The end of our faith- SALVATION

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your FAITH, being much more precious than of gold

From yesterday-

'We can look at our lives and the pain whether emotional, mental, or physical - or a combination of any or all of those- and we can know that the pain is from the FIRE TRYING OUR FAITH.

We might call our trials by many names- abuse, fear, hate, depression - there are soooo many names our trials have and everyone of them is made of spiritual FIRE.'

1 Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold THAT PERISHETH, THOUGH IT BE TRIED WITH FIRE

Gold perishes.  People love to think things like gold and precious jewels and such last forever but the truth is they can perish.

You can accumulate storehouses of gold and it can still perish.

All that gold, in fact, all the gold in the world means nothing when measured against the 'TRIAL of our FAITH'.

Our trial of faith is more precious than gold. That means all the pain, all the grief, all the heartache, all the abuse, all the torture of living in this world ruled by Satan is more precious than gold. Every single trial you are called to endure is more precious than gold IF it's the trial of your faith.

I say 'if' because there are those who have no faith. There are those who do not believe in God at all, let alone His Only Son Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR.   Those people suffer too without any faith at all, and Satan loves to use that as an excuse to have everyone believe there is no God. Seriously. Satan loves when people do not believe in God and by lumping us all in the same boat, he succeeds in doing so for so many people. They see no differentiation in those who believe and those who don't so they jump to the conclusion that there is no God rather than there is a God because believing God calls for sacrificing self and people hate the idea of having to sacrifice themselves- their pleasures, their desires, their wants.  When called to choose to believe in the road that leads to self-sacrifice or the one that leads to self-indulgence people more often than not choose to believe in the one that allows them to indulge self.

Whether people believe in God or not, they suffer life's tragedies but this is NO WAY negates the TRIALS of a person who has FAITH in God, who believes in God. 

The trials those who do not believe in God can sometimes lead them to God. When that isn't the case and people go further from God through their trials it is very tragic. When a person who has faith is confronted with a trial it truly is more precious than gold because it will STRENGTHEN their faith if they allow it through their belief.

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

The 'end of our faith' can ONLY be our faith steadfast, our faith strong, our faith fully realized all by the Glory of GOD through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

Nothing is more precious than SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST, nothing! So is it any wonder that the trials of our faith- though it be tried with fire- is more precious than gold?

All by the GRACE and MERCY of our SAVIOR! All in HIS LOVE!

More precious than gold- the trial of your faith

More precious than gold.

What is more precious than gold?  Not faith, but the TRIAL of your faith.

The TRIAL of your faith.

We just recently read about the various trials of faith that people in the Bible have been called to go through. It's easy to read about others going through their trials and being triumphant, but it's not so easy experiencing trials yourself.  No, you might not be experiencing trials like those we've read but if you are a Christian, if you are following Christ, if you are, by faith, believing in God the Father and God the Son, as well as God the Holy Spirit then you will have that FAITH TRIED.

You can't escape the trying of your faith.

You shouldn't want to escape the trying of your faith.

Yes, it will be PAINFUL, it will be HORRIBLE, it will most likely be the WORST thing you've ever had to experience in your life, but in the end if you hold fast to that faith it will be MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD.


1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God THROUGH FAITH unto SALVATION ready to be revealed in the last time.

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your FAITH, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the END OF YOUR FAITH, even the salvation of your souls.

Tried with fire.

Can you imagine how horrific it would be to be burned to death?  I've burned myself before- little burns that have hurt tremendously. I've had sunburns that have caused me incredible pain. Yet I cannot imagine being burned worse. I've seen my sister burned worse and it's terrible! I've seen the results burns leave on people, so awful. I know that they put the severely burned into medically induced comas because the pain is just so horrific.  Fire burns and bring pain, a lot of pain.

We can look at our lives and the pain whether emotional, mental, or physical - or a combination of any or all of those- and we can know that the pain is from the FIRE TRYING OUR FAITH.

We might call our trials by many names- abuse, fear, hate, depression - there are soooo many names our trials have and everyone of them is made of spiritual FIRE.

More tomorrow by the grace of God!

