I Will Serve The Lord!

Joshua 24:15 KJV; I will serve the Lord. False gods will only lead us on the path to destruction.

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.

Will You Lose Your Soul?

"And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
 

                                                                                  (Mark 8:34-38 KJV)

What indeed will it profit you if you gain riches beyond measure; even if you gain the whole world, but lose your soul? What will it have profited you if in the end you lose it all including your soul?

Christ lost his very human life in order that we might live eternally in the presence of God our Father. He was willing to give it all for us. Would we turn our backs on this precious gift and grab for the pleasures of this world in exchange for a life of peace and of joy in the presence of Almighty God?

Consider carefully what or whom you will serve!  

"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." (Joshua 24:15)

Do not fear the losses you might endure in this world as you serve the Lord; but, rejoice for the Lord has promised you life in his presence through the gift of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Therefore; let us "Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing." (Psalm 100:2)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Saved By Christ Alone

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." (John 15:16 KJV)

We do not choose God. God chooses us. God calls us. God sends us. Above all, God saves us. If we say we have chosen God it is tantamount to saying that we have done something to save ourselves. The truth is we cannot do a thing to save ourselves or anyone else. Salvation is purely a gift from God.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph 2:8-9)

As I was knocking on doors (cold canvassing) and inviting the people of Copper Harbor, MI to come and worship with us I encountered a man who was very excited that I was trying to save the people of the community.  No, I was not! I reminded him that only Jesus saves. I was not there to save anyone. I was there to tell people about the one who has saved us from our sins by dying for us.  

And, then there was the priest in the mostly Catholic town of Lake Linden, MI. When I introduced myself and out of courtesy let him know that I and another would be knocking on every door in Lake Linden, he didn't have a problem with it. He was not worried about it. He just asked me: What do you get when you cross a Lutheran with a Jehovah's Witness. Answer:  Someone who knocks on doors and doesn't know what to say. We both laughed. Sadly, that is the truth in many cases. Lutherans are not that great when it comes to evangelizing. The truth be told we cannot even profess the Good News in Christ Jesus except God calls us, empowers us, and sends us. The Spirit is willing; but, the flesh is sometimes cowardly and weak. Jennifer and I did knock on every door. Not everyone answered; but, every house was called upon. 

Lutherans and people of all denominations; all who have been saved by Christ ought to follow in the footsteps of Peter and Paul and all the disciples of Jesus' time as well as all who came after them in declaring: "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:10-12)

We declare it because of His great love for all people. We declare it because he loves us so much that he was willing to die that we might be saved.

Remember always that we are not saved by anything we do or say. We are saved by "Christ Alone!" 

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

Gifts From God

But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8 NRSV)

 

God showers the earth with flowers

It is St. Valentine's Day. Flowers are a cherished gift by many. People around the world will be giving flowers, chocolates, and miscellaneous gifts today to the ones whom they love. 

But, there is one who loves us more than it is possible for any human to love. Look around and you will see the marvelous gifts that he has given us, including flowers that grow wherever he would choose. 

But, the greatest gift that he could possible give us is the gift of his Son. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

May God grant that you should live in His love and His light now and forever.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Who Will You Follow?

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”                                                                                           John 6:67-69 (NIV)

To whom shall we go indeed?! Shall we listen to someone other than the One who gives us eternal life? Shall we follow anyone other than the one that gives us the spiritual food needed to sustain us for all eternity? 

Not all of the people who were following Jesus wanted to hear this. Like many people today they went away from Jesus looking for things that would satisfy them in this world. Spiritual things are okay as far as they go. But, many, including those who claim to be Christians, prefer things of this world rather than the Kingdom of God. 

As Joshua asked the Israelites so we must also ask ourselves: "choose this day whom you will serve.." And, prayerfully, we will all respond: "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  (Joshua 24:15)

May God grant us the faith that we should all follow and serve Jesus Christ, who is our bread of life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Listen!

Listen to the words of Proverbs 1:28-33 (NIV)

“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Listen!  Listen, to the proverbs Solomon! Listen! Listen, to wisdom speak!

There is a reason for the all of the exclamation points.  Listening to wisdom, learning the way in which we should go is imperative to our health and happiness, our peace and even our prosperity.  Alas, it seems that every generation insists on learning from their own mistakes instead of listening to the lessons learned in previous generations. 

