Podcasts about Achan

Have you heard of Achan's sin and the defeat at Ai? Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua chapter 7, and ask all the questions!

We're getting real about hidden stuff that's holding us back. Achan's secret sin cost Israel a battle because his disobedience blocked a blessing. What are you still holding on to? What if letting go is the key to your next win?

Joshua 7 tells of Israel's first military defeat and the reason it happened. All was not well in the camp of Israel, though only a few knew of this. The next city that is to be conquered was Ai, another powerful walled fortress. So remarkably easy was the fall of Jericho that a sense of self confidence was developing within Israel. The elders of the nation saw no necessity for all the army to attack Ai. Let a few thousand men go up they said. And they were soundly beaten on their first attempt. Joshua takes the matter to the Almighty in prayer and is told of the cause of the problem. Israel's covetousness. For although only one man, Achan had taken spoil from the devoted goods, the whole nation had wanted to. Early the next morning Joshua rose and lots were cast to see who was responsible for the military defeat. Achan was chosen by the casting of lots and asked by Joshua to confess his sin. As Achan describes what he had done we see the classic pattern of sin – seeing, desiring and taking – this was the problem in Genesis chapters 3 and 13. 1 John 2:15-17 tells us this. Slowly read these verses aloud. Pause and ponder what we are taught about our desires and their outcomes due to our covetous ways, in Joshua 7 verse 19 Achan is called upon to acknowledge his sin before God. We too must do the same if we are to find forgiveness 1 John 1 verses 7-10. James 1verses 14-15 says that this is the problem each of us has After Achan tells of his sin messengers are sent to his tent to find the stolen property. Notice that these goods were hidden in the earth. This too will become the fate of all who act as though the LORD can be deceived. The entire assembly is called to stone him to death and heap over his carcass and those carcasses of his guilty family together with their livestock a heap of memorial stones. However in the future the valley of Achor, where these events occurred will become for the nation a door of hope as Hosea 2 verse 15 says (Peta Tikvah – the poem concerning Israel's Hope was written based on this and other verses in 1883. Later the song Ha Tikva was composed in 1897 and became Israel's national anthem on May 14th, 1948). Isaiah 11 is a masterpiece of Scripture which describes some of the characteristics that the Almighty both gave to and cultivated within His Son as part of the enabling of the sinlessness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 1 tells that our Lord's origins were divine – Micah 5 verse 2 “goings forth .. are from everlasting”. The Hebrew meaning of “going forth” speaks of Christ's ancestry is eternal. The same idea is conveyed in our Lord's own words – Revelation 22:16. Verses 2-4 speak of the capacities that Jesus' divine begettal played in equipping Messiah for his work in conquering sin. God's spirit was upon His Son from the time of Jesus' conception until his death. At the age of 30 that Spirit was given to him without a limit. It gave Jesus the capacity to develop a quick and perceptive mind. It also gave Jesus the capability to receive and understand his Father's Word beyond the capacity of any other member of the human race. Paul says that the Lord Jesus was, as the man of God, enabled to breathe in divine thoughts 2 Timothy 3 verses 15-17 and Isaiah 50 verses 4-10. He's was the Word of God developed in a mortal body – John 1 verses 14-18. Whilst we all too often make judgements on what we see and hear our Lord never did – John 2 verses 25. The Lord's judgment was unerring at all times. It was true and righteous. Verse 4 tells us that our Lord Jesus would uphold the cause of the poor and needy. These words accord with David's prophecy about Jesus in 2 Samuel 23 verses 1-7. And so Isaiah 11 verses 7-9 outline the peace, security and harmony in Messiah's kingdom. Ultimately the rule of Christ will see the filling of the earth with Yahweh's glory – both in understanding and by way of living. Verses 10-12 describe Messiah's role in the final regathering of Israel after his return. In 2 Thessalonians 3 Paul asks for the believers' prayers that he might be helped to freely teach the gospel without hindrance. From verses 6-15 the Apostle urges the Macedonian faithful to keep working and avoiding idleness. Many had ceased working because they mistakenly thought that the coming of Jesus Christ was so close that they didn't need to work. Idle brothers had to learn to heed the advice contained in this letter. In the last two verses the Apostle Paul asks God to give the believers peace.

