Monday, March 21, 2016

Searching for the Leaven



 "If we would search as carefully for the sin in our lives
as tradition searches for the leavening in our homes
we might live lives with a whole lot less sin and defeat!
-Michelle Kirkbride                
 
               

Scripture:  “Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!”  Joshua 10:14b

 

“Get rid of the old yeast [sin], so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore keep Passover, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth … you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”  I Corinthians 5:7-8, 6:11b

 

From our daily reading from yesterday and today in Joshua 7 and 10:1-15 and 1 Corinthians 5-6

 

Observation / Application:  Do you ever have a day when you feel defeated?  Joshua did what he thought was best – he got down on his face before the LORD.  What was God’s answer?  You have sinned.  This thought occurred to me this morning – repentance is more than words.  What do I mean by that?  The Lord told Joshua to get up and DO SOMETHING.  It wasn’t enough for Joshua to just say, “sorry”, but Joshua had to 1) search through Israel for the tribe and man who sinned, then 2) Joshua had to get rid of the sin and the stolen items within the camp.

 

Repentance, like faith and love, is a VERB!  Just like faith without works is dead, we must not use empty words (Ephesians 5:6) in times of repentance. 

 

If you are feeling defeated search your life before the LORD and get rid of the thing(s) that He shows you so you can have good success like He did for the Children of Israel in Joshua chapter 10.  The Creator of the Universe can use any means necessary to give you the success He desires for you, but first we must turn to Him in complete repentance and submission.  Let the Lord fight on your behalf!

 

Prayer:  Our Father in Heaven, I pray we would seek to live holy, set apart lives for You.  Father keep us quick to repent and turn away from sin when You bring it to light in our lives.  Help us to repent, not just with empty words, but by following through with our actions – turning away from those things that keep us defeated, and turning to You Lord and getting rid of any of the old leaven – the old sins – that penetrate our lives.  As we approach this season when we remember what You did for us by becoming our Passover Lamb I pray we would search our HEARTS for the yeast and leaven.  As we go through with the traditions of the season whatever that means to each one of us, I pray that spiritually and biblically You would enlighten each one of us to the Truth of Your Word and the importance of returning with our whole hearts to You.  May there not even be a crumb or a speck of leaven that can be found.  In Yeshua’s Holy Name, our Passover Lamb, I pray.  Amen & Amen.

 

 
 
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.  I Corinthians 6:19-20
 

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