Having a CHEERFUL heart: March 2023

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

CALEB the CHEERFUL

Numbers 13:1-3

King James Version

13 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Send thou men,

that they may search the land of Canaan,

which I give unto the children of Israel:

of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man,

every one a ruler among them.

3 And Moses by the commandment of the Lord

sent them from the wilderness of Paran:

all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

In every group, in every congregation, there's always the sour one.

And the cheerful one.

We shall find two who pleased the LORD.

Following the LORD's command, Moses sent the 12 spies:

Numbers 13:17-20

King James Version

17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:

18 And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;

19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;

20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.

Here was the fearful report of some:

Numbers 13:25-29

King James Version

25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

Cheerful Caleb saw things differently:

Numbers 13:30

King James Version

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

Still, the rest of the tribe leaders maintained:

Numbers 13:31-33

King James Version

31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

In view of that, the children of Israel became demoralized:

Numbers 14:1-5

King James Version

14 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

But Joshua and Caleb believed in the land.

Best of all, they believed in the LORD.

Numbers 14:6-9

King James Version

6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

In response, the children of Israel prepared to stone them.

Numbers 14:10

King James Version

10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

GOD was mighty mad at the people's lack of faith.

Numbers 14:11-12

King James Version

11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?

12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.

But Moses appeased the LORD.

Numbers 14:17-19

King James Version

17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,

18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

The LORD relented.

He would not destroy the children of Israel.

But He made a declaration:

Numbers 14:20-23

King James Version

20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word:

21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

As for faithful Caleb, this is what GOD said:

Numbers 14:24

King James Version

24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

For the faithless ones, GOD said:

Numbers 14:26-29

King James Version

26 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.

Only these people would be allowed to enter the promised land:

Numbers 14:30-31

King James Version

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

The rest of the people?

GOD had much to say about them.

Numbers 14:32-35

King James Version

32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

35 I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

Numbers 26:63-65

King James Version

63 These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

65 For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Moses also reminded the children of Gad about this episode:

Numbers 32:6-15

King James Version

6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

7 And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them?

8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.

9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them.

10 And the Lord'S anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,

11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.

13 And the Lord'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.

14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel.

15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

Because of that episode, only these people were allowed into Canaan, the promised land:

Numbers 34:16-29

King James Version

16 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

17 These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

18 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.

19 And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

20 And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.

21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.

22 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli.

23 The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod.

24 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.

25 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.

26 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.

27 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.

28 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.

29 These are they whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Let us be like Caleb.

Faithful.

Fruitful.

Cheerful.

Childlike.

Grateful.

Matthew 24:13

King James Version

13 But he that shall endure unto the end,

the same shall be saved.

Galatians 6:9

King James Version

9 And let us not be weary in well doing:

for in due season we shall reap,

if we faint not.

Philippians 4:13

King James Version

13 I can do all things

through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Related post:

The WICKED shall PERISH

GRUMBLING heart

Sin AWARENESS

The Twelve Spies

Image: Free Bible Images

Monday, March 27, 2023

CAUSE for CHEER

Psalm 37:4

King James Version

4 Delight thyself also in the Lord:

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Is there a reason to be happy, despite the state of the world?

Oh yes, definitely!

Find comfort in these verses:

Mark 13:7

King James Version

7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars,

be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be;

but the end shall not be yet.

Mark 13:11

King James Version

11 But when they shall lead you,

and deliver you up,

take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak,

neither do ye premeditate:

but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour,

that speak ye:

for it is not ye that speak,

but the Holy Ghost.

Mark 13:13

King James Version

13 And ye shall be hated of all men

for my name's sake:

but he that shall endure unto the end,

the same shall be saved.

John 3:16-17

King James Version

16 For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

John 11:25-26

King James Version

25 Jesus said unto her,

I am the resurrection, and the life:

he that believeth in me,

though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me

shall never die.

Believest thou this?

John 14:1-4

King James Version

14 Let not your heart be troubled:

ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions:

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again, and receive you unto myself;

that where I am, there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know,

and the way ye know.

John 16:33

King James Version

33 These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.

Acts 16:31

King James Version

31 And they said,

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and thou shalt be saved,

and thy house.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

King James Version

51 Behold,

I shew you a mystery;

We shall not all sleep,

but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment,

in the twinkling of an eye,

at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,

and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,

and we shall be changed.

2 Corinthians 3:17

King James Version

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit:

and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is liberty.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

King James Version

16 For the Lord himself

shall descend from heaven

with a shout,

with the voice of the archangel,

and with the trump of God:

and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain

shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,

to meet the Lord in the air:

and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Revelation 21:1-5

King James Version

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth:

for the first heaven and the first earth

were passed away;

and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city,

new Jerusalem,

coming down from God out of heaven,

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,

Behold,

the tabernacle of God is with men,

and he will dwell with them,

and they shall be his people,

and God himself shall be with them,

and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;

and there shall be no more death,

neither sorrow,

nor crying,

neither shall there be any more pain:

for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said,

Behold,

I make all things new.

And he said unto me,

Write:

for these words are true

and faithful.

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Drilled OUT of my brain

Psalm 81:10

King James Version

10 I am the Lord thy God,

which brought thee out of the land of Egypt:

open thy mouth wide,

and I will fill it.

Ever gone to the dentist?

How was your experience?

Did you eventually get to flash your pearly whites?

I must admit I've neglected my teeth badly.

A month ago, a molar became loose against my gums.

Weird kid that I am, I tried pulling it out myself.

Won't do.

Pushed it the other way.

Whoa, great pain there.

So, it went on for a month.

