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Once upon a time a rat looked through a crack. Saw the farmer open a package. Thought it was new food. Shocked to see it was a rat trap. Ran to the chicken and told, “There is rat trap in the house.” The chicken said, “What is it to me?”.
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Once upon a time a rat looked through a crack. • Saw the farmer open a package. • Thought it was new food. • Shocked to see it was a rat trap.
Ran to the chicken and told, “There is rat trap in the house.” • The chicken said, “What is it to me?”
Ran to the pig and said, “There is rat trap in the house.” • “There is nothing I can do, but I will pray for you.
Ran to the cow and said the same thing. • The cow said, “ I am in no danger.” • Rat was sad and felt dejected. • At night the farmer’s wife heard the trap.
Ran to see. • In the darkness, did not see that there was a snake. • The snake bit the farmer’s wife. • Rushed to the hospital.
Returned home with a fever. • The farmer thought that fresh chicken was good for the fever. • Sickness continued. • Friends and neighbors came. • To feed them, the farmer killed the pig.
The farmer’s wife did not get well. • She died. Many people came. • So the farmer slaughtered the cow to provide meat for them to eat.
The next time you hear someone is facing a problem. • Do not say it does not concern you. • If there is a rat trap in the house, everyone is at risk.
In today’s Scripture, one household was the cause of Israel’s defeat. • The disintegration of one household affects us all. • The battle of Ai was a simple battle. • What went wrong?
1. One family neglected their spiritual responsibilities. • The household of Achan was responsible for this. • Josh. 7:1 – “Achan took the accursed things.” • What were these accursed things?
Josh. 6:17-19 – Achan took some material things. • Some things belong to God. • But we today we spend more time with our remote control or telephone than with our Bible.
Whenever we take accursed things, it curses us and our household. • We cannot live successful family lifes without God. • That is the foundation.
2. One family had sinful secrets in their home. • Achan knew what he did was wrong. • He hid the evidence under the floor of his tent. • Josh. 7:21
When we try to hide things from God, sooner or later they will surface. • Numbers 32:23 – ‘Your sin will find you out.” • What are hiding from God in your home?
You think your thoughts of jealousy, bitterness, hatred are not known to God? • Achan’s hidden sin affected his entire household. • Get rid of the accursed things.
3. One family failed to give glory to God. • Josh.7:19 – Joshua speaks to Aachan • What do you do to honor God in your household? • What do I have that honors God?
Does everyone one in my household have a Bible? • Do I have good Christian magazines? • Good Christian music? • If Achan had honored God in his tent, he would not have taken the accursed things.
Conclusion • When Achan’s sin was dealt with, the people of God won the battle at the city of Ai (Josh. 8) • When we deal with our sin, we will begin to see great things happening in our families and our church.