Devotional Guide
For the week of August 10, 2003
No Heaven Without Holiness
How to get stuck in the Spirit
To Read: Psalm 124-126
To Know:
But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things; for
Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah,
took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the Lord burned against
the people of Israel. (Josh.7: 1)
Since January 1st we have been systematically reading through the Bible. For
some it is the first time. For others it is not. For all of us it is a
reminder of the Lord's will. In Joshua, chapter 8, we are taught that the
Christian walk stalls at the point at which we will not obey. God puts
himself first in our lives. When we put him behind, trouble follows. When
Israel was commanded to conquer the Promised Land, the first city was to be
incinerated and none of the tribute taken. The first city belonged entirely
to God. It was to be devoted to him. Shouts of joy brought down mighty
Jericho, but puny Ai proved unconquerable. The explanation was Israel's
disobedience.
Each time we read through the Bible, the Lord shows us places in our lives
that require repentance. Repentance is a turning back from the wrong way and
onto the way that our Lord himself walked. The world scoffs at repentance as
a bad self-image. Repentance is not merely being down on ourselves.
Repentance is a way of life. It is a perpetual turning back to the right
way. When Israel repented by restoring to the Lord the treasures stolen in
Jericho, the Israelites proceeded to conquer Ai and the land God had
promised to them.
To Do:
Are you stuck spiritually? Is there some matter of obedience in your life
with which you will not deal? Is there a relationship or a behavior that
hinders your moving on in Christ? Like the Israelites at Ai, there is no
maturing in the faith until that matter of disobedience is faced.
To Ask:
Father, my desire is to please you. I would grow in grace as you have
commanded. Show me those things that hinder my walk of faith.
08133$-08133
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