February 4, 2026 -- Joshua 24:14-15 -- Choose this day whom you will serve

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Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua 24:14-15 ESV
 
Choose this day whom you will serve. I know that is a line many people use for evangelism, but realize the context here, Joshua is speaking to people who are already believers. Joshua, a strong leader in Israel, once Moses’ right-hand man, is now preparing for his death. He is speaking to the people of Israel who have been rescued from Egypt by the powerful hand of the LORD. Defended from enemies, by the hand of the LORD. Protected in the wilderness from snakes and scorpions, by the hand of the LORD. In their forty years of wilderness wandering before entering the Promised Land, given mana to eat, and water to drink by the hand of the LORD. When the people complained, the LORD gave them meat, quail, this too was from the hand of the LORD. Now the people are in the Promised Land, this is from the hand of the LORD. They have rest from their enemies; this too is from the hand of the LORD.
 
Now Joshua is commanding them, reaffirm your vow to the LORD your God. Choose whom you will serve, because you are a people who spiritually wander. Who get restless looking for the next new thing. Who when facing temptation are ripe and ready to fall into it. You remember your sins, forgetting the vile consequences and the anger of the LORD, and wander off. Choose whom you will serve. You are the LORD’s. You belong to Him. He is your salvation. He is your rescue story. As the recipients of His grace and goodness, awash in His blessings, choose to persist in pushing against the inevitable influences of sin, so that you will stay true to God. They don’t. They sin. The theme of the next book, Judges, is “and every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).
 
Dearly loved brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, you have been rescued from the Egypt of your sins. You have been brought to salvation in Jesus Christ, where your past, present and future sins have been nailed to the cross and Jesus was punished in your place. You are therefore free to be sons and daughters of God. Be aware that the pressures of sins and the weight of temptation will rush against you like a flood.

  • Your own, old sinful desires rise from within you. Crush them. Choose today to affirm your vows to serve the LORD. The world around you will entice you to wander from God. Rebellion and wickedness are disguised in so that you easily fall and it feels good, and you realize you are serving the gods of this age rather than the LORD Who rescued you, loves you and saves you.

  • The gods of this age, evident in tremendous peer pressure to participate in sex, drugs, and rock and roll, fashion and human-centredness are as old as time. These ridiculously vile invitations are presented to you as new and dangerously thrilling. It is the same as it ever was. To turn away from God is death. Remember your vow, you chose to serve God, serve Him now.

  • The Devil and his hordes from hell can’t punch God in the face, so, instead, the demonic forces attack the image-bearers of God. That is you. You are made in God’s image. You are created to glorify God as you are restored to true righteousness, true knowledge and true holiness. Ordinary, daily choices, pull you from the commitment to choose God and serve Him only. Sin leads you to be unclean, unable to do right and foolish. Choose to serve God. Remember your vows and walk in His way.

 
I can hear some of you say, “I can’t”. I am too far gone. Let me start by saying there is a twisted pride in that way of thinking. As if you are beyond the grip of God’s grace. It is warped way of justifying your desire to stay locked in your prison of sin, putting the key in the lock on the inside, your side of the prison door. God has declared, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” Romans 3:23-24 ESV. Do you really think your sins are new? Are too hard for God? Get over yourself. Humble yourself. Trust God. Go back to your commitment, as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
 
Our Father in heaven, forever blessed, thank You for the rich salvation You have granted us in Jesus Christ! Spirit of the Living God, reading this text today, I am first of all, ready to feel superior to “those people” who say ‘Yes’ to Jesus in the morning and are sinning like fiends in the afternoon…until the Spirit of God shows me my own propensity to bend this way and that by the slight breeze of temptation. Compassionate Father, forgive my sins by the reconciling blood of Jesus. By the Holy Spirit, strengthen me in my inner being, so that having already chosen to serve You, I will be renewed in holy zeal, and equipped to serve Jesus morning, noon and night. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/A3U0G7OiKJw?si=clVwH0EYkxSzOMM7 And Can It Be?
 

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