Choose This Year

Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. We praise God for the opportunities of being here today. We ask that you would join us in the word of God. First scripture for reading for today is excuse me. 1st Kings chapter 18 verse 21 and it reads then Elijah approached all the people.

Then Elijah approached all the people. And said, how long will you waver between two opinions?

Start over again.

A scripture for today is 1st Kings chapter 18 verse 21 and it reads then Elijah approached all the people and said how long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God follow him, but if Baal follow him with the people didn't answer him a word. And I sexy second scripture. Is Romans chapter 12. Verses 1 and 2 it says therefore brothers and sisters in view of the mercies of God. I ordered you to present your bodies as a Living Sacrifice. Holy and pleasing to God. This is your reasonable service.

And the topic our message today is for me. in my house as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and that's Joshua chapter 24 verse 15.

Story of My Life

Would you buy with me in prayer?

As we look toward a prayer request today.

Some of our prayer request that we have gotten on our website to continue to pandemic and the virus vaccine that we pray that it will be lessened. And that the vaccine would work and take hold and root out this stuff. This virus is Steve-O virus that seems to mutate and spread even more but we also want to lift up that this is a new year and even in the midst of all of the things that we are experiencing. There are some new opportunities that God is opening for us to walk through according to his word and according to his will we also want to pray for the more family the Washington family and Parker family Grace Academy the loss of many many loved ones from sickness and from the virus and for the future of our church as we see what God is opening up for us. So would you pray with me right now?

Heavenly Father we come before you right now. Thanking you for your blessings and your grace and Lord. We live in a evil generation where so much is taken for granted and yet we still want more. Father I pray for the request that we have made and for those that are only in deep in our heart. We want to pray for the inauguration. The Safety and Security of our new president and vice president. Pray that you will hinder Satan and his disastrous Deeds of trying to change the world for a few father. We just pray right now against him in the name the Methodist name of Jesus and through his blood that has died for all of us. We pray that this will be a moment and in our history that we will bow to you not to man that we will listen from heaven and read your word find out what steps we are to take. You have said that your word is a light unto my feet. Are in the lamp post isn't in the night and we thank you Lord that you are willing to give us all of what we need. Even when we experiencing lack that is still provision. You haven't turn your back on us. You haven't given up on us. 11 cash this away with Lord. We need you to step in we need divine power now. because we have gone our own when we have made other gods then you so we pray right now that you would mobile homes in my own personal

iniquities against you father we ask that you would help us see you life and that we will demonstrate to this world that we are of another country. Not a country of this. So we give you all the praise and the glory for what you going to teach us? Today you to your word? Jesus's name we pray amen.

Announcements today is a text using I next Crossroad food pantry of the February 11th the second Thursday of February from 12 to 2 at 4801, Dawson Road. Dallas, Texas 75223 for more information contact April Parker at Parker underscore 73 at hotmail.com

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Weber greater Rift termination let us move on in these.

Bean Boozled Challenge come make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better Nation.

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My my my my my praise God. There are 10 quotes from dr. Martin Luther King jr. And we'd like to give those to you as a blessing today in the spirit of nonviolent.

The first quote is in spite of temporary Victory violence never brings permanent. Peace. That's very appropriate for the day II quote that he gave we adopt the means of non-violence because are in is a community at peace with itself. We will try to persuade without word. But if I words fail, we will try to persuade persuade with RX.

Number 3 here is the true meaning and value of compassion and nonviolent when it helps us to see the enemy's point of view. To hear his questions to know his assessment of ourselves. for from his view we may indeed see the basic weaknesses of our own condition and if we If we are mature we may learn and grow and profit from the wisdom of the brothers who I call the opposition. Number for non-violence is a powerful and just weapon which Cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wills it it is a sword that heals.

number 5 non-violence is absolute commitment to the way of love love is not emotional bad. It is not empty sentiment. sentimental sentimentalism it is the active outpouring of one's whole being into the being of another world peace through non-violent means is neither absurd absurd nor unattainable all other methods have failed. That's we must begin a new non-violence is a good starting point number 7.

