Roping Religion: Victory comes from the Lord

Many of the ideas and scriptures for this article are from the devotional “God Wants You To Win!” by world-champion calf roper Jeff Copenhaver.

Joshua 14:10-14. And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these 45 years since the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while the Israelites wandered in the wilderness: and now behold, I am this day 85 years old. Yet I am as strong today as I was when Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so is my strength now for war and to go out and to come in. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke that day. For you heard then how the (giant like) Anakim were there and that the cities were great and fortified; if the Lord will be with me, I shall drive them out just as the Lord said. Then Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. So Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.

As we age there can be a tendency to think that perhaps life has passed us by or to say to ourselves, “Is this all there is?” I have written before about finishing well and running the race to win the prize.

If you ever visit a nursing home, an assisted living center, a hospital, or an aging friend or relative you may be shocked by how a once strong and vibrant human being has been reduced to perhaps just a shell of what they once were. I have had the experience of being with dying friends and relatives before they exited this earth. Some were quite well-prepared to be with Jesus and had a gracious peace about them. Others struggled with both the physical and the spiritual part of death.

We know that if Jesus tarries we will die. Years ago people lived to be hundreds of years old. Now our promised number of years is 70 or 80 if we have the strength. Before we die we need to live. The Bible instructs us that we live and move and have our being in God. Some believers just seem to give up before they get to the finish line.

You and I, however, should endeavor to be like Caleb. Caleb was ready to fight for his inheritance at age 85. He obviously did not have an entitlement mentality. He was strong and willing to work for his reward. He obtained his inheritance because he followed the Lord with his whole heart. God gave him the land but he had to fight to possess it.

There are many promises for us in the Bible. We still may have to fight the devil every step of the way to obtain them. If you are beginning to get up there in age and still haven’t obtained victory in some area of your life today would be a great day to begin the battle. The horse is made ready for battle but victory comes from the Lord. Perhaps you still haven’t defeated poverty, unforgiveness, bitterness, fear, doubt, unbelief, sickness, ailments, infections, or afflictions. Perhaps you still haven’t tamed your tongue or disciplined your body.

The good news is we are not dead yet. A live dog is better than a dead lion. If today you hear His voice harden not your hearts. Today is the day of salvation. If the Son shall set you free then you shall be free indeed.

Maybe you still have a friend or a relative who needs to trust Jesus for salvation. Perhaps you are helping a friend prepare for a successful marriage. You could be mentoring and discipling a grandchild. All of these endeavors require us to trust the Lord. They also require a willingness on our part to be used by God to be the church and to expand the kingdom.

Caleb waited decades and then, when the opportunity was right, he got permission and went to work. You may still be a full-time worker or business owner. Perhaps you are working only a part-time schedule now. Whatever your situation remember to do your best as though working for the Lord. He will bless the work of your hands. Let’s work together to finish well.

May God bless you big.

——

This is the 14th in a series of columns by Kevin Barsotti, pastor of Ark Church in Havre.