As for me and my house

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord . 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 .”

‭-‬15

We live in a similar world. Not much has changed.

The call to serve God in a land that serves many other gods hasn't changed. There are lots of options. And there are those things that don't even look like gods that we turn into gods. In fact, the New Testament repeats this idea that idols are just as much of a problem for us as it was for the Israelites in Joshua's time. Let me read for. for you.

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

‭-‬21

We get understanding from God to follow God and not get tripped up on idols

Idols for us may be other things

-money

-sex, drugs

-things

-people

-lifestyle

-self

Paul tells the Philippians:

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

‭-‬19

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

How many times are we caught up in ourselves. We can't think past our stomach, our next meal. We involve ourselves in shameful things and then rationalize those things. They become our idols. Our lives revolve around them, they control us, we can't live without them. John clarifies for us earlier in the letter of 1 John what is behind our idols.

‭-‬17

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Why should we abandon those things to follow God?

‭-‬17

Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life. These three things were what got us all into this sin problem in the beginning anyway. If you read the temptation of Adam and Eve, you'll see these three elements in the snake's speech to Eve. Our pride, our desires, even what we think we need. I look at this list and I know I need to repent. Several things come to my mind that fall into these categories. No one is immune.

Just like Joshua and the Israelites:

Joshua tells the Israelites, "Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped"

He has delivered us

He keeps his promises

But why should we abandon those things to follow God?

Just like Joshua and the Israelites:

“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

He has delivered us

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

He keeps his promises

“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

What has God promised?

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

He will reward those who earnestly seek him

He will save those who come to him

He will forgive those who ask, and purify us from all unrighteousness

What has God promised?

He makes us perfect

He will reward those who earnestly seek him

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He will save those who come to him -He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. NIV

He will forgive those who ask, and purify us from all unrighteousness

‭-‬39

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

He makes us perfect -For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy

He will give us rest -Come to me, you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest

NIV

Nothing can separate us from his love: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And this is just the beginning. But the promise that gives us the most hope in a life fraught with evil is the promise of eternal life in a new heaven and a new earth that will be free from all this.

We might be tempted to believe those who believe God is evil because he allows disasters and people to die in them. We must remember that sin brought this destruction, and it is God's purpose to eradicate sin, but he will only do so when all who have come to him will come.

‭-‬39

You have an opportunity. Stand for God. Choose today whom you will follow. But as for me and My house, we will serve the Lord.

And this is just the beginning. But the promise that gives us the most hope in a life fraught with evil is the promise of eternal life in a new heaven and a new earth that will be free from all this. "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. ().

We might be tempted to believe those who believe God is evil because he allows disasters and people to die in them. We must remember that sin brought this destruction, and it is God's purpose to eradicate sin, but he will only do so when all who have come to him will come.

You have an opportunity. Stand for God. Choose today whom you will follow. But as for me and My house, we will serve the Lord.