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright day break of peace and Brotherhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word number 8. I have tried to offer them my deepest compassion while man maintaining my conviction that social change comes mostly meaning meaningfully through the nonviolent action number 9. I am convinced that even temperament can be channeled through non-violent discipline. Is that can act constructively and expressed through an effective channel that very legitimate anger and number 10 in the non-violent Army. There is room for everyone who wants to join up.

There is no color distinction. There is no examination. No pledge accept that as a soldier in the Army Zavala is expected to inspect is carving and keep it clean non-violence soldiers are called upon to examine the greatest weapons the heart the conscience the courage and sense of justice.

Best 10 quotes from dr. Martin Luther King jr. That a very appropriate for everyone. I just got a text that the vix do voice was mute. My voice was muted. So I'm sorry. I had a little surgery a few days ago and I'm a little disoriented about things today. But if you could read it and what I what I have to say really isn't that much important anyhow, but let's continue worship with another song.

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Can I take?

Praise God as the angel sound your name. I hope so today. We're looking at Joshua chapter 24 verse 15 as I scripture as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Let's Joshua and as we get into the word of God today, we need to take note of what's happening around our world and even in our own country right now. We have so many devastating thing that are just up just bursting like like an illness. Just waiting to get loose. And we have been facing so many so many difficulties on every hand. Even to the extent that we have started warring with each other. And that's not how God wants us to live. It's just sex. It's understandable when the world who has no God wines of fighting and killing each other for the children of God who who say that they love the Lord. Somewhere along the line. We have made some different choices. So today we want to look at what's your choice this year? What's your choice this year? shoes this year for you may not have another opportunity.

This year could be our last. for everything the Lord could return but we still have to submit to him his word and his will. Doing with me as we look at our texts today.

Again, Joshua 24 verse 15 and it says as for me and my house, what about you as for me and my house Joshua said we have made the choice to serve the Lord. And if you look back at the Book of Joshua.

The last book of the penitent and then moving into the Book of Joshua you find that there was so many thing Waring in the camp of Israel. And as a result of it gone had two separate people and he did it in the in in a disastrous.

Way and as a result of it. He he made sure we understood that I R service to him is for him only and with no one else. He said that there is no other God, but him. And as a result of it Joshua who let the people out of Israel. At the end of his journey to the promised land. He said through all of these years of taking control of the promised land the God gave them. He said we my household will serve the Lord. God is taking us through different things and I lied but that two things for this year that we need to choose number one. We choose whom we will serve. Ed's verse 14 and 15

Let's read that together if you have your Bible.

Joshua chapter 24

verse 15

and it read I'm reading from The Christian Standard Bible with me read a little different than yours. Good verse 20 verse. I mean, I'm sorry first chapter 24 verse 15 14 and 15 and it reads. therefore fear the lord

and worship him in sincerity and Truth. Get rid of the Gods your ancestors worship beyond the Euphrates river and in Egypt and Worship the Lord. But is it doesn't please you to Worship the Lord? shoes for yourself today Which will you worship? The God your ancestors worship beyond the Euphrates.

River or the gods of the amorites in who's laying you are living? As for me and my house. We Will Worship the Lord and that's a mouthful and so what we get out of this out of our first point is that we are the ones to choose whom we will serve no one puts us in a situation unless we choose to give up to do it and Only God is the one with whom we should serve. Nobody else is Dua loyalty. I love our submission Our Praise. No one on earth is do that. The only one that deserves it is the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. So we choose whom we will serve. But what does the tell us?

