As For Me ANd My House

Joshua 24:15 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.

To begin with brothers and sisters, Christian Friends, Well Wishers, Saints of God and to this bereaved family death has once again invaded the ranks of our home our church and our community. Brother Nathaniel “Nat” Carter has gone home to be with the Lord. I know he’s gone home to be with the Lord because the bible says absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Brother Nat slipped away from here went on home to be with the Lord ya’ll.

I took to Nat when he sang my grandfather’s song “Lord lift me up.” He use to sing that song, and the church said Amen. And brothers and sisters I haven’t known him that long but I’m going to miss him.

And church Isn’t funny that times like these make us reflect on the fondest memories of that person.

And so as I looked at the text that Lord gave me in the night season at 3 am. The text is Joshua 24:15 and it says “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.”

Church I woke up and The Lord said As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Brothers and sisters from the literal and spiritual aspects of the text in Joshua 24 I find several things. Ya’ll got a minute?

1. “Every person in here has been endowed with a great innate quality.” Somebody say What is it Rev?

Everybody in here has Free Will.

Tell your neighbor :You Got Free Will

God gives every human being the right to choose. Can’t nobody make you do nothing you don’t want to do. You can make up your own mind, That’s why the bible says Let this mind be in you which is in Christ Jesus. And the church said Amen.

You can choose right or you can choose wrong. And you can’t blame nobody for how things shake out because It’s your thing and you can do what you want to do. I can’t tell you who your praises go to But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. But as for me and My House we will make a joyful noise unto the Lord. As for me and my House we will Bless the Lord Lord at all times and His praises shall continually be in my mouth. As for me and My House we will lift up our eyes unto the hills from whence cometh our help because our help comes from the Lord. As for me and my House we will Shout Hallelujah we will shout Glory to God we will follow scripture where it says Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord Praise ye the Lord!!! Hallelujah!!! Glory !!! Thank you Jesus !!! Amen!!!

And the church said Amen. There are some things that goes in my house.

2. Love 2x Love goes in my house because I can’t serve God and not have love in my house. I can’t serve God and not have love in my heart.Love for my family love for my church and love for my community. And the church said Amen.

3. Peace have to be in my house… I ain’t go have no house where I’ve got to be arguing with nobody all the time. We need peace in our lives. The bible says in Isaiah 26:Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. If you put the Lord on your mind all that drama for your mama will disappear. Because haters are going to hate anyway. And when your mind is on the Lord, I don’t know who I’m talking to but No weapon form against us shall prosper.

4. Faith and Hope has to be in my house. Church you got believe that that Good Lord will see us through this day and the days to come. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. You can’t see it I can’t see but we know it. We know that all things work together for the good to those who are the called according to his purpose.

Tell your neighbor : That’s how it is In My House. And the church said Amen

5. Family “Earth has not sorrow that heaven can’t heal”. The bible says in 1st Peter to cast your care upon the Lord for he careth for you. God knows what you’re going through. And then the bible says in Revelations that God shall wipe all tears from your eyes. And I heard the Lord say to the Carter Family” I’ll never leave you nor will I ever forsake you”. Hold on Family Hold on Church and Hold on Community because God is still the God of Comfort.

I know it hurts, because I’ve sat in your seat before. I feel your pain and sorrow. But you have to know that the bible says that weeping may endure for a night but Joy comes in the morning.

Again Family I empathize with you on your great loss. but I image that brother Nathaniel Nat Carter would have said Family when tomorrow starts without me and I’m not there to see; If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me. I wish so much that you wouldn’t cry the way you did today; While thinking of the many things we didn’t get to say. I Know how much you love me as much as I love you; and each time that you think of me I know you’ll miss me too. But when tomorrow starts without me Please try to understand that an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand. He said my place was ready in heaven far above; and that I’d have to leave behind all those I dearly love. But as I turned to walk away a tear fell from my eye; For all my life, I’d thought I didn’t want to die. I had so much to live for My children, grand children, great grand children, it seemed almost impossible to leave them behind; but the angel said tell the family it’s okay because I’m with the Lord now and I’ve changed my address to heaven. And I imagine Brother Nat said the address”is at 12 Gates to the City Hallelujah Avenue in the New Jerusalem,but don’t look for it on the map because it’s out of this world. And if you want to see me again, 2x make sure your business is fixed and that you know the Lord in the pardon of your sins. And lastly in parting brother Nat would have said family when tomorrow starts without me don’t think that we’re far a part because I’ll be right here with you in your heart. And the church said Amen. Come on give God a hand of Praise.

The writer Joshua says as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. The bible says the Fool has said in his heart that there is no God, As a Christian we know that God is real. I said God is real and I can feel Him deep down in my soul. I choose to serve the Lord, to magnify, to glorify, to give thanks to the Lord and I choose to bless the Lord. Because

1. The bible says in Psalms 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

2.The bible says in Psalm 86:9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

3. The bible says in Psalm 118:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. and then lastly

4. The bible says in Psalms 103:1-2 says “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

I like the last part of verse 3 in Psalms 103 where the word of God says who healeth all thy diseases; Brother Nathaniel Nat Carter was healed from all of his diseases. And after 34 years of ministry I’ve learned that sometimes death is the greatest healer. So Brother Nat has gone to the land of no more, no more pain no more heartaches no more diseases and so Brother Nat take your rest.

Our theme text says In Joshua 24:15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

Let’s talk about earthly house for a while. The bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 :1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Brothers and sisters Brother Nat got another house. And the church said Amen. yeah the Good Lord called him home. And Something spectacular happens at the end when we die, because man is made up of mind, body, and soul.

Brothers and sisters we’ve got to be ready when end comes because the good Lord does some separating. Your soul separates from your body. Because Hebrews 9:27 says “It is appointed unto men once to die and then the judgement”. Something spectacular happens to us. Can I explain it ?

1. Your Mind is where you house your will and your emotions.

2. Your body is that vehicle that God gives you to carry around your heart and mind.

3. But Your Spirit is that part that God give you at birth and God takes that back at the end. In the book of Genesis the bible says that God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils and man became a living soul.

When we die we are separated from our bodies and the Soul and the Spirit goes back to God. Mankind is made up of mind, body and spirit.

The bible tells us that whatever is in your mind or your character that part leaves with you. If you were good, good goes with you, If you were bad, bad goes with you. So make up your mind what kind of memories you want to leave behind. Because believe it or not the life you live preach your home going funeral service for you And the church said Amen. Brothers and sisters people remember how you live.

Tell your neighbor: Live Good, Laugh hard, and Love Deep

Well I’ve got to close here now but tah The bible says 2 tim 4:6-8 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

I’m reminded about a story that I heard um um um.yes. There was a man by the name of John. John was a volunteer that went out to fight in the Union Army Oh Lord. And John fought on the front lines of the battle. Shot down and wounded I heard John oh Lordy and ah. John’s last words were If my family should ask you how I died, If my friends should ask you how I died, If my church should ask you how I died and If herryville should ask you how I died tell them Oh Lord! 5th Tell them, 7th Tell them I died on the Battlefield for My Lord Oh Yes I did and I promise Him that I would serve Him Serve Him Serve Him until I die. Oh Lord.

I’m closing here now But when His to call and ours to answer will you be ready when the Lord calls your name. If you know you’ll be ready Let me hear say Yeah! Say Yeah! Say yeah! Oh Lord. Brother Nate Carter was somewhere listen when the Lord called His name I heard the Lord say Servant 3x Well Done you’ve been faithful over a few things come on up to bright Glory and receive your Just reward Ain’t He Alright 3x.