I have read the book of Joshua many times but reading it the other day a new thought stood out to me concerning the defeat of the Israelites at Ai.

The defeat of Jericho fueled the enthusiasm of the Israelites.  It was a victorious and enthusiastic win … now on to conquer Ai.  God had given specific instructions regarding Jericho and Joshua thought all was well.  However, what is hidden WILL be revealed.  “Be sure your sins will find you out”! (Numbers 32:23).

The instruction from the Lord, through Joshua, was clear (6:18-19), “By all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.  But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasure of the Lord.”

Unknown to Joshua, one of the Israelites, Achan, had taken a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels.

Achan didn’t just disobey but he stole from God!  6:19 makes it clear that all the gold, silver, bronze and iron were to go into the treasury of the Lord.  This was the Israelites first battle and the first fruits belonged to God … spoils would come from later battles.  The “accursed” thing was devoted to God and became “accursed” when stolen and taken for personal use.

Achan thought no one knew.  But God sees all.  God knows.  God reveals.  Discipline and punishment followed.  There are always consequences to sin.  In the Old Testament days Achan’s family also suffered the consequences of his sin.  Achan alone defied the ban, but this disobedience is seen as that of the whole nation because of the Old Testament principle of corporate solidarity.  No person sins alone … there are ripple effects.

After the victory at Jericho Joshua then sent men to spy out the city of Ai. It was a smaller city and the spies saw how easy it would be to conquer and even suggested a small amount of men to go fight.  Joshua trusted his men, sent only 3000 men and the Israelites were soundly defeated.  They were chased back and 36 Israelites were killed!

What happened?  What caused this resounding defeat after such a great victory?  Joshua fell before the Lord, tore his clothes then he and the elders put dust on their heads as an outward expression of deep sorrow and grief.  Joshua even began to question if they should have even stayed on the other side of the Jordan!  Joshua was concerned that when the other Canaanites and inhabitants of the land would hear about the Israelites turning and running … “what will You do for Your great name?”  God’s reputation was at stake!

There was defeat in the land of victory!  Defeat robbed God of His glory!  The corporate body was held back because of one man’s hidden sin! Being defeated by their enemies was one of the consequences of disobedience.

Joshua was on his face before God but God told him to “Get up!  Why do you lie thus on your face?  Israel has sinned, (notice it’s corporate) and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them.  For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.”

Sin held back the victory.  Prayer alone, being on your face before God won’t “fix” it.   There was sin in the camp and the sin had to be rooted out.  Only then could victory be assured.  The people were promised success and prosperity, but only if they acted in obedience (1:8,9).

Joshua “gets up” and follows the instructions God gave to find and deal with the offender.  The people, to be consecrated to God, had to separate themselves from the offender.  Achan was discovered to be the guilty one, he confessed but the punishment was severe … death for himself and his family!

God doesn’t play games!

Here is what God showed me …

What are the accursed things that we as individuals have brought into our lives from the world around us that God has said “NO!” about?  Things that are keeping us from victory?  Things that are hindering our families, our churches, and yes our nation … from the victory that God wants us to enjoy?

There are things that God has said are NOT permissible … being unequally yoked with an unbeliever, fornication, adultery, drinking to excess, lying, looking at pornography, homosexuality (OK, you get the idea!).  Are we going places that are questionable?  Have we become so enamored with the secular world that we want their things?  Do we emulate their “stars”, their entertainment, their dress?  I know I am sounding legalistic but where do we draw the line?

We take the world’s things, perhaps in secret, and think we can remain “holy” and yet when we take the things of the world and try to hide them that alone should tell us we know we are wrong.

Do we desire the things of the world more than the holiness of God?  Do we want what the world has instead of being obedient to His Word?  Who do we love more?  Self? Things of the world?  God?  Who do we want to please?  Self? The world? God?

There is a little chorus that I learned as a small child, “Oh be careful little eyes what you see (ears what you hear, feet where you go …) for the Father up above is looking down in tender love, O be careful little eyes what you see”.

There are steps that lead to sin … Achan saw, he coveted, he took, he hid.  Eve saw, she coveted, she took, she hid.  King David saw, he coveted, he took, he tried to hide his sin.

