My husband's passion for hearing God and sharing his words is inspiring. The knowledge God gives him to articulate to his people is astounding. It amazes me that my husband holds these spiritual words within him and nearly bursts with excitement on Sunday trying to get it all out to a physical world.
Which brings up Joshua 23. This chapter is Joshua's final charge to the leaders and future generations. What is a charge? It's kind of like issuing a challenge and a warning all at the same time. At weddings, the minister charges the couple with the responsibility associated with marriage...in Joshua, he is charging the leaders to beware of the physical world around them. They've driven out the big tribes from the Promised Land but a few stragglers still remain and Joshua warns the leaders to avoid any entanglements with them. Temptation is sure to be present among these stragglers and they would be wise to remember all God has done for them. He said:
By living in the physical world we do, we are being spoon fed a false reality of lies and temptations (I call these "hitch hikers because they jump on and hitch a ride until you make them get out). Joshua welcomed the leaders into a spiritual reality the same way you and I are welcomed. (Joshua 23: 3-5). Every day we are tempted by anger, lies, greed, lust, etc, but we have to CHOOSE to say "no!" to these false idols. We need to stay connected to the spiritual realm to bring victory and dominion through the Kingdom of God on Earth. God will expand his dominion up until you offer yourself to false idols - at this point, you've operated in free will and he will take his hand off your life.
In Joshua (old testament) it talks about the wrath of God that will come down if the people of Israel offer themselves to temptation of associating with the stragglers. Since then, Jesus came and took on the wrath of God when he died to pay for our sins and we no longer necessarily deal directly with the wrath of God. Because of his selfless act, we deal with more of a hands-off approach (until the world ends, of course). If you choose false idols, he will hand you over to that world and the punishment is a world without God...which is scary. He will no longer take dominion through you - he will allow you to fight your battles alone. And good luck winning on your own. LOL.
Don't attach yourself to these strongholds, lies, and temptations. Don't form alliances with the enemy - form your alliance with God and watch him take victory in your life! If you walk with him, he will fulfill his promises. Fall in love with him and commit yourself to him; the benefits will be far better than anything else offered in this physical world.
Stay tuned for how to remain spiritual in a physical place.
Which brings up Joshua 23. This chapter is Joshua's final charge to the leaders and future generations. What is a charge? It's kind of like issuing a challenge and a warning all at the same time. At weddings, the minister charges the couple with the responsibility associated with marriage...in Joshua, he is charging the leaders to beware of the physical world around them. They've driven out the big tribes from the Promised Land but a few stragglers still remain and Joshua warns the leaders to avoid any entanglements with them. Temptation is sure to be present among these stragglers and they would be wise to remember all God has done for them. He said:
6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. 7 Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. 8 But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now....12 “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, 13 then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.
In Joshua (old testament) it talks about the wrath of God that will come down if the people of Israel offer themselves to temptation of associating with the stragglers. Since then, Jesus came and took on the wrath of God when he died to pay for our sins and we no longer necessarily deal directly with the wrath of God. Because of his selfless act, we deal with more of a hands-off approach (until the world ends, of course). If you choose false idols, he will hand you over to that world and the punishment is a world without God...which is scary. He will no longer take dominion through you - he will allow you to fight your battles alone. And good luck winning on your own. LOL.
Don't attach yourself to these strongholds, lies, and temptations. Don't form alliances with the enemy - form your alliance with God and watch him take victory in your life! If you walk with him, he will fulfill his promises. Fall in love with him and commit yourself to him; the benefits will be far better than anything else offered in this physical world.
Stay tuned for how to remain spiritual in a physical place.
True words and easily forgotten by most! Good inspiration for the day :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lex! You're so right! It's so easy to get caught up in the world around us and forget that our God is bigger than everything.
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