Take Another Lap

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” –Joshua 6:2-5

          You have to appreciate the faith of Joshua during this moment of his life. Imagine him standing outside the mighty walls of Jericho with the army of Israel standing behind him. Surely the task of bringing these walls down must have been somewhat intimidating at first. But Joshua pressed on.

          Joshua and the Israelites marched around those walls once a day for six days. Then on the seventh day, they marched around it six times. It wasn’t until they lifted up a shout on the seventh lap on the seventh day that the walls came tumbling down. Imagine what must have been going through Joshua’s head towards the end of that sixth lap on that seventh day.

          He and the army behind him had been around that wall almost a dozen times, yet still there was no sign of breakthrough. I wonder if Joshua’s faith was tested. I like to imagine that as Joshua began that seventh lap, he stirred up his faith more than ever before. I imagine that during that moment when it seemed like there was no breakthrough, no change, Joshua remembered all he had seen God do while Moses was still alive.

          I imagine that he remembered how Moses stood up to an unyielding hard hearted Pharaoh, and God brought him to his knees setting the Israelites free after 400 years of slavery. I imagine Joshua remembered how when the Israelites were panicking in the desert over not having any food, how God made manna appear on the desert floor. I imagine Joshua remembered how when the Israelites were trapped between the Red Sea and the fast approaching armies of Pharaoh, he saw God Himself fight for the Israelites by splitting the Red Sea giving the Israelites dry ground to cross over to safety.

          I imagine that as Joshua remembered all these mighty acts of God, his faith was stirred to believe that God could do the impossible just one more time, and that’s when he decided to take another lap. And on that last lap, he told the Israelites to lift up a shout and the walls of Jericho finally fell.

          To Joshua and the Israelites the Walls of Jericho represented the barrier that stood in between them and the Promise Land, their destiny. Perhaps today you find yourself staring at a wall that separates you from the calling God has put on your life. If you find yourself around this “wall” in your life again, don’t get discouraged. Take another lap. You are right on the edge of your breakthrough. Remember how God moved mightily in the past. If He did it before, He can do it again. Stir up your faith just like Joshua did, and take another lap. This wall is about to fall.

Love No Dad Can Resist

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! –Matthew 7:11

          I have to be completely honest, as much as I LOVE my two sons, sometimes I just can’t wait to rush them off to bed. The other night, I was tucking my oldest son who’s six, into bed. I remember I was tired, stressed, and just wanted to go back into the living room to relax. So I hurried him into the bed, rushed him through his prayers, and even began walking toward his bedroom door by the time he started saying, “Amen.”

          As I began walking out his door, I heard his sweet voice call out to me and say, “Dad…” I turned to him to see his arms stretched out to me. At that moment, his face lit up and he said, “Hug!” At that moment, any desire to just get out of there and chill faded as my heart melted and not only did I go give him the biggest hug ever, I jumped on top his bed to squeeze the life out of him!

          There is just something about a child with their arms stretched out that is irresistible to a parent. Even when a child who is not our own reaches out for love we can’t resist them! Jesus says something amazing in Matthew 7:11. He says that even though we are evil by nature, we still have enough godly love in us that makes it impossible to resist our children when they need us. If that is true, how much more will God reach out to us when we need Him?

            Just as no loving dad can resist his child reaching out to him, God your Heavenly Father cannot resist you reaching out to Him. If you, with all your flaws, imperfections, and your own selfish ways, cannot find it within yourself to resist the outstretched arms of a little child, what do you think the God who is love wants to do when He sees your arms stretched out to Him? If you even with your own tendency to love people conditionally, can’t resist a child who wants you to pick her up and hold her, how do you think the God who loves you UNconditionally feels when you reach out to Him?

          There are so many in our society that needs that “Daddy Love.” There are people burdened by guilt that need just one Daddy embrace to wash away the stain. Some people battle depression. One hug from the Father will fill them with joy unspeakable. Some go through life full of fear and worry. Once Daddy picks them up, they will know that everything is going to be alright. Some people beat themselves up because they “broke it”. Daddy is here to fix it when we bring our brokenness to Him. Others, live with uncertainty about the future. When Daddy speaks, it will fill them with confidence! Daddy God has what you need, just reach out to Him! When you do, He can’t resist the urge to run to you and embrace you.

Without Holiness No One Will See the Lord!

Without holiness no one will see the Lord. -Hebrews 12:14
God's grace truly is amazing. God demands righteousness from us. In fact, the Bible says that a day is coming in which He will judge the world in righteousness. (Acts 17:31) Now the bad news is that no amount of human effort can make us righteous.

All our righteous acts are as filthy rags. -Isaiah 64:6

Not only that, but no amount of religion can make us righteous either.

Therefore no one will be declared righteous by observing the law. Rather through the law we become conscious of sin. -Romans 3:20

It is only by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross that we are saved and made righteous before God.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
-Ephesians 2:8-9

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe...
-Romans 3:22

This is great news! God demands righteousness from us, but He has given us that righteousness as a FREE gift! The only thing it cost, was the blood of God’s only begotten Son… So now our righteousness depends not on our own works but on His finished work on the cross!

But what about holiness...? Yeah the Bible says, "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" but our holiness is not based on our own efforts but on the sacrifice of Jesus right? Wrong... There is a difference between righteousness and holiness.
Righteous is something we cannot be because of our sinful nature. 

We are naturally from birth, instinctively prone to wickedness, disobedience, and rebellion towards God. We receive righteousness as a free gift of God's grace. Holiness is something that God expects from us after we receive that salvation and are born again. 

Now what does it mean to be “holy”? Let me explain with an illustration. I make a lot of sweet tea in my home as I am sure many of you do. Now after I have brewed the tea and added the sugar to it, I don't stir it with just any spoon in my kitchen. There is one particular spoon that I use to stir my tea. 

