TIME TO CONSECRATE OURSELVES!

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in 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.” -Joshua 7:13

Years ago, I was talking with someone who said this, “Linda, I know I’m going to Hell. What is the point of me serving God when I want to do what I want to do? If I serve God, then I can’t do what I want.” I sat there in complete silence. “I know I’m going to Hell…If I serve God, then I can’t do what I want.” What could I have said? We had already talked about heaven and hell. We had already talked about what the Bible had to say about life of sin the person was in. Yet there was that statement, “If I serve God, then I can’t do what I want.” I left the person’s house that day shaking my head. There was nothing more I could say. The person chose misery over living for God. The person chose death and destruction over eternal life. That person to this day, years later, is still locked in a life of sin, believing their sin is okay in the eyes of God.

Sin of any kind is detestable in the eyes of God. Like the Israelites, until sin is removed from our life, we will be defeated. We cannot be steeped in sin and expect God to work on our behalf to give us victory.

The Lord had given a command to Joshua just before they went in to conquer Jericho, “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury,” (Joshua 6:18-19). Achan, however, decided to disobey the command the LORD gave through Joshua. In chapter 7, the Israelites went to conquer the city of Ai and got defeated because sin was found in the camp. Achan had the things devoted for destruction including things that were to be brought into the Lord’s treasury. He hid them under his tent. His sin didn’t just affect him. The results of his sin cost the Israelites victory in conquering the city of Ai. Joshua and the elders fell on their face before God because they were defeated at the battle of Ai. That is when God said this, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction,” (Joshua 7:10-12).

What is in your camp (life, heart) that needs to be removed? When we speak about consecration to God, we are speaking about being set aside for His service. We are speaking about being made holy. We are talking about being sanctified. It is essential for us to understand God is absolute perfection. He is holy, and He says, “Be holy for I am holy.” He doesn’t command us to do the impossible. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing.  However, in Christ, we are given all we need to live holy lives for the Lord.

The Lord gave a specific command in Joshua 7:13, “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in 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.” The Israelites needed to purge their encampment of sin. They needed to go before God and purify themselves. They needed to set themselves apart for service for God. Achan’s sin affected him, the nation, and his clan. Once the sin was confessed, the sin was purged from the camp. Achan and his family paid the consequences of Achan’s sin: death. His sin brought death and destruction to his family. After Achan and his family were put to death, Joshua and the Israelites went to battle the city of Ai again and were victorious. They conquered Ai.

We would do well to learn from Achan and not hide sin that may be in our life.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness,” (1 John 1:9). When we confess our sins before God, we can trust and know He will forgive us. We can know and trust that He is Yahweh M’Kaddesh, the Lord Who Sanctifies. Though God’s mercies are new every morning and His compassion never fails, we are never, never, never to take advantage of God’s mercy and grace.

When King David had repented before God, he stated this, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me,” (Psalm 51:7-11). God doesn’t reject a broken spirit or a contrite heart that comes before Him in genuine repentance and humility. When we consecrate ourselves before God, we are coming out from amongst them. We are separating ourselves apart for His service. Before God, we must make a decision.

Will we consecrate ourselves before Him? Will we rend our hearts before Him? Will we live for Him in wholehearted devotion and in service to Him? Will we allow ourselves to be used by Him in whatever capacity He chooses? Choose you this day whom you will serve.

We are a Royal Priesthood. First Peter 2:9 states, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” Since we are a royal priesthood, we must go before God and consecrate ourselves before Him. When we consecrate ourselves before God, we empty ourselves before Him; in other words, we pour ourselves out before Him.

I cannot stress this enough: holiness and worldliness do NOT mix. You cannot be a friend of God and a friend of the world. The foundation of our lives must be built on Christ. He is the Solid Rock, and there is no other. We cannot escape from Him. He is the Fountain of Living Water. He is the Manna (Bread) of Heaven. And He is more than enough. We cannot speak about being consecrated to God without discussing holiness. When we consecrate ourselves to God, we are literally giving ourselves over to His service. We are pouring ourselves out before God just as the woman with the alabaster jar did when she broke the bottle of nard over Jesus. We consecrate ourselves to God in complete abandonment.

