Whom Will You Serve

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;

For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God. 

                                                                                                   (Josh 24:1-2, 14-18 KJV)

The journey is over. The Israelites have been promised the land for generations. They have been led through some hard times. They have been blessed by the LORD. Joshua's days are almost over. He reminds the people of all that the LORD has done for them and tells them:

"...choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Josh 24:15)

Who indeed will you serve? Which gods? Will you revere the LORD in sincerity and in faithfulness? As Joshua encouraged the Israelites to recall their history with the LORD God, I encourage you to do the same. Who brought you out of bondage? Did any of your false gods really help you? You cannot serve two gods. Choose ye this day, whom you will you serve. And, whichever one you choose know that they will each desire faithfulness from you. Will you choose the One who first chose you, who is faithful, and has always been faithful to you? Will you choose the one who loves you so much that He was willing to die for you? Or will you choose a lesser god, a god that does not love you, one that will only take from you, a god that will take your very joy and leave you alone and helpless? Choose ye this day... And, do not be deceived there is only one God that loves you. Put away all those false gods, for you cannot serve them all and live.

God's promise to you is a for an abundant life in His Kingdom - in His very presence. Do not choose to receive a lesser gift than this. Do not turn your back on the LORD who gives you life.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Choose You This Day

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

                                                                                   (Josh 24:14-15 KJV)

The journey is over. The Israelites have been promised the land for generations. They have been led through some hard times. They have been blessed by the LORD. Joshua's days are almost over. He reminds the people of all that the LORD has done for them and tells them to decide for themselves whether they will serve the LORD or false gods. 

Who indeed will you serve? Which gods? Will you revere the LORD in sincerity and in faithfulness? As Joshua encouraged the Israelites to recall their history with the LORD God, you are encouraged to do likewise. Who brought you out of bondage? Did any of your false gods really help you? You cannot serve two gods. Choose ye this day, whom you will you serve. And, whichever one you choose know that they will each desire faithfulness from you. Will you choose the One who first chose you, who is faithful, and has always been faithful to you? Will you choose the one who loves you so much that He was willing to die for you? Or will you choose to lift up a lesser god; a god that does not love you; a god that will only take from you; a god that will take your very joy and leave you alone and helpless? Choose ye this day... And, do not be deceived there is only one God that loves you. Put away all those false gods, for you cannot serve them all and live.

God's promise to you is a for an abundant life in His Kingdom; in His very presence. Do not settle for a lesser gift than this. Do not turn your back on the LORD who loves you and gives you life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Serve The One True God

Deuteronomy 6:4

 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  (Joshua 24:15 NRSV)

There are many gods. We will all serve someone or something. Some serve money; others serve heroes of this world; some serve their own ego. But, there is only one who is the creator of heaven and earth. There is only one God that can save us from the rest of these false gods. There is only one God who can save us from ourselves. Who or what is it that we serve?

In Jesus' sermon on the mountain he said: “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." (Matt 6:24)

It is much easier for me to understand someone telling me that they serve a god other than the Triune God; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit than if they tell me that they are Christians and serve the one true God and do not. The way one lives; the way one gives; the way one worships can be very good indicators of who or what each of us serves. if while one serves in the name of Jesus; but, it is their own ego that is in the limelight then I have to wonder what or who it is that they are really serving. Who or what is going to profit by their actions? Will it be the Kingdom or the person's ego or pocketbook? I am human and so I wonder about these things.

Jesus also said in his sermon on the mountain: 

"Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits. 

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’ 

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”  (Matthew 7:20-27)

God's Peace - Pr. J

How Shall We Live; Whom Shall We Please?

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ." (Col 2:6-8 NIV)

How shall we live then? Shall we live to please the world or to please God? If indeed Christ abides in us and we in him we will strive to please God even as Christ pleased our Father in heaven.  For when Jesus was baptized by John (Matt 3:16-17) and when he was transfigured on the mountain (Matt 17:1-5) a voice was heard from the heavens: This is my Son, with him I am well pleased. 

It is difficult to not follow in the ways of the world. We live here. We experience the hollow and deceptive philosophies and human traditions on a daily basis. It is all around us. But, that does not excuse us from following Jesus. In Christ it is possible to know the difference between the elemental spiritual forces and the Spirit of Christ. We are called to take up our crosses and to follow in the way of Jesus to please our Father in heaven. We may fall on the way; many times. But, as we live in faith in Christ, he will pick us up and put us on his path over and over again.

Even as Joshua admonished the people of God to consider whom they would serve; let each and everyone of us ask ourselves whom we shall serve, as well. 

     “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  (Josh 24:14-15)

For our own sake and for the sake of all people, may God help us to follow in the way of Jesus which is pleasing to our Father in heaven; rather than in the ways of world.

God's Peace - Pr. J

God's Will Will Be Done!

“'Remember this, keep it in mind,
    take it to heart, you rebels. 
 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
    I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.’
From the east I summon a bird of prey;
    from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
    what I have planned, that I will do." (Isa 46:8-11 NIV)

False idols are burdensome. They do nothing but add weight to the burden of the animals that carry them and the people that worship them. But, the LORD, our God, carries our weight. He carries our burdens. He bore the weight of our sins on the cross for us.  So which is preferable to you to bear the weight and the burden of a false god or have the one true God lift you up and carry you?

There is only one God. No matter what false gods you might choose to worship, it will be God's will that will be done and not ours. It will not be the will of any false gods that we might worship that is done. The truth is false gods have no good will for you or anyone else. They can help no one. They have no power.

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."" (Joshua 24:15)

There is only one God. Worship Him and Him alone!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Choose Ye This Day

The journey is over.  The Israelites have been promised the land for generations.  They have been led through some hard times.  They have been blessed by the LORD.  Joshua's days are almost over.  He reminds the people of all that the LORD has done for them and tells them:

"Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness;   put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the Rive and in Egypt, and    serve the LORD.  Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."  (Josh 24:14-15)

Whom, indeed, will you serve?  Which god or gods?  Will you revere the LORD in sincerity and in faithfulness?   As Joshua encouraged the Israelites to recall their history with the LORD God, I encourage you to do the same.  Who brought you out of bondage?  Did any of your false gods really help you?  You cannot serve two gods.  Choose ye this day, whom you will you serve.  And, whichever one you choose know that they will each desire faithfulness from you.  Will you choose the One who first chose you, who is faithful, and has always been faithful to you?  Will you choose the one who loves you so much that He was willing to die for you?  Or will you choose a lesser god, a god that does not love you, will only take from you, a god that will take your very joy and leave you alone and helpless?  Choose ye this day...  Do not be deceived. There is only one God that loves you.  Put away all those false gods, for you cannot serve them all and live.

God's promise to you is a for an abundant life in His Kingdom - in His very presence.  Do not choose to receive a lesser gift than this.  Do not turn your back on the LORD who gives you life.

God's Peace - Pr. J