Take Possession of It

These are challenging times we live in. But I wonder, has there ever been anyone alive who could not say that?

Our church, the Branch Family Church, is in the building process. We have purchased 52 acres on Rocky River Road in Charlotte, just inside I-485. We are building on the property. We are taking possession of this land. This will be our home.

My house is quiet this Saturday morning. It's cold outside and the stars are as bright as they get in the suburbs. I'm drinking a great cup of steaming coffee from the big mug from Harvard that my sister gave me. Yes, they always said I was a smart kid, but she is the one who graduated from Harvard. (That's not where her degree is from but she was highly honored to be chosen to attend the John F. Kennedy School of Government executive training course.) I am very proud of her accomplishments.

So this morning I'm thinking about the challenges for our church to build during this economic environment, and about the business I work at, and about my family and our future. About how do we move from where we are to where we want to be.

A few minutes ago I was getting a book from the shelf and came across an old church newsletter. In 1989 I attended New Covenant Church , and we were building a new building. I wrote an article that spoke to our church then. That article spoke to me this morning. Here it is:

"We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." These words, spoken by Caleb in Numbers 13, are ringing in my heart. When the 12 spies returned from spying out the land they agreed that it was a good land, flowing with milk and honey. It was a land overflowing with fruit. There was an abundance of everything they would need. Yet of these 12 men, only Joshua and Caleb had the faith and courage the believe the the Lord could give such a land to them. They did not dismiss the obstacles or difficulties involved in taking possession of the land. Instead, they acknowledged that there would be battles but victory was certain.

"Time and again the people had seen God's miraculous deliverence and provision for them. They had personally walked across the dry floor of the Red Sea, they had watched as the mighty army of Pharaoh was laid to rest in the watery depths. These men and women themselves drank the water that flowed from the rock in the desert. Still, they forgot all these miracles. They felt like all was lost, just because they were in another tight spot. Apparently they were still learning the lesson.

"But Joshua and Caleb graduated with honors from God's School of the Desert. Every one of the Israelites had experienced the same miracles, but it seems that Joshua and Caleb had that attitude of victory that springs from total devotion to the Lord.

"Perhaps you find yourself at a crossroads. Is there some promise God has given you that seems too big? What is the Lord challenging you with? Maybe you lift up your eyes and see that the land God has promised you is a good land, but the obstacles are too great, there are giants, there are just too many reasons Why Not. I challenge you to lift up your eyes higher still, and see the bigness of our God. What giant can stand before Him? Who can oppose Him? He deals with giants like He deals with Pharaohs. He humbles all who oppose Him and His chosen people.

"Read Psalm 18, and ask God to make His word alive in your heart. Go forth in confidence in God. Abraham, like Caleb and Joshua, obtained the promise because he considered God faithful. We too should consider Him faithful to the promises He has made to us. We too should go up and take possession of our Promised Land."

Amazing. Words I had written almost 20 years ago to encourage others now coming back to encourage me. God has performed miracles in my life - miracles! He has not forgotten His promises to me, and He never will. I will see the fulfillment of what He said. He is faithful. He will do it.

I'm going to go read Psalm 18. Then I'm going to go and take possession of my own Promised Land!