"Choose You This Day"
Joshua 24
Pastor Paul Woodruff
Joshua is about new beginnings & what God will do in a life totally committed to Him
Joshua is about living victoriously & experiencing all God has promised
Joshua calls the people to make a choice
Joshua Sets Forth the Motivation to Serve the Lord-- vs 1-13
The Goodness & Grace of God should Motivate us
Whenever one doubts God's call to service thinking it too much one should review his life & remember God's mercy& faithfulness
Joshua Calls for a Decision to Serve the Lord vs 14-15
By and large the people were good but secret idolotry in the camp is revealed, keeping them from full services to God
There was still some hypocrisy undermining their devotion to God
1st John 5:21 "little children, guard yourselves from idols"
God wants & deserves ALL of our devotion
Joshua says choose- don't live with a water downed service to the Lord
Joshua Challenges Their Resolution to Serve the Lord vs 16-18
Joshua points out the people won't be able to serve because God is Holy
Joshua knew the people & knew they would cling to their old ways & he knew the human heart & how man continues to fail after rededication & rededication
Man has a tendency not to fulfill his resolutions. We try to fullfill them in our own power.
We need to think through our decisions & make sure we understand them
Jesus said "You can do nothing without me."
We can't serve God the way we should without the power of the Spirit
Galatians 3:3 "Are you foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"
Joshua wants the people to seriously consider their decisions & the people continued to say they would serve vs 24 So a Covenant was made vs 25
3 Keys to Serving the Lord in Sincerity and Truth
You must determine in your heart to obey what is written in the Bible
Joshua 23:6 "Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left."
Our decisions need to be based upon what God says. Obedience brings success.
Refuse to Compromise with Sin vs 24:14
Joshua 23: 6-8 is a progression
Be firm in the Word
Seperate from sin
Cling to the Lord
Put away foreign gods & don't mention or serve them- interaction with those things was the 1st step toward compromise
When you compromise with the enemy you will not have victory & you will lose peace- no abundant life if you compromise with sin- Don't live by the world's standards
II Corinthians 6:14-18 ""Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for that partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 'THEREFORE COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPERATE,' SAYS THE LORD. AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; AND I WILL WELCOME YOU. AND I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO ME' SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY."
Resolve to love God with all your heart- Joshua 23:11
Submit to God's Word
Seperate from the World
Devotion with all our Heart
This message can be heard at the Eagle Creek Grace Brethren Church website at
http://www.eaglecreekgbc.org/Home/SermonAudio/tabid/66/Default.aspx
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