Stand and Deliver
Joshua 24:14-15
“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of 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 NKJV
Joshua had to make a very hard decision. He had to make a stand. Not just for himself, but all of those in his household! Every soul that the Lord had put him in charge of!
There is a constant battle for you and your family.
The world is going to do what the world does. We can not be influenced by the world. We have to be the influence to the world, and it starts in our homes!
We ,as followers of Jesus Christ have a different calling!
Joshua had to come to a decision not only in his life but the lives of those that he was in charge of. He had to stand up for what was right in the Sight of the Lord.
We have to be very careful because we will all serve someone – either Satan or the Lord Jesus Christ.
We really are not left the option of not serving anyone or anything else.
We allow things in our lives to take the place of God.
Those things start to run and rule our lives.
Joshua also understood that he, as the head, the leader of his family, it was his responsibility to see that his whole house served the One True God!
Joshua had the job of representing his whole house before God.
Have you taken that responsibility over your house? Joshua was determined in his heart and mind it did not matter what anyone else thought.
He was choosing to follow the Lord no matter what the cost would be. No matter how difficult the world makes it. Even if he was no longer accepted by the worlds view. Joshua understood that his relationship and loyalty was to the God of Heaven!
Joshua’s relationship with God was not based on what any man told him, but on the Lord alone! No one else’s thoughts and opinions but by the Word of Truth!
He would make the decision to serve God no matter what anyone else did or if anyone else would.
The Church doesn’t have to be like the world in order to follow Jesus. We need to make the decision to be more like Christ . When we can walk in that our families see and our Children see. They will follow. Train them in the ways of the Lord. If you don’t have understanding, teach them to ask for understanding. Show them what it is to forgive. Show them how to love as Christ loves! Show them In your actions your behavior, what you say and what you do. The Lord will provide a way for you when you seek. When you make that declaration of where you stand the Lord will honor that and provide everything you will need. Strength, Peace, Grace, Mercy. Then do it all in Love!
We are to be different. We are to be bold, not arrogant, about what we believe. We must not be ashamed of the Gospel.
It only takes one to stand up for the Righteousness of God. It will only take one to stand in the gap. It only takes that one to change generations. It only takes one to point the rest of your household to the Inheritance that is found in only Jesus Christ.
But will you be that one?
Joshua 24:16-18
So the people answered and said: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for the Lord our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went and among all the people through whom we passed. And the Lord drove out from before us all the people, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God.”
Joshua 24:16-18 NKJV
It takes one brave mother, one brave father, Grand parent to stand firm for the Faith. To show and guide the Younger generation. Your sons, your daughters, nieces, nephews, Grandchildren, any and everyone the Lord has put under our care in our household. We have to show them and lead them to The Way, The Truth, and The Life only found in Jesus.
There are many things we can lead our Children to but are you leading them to the Inheritance that is Eternal and lasts forever?
God’s ultimate plan was and is the Redemptive work of His only begotten Son Jesus. To save us from our sins so all that Choose to repent, believe and follow will have an everlasting life. This is God’s direct Inheritance to us.
When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane He was preparing Himself for a death that no other could endure. But the benefits and rewards to those that would be left after Him would be everlasting!
When He hung on the Cross He was about to leave us everything.
He was going to leave us freedom from sin. His Righteousness, His Peace, grace and mercy. He left us with the Holy Spirit to guide us in all things. He left us the example of how we should live our lives and to show others.
But will you be the one?
We have an amazing opportunity and responsibility. How dedicated are you willing to be to The Gospel of Jesus Christ? And are you willing to separate yourself from the things of this world? Are you willing to take a stand for the souls of your loved ones? Preach the Gospel and see what the Lord will do. It’s never too late. As long as we have breath as long as we have Blood flowing through our bodies then we can still be used by God to reach those in our responsibility, those in our House.
As for me and my house we will serve the Lord! Believe that, live that and teach that and see what the Lord will do.
Do not allow any in your household to miss out on the Inheritance the Lord has waiting for them!
Make the hard decision! Your household and the next generation desperately need you to Stand and Deliver!
Pastor Ed