Sermon by Dr. Robert Lewis 9/21/2003 Guiding Question: What does it look like when we forget that God means what He says—and how do we recover from the consequences? Summary: Robert Lewis walks through Joshua 7, highlighting Israel's crushing defeat at Ai following their victorious conquest of Jericho. This defeat, as he shows, came not from military weakness but from spiritual compromise—specifically Achan's secret sin and Joshua's failure to consult God. Drawing powerful parallels between Israel's journey into the Promised Land and the church's modern spiritual battles, Robert challenges listeners to take sin seriously, understand the corporate cost of personal compromise, and reaffirm that God truly means what He says. He calls on the next generation of church leaders to rise up with courage and commitment, not just coasting on the past victories of the church but writing a new chapter of obedience and faith. The message builds to the crucial reminder that the presence and power of God cannot dwell where hidden sin is tolerated. But he also offers hope: God's mercy is available to those who realign, confess, and take bold steps to remove spiritual compromise. Key Takeaways: New beginnings require new leaders. Just as Joshua succeeded Moses, the church needs a fresh generation to rise up with vision and commitment, not relying on past victories but stepping into present challenges with faith and courage. God means what He says. This is the most important life lesson. God's instructions aren't arbitrary—they're the foundation for life and flourishing. Ignoring them leads to collapse, no matter how successful we seem. Sin, even when hidden, has consequences. Achan's secret disobedience brought defeat to the entire nation. In the church, one person's compromise can weaken the whole body. Prosperity can blind us to obedience. After victory at Jericho, both Joshua and Achan slipped—Joshua by failing to consult God, and Achan by taking what God had banned. Comfort can dull our spiritual vigilance. Restoration begins with realignment, confession, and removal. Like Joshua and Israel, we must return to God, name sin for what it is, and decisively remove it—no matter the cost. Churches thrive when everyone participates. Great churches aren't built by a few committed people—they're built by a whole congregation stepping up together in obedience and sacrifice. Young leaders must not be soft on sin. The next generation must see obedience not as optional, but as the only pathway to experiencing God's power and presence. Key Scripture References: Joshua 7 – The sin of Achan, Israel's defeat at Ai, and the process of uncovering hidden sin. Joshua 5–6 – Preparation for Jericho and corporate obedience. Joshua 2 – Rahab's inclusion, showing that anyone who commits to God can be part of His story. Joshua 1 – Transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua. Verse Highlights: Joshua 7:1 – Achan's disobedience. Joshua 7:12 – "I will not be with you anymore." Joshua 7:19–21 – Achan's confession. Joshua 7:24–25 – Removal of Achan. Joshua 7:6–11 – Joshua's return to God and God's response.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. My name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. We are in First Samuel chapter 10, and we're picking up where we left off last week. Last week, we read about Saul being anointed as king. He went looking for some lost donkeys, and eventually, he went to a place where there was a prophet. It turned out that prophet was Samuel. Samuel sees Saul, and God tells Samuel, "That's him. That's the guy I told you was going to be king. I told you you'd see him today." And there he is. He anoints him as king. Saul goes to a dinner where he sits at the head of the table. Then he goes home and tells no one that he has been anointed king.We're going to pick up today where we left off. Spencer told us a little bit about where this ends up with Saul, and that it doesn't go well for him. But we're not there yet in the story, and today we're going to look at how his story begins. It starts off okay. So, we're going to look at verse 17 of 1 Samuel chapter 10. It says this: Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mispa. He said to the people of Israel, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I've brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you. But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands."They said they want a king. They're bringing together to give them a king. Normally, in these sorts of things, the first person who gets up and talks pumps some ceremony and highlights the importance of the day. Samuel gets up and says, "You used to follow God who saves you from everything. You've rejected him, and today you won't have God. You'll have some guy." Now, line up. It's not the best start, but they're going to line up. They're going to choose a king by lot.By lot just means a system for randomly choosing. We do some things by lot culturally; we don't call it that, but we draw straws, flip a coin, pull a name from a hat, hold a lottery, or a raffle. Paper rock scissors is just competitive lots where you feel like you won something, even though it was still pretty random.A lot of things were done by lot historically and culturally all over the place. It just means they have a random system for choosing. They would use urim and thummim. They had the breastplate of the high priest that they would use for this at times. They also may have used some other different methods. People trusted that God would give them the answer through this.This is not uncommon to them. We see a whole section of this playing out in Joshua chapter 7, where they are trying to find out who sinned against God, and they walk it all the way down to the household of Achan. So they're going to choose by lot. Samuel, verse 20, brings all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.Now, God already told Samuel who was going to be king. Samuel already told Saul he was going to be king. They're going to do this now by lot. Samuel is going to see, and Saul's going to see, that God is overseeing the lot. But for everybody else, they're just going to see that this is how God works in choosing, and they may not have known or wouldn't have known already that Saul is the one to be chosen. But Benjamin is the tribe he comes from, that Saul is from.It says the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot. Saul, the son of Kish, was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found.So, however they were taking lots and doing this, there was some sort of representative tokens or something used to pick a person because they selected a person who's not there. So the lot falls on Saul, the son of Kish, and he's not there.They looked for him. So they're doing this, and they're like tribe of Benjamin. They move up, and then they do the next process, and they say the clan of the Matrites. Then everybody moves off, and the Matrites come near somehow and then they say Saul, the son of Kish. So is Saul here? Where's Saul? Like, they have to go look for him, and the whole country's here, and now we're looking for Saul. The whole process has stopped to the point that it says, "But when they sought him, he could not be found."Verse 22: So they inquired again of the Lord, "Is there a man still to come?" It slows down so much that they're like, "Let's ask God again." They inquire of the Lord, "Are we waiting for somebody else? Did we do what is happening?" And God says, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage."We know that Saul showed up, but we don't know at what point he hid. Maybe it was right when they said line up. Maybe it was when Benjamin got picked and he thought, "Oh no." Maybe he waited till it was the Matrites, then he was like, "Oh no." But he definitely wasn't there when they said Saul, the son of Kish. The baggage is the luggage that everybody has shown up with; they just piled all their gear up, all their supplies in a certain spot. And Saul goes and hides, which is a real cute look for your new king.So God tells them, "No, I picked the right person. He's hiding." Then it says, "Then they ran and took him from there." I would assume, just trying to picture this, they're excited. They run. I also think that means there's a lot of children involved. They say he's in the supplies, and everybody just takes off. This whole group takes off and finds Saul hiding.I don't know how he hid. The text doesn't tell us. It's possible there was no one near the supplies and he just went there. It's possible he hid. You remember playing hide-and-seek? The better your hiding spot, the more awkward it is to get out of it once you've been caught. We're told that Saul's a big dude. I don't know if he was just tucked behind stuff, and they were like, "God told us you were here," and he came out. Or if he was in stuff, and they had to be like, "Hey man, get up," and he had to crawl out of things. But it's not a good look.They bring him out. Samuel said to all the people, oh sorry, they ran and took him, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. They bring him out, and he's a head taller than everybody. Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people."There are a couple of ways to understand what he's saying there. He possibly is just saying now that he is king, he stands above everybody else. Here's your king, and no one's like him. It's a from now on kind of thing. It's also possible that all he's saying here is look at him, remember what he looks like, and he looks different than everybody. So later, when you see a guy who's taller than everybody, you can say, "Oh yeah, I remember that. That's our king." It's possible he's just commenting on what he looks like. It's also possible that what he means is now he stands above everybody, not literally but figuratively.All the people shouted, "Long live the king." They've chosen the king. They know who it is, and they all shout, "Long live the king."Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, wrote them in a book, and laid it before the Lord. We don't know what he wrote. My guess is it included some of the stuff we've read in Deuteronomy about what a king is supposed to be like. It probably included some things Samuel said—that if you get a king, he's going to do all this stuff—but he gives some restrictions, this is what a king is allowed to do, and duties, here's what he's supposed to do, has to do. He declares it all to everybody, like, "Alright, y'all got a king now and here's what a king can and can't do and should do." He writes it all down and puts it before the Lord.Samuel sent all the people away, each to his home. We're going to get more information about how this plays out. I appreciate the detail. They get everybody together; they choose a king. Then they go play hide-and-seek with the king, find him, then Samuel says, "Look at him." He announces, and then he just goes, "Alright, go home."We're told Saul goes home because they've never had a king before. He doesn't have a palace. He's no castle. They just say, "Here's what kings are allowed to do. You got one. Yay. Go home."It says, "Saul also went to his home at Gibeah." He just was like, "Okay, I'm king now. I'm going home." With him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched.God begins to work and sends brave, capable, valiant men with Saul. But some worthless fellows said, "How can this man save us?" They despised him and brought him no present. Other people were apparently prepared to give something to honor the king. But they're like, "We're not doing it. He'll get no present from us. We don't like him."They despised him, brought him no present, but he held his peace. We're told God touches the hearts of valiant men, and these worthless men reject Saul. But I can't help but feel like the worthless men have a point. They're in a time of war. Part of the reason they've picked a king is they want someone to save them. That's part of the reason Samuel's upset with them: God saves them.But they are constantly at war with the people around them. They want someone to go out and fight their battles. They say, "How can this guy save us?" Saul's start isn't a good one.What do we know about Saul at this point? We've read chapters 9 and 10 and were introduced to him in chapter 9. We know his dad is wealthy. If you wanted to talk about that nicely, you'd say he's from a well-off family. If you didn't like Saul, you'd say, "Yeah, daddy's rich." You could spin that one way or the other.We know his family is wealthy. We know Saul is tall and handsome, so if you wanted to date him, these are the categories you'd pick. I told you a couple of weeks ago that they're not the best ones, but tall, handsome, rich—that doesn't make you king.So far, we've seen him unsuccessfully find donkeys, and then hide when they called his name. That's what we know of Saul. He was humble, but he seems humble to the point of not wanting to do this.I don't know if we would like him. Some people would like that he was tall, might like that he was wealthy, and you might appreciate that he's handsome. But I don't know if we'd pick him as king.In our country, Kennedy and Nixon have a debate, and Nixon was sweaty and people were like, "Seems real sweaty. Can't elect that guy." He lost. I can tell you it's a big deal because I know about it.The first election I was able to vote in was Obama, way after Kennedy and Nixon. If Nixon had been hiding in the back under a table, not well, hyperventilating, and they had to start off by saying, "Candidate Nixon is hiding in the back under a table, breathing in a bag, refuses to come out, says that he'd like to speak to his mother," they would have had a tough time. They would ask Senator Kennedy what he thought about that. But Nixon was just sweaty. He glistened too much on TV, and people said, "Can't trust him." People were kind of right.So there you go. This guy hid. They had to go find him. What makes him special? Why is God blessing and sending valiant men with him? And why are these people called worthless? He didn't win a battle. He didn't accomplish anything. He didn't win a tournament. He wasn't the most anything, really—most tall. I want to show you all what it says.Verse 24: Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen?" Now we know why he's special—the Lord chose him. Therefore, it's worthless to reject him whom the Lord has chosen, and it's a good thing to do to follow him whom the Lord has chosen because he's chosen.That's what makes him special—God, in his divine choosing, chose him.But everybody goes home. Saul keeps his peace. We're going to chapter 11.Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. We've been hearing about problems with the Philistines on the west. Israel is in the middle. Jabesh Gilead is over here on the east, and the Ammonites are over here. The Ammonites have now besieged Jabesh Gilead on the other side of the Jordan.Isn't it nice to live where and when we do, where this doesn't happen as often? Historically, this was super common: an army shows up, you're hanging out, suddenly you see people marching, your walled city is surrounded, and they just besiege it. If you have a big enough army, you're ready to go get some stuff.All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a treaty with us and we will serve you." That phrasing is actually "cut a treaty with us," which is how they would cut a covenant. They would cut up an animal, mingle the blood, then walk through. It's officially called a suzerain and vassal covenant, where you have one ruling authority over a vassal state that will pay tribute, taxes.So they say, "That's a nice besieging army you have there." They send out an envoy and say, "We'll cut a covenant with you and start sending you money. Deal." Nahash says, "Deal." But Nahash the Ammonite said, "On this condition: I will make a treaty with you that I gouge out all your right eyes and thus bring disgrace on all Israel."They're not going to cut up an animal; they're going to cut up you. Line up. I'll pop out all your right eyes and bring shame on all Israel. That'll be the covenant, then you'll owe me taxes.The elders of Jabesh said, "Give us seven days' respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you."That's desperation. What else can they do? They said, "Let us go through all Israel and ask." He says yes, which seems crazy culturally—that he would say yes.They basically say, "Give us a chance to see if someone wants to come kill you. If they do, thanks for waiting. If they don't, you can gouge our eyes out." It makes some sense because his goal was to bring shame on all Israel.They said, "Let us go through all Israel and ask." He apparently says yes because next we hear: when the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter to the people, and all the people wept aloud.They heard the news; they were heartbroken. This is awful. They seem despondent. What are we going to do?The people of Israel have been a loose collection of peoples, tribes, and have never really banded together for some things. That's part of the reason Nahash thinks, "Sure, try to get those people together."Now Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. He's gone back to work. Saul said, "What is wrong that the people are weeping?" They told him the news about Jabesh.The spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all Israel by messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen."Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.Imagine someone rides into your town with two-day-old ox pieces, tosses it down, and says, "Hey." Everybody's like, "What are you doing?" He says, "Saul, our king, cut that ox up." He says, "Get your weapons and muster or he's going to cut your oxen."It's an effective message. The dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they come as one man.Verse 8: When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. They told the messengers, "Say this to Jabesh Gilead: Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation."Their city's besieged. To get that message in, these people must cross back through. Nahash knows they're going back in; people are returning now with the answer. When the messengers told Jabesh, they were glad.Verse 10: They said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you and you may do to us whatever seems good to you."That phrase is fair translation, or, "We'll come out to you. We'll march out." They intentionally tightrope walk—"We'll come on out; you can do whatever you want to."There's a little eye play on words, too: "We'll let your eyes do what you want to do," which is what they said.Verse 11: The next day Saul put the people in three companies; they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, before sunrise, and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered so no two of them were left together.Nahash surrounded a city, very confident, then 330,000 Israelites showed up in the middle of the night, and it went very poorly for Nahash.Verse 12: The people said to Samuel, "Who said Saul shouldn't reign over us? Bring those men so we may put them to death." Those who stood against Saul did it publicly. After Saul showed he can lead, muster, bring rescue, they said, "Who said Saul wasn't going to be in charge? Let's kill them, too."Those guys are there because they all showed up, and they were like, "No, this turned real quick."Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death today, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel."Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom." All the people went to Gilgal; there they made Saul king before the Lord. They sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and Saul and the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.So we've seen Saul anointed, chosen, and now solidify as king.We've seen bits and pieces of his character. One thing to keep asking: what makes him special? Why is he special? What's worked here to make this good?Reading the text, God chose him and empowered him. The Spirit of the Lord fell on him, kindled his anger, then Saul acted. The last time we saw him do something good was prophesying when the Spirit fell on him.He's been chosen and empowered by the Spirit. God hasn't just picked out the best guy—he's picked someone and is empowering them.I want to take a moment as a church family, as Christians, those following Jesus, to wrap our heads around what Saul has. We have something even better.What happened for Saul? Something even better has happened for us. So, turn with me to Ephesians 1.Paul writes to Christians about what it means to belong to the Lord. In verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places."That's wonderful. We are blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing."He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him."What makes us special? He chose us. What made Saul special? He was chosen.In the New Testament, he chooses those whom he blesses. We're blessed because he chose us."He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him." If you belong to Jesus, you are holy and blameless because of Jesus, not you. You're blessed because of his choosing, not you.He did this before the foundation of the world. If you're a Christian and wonder why you're special, why did I get to believe this, why me? Because he chose. He did this.When we look at Saul and say, "Why did he choose Saul?" It doesn't tell us why. It tells us some things, but not the reason.Why did he choose me? It says, "In love." It's not in us; it's in his love.We were loved in him, so we love him because he first loved us."He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will."He loves us and brings us to himself, which is wonderful. If you belong to Jesus, you don't get in on a technicality like, "Try not to cause problems; you got in because you trusted in Jesus." No."In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons." He wants you and me, the church, to belong to him, to be enjoyed, to be delighted in.Why does he love me? "According to the purpose of his will."Then it says to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he blessed us in the beloved. Grace is unearned favor—unearned, unmerited, undeserved.What gets praised? Not anything you've done or accomplished; it's grace, glorious grace.You say, "I don't feel good enough." It's not about that. He saved you by glorious grace, and he's wonderful.According to the purpose of his will.This is beautiful—that it's by his divine choosing.Imagine being gathered with the people of Israel and the lot falling to you and saying, "What?"But what we've been chosen for is so much more glorious, wonderful, eternal. It's staggering what he, in his divine purpose and glorious grace, has chosen in the blood.It keeps going. Ephesians 1:7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time—to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."Highlight this: in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.If you're keeping score at home, trespasses are what you brought."According to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom," making known the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ, not in you.He purposed and accomplished it in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him—heaven and earth.This is about Jesus and God's glorious will.If you belong to him, it's because he has made you belong to him.You've been chosen because he's chosen.You brought sin that made the sacrifice necessary, but you didn't earn, achieve, or keep it. It's not about you.If they had gathered the people and said, "Hold on. Let's see if he's good at this. Let's watch him a while."They would all be wrong because God already chose.If you've trusted Jesus, it's in response to his divine choosing.You are kept, held, worked on because of him and what he has done.He has qualified you.It's about him, not you.And if you've met yourself, that's great news.I've had times when I go into a tough conversation prepared, using pep talks, and still fall apart.It's not about your ability to hold it together or keep it.It's not about your ability to earn it.It's about him.Ok, hold on, sorry.Verse 11 repeats, but in him we have attained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.If chosen, it's because he did this.So we who first hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.So he's glorified, praised, exalted.It's not about you.You're involved as the object, the recipient.When you consider your walk with Jesus, you're not the subject or the verb.God is doing the work, Christ is doing the work.You're down here being acted on by a glorious God who divinely chooses, rescues, saves, redeems, and keeps according to the purpose of his will, because of his love, because of his glorious grace, and to the praise of his glory.You shouldn't think, "I must be one of the good ones."God didn't pick you because of something special.You wouldn't conclude you earned or achieved this.You'd conclude you need to praise his glory.Why are you a Christian? Because Jesus is wonderful, good; he redeems, saves, and loves.That would all turn back to praising his glory and grace.But you say, "Saul falls apart. God chooses, Saul loses it."Good point.That's why I said we have something better than Saul.Saul was chosen for a role in an earthly kingdom.He was chosen temporarily as a king in a temporary kingdom.He was empowered by the Spirit for some of what God was going to do, but he ultimately lost it.We in Christ are not chosen by lot.We're chosen by grace.Not chosen by Samuel through lots, but chosen by Jesus through his blood.Chosen for an eternal kingdom.Verse 13: "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation"—that is, Jesus Christ came, died on the cross, rose again so you might have hope and faith.That's proclaimed in baptism: Jesus was dead and buried, and with him we die and bury our sin.Without Jesus, we don't rise, but because Jesus rose, we rise.We are washed clean, made new, given new life; our sin is dead and buried with Christ, and we rise with him with justification—we're made new and whole.That's what we celebrate.The gospel says when you heard it and believed it, believed in him, you said, "It's not about me; it's about him. I don't believe in me; I believe in him."That's your process, your response.You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.Sealed.Saul was empowered; we are too.The New Testament tells us he's empowered us for mission.But we're not just empowered; we're sealed.The promised Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.The Spirit will keep you going until you get the full inheritance of all the blessings of Christ.It's guaranteed; a guarantee is as good as the person who makes it.And it's the God of the universe.You're not just empowered; you're sealed, kept, and guaranteed.Jesus says you're put in his Father's hand, and no one takes anything from the Father's hand.If that's true for me and my sons, 10 and 7, it's true for God.If He's holding something, He's not letting go.It's guaranteed.Sealed by the Spirit, and it's working.He says in chapter 4, "Don't grieve the Spirit by whom you were sealed for the Day of Redemption."You say, "But I'm doing bad stuff, grieving the Spirit, causing problems."He says, "Yes, don't do that, but you're sealed for the day of redemption."That's the Spirit you're grieving—who will be with you the entire time until he brings you to the conclusion of the inheritance, till he gets you where he plans to take you by his purpose.He ends, "To the praise of his glory."Oh, that he might be praised, exalted, lifted up.Do you realize you've been chosen in a lottery far better than being the king of Israel?If you belong to Jesus, you've been chosen by his divine choosing and good pleasure, according to the purpose of his will.He lavished grace upon you, made you his forever, sealed you with the Spirit, and will bring you to the end.May we praise him, honor him, follow him, and not grieve the Spirit.At all points, may we know it is by his glorious grace, accomplished in him, brought about by him, and about him.At no point say, "But I haven't done this," or "I haven't done that."Have you trusted in him? Then stop talking about you.Do you believe in him? Or do you believe in yourself?We say, "No, I believe in him."Therefore, we are made free; we are brought to the end.Praise his name.Let's pray