In HIS LOVE!

Suffer According to the Will of God

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, DO NOT BE ASTONISHED
at the FIERY TRIAL which is to TRY YOU
AS THOUGH A STRANGE THING HAPPENED TO YOU.

1Pe 4:13  but rejoice according as you are PARTAKERS OF CHRIST'S SUFFERING
so that when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Pe 4:14  If you are reviled for the name of Christ,
you are blessed,
 because the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you.
Truly according to them, He is blasphemed, but according to you He is glorified.

1Pe 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or a meddler in the affairs of others.

1Pe 4:16  BUT IF ONE SUFFERS AS A CHRISTIAN, LET HIM NOT BE ASHAMED BUT LET HIM GLORIFY GOD BECAUSE OF THIS.

1Pe 4:17  For the time has come for the judgment to begin from the house of God. And if it first begins from us, what will be the end of those disobeying the gospel of God?

1Pe 4:18  And if the RIGHTEOUS ONE IS SCARCELY SAVED, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

1Pe 4:19  Therefore let those who  SUFFER ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD COMMIT THEIR SOULS IN WELL-DOING, AS TO A FAITHFUL CREATOR.

 *******

1Pe 3:17  For it is better, if the will of God wills it, to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.

2Ti 1:12  For this cause I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard My deposit unto that Day.

*******

1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.  (KJV)

1Pe 4:19  If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right.  (CEV - Contemporary English Version)

Suffering according to the will of GOD.

Suffering for OBEYING GOD.

Faith in our ever faithful CREATOR.

For some reason when you think about suffering for obeying, or if you' d rather- suffering according to the will of God, you automatically think there is something wrong with that verse. 

Don't deny it.

We've been duped by so many false teachers to believe that God should NOT let us suffer because letting us suffer means He wants us to suffer and our God wouldn't be a God of love if He wanted us to suffer-especially for obeying His will.

DUPED.
HOODWINKED.
FOOLED.
TRICKED.
DECEIVED.

It's wrong to suffer.
So if you suffer then something is wrong with the way you believe, something is wrong with the situation.

We've been LIED to!

Suffering for obeying God's will is a BIBLICAL TRUTH!

And if you think that only means suffering if you are being persecuted by those who aren't Christians, think again. Some of the worst suffering will come from fellow believers.

Jesus suffered at the hands of His own religious leaders, those who were a part of His faith.

Today we make the great distinction been Jews and Christians but there were NO CHRISTIANS when Christ was put to death!  Christ HIMSELF was a JEW. He was betrayed and crucified by those of His own religious teachings. He grew up going to the synagogue. People knew Him as a son of Joseph who was an Israelite.

People began to follow Christ's teachings fully after His death and they became known as Christians.  But Christ SUFFERED right up to DEATH by those who were God's chosen people.  People He'd led as God with God before He took on flesh and became the Son of God. He knew these chosen people, He'd chosen them with GOD the FATHER.

So if we get it in our heads that to suffer persecution only comes from those of another faith we are tragically allowing ourselves to be deceived.

Persecution can come from anyone at anytime if you are obeying God's will.

Satan does NOT want us to obey God's will.  Satan hates when we obey God's will. We will be spiritually attack in brutal ways if we choose to obey God's will.

So do NOT for one moment believe that because you believe in God that you are going to be spared suffering, quite the opposite.

If you CHOOSE to obey God's will then you are choosing to suffer.

We will suffer here and now, over and over and over again, but there will be a great reward, we are promised salvation in CHRIST, forever living in God's will in a place where only God's will is done always and forever!

God's will.

God's way.

God's commands.

We can learn of them as we study God's word, we must learn of them as we study God's will. 

HIS WILL BE DONE ALWAYS!


Bless us God as we seek to obey Your will, to do Your will in all things!  Help us to understand the suffering will be worth it in the end when we are reunited with You forever!

Faith in Suffering

Heb 11:32  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

Heb 11:33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Heb 11:35  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

Heb 11:36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

Heb 11:37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

Heb 11:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.



FAITH!



Subdued kingdoms.

