Choose You This Day

Joshua 24:15

Joshua was the first general of the armies of Israel. He was also the successor to Moses as leader over the nation upon their entrance into the Promised Land. The book that bears his name is the story of Israel’s journeys under this great man and its last chapter is his final charge to the people preceding his death.

Joshua’s speech to Israel not only recounts their journey from Egypt into Canaan, but it also ministers of God’s grace. “And I have given you a land for which ye did not labor, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and olive yards which ye planted not do ye eat” (Joshua 24:13). No work went into the cities that they were living in or the food that they were eating, thus these blessings were a result of God’s grace. It is glorious how Joshua, though under the law, takes opportunity to minister to God’s people concerning His abundant grace and favor.

This speech contains one of the greatest proclamations of choice that is recorded in the Word. Joshua has just challenged the people to put away the strange gods which had come from Egypt and to serve the LORD. He lays in front of them the choice as to whom they will serve, “whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell” (Joshua 24:15). Then he declares his own intent, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”.

Note the King James usage of “LORD” in this verse, showing us that the original Hebrew word here is “Yahweh” or “Covenant Lord”. Joshua is declaring that he and his house choose to trust the God of covenant. When you appeal to the God of Covenant, you are holding God to his end of the deal so to speak. As New Covenant saints, when we appeal to Covenant, we are appealing to Christ’s finished work on the cross. What Jesus paid for, we are recipients of, and we should always appeal backwards to the cross to rest in what is rightfully ours by His blood.

Joshua not only declares that he will serve the LORD, but that his house will serve the LORD as well. As the priest of his home he has declared that his entire household will follow after the covenant that God has made and they will trust God to keep that covenant. Men should take this as an example from the great Joshua. Take the lead in your home and steer your family towards the things of God. Be the husband to your wife as Christ is to His church, loving her passionately and speaking sweetness to her, and father your children as the Father loves His Prodigal Son, with open arms and forgiveness of heart. When you lead in this way, you will not have to wonder if there is anyone following, for the household will gladly go after the man who is going after the LORD.

Never forget to open the challenge for following the Lord with as much grace as possible. There is no such thing as “too much grace”, though some will try to dissuade you from referring to this wonderful gift for fear that it will bring a license to sin. Where sin is great, grace is greater and if we can agree that sin is rampant in this world, we should agree that grace is needed now more than ever!

What Kind of House are you Building?

1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Jesus Christ and His finished work at Calvary are the foundation upon which all of the New Covenant is built. A wise master builder would never dare build a house without a firm foundation, and Paul considered himself such a wise man, “according to the grace of God” (1 Corinthians 3:10). Thus, Paul built his doctrine of the New Covenant on Jesus Christ (3:11).

You and I are building upon the Apostle Paul’s original work in our own lives. Some build using gold, silver and precious stones, while others build using wood, hay and stubble (3:12). Obviously, to build using gold, silver and precious stones, one must take special care and invest heavily in the outcome, while constructing with wood, hay and stubble takes far less attention and investment.

The metaphor of the houses being built does not insinuate that some are more saved than others or that some are building houses in Christianity and are not saved at all. In the New Testament, salvation is always characterized as a free gift, thus there is no way to earn what Jesus paid for. However, the redeemed receive rewards for their labor in the Lord. The reward is not greater righteousness or more justification, for these are complete and cannot be added to. Instead, the rewards are yet to come, and are waiting for us in eternity (Matthew 16:7; 2 Timothy 4:8)

What we do with Jesus and His finished work while here on this earth help determine what kind of house that we are building. Put more plainly, some Christians do next to nothing with the righteousness that they have, hardly even functioning in God’s grace as a victor or a conqueror. They are saved, for their foundation is Jesus Christ, but their spiritual house is weak and shapeless. Other believers have invested in the kingdom of God in many different ways and they are a shining example of faith and victory. These bring great glory to the Father, not because they are better people, or “more saved”, but because they make the temple of God appear beautiful before the world.

Paul says that all of our works will be tested and burned. If they are of the first variety, they will last, for they are built with Christ’s glory. If they be of wood, hay and stubble, they “shall be burned” (I Corinthians 3:15), but the individual themselves will not be. There is no hell to fear for the saint for “he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (verse 15).

What kind of house are you building for the kingdom of God? Only you know for sure, and only you can change it. If you are bringing honor and glory to the Lord Jesus through your life then there is gold shining in your temple. If you are causing people to see you and not Jesus, or are obscuring His perfection in some way, then you are still saved, just living in a temple of stubble. Shine today as a reflection of His glory, for He is your foundation.

The Potter's House

Jeremiah 18:1-4

God used an object lesson, or an illustrated sermon of sorts to teach the prophet Jeremiah an important lesson about His nature. He sent him to a local potter’s house to watch the potter work on the wheels. The lesson regards Israel as a nation; and no matter how bad that they had become through sin and disobedience, God could make them a new vessel again.

It is not in the nature of God to simply destroy and start over. If God were destructive, He would have wiped Adam and Eve off of the earth and started fresh. Even the destruction of the earth and the inhabitants thereof in the time of Noah was done to keep the seed pure for the coming Messiah, not for the judgment of sins. God’s default position in dealing with man has always been, and always will be, mercy.

When the potter works with clay to form a lovely finished product, he must observe a few important rules. First, choosing good, pliable clay is a must. The product with which he is working has a large role to play in the final vessel. In us, God has placed His very breath, so when He deals with humanity, He has chosen clay that has the qualities of God already inside. He will not save the world through angels or animals, but only through us. What an honor!

The potter must also have a ready supply of water on hand as he makes the clay moist and usable. This water is the water of the Word, which Jesus uses to wash His church (Ephesians 5:26). Jesus said that we are made clean by His Words (John 15:3). When He speaks to us, He speaks words of beauty and love, washing the dross and filth off of us so that we are usable.

