The Joy of the Lord

"[[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!" Psalm 21:1

My family has been dealing with a situation for which we have been asking God for wisdom and guidance.  This week, we have been meeting with "experts" at a center, seeking to understand the scope of what we are dealing with and options for addressing it.

Our first day at this center, a stranger approached me and started a conversation.  In part she said, "This place is so anointed.  The Lord has definitely led you to the right place."  I said thank you and we parted ways.  I then prayed in my heart to the Lord, "Lord, if that was supposed to be some kind of confirmation for me that we are to follow the advice of these people, then I am sorry but you are going to have to make it more clear than that.  That just didn't do it for me."

The next day, another stranger came up to me and started speaking.  In part, she said, "This place is just wonderful.  I can't speak more highly of it.  With the Lord's help, you will find all that you need here."  Again, I responded, "Thank you."  However, yet again, something was missing.  While comforting, reassuring, and encouraging, the words these women spoke just did not resonate with my spirit.  They were nice platitudes, but did not have the power that words from the Lord usually have.

You see, everybody has a "word from the Lord" these days, but they are not all from the Lord.  We must seek to be in tune with God at all times in order to know what is of Him and what is not.  A word is not from God just because it makes us feel good or tells us nice things we want to hear.  The enemy himself can even transform himself into an angel of light in order to lead you astray (II Corinthians 11:14).  A real word from the Lord will slam into our souls, confront our perceptions, and bring about a major change and assurance within us.

I began to question the Lord more urgently.  "Lord, Friday is the day we get the feedback from these experts and their recommendations, yet I feel no closer to knowing what we should do."

"The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him."  Exodus 15:2

While at that center Thursday morning, I was reflecting on God's word and His goodness.  All of a sudden the Holy Spirit welled up within me and literally filled me with such amazing joy.   It was such an unspeakable joy that I seriously thought I might start shouting praises to Him at the top of my voice right then and there.

I jokingly said to the Lord, "Lord, is this what it is like for you to return the joy of my salvation?  I had better get a hold of myself or I am going to start shouting & dancing around this place right now and they will surely put me out!"  But I honestly could not contain it; joy over the Lord was just bubbling up from my spirit.  I began to pray out loud, thanking the Lord and praising Him, for I could not hold it in.  I felt empowered to face and conquer anything; it was truly a supernatural experience.

"Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." Psalm 32:11

By the end of that day, my joy had been forgotten and I was dejected; in pain, physically sick, and full of questions.  "Why, Lord, was I in this situation?  What was the purpose of all of this?  It just doesn't make any sense." It had really been a trying day and I had been pushed to my physical limits.  I still had no word which I felt was from the Lord.  I was still as confused as ever abut what to do.

That night, my pastor sent me a link to the video below with a one word instruction, "Listen."  And listen I did.

As I listened to Pastor Wilkerson speak about the importance of having joy while going through a trial - and not just when God brings you out of it - I knew it was a word from the Lord for me.  It illustrated exactly what God had already shown me earlier that day.  How could my pastor have known the message I needed to hear?  How could he have known exactly when to send it?  It could only be the Lord.

You see, that morning, I had been so filled with joy that I couldn't even think about my own circumstances.  In the midst of a center filled with sickness, disease, and death, I felt like leaping for joy.  I was overcome with thankfulness and gratitude for all the Lord had done for me, but most importantly, for Him being who He is.

So this is the kicker: what had happened by the end of the day?  What had changed to cause my joy to fade?  Was not the Lord still the same Comforter, Deliverer, and Almighty God I had praised in the morning?  Absolutely He was.  It was I who had changed, not Him.  I realized that I had let my circumstances and what I was going through erode away my joy, and I became determined not to let that happen again.  I will not again let the Devil steal my joy!

Yet, Satan doesn't give up easily.  That night he sent me a nightmare where someone was chasing me and trying to kill me.  He was trying once more to have a spirit of fear gain a stronghold in my heart.  But when I awoke the Lord said, "Whose report will you believe?"

On Friday, we went back to that center changed.  Instead of being overwrought with our own situation, we were renewed in faith.  We actively  prayed with and for others regarding whatever issues they had.  My husband spoke with such vigor about the Lord, that it prompted others to ask, "Are you a preacher?"  Neither were we fearful of the coming report from the "experts".

Yet as I said before, the Devil doesn't give up that easily.  As we waited to hear the report, they brought in female chaplains from their "Pastoral Care" unit.  Each of these women tried to use the Scriptures to get us to do what the experts felt we should do.  They assured us that God allows us to make the choices in our lives.  That God had placed these experts in our lives for a reason and we could just pray for God to have His hand in whatever they recommended.  I don't have to pray to know God's will, they said, for God is with me and will be with whatever decision I make.  These were all religious lies.

Let me tell you something: there is a major difference between religion and true relationship.  Religion seeks its own way and deceives itself into believing that God will bless it.  It attempts to use God like an accessory to bless what they already want to do in their defiled hearts, appending God to their desire to fulfill their own will.  That is not faith.  Those in true relationship with the Lord seek and desire to know His will, and obey that.  True faith is trusting God and believing Him, even when you do not understand.  There is a choice we face as Christians, but it is not a choice to do as we please with God's blessing.  It is a choice to either obey Him or not.

Once we set this straight with the chaplains, the experts began with their report.  As I listened to the report, it was abundantly clear how the hand of the Lord was with me...and had been throughout this entire trial.  The situation we faced had not spread one bit, but had been unnaturally contained these past 7 years.  The experts had no explanation for it.  I was reminded of how even the oceans have to obey the Lord, going not where they please, but maintaining the boundaries established by the word of God (Job 38:11).  I remembered how God gave Satan license to test Job, but placed limitations on what he was allowed to do.  Satan not only needed permission from God, but he could not surpass the restraints God put upon him.  Even in our trials, we are never at the mercy of the Devil, but God remains in control.  Is there anything too hard for our God?  There is absolutely not!

"Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy." I Chronicles 29:9

While there is much meat from Min. Wilkerson in this short sermon below, there were two things in particular that stood out to me personally.

1. God has led you to this crisis.
   
   This statement really gave me pause for consideration.  I had to acknowledge that I had doubted at times.  I had wondered whether the Lord had forsaken me, or whether I had somehow angered Him.  The Devil had whispered in my ear many a times that God would not deliver me, that He had let me down and would not rescue me in my despair.  That I could not depend upon or trust Him.  Did I try to fight these thoughts?  Yes!  But they had served their purpose, sowing seeds of doubt in my soul.  If it only takes the faith of a mustard seed to move mountains, then how much seed is needed to undermine our faith?  I had not fully embraced that this situation was not a judgment against me, but one that God had ordained for His purposes to be fulfilled within and through me.  Not all trials are the result of sin (John 9:1-3).  Further, a deliverance that is seemingly delayed is not a deliverance denied.


2. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him
   
   At the end of the day, all that matters is that I please the Lord.  I spoke to the experts and said, "My life is the Lord's and He can do with it whatsoever He chooses.  I am not afraid of death.  The only thing I fear is disobeying my Lord.  I know that as long as I do His will, all will be worked out for my good." 
   
   My husband stated, "This present life is not all that there is.  We need to be concerned with where we will go after this.  This is not about playing games.  I used to be a knucklehead before I got saved, but I know that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father or one will be damned.  These are sober times and we need to be for real with the Lord."
   
   We preached to the experts for quite some time.  Some of them stared at us with eyes of hatred while others listened.  Yet, we spoke all that God put on our hearts and told them of His power, mercy, and grace.

I write all of this, not to focus on my own story, but to encourage you.  No matter your situation or hardship, you can still have joy...God desires you to have joy and provides the way for you to have it!  Joy is not trying to work something up or even to pretend that we are okay in the face of trouble.  It is being filled with the Spirit of God.  As we keep our eyes focused n Him, even in the midst of our troubles, we will be filled with His joy.  There is a purpose for your existence; and believe it or not, there is even a purpose in your trial.  Don't let Satan use your circumstances to steal your joy, but praise the Lord even now for He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever!

In addition to the message below from Min. Wilkerson, here is a link to a message from his son:  Jesus Can Still Do This.

God of the Impossible

"But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Mathew 19:26

I just want to remind you that our God is a God of the impossible!  There is nothing too hard for Him.

No situation He cannot turn.

No obstacle He cannot overcome.

No need He cannot meet.

No sin He cannot forgive.

No bondage He cannot break.

No heart too hard for Him to change.

No prayer He cannot answer.

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23

Yes, these days are dark, but God already has a plan.  Look not to the left nor the right, neither be dismayed.  He is able and His will shall be done.  And yes, His will is unfolding still, even in the midst of present darkness in this world. He is not taken by surprise and His hand is not too short to save.

Don't make God too small in your eyes.  Don't be afraid to ask Him, even for the impossible! We often have not because we ask not (James 4:2).

"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matthew 17:20

Can you believe Him to save?  Can you believe Him to heal?  Can you believe Him to deliver?  Even a lost generation that seems without hope?  Hope in God I say.

Why are you downcast?  Why are you disheartened by the wickedness of the enemy?  Don't you know that the Lord has already secured the victory?  If God is for you, then who can be against you?

Oh, but we serve a mighty God! Have we forgotten our God?  Yet He has not forgotten us.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37

Turn your hearts to Him and dare to trust Him.  Dare to stand on His word, even when every voice is telling you it is impossible.  Stand on His word - do not be moved - and see the glory of the Lord!

Jesus is God of the living, not the dead.  So why walk as one who is dead?  Shake off the graveclothes which bind and live I say unto you (John 11:40-44)!

"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. 

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Isaiah 35:1-10

"Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" John 11:40

In the Secret

"Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen." Deuteronomy 27:15

Our bodies are the temple of God and only if we are sanctified and set apart for Him can we dwell with Him in the "Most Holy Place" or the secret place within us; our spirit man.

Seek God and ask Him to reveal any idols and abominations which would prevent His Holy Spirit from filling us completely or prevent us from hearing His voice. Nothing is hidden from God.

"But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself." I Samuel 19:2

When your enemies encompass you about and seek to destroy your very soul, remember to find shelter in the secret place with God and abide there with Him. He is able to and He will sustain you.

"He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies." Psalm 18:11

As discussed in the Paradigm Shift - Part 2, the darkest of moments are oftentimes when we are closest to experiencing God's power.  It is in the darkness where the great light shines forth even more.  To quote that from that article again,

"Your emotional condition is not necessarily your heart condition. Allow this piercing of the heart, for out of the wound shall pour forth all that festers and infects you. Surrender it into My hands with genuine repentance, believe and I shall heal you; you shall have a new heart. I shall shine My light into the darkness, and shall shine light upon your heart. Then shall you see clearly; then shall you know my glory in the face of My Son."

"Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah." Psalms 81:7

If we are finding it hard to get answers from God, then perhaps we are not seeking for Him where He desires to meet with us, in the secret place. Make it a priority to dwell with God in the stillness of your spirit and find your rest in Him.  Take time there, do not rush.  He is our deliverer and He will never fail.  He will replenish and restore us.

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1

In the shadow of God's wings we are protected; we are shielded from the heat of the day and we find a covert from the storm. In this refuge, we find God's mercies and thereby we can rejoice - even in the midst of calamity.

"My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it." Ezekiel 7:22

We cannot have fellowship with unrighteousness or darkness and still think to abide in the presence of God. His face He will turn from us. God is molding for Himself a Bride without spot or blemish and He will not accommodate a harlot. Do not seek friendship with nor acceptance by the world, but desire to be in the world while not of the world.  Think it not some strange thing when the world rejects and mocks you; the servant is not above his Master.

"No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light." Luke 11:33

It does no good for us to have the light of God within and yet it is never seen by others around us. In fact, according to this text, such is improbable. If no light is being seen it is very likely that no light is present because everyone with such light takes pains to let it be seen so that others may be drawn to it.

The following video and message was sent to me today as a means of encouragement and it is so beautiful & powerful that I am sharing it here so that others may be blessed.

When you get quiet time listen to the song, more specifically the lyrics. Be encouraged. 

Sometimes we need to stop and shut down everything and simply rest at His feet. When we feel like we don't have the time to spend seeking intimate moments with Him is usually when we need to most. Moments being still and allowing our body, soul, and spirit to come unto subjection to His Holy Spirit brings a sense of strength, joy, and refreshment that we can never find anywhere or in anyone else. His presence alone is enough to fulfill us, even if He doesn't say a word. 

We have to remind ourselves of the magnificent dichotomy of which He breaks us down while building us up, all with the same breath. Let Him restore your soul. Let His Spirit fill all empty rooms. Let His love burst through old wine sacks hidden in chambers of your heart so new ones are forced to form. And let Him consume all of your being so you can come to Him and remain in Him with childlike faith, which the world all too often tries to steal from us. 

Be encouraged.

Maybe It's Just Me...

But I expect to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Not only some time far off in the future, not one day when I 'get to Heaven', but even now as we live and breathe in this world.

I wake up each day looking to see my Savior and to have there be a continued difference in my life because of Him.  I have the expectation daily that souls will be restored and captives set free; that people will be turned from darkness to light.  That God will move in miraculous and wondrous ways which cause His name to be glorified...even amongst those who may have denied Him the day before.  I expect that I will walk in as well as be changed and kept by His awesome power.

We are not just serving some pie in the sky speculation, but God is more real than you and I.  He is a Father who desires to commune with us and have us as His own.  Every second is being worked out according to His sovereign will, and nothing is able to change that.

I pray each day that I see things as He sees them.  That my heart be filled with the desires of His heart.  That my ears be open to His words...and my will be quick to obey.  Like a trusting child, I can yield myself to Him without reservation, knowing that He cares for me and desires only that which is best for me.  Even His chastening is done out of His love for me.

I will keep my eyes on things above so that no circumstance overtake, deter or distract me.  I will keep my mind on Him so that I will be in perfect peace, even when in the midst of turmoil.  I can rejoice, even in my sufferings, for He is with me and He strengthens me.  He even strengthens me to wait upon Him when it seems no answer is near.  I know by His promises that I will also share in His resurrection for He has already overcome the world.

I refuse to settle for the religious existence of a shallow life where I confess the Lord with my lips, but do not actually know Him nor am known by Him.  I know that I can and will experience Him personally in my life each day as I make Him a priority.  I am His and He is mine; He is the lover of my soul.

Today, I trust that God will order my steps, provide for every need, and have His perfect way in me as He uses me as a vessel of His love to others.  I pray, trust and believe these things because...

I expect to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  And this hope purifies.

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:13-14

The Valley of Achor for a Door of Hope

Hanging By A Line of Scarlet Thread

"Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee." Zechariah 9:12

Have you ever felt that the burdens you carry are too heavy for you to bear?  That God was not hearing your prayers or responding to your petitions?  That you were just overwhelmed or alone in your situation?  Such things caused me to seek God for a renewal of His hope in me and a better understanding of how to hold on to it.

The Scriptures are full of references to God's love, His longsuffering, and His mercy; where His arm is outstretched to save.  The Book of Hosea is one example of this.  The word "Hosea" literally means salvation.

God had instructed the prophet Hosea to marry a harlot so that he would understand first-hand how God felt about Israel's idolatry.  He could have just given Hosea the words to proclaim, but God is more practical than that.  He often places us in tough situations to give us a personal testimony that can transform his words from being mere recitations to being spoken from the heart by the power of His Spirit.  It is the difference between talking about a God whom you believe can do anything versus telling of a God whom you know has brought you through everything.  If we never have a time of testing, then we will never have a testimony or a personal revelation of God's delivering power of which to speak.  This is how we grow from faith to faith, as we go on to walk with God and see His deliverance in various aspects of our lives.

Although an unfaithful wife must have been a painful burden to carry, this is what God did with Hosea.  As a result, the Book of Hosea tells the beauty of how the love of God can take an idolatrous harlot and make of her a pure Bride.  In speaking of the blessings God would bestow on Israel when she turned back to Him, Hosea says in part:

"And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali." Hosea 2:15-16

Sometimes, you read things in Scripture that just make you go, "Huh?"  This was one such passage for me.  It sounds like such a beautiful promise, yet as I looked more closely, it presented some questions. Why is the valley of Achor a "door of hope"?

Achor

`Akowr
trouble, disturbance; the valley of trouble where Achan and his family were stoned

The valley of Achor was a large, fruitful and pleasant valley near Jericho, on the very entrance into the land of Canaan.

The first time we hear of it in Scripture is not a happy time. God was giving the city of Jericho into the hands of Israel, but had instructed them not to take of the accursed things in the city.  Yet Achan (which means troubler in Hebrew) did just that and brought a curse upon all of Israel.  When found out, God led Joshua to do the following:

"And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 

And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? The LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day." Joshua 7:24- 26

And so I asked the Lord, "Why is this valley "a door of hope"?  Where is the hope in this? Why is this the door through which we must enter to receive God's blessings?"

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." I John 2:15

The valley of Achor is associated with Israel's release from the world: both their captivity to it (outward bondage of Egypt in Hosea 2) and their love for the things in it (inward bondage of Achan in Joshua 7).  The valley of Achor represents our deliverance.  It is the "door of hope" that we - like Christ - can overcome the world and all that is in it, so that we may enter into the promises of the Father!

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out...Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." John 10:1-3, 7-9

Jesus Christ is the door; He is leading us out...out from the bondage of the world.  He is our hope in that He is our Deliverer (Hebrews 6:17-20; I Timothy 1:1).  He is the means by which we are freed from enslavement to the world, and thereby from the god who rules it (II Corinthians 4:4).

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Just as Israel went through this valley before they could enter into the Promised Land, so must we experience this deliverance in order to walk in the new covenant promises of God: a resurrected life.

As Hosea says above, the valley of Achor is the door of hope through which we know God, not only as our Lord (Baali), but as our Husband (Ishi).  Just as in a marriage relationship, we are brought into intimate communion with Him as His Bride and become one with Him. Such is our hope; it is not of this world and neither can it be taken away by this world.

Hope

tiqvah
a cord; a hope or expectation

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end [hope]." Jeremiah 29:11

We may have circled in the Wilderness of Sin for what seemed like an eternity as God dealt with our idolatry and taught our hands to war, but there comes a time when we have been prepared to enter into the promises.  There comes a time when we come through the Valley of Achor as we are crucified to the world - and it to us - leaving behind the dead body of the old man (the troubler), so that we can truly move on in the promise of the power of new life in Christ.  This is the beauty of the cross (of which the valley of Achor is a type).

When Jesus was on the cross, God wasn't sitting in Heaven scratching His head trying to figure out what to do.  Not one thing happened to Jesus that was not part of God's plan.  When we yield our lives to the Father's hands, we also have this comfort.  We can know that - no matter what we go through - God is working out His plan for our deliverance and for our good!

"Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel." Ezekiel 37:11-12 

The death of the cross may seem like agony, it may feel like God has forsaken us...but He has not.  Don't focus on what you are going through but where God is taking you.  It is even the joy of what lay ahead after the cross which gave Jesus the strength to endure it, and that same hope will also give us strength (Hebrews 12:2).  Jesus has come to set the captives free and whom the Son sets free is free indeed.  God is a Deliverer, and He is delivering us!  He is bringing us into His promises of new life, which requires the death of the old Adamic nature.

Sometimes it may feel as if you are hanging by a thread - but then again, sometimes that thread is all you need; for a three-fold cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12b).  It is this same cord, this same hope, which saved the harlot Rahab and her family.

In preparing to take the city of Jericho, Israel sent a few men to spy out the land.  They were taken in and given shelter by the harlot Rahab, who also helped them to escape their pursuers from Jericho.  In return, the men promised to save her and her family if she obeyed their instructions:

"Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee...

And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window...

And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho." Joshua 2:18, 21; 6:25

The word "line" in the above text is the same as the word translated "hope" in Hosea describing the Valley of Achor.  We are saved by hope (Romans 8:24)!

Rahab's hope allowed her to be transformed from a harlot to a woman of faith, even becoming one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5).  As we saw in Hosea, God's love is able to transform even those with the heart of a harlot into pure brides for Christ.  There is a journey that God is taking every Christian through; molding us into a Bride without spot or blemish.  This is the power of God's salvation.

Hold on to the promise...hold on to the hope...hold on to the blood-stained, three-fold cord which is an anchor to our souls and binds us to Christ, making us His own.  The valley of Achor is a door of hope for it is the path to our deliverance.

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalms 27:13-14