Wrought righteousness.

Obtained promises.

Stopped the mouths of lions.

Quenched the violence of fire.

Escaped the edge of the sword.

Our of weakness were made strong.

Waxed valiant in fight.

Turned to the flight the armies of the aliens.

Dead raised to life again.

Torture.

NOT ACCEPTING DELIVERANCE THAT THEY MIGHT OBTAIN A BETTER RESURRECTION.

Trials of cruel mockings.

Scourgings.

Bonds and imprisonment.

Stoned.

Sawn asunder.

Tempted.

Slain with the sword.

Wandered in sheepskins and goatskins.

Being destitute.

Afflicted.

Tormented.

Wandered in deserts.

Wandered in mountains.

Wandered in dens and caves of the earth.





READ THAT LIST AGAIN it is what those with FAITH can and have to do and endure.



It's all well and good to subdue kingdoms, do righteousness, receive promises, stop the mouths of lions, quench fire, escape the sword, their weakness was made strong, they were valiant in fight, turn armies to flight, had the dead raised to life…but then we read these things that those with faith were called to endure…torture, cruel mockings, scourgings, bonds, imprisonment, stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, slain with the sword, wandered in animal clothing, destitution, affliction, tormented, wandered in deserts, mountains, dens and caves of the earth; and you know what that doesn't sound all well and good at all to us.



We just DO NOT believe that God could be OUR GOD and let us suffer.  Why we don't believe it I don't know. The BIBLE is filled with the suffering of God's people. 



But we REFUSE to believe God will let us suffer. We would rather believe that God would have us do anything to get away from suffering, but that's NOT TRUE! There were MANY people of FAITH who did NOT deny God in order to be spared suffering that we don't even want to imagine. They DID not say that God would understand their doing anything and everything to keep from suffering.  If they had said that they would NOT be people of FAITH. How can I be so sure?  This is how…



JESUS SUFFERED!



Mar 14:32  And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

Mar 14:33  And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

Mar 14:34  And saith unto them, My soul is EXCEEDING SORROWFUL UNTO DEATH: tarry ye here, and watch.

Mar 14:35  And he went forward a little, and FELL ON THE GROUND, and prayed that, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE  THE HOUR MIGHT PASS FROM HIM.

Mar 14:36  And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; TAKE AWAY THIS CUP FROM ME: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.





Luk 22:41  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and KNEELED DOWN AND PRAYED,

Luk 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, REMOVE THIS CUP FROM ME: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Luk 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

Luk 22:44  And BEING IN AN AGONY he prayed more earnestly: and HIS SWEAT WAS AS IT WERE GREAT DROPS OF BLOOD falling down to the ground.





Mat 27:35  And they CRUCIFIED HIM, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Mat 27:36  And sitting down they watched him there;

Mat 27:37  And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Mat 27:38  Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

Mat 27:39  And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

Mat 27:40  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Mat 27:41  Likewise also the chief priests MOCKING HIM, with the scribes and elders, said,

Mat 27:42  He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Mat 27:43  He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Mat 27:44  The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Mat 27:45  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?





GOD'S SON! 



Did HE have to take the abuse?



Mat 26:67  Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands



Mat 27:26  ...and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.



Mat 27:29  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head



Mat 27:30  And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

Mat 27:31  And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.



GOD'S SON!



I ask again… DID JESUS HAVE TO TAKE THE ABUSE?



Or



DID JESUS CHOOSE BY FAITH TO TAKE THE ABUSE?



Think about it for a few moments.



Our Savior was a man who cried.

Our Savior was a man who agonized.

Our Savior was a man who felt pain.

Our Savior was a man who suffered.



Do you think for one second that it didn't hurt Him when He was whipped, stuck in the head with huge thorns, beaten with a reed on the head, had nails driven into His flesh? Do you really think that our Savior did not feel any pain, that He could endure all that because He had a special power not to feel hurt?



Heb_4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin



JESUS KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN IN ALL ASPECTS.



When we place Jesus on a special pedestal giving Him special super human powers that make Him less than human, like we are, then we are creating a FALSE SAVIOR to worship and that is a grave sin.