We can learn much from one man's secret sin followed by his silent deception. Hear this tragic account of Achan's act of deception and its dreadful, devastating consequences. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/1447/29

Joshua 7:1 But Israel was unfaithful concerning the things set apart for the Lord. A man named Achan had stolen some of these things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, of the family of Zimri, of the clan of Zerah, and of the tribe of Judah.

Achan's sin and God's response.

Send us a textDiscover the reasons why your breakthrough is delayed. Is there an Achan in your life holding you back from success? Tune in to find out more.HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT HUSTLE IN FAITH?If you enjoy listening to⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hustle in Faith⁠⁠⁠⁠ and would like to support the show, please consider doing one or more of the following:Leave a review about the HustleinFaith podcast:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/hustleinfaith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠Donathttps://withorwithoutmrright.com/books/e: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2461272/supporters/newCheck out our Shop:  ⁠https://starengucrew.com/CHECK OUT MY FAVORITE THINGS Shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/hustleinfaithNew Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HustleinFaithFavs⁠JOIN SINGLE AVENUE SQUADhttps://community.singleavenuesquad.com/GET THE HOW TO LIVE AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE, WITH OR WITHOUT MR. RIGHT BOOK AND WORKBOOKWebsite: https://withorwithoutmrright.com/books/Book: https://amzn.to/3ZjtBJJWorkbook: https://amzn.to/4guXFYALeave a review about the book: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?asin=B0DMVP65PRAudiobook: https://withorwithoutmrright.com/books/LISTEN TO CHAPTER ONE: https://app.helloaudio.fm/feed/3228c79f-0dea-4f6b-a428-d7fcfd1f72f5/signupSupport the showLET'S CONNECT! I'm @HustleinFaith on all social networks.

The conquest of Jericho. Israel's defeat in Ai. The sin of Achan.

Happy Palm Sunday! Join us as we explore of the story of Achan in Joshua Chapter 7.

"Avoid every kind of evil!" 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Be careful to guard against all occasions of sin and evil. There is no safety without setting a watch against all that is likely to prove a stumbling-block.I read one day of the remarkable precautions which are taken to avoid danger in a gunpowder manufactory. The walls are all of stone, and no wood is allowed to be in the place. Anyone who walks through has to take off his shoes, lest the nails in them should strike a spark. Then, if he has any metal on him, he must leave it at the door. The danger is so great, that everything must be done to avoid any approach to it.Oh that Christians would take heed in a similar way to keep from the peril of sin! Keep far away from any approach to temptation. You have gunpowder hearts--so ready to ignite from the least spark! A look, a word, an evil example, a sentence in a book, a suggestion from a bad companion--any of these may be the cause of a world of mischief. Therefore, make it your firm resolve to keep out of harm's way.Beware of all places, and scenes, and people--that may turn you from the right course.Don't imagine you are strong enough to go, and get no harm. Better to keep far from the edge of the precipice. Better to keep out of the lion's reach! Better to keep from the long grass where the viper is coiled up! Stop while you can--or you may go so far that it may be impossible to escape. Be careful to guard well the various gates of access to the heart--and of egress into the world.Guard well the eye. Keep it from vanity. Remember that one look cost Achan his life--and a lustful look embittered the whole of David's years. Let the eye look straight onward,

We head back into Joshua 7 and look at it from a different perspective. Last podcast we looked at Joshua's defeat and tantrum, now we will uncover Achan's sin and discover how it affected not only him but the entire Israelite army.

"Avoid every kind of evil!" 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Be careful to guard against all occasions of sin and evil. There is no safety without setting a watch against all that is likely to prove a stumbling-block.I read one day of the remarkable precautions which are taken to avoid danger in a gunpowder manufactory. The walls are all of stone, and no wood is allowed to be in the place. Anyone who walks through has to take off his shoes, lest the nails in them should strike a spark. Then, if he has any metal on him, he must leave it at the door. The danger is so great, that everything must be done to avoid any approach to it.Oh that Christians would take heed in a similar way to keep from the peril of sin! Keep far away from any approach to temptation. You have gunpowder hearts--so ready to ignite from the least spark! A look, a word, an evil example, a sentence in a book, a suggestion from a bad companion--any of these may be the cause of a world of mischief. Therefore, make it your firm resolve to keep out of harm's way.Beware of all places, and scenes, and people--that may turn you from the right course.Don't imagine you are strong enough to go, and get no harm. Better to keep far from the edge of the precipice. Better to keep out of the lion's reach! Better to keep from the long grass where the viper is coiled up! Stop while you can--or you may go so far that it may be impossible to escape. Be careful to guard well the various gates of access to the heart--and of egress into the world.Guard well the eye. Keep it from vanity. Remember that one look cost Achan his life--and a lustful look embittered the whole of David's years. Let the eye look straight onward,

April 9, 2025 Wednesday night teaching by Rose Colón Website: www.lighthouseontherockky.org Facebook: https://facebook.com/lotrchurch

After the fall of Jericho, Achan defied God's command by secretly concealing forbidden treasure. His private sin led to public loss and the death of others. Contrast that with Rahab—her faith, risky and visible, led to life not just for herself but for her family. Both stories show that our choices can affect others and shape the legacies we leave behind. Like Rahab, someone must stand up as a curse-breaker. Jesus did this for us, providing a heritage we cannot earn but can receive. Listen and consider the kind of legacy you're passing on.Scriptures ReferencedJoshua 2:8-11, 5:13-15; Romans 8:28; 2 Timothy 2:23; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25Key InsightsGod uses broken people.What you do doesn't just impact you.Rahab's faith saved her family and changed her legacy.Achan's act of disobedience had a profound impact on the entire community.God is not on your side, but He is for you.All families have brokenness, but someone can stand up to stop it.Jesus was our curse-breaker.You can't earn your place in God's plan, but you can receive it.If you belong to Jesus, you've been called to be conformed to the likeness of His Son.Prayer TargetsPlease join us in prayer for:A hunger for the Word.Tears for the sost.Testimonies to share.We would love it if you would consider joining us in person for one of our Sunday gatherings.Connect online: Download our appOur website: SpringhouseSmryna.comWhat we believeMinistries we supportFinancial accountabilitySpringhouse Theatre CompanyAdditional ResourcesGet sermons delivered automatically: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pocket Casts | Your Favorite Podcast App Subscribe on YouTubeGiving: Online tithes and offeringsJoin us online: LivestreamGathering TimesSundays, 9:00 AMSundays, 10:30 AMThursdays, 6:00 PMContact InfoSpringhouse Church14119 Old Nashville HighwaySmyrna TN 37167615-459-3421 About SpringhouseIf you're looking for a church in Smyrna, TN that is focused on Loving Big, Living Truth, and Healthy Family, we'd love to connect with you. We offer a lively children's ministry, strong middle school and youth programs, and exceptional ministries for men and women of all ages. We partner with missionaries in the US and abroad, Isaiah 117 House, local...