1st Kings chapter 18 verse 21 safe and Elijah came unto all the people and said Call Mom. How are you between two opinions if the Lord be God follow him? But is bail then follow him. And the people answered him not a word you can read that for yourself. This is the King James version. But what it says is that Elijah told the people it's God is really God. Be following here. And he says that if the guy that you follow are really truly God's who can take care of you and make your life worth living then follow them. And the people could not say anything positive about what Elijah was saying. And you you know, the whole story high he was up on Mount Carmel and at 10 May the contest between the prophets of Baal and and and the god of a buyer pay and they built this huge woodpile both sides then and Elijah poured water over over the pile of wood. And then he did it seventh time to make it real and he challenged them. He says the god that answers by fire. Him who we should follow? And and the prophets of Baal were trying and do everything they could even though there would wasn't wet. No fire came from Mia from their God. but for America He not only brought fire. It was so much and so specific that not only did it burn up the wood but it dried up the water that was laying around. That's how God is he doesn't just do any bitty little things. You can do the big thing and you know, we are facing a crisis in our country and our world right now, and the question is Who who is your god? I mean there's a lot of people who have gods of Islam and Hindu. I mean, there's so many a noun that I can't even name them all but the question is which one will answer by fire and I'm not talking about literal fire. I'm talking about handling the situation. And you know something. God did not answer the prophets of Baal. Even though they called on to bail as their God. And what that tells me is that only those who follow and love and submit themselves to our God. Is the one that he will hear. How many times have you said? I wish I had heard a word. And there was no word. There were that was advice in innuendos and scams and cons and all kinds of things. But no, don't worry. We've let through the last five years of Many kinds of workers but none of them were the word. So let's let's continue moving on Elijah said choose between to either God. or your God

Romans chapter 12 verse 1 and 2 tells us I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God. That ye present your bodies a living. Holy acceptable sacrifice, which is your reasonable service.

Amber's too and be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove. What is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God you want Perfection when it has to be in the will of God. You won't find it anywhere else because everything else is broken down. It is lost this power it is it doesn't seem like it used to. But Paul tells tells the Romans he said, By the mercies of God and you know what that suggests. Is that God has done something for us that we don't deserve he says by the mercies of God the things that God has done for you and your life even though you did not deserve it. He says because of what he has done the least you can do because of what God has done for you is present your bodies a Living Sacrifice know, how can I sacrifice be living? Well, he's not talking about Sacrifice by committing suicide or or some other Avenue of leaving this world. He says, bars age as a sacrifice in living that I should have my body which means that is my our self but my inner self I should be sacrificing that how only in other words I should be doing those things that will please God. Then it says acceptable. Well you and I may have our own version of what acceptable is. Some people at level of acceptable could be you know, never washing your plate your dishes this eat off the same place over and over again never washing it and that might be acceptable. But for you you might want to do dishes watch at least every now and then. Not not because it's a good habit, but it helps keep you. from getting sick and diseases but it tells us that the acceptability ought to be unto God not to us. It's not what you think. God will accept is what does God says he will only accept and then he ends this verse verse 1 says which is your reasonable. It's the least thing you can do matter fact is most the most easiest thing to do to sacrifice while living living holy in the presence of not only this world but in the presence of God and doing that which will be acceptable to him. Let him grade your paper whether or not you are passing with flying colors, or you're failing with a disastrous F, but it's the least call Sage you can do and then verse to tells us how can you do this? How can you be a Living Sacrifice? Holy and acceptable to under God. He tells us don't be conformed to this world. In other words. Don't let the world tell you how you are to be. What you should agree to or not agree to? This this past week. It has been people who got confirm nut by their own choice, but because somebody was molding them. Into what they wanted them to do. It started from a president and it went to other people and you had you had people who showed up in Washington didn't even know what was going on and didn't end and when they were in the midst of it and some that got arrested. They said I was game because of the invitation. Well, if you are confirmed by some other source, you will run up not having a good life or being able to think for yourself. But how do we stop being conformed to this world? How do we stop listening from listening to people to tell us what we need to do? President Trump says March down to the capital and I will be I will walk with you I will be with you. And those people who did that they confirmed just exactly to what the president wanted and they walk right on down there. But where was the president he was back at the at the White House. So what he was doing was molding them and to his idea of what they should know and what they should do. But Paul says the opposite should be done transform your mind by renewing it. How do you renew your well one thing is you put trash in something it will get trash out. How many times have you put trash in your garbage pail or in your garbage bag to throw out and then then the trash people? Threw it back to you said oh you need to keep this.

