Gooood Morninnnnng,
“AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE”....
Joshua 24:15
15And 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.
The Israelites had been brought to the promised land, Joshua reminded them of the covenant promises God had made &accomplished on their behalf, both recently & throughout history.He had promised them & verily, He delivered! He urged them to serve the Lord only & to set aside, for good, all idols past & present.
An idol is anything that we venerate or esteem higher than God. Anything that we put confidence in or look to. It also pertains to fear; If you find yourself not walking under a ladder, crossing the path of a black cat or freak out at the idea that you busted a mirror...chances are you are not serving the Living God but rather have given power and authority over in your life to forces of darkness!
Our walk with God is a decision & a choice! God is a gentleman, He will never force himself upon us. He is also a jealous God, in that He demands that we are loyal, we must choose whom we serve, whom we fear and whom we rely upon. It is not honorable to ask for His provision and help in one breath and then continue on in un-Godly foreign rituals. To seek His assistance & then return the courtship of Belial. A cheating heart is a cheating heart, God despises it as much as a spouse would.
This choice of “choosing this day”, is meant to be done repeatedly. It is not a one time incantation that covers you & all your waywardness! What makes a person Godly is what occurs in that relationship, privately between God & self! The outward evidence of Godliness is already diluted by observation, although it is effective as a witness to others & we are required to conform, as it is a reflection upon Christ!
Remember, He is THE GREAT I AM, not the great I was, or the great I will be!
Lord, let those who seek You recognize the gift & provision available in this choice. That all who come to know the Mercy of thy Love may never again turn away or fall to the deceptions & trappings of this world. For it is better that they did not know You, than to know You & dishonour You! Lord, we pray for our own selves that we always find favour in Your sight, that we remain faithful. We thank you Lord for the choice of Salvation through Christ Jesus that was afforded to us, while we were yet sinners! Our gratitude, humility & service are the only things we may offer & we do so daily, out of joy and relief! Thank you Lord, please continue to perform all those things which thou hast promised, we hold fast to every one of them, in Jesus Mighty name, AMEN!
¤ Susan SMZ3D.com ت smz ™ © ®
God's Faithbook (the Social Network for Christians 500,000 and growing)
http://www.godsfaithbook.com/index.php?option=com_community&view=groups&task=viewgroup&groupid=123&Itemid=55
The Eternal Body Of Christ on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eternal-Body-Of-Christ/145634855503670
The Monday Morning Message on Facebook
http://alturl.com/g45dk
Joshua 24:14 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.
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.
16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
17 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:
18 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.
19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
Luke 10:27
“And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 '...if My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their
wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.'"
Exodus 20:4-6 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth: {5} Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve
them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate me; {6} And showing mercy
unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the
LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Deuteronomy 6:15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among
you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against
thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