April 2, 2025 Wednesday night teaching by Rose Colón Website: www.lighthouseontherockky.org Facebook: https://facebook.com/lotrchurch

In this episode, Leonard Achan, CEO of LiveOnNY, joins Scott Becker to discuss his remarkable career transition from ICU nurse to healthcare executive and his mission to revitalize New York's organ donation system. He shares insights on leadership, overcoming challenges, and the power of education in changing lives.

Are you unknowingly blocking God's blessings by holding onto what belongs to Him? In this powerful sermon on obedience, surrender, and the story of Achan in the Book of Joshua, we explore how putting God first, honoring the tithe, and living a fully devoted life unlocks the promises of God. CONNECT: Text “BRBELONG” to 651-419-4409 DONATE: bethelsrock.org/give LEARN MORE: bethelsrock.org

In Joshua 7:20-21, Achan confessed his sin. In his confession, we see the classic pattern also found in Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden and David's sin with Bathsheba.We see. We want. We take. We hide.God directed Joshua to take decisive action. Achan and his family were all put to death.What do we learn from this passage?There are many lessons to learn from this passage. This one is clear: God expects us to deal decisively with sin.--------DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH RON MOOREGet Ron's Daily Devotional to your inbox each morning; visit biblechapel.org/devo.CAREGIVINGDo you have a need we can pray for? Do you need someone to walk alongside you? Do you know of another person who needs care? Let us know at caregiving@biblechapel.org.GROWTH TRACKWe all have a next step - what's yours? To learn more about our Growth Track and to take your next step, biblechapel.org/connect.

Sermon text: Joshua 6:27, 7:1-26 Sermon title: Save yourself and others Today's Big Idea: In God's covenant community, which is the church, we rise & fall together. Therefore, watch your life & doctrine to save yourself & others. 1. The Character Of The Crisis The crisis affects everyone, it's caused by a great sin, and it intensifies as God withdraws Himself. 2. The Correction Of The Crisis God himself executes church discipline through his godly-praying leaders and a repentant church, and how lovely when it's well received by the sinner. 3. Conclusion (what should Achan have done differently?) 1 Timothy 4:16

Dr. Jeremy Grinnell is here to answer tough questions! Jeremy earned his Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Calvin Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, and taught theology at a West MI seminary for nearly 15 years. Here are the questions Jeremy takes on... The Psalmist cries out for God to “Crush his enemies,” even their children! But Jesus comes along and says “Love them.” So Ron asks, “How do you explain the apparent contradiction with curses on enemies in the Psalms and Jesus saying ‘Love our enemies?’ ” Adrianna asks, “When speaking about the adulteress women in Revelation 16, does she represent the Catholic church?” Short answer, “No.” Stephanie asks, “In Joshua 7, Achan was guilty for stealing plunder from war when God had clearly commanded Israel not to take any. Why was his whole family stoned and burned? His wife and children probably weren’t guilty!” Then when Jesus cried from the cross, “ ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,’ what was really going on?” How could God be forsaken by God?? Jim wants to know, “With over 50 translations available, how there can be so much variation from translation to translation. For example, Acts 2:46 ends with ‘singleness of heart’ (KJV). There are about 7-8 variations of that phrase in other translations, what’s going on??” John asks, “What do you think causes some people to choose a certain Christian belief system over another?” Lastly, Kim shares, “I’m in a Bible study and the bible teacher was talking about the Israelites gathering manna as usual on day 6 and that God multiplied it to be enough for day 6 and 7 (the Sabbath). “I had never heard that before. My version of the Bible says Moses tells the Israelites to gather twice as much on day 6 so they would have enough for the Sabbath. Did God multiply the manna or did they just gather extra on the 6th day?”Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshow/wgnbSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fr. Mike explains the meaning of circumcision for Israel's relationship with God. He also underscore the gravity of Achan's sin, and how the Valley of Achor symbolizes shame that is painful but not hopeless. Today we read Joshua 5-7 and Psalm 125. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hidden sin may seem small, but like unseen bacteria, it spreads, infects, and destroys. And as we will see in Joshua 7, God takes it seriously because its consequences are never just personal. Sermon Outline:I. The DefeatII. The DiscoveryIII. The DisciplineIV. The Door Sermon Discussion Questions:1. Can you share an example where you've seen hidden or private sin have unexpected consequences that spread beyond the person who actually committed the sin?2. When we sin, it is like throwing a rock into a calm pond. The impact starts in one place, but the waves go out from there all the way to the surrounding shores. How does this perspective challenge the common notion of “victimless crimes” or “private sins”?3. What do you think of Achan's confession of sin? How does the gospel transform our experience of confessing our sins?4. How does Jesus' finished work on the cross turn our sin and failure into places of hope and restoration? What “trouble” situation in your life do you need to invite Jesus into today?

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Joshua 7-8; Psalm 69; 1 Corinthians 5 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast, where each day we embark on a journey through the scriptures, nourishing our souls with the transformative power of God's Word. In today's episode, titled "March 20th, 2025," our host Hunter invites us to warm our hearts by the fires of God's love. Hunter, your Bible reading coach and brother, guides us through passages from Joshua chapters 7 and 8, Psalm 69, and 1 Corinthians chapter 5. Together, we explore the story of Achan in Joshua—his hidden sins and their dire consequences—yet we're reminded of the redemptive light that Jesus brings into our own lives. As we delve into Psalm 69, we join in David's heartfelt cries for salvation and deliverance. And in 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses pressing issues of immorality in the church, urging us to live in sincerity and truth. Join us as we reflect deeply on these passages and turn our hearts to prayer, seeking God's guidance and peace in our lives. Let's embrace the love and grace that Christ offers, forever walking forward in His strength. As always, remember this truth—no matter where you are in your journey, you are loved. So, lace up your walking shoes, breathe deeply, look up, and say thank you to the One who walks alongside you. Let's dive into this rich time of scripture and prayer together. TODAY'S DEVOTION: In this particular story, Achan had won a battle on the outside, but on the inside, he didn't win. He was hiding treasures that were not for him. And this moment really exposes the heart of Achan. And it wasn't just Achan in the end who would suffer because of the problem of his heart. In the end, his whole family would suffer the consequences along with 36 Israelite soldiers that would die in battle. All because of the problem in Achan's troubled heart. We all struggle with things that are buried deep in our past, just as Achan had. Do we have something in our heart that we have tried to bury and refuse to trust God with? Well, that's an important question. Well, there's someone far better than Joshua in this story. Jesus. Jesus wants to help us unearth the secrets in our life. And in exchange, he doesn't offer punishment in death. He comes and meets us there, in those places that are deeply hidden and in need of forgiveness. His grace. Achan was taken and stoned and burned in judgment, but the one that has come into our life has come into the world. He's come to defeat that death that resides in us. He's come to shine his light there in that darkness. He's come to set us free by his life, his death, and his resurrection. He did this because he loves all the Achans in the world, with things buried deep in our hearts that we have no answer for. Jesus has come into our house, into our hearts, and he's come to set us free. So let's live in the light of this amazing love today, and let's rejoice in all that God has done for us. That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

In this Bible Story, Achan takes idols from the city of Jericho after God had given them victory. Achan was found out, and dealt with harshly. Afterwards, Joshua leads the army of Israel to defeat Ai, and restore hope to the people. This story is inspired by Joshua 7-8. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Joshua 7:20 from the King James Version.Episode 54: The people, excited about their first victory against Jericho, send spies to check out the next city they must take Ai. The spies come back confident that this will be an easy victory and that they don't even need to send all their men to battle. But when the battle takes place, they begin to lose, and Joshua orders a retreat. God shows Joshua that His hand has caused this because of a hidden sin within the camp of Israel. A wrong which must be made right before the people can proceed to take the promised land.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Message from Ron Morein on March 16, 2025

Every week, members of The Gospel Project for Kids team offer guidance to help you as you prepare to teach each session to preschoolers and kids. This week, we discuss Unit 7, Session 3—Achan's Sin and the Defeat of Ai.

