Chapter 3 of Amos speaks to the authority of the prophet’s message and he prophesied about Isreal’s disobedience. God made a covenant with Israel and brought them out of Egypt using signs and miracles. Despite God’s grace and mercy, the people rebelled against God and his prophets. God has a principle which precedes judgement and recompense. “Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). God always sent a word of caution to his people, with an opportunity for repentance. I had a conversation with my sister the other day about parenting. She spoke about the importance of boundary setting with children and explained the importance of following through on a caution, when a child oversteps a boundary.

She said that when a parent gives a warning and promises a punishment, if the warning is not heeded, then not following through on a punishment, can send the message to a child that they are allowed to cross that line again. Following through on a punishment helps to reinforce a boundary and allows a child to know what can be expected. God is our father and the bible speaks about godly chastisement, rewards for obedience and consequences for disobedience. Like a parent, God will send a warning when we have crossed a boundary and are living in sin. “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1). The difference between God and most earthly parents is that he is long suffering.

God can spend years warning people about error before their final destruction. Not all sin leads to ultimate destruction, but there are consequences for sin. Many people are living under the grace of God and we all have sinned. We daily make confession for sin so that God can cleanse us. It is living in a state perpetual disobedience which leaves us open for destruction. It is not God who destroys, but living in disobedience means that we are outside of his protection. We each have to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. It is much easier to identify and point out error in others, than it is to reflect on our own wrong doing.

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (II Corinthians 13:5). God is not the author of confusion and when he speaks, he means what he says. None of his words will return to him void and he does not want destruction for anyone. “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel’” (Ezekiel 33:11)?

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In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he encouraged them to walk in the spirit, so that they would not give heed to the lust of the flesh. The lust of the flesh includes adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, envy, murder, drunkenness and all other forms of sin and wickedness. The flesh relates to our Adamic nature which is predisposed to sin. It is our salvation and the grace of God, through faith, which allows us to live and walk in the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. The opposite of the works of the flesh are the fruits of the spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Galatians 5:22).

Walking and living in the spirit is allowing God to live through us. In this way, we are not controlled by our human desires and passions, but the life of Jesus Christ is alive in us. When Jesus died on the cross, he put to death the works of the flesh, so that we are no longer slaves to sin. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). We are now dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus as new creatures. Paul spoke about crucifying the works of the flesh and the need to die daily. In this way, we keep the flesh and it’s works under subjection to the spirit of God. Walking in the spirit requires that we listen and remain in step with the Holy Spirit.

The flesh is hostile and contrary to the spirit and the spirit is contrary to the flesh. Both the flesh and the spirit are engaged in an ongoing battle for dominance. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find” (Romans 7:18). Paul said that he observed the law of the flesh, warring against the law of the spirit. This law of the flesh often causes people to do those things, that they desire not to do and fail to do those things that they want to do. This law also seeks to wage war against our minds to bring us into captivity to the law of sin. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, Comforter, Counsellor and friend. He guides us into all truth and helps us to grow and live in the spirit.

We have to daily crucify and deny the flesh in order to grow in the spirit. Daily disciplines of reading the bible, praying, quiet time to listen to the Holy Spirit are what will help us to grow in God. We have to develop the habit of spending time to listen to what God has to say. It is not only Pastors and Prophets who can hear the voice of God. The Holy Spirit is always speaking through a still small voice, but many of us are not trained to listen and hear. Schedule time in between praying to ask God questions and then pause to listen. You can’t develop a relationship with God where you do all of the talking. Listening and heeding the voice of God is the most important ingredient to living life in the spirit.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

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Joshua was one of the most formidable characters in the bible and the army that he led at the time was also quite fierce. The word formidable means inspiring fear through being impressively large, powerful, intense or capable. Let us consider Joshua’s journey through scripture and learn more about how he developed his reputation. In Numbers 12, Joshua and Caleb were two of the twelve spies, that Moses sent to spy out the land of Canaan. Ten of the men brought back an evil report about the land which caused the people to be fearful. “Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there” (Numbers 13:28).

It was Caleb who first quieted the people and encouraged them to go forward. Joshua also spoke up and was willing to stand with Moses and Aaron. “Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them”” (Numbers 14:9). For this the people wanted to stone them, appoint a new leader and return back to slavery in Egypt. God was angry at the people’s rebellion and the result was that entire generation died in the wilderness, except Joshua and Caleb. Later on, Moses was instructed to anoint Joshua to be his successor as he would lead the people into Canaan.

Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom and the people listened and followed his lead. God also promised to be with him in the same way that he was with Moses. “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses”(Joshua 1:3). Joshua learnt how to listen and heed the voice of God for victory over the enemies. He first sent two men to spy out the land of Jericho and they brought back a good report. “And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us”” (Joshua 2:24). They crossed the Jordan, circumcised the people and then Joshua met with the Commander of the Lord’s army.