But God saw it all.

Achan, Eve, King David … you, me … all of us will suffer the consequences of sin.  Yes, God forgives and then He FORGETS!  But consequences follow.  But here is the encouragement from the Lord … now “don’t be afraid, don’t be dismayed … arise, go, take possession”!  And take the spoils!!

One man’s sin brought about this defeat and the loss of 36 mighty men.  One sin is what caused Adam and the whole race to be under a curse.  One sin brings the same result as committing all sins. One lie brought about the instant death of Ananias and Sapphira.

After the cleansing then the Lord spoke to Joshua again and told him to go and attack Ai and they would be victorious and this time they could keep the plunder and the livestock … Obedience brings victory AND reward.

Look at some of the promises …

Deut 28:1-2 “If you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments … the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth …”

Leviticus 18:5, “So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord.”

Isaiah 1:19, “If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land.”

I Samuel 15:22, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice …”

Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Determine to root out the secret sin … the besetting sin.  Confess, repent and let God begin to bless your life and bring about the victory you so desire!

Personally I am so tired of the “news”!  I listen and then get up and leave or turn it off.  No news.  Some news.  All news.  Real news.  Half truth news.  Fake news.

What is “fake”?  Pretend, deceptive, fraudulent, untrue.

“Fake News” is a relatively new term in today’s lexicon.

Departing from the “news” I began thinking about other “fake news” stories …  (fake news in bold … real truth news in italics) …

“There is no life after death” …

Hebrews 9:27, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement.”  

II Corinthians 5:8, “To be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”  

John 11:25, “Jesus said … I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live …”  

John 14:2-3, “In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (ESV)

“There is no devil” …

Genesis 3:1, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made.  He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say…” (NIV).

Isaiah 14:12, “How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!” (NKJV)

“There is no hell” …

Matthew 25:46, “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Revelation 21:8, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (ESV)

“The 10 Commandments are not valid for today” …

Matthew 5:17-19, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (ESV)

“The Old Testament is not for today” …

1) “The Old Testament substantially influences our understanding of key Biblical teachings…Some doctrines of Scripture are best understood only from the OT…the NT worldview and teachings are built on the framework supplied in the OT.  In the NT we find literally hundreds of OT quotations, allusions, and echoes, none of which we’ll fully grasp apart from saturating ourselves in Jesus’s Bible.”

2) “Jesus said that all the OT points to him (John 5:39) … if you want to know Jesus more, read the OT!”

3)  “Paul commands church leaders to preach the OT … Paul was referring to the OT when he spoke of the ‘sacred writings’ that are able to make a person ‘wise for salvation’ and the ‘Scripture’ that is ‘breathed out by God and profitable’ (II Timothy 4:2-4).”

(all above quoted from The Gospel Coalition, 10 Reasons the Old Testament is Important for Christians)

“I’m too bad and even God can’t forgive me” …

Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”  There is NO sin, but one, that God won’t forgive … a repentant sinner He will NOT turn away.  The one sin?  Matthew 12:31-32, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” (KJV)

“It’s too late to give my life to Christ” …

The thief on the cross, moments from death said to Jesus in Luke 23:42-43, “‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’.  And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise.’” (ESV)

“God doesn’t love me” …

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  (KJV) That LOVE includes EVERYONE!

“Everybody is going to heaven” …

I Timothy 1:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”.
Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction …”

“There are many roads to God/Heaven” …

John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  

Acts 4:12, And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (ESV)

“I am good enough” …

Romans 3:10, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (KJV)

“How can I know the Bible is true” …

Fulfilled prophecy!  The Old Testament was written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus and contains over 300 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled through His life, death and resurrection.  Here are just a few …

1)  The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem … Micah 5:2, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah.  Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.” … Matthew 2:1-6, “Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea …”

2)  The Messiah will be born of a virgin … Isaiah 7:14, “…Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel — ‘God is with us.’”  Matthew 1:20, “…for the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.”

3)  The Messiah will enter Jerusalem triumphantly … Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem  Look, your king is coming to you.  He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey — even on a donkey’s colt.” … Luke 19:35, “So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for Him to ride on.”

4)  The Messiah will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver … Zechariah 11:12-13, “And I said unto them, ‘If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear.  So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. … And I took the thirty pieces of silver …” … Matthew 26:14-16, “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, ‘How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?’ And they gave him thirty pieces of silver…”

(For a more complete list of fulfilled prophecies, go to “Biblical Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus at CBN.com).

“The Bible is an irrelevant book for today” …

The Bible is a book about Jesus and how He can change lives.  It’s a LIVING book.  Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (NKJV).

Malachi 3:6, “For I am the LORD, I change not…” (KJV)

“I don’t need to read the Bible” …

II Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (KJV).  If you are a doctor, teacher, attorney or in many other professions you keep reading and studying to keep up on the latest information.  We eat physical food to stay alive … we need spiritual food to stay alive spiritually!

“I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian” …

Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (KJV)

“Jesus is a crutch” …

Is there a better One to lean on?

“You can’t be sure where you are going after death” …

Romans 10:9, “If you confess with you mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  John 10:9, “I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”(ESV)

“There is nothing I have to do” … “There are no rules to follow”

Matthew 22:37-38, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.”

Micah 6:8, “What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

There are MANY verses in the Bible as to the “do’s and don’ts” of the Christian life … We obey because we LOVE Him.

Don’t be mislead by the “fake news” that we hear today from many pulpits … “Jesus Christ the one yesterday, and today, and forever”!!

I cannot believe I’m living in this day!  The evil that is being normalized, the sexes trading places, wrong being legally made “right”.

I was reading earlier today the story of the three Hebrew young men in Daniel 3.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego … wonder what they would think if they lived today!  They were facing death by burning if they didn’t bow.  We are not even there yet and we are already bowing!

These three did not give in to peer pressure, political pressure or economical pressure and were not afraid of physical pain or death.

Why are we so afraid?  I’ve had to ask myself that question.  Am I speaking out?  Or am I afraid of what my family/friends might say of me?  Would it ruin my reputation?

We are being told that if we don’t acquiesce we will lose funding for schools, we will lose  our church tax exemption, we will lose our pastor’s housing allowance, we will lose  ….

Our children are being brainwashed to think they can “choose” who they will be … male or female!  I can see it now when a pregnant woman goes in for her first sonogram, “Oh, congratulations!  It’s a … whatever you want it to be!”  NO!  We wait to hear “it’s a boy” or “it’s a girl”.  Our chromosomes tell us what we are!

Are we willing to go into the furnace?  Are we willing to die to protect what is RIGHT?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were willing.  They had a faith in God that was bedrock.  They would NOT bow!  They would not bend their knee to do what was politically expedient.  They were not going to publicly bow and say in their hearts, “God you know I’m only doing this to save my job, my position … but You know my heart!”  NO!  They were willing to burn!

They did not know that God was going to deliver them.  They did not know that He would show up AFTER they were in the furnace!  They did not know that they would be unharmed.  Their faith in God was “whatever happens, I’m His!”

When facing King Nebuchadnezzar their answer was, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

When man’s law contradicts God’s law … we HAVE to take a stand.  We MUST speak up!

Are we teaching our children God’s ways?  Are we speaking up in public school meetings?  Are we teaching by words and actions that we are to live by God’s Word? Or are we saying things that contradict what we believe? Are we watching shows on TV and movies that numb our conscience to sin?

We MUST stand for truth!  God’s truth!

There’s a little chorus with these words … “I will not bow, I will not bend, I will not burn”.

Ronn and I are in a hotel right at this moment … on the 14th floor.  Really?  Not at all … the elevator button tells me that the floors go from 12 to 14.  So in reality we are on the  13th floor.

Just because you ignore something or rename it doesn’t change the reality.

Many hotels, high rise buildings and some airplanes just skip number 13.  In my book that is simply silly.  Did you know that there is actually a name for the fear of the number 13?  The phobia is called Triskaidekaphobia.  However some folks think this number is a lucky number.

It’s a number!

Made me think … are there things in my life that I think will go away if I ignore them or rename them?  Oh, my gossip has been renamed “a prayer request”.  My anger is now called “righteous indignation”.  Explosive behavior is called a “short fuse”.  Speeding (now I’ve gone to meddlin’!) is “keeping up with traffic”.  That shortcut on my tax return is it really a “loophole”? A white lie is still a lie!

Just because culture renames sinful pleasures does that change God’s Word?

So what is my prayer today?  “Lord, help me to live honestly before you and before the world!”… even when I’m on the 14th floor!

I guess I got a little ticked the other day when on Facebook I saw an article (which I did NOT read!) that was saying God was a woman abuser because He did not get Mary’s OK, did not get her permission, to impregnate her.

HELLO!!!

Perhaps that person has never read Luke’s gospel!  When the angel appeared to Mary and announced to her that she had been chosen by God, Mary’s response was “…let it be to me according to your word.”  In my understanding that is a resounding “YES, LORD!”

Let’s back up … God is all knowing.  I believe He had prepared Mary for this encounter.  I don’t believe God was up in heaven wearing out a path in the flowers, wringing His hands and thinking, “Oh, who am I going to choose?  Who would be willing?  Who has a clean record? Who has a pure heart? Oh me, oh my … what am I going to do?”

No, I think (Connie speaking here) that Mary had a heart after God.  I think that as her brothers (my scenario) were studying with the rabbi, as her daddy with other fathers were perhaps discussing scripture over the dinner table that Mary had her antennas up, was listening and absorbing all she could of the scriptures and the Promised Messiah.  I think she was LOOKING for Him.  Maybe she was a little like a later Mary who just wanted to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen rather than helping in the kitchen!

God was not going to just willy-nilly pick any young girl to mother His only Son!  No, He chose Mary.  Luke 1:28 says she was “favored” and that the
“Lord is with you”.  Verse 30, “you have found favor with God”.  

The angel then goes on to tell her she would “conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High …”

Mary’s only concern and question was “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

The angel responded, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy — the Son of God.”

Now here’s Mary’s chance!  She could have said, “No way!  That is just impossible!  Even if this could happen Joseph won’t believe me! I will be put to death! Perchance if I should say, “go ahead, God!”  I don’t know that  I want to live a lifetime of people whispering behind my back.  Just think of the gossip!  NO ONE will believe that I was a virgin … I will be ostracized by my family”, etc.

Did Mary respond that way?  NO!  As stated above she said, “be it unto me!”  She gave permission!  She was vulnerable!  Look at the definition of vulnerability …  capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt; open to moral attack, criticism.

She was willing to be ridiculed, criticized, laughed at, rejected and even stoned.

Which brings me to my additional point here … how vulnerable am I?  How vulnerable are you?

What if God asked you to do something that you thought was impossible?  Maybe it isn’t even something impossible but too far fetched!  Maybe you feel incapable or inadequate.  Perhaps you think He is asking just a little too much of you.  Your family and friends might think you a bit too daring or silly.  Are you willing to face prejudice, rejection or even failure?  Are you willing to be laughed at, gossiped about or criticized?

What is He asking of you?  What is He asking of me?

Do I/you have the gumption to be totally vulnerable?

I have a friend in her 80’s who recently told her family there was nothing she needed for Christmas but she would like their time.  So one evening her family came brought dinner and spent time with mom.  They also decorated her house for Christmas and promised to take the decorations down after Christmas.  Now that’s the kind of present I would like!

How often I’ve said to my husband, “I don’t need another sweater, blouse or kitchen trinket but I would like time to just “veg” with the family.”

That got me thinking … how does Jesus feel?  He also wants MY time.  Time to sit at His feet and fellowship with Him.

So often our times with Him are hurried, we throw up our prayers (which are more like “do this”, “I need this”, “heal so & so”) rather than sitting at His feet and listening to Him and worshiping Him.  No agenda.  No list.  Just worship.  I wonder, does He miss us?

Jesus won’t come down and bop us on the head and say, “SIT WITH ME A WHILE!”.  No, it’s our choice … it should be our longing.  Fellowship with Him!

I know how busy folks are today … but think priorities … Jesus and time with Him MUST be first!

