Joshua: Time To Decide

The time had come! A promise was made 0ver 600 years before. As youngsters, some of this generation had seen God act in powerful ways on behalf of them and their parents as he brought them out of Egypt, while others had only heard rumors of God's powerful actions on the part of Israel. But this generation had to wait for forty years to see the promise fulfilled because of their parents' disobedience.

Finally, the promise had been fulfilled. Joshua, God's appointed heir to Moses' leadership led the conquest of Canaan with peculiar military strategies that left the outcome ultimately in the hands of God. Now, the land of promise was now home.

However, before the Israelites just settled down. Joshua had some parting words to share with the people.

Their history had shown them to be a fickle people of faith. As they got ready to settle into their new homes, it was time to decide ... where are you going to place your faith? So Joshua places a challenge - "Choose this day who you will serve!"

God doesn't tolerate the mingling of serving Him with honoring other gods. You can only choose God OR others. God AND other gods is never an option.

This is the same challenge Jesus repeated 1200 years later when he said, "No man can serve to masters."

Today, millions of Christians are faced with the same decision. Daily, they attempt to accomodate their worship of God with their honoring of the cultural and moral gods of our time. They bow their knees to the gods of Possession, Power, Popularity or Pleasure while proclaiming their loyalty to the God of the Bible (of course, that means He needs quite a makeover).

Joshua's choice was "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." What is your choice? There is no middle or the road or mixing of faith. It is time to decide.