The Discipline Of The Body Of Believers Series

The discipline of the body Joshua 7

There were three churches – a Pentecostal, a Presbyterian and Baptist and these three decided to sponsor a community-wide revival. After the revival had concluded, the three pastors met at Tim Horton’s for coffee to discuss their results. The Pentecostal minister said, "The revival worked out great for us! We gained 4 new families." The Presbyterian preacher said, "We did better even better than that! We gained 6 new families." And the Baptist pastor said, "Well, we did even better than that! We got rid of our 10 biggest troublemakers!"

Speaking of Baptists, I also heard the story is told of two small churches in a small town and through time their numbers were slowly shrinking and finally the boards got together and decided to merge the congregations. One was a Baptist church and the other was simply called a Christian church but their doctrines were similar. So, the biggest hurdle they had to cross was deciding on a name and during the discussion one old Baptist said, "I’ve been Baptist all my life and I have no intention of being a Christian."

How many Baptists does it take to change a light bulb? And the answer is, 15; it takes one to change bulb, three committees to approve the change and arrange for the lunch.

Well, who we are and what we are is important and we thank God we are more than just a denominational title.

“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

And Joshua said, alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

And the LORD said unto Joshua, get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify the people, and say, sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, there is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.