Have you ever had to deal with someone who is going in a mighty wrong direction? They are headed to a life lived alone. Boxed in by their own greed, selfishness, envy, laziness, attractions to those things that will destroy them. It may be because they are so busy trying to find personal happiness they have shut the door to the rest of the world. They have shut the door on honest, healthy relationships with God and with their others around them. And.. it is in Godly relationships that we will find happiness. We will find peace. We will find joy. But, those who travel in their own righteousness seem to know best. They will go it alone. They will travel their own path. You may well be told that it is none of your business. They have the right to live life in the way they choose. That they are hurting no one. They are unable to acknowledge that they are not really living life - at least not an abundant life. They fail to see that the path that they have chosen is truly hurting people, even society around them.  If you're going to indulge in something, indulge in the abundant life that God would have you live. Live life in Christ!

Sadly, so many children are being led astray by adults with so little Godly wisdom. They, too, are doomed to live lives filled with one calamity after another, one disaster after the last. They are taught to reject the knowledge and wisdom that will guide them to fruitful lives filled with joy and peace.

Do not hate knowledge, but grasp it. Hold on to it. Let the knowledge that the LORD would provide you with guide you in all that you say and think and do.
 

Listen! Listen and live life, well!

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Be Filled With The Spirit Not spirits

"Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Eph 5:15-20

Another way that I can say it is this, "Choose this day whom you will serve." (Joshua 24:15) Will you serve the spirits of alcohol and other drugs or will you serve the Lord? Has your addiction so taken over your life so that you can no longer even work or play unless you are at least a little high or drunk just to take the edge off? Do you need the aid of one of these false gods to even get you moving in the morning? Can't wait for your day off so you can really get toasted? I am not saying that alcohol and even the legitimate use of marijuana don't have their place. But; sadly, alcohol and marijuana, as well as a multitude of other illegal drugs, have become the gods that way too many people live for. These false gods are succeeding at destroying families; destroying communities; and are even pretty successful at causing problems within the visible church on earth.  Choose ye this day whom you will serve! 

Addiction is a serious ailment. It cannot be cured by the use of other or more drugs. In fact, there are those who say it cannot be cured at all. But, there is relief for those who suffer this sickness. The Lord can make you whole. Turn to Him; for He is your helper. Be filled with the Spirit and sing songs of joy to the Lord, for He alone can save you from the false gods that hold you captive.

Be filled with the Spirit not spirits and rejoice for this too shall pass. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Dead Flies

As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,    so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
                                                    (Eccl 10:1 NIV)

Yes, the odor of dead flies can really mask the odor of any perfume. Just ask any person who lives where they come out in swarms in the heat of the summer sun and they will confirm it. I lived in one home, years ago, that actually had to be vacuumed as you made your way into the house on the warmest of days as dead and dying flies covered the floors. Believe me! The odor of dead flies can really overpower the smell of perfume of the finest of roses.

So, too, a mistake here or there, whether purposely or not, can really mess up one's day if not their whole life. It is best to try to think things through. It doesn't hurt to listen to the options in order to help you decide if your choice is the "little folly" or "wisdom and honor." Choose wisely, your future, your life, may well depend up on it.

May God help you to choose His wisdom over the world's folly.

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

Choose Ye This Day

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

Anyone who has listened to me preach on a regular basis has heard this verse from Joshua from my lips on more than one occasion. The false gods of alcohol, money, sex, expensive homes, expensive cars, expensive toys, leisure, celebrities, self, and the list goes on... have taken a predominant place in the American household and that includes a enormous number of Christian households. Ultimately, we worship ourselves as we put our worldly desires before the Kingdom of God. We worship false gods and then wonder why our lives are a mess.

I woke up this morning thinking about how those who worshipped false gods sacrificed their children in hopes of being blessed themselves. In Leviticus (20:2-3) the Lord instructs Moses to: “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him."

Those who sacrificed their children to Molek did so that they, themselves, would benefit. They put their own desires before their children's lives. As much as what I am going to say may upset you, I am going to say it anyway. Abortion (all the way through the third trimester) is often committed for the same reasons as these pagan sacrifices were. It is all too often done in order that the mother and in some cases both parents may live a more prosperous life without the burden of raising a child. In this country a mother has been given rights. But, is it right to sacrifice a child on the altar of a false god, in the hope that your life will be more blessed without the child?

The only one who can truly bless anyone is the Lord our God who was willing to sacrifice His own Son, that our children and we, ourselves, will not die; but, have eternal life. The sacrifice of our own children will get us nowhere. The only sacrifice that benefits us is the sacrifice of the perfect lamb of God who gave himself for us.

Choose ye this day...

God's Peace - Pr. J