This last week at work has been a struggle. Somewhere between the 3, almost 4 traumas I encountered, and the constant flow of daily responsibilities I grew hardened. It wasn’t until the week ended that I was able to I reflect back, that I realized how dark my garden was.
In his perfect timing God spoke directly to me this morning. I am so thankful that it came now and that he gave me this insight.
Let me take you to the final chapters of Joshua. The covenant the Lord made to Abraham has been fulfilled and the Promised Land has been given to Israel (through the mighty hand of God they were able to defeat all their enemies). They had just finished dividing the land among the tribes, and Joshua speaks boldly about the seriousness of their inheritance.
Joshua tells Israel to “Choose whom you will serve”
Now therefore, fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served…and serve the Lord….But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord - Joshua 24:14-15
I believe Joshua is talking about the cost of the “promise”….that you must put away the other gods and serve only the Lord in all sincerity and in all faithfulness. We also were bought with a cost, and our purchase is also very serious. Think about that, the cost of your soul comes with a consequence.
So what is the consequence for the purchase of our salvation? Well, first we need to define salvation. Salvation means that you are actually “saved” from something. In our case as Christians this means that we are freed from sin's reign in our life. We are saved from its bondage, and are cleansed by his blood. The consequence of being saved, then, is that we are able to dwell with Jesus. But, it isn’t that simple.
The cost to God was even greater. He lost his son for you. He requires that you not only be covered by his blood, but that you also walk in his light. This is where a lot of Christians, I believe, get hung up.
For the blood to cleanse you, you must then walk in the light as He is in the light, then His blood cleanses you from all sin (1 John 1:17). Read that again, for-his-blood-to-cleanse-you……..YOU MUST WALK-in-the-light.
Our sin keeps us from serving and seeing God. I believe that our salvation, just like our walk, has to be daily. It cannot be only once. That verse doesn’t say that once his blood cleanses you, you are in the light… It says that you must WALK. Only in the light do we have fellowship with him and the blood of Jesus.
Salvation has to be a lifestyle. It is not an elaborate compilation of manmade words. It is a gift, that was given, that had to be purchased, with a cost, which has consequences.
The Gift: Freedom from sin’s bondage
Given By: God
The Purchaser: You
The Cost: The blood of Jesus
The Consequence: A transformed life. Ability to dwell in the presence of God.
The cross is the bridge that leads us from sin to life. Just as the Law (the 10 commandments) gave life to the Israelites in the Old Testament, when Jesus stretched out his arms on the cross, he became the new way for life. He actually became the 10 commandments, in a perfect living physical form. In his flawless reflection of God and his law, he gave us a way to the Promised Land, heaven with Jesus.
And Jesus still is the way for our “exodus” from sin to salvation. But, like the Israelites, you have to follow, walk, suffer, and trust him to get to the Promised Land. And, because he offers you a way out, he also commands reverence and obedience for his good work once he delivers you there. He requires a witness to stand in the place of the sinner lost.
I was so encouraged by this concept, replacing my sinner self with a witness. I want my life legacy to be that of a witness, a witness of the power of God. So today, I prayed with all my heart to be a living sacrifice, to lay my sins on the alter daily. To be saved again and again from darkness until all that I can emit is the light of God.
“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off” – Deuteronomy 30:11
I just love this verse… I will no long believe the lies of the enemy nor continue to give him any of my strength, the Lord my God says that even though the gate is narrow and few will enter, if I keep his commandments it will not be too hard for me to enter! Therefore, ANY sin in my life can and will be broken through the name of Jesus. Walk with him, learn from him, trust in him, and he will direct your exodus out of your “Egypt” into the Promised Land, heaven. This is what it means to be saved.
If you are living in sin or held to its bondage you are not partaking fully in the richness of God. Even more so, you are not walking in the light and you will never be able to see his glory! Remember when Moses (a chosen and God fearing man) asked to see God on the mountain.?
Remember God’s reply? “You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live..Exodus 33:17-23. Moses, even though he was chosen by God, was still a man, and was still a sinner. However, if you go on to read the end of this chapter, God makes a way for him to see his back. I believe that God allowed this because Moses had consecrated himself to God, and was living his life in accordance with God’s commands.
Back to Joshua 24. He goes on to describe the consequence if we break our end of the covenant,
You are not able to serve the Lord, for his is a holy God. He is jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sin, if you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good – Joshua 19-20
When I first read that I am not able to serve the Lord for he is a holy God, and that he will not forgive my transgressions or sins, I almost cast this off as not applicable to me today. However, this is very untrue. I feel that what Joshua is trying to convey is that just because God loves us and chose us, does not mean that he will forgive all unrepentant sins. You can only serve one god and when you are serving the sins of your life, you are not serving Him. This choice carries consequences.
As a matter of fact, when this happens, the bible tells us that he will turn from us and consume us! I know this might be hard to read, but I was really feeling the seriousness of this today in prayer. Some believe that once you are saved his grace covers all and you have your ticket into heaven. But this cannot be true with a perfect God. I believe that we must persevere (fight the good fight) in loving Him, not let our love grow cold (Matt 24), and keep his commandments. Then we will (ultimately) be saved. Remember the gate is narrow and few will enter, wide and easy is the way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). You see, he gives you a way, but he also holds you accountable for your decisions.
“You are witness against yourself that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him”- Joshua 24: 22
Think about that….once you have chosen to follow God, once you prayed the prayer, you now actually bear witness against yourself! Your purchase of salvation comes with a cost, just as it cost Christ his life to purchase you. Life for life! That is an awesome responsibility! When the purchaser destroys the gift, this infuriates the Lord, he is so holy that he will consume! The only way he will not consume is if you repent and “re-cloth” yourself with the blood of the lamb, EVERYDAY!
In Joshua 22:10-34 the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built an alter by the Jordan. When the Israelites heard of this they thought it was an abomination/ sin against the Lord and went to wage war against them. What they found, though, was that their alter was a really a witness to whom they choose.
“We did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel?’ Verse 26: Let us now build an altar, not for bunt offering, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you, between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the lord in his presence…so your children will not say to our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in the Lord’ “- Joshua 22:10-34. 24
Your life and your sacrifices are bearing witness for yourself and your generations. God called for a blood sacrifice then and he calls for it now through Jesus. Enter in to his richness, enter in to his mercy and leave the fire burning for your children. Don’t waste another day like I did turning to the things that will pass away, open up your hands and cry out for Christ to sustain you! Like the Israelites who were lead by a pillar of fire at night, Christ gave us his word from heaven as a lamp unto our feet. Like Moses, in the name of Jesus hit the rocks of life to bring forth the living water, and when it flows don’t forget to drink of it! He doesn’t just give salvation, he IS the salvation.
Remember the Israelites,
“Not one of their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed, all came to pass” - Joshua 21: 44
He made us a promise of life as well. Choose it, for just as he kept his covenant with Israel he will keep his promise with us today.
“One man of you puts to fight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. Be very careful, therefore to love the Lord your God” -Joshua 23:10
I love this verse. Think about it, one of me can put to fight a thousand! If the Lord is with me, I can fight thousands of sins, enemies, and arrows! This is the promise of the cross… through the gift of the Holy Spirit, I can strength my flesh. Not by force do I need to conquer, but through the cross Jesus gave me a way. The cost for your salvation is great, but the reward is even greater! He is either Lord of your life or he isn’t… if he is, bear witness for yourself and bring salvation to your alter everyday!
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