Joshua 24:14-15 / The Hour of Decision. God has given us new life in Him but we must choose to follow Him, love Him and surrender to Him. He has made us His people and it is important for us to commit ourselves to Him in every way!
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.”

Israel had come into the land….they have routed most of the inhabitants of the land….God had given them the desires of their hearts….They rest in their own homes…eat of the fruit of the land….receive the blessings of God.

Joshua is now old….they had been in the land for about 30 years….Joshua knows and understands the hearts of the people. He warns them of the dangers of turning away from God.

in Joshua 24:1-13, Joshua reminds them of all the wonderful things that God has done for them.

God is faithful….
- Deut 7:9 - Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…

Psalm 36:5 - Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
- Psalm 91 - His faithfulness is a Shield & Buckler

God is a God of His Word….Truthful…

John 8:32 - His Truth sets us free…
Hebrews 6:18 - So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
1 Samuel 15:29 - God cannot lie…

God is always loving and caring….
- 1 John 3:1 - See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are
1 John 4:19 - He first loved us….
John 3:16 - God so loves us….

God is our Good Heavenly Father…..

Galatians 4:6 - Intimacy of God….ABBA
John 15:26 - Our Father helps us…guides us….leads us….
1 John 3:2 - We shall be like Him….

V15 - If it seems evil to you = if God is so unattractive to you….

Choose = Decide & Select - You figure it out!

Serve - Be obedient to….to honor….to worship

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen….without faith it is impossible to please God.

The gods of your father’s = culture…..tradition….
We can follow the beliefs and customs of nationality….
We can follow the beliefs and customs of race….
We can follow the beliefs and customs of gender…
We can follow the beliefs and customs of politics…

The gods of the Canaanites….the new normal….self-will
We can follow the beliefs and customs of society….
We can follow media and so-called experts….
We can follow the beliefs of those around us….
We can follow our own morality and code of beliefs…

WARNING IN SCRIPTURE: Joshua 23:13 - When we turn our backs on God…God stops fighting for us….V16 - the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you…

Matthew 20:6 - It is the eleventh hour…..We must make a decision….we can continue to stand around idle if we want….the Lord has come to us so many times…..through the Holy Spirit….through His messengers…..Will we choose to serve Him…..

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD - Yahweh

Joshua 23:6 - Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses…

Joshua 23:8 - Hold fast to the LORD your God

Joshua 23:10 one shall chase a thousand, for the LORD your God is He Who fights for you…V11- take heed that you love the