And what do you say it is if you put garbage in the only thing that's going to come out in the garbage. So you have to be careful about what you see what you hear what you think and what you do because what happens is if you don't watch out you will conform to things that you never thought you would ever be confirmed to that. They would be part of your life. And you wonder how in the world did you ever get there? So Paul tells us to be transformed in Her Mind by having you thought. Not based on a world of advice but on his word that's where you get the renewing from nothing in this world. Proverbs tells us you it's all been the same thing over and over and over. So the only way you can change who you are what you think what you believe is you got to get your new source material. And I don't mean getting it from somebody who's got something that they want you to to do for them. But when you renew your mind. It is called tells us it true to you. What is good? And not only good as it relates to being in relationship to God but acceptable remember that is very first one. That we present our bodies a living site. Holy and an acceptable to God when we finding inverse to again. The only way you going to know what's acceptable is you got to be transformed by something different and then look at this and perfectly acceptable and perfect. Then it's not perfection in removing. All Mars or blemishes are scars or whatever it is. What it does mean is that the inner person within us who the seed is planted by the word of God from the preaching of the word that it begins of a perfect a new perfect being inside of us. Outside of us will dwindle away in pass away, but that new person inside. It will be acceptable to God and perfect. Why because it is the will of God that we be transformed in order to prove that what is good and acceptable comes from him, but let's move on.

So number one, we choose we choose whom we will serve. Nobody puts a gun to your head and tells you do this and follow me unless you unless you're in Nazi Germany or summer. some organization that only believes in forcing people to do what they want to do, but they're four ingredients of making a true decision for God for things that can make Us have a true decision for God that's what was Philippi. I mean, I'm sorry.

That's what Paul was trying to tell us in Romans. How to make true decisions the four things that we have that we have to have in order to make their decision number one, we must be willing to quit straddling the fence straddling the fence. I'm not sitting on a fence. Yes, you are. Because if you don't lean toward the side of the good you will be leaning to the side that what's the bad? Again, last week was a perfect example. More than likely a year ago half of those people would have never gone. 2 to the capitalism and and almost destroy everything inside. But because they sit on the fence. They chose to fall for that which was was bad. And and in order to get a true good decision for God. We have to be willing to quit straddling the fence stay on the side of the good and you will never want to be on the side where it's bad. Because only evil things will produce what evil things. Evil will never produce good. I don't care what Martin Luther King and those 10 quotes that we show today. It's one of those things tells us that only doing the right thing will make a difference because everybody can do the wrong thing but no effort. And you will wind up doing it if you're not on the side of the good. So number one. We must be willing to quit straddling the fence. Stop falling on the fence on the wrong side number 2. A decision for Christ must not be mad lately. There's so many people that say while I'm in church and not going to church and I pray and I read my Bible and I doze off formality or activities, but they are not a decision for Christ.

Their Rule books and every organization but they're not for living like they're for participating in the organization. I guarantee you in those organizations that that perpetrated the the disaster last week in Washington. They have a rule book that only you can be involved unless you follow it all the way. And you know what? The end result is. It's not good. But a decision for Christ must not be made lightly. You can't say one last year. I accepted Christ and I love him and all I can do and this year you running all behind the devil and I'm doing everything evil that comes to mind. And you know something we are the most.

We are the most. What word am I looking for? I'm trying to find the word. That's not the meaning but gives a good idea of we are stuck on herself. And if and if we are the only right people then we want to choose was right for everybody else. And we live in a democracy or really a republic or democracy is one one rose vote for everyone or a republic is representation. But being a Christian and being in a democracy or Republic does not mean the same thing. And so many people I have seen in the last 4 years. Christ is no longer there their guy.