When you are called to SUFFER you need to ENDURE NOT believe you are supposed to be immune to suffering in order for you to believe God is loving you and protecting you.



People have a lot of trouble believing God allows them to suffer and yet re-reading what we've read above how can we believe that to be true?



IF we are called to endure a life filled with suffering so that we may remain God's, just as our SAVIOR endured suffering and remained God's and God, then we must not faint.



We have to KNOW God's will and if it is God's will that we have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM then we better not have ANY God's before HIM!  We cannot choose to have other Gods and tell ourselves that God will understand, HE WON'T! HE CAN'T!



We cannot deliberately disobey God's MORAL laws and then expect God to understand. We are called to SUFFER because we live in a world where sin reigns and we are not to sin. 



We are called to have FAITH that NO MATTER WHAT we go through that there is a better reward waiting.



Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.



WE WILL ALL BE PERFECTED TOGETHER WHEN OUR SAVIOR COMES FOR US!



All the FAITHFUL will receive their reward together.



You might be called to any of these things--



Subdued kingdoms.

Wrought righteousness.

Obtained promises.

Stopped the mouths of lions.

Quenched the violence of fire.

Escaped the edge of the sword.

Our of weakness were made strong.

Waxed valiant in fight.

Turned to the flight the armies of the aliens.

Dead raised to life again.

Torture.

NOT ACCEPTING DELIVERENCE THAT THEY MIGHT OBTAIN A BETTER RESSURECTION.

Trials of cruel mockings.

Scourgings.

Bonds and imprisonment.

Stoned.

Sawn asunder.

Tempted.

Slain with the sword.

Wandered in sheepskins and goatskins.

Being destitute.

Afflicted.

Tormented.

Wandered in deserts.

Wandered in mountains.

Wandered in dens and caves of the earth.



And through IT ALL whatever form your suffering takes you have to remember this always--



DO NOT ACCEPT DELIVERANCE SO THAT YOU MIGHT OBTAIN A BETTER RESURRECTION, just like those in times past.  CHOOSE TO SUFFER IN RIGHTEOUSNESS rather then be delivered from the suffering and only be resurrected to eternal death.



Please LORD help us to CHOOSE LIFE over death even if it means we suffered horrifically, let us NEVER forsake YOU or YOUR ways!  Help  us! IN YOUR LOVE keep us, save us!



All by YOUR GRACE and MERCY!



IN YOU!

The Faith of the Harlot Rahab

Heb 11:31  By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Yesterday we studied a bit on the fall of the wall of Jericho.  Prior to that fall the people of God sent two men to spy out the land of Jericho. Those spies were on the verge of being caught and the harlot Rahab hid them so they wouldn't be found. She talked with them and asked them to remember what she'd done and spare her family when they took over the city. She BELIEVED the city would be taken over. Read this--

Jos 2:9  And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

I KNOW that the LORD hath ...

Jos 2:10  For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

We have HEARD how the LORD…

Jos 2:11  And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

OUR HEARTS DID MELT…

HE IS GOD IN HEAVEN ABOVE and IN EARTH BENEATH.

Jos 2:12  Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:
Jos 2:13  And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
Jos 2:14  And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

She believed! She believed in God having never learned of Him as the children of God had been taught of Him. She had FAITH in God just by HEARING the things He'd done. She hadn't any direct contact with God.  Brought into her life these two men of God could have easily been betrayed by her. She could have feared those in her land more than the God she'd never really knew or worshipped. She misled those inquiring after the two men. She hid those men. She risked her own wellbeing and the wellbeing of her family because she FEARED the ONE TRUE GOD more than she feared the others.  She BELIEVED God would have His way and the city of Jericho would fall to the children of God because it was HIS WILL.  She believed and she was SAVED because of her belief!

The Faith of Rahab- a harlot.

And I say that because God's word says that.

'By faith the harlot Rahab…'

The harlot Rahab.

The harlot.

Websters Definition-A woman who prostitutes her body for hire; a prostitute; a common woman.