It is also important that the clay remain in the center of the wheel. As the potter spins the wheel, the clay may have a tendency to lean to one side or the other. The further from the center that they clay is, the more difficult that it is to create a vessel without any flaws. The very center of God’s WILL is the center of the Potter’s WHEEL. The essence of Christianity is wrapped up in this knowledge, which Jesus said is life eternal, “that they may know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent” (John 17:4).

If an imperfection is to arise in the clay, causing it to become marred and unusable, the potter can simply remove it and toss it aside. The potter that Jeremiah watches has such an imperfection arise, but instead of tossing the clay out, he “made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it” (Jeremiah 18:4). When you and I are marred and imperfect in our actions and our lifestyle, the Father does not toss us out but rather He continues to fashion us into who He wants us to be. When God chose you, He predestined you “to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). He is fashioning you to look like Jesus!

Do you see problem areas in your life? Are there things that appear to be imperfections in your spirit man? Do not fear, your Father is a great Potter, and He has a finished product in mind. Be still, know that He is God, and you will be “meet for the master’s use” (2 Timothy 2:21).

Choose You This Day

Joshua 24:15

Joshua was the first general of the armies of Israel. He was also the successor to Moses as leader over the nation upon their entrance into the Promised Land. The book that bears his name is the story of Israel’s journeys under this great man and its last chapter is his final charge to the people preceding his death.

Joshua’s speech to Israel not only recounts their journey from Egypt into Canaan, but it also ministers of God’s grace. “And I have given you a land for which ye did not labor, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and olive yards which ye planted not do ye eat” (Joshua 24:13). No work went into the cities that they were living in or the food that they were eating, thus these blessings were a result of God’s grace. It is glorious how Joshua, though under the law, takes opportunity to minister to God’s people concerning His abundant grace and favor.

This speech contains one of the greatest proclamations of choice that is recorded in the Word. Joshua has just challenged the people to put away the strange gods which had come from Egypt and to serve the LORD. He lays in front of them the choice as to whom they will serve, “whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell” (Joshua 24:15). Then he declares his own intent, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”.

Note the King James usage of “LORD” in this verse, showing us that the original Hebrew word here is “Yahweh” or “Covenant Lord”. Joshua is declaring that he and his house choose to trust the God of covenant. When you appeal to the God of Covenant, you are holding God to his end of the deal so to speak. As New Covenant saints, when we appeal to Covenant, we are appealing to Christ’s finished work on the cross. What Jesus paid for, we are recipients of, and we should always appeal backwards to the cross to rest in what is rightfully ours by His blood.

Joshua not only declares that he will serve the LORD, but that his house will serve the LORD as well. As the priest of his home he has declared that his entire household will follow after the covenant that God has made and they will trust God to keep that covenant. Men should take this as an example from the great Joshua. Take the lead in your home and steer your family towards the things of God. Be the husband to your wife as Christ is to His church, loving her passionately and speaking sweetness to her, and father your children as the Father loves His Prodigal Son, with open arms and forgiveness of heart. When you lead in this way, you will not have to wonder if there is anyone following, for the household will gladly go after the man who is going after the LORD.

Never forget to open the challenge for following the Lord with as much grace as possible. There is no such thing as “too much grace”, though some will try to dissuade you from referring to this wonderful gift for fear that it will bring a license to sin. Where sin is great, grace is greater and if we can agree that sin is rampant in this world, we should agree that grace is needed now more than ever!

What Kind of House are you Building?

1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Jesus Christ and His finished work at Calvary are the foundation upon which all of the New Covenant is built. A wise master builder would never dare build a house without a firm foundation, and Paul considered himself such a wise man, “according to the grace of God” (1 Corinthians 3:10). Thus, Paul built his doctrine of the New Covenant on Jesus Christ (3:11).

You and I are building upon the Apostle Paul’s original work in our own lives. Some build using gold, silver and precious stones, while others build using wood, hay and stubble (3:12). Obviously, to build using gold, silver and precious stones, one must take special care and invest heavily in the outcome, while constructing with wood, hay and stubble takes far less attention and investment.

The metaphor of the houses being built does not insinuate that some are more saved than others or that some are building houses in Christianity and are not saved at all. In the New Testament, salvation is always characterized as a free gift, thus there is no way to earn what Jesus paid for. However, the redeemed receive rewards for their labor in the Lord. The reward is not greater righteousness or more justification, for these are complete and cannot be added to. Instead, the rewards are yet to come, and are waiting for us in eternity (Matthew 16:7; 2 Timothy 4:8)

What we do with Jesus and His finished work while here on this earth help determine what kind of house that we are building. Put more plainly, some Christians do next to nothing with the righteousness that they have, hardly even functioning in God’s grace as a victor or a conqueror. They are saved, for their foundation is Jesus Christ, but their spiritual house is weak and shapeless. Other believers have invested in the kingdom of God in many different ways and they are a shining example of faith and victory. These bring great glory to the Father, not because they are better people, or “more saved”, but because they make the temple of God appear beautiful before the world.

Paul says that all of our works will be tested and burned. If they are of the first variety, they will last, for they are built with Christ’s glory. If they be of wood, hay and stubble, they “shall be burned” (I Corinthians 3:15), but the individual themselves will not be. There is no hell to fear for the saint for “he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (verse 15).

What kind of house are you building for the kingdom of God? Only you know for sure, and only you can change it. If you are bringing honor and glory to the Lord Jesus through your life then there is gold shining in your temple. If you are causing people to see you and not Jesus, or are obscuring His perfection in some way, then you are still saved, just living in a temple of stubble. Shine today as a reflection of His glory, for He is your foundation.