I post a hymn every day on Facebook and today’s hymn was …

SITTING AT THE FEET OF JESUS

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Oh, what words I hear Him say!
Happy place! So near, so precious!
May it find me there each day;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
I would look upon the past;
For His love has been so gracious,
It has won my heart at last.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Where can mortal be more blest?
There I lay my sins and sorrows,
And, when weary, find sweet rest;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
There I love to weep and pray;
While I from His fullness gather
Grace and comfort every day.

Bless me, O my Savior, bless me,
As I sit low at Thy feet;
Oh, look down in love upon me,
Let me see Thy face so sweet;
Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus,
Keep me holy as He is;
May I prove I’ve been with Jesus,
Who is all my righteousness.

Another hymn comes to mind just now  … “Friendship with Jesus! Fellowship divine! Oh, what blessed, sweet communion! Jesus is a Friend of mine.”

Jesus first, others second.

Today’s families are scattered, many are broken, children are divided between parents and fellowship is denied.

Here is a challenge for you today … think of someone who would like to see you and make a visit.  Change your schedule. Family member, single mother/father, a lonely shut-in, a neighbor who needs encouragement, a care facility … add them to your time … but Jesus first!

A couple weeks before my birthday I began to pray about the future and in doing so looking back to the past as well.  I asked the Lord for three Life Rules to go forward.  He had already spoken to me several months ago about “Choose Joy” so I had one already!  As I sat and meditated three came to me rather quickly and I wrote them down and over the next few days many more started coming to me.

Here’s my list and you can add your own …

LIFE RULES

LOVE Jesus

Choose joy

Show grace

Live truth

Have mercy

Serve others

Pray consistently

Express Thankfulness

Be humble

Study the Word

Remain faithful

Express kindness

Always be grateful

Speak wisely

Write thoughtfully

Be still

Quietly listen

Act courageously

Smell the roses

Wait patiently

Fear God

Obey His commands

Sleep well

Give largely

Eat sparingly

Walk daily

Think positively

Sing daily

Encourage others

Praise continually

TRUST Him

I know the list could go on and on and I decided to quit before any more came to me!  I would be interested in what you add!

Here’s the point … there is SO much negativity around us.  We can all complain about things.  I am often reminded of how the children of Israel complained in the wilderness and the punishment they received because of it!  After ALL God had done for them … they still complained.  I know I have been guilty of the same and I try to quickly ask His forgiveness.

I do NOT want to be a complainer or a “whiner”.  When my children were little and they would begin to whine, I would ask them, “Are you a member of the Whiner family?”  (Now please forgive me if anyone reading this has the last name of “Whiner”!  I hope you know I do not want to be offensive!)

We need to develop a spirit of thankfulness instead of always looking for the negative.

I know I will be continually challenged on this!  So Connie, listen up … CHOOSE JOY and remember my list of Life Rules!

This morning I opened my email and had a notice from our Home Owner’s Association that in two days they will be spraying for fire ants.  YEAH!

Fire ants are tiny.  One bite … just one bite can be deadly for my husband

One bite.  Highly toxic.  One bite.  Deadly poison.  One bite.  Six feet under!

We live in the California desert where there is an extremely high count of these little deadly pests.  The next bite could put my husband in the grave so we are extremely careful when/where we walk or go outside.  No more football on the grass when our grandsons visit

Ronn avoids fire ant hills and mounds with a passion.

One bite.  That’s all!

One bite.  That’s what Eve did.  Eve offered Adams one bite.  Their bites led to death for the entire human race.

One look.  One compromise.  One bite.  One dabbling in sin.

Fortunately for Ronn there is an antidote should he be bitten again.  Sadly he had to give up golfing here in the desert … but should he go golfing he has specific instructions to follow:

Don’t golf alone

Carry your Benadryl

Take along your Epi-pen

Wear long pants

Wear long socks

Carry your phone

Don’t pick up your ball out of the sand traps (his golfing partners don’t like that one! Ha!)

If bitten, immediately take a Benadryl and shoot yourself with your Epi-pen and call 911 to get to the hospital within 15 minutes

(And I tell him to make sure his insurance is paid up! … sorry, that’s a joke so don’t judge me!!)

Seems like a detailed list but to stay alive you do what you must.  We do our best to stay on top of the date to replenish the Epi-pen.  There is an expiration date after which the Benadryl and Epi-pen are no longer effective.