Note: There is a time of prophetic ministry at the end of this message during the audio version of the podcast.   Please Take A Moment to Listen So That The Holy Spirit Might Speak Over Your Life!     "Choosing The Desert Of Trouble  Or The Door Of Hope"   Prophetic Insights and Encouragement By Mary Lindow through the Holy Spirit    TODAY'S PODCAST MESSAGE IS GOING TO ADDRESS  ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT MOST CHRISTIANS  ARE A LITTLE EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT.  THEY DOUBT!   Sometimes it comes from being so absolutely crushed that you are afraid to trust or believe in anything. Or, we create our own false narratives and wonder WHY things don't happen, and then we doubt that God can get us out of our messes.   WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT “DOUBT THING” THAT KEEPS BEATING AGAINST THE THIN MEMBRANE OF HOPE IN YOUR THINKING?   WE CAN CERTAINLY SEE TODAY THAT PEOPLE HAVE PUT THEIR HOPE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE OFFERED, looking for a way out of confusion, wanting to know themselves better or to find someone to love or to validate them. There's Enneagrams, horoscopes, overloads of self-help books/blogs, medications, politicians, gurus and more, and most all of these have failed those hope seekers, or maybe have caused them to flail even further.   BUT HONESTLY... ...MOST PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY SEARCHING FOR THE "REAL DEAL". They want to see genuine people expressing living and radiant hope. They want an anchor in Achor (troubled times). They are attracted to that and yet, the soul does love intellectual reasoning more than humility and yielding to God, the Supreme Guide.   HOPE.  It's what nourishes life. It's the motivator to move us into action. It's the promise of tomorrow. What each one of us needs more of is hope. What our country and world needs is hope.   Discouragement.  It's what siphons the joy right out of you! Discouragement leads to desperation, which leads to feelings of anxiety, dread and hopelessness, which can move people into depression and suicidal thoughts, and those thoughts lead down a path of complete and utter darkness. Trouble looms large in every face, every place and every happy space.   SO… DEFINE… HOPE!  We often use the word hope as a kind of wish. “I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.” “I hope the Broncos win their next game.” But friends, hope in the Bible, has quite a different meaning.   RAW AND BIBLICAL HOPE IS A CONFIDENCE AND EXPECTATION THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED A WAY FOR A GOOD FUTURE FOR YOU.  God wants to fill every person reading  or listening this with hope, that He has a wonderful future planned for you! Ah…. Ummm......  Really? Does He?  Can God REALLY create “good” out of the trouble you are passing through or that you got yourself "IN" to?   THE WORD ACHOR MEANS TROUBLE.  So very aptly named, the valley spoken about here (Achor- from Hosea 2: 1-8) is the place where a man named Achan, brought trouble on Israel, by willfully going the opposite way and blew off the Lord's plan. So, God sees the sin, and brings it to them through Hosea's warning.   THE SIN OF THEIR IDOLATRY, their mixtures of spiritual practices and beliefs and forgetting God and their sincere dedication to him, and his ways of doing things. (Read Hosea 2: 1-8 to fully see the raw details.)   YIKES!  These folks were exploring and trusting in things much like many who are probing and immersing themselves into questionable spiritual practices and who distance themselves from the warnings of God today!   God in His grace, in the New Testament freedom of Christ, will put sin to death in your life and my life and also the trouble brought against us from the results of the sin of others. He prepares the Valley of trouble - Achor, to become a door of hope.   God wants to show you the door… ...Right there, in the midst of this grief or very hard trouble that you are parched and exhausted by.   A door where you see HOPE written on it…. …And you move towards it. Crawling is absolutely permitted!  Just get moving, and get THERE!   JESUS SPOKE IT CLEARLY TO US WHEN HE SAID, "I AM THE DOOR.  "To enter through me is to experience life, freedom, and satisfaction.  A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy.  But I have come to give you everything in abundance,  more than you expect life in its fullness until you overflow!" -John 10:9-10   THE VALLEY OF HUMILIATION, OF TROUBLE AND DEFEAT WILL BECOME THE FIRST POINT OF YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE DOOR OF HOPE. You let go of the dragging baggage of woes and stop chewing on the dust. You admit your secret idolatry of pessimism and stubborn defiance to yield to the probing of your heart, admitting that you account to no one but yourself. You put down the whip of control and anger and take up the walking stick to lean upon while you humbly limp towards the door of Hope. That's a valley of trouble my friend. But, listen closely!   THIS DOOR OF HOPE THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED THERE STRATEGICALLY PLACED IN THE MESS, DOES NOT DISAPPOINT.  WHY? Because it's appointed by God Himself. It opens up new opportunities for you; even those that were lost will be restored to you. It will cause a new song to rise again in your heart.   SO, YOU WEARY, RED -EYED AND CRIED OUT ONES,  PREPARE TO LEAVE THE VALLEY OF TROUBLE (ACHOR) BEHIND,   AND PASS THROUGH THE DOOR OF HOPE.   We Have To Wait With Hope For God! “Wait with hope for the LORD.  Be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Yes, wait with hope for the LORD.” -Psalm 27:14   WE HAVE TO BE COURAGEOUS AND STRONG IN OUR WAITING  FOR THAT DOOR TO BE SHOWN TO US.  The word “wait” is a very upsetting word for many! We don't like waiting! We want things fixed. NOW! PRONTO! Waiting can make us feel like we are doing something wrong, hesitating, lagging behind. This isn't why we have to wait sometimes.   WAITING HELPS US TO MATURE IN CHRIST.  Waiting burns out impatience and defensiveness and impulsive reactions that decide to not deal with our deeply entrenched ruts! Waiting is better then rushing into something without God's wisdom and direction. This door of Hope when there has been trouble, sin, loss pain, cycles of grief, is a sign of God's tender mercy towards you. “I will give back her vineyards to her and transform her Valley of Troubles (Achor) into a Door of Hope. "She will respond to me there, singing with joy as in days long ago in her youth after I had freed her from captivity in Egypt.” -Hosea 2:15   LET THIS PROMISE BRING REASSURANCE TO YOUR HEART.  Let the past with all its sin and defeat be locked behind you, never to be reopened again. Leave the Valley of Achor behind. Let your eyes look ahead. Walk through the door of hope that God has opened for you!   Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed provided that complete source, podcast and website information  for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You! Copyright © 2025 - "THE MESSENGER " ~Mary Lindow www.marylindow.com www.marylindow.podbean.com   If you have been impressed by the Holy Spirit to assist and bless Mary to minister, helping her to meet needs such as web site and podcast and video teaching costs, or desire to bless her service with Spirit-led Love gifts or regular support:   Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of:  ► Personal Checks ► Business Checks ► Money Orders ► Cashiers Checks  To: His Beloved Ministries Inc.  PO Box 1253 Denver  Colorado 80614 USA Or feel free to use our send a tax deductible gift with  Pay Pal   paypal.me/mlindow Under the name of - His Beloved Ministries Inc. ALL gifts are tax deductible under His Beloved Ministries 5013c non-profit status. We are financially accountable  and have been in full compliance since 1985    THANK YOU! To Learn More About Steve and Mary Lindow Click Picture  Do you or a loved one need prayer? There are faithful intercessors around the world who are ready and who are prepared to pray for you.  Please Click Picture To Send Prayer Requests  

Ps. Julius Rwotlonyo

How can the God of the Old Testament be good with all this death and destruction? What was the deal with Achan's sin? In today's episode, Emma Dotter discusses Joshua 6:21 and 7:24-25, answering these questions. Emma talks about Israel's greatest mistake in these passages — not seeking the counsel of God during these events. 