It is my special sweet tea spoon. I only use that spoon to mix sweet tea, and I do not use that spoon for anything else except for making sweet tea. I have set it apart for the sole purpose of making sweet tea. That is what it means to be “holy”. It means to have been set apart for the sole purpose of honoring God; nothing else.

You see, after God makes us righteous by His grace through His Son, we are born again, given a new heart, with a new nature, and new desires. Then He expects us to live the rest of our new lives in holiness to Him.

Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship –Romans 12:1

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. -2nd Corinthians 7:1

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable not in passionate lust like the heathen who do not know God.  -1st Thessalonians 4:3-5

Before our salvation, we could not help but to live like the world and commit its many sins. We couldn't have lived holy if we wanted to. But thanks to new birth, we can. We have been born again! Now we have a NEW nature, a NEW heart, with NEW desires! And you better believe, now that we can live in holiness, God expects us to. And He will hold us guilty of squandering and abusing His grace if we don't.

Now perhaps you say, “How can I do this? How can I possibly live a ‘holy’ life?” By the power of the Holy Spirit. God promises that He will move you by the Holy Spirit to walk in holiness.

I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep all my laws. –Ezekiel36:26

So I say live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. –Galatians 5:16

That is why it is so important to seek and receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit which is a separate work of grace that takes place after salvation (Acts 1:5, Acts 2:4, Acts 8:14-17, Acts 10:44-45, Acts 19:1-7) if you have not done so already. The Spirit Baptism will empower you to live a life holy and pleasing to God. Return to holiness saints... For your soul's sake.

The Second Death

The Second Death

Death is something that many people are not prepared to face. Whether it be the death of a loved one or their own death, many of us find it difficult to face this inescapable reality. What many people are more unprepared for however is, what the Book of Revelation calls, “The Second Death”.

It’s a proven statistic; ten out of ten people die. One day you will come to the end of your life. The Bible says that immediately after death you will face a holy God at Judgment (Hebrews 9:27). On that day God will expose and bring into light everything you have ever done, said, and even thought about. He will weigh your entire life against the weight of His Law (the Ten Commandments).

The Book of Revelation tells us what those who do not measure up will be cast into a “Lake of Fire” to be tormented forever. Who are these people who will endure this horrible fate? The Bible tells us.

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.  –Revelation 21:8

Now perhaps you are not a murderer or one of those who “practice magic arts” but who among us hasn’t told a lie? That verse says that even liars shall have their part in the Lake of Fire. The Bible gives us more lists of those who will have to face this “Second Death”.

Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. -1st Corinthians 6:9-10

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  –Galatians 5:19-21

Maybe most of these “major” sins aren’t in your life. But what about jealousy, rage, envy, getting drunk, and greed? They await the same fate as the murderers, idolaters, and adulterers. Maybe you gave your life to Christ years ago, and are still living in sin. Galatians 6:7-8 says.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

For Christians who choose to despise and abuse God’s free gift of grace and continue to live in sin, the Bible has these sobering words…

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and the raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.   –Hebrews 10:26-27

Don’t deceive yourself. You will have to face God at Judgment upon your death. He is so holy that He sees lust as adultery and hatred as murder. He has declared that using His name in vain is a capital offense and that all liars will have their share in the lake of fire, which is the Second Death.

BUT, Jesus said in John 10:10,

I have come that they may have life and have it to the full

God has no desire to condemn you to the Second Death by casting you in the Lake of Fire for all eternity. 2,000 years ago He sent His Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sin and then He rose from the dead to give you a new eternal life. You still can be saved if you will simply repent (turn from) of your sins, and put your faith in Jesus Christ as your savior.Death may be unavoidable, but the Second Death isn’t. Choose life today.

Forgiveness and Healing are a Package Deal

“Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?” –Luke 5:23

The Bible teaches that forgiveness and healing are a package deal. No clearer is this demonstrated than in the story of the paralytic who Jesus healed in Luke 5:17-25. Jesus was teaching inside of a house and many people were there listening. Some men had brought a paralyzed man with them and tried to get him to Jesus in the house.

The crowd was too large so they decided to dig a hole in the roof of the house and lower the paralyzed man through right at Jesus’ feet. When Jesus saw this paralyzed man, He said two things to him; “your sins are forgiven” and “Get up and walk”.

The religious leaders questioned Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, so in response Jesus says to them,

“‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up take your mat and go home.’ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.”  -Luke 5:24-25

The Bible shows us again in the Epistle of James that forgiveness and healing are a package deal.

“Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.”  -James 5:14-15

Notice what the Holy Spirit is saying to us in this passage. The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well, AND his sins will be forgiven. It’s a package deal. When an interview candidate is hired, they are offered a package. This includes a salary, health care, retirement, etc.
These are not “extras” or a bonus in addition to the offered salary. They are part of the hiring package. Psalm 103:2-3 says,

“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases”

Forgiveness and healing are part of the “Salvation Package” that has been offered to you through the cross. Healing is not an extra, it is not a bonus, it is not an add on, it is part of the package the you receive freely when you come to God by faith in Jesus Christ.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”  -Isaiah 53:5

Yes, Jesus was crucified (pierced) for our sins, but just as His wounds brought us forgiveness, they brought us healing. He carried them both; our infirmities and our diseases (Isaiah 53:4). How would you feel if you were paying for your health insurance out of your own pocket when all along part of your benefits at work, part of the package of your job was to fully cover your health insurance?

You would feel cheated right? That is exactly what you are doing when you only accept half of the package of the cross. There is another part of the package you are cheating yourself out of; the part that includes healing. Heed the words of the Psalmist today to Praise the LORD and “forget not ALL his benefits…” Forgiveness and healing are a package deal.