O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto Thy great Name? And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed My Covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. (Jos 7:8-12)
Sin in the camp has weakened and corrupted Israel and Israel is defeated by the townspeople of Ai. The town of Ai should have been a victory, not so easy that they didn't need GOD, but in His power and at His direction they could have taken the city. But, disobedience in taking the spoils of war, the things of this world which GOD had cursed, meant that Israel was accursed and powerless for the moment in her overcoming the land GOD had promised them. The desire for the things of this world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, turned to sIn, and defeat.
Sin will take us farther than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay, and cost us more than we want to pay, but thanks be to GOD who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. When we surrender to Him on His terms and repent of our sins, GOD is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to give us His great Salvation. That is not a license to sIn, nor is it deliverance from the consequences of our sIn, but it is freedom and liberty for us to live in Him and His power, free from sIn and the temptation of sIn.
Just as Joshua and the Children of Israel had to face their sIn and deal with it, first with GOD and then among themselves, so we have to deal with our sIn. Confession is made unto GOD, acknowledging our sIn is an offense to Him, and forsaking that sIn which doth so easily beset us, and repenting from our sIn and turning away from it and to GOD that through Him we may overcome the sIn and its temptation, for He will give us a way to escape, that we may be able to bear the temptation and live in Him and for Him in victory and holiness.
For GOD has work for us to do, in this world but not of it nor seeking the things of the world, but strangers and pilgrims sojourning in this world to accomplish His will and do His work. We are His ambassadors ministering to those around us who are hurting and in need with the Word of reconciliation. We are His disciples, who are to love one another as He loved us, and we are to disciple one another in the Word of GOD that we may grow thereby. We are His witnesses, taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world, and as we go, sharing the Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation with GOD through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to all who will hear that in believing they might have life in His Name.
For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
Sin will take us farther than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay, and cost us more than we want to pay, but thanks be to GOD who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. When we surrender to Him on His terms and repent of our sins, GOD is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to give us His great Salvation. That is not a license to sIn, nor is it deliverance from the consequences of our sIn, but it is freedom and liberty for us to live in Him and His power, free from sIn and the temptation of sIn.
Just as Joshua and the Children of Israel had to face their sIn and deal with it, first with GOD and then among themselves, so we have to deal with our sIn. Confession is made unto GOD, acknowledging our sIn is an offense to Him, and forsaking that sIn which doth so easily beset us, and repenting from our sIn and turning away from it and to GOD that through Him we may overcome the sIn and its temptation, for He will give us a way to escape, that we may be able to bear the temptation and live in Him and for Him in victory and holiness.
For GOD has work for us to do, in this world but not of it nor seeking the things of the world, but strangers and pilgrims sojourning in this world to accomplish His will and do His work. We are His ambassadors ministering to those around us who are hurting and in need with the Word of reconciliation. We are His disciples, who are to love one another as He loved us, and we are to disciple one another in the Word of GOD that we may grow thereby. We are His witnesses, taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world, and as we go, sharing the Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation with GOD through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to all who will hear that in believing they might have life in His Name.
For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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