Linda A. Knowles

The Locust

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

Let Nothing Come Between You and God

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

Heavenly Father, You are God and You are Lord of All.  There is no one and there is nothing that compares to You for You alone are the Almighty Everlasting Father.  Above You, there is no other.  The new year, O Lord, is just around the corner.  Help me to end this year strong and to remain steadfast in the new year 2019.  Thank You for guiding me and leading me in Your way.  Father, I ask You to continue to guide me in all my ways and to direct my steps as I put my trust in You and acknowledge You in all my ways.  Apart from You, O Lord, I can do nothing.  In You, I can do all things because You are the One who gives me strength.  You are my Hope and You are my Refuge.  I cling to You, O God, for You are my Deliverer and Your words sustain me.  Father, I delight in You, and because I delight in You, I know You will grant me my heart’s desire.  Father, draw close to me as I draw close to You.  Help me to remember there is freedom in submitting to You and walking in obedience to Your will and to Your ways.  Be the Light which illumines the path I am to walk.  Show me the Ancient Path, the good way, that I may walk along the Ancient Path and find rest for my soul.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

So HE Became Their Enemy

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
DON'T GRIEVE HOLY SPIRIT
The children of GOD had rebelled against Him.  But then again, what else was new with the children of GOD?  Time and time again, GOD gave them an open invitation holding out His arms to embrace them, and what did they do? They chose over and over again to deliberately do what they knew offended GOD.  They grieved His Holy Spirit which resulted in GOD becoming their enemy and fighting against them as Isaiah 63:10 shows us.
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The LORD gave His people chance after chance to repent and turn from their wicked ways, to be restored, to have a change of mind.  Yet, they disregarded GOD, defying Him, and continued in their sins.  GOD was more than gracious, “All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people…” and how did they respond to the GOD who kept His arms open to them, the verse continues saying this, “But they follow their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes.”
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Today, most, who call themselves children of GOD, are no different.  A large number go to a place of worship, go through the motions, putting on a great show of “holiness” and pretense, lying and making themselves out to be what they are not.  The masquerade they put on looks great when in reality they are nothing but whitewashed tombs filled with dead men’s bones.  Satan doesn’t have to slip into the churches when he just has to walk through the front doors of the church because GOD is being kicked out of the churches by the “Shepherds” who no longer care for their flock and are clueless about the state of their flock.  “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs–beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity,” (Matthew 23:27).
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Political correctness has flooded the church buildings.  Holiness and GOD’s ways are not popular, and not many will preach against sin.  The problem with that is when sin is not addressed and dealt with, the issues of holiness and righteousness cannot be addressed.  GOD is not, has not, and will NEVER be politically correct.
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Unless the children of GOD humble themselves in the presence of the ALMIGHTY GOD and repent of their evil behavior and attitudes, make no mistake, Folks, “For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News,” (1 Peter 4:17).
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“Don’t be misled–you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.  Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” -Galatians 6:7-8
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“You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.’ That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.  For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.”  -Romans 11:19-21
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Are you truly GOD’s child, or are you His child only when it is convenient for you?  Is GOD truly your King, or do you treat Him like an emergency number to call only when an emergency strikes?  Do you follow GOD’s will and His laws shown in the pages of the Bible, or are you walking in rebellion doing things your way instead of doing things GOD’s way?
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Repent, because while you have breath, there is time to repent. Don’t wait until it is too late.  You only have a chance now while you are still breathing.
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“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.  Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.  ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.”
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PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You, O GOD, are in Heaven, and here I am on Earth, and I am made by Your hands.  I have sinned greatly against You and You alone.  Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within in.  Wash me clean as only You can.  Let me draw close to You once again.  Forgive me for my pretense and hypocrisy and for not living as I should before You.  Forgive me for defying Your holy and written laws.  Forgive me for being prideful before You, disobeying  You, and for violating Your commandments.  This day, I am making a choice before You that I will choose life, to follow You and Your ways.  Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and cast me not away from Your presence.  Thank You for Your grace and Your mercy, and thank You for forgiving me.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles