“Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it” (Joshua 7:11-13).

“You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it,” declared the LORD.

Aren’t you curious what “it” is? If God tells you that the reason for your suffering, the reason for your losses, the reason for your devastation is because of “it,” wouldn’t you want to know what “it” is and be sure to correct “it”?

I know I would be.

This passage is the story of Achan. The Israelites just got done destroying Jericho – remember Jericho, march around the city for seven days and on the seventh day blow the trumpet and shout and the walls would come tumbling down?Remember the story of Rahab the prostitute and how she saved the spies of Israel and in return she and her family was saved?

You can read all about it in Joshua chapters 5 and 6. 

When the Israelites defeated Jericho, God gave specific instructions of how the Israelites were to destroy everything and everyone. Only the gold and silver, and articles of bronze and iron were to be saved for the treasury of the house of God. But someone cheated. They didn’t put all the gold and silver for the treasury of the house of God. They kept some of the items dedicated to God for themselves.

As a result, the Israelites – who just got done defeating one of the greatest cities of the time in Jericho – just got their butts whooped by a tiny insignificant foe – Ai.

Don’t miss this, ALL of Israel suffered because of one man.

The reason why the Israelites were routed? Well, because of “it”. They had stolen from God. They had sinned against God.

And here’s the thing. God says that the reason for the suffering and pain in our world is because of “it”, and as long as “it” stays around we will never be able to defeat our enemies, then why aren’t we doing everything we can deal with “it”?

That’s a great question.

So, what is “it” for you? What are you holding back that belongs to God?

So, who don’t you do something about “it” today?

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).

Jesus is the head of the church. Whenever the church gets this wrong, everyone suffers. The church suffers. The world who needs Jesus suffers.

“The Church, as a whole, is doing more and more. And the church, as a whole, is making less and less of a difference” – @simplechurch.

While I don’t claim to have “the” answers or be any sort of an expert on the issue of solving the problems of the church’s relevance in a post-modern, post-denominational, post-Christian world, I do think there are some things for us to consider.

• If it ain’t working, stop!!! We’re wasting people’s time, talents, and finances. If whatever it is we’re currently doing that’s not producing the results we want to experience – STOP!!! 
• Get strategic. Know what it is that we are trying to produce, and if it’s not producing the results, then don’t do those things anymore. The purpose of the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace is to “Make Disciples and Grow Faithful Disciples Who Share the Love of Christ with All People.”
• Pray. God really does answer prayer. Seriously. Pray. The church needs to pray. It’s not about human ingenuity. It’s not doing our best. It’s God’s church. He already has a plan. It’s our job to execute God’s plan. And in order to know God’s plan, we must pray and listen.

God’s placed our churches for a reason – and that reason can’t be become a totally irrelevant relic in the community. God has a plan and purpose for the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace being here. God wants us to be effective in “Making Disciples and Growing Faithful Disciples Who Share the Love of Christ with All People.

That means that God has a solution to the issues we’ve been dealing with. God knows what to do with his facilities. God knows we need to remodel, repair, or build anew. Not only does God know we need to update our facilities, God knows how he is going to pay for it!

It’s time for us to pray, listen, evaluate, and plan.

As Forrest Gump once said, “That’s all I want to say about that.”

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Everyone dies. Not everyone lives.

Brandon just turned eleven before the tumor that he’s been battling since he was four finally took his life.

As a pastor, I have the privilege of being with folks both at the very beginning of life and as people draw their last few breaths.

I’ve been thinking about the events of the past week and I can’t help but wonder how anyone could think that life is only about what happens here in this world for the few years of our existence. How can people not see that God created us with a soul that’s supposed to live forever.

How could we possibly think that there was no life until that baby breaks the threshold of mommy’s body? That life didn’t start for that baby until she was born?

And how could it be that a person who was living and breathing could, just like that, in moments be gone forever?

We know in the core of our being that there is more because God created every single person with a soul. The body we live in now is only a temporary home. Our souls live on forever – either in the presence of God or forever apart from Him.

Here’s what Brandon taught me this week. That life is not about how long you live – but all about how much life you live. Brandon might have only lived for 11 years, but that boy truly lived. He lived for more than himself. He lived to make a difference. He impacted lives wherever and whenever he was. And now, because Jesus is his Lord and Savior, Brandon continues to live forever more in the presence of God.

Looking forward to the day when I will see you in person. And the next time, we’ll have all of eternity.