We all want stuff. Then we want more stuff. When we get too much stuff, we get a storage unit…..to store our stuff. There is a thing called retail therapy. It is the feeling we get when we initially purchase something that we want to make us happy. The brain releases dopamine, a chemical in the brain linked to pleasure and reward. But it wears off. It doesn’t last.

We all want stuff. Then we want more stuff. When we get too much stuff, we get a storage unit…..to store our stuff. There is a thing called retail therapy. It is the feeling we get when we initially purchase something that we want to make us happy. The brain releases dopamine, a chemical in the brain linked to pleasure and reward. But it wears off. It doesn’t last.

Joshua 8:1-35 | Ben Potloff | God often uses our setbacks and failures to teach us to rely on Him more completely. In this chapter, we see Joshua grow as a leader as he learns to walk in deeper dependence upon the LORD. We see God take the very means of their earlier defeat at Ai and turn it into a brilliant strategy for victory. God's plan to deliver his people is back on track. Joshua's position as a leader is strengthened, and Joshua gains a new understanding of God's steadfast mercy and sovereign will.MAIN IDEAGod blesses the obedient and curses the rebel. OUTLINEI. God is faithful and gives His people victory (vv. 1-29)II. God gives His people His Word (vv. 30-35)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Your army just faced its first defeat and one of your soldiers disobeyed a direct order. If you are the leader, how would you be feeling about this? How would you respond to God's instruction in verses 1-2 ? Would you be doubtful, or hopeful?2. Compare and contrast God's battle plan (v. 2-8) with the one used in the previous attack on Ai (see Joshua 7:3-5). Tell of a time when your first attempt to tackle a problem didn't work out very well; but then you prayed about it, and God showed you a better way.3. How does God “redeem” Joshua's earlier defeat and make it a key element of victory? How have you experienced this in your own life, where God takes something you thought was really bad and turns it into something redemptive?4. Compare God's instructions regarding the plunder of Jericho and Ai (6:18-19 vs. 8:2). At Jericho, Achan disobeyed and faced judgment – if only he had waited! How do we sometimes do this? (God wants to give us something but we aren't willing to wait). Is there a situation in your life where you need to wait on the Lord, and trust Him to provide in his own way and his own timing?5. Moses gave instructions for the Covenant renewal in Deuteronomy 31. Why do you think Joshua did this AFTER God gave them victory at Ai instead of before? How is this an example of God's mercy and loving-kindness towards us? How is this truth expressed in 1 John 1:10, 19?

Why was all of Israel held responsible for the actions of Achan? How is the LORD different from the pagan gods of other religions? What should church discipline look like? Pastor Jeff and Jordan draw practical lessons from Joshua 7 and share about the next chapter of The Beyond Sunday Podcast.   —   This episode of The Beyond Sunday Podcast expands upon the sermon “Sin in the Camp | Joshua 7:1–26.” In this sermon series, we'll learn lessons from Joshua and the conquest of Canaan. Submit a question: bit.ly/BeyondSundayQuestions

Send us a textFor an ad-free version of the podcast plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month and also help keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free  for listeners everywhere at;patreon.com/JeremyMcCandlessSubscribe here to receive my new church history podcast every few weeks at.https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.comTitle: Getting Beyond Failure (Joshua 8:1-29)Introduction:Welcome back to The Bible Project Daily Podcast! In our last episode, we explored the tragic consequences of Achan's hidden sin in Joshua 7. But as we move into Joshua 8, we see a powerful truth unfold: God's judgment is never the final word—His mercy and restoration follow true repentance.In today's episode, we'll explore:God's encouragement to Israel after their defeat.The contrast between their approach to Jericho and Ai.How obedience leads to victory.The importance of remembering God's covenant.Let's dive into Joshua 8 and discover how God turns failure into fresh beginnings!1. A New Beginning After Defeat (Joshua 8:1-2)After Achan's sin was dealt with, God spoke to Joshua again: “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Joshua 8:1)Notice the contrast—after Israel's failure, God immediately extends grace and reassures them.God instructs Joshua to attack Ai, but this time with His guidance and strategy.Key Takeaway: God's discipline isn't meant to destroy us but to prepare us for restoration.2. The Difference Between Ai and Jericho (Joshua 8:3-17)Unlike Jericho, where God gave victory through supernatural means, Ai required strategy and engagement.Israel sets an ambush—this time, they listen to God's specific instructions.The enemy is lured out of the city, thinking Israel is retreating.Lesson: God's methods aren't always the same. He wants us to depend on Him afresh for each battle.3. Obedience Leads to Victory (Joshua 8:18-29)At God's command, Joshua raises his javelin, signaling the ambush.The city is overtaken, and this time, the plunder is allowed.What Achan stole in secret, Israel now receives legitimately through obedience.Point to Consider: What we try to grasp in disobedience, God often wants to give us in His perfect timing.4. Renewing the Covenant (Joshua 8:30-35)After the victory, Joshua builds an altar and reads the entire law before Israel.Why? Because true success isn't just about victory—it's about walking rightly with God.Israel is reminded that their strength comes from oFaith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Breaking down faith, culture & big questions - a mix of humor with real spiritual growth. Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFor an ad-free version of my podcasts plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month whilst also helping keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free for listeners everywhere support me at;|PatreonSupport me to continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

Send us a textFor an ad-free version of the podcast plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month and also help keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free  for listeners everywhere at;patreon.com/JeremyMcCandlessSubscribe here to receive my new church history podcast every few weeks at.https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.comWelcome & Episode Notes: "When Things Aren't Going Right – Achan's Sin (Part One)" (Joshua 7:1-23)Welcome:Today, we look into a powerful and sobering lesson from Joshua 7—the story of Achan's sin.Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, things just don't work out? You put in the effort, but success feels out of reach. Sometimes, life's struggles are just part of the journey, but other times, there's a deeper reason—one we might not want to face.Joshua 7 gives us one possible explanation: hidden sin can block God's blessing and bring trouble not just to us, but to those around us. Achan's disobedience didn't just affect him—it led to Israel's defeat at Ai, revealing a sobering truth: what we do in private impacts others in ways we can't always see.Join us as we explore:Why Israel lost the battle of Ai despite their previous victories.How hidden sin disrupts not only personal lives but entire communities.Why confession and repentance are essential for spiritual renewal.What it truly means to glorify God—even in failure.Let's unpack these lessons and discover how to realign our lives with God's will.Episode Notes:Key Themes in Joshua 7:1-23:The Hidden Sin That Brought Defeat (Joshua 7:1)Israel's Defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:2-5)Joshua's Despair & God's Response (Joshua 7:6-12)Achan's Exposure & Confession (Joshua 7:13-23)Practical Takeaways:Sin is never private. It affects those around us in ways we don't always realize.Unconfessed sin hinders victory. We can't move forward spiritually while clinging to disobedience.God disciplines His people. He loves us too much to let sin go unchecked.Confession glorifies God. Admitting our sin aligns us with His truth and leads to healing.Victory requires obedience. We can't expect success while ignoring God's commands.Reflection Questions:Are there hidden areas in your life that might be blocking God's blessing?Have you experienced setbacks that could be connected to unaddressed sin?How can you ensure that your actions don't negatively impact others?What steps can you take today to confess, repent, and realign with God's will?Final ThoughtFaith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Breaking down faith, culture & big questions - a mix of humor with real spiritual growth. Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFor an ad-free version of my podcasts plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month whilst also helping keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free for listeners everywhere support me at;|PatreonSupport me to continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

