"Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil"

Joshua 7:19a  "Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, by telling the truth."  

When I was growing up, I remember my Mom saying  "Tell the truth and shame the Devil."  I wasn't sure where that phrase came from, wondering if someone read verse 19 and came up with the flip side of this verse...my curiosity being piqued, I looked it up.  

I don't know how the saying came about, but Shakespeare used "Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil" in 1597 when writing Henry IV.   But it can be traced back even further to preacher Hugh Latimer who said it in 1555, and it was a common saying of that day.    In any case, I like the preacher man's saying, but I like verse 19 even better..."Tell the Truth and give glory to the LORD!"

In Joshua 6:18, God said there would be trouble for Israel, if anyone took anything from Jericho...and we see the trouble unfolding.  It turns out that Achan was the one causing the trouble...and guess what his names means in the Hebrew...it means "troubler."  Unfortunately, he is fulfilling the meaning of his name and suffering the consequences of his sin.

Achan does tells the truth eventually and confesses that he has sinned against the LORD.  To sin is to miss the mark, the holy standard of God.  And while God always forgives those who truly repent, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

1 John 1:9.  Sin will always cost us something. 

Joshua 6:18a  "Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you youselves will be completely destroyed..." 

 In Achan's case...it cost him his life and the life of his family.

Father, I thank you that my salvation is secure in Jesus!  But in Joshua 7:13 you said that the people could not defeat their enemies, because there were things hidden that was to be set-apart for you.  Would you search my heart, see if there is anything that I have kept for myself that should have been given to You.  Is there anything that is hindering Your power in my life and affecting the lives of my family or church family...causing us to be ineffective in fighting off our enemies.  If so, show it to me, so I might repent and get right with you...giving glory to You, LORD.  In Jesus name, amen.  

May the LORD bless your day,

Sharon

"We Have an Altar Too!"

Joshua 8:30  "Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal."

This was more than just physically possessing the land...this was about spiritual possession of a heart that is obedient before God.  Joshua did as God had commanded and then built an altar to the LORD...it was time to give credit where credit was due..for the LORD gave them the victory.  Psalm 96:8  "Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts."

And just as obtaining the land was more spiritual than physical, so it is with altars.  God is more concerned with the inward sacrifice of the heart than what the people physically laid on the altar.   It wasn't that the physical sacrifice wasn't important,  But the focus is never on the worshiper's sacrifice...but what's going on inwardly.  Without a change of heart and behavior, any physical/material offering is meaningless.  

Hebrews 13:10 "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." 

In the New Testament we see that we too have an altar, but not a physical one like the ones we read about in the Old Testament.  Our altar is Jesus Christ; for it's through Him that we offer our "spiritual sacrifices" to God.  Those without Jesus...have no rights to this altar.

There are many ways we, as believers in Jesus can offer our sacrifices to the LORD...here are just a few.  

Sacrifice of praise:  Hebrews 13:15 "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."  Words coming from our lips and from our hearts is like fruit laid on the altar.  

Doing Good:  Hebrews 13:16 "And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God."  Doing good to others can be as simple as a kind word or a cup of water given to someone in need.

Prayer and lifting up hands:  Psalm 141:2  "Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

Submitting our bodies:   Romans 12:1  "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

Father, I thank you and praise you for Jesus.  Our perfect sacrifice....through Him I come to You without the need of a priest, for He is my High Priest.  Without the need for the shedding of blood sacrifice...for His blood has already been shed for me.  Help me to live a life that brings Honor and Glory to Your name and may my life be a sweet smelling sacrifice to You.  In Jesus name, amen.

Blessings, 

Sharon

Vacation Time

What a wonderful time vacation we had with Mom in West Virginia...the view of the 

Appalachian Mountains was spectacular 

Building Memorials

 Joshua 4:6-7a  "We will use these stones to build a memorial.  In the future, your children will ask, "What do these stones mean to you?  Then you can tell them...

The word memorial in Scripture comes from a word that means to prick, to pierce, or to penetrate the memory. All throughout the Bible we read of how God has ordained that there would be memorials. Remember the rainbow, the stone tablets with the commandments written on them, communion, baptism, the cross, they are meant to remind us that God has been at work in our lives.

The purpose of this stone memorial is to first cause the parents to remember what the LORD did for them, 

what they saw, heard and felt.  To remind them that they had not crossed the Jordan by their own ability, 

their own strength,but because of God...and to share all this with their children.

Another purpose of the memorial is to stir the children's heart so they would ask, "What do these stones mean to you?" providing an opportunity for the parents to tell their children what the LORD did...sharing their faith with them.  

Memorials are to help us preserve the memories of what God has done in our lives, so we can share them with our children and with those around us.   If we would share our memorials, the Word of God can prick or pierce the hearts of our children heart, our neighbors heart...and God will build a memorial in their heart...just as He has done in ours..  

Has God healed your body? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
Has God delivered you from alcohol? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
Has God delivered you from drugs? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
Has God put clothes on you and food in you? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
Has God pulled you out of sin and set your feet on the solid rock? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
Has God met a financial need for you? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
Has God blessed you? BUILD A MEMORIAL!

Lord, Let my experiences with You make such an impact on my life that others, including my own children, will ask "What does this mean?"  Then give me the grace and words to share Your love and faithfulness with them. In Jesus name, amen.

Blessings on your evening,

Sharon

"Packing Your Bags too Soon"

Jeremiah 41: 17b-18  "...they prepared to leave for Egypt because they were afraid of  what the Babylonians would do. "

I think a lot of people have their bags packed their whole life.   Not literally, but emotionally.  Standing at a distance in relationships...not getting to close...someone might get hurt.  Always

ready to run.  

Have you ever considered how our emotions affect our life?  Love, for example, influences our feelings, behavior, and even our looks...smile, sparkle in the eye.  


The same is true of fear.  It can affect the way we think, the way we act and and even our physical health.   Fear has the power to hold us back from all that God wants to accomplish in our life....Satan knows this and uses fear to try to prevent us from enjoying what the LORD has planned for us.  We might think that we don't have any fear, but the truth is that everyone is afraid of something.

The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "If you insist on going to Egypt, the war and famine you fear will follow close behind you, and you will die there.  That is the fate awaiting everyone of you who insists on going to live in Egypt.  If the people refuse to obey God, their very fears will be realized....

Martin Luther made this interesting observation in his Table Talk.  God and the devil take opposite tactics in regard to fear.  The LORD first allows us to become afraid, that he might relieve our fears and comfort us.  The devil, on the other hand, first makes us feel secure in our pride and sins, that we might later be overwhelmed with fear and despair.  

Sharon Schutte

"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,

and all these things shall be added to you."  Matthew 6:33