Truly one who was a blatant sinner, and yet one that God used, one who allowed herself to be used by God for HIS WILL. 

We all are blatant sinners. A prostitute's sin might be right out there in your face, while another's sin might be a secret sin- but ALL our secret sins are blatant to our GOD, He sees them all! We can hide nothing from God, not a single sin is hidden from Him. You might think you are hiding things from God, you might think you are convincing God your sin isn't really all that bad, but HE knows…He knows.

Whether a prostitute or not, we are all classified as sinners.

We all must live by FAITH in GOD our CREATOR, our REDEEMER, we MUST have faith in HIM. He is, He was, and He will always be.

Saved by FAITH because they LIVE by FAITH.

By the grace of God we WILL live by FAITH and be SAVED by FAITH, all by HIM and HIS LOVE.

May we have the FAITH of Rahab, a living faith, a saving faith.

In the LOVE of GOD always!

By Faith the Wall Fell

Heb 11:30  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

Jos 6:3  And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
Jos 6:4  And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

Jos 6:5  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

Jos 6:6  And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:7  And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

Jos 6:8  And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
Jos 6:9  And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

Jos 6:10  And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

Jos 6:11  So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
Jos 6:12  And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:13  And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

Jos 6:14  And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

Jos 6:15  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
Jos 6:16  And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
Jos 6:17  And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Jos 6:18  And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Jos 6:19  But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

Jos 6:20  So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

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Today we'd say this was stuff of fiction. People include this sort of stuff in their fictional movies that include a supernatural element. We watch those sorts of shows and note the 'special effects', knowing some are accomplished much more realistically than others. We can appreciate really good special effects that make something seem almost real within the story being portrayed. Bad special effects just leave us shaking our heads wishing for a better quality movie.

This was NOT a special effect along the lines of fiction. There were no camera men using tricks of their trade to manipulate the filming in order to make something seem realistic.  This REALLY happened.

The city of Jericho is under siege. 
Within the city are the BAD guys.
Without the city are the GOOD guys.
Within the city are those who do NOT believe in GOD.
Without the city are GOD'S PEOPLE.

After God's people were given their freedom from the Egyptians, Moses led them through the wilderness and after forty years Joshua led them through the lands becoming conquerors of the land promised to them.  Jericho was a part of the land promised to God's people.

Do you imagine for a single moment that Joshua would have acted on the commands of God if he didn't have FAITH in God to perform what He said He would? Seriously, you DO NOT generally do something someone tells you to do without believing what they are saying is true, without having that faith in their word.

If someone told you to go to the edge of a cliff and jump off it, that you'd really be okay, would you believe them?  Automatically you want to say NO WAY, I'm NOT jumping off a cliff for anyone!  I might believe that a person loves me, but asking me to jump off a cliff well that's just plain crazy.  So how do you keep believing in someone if you do not believe them in all things? How can you trust in some ways but NOT others?  Is it a real faith when you condition your believing upon doing only the things you desire to do? Seriously. There may have been a huge safety net filled with the softest padding ever just over that cliff but rather than believe that the person you say you have faith in would NEVER ask you to do something that would harm you, you decided NOT to believe in that person anymore.

You might quickly counter that with God asking people to go suffer through afflictions even unto death as many have and do, but the REASON those people choose to suffer is because they know the reward is so much greater than anything they suffer here and now.  They believed and believe that somehow ALL things would work together for good because they DO LOVE GOD. They have the necessary FAITH in God, a FAITH that believes and acts on that belief regardless of ALL circumstances! They don't jump in with- well just this one time I won't do what I know I should do, God will understand. They DO what they know they should do and KNOW God will reward them accordingly.  Their faith is allowed to GROW when they build upon it, and vice versa. A person's faith is allowed to fade away when they continuously choose NOT to live by it.

Joshua was given commands by the LORD and He relayed those commands to the people of God. The people of God FOLLOWED those commands.

Just imagine- you are told that you are going to march around a city every day in complete silence other than trumpets sounding and you are going to do this for six days.  Then on the seventh day you are going to march around a city seven times and then shout. After doing all that, following all those commands the WALLS to the city you've been marching around would FALL down allowing you to enter and take over the city. 

