I looked into our submission to the Divine Will in yesterdays blog. Today I wont to look at our call to consecration on a personal bases. This area seems to be lacking in so many of todays divided denominational churches because all they have is religious forms of man. Some say that they are Holy Spirit filled and led. But when looked into they are no different from any other, they carry on in the same fashions. In which mans humanity is stressed instead of total dependency on His Holy Spirit. Many do not stress the Spirit of Christ and our being One with Him. In fact when it comes to our being One in Christ they seem to touch on it but lack His revelation. Leaving us hanging as in thin air. Because of this many believe falsely that there are many ways to GOD, this is not so, there is but One Way. This way in revealed in my other blog at, whmaynard.blogspot.com a link on the title page of this blog. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace. And as always when the LORD says something in addition to what is in the text I will add without hesitation. I will use the ESV translation as has become my norm.
"Joshua Leading the People in God's Victory"
"It came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho . . . a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my LORD say to His servant?" (Joshua 5:13-14)
"When Moses pointed Israel to the LORD for battle, he was teaching God's people to live by grace (which involves GOD at work on behalf of His people). "The LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" (Deuteronomy 20:4). Joshua demonstrated this same truth, when he led the people in GOD's victory.
Before the first battle at Jericho, GOD gave Joshua the opportunity to commit to the LORD as the Commander of the army of Israel. "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho . . . a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, 'Are You for us or for our adversaries? " The LORD appeared in the form of an armed soldier. Joshua asked if the man was for Israel or against them. The Lord responded that it was not a matter of being for or against Israel, but that He was in charge of Israel. "'No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.' To this Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped. 'What does my LORD say to His servant'?" At this point Joshua fully yielded to the LORD as the leader of God's army. Any victories would have to be supplied by this divine Commander.
At Jericho, this Divine Commander would cause the walls to fall down, as His people would humbly trust Him, obediently marching around the city. "And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat" (Joshua 6:20). At Ai, the Commander gave Joshua a two-pronged ambush strategy. "We will flee before them. Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand" (Joshua 8:6-7). Against the Amorite kings, large hailstones and an extended day were used by the Commander to bring a mighty victory. "The LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven . . . So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day" (Joshua 10:11, 13). Whether by perplexing marching orders, by understandable strategy, by "natural phenomenon," or by miraculously extended time, the Commander brought victory."
A Call to Personal Consecration,
Exodus 32:25-29 "When Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, "Who is on the LORD's side? Come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.'" And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. And Moses said, "Today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day."
1Chronicles 29:1-5 "David the king said to all the assembly, "Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the LORD God. I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house, and for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the LORD?"
Proverbs 23:26-28 "My son, give Me your heart, and let your eyes observe My ways. For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind."
Romans 12:1-2 and 2Timothy 2: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of GOD, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to GOD, which is your spiritual worship. (John 4:23-24) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
2Timothy 2:20-26 "Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the Master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the LORD from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. For the LORD's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. GOD may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the Truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."
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