Jericho was the first city after the Jordan and the walls were high and the people shut up the city to try to stop them from gaining entry. God gave Joshua the strategy to tear down the walls and to take possession of that city and every city after that. On one occasion in chapter 10, Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, until Isreal had completely defeated their enemies (Joshua 10:12-13). Joshua took all the lands which God promised to Moses and his people and drove out the inhabitants. Just as God had promised, they were unstoppable and formidable and absolutely no one stood in their way. We are the seed of Abraham and like Joshua, we are unstoppable and no one can stand against us with God on our side.

“No man shall be able to stand against you; the Lord your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you” (Deuteronomy 11:25).

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In Genesis 49, Jacob called his sons and pronounced a blessing over them. To Judah he declared that his brothers would praise him and his hands would be on the neck of his enemies. His father’s sons would bow down to him and he was declared a lion’s cub, who from the prey he went up to the mountain: He stooped and crouched like a lion and as a lion who no one would dare to interfere with. The sceptre (of royalty) would never leave Judah and all people would obey him. A sceptre is an ornamented staff carried by rulers, on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of royalty or sovereignty. David also came from the lineage of Judah and Jesse and ruled the kingdom of Judah. Nathan prophesied over David’s reign and over his lineage.

“And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). Despite David’s sin later in his reign, when he took Uriah’s wife and killed him, God appointed his son Solomon to take over his throne. “As the Lord has been with my Lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my Lord King David” (1 Kings 1:37). Solomon married wives that drew his heart away from God and this led to the gradual decline in the people of God. This led to years of sin and gradual backsliding from the things and commandments of God. Eventually the people of God lost their possessions and were take into captivity.

God’s people spent many years in hardship and in the New Testament, were under the rule of the Roman Empire. Despite the challenges that faced God’s people, His covenant concerning Judah was established, when Jesus was born from the genealogy of David and Judah. “So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations” (Matthew 1:17). Jesus was crucified, died and rose again to conquer death, hell and the grave. He is right now seated at the right hand of God and he reigns forever.

The name Judah means praise and symbolises a violent praise that proceeds warfare. The worshippers and singers went ahead of the armies in battle, with singers and musicians. Our worship sets the atmosphere for victory as we hail the lion of the tribe of Judah and acknowledge his preeminence. As Jesus Christ is exalted, he fights the battles for us and we are sure of victory. Jesus is worthy to receive our praises, because he is the spotless lamb, who died for our sins and is now exalted on high. His second coming will not be as a lamb, but as the conquering lion of the tribe of Judah. “And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals”” (Revelation 5:5).

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David spoke in Psalm 23 of God being his shepherd, who provided for all of his needs. God caused him to lie down in green pastures, led him beside still waters and restored his soul. This verse points to the fact that it is possible to restore the soul. Restoration relates to bringing back or re-establishing something to its former state. The Psalm suggests that David’s soul had been depleted, worn out or exhausted. He was the youngest of Jesse’s sons and not even considered when Samuel visited, to anoint one of them to be king. He spent most of his time in the fields, looking after flock for his father or running errands for his brothers. He was anointed despite his father’s misgivings and set himself apart, when he took down Goliath.

Saul appointed David to his service as a Musician first and then a soldier in his army. He soon grew jealous of David once the people celebrated him more after victory. He made several attempts to kill David who constantly ran and hid as he pursued him. It was only when David entered enemy territory when Saul stopped pursuing him. These challenges would have made David exhausted, weary and his soul would have been wounded. Yet, he sought sustenance and restoration from God. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”(Psalm 23:4). He was confident that God would prepare a table of good things, in the very presence of his enemies.

Moreover, God’s anointing was continually over his life and he overflowed with the presence of God. He was confident of God’s goodness forever and made a vow to remain always in the presence of God. David often worried about the advances of the wicked and oftentimes cried out to God for help. “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid” (Psalm 27:1)? He was confident about the outcome for the wicked who rose up against him. He could depend on God as a rock and shelter and his heart always rejoiced in the Lord. “And now shall mine head be lifted up, Above mine enemies round about me: Therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD” (Psalm 27:6).

Many times David almost lost hope, when he saw what appeared to be the prosperity of the wicked. Yet he learnt how to wait on the Lord and to take courage. “I had fainted, Unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). He observed that although the wicked seemed to prosper for a season or spring up like a herb, very soon they wither and are driven away by the wind. Life can be challenging and trials can cause us to feel wounded. Like David, God is able to restore our souls. We have to trust him, surrender and allow him to do his work in our lives. God will prepare a table in the presence of our enemies and he will restore lost relationships and opportunities. Our praise and worship acknowledges the power and awesome of God and sets him high above our difficulties.

