Choose your God
Joshua was a great military leader. In Joshua chapter 24, he had called all the leaders of Israel together at a place called Shechem,
and he's getting ready to die and this is his farewell address. And during this address he warns the people about their idolatry.
He warns them that the judgments of God will fall upon them unless they live for the Lord.
And here's what he says in verse 15: " 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."
That is a decision that every single person starting at the age of accountability, will have to decide. Are you going to serve
the gods of materialism that are all around us or the true and living God?
The world presents many temptations, such as wealth. Wealth will become a stumbling block to the kingdom of God. Jesus says
to a young man in Matthew 19:21, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." We have a tremendous responsibility to share our wealth with those of the
less fortunate. Jesus said in Mark 10:25 "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to
enter into the kingdom of God."
Joshua was warning the people to choose God instead of these other gods. Moses had warned Israel a generation earlier, when
he was dying he said in Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you
life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"
Moses had said the same thing that Joshua was saying separated by many years. So every generation has to hear it. Over and
over again, and that's why the gospel never grows old. It applies to every generation alike. We have to make a choice.
Alexander the great was asked how he conquered the world. He said by not wavering. In the first chapter of James he states,
"For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." He goes on to say that "A double minded
man is unstable in all his ways."
That's what Joshua was saying, don't waver make a choice. Serve God and you will live, serve these other gods and you will
die and come under the judgment of God.
Are you unstable about your relationship to Christ, do you waver in your relationship with Christ? Or are you totally
committed to Christ as your Lord and saviour?
Don't waver, make a decision, do it now. There might not be a tomorrow.
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little
time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14
Reference: King James Bible, Billy Graham, Michael Swinney
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