That they're the party or their leaders or even the president of the United States some people even think he is the Divine person. And that's a cool. And you say what I want follow anybody like Jim Jones. Will you doing it right now? If you if you go to DC and tragic not a changed American democracy you are going to come you just don't and you check your your decision for Christ real lightly and and James and John tells us that if you don't live as though you have made a sincere decision, then you may not have even made that decision. There's so many people last week that show where their faith lies and it's not in Christ. I pray for him. I don't agree with him. But I pray for him in like like. Martin Luther King says I'm going to show them love and and action from a non-violent perspex. I'm not going to get out there and knock people in the head and all I can burn down stuff that I didn't do any good for them on me for what I am going to do is I'm going to tell him the truth in love. I'm going to tell him I'm just as lost as you are but I have found a way out of it. I don't have to act like the people who burned down businesses with death or the people that rent ransack the capitals of the United States.

All I have given my life over to Christ so that when he tells me to March I will March. But he won't tell me to go up there with a gun and with with pitchforks and rates and bats and all that kind of stuff that brings only destruction upon ourselves. So what what excuse me? What is the second thing? I'm glad you asked. The first is to be willing to quit straddling the fence get off the fence. Number to make a decision for Christ must be not be man. Lightly number 3 we must be willing to go public with our faith. How many people went up there with a cross? Or wearing a cross or even even carrying a cross. You know, what day what day care they carry flags and that in pipe and wood and all kinds of means of of hateful thing. And yet they want us to believe that they have a strong faith in Christ. That's not what living in Christ is. Jesus never harmed anyone who was riling against it. The very people that that chose him to die shows for him to die for the very ones that he died for in the same place. So if you're up if you are understanding of democracy and being under Republic is that everyone should have the same right? Then that that comes out of a faith in realizing that everybody is equal. It does not mean that all of us believe or think the same thing, but we want the same thing for everybody. Why because it's too I bet it's good that we do what is good rather than evil. Look at Germany how they got a little stray about a wild man and a evil man. NN some people had the audacity to wear t shirt saying that symbolize 6 million were not enough that's despicable. How can you go stand for Christ and you have that as your banner? It doesn't work. It means you don't have it. If you can do that, that means you don't have it for 4th. 1 Is we must be willing to follow through with all that we have? So what are we talkin about?

Is talking about demonstrating throughout life that I witnessed matches up with our faith. And when you look at people sometimes and they tell you how much they love the Lord and how they want people to be saved and enjoying the church and do good things all that and then they wind up going down the road like they did last week. What does that say about that that testimony. What is the worth of their testimony shallow shallow because you cannot wallow in evil and expect that the blood of Christ will cover you for it. willingly sinning will will cause you much Devastation and may even this may even demonstrate that you are not even safe and that goes for anybody including me if I don't live like I'm saved and I go out to Worden with with alcohol and money and all kinds of things and then you find out what does that say about my relationship with Christ?

And I'm not I would never try to excuse me. I would never try to shame the Lord on my side.

Willingly, if I did it it would be because I've lost my mind. But as we closed Joshua chapter 24, this is the last part of Book of Joshua. You need to read it just the last chapter 24 and it says the people at the Joshua said in versus team, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord listen to what the people say. We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods.

Don't think we don't fall into that Trap God. It's no way we will abandon the Lord worship to go after other gods. Best verse 16 was verse 17 trailer for The Lord Our God brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt out of the place of slavery and perform these great sign before I also protected us all along the way we went and among all the peoples whose lands we travel through isn't that something? You seen the elephant they made they recognize that God brought them to where they were. That took them out of slavery. My forefathers and some people and I heard you. They were delivered out of slavery as well. Ben and they base a new song to the Lord and made up some him stuff, even though we couldn't they couldn't be in church with other people. They made sure. But look at the generations afterwards.

Israel made a commitment in and Joshua chapter 24, we will not serve other gods.