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John spoke about walking in the light of God who has no darkness in him. As we walk in the light, we have nothing to do with darkness. If we say we walk with God, while remaining in darkness, we are not being truthful. As we walk in the light, we have fellowship with each other and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sins. If we pretend that we have not sinned, then we are being untruthful. However, if we confess our sins, God will forgive us and make us clean from every evil work. If we pretend to be without sin, then we make even Christs word to be untrue and his word does not dwell in us.

James also taught about the need for confession for healing. He instructed the church that anyone who was ill, should call for the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil. The prayer of faith will heal the sick and the Lord will raise him up. If the person had committed any sins, the Lord would also forgive them. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). James reminded us how Elijah was a man with a human nature like all of us. Yet Elijah prayed fervently that it would not rain, and it did not for over three years. After this he prayed again for it to rain and the Lord sent rain.

We are also encouraged to restore back to the faith, anyone who has wandered. The person who brings them back, will save their souls from death and cover their sins. In Psalm 119:26, David spoke of declaring his ways or his sins before God, and he heard him. Confession is good for the soul and it is a good way to unburden and offload from the weight of guilt, sin and shame. There is a reason why many people on their death beds regurgitate past wrongs and sometimes make life changing confessions. There seems to be something about secrets and wrongs committed that are heavy and burdensome and cause people to want to offload. Many people share dark secrets in the confines of a counselling setting for example, as the space is confidential.

There are some minor indiscretions that have eaten away at our minds and emotions for years and have even impacted our growth. Ignoring wrongs committed will not cause them to go away. We have to start with confessing to God. Come boldly and openly before him, confess, repent and ask for his forgiveness. There are some conditions where God will ask us to confess to others and make restitution where possible. It is better to confess, rather than to live with the weight and guilt of shame and condemnation. Satan loves it when you have secrets so that he can use it as a form of emotional blackmail. Come clean and be set free. “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God” (Psalms 51:17).

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In Psalm 34, David expressed praises to God and vowed to praise continually. He called others to magnify God because when he cried out, God heard him and delivered him from everything that he feared. “They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed” (Psalms 34:5). The poor person cried and the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles. David invited everyone to try God for themselves, to see that it is good to serve him. Those who serve God lack nothing good because they trust in him. “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalms 103:1)! Again in Psalm 103, David commanded his mind, will and emotions to bless the Lord.

Praising God with everything means coming before him empty, so that we can be refilled. Emptied of self ensures being full of the presence of God, as we walk in the spirit and no longer in the flesh. David later commanded his soul to bless the Lord and to keep in remembrance all of the good benefits of serving Him. As our sins are forgiven, we are healed, redeemed and crowned with love and mercy. “Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalms 103:5). God renews and restores and he executes righteousness and justice to those who are oppressed. God is merciful to us, slow to anger and has moved our sins far away from us.

In Psalm 139, David spoke about God’s perfect knowledge of man, who had searched him and knew everything about him. “You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off” (Psalms 139:2). God knew David’s ways, every word he would speak and had surrounded him on every side. David acknowledged that the wisdom of God was something that he could not understand. Furthermore, there was no place on earth where he could go where God would not find him. “If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there” (Psalms 139:8). Even in the sea, God would find David and the darkness could not hide him. This is because God created him when he was in his mother’s womb.

In essence, David was saying that he was not an accident and that God designed and created him. You are not an accident, even if your parents did not plan the timing of your birth. The devil cannot create and does not give life as life comes from God. Your existence on this planet indicates the plan and purpose of God. There is nothing that you have done, no place you can run and no sin that can separate you from God. What He needs is your complete surrender to his will so that he can heal and restore your soul. Living for God, trusting in him, serving him and giving him praise and worship, is the best way to heal and restore a broken soul. “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well” (Psalms 139:14).

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The soul is described as the seat of the conscience that governs the mind, will and emotions. Our souls will exist after we die and is connected to our spirits. Emotional wounds such as heartbreak and heartaches cause damage to our souls. Most people consider a relationship breakdown between a couple as producing heartbreak. Abandonment, rejection and neglect in early childhood are major forms of heartbreak that many people overlook. A child anticipates that their parents will love, nurture and care for them. Perhaps we are born with the innate desire to be nurtured and cared for. Abraham Maslow described this as the hierarchy of needs which include; physical needs such as shelter and clothing, safety and security including having a home, love and belonging, esteem which is attached to being respected or esteemed by others and self actualisation which includes the ability to pursue and fulfil a purpose.

When God created Adam, he saw that it was not good for him to be alone, so he created women for his companion. The woman fulfilled Adam’s need for love and belonging. Within this marriage unit, they produced children who may have experienced safety and security, love and belonging and have their physical needs met. As they grew into adulthood, they would develop esteem and become self actualised. Abel was a shepherd and gave his first fruits to God, who esteemed his offering. Cain also brought an offering which God had no regard for. As his need to be esteemed was not met, Cain was angry and this led to his brother’s death. So great was his need to feel self actualised and to be esteemed, that it turned him into a murderer.