In this message, Pastor James explores the eighth commandment, "Do not steal," using the biblical story of Achan.  He connects Achan's act of stealing from God's treasury to the broader concept of how sin impacts not just the individual but the entire community. James highlights the severity of sin and its consequences, emphasizing the spiritual death that all sin leads to. He then shifts to the grace offered through Jesus Christ, who took the punishment for our sins, including stealing.Subscribe to AfterWords on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Download a copy of the Exodus JournalVisit us online: rivchurch.comFollow us on InstagramSend us feedback: podcast@rivchurch.com

Joshua 7:1-26 | Ben Potloff | As Israel approaches their next adversary, Ai (not to be confused with artificial intelligence), all indications are that this should be a cake walk. Picture a sense of pridefulness and a bit of arrogance here. The recommendation is to only send a small squad, maybe the JV team (don't bother the whole group with such a small town.) Then, something goes horribly wrong. What happened, why did it all go south? What can we learn from this defeat? What can we learn from Joshua's response? What can we learn from the consequences of sin? Let's explore Joshua 7 together and course correct where we see areas in our own life that might need transformation.MAIN IDEARebellion kindles God's wrath.OUTLINEI. Secret sin is known by the Lord (vv. 1-21)II. Sin must be punished to appease the Lord's anger (vv. 22-26)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Read Joshua 7:2-5 Discuss some of the mistakes you can see that Joshua made.2. Read Joshua 7:6-9 Discuss Joshua's response to this defeat. Is this your 1st response when things go south?3. Achan coveted the items, stole them from God's treasury, then lied about it. He desired the things he saw more than God. How do we reverse that and desire God above all else?4. Thirty-six fellow Israelites paid with their life for Achan's sin. Discuss how our sin can have ramifications that affect many others.5. Read Joshua 7:22-26. Discuss the final punishment that Achan, his wife, and his children were sentenced to. Discuss why God's wrath, concerning sin, may be the most unacceptable of doctrines, in our time. Discuss why sin cannot be tolerated by a Holy God. Does this change your view on your own sin?6. Finish by discussing the payment God made for our sin and how costly that was. Does that make you more thankful for not getting what we deserve?

Ol' Gus tells the Bible story of Achan, a man who disobeyed God and suffered for it. Meanwhile, Marsha's food and blanket drive for the needy in Wildwood is coming together nicely. But when Marsha falls to temptation, she finds herself in Achan's place!

What really controls your heart? Greed is a sneaky sin—easily overlooked but quietly shaping our decisions, desires, and relationships. Pastor Josh Howerton, Tim Smith, and Chris Burkley explore the story of Achan in Joshua 7, showing how unchecked greed led to devastating consequences—not just for him, but for his entire community. Nobody sins in isolation—our choices impact our relationships and beyond.   They discuss how greed distorts wisdom, how the fear of the Lord leads to true perspective, and how culture pulls our hearts in different directions. They also touch on Elon Musk and the ongoing USAID debate, highlighting how faith intersects with real-world issues. Plus, they share personal stories of trusting God with finances, the principle of first fruits, and practical ways to teach generosity. If you've wrestled with the tension between financial security and faith, this conversation will challenge you to live with open hands and a heart that fully trusts in God's provision.      

God is granting to Israel, and to us an inheritance. But, we face enemies along the way who will do whatever they can to stop us from living out our inheritance. Those enemies can sometimes be within, like Achan's greed - or without - the Canaanite kings or the Gibeonites - so we must be vigilant to obey the words and commands of God and live in a right relationship with Him.

This month's learning is sponsored by David and Ariella Merklin in loving memory of their grandparents, Liebe and Abraham Merklin, Jack and Tora Dabrosin, Ethel and Arthur Rosenthal, and Helen and Julius (Jack) Herman.  The story of Achan teaches an important principle: even when the Jewish people sin, they retain their status as Israel, as shown in Joshua 7:11. From this same verse, the rabbis derive that Achan's actions constituted violations of all five books of the Torah. Various rabbis identify specific transgressions based on their interpretation of the verse. During Achan's execution, both his family and the entire nation were present as witnesses. This raises the question: why was such a public display necessary? Following his death, all his possessions were either burned or stoned. Among the items Achan stole was an aderet shinar, though its exact definition is debated. When Achan was ordered to produce the stolen items, Joshua displayed them before God. The rabbis interpret this as Joshua demanding an explanation from God for the deaths of thirty-six people, equivalent to half a Sanhedrin. An alternative view holds that only one person died - Yair ben Menashe - but his importance equaled that of half a Sanhedrin. Joshua's bold confrontation with God was viewed as inappropriate. This raises another question: why was Joshua's boldness considered worse than similar instances of forthright speech by Pinchas and Moshe? Rabbi Shila and Rav offer different explanations for Joshua's culpability in the deaths of the thirty-six: one faults him for delaying the erection of stones upon entering the land, while the other criticizes his prohibition against taking spoils from Jericho. The text also references another incident where Joshua encounters an angel of God and, according to the Gemara, is rebuked for preventing the people from studying Torah. Building on the previous section's discussion of angels, another verse from Proverbs is extrapolated. It is understood to be connected to a story told of the angel Piskonit as the supreme guardian angel of the Jewish people. If a person being executed claims innocence and calls upon the witnesses to bear responsibility, the execution proceeds regardless, even if the witnesses explain why they lied. This is illustrated by a case involving the son of Shimon ben Shatach, which Rashi discusses though it isn't detailed in the Gemara itself.

Today's daf is sponsored by Harriet Hartman in honor of her grandson Oriya Hartman's marriage to Shira Shahar Katzav. "May they live long lives together inspired by Torah and love."  Today’s daf is sponsored by Marcia Baum in loving memory of Helena K Baum, Chaya Chana Alta bat Chana v'Yekutiel Yehuda on her 9th yahrzeit. "Mom was a strong proponent of women’s Torah study long before it became mainstream. She studied at the Drisha Institute with women half her age. She is missed every day by those of us who loved her and we hope we are making her proud!"  Today's daf is sponsored in memory of Shayna Malka bat Shlomo Yosef on her yahrzeit. Rav Ashi derives a third source for the requirement that stoning executions must take place outside the city, finding support in the verses discussing the blasphemer. All basic execution expenses are covered by communal funds. However, two questions arise about additional costs: First, regarding the wages of those stationed outside the court to assist potential last-minute defenders of the condemned, and second, concerning the cost of wine and frankincense given to the convicted person to reduce their suffering before execution. The Gemara resolves the second question using a verse from Proverbs, establishing that these measures must be funded by the community since it bears collective responsibility for minimizing the condemned's suffering. Rav Acha bar Huna poses a question to Rav Sheshet: How should we handle a case where a student rises to present evidence for acquittal but becomes unable to speak before explaining his reasoning? Rav Sheshet initially dismisses this as obvious - since no argument was actually presented, it cannot be considered. Despite Rav Acha's persistence, the Gemara attempts to resolve this by comparing it to a case where a student presented an argument for acquittal and then died, whose vote was counted. This might suggest that only fully explained arguments can be counted, but this conclusion is ultimately rejected. If someone being led to execution claims to have new evidence that could overturn their conviction, the court must evaluate this claim - but only if it appears to have merit. However, a braita teaches that during the first two times the condemned makes such claims, they must be heard regardless of apparent merit. Rav Pappa reconciles this with the Mishna's stricter standard, and the Gemara explains why later claims are treated differently. Abaye adds that after the first two attempts, Torah scholars accompany the condemned specifically to evaluate whether any new claims have substance. A portion of the Gemara discussing Jesus of Nazareth's execution was later censored and removed from the manuscripts. Before execution, the condemned is asked to confess their sins. This practice is derived from the biblical story of Achan. The Gemara analyzes this story in detail, deriving both practical laws and ethical teachings from its verses. This leads to a broader discussion about collective responsibility within the Jewish community - specifically, to what extent are Jews responsible for both the public and private transgressions of their fellow Jews?