And and not not even a generation later. They were back at the trough of evil. We can't run we can't get away from it because our hearts and our minds are steadily been to one that. But as we close.

verse 24 What was there? final statement

we will the people said to Joshua. We eschaton We Will Worship the Lord Our God and obey. Ask the last verse. Joshua the Book of Joshua chapter 24 What I want you to do when when we close today, I want you to go to the last Book of Judges.

after after the timer of a Joshua

the people made this commitment in the time of Joshua We Will Worship the Lord Our God and Obey him. and the last verse of the last chapter of Judges verse 25 says in those days. There was no king in Israel. Everyone did what ever seem right to him? And right there. Not even two or three books later. It's almost like almost like a week or so from making this commitment cuz that's how that's how I commitments are. We we claim are we going to Worship the Lord and Obey him and nobody else? And the first time we get out of the presence of others. What do we do? We do what's right and I own on it. And that's why last week on Wednesday people were not following God. They were following a man. In Batman can't save you from nothing. And the sad part about it is some of the people want who perpetrated in in that environment last week. They want the president to give them apart. Why would you need a pardon if it's wrong?

And that's because we have deceived ourselves that went what we think is the best thing to do and what we know can't fill up a symbol. As opposed to what God has to offer so I want you to pray right now. If you got any any harboring of ill will toward anybody? I'm not talkin about.

White supremacist and all those evil. I'm not talking about those who perpetrate evil through black lives matter. I do believe that there are good people. Who are LED astray?

They have turn because somebody has not been the king of their life. And that's Jesus. And if you don't do that, it will not be surprising a year from now that you may be in a crowd that whines up doing something. So horrible evil that people won't even know who you are. Because you would have lost all. Reason to work what God desires and what he wants out of our lives. So let's pray. Heavenly Father we want to thank you so much for allowing us the privilege of understanding from your word. Can you not playing games with us? You're not making jokes? You serious that you came here not so that we can wind up doing evil and and just wallowing in your blood to say well, I'm covered. best best buffet menu And Lord we are so helpless and we don't even know where hapless. But father we as right now. Strike us with the light of your word. Let the darkness in her heart will one. And get away from from your word as quickly as possible.

The Lord only the light can dispel the darkness. Evil cats can't destroy Darkness only the light can is dr. Martin Luther King said Lord is that you and you can fight the darkness with light?

And so I'm asking Lord is your Holy Spirit was convictus. Invictus about evil minds and hearts because you have already declared that our hearts are evil and desperately wicked. And none of us can say we're better than anybody else cuz all of us got sin. Not only past present but we are even thinking and contemplating about doing some tomorrow or this afternoon. Lodi's ask you that your word will strike. Like it did pharaoh and his army. Then just like you use Elijah to knock down the the other gods of of other worshippers and Lord we ask right now, but the blood of Jesus will cover Us in the midst of all this evil. That's perfect rating all around us protect us Lord, even when we can protect ourselves. And if you should call her name welcome us Lord into your loving arms as we leave this world. Not to return. for another chance But to return Victorious when you you come back, so we Sang Kee and the precious strong name of Jesus. We pray amen.

couple of things to remember

Two points we choose whom we will serve. And number two we influence others with our choice. Your choice can influence others to do good or evil. Last week was a demonstration of that.

A prayer request again. Remember remember this week. This is a high. impact week So much that can go wrong. That we need to be vigilant and call out evil where it is. But let's let's pray leave it in. There are the food pantry again in February 11th from 12 to 2 at 4801 Dolphin Road, Dallas, Texas 75223. And again, you can reach us on these links if you want additional prayer or you want More information or if there's something that you need help with please contact us and let us see how we can stand with you. And again, you can give online get more information leave your prayer requests and find some really good answers from some of the information that we are sharing on our website. You don't have to buy anything but you you can freely receive. So we praise God for that and we look to see you on Wednesday at 7. I will be in the word of God again. And we just give God the praise. So God bless and we will look to see you on Wednesday. fan club chair