Your Faith Provision-II—Josh. 14:6-15
God provides for men & women of faith.
But what kind of faith moves God’s hand?
Caleb’s faith was granted God’s special provision.
Personal faith is granted God’s special provision.
When does personal faith warrant God’s provision?
We discovered in Part I that Faith that warrants/holds God’s attention & provision is...
1. A Bold Faith
2. An Alluring Faith
3. A Feasting Faith
4. A Patient Faith
5—Faith that warrants/holds God’s attention & provision is
DEFIANT FAITH(:8)
Explanation:(:8)Contrasting//Rival/Oppose/Resist/Contend
“Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully.”
“My brethren”—His Kinsmen/Peers
“Who went up with me”—Accompanied Caleb—Saw the same things he saw but did not experience them as he.
“Made the heart of the people melt”—
“Heart”—Resolution/Determination of the will.
Seat of Appetites/Emotions/Passions & Courage
“Melt”—Dissolve/Liquify/Consume
“Made...the people”—Trust in & Live by sight rather than by God(His Word—Character—Attributes—Integrity) who is unseen.
Hab. 2:2-4—“Then the LORD answered me & said, “Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run. “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal, & it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay. “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”
“But”—Contrast to/Defiance of/ Caleb’s brethren
“I followed”—Come after—To allow another to direct/lead/clear the path.
Faith that defies/opposes the world.
Argumentation:
Eph. 6:11—“Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”
Rom. 13:14—“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, & make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
Lk. 2:34—“And Simeon blessed them, & said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child[Jesus] is appointed for the fall & rise of many in Israel, & for a sign to be opposed--”
1Pet. 5:5—“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; & all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
Mat. 5:39—““But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.”——Grace is not the vindication of self nor the punishment of a wrong, but the endurance of evil & the triumph of good over it. ——When a Christian has suffered wrong he is to eliminate altogether from his motives the natural desire to retaliate or accuse——but patiently bear the affront, or seek for satisfaction in another way.——be ready to suffer patiently a repetition of the same injury. But these exhortations belong to those principally who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.——Professional pacifism may be mere cowardice.——Do not repel one outrage by another." He that does so makes himself precisely what the other is, a wicked person.
Not Caleb’s place to force his opinion on the movers & shakers, but to influence them.
Illustration:
Salinity gradients/Turbinata & Labidocera/Never cross boundary/If they do they are dead/Allow the others to remain but they remain steadfast/Defiant
Temperature gradients/Cold Gulf Stream water intrudes onshore/Provides nutirents & food unknown until it arrives/Makeup Contrasts that outside its boundaries
Spiritual Degree of difference obvious/marked when comparing: 1)Lost to Saved
2)Committed to Crowd
3)Consecrated to Committed
Application:
?You have a Defiant/Contrasted Faith?...
...One that Defies worldly faith?
?Does your Faith warrant/hold God’s Attention & Provision?
6—Faith that warrants/holds God’s attention & provision is
COMPLETE FAITH(:8)
Explanation:(:8)Satisfy/Full
“Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully.”
“Fully/Wholly”—Full/Complete/Satisfy
Num. 14:24—“But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit & has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, & his descendants shall take possession of it.”
In the matter of this one event Caleb followed unswervingly.
Argumentation:
1Jn. 4:16-18—“And we have come to know & have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, & the one who abides in love abides in God, & God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.” There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, & the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
Gal. 2:20—“I have been crucified with Christ; & it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; & the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, & delivered Himself up for me.”
Gal. 3:11—“Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.””
2Chr. 19:8-10—[Of Judges]—“And in Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites & priests, & some of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD & to judge disputes among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Then he charged them saying, “Thus you shall do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully & wholeheartedly. “And whenever any dispute comes to you from your brethren who live in their cities, between blood & blood, between law & commandment, statutes & ordinances, you shall warn them that they may not be guilty before the LORD, & wrath may not come on you & your brethren. Thus you shall do & you will not be guilty.”
Heb. 10:19-22—“Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new & living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, & since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience & our bodies washed with pure water.”
Illustration:
NY Man/Planned jump from 10 stories(100ft)/Cushion of air/Well planned/Effortless/ Complete Faith in cushion & self/Knew what he was falling into.
Application:
?You have a Complete Faith?...
...One that follows the Lord Fully?
?Does your Faith warrant/hold God’s Attention & Provision?
7—Faith that warrants/holds God’s attention & provision is
REWARDED FAITH(:9)
Explanation:(:9)Rewarded/Expectant/Tasted/Compensated
“So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance to you & to your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God fully.’”
Not that we do it strictly for reward, but that our faith is rewarded as a consequence.
*Caleb’s faith existed & was exercised prior to the promise.
Argumentation:
Ruth 2:11-12—“And Boaz answered & said to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, & how you left your father & your mother & the land of your birth, & came to a people that you did not previously know. “May the LORD reward your work, & your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”
Jas. 1:17-18—“Every good thing bestowed & every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.”
Prov. 11:8—“The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.”
Heb. 11:6—“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, & that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Lk. 6:35—“But love your enemies, & do good, & lend, expecting nothing in return; & your reward will be great, & you will be sons of the Most High...”
Mat. 6:5, 6, 13—READ—“...that they may be honored by men....in order to be seen by men.....in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
Illustration:
Indiana river bridge/Man hanging on side/No public officials responded/Couldn’t hold on any longer/Falls in/Couldn’t swim & Drowning/Man on shore jumps in/Rescue/Reward
Application:
?You have a Rewarding Faith?...
...One that Benefits you personally?
?Does your Faith warrant/hold God’s Attention & Provision?
Conclusion
Action:
Faith that warrants/holds God’s attention & provision is...
Defiant Faith
Complete Faith
Rewarded Faith
Bold Faith
Alluring Faith
Feasting Faith
Patient Faith
