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Joshua 7:13
“Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “ There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”'”

The story of Ai is tragic. Thirty-six men lost their lives that day. Thirty six sons, brothers, fathers, husbands and friends, fell in battle. Their deaths had a devastating effect upon the people. Not only were they filled with the normal grief of losing loved ones, but this grief was compounded by the fact they had been sent by the Lord into Canaan, and now they had lost the battle and thirty-six lives. The ripples of this were so great, even Joshua, their heroic leader, wished they had never crossed the Jordan. This passage is filled with applications for us today. Not the least of which is, their failure in battle was due to failure in their private lives. That failure is twofold.

First, there was the sin of Joshua. When surveying Jericho he encountered the Lord and got his marching orders. Here he surveyed the land but neglected to seek the Lord. Had he sought God, the sin of Achan would have been exposed before the battle started, and lives would have been saved. It is clear from the text, God’s method for taking the city, was far different than the plan Joshua came up with on His own.

Second, there was the sin of Achan. Israel was commanded to dedicate all the spoil of Jericho to the Lord. This fits with the principle of the ‘firstfruit’ belonging to God. However, we find that one man, Achan by name, took some of what was under the ban, and hid it away in his tent. When confronted, Achan shares what happened. He said, “I saw, I coveted, I took and I hid” (Joshua 7:21). He ignored the warning of God, and placed himself in a position where the temptation became too great to resist. It was only a matter of time before he would fall.

We learn from this that personal sin impacts the whole congregation. No man is an island. Our personal decisions have an impact upon others, and upon the work of the Lord. Whenever a person chooses to devote himself more fully to the Lord, the Kingdom is strengthened, but whenever a person chooses to compromise, the whole congregation is effected.

The solution is simple. We cannot stand before our enemies until we remove the accursed things. If we want to have success in our walk, and service to the Lord, we must get the things out of our lives that do not belong. These things come out through confession and repentance.

Pastor Jim

Leviticus 27:14
“And when a man dedicates his house to be holy to the Lord, then the priest shall set a value for it, whether it is good or bad; as the priest values it, so it shall stand.”

According to Webster’s dictionary, the word ‘dedicate’ means, “to devote to worship or to set apart for sacred use.” As Leviticus comes to a close, Moses instructs the people to dedicate their homes to the Lord. Since the family is the foundation of society, the key to Israel’s future success was in each and every household dedicated themselves to the Lord.

A few years back some friends of mine purchased a new home. Before the foundation was laid, they went to the site and buried scripture verses in the ground. That is a beautiful picture of what it means to dedicate our homes to the Lord. We want to build upon the foundation of the Word, but we cannot stop with symbolism. If our homes are truly going to be devoted to God, we must ensure that they are a place where, in every way, God is honored. For this to happen, we might need to do some house cleaning and remodeling.

Take a moment to examine the contents of your home. I am not talking about the furnishings or what is in the pantry. Instead, think about the things are being allowed in the home. Imagine if, like Mary and Martha, Jesus was coming to your home with His twelve Apostles. What would you change right now? Are there cupboards that need to be cleaned out of things that have no business being in the home. Are there attitudes toward one another that would cause you to die of embarrassment if they were exposed in His presence? Jesus might not be on His way over for a physical visit, but keep in mind, everything is “open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:13).

Christianity should never be reduced to what we don’t do. When we stand before Christ, we will not be examined for what we did not do, but for what we accomplished. Look at your home, is it time for an addition or two? What are you doing to ensure your kids are being trained up in the ways of the Lord? What are you doing to be a light to your neighbors? In what way are you seeking to make your spouse the most loved and respected spouse on the planet?

I think it is time we dedicate ourselves and our homes completely to the Lord and watch to see what great things God will do through it.

Pastor Jim