FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

He did this in the wilderness with Jesus. Having failed to destroy Jesus at his birth, he offered him all the things that Jesus had actually been sent to take, but offered it to Him prematurely in a way not authorized by heaven. Moses also, knowing from his youth that he was saved at birth and called to deliver his people, prematurely attempted to do that in an earthly manner, by killing the Egyptian. This then actually delayed his ministry of deliverance.

Proverbs 20:21 “ An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed at the end .”

Not only was David diligent to take the anointing he received and immediately put it to work in the place where he already was set, but he also was patient and did not force his calling or commissioning prematurely, but embraced his time of preparation, allowing himself to be refined and prepared for his day of full commissioning.

Hebrews 6:12 “ that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. ”

I see another example in the life of Caleb, who, along with Joshua was one of two spies who brought a good report and did not compare the giants of the land to themselves or their own abilities, but compared the giants to God's calling and God's ability in the context of God’s promises. Yet because of the unbelief of the majority of the congregation Caleb had to wait 40 more years to accomplish his ultimate calling. In Hebrew Caleb means “dog!” Interestingly God says of Caleb that he “was of a different spirit and wholly followed the Lord.” Like a faithful dog, or furry companion, Caleb did not allow the delay between his calling and his commissioning to keep him from his day for victory, nor did he allow it to be a time wasted, but utilized his time in the wilderness to continue to learn to hear and follow the voice of the Lord. Caleb is the only person in scripture of whom it is written he wholly or fully followed the Lord, and it says Caleb was of a different spirit (Numbers 14:24; 32:11, 12; Deuteronomy 1:36; Joshua 14:8, 9, 14.)

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