Caleb is mountain climbing giant killers when filled with the resolute courage and help of God!
b. Remains determined(resolute) in the face of fear (v12) Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified
It’s important to understand that fear is a part of the human condition, the great men, and women of God are revealed to have battled it!
· Peter – in the courtyard
· Elijah – hearing Jezebels threats
· Abraham – lying about Sarah being his wife
While it’s important to understand that fear is a part of the human condition, it is extremely important to KNOW that God people are destined to live under its control!
To scale, climb and conquer mountains we face we must be resolute with courage in the face of fear - Dan 11:32 but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. KJV (will resist NIV)
Conclusion:
Whatever mountain you face today embrace the process as life-changing, and life-giving. Don’t run from the challenge but Embrace it as a journey on the road to maturity and spiritual development that it only possible because you with Gods help is determined to scale, climb and conquer it!
Comments
Post a Comment