Wanda Palmer's Page

When Joshua and Caleb crossed over the Jordan to spy out the Promised Land, they saw the same things their fellow spies saw: obstacles to overcome, enemies to defeat, mountains that needed to be moved. But the reason they are remembered as heroes of the faith is because they believed God was able to deliver, to save, to fulfill His promise of leading them in to take possession of the land. God had miraculously delivered them from the Egyptians and in His faithfulness He would help them overcome their enemies once again. (Numbers 14) What separated Joshua and Caleb from the other spies was their belief in the goodness of God.
Alternatively, their fellow spies gave such a grim report and invoked so much fear in the hearts of the people that the Israelites said, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” (Nu 14:3-4)
As individuals who have set our hearts on pursuing Jesus, how can we apply that story to our situation today? Well, there is a lot in this world that could distract us from pressing on and laying hold of Christ isn’t there! A shaky economy, high unemployment, war in the Middle East, and upcoming elections, to name just a few.
But it’s the good pleasure of the Lord Jesus to escort us into His presence where we find all His promises fulfilled and our heart completely at peace, even in the midst of the storm. The Lord is with us to protect, deliver and defend. The difficult times we face can make us bitter or better—it depends on us. Moses put it well when he said, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life…. (Deut 30:19)
Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.