Both children and adults have needs which must be met in order for them to be content. A child whose needs have not been met, produces an adult who can struggle to contain their emotions. For people who struggle with anger, rage or other difficult emotions, it is useful to examine what is their unmet need. While it is difficult to go back in time and redo our childhood, God is able to heal and restore. “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in” (Psalm 27:10). David’s writings in Psalms explores some deeply emotionally charged discourses, which shows how he explored some difficult emotions. I notice how David used intimacy with God, worship and praise to overcome adversity and to restore his broken emotions.

I want to explore some of these Psalms over the next few days and explore how David expressed emotions. He was deeply acquainted with emotional pain and sorrow, yet he was able to be real with God about his emotions. There are other prophets that came bare before God in their emotional distress and anguish. Their writings always ended in a place of peace, comfort and assurance. I believe that worship is an antidote for anxiety and depression and it can also heal and restore broken and damaged emotions. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

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Jesus told a story in Luke 16, about a Manager who was given charge of his master’s affairs. The Manager was wasting his master’s money and the master found out about it. He told the Manager to get his report in order because he was going to be fired. The Manager considered his options as he was too proud to beg and did not have the strength to dig ditches. “Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired” (Luke 16:4). He called all the people who owed his master to discuss their bills and negotiated their repayment. For each person he reduced the amount that they owed the master. The master admired the dishonest Manager for being so shrewd.

Jesus stated that the children of the world are more shrewd (clever) at dealing with the world around them, than the children of light. The lesson that Jesus wanted us to draw from this story, is to use our worldly resources to benefit others and to make friends. After your resources are gone, then they will welcome you into an eternal home. “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities” (Luke 16:10). If you are untrustworthy with worldly wealth, who then would trust you with the riches of heaven? If a person isn’t faithful with what belongs to others, how can they be trusted with their own?

No one can serve two masters, because they are likely to hate one and love the other. In the same way, we cannot truly serve God and be a slave to money. Jesus also shared the parable about the rich man and Lazarus who was a beggar. The rich man was generally well dressed and lived in luxury while Lazarus laid at his gate, covered in soars. He ate the left overs from the rich man until one day they both died. Lazarus was carried to sit at Abraham’s side in the heavenly banquet, while the rich man was taken to everlasting torment. The rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to drip water on his tongue. Abraham reminded the man of how he once lived in luxury while Lazarus lived in poverty.

In the first parable, Jesus wanted people to consider how to use wealth to establish his kingdom. This was in order to gain eternal life. In the second parable, Jesus showed the end result for a rich man who didn’t consider the poor man Lazarus. It was while he was in hell that he wanted Lazarus to come to his aid. His earthly wealth blinded his eyes to the eternal life in torment. God wants us to have wealth and prosperity. Our perspective has to remain on our eternal existence and the life that we will live after eternity. Wealth is to be used to help us and to help others. The balance is to never become a slave to money because then it has become a god. “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul” (Mark 8:36-37)?

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In Deuteronomy 7, Moses spoke to the people about God’s instructions for the promised land. God would clear out the inhabitants before them, so they could possess the lands. They should make no covenants with them, show no mercy to them, but to wipe them out completely. They were not to intermarry, nor to give their sons or daughters to be their wives or husbands. This was because they would turn their hearts away from God, and this would make him angry. “But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire” (Deuteronomy 7:5). God set apart his people as chosen and holy to inherit his covenant.

He didn’t choose Israel because they were greater in number than other nations. “but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:8). This covenant was premised on the condition that his people keep his commandments. Once this condition was met, God’s blessings would remain with his people up to a thousand generations. He would repay all those who hate him and his people, by destroying them and repaying their evil works. For his children who keep his commandments, He promised to bless, multiply, bless your children, bless everything that you own and bless everything that you do.

“And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you” (Deuteronomy 7:15). Israel were commanded not to fear the inhabitants of the nations, but to remember what God did to Pharaoh. He would send plagues among them until they were completely destroyed. “The Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you” (Deuteronomy 7:22). The people were also instructed to burn their images and gods. They were not to covet their gold and silver, nor take it for themselves, lest it become a snare.

God kept his promises to his people and in the book of Joshua, we saw how he fought the battles for them. All the inhabitants were driven out of the land and the people dwelt in their land in safety. “And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands” (Joshua 21:44). Before Joshua died, he renewed God’s covenant with his people. This was to ensure that they would remember what God had promised and to also remember the commandments. As long as the people obeyed the commandments, the covenant would stand, but their disobedience would be a breach of covenant.

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