Tooth was teetering on by a third of its life.

Finally, SPIRIT decided it was time.

The other day, He made me go to the dentist.

Of course, I prayed He lead me to the right one.

We found one, a wonderful lady.

Christian, too!

Out that tooth went.

Third molar.

The wisdom tooth.

I've got no more wisdom.

Yesterday, SPIRIT was still at it.

"Get those fillings done."

"While you're at it, have your teeth cleaned, too."

Again, I asked He lead me to another dentist.

For the lady dentist was not available.

Surely, by GOD's design, too!

So, we searched for someone my mom recommended.

I kept going around in circles, unable to find his clinic.

Finally, I did, and he was not there.

He was busy elsewhere.

So, I searched for another clinic.

Found a clinic close by, manned by two young dentists.

Colleagues of his.

They said he was close to being a pastor now.

Astounding news!

Who would have thought...

No wonder, he could not be found anywhere near his clinic.

Instead, the capable, young lady worked on my teeth.

If you've gone to the dentist, you know the drill.

And it ain't the most pleasant experience.

But I've got many decades to my years, what's another session?

Clasp your hands, breathe easy, stretch your legs, close your eyes, relax, gargle as needed.

In an hour or so, we were done.

Huh, that fast?!

Also, I must tell you about a strange thing.

I used to read new age* books in 1995.

In 2007, I started seeing a purple "blob" in my "mind's eye".

When GOD made me born again in 2019, that blob disappeared.

Well, whadyaknow!

That purple "blob" reappeared yesterday.

"Awakened".

All on its own.

As it always does.

The blob expanded as the dentist drilled away.

Reacting to every nerve touched.

Seems it was literally being "drilled" out of my brain.

Well, at least, it felt like that.

May have been all those new age books I read.

1 Timothy 4:1

King James Version

4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,

that in the latter times

some shall depart from the faith,

giving heed to seducing spirits,

and doctrines of devils;

Speaking of new age*, I once had a kind friend who was a "healer".

She said when you have your teeth "repaired" (we'll use that word for now), it has something to do with "decisions".

Well, SPIRIT decided for me two days ago.

When He says, "It's time!", it's time!

He always makes things quick, and simple.

Having done a great job, I could only thank my young dentist.

And thanked the LORD for leading me there, in the absence of the two other dentists.

As I left the clinic, I noticed its name.

"Exodus"

Oh, and I must tell you another thing.

As I sat on the dental chair, waiting for my dentist to return, I saw a sticker on the wall.

I didn't notice it before as her form covered it.

"This office is covered

by the BLOOD of JESUS"

I knew I was in good Hands.

Did I get my pearly whites?

Not possible, considering I'd neglected my teeth so much.

But my teeth were in much better shape.

So much so, I can't bear to eat anything junk.

I ate an orange for breakfast this morning.

Normally, I'd eat bread, cheese, coffee.

Yesterday, I only wanted a chilled yogurt drink.

Something had been drilled out of my brain.

I expect to start eating better now.

And take better care of my poor teeth.

Pearly whites don't appeal to me.

Only this appeals to me:

Revelation 21:21-22

King James Version

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls:

every several gate was of one pearl:

and the street of the city was pure gold,

as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein:

for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb

are the temple of it.

So, that's pretty much what happens when SPIRIT urges a born again workman to visit the dentist.

Prepare to be astounded.

Especially if you pray for guidance.

That you be led to the right dentist.

With GOD, there's always a RIGHT way.

And the RIGHT people to help out.

Oh, and the two lady dentists didn't charge an arm, and a leg.

Only a tooth, and some teeth.

Born CHEERFUL

Proverbs 15:30

King James Version

30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart:

and a good report maketh the bones fat.

There always seemed to be a dancing in my heart.

Excitement at my many kid projects.

You know how kids are.

Lost in their own world.

A former employer at a music school noticed something.

She said there was a lot going on in my eyes.

Surely, she saw the dance of ideas there.

One elbowing the other.

For I always had that.

A dance of ideas.

Well, I'm a kid no more.

But the dancing remains.

Something changed in 2019.

The dance took a different form.

Now, it served the LORD.

Now, it serves you.

Truly serves you.

Now, it's not self-generated anymore.

All ideas come from SPIRIT now.

My heart dances to the tune of GOD.

My tiny hands are clasped in JESUS' hand.

I skip and hop as I walk with CHRIST.

In Him, I am complete.

In Him, I've got strength.

In Him, I've got courage.

In Him, I've got clarity.

In Him, I've got joy.

In Him, I've got peace.

In Him, I'm learning to love.

Pre-born again, my heart sang.

Post-born again, my heart roars!

For the SPIRIT of GOD powers me up.

I can write about important things of the LORD.

I can back it up with Scripture.

I will not mislead you with self.

Self is no more.

John 3:30

King James Version

30 He must increase,

but I must decrease.

The only thing that matters now?

That I learn EVERYTHING about JESUS.

That I may share with you all I've learned.

I only focus on important matters anyway.

Matters of the SPIRIT.

Matters of the world?

Doesn't matter as much.

Colossians 3:1-2

King James Version

3 If ye then be risen with Christ,

seek those things which are above,

where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above,

not on things on the earth.

Pray to be born again.

Pray to know GOD.

Pray to know JESUS.

Pray to be taught by SPIRIT.

Your whole life will change.

Your whole character will change.

Where people fear, you will trust.

Where people envy, you will be content.

Where people worry, you will be at peace.

Where people compete, you will look to the LORD.

The cheerful heart knows what matters most.

It's always been JESUS, JESUS, JESUS.

All that I am now, belongs to JESUS.