HALLELUJAH!! PRAISE GOD! PRAISE GOD! BEHOLD HOW GOOD AND PLEASANT IT IS WHEN BRETHREN DWELLS TOGETHER!! OH YES! THE LORD REJOICES WHEN WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS THE BODY OF CHRIST! TO PRAY, FELLOWSHIP, WORSHIP TOGETHER AND SERVE EACH OTHER WITH THE LOVE OF CHRIST! I TRULY PRAY YOU ENJOYED YOUR WEEK! LET US CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER WITH THE WORD OF GOD IN JESUS NAME.
JOSHUA 7:13
“Get up! Command the people to purify themselves to preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you” (NLT)
Have you ever heard the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind”? It means that a person stops thinking about someone, or something, if he or she doesn’t see that person or thing for a period of time. However, it still exist, but in a hidden place out of our sight. This is the way “Hidden Sin” can be in a believer, “Out of sight, out of mind”- until God uses someone or something to cause us to feel convicted. A short testimony: During Sunday school at my former church, the topic was about unforgiveness. As the lesson was taught, I started to ask God, is there unforgiveness hidden in my heart. People of God! I felt so sure there wasn’t, with peace in my heart. Before the day was over however, the Lord started to speak. After the service, I began to drive to my parents for dinner that beautiful Sunday evening. As I closely approached the house, I recognized a vehicle in the drive way that I wasn’t expecting. I immediately made a U-turn and waited for the individual visiting to leave. Instantly, I felt the strong conviction from the Lord, and He said, “Have you truly forgiven?”. My GOD!! I sat in my vehicle in shock!! The conviction was very strong, that I said in my heart, “Lord, I must go and face this person, it hurts but I must go”. I started my vehicle, turned around and head towards the house, but the vehicle was gone. The guilt I continued to feel made me pick up my phone and call the individual, to share what was on my heart. That night I was in tears before the Lord, asking him to remove the “HIDDEN SINS” that I am not aware of, or aware, but choose not bring it to the surface so the issue could be addressed.
Each day we can wake up praying, worshipping and going about our daily routines, not knowing the “HIDDEN SIN” that God has waiting for us to acknowledge and confess to him. Many of us can testify of being personally hurt, and thinking about it brings back more hurt, bad feelings, or negative thoughts. When I personally saw that person’s vehicle in my parents drive way, I had a flash back of the past hurt. My natural response was to ran away (Out of sight, out of mind) and not face the giant (unforgiveness) that was hindering my personal walk with God. However, the Lord wants to take us to a place where we can say, HIDDEN SIN, get out of my life!! HIDDEN SIN you will no longer live in my heart!! The Psalmist David said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). God, the craftsman of our nature, sees all the messy things in our lives that cause us to struggle. Even the hidden things we think are not a sin, but continue to push it under a rug- out of sight, out of mind! These are things that we may have not shared with anyone, but only God knows. It can be something we have shared with the Lord, but have a hard time releasing it from our heart. The roots of that hurt then start to become deeply embedded in a hidden state. As true believers in Christ, this is a dangerous place to be. “HIDDEN SIN” is a barrier to truly experiencing God’s power, favor and blessings. It interferes with our relationship, stifles our growth, and can negatively impact our interaction and relationships with others.
In this life, we will face struggles that are hard to overcome; Removing them out of our sight can be a comfortable place to be. Paul the Apostle writes about the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, which says, “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God (NLT).
However, Jesus Christ wants us to uproot and demolish the things that will hinder our personal walk with him. He wants us to carry everything to the burning altar of prayer. After Paul explains the works of the flesh, he goes on to say, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT). My fervent prayer for all of us is that through the Holy Spirit, we produce this kind of fruit. Allowing the Lord, to wash us as we repent and turn from our wicked ways (2 chronicles 7:14). Throughout the book of Joshua, God tells him to dedicate himself to the law of the Lord, not departing from it to the right or to the left, meditating on it, and practicing its precepts (Joshua 1:6-8). However, “HIDDEN SIN” starting living in the camp. This “HIDDEN SIN” was an act of disobedience to God’s commandment. It was an act that not only affected Achan and his family, but the entire nation of Israel. Due to this act of sin, the armies of Israel were defeated and 36 soldiers were killed. (Please take time to read & understand content). However, the Lord want us to obey His word and turn away from sin. The Bible tells us, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9-11, NIV)
The coming of the Lord is near! Let us continue to be ready with clean hands and a pure heart.
Our Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
We know your return here on earth (as you promised!) is coming soon! We present ourselves to you, oh Lord, as a living sacrifice. Desiring to have a closer walk with thee. We ask, "Oh Lord, that you will forgive us of our sins." Examine our hearts and see if there is any "HIDDEN SIN" that is causing a hindrance in our relationship with you. We ask you, as David said to you when He sinned,
"Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me"(Psalm 51:5-11).
Lord, we thank you that you do not despise a contrite heart and broken spirit. We humble ourselves before you, our King! You are Holy and desire for us to be holy for you are Holy. Lord, we surrender all to you today! Let the words of our mouth and mediation of our heart be acceptable in thy sight!
Lord, we ask that you will fill us with a hunger and thirst for more of you and less of us. Let us be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in its season! As we study your word, cleanse us, and let it fall on good ground. Keep us in the palm of your hands, for we know the enemy desire to sift us like wheat, but we thank you for your saving Grace! Let us never take your grace and mercies for granted, but walk circumspectly before you in the mighty name of Jesus🙏🏽AMEN
Joshua 8:30-31
"Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on mount Ebal. He followed the commands that Moses the Lord's servant had written in the Book of instruction: "Make me an altar from stones that are uncut and have not been shaped with iron tools. Then on the altar they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord" (NLT).
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