Is there an antidote for Eve’s bite which put the curse of death on us?

YES!  Jesus provided our antidote on the cross.  Jesus knew that left to ourselves we would “take the bite”.  We all have.  We are born sinners.  We will die and spend eternity either in heaven or hell.

For Ronn to be protected from a fire ant death … he HAS to be prepared with the antidote.  For us to be protected from an eternity in hell … we HAVE to make use of the antidote … which is JESUS!

How do we do that?  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14:6 NIV).

1. Recognize that Jesus ALONE is the way to salvation
2. Recognize you ARE a sinner … “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23).
3. Confess, repent and accept His free gift of salvation … the only antidote that will ensure eternal life.

If you don’t follow God’s antidote provided by Jesus Christ … you will die spiritually and be eternally lost and in hell.

I know some may call me legalistic, backward, short-sighted, narrow-minded, last century … whatever.

I recently read an article about a very popular, charismatic, well known media pastor that saddened me tremendously.  I waited some time before writing this to see if this pastor, whom I respected and loved to hear preach, would recant what was written.  Perhaps it was a false rumor, misquoted or taken out of context.  But then it was proven true.

I almost cried.  Then it came to me … many churches today are on hospice!  I have had four family members on hospice.  Hospice is called in when the patient is terminal.  Hospice does not do preventative medicine, they do not try to restore health or administer healing.  They are there to simply keep the patient comfortable until death.  Hospice is simply … comfort care.  When the pain of the patient gets too bad they give morphine to mask the pain.

Are our pastors today giving out “christianese” morphine?  “Just listen to this to feel good.”  “All is well.”  “We will all get to heaven eventually.”  “Doesn’t matter what you believe or live like.”  “There really is no ‘sin’ or walking in disobedience.”  “The Bible doesn’t really mean that.”

I cannot remember the last time I heard a message on sin.  What is sin?  What does it do to a person?  How can we get rid of sin?  Does the blood of Jesus or the cross play any part in our lives?  Is His sacrificial death of no significance?

When we “accept” Him into our lives can we just continue to live any way we want without thought to what He wants us to grow into?  What is a holy life?  Is there any conviction of sin?  The Word of God tells us to “be holy even as I am holy” (God).

I have heard this often and I’m sure I’ve said it before when loving on my babies and grand-babies, “Oh, I just wish you could stay like this forever” as I’ve pinched cheeks and planted numerous kisses.  However, if my baby had stayed like that … not growing into adulthood and remained infantile … I would be crushed big time!  I wonder what God thinks when He sees those that have accepted Him but never took on the challenge to grow and mature.  Just stayed babies and acted like babies.

I see many people wearing crosses today … earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets and even tattoos.  People hang crosses in their homes and have decorative crosses as art.  If I were to ask folks, “the cross you are wearing, what does it mean to you?” I wonder what the responses would be… “I liked the symmetry of it”; “everybody wears crosses, it doesn’t mean anything particular”; “it’s art”; “my friend gave it to me”; “it has diamonds” or hopefully, “I want people to ask me so I can tell them about Jesus”!

When we think of the cross many just think of it as “nice”.  The one Jesus carried was not so nice.  It was big.  It was heavy.  It probably had splinters.  It was a thing of torture and death.  I wonder what it means to us today to “take up your cross and follow Me”? Hmm … maybe another time?  I don’t want to die … today! Or even tomorrow!

Taking up our cross means to leave something behind.  Wonder what that means to me … what am I to leave behind to be worthy to carry my cross?

We do hear some wonderful sermons today … sermons on self image, how to cope with stress, “prosperity” and how to get money, setting goals, hope, encouragement, helping others, how to cope with disappointment, you are good …  But will those messages stir hearts to conviction and bring men/women to Christ?  Our homes, our communities, our nation (and the world) need to hear messages that will stir our hearts to renounce sin, live holy lives for Jesus and occupy the time until He comes!

I think I’ve just written myself under conviction!

On the day I am writing this we are nearing Father’s Day and as most of us are I am reflecting on my dad.  He’s been in heaven a number of years already but I often wish I could talk to him and tell him what’s “happening”!