Who in their right mind would ever believe such a plan?

Joshua did.
The people of God following Joshua did.

They believed in GOD and though what was being asked of them seemed strange, they believed God would do as He said He would. The walls would fall down without any bombardment, without any attack on the walls themselves, they would simply fall down of their own accord. Of course it wouldn't truly be  by their own accord, God's invisible means would bring it all to pass.

What do you suppose would have happened if Joshua didn't believe?  He most certainly wouldn't have
marched around the city for six days not even once a day what would be the point? 
Joshua had to have had faith in God for God's plan to work. 

We need faith in God of we want God's plan for us to work.  Without faith that plan won't work and it will not be God's fault, it will be OUR fault!  We must LIVE by FAITH! That doesn't mean believing in God only when it suits our needs, our desires, our plans.  It means believing ALWAYS even when everything inside of us is telling us not to believe, that'd we'd be crazy to believe- THIS IS FAITH.

Do we believe? Do we have faith? 

BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE CAN HAVE FAITH!

We NEED FAITH.

Rev_14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The FAITH OF JESUS!

Please LORD all through YOU!

In YOUR AMAZING LOVE!

The Faith of Moses

Heb 11:23  By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Heb 11:28  Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Heb 11:29  By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

By FAITH Moses was HID for three months by his parents.
By FAITH Moses when we was matured REFUSED to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
Moses CHOSE to SUFFER AFFLICTION with the people of GOD rather than ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF SIN FOR A SEASON.
Moses ESTEEMED the reproach of CHRIST GREATER RICHES than the TREASURES in EGYPT, because he knew the reward was ETERNAL LIFE.
By FAITH Moses left Egypt NOT fearing the anger of the king.
By FAITH Moses endured- because HE believed in the INVISIBLE GOD!
Through FAITH Moses kept the passover-the sprinkling of blood- so that the firstborn of His people would not die.
By FAITH Moses walked through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, yet the Egyptians drowned!

By FAITH!

Before Moses ever spoke with God, He, by FAITH chose God over living a life of pure luxury.

Sure we've seen movies and read books and so on all about the main character getting fed up with their superficial life of luxury and forsaking it, but it's so incredibly rare all we truly believe is only fictional people do something like that. Moses was NOT fictional. Moses was as real as you and I are. Moses chose GOD over everything else all by FAITH. He hadn't been given any special visitations by angels to convince him to do the will of God. He wasn't given anything tangible at all whatsoever to prove to him that the Egyptian ways were wrong.  Usually when a person is raised by a certain culture they grow up to accept that culture fully.  Moses didn't do that.  Moses realized he wasn't a 'natural born' Egyptian. And then Moses saw those people that He'd come from and knew that he was originally of them. He didn't thank all the Egyptian gods that He'd been fortunate enough to escape the fate of all his people. He felt the heavy weight of wrongness in the Egyptian way.  He CHOSE to give up all the luxuries KNOWING it would displease the leader of the Egyptians, knowing he would feel the wrath of that man who had the backing of every single Egyptian.   So not only was he choosing to deprive himself of a life of ease- he was incurring the anger of the most powerful man in all of Egypt.

TALK ABOUT FAITH!

We know so little about true faith, don't we? I mean come on. Look at our lives. We are constantly screaming for proof, screaming for a reason to really believe beyond faith. We allow our doubts to reign in us day after day after day not fully believing in God who LOVES us more than we can ever imagine. 

God Loves us so incredibly much.

We MUST believe! We MUST have faith!

The faith of MOSES is amazing!

He LIVED BY FAITH.

HE knew that the SAVIOR was HIS SAVIOR. He knew the TRUTH of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. He believed in all that gives us HOPE.

By the GRACE of GOD may we too have this faith that MOSES had! 

PLEASE Lord HELP US! Help us comprehend our NEED for a real FAITH, that YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE, OUR GOD, OUR CREATOR, OUR KING, OUR SAVIOR!

Please.

Thank you, Lord, all by YOUR LOVE AND GRACE.