Daddy wrote a number of booklets and tracts.  I remember one of his tracts (wish I could find a copy!) called “Covered Sin”.  I don’t have any recollection of what he wrote except for one illustration … I remember that because he used me for that illustration!

I was a thumb sucker and mom and dad were trying to break me of the habit.  One night after they had put me to bed they came to check on me and found me sucking my thumb but I had pulled the blanket over me so I wouldn’t be discovered!  Yeah, right!  Daddy used that as an illustration of “covered sin”.  The scripture says, “Be sure your sin will find you out”.

Do we really believe that?  There are cases in the Bible and also in today’s world that prove that to be true.

First there comes to mind the story of Rachel and the idols she stole from her father.  Apparently she loved Jacob but not his God or she would not have stolen her daddy’s gods!  Jacob had  secretly fled from Laban after serving him for many years. Three days later when Laban realized Jacob was gone, he came chasing after him and accused him of several things but also for “stealing my gods”.

Jacob answered rather hastily when he said, “With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live …” (Genesis 31:32).  Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, the two maid’s tents and did not find them.  Then he went into Rachel’s tent to search.  She had taken the gods, put them under her seat and sat down.  When daddy Laban searched her tent he didn’t find them there because she lied and said, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me”.  She thought to cover her sin with a lie.  It didn’t work!  Perhaps Jacob and Laban never knew but God did and Rachel died an early death.

“Be sure your sin will find you out”. (Numbers 32:23).

What about King David and his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba (II Samuel 11 & 12).  David thought that by having her husband killed in battle no one would know of his affair and her pregnancy, that he could get away with it by covering it up.  But God saw and the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David to confront him.  David admitted his sin to God and God forgave him but there were still consequences … the child died.

“Be sure your sin will find you out”. 

Acts 5 gives us the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  (Woe to the church today if God did now what He did then!!)  They sold a possession (which was and is OK to do!).  But they conspired together to keep part of it back but imply they were giving it all.  Bad idea!  You don’t lie to God!  God stuck both of them dead.  DEAD!

“Be sure your sin will find you out”.

We see and hear about “cover ups” all the time in today’s world.  Bernard Madoff, the American fraudster and a former stockbroker and investment advisor, who in recent years bilked many out of their life savings.  Ponzi scheme.  His deceit was eventually uncovered and he is now in prison serving 150 years!

“Be sure your sin will find you out”.

There are other “big” guys.  Adulterous affairs. Cheating on income taxes. Mail scams.  What about the “small” things … Lying to the boss that you are sick when you are not.  “Cooking the books”?  Taking office stamps.  White lies.

Am I covering sin in my life?  Are you covering up sin in your life?  It’s a scary thing to try and do.

Perhaps you can think of some, or perhaps yourself, who seem to have gotten away with their cover ups.  But there is nothing hidden from God!  Luke 8:17, “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” (ESV)

It may look like some get away with their cover ups and in this life it may not be revealed … but God knows!  And God keeps perfect records!  Unrepented and unconfessed sin will keep you from heaven.  Romans 2:16, “on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”  (ESV)

The beautiful thing about our God is that once confession is made and repentance is sincere, God FORGIVES and our sin and cover ups are gone forever!  FOREVER!!  Our sins are then cast into the deepest sea and never brought up again.

I once looked up the information to see where the deepest part of the sea is … It’s the Mariana Trench off the coast of Guam.  It is nearly seven miles deep! If Mount Everest (tallest mountain in the world) were dropped into the Mariana Trench, its peak would still be more than a mile underwater!!!  I would say that is a little too deep for fishin’!

Our God is an awesome God!  He forgives, casts our sins away and then forgets they ever existed!

There’s a song that comes to mind to go along with this contemplation …

I CANNOT HIDE FROM GOD

I cannot hide from God

However I would try

Tho mountains cover me

I’ll not escape His eye

I’ve wandered far and near

And yet His voice I hear

I know that I can never hide from God.

I cannot hide from Thee dear Lord

To escape Thee so often I’ve tried.

No rest shall I know

While here below

Till in Christ my soul, shall hide.

How often in the past

I’ve gone my wicked way

I knew I’d come at last

To face another day

When for my wasted years

I’d pay in grief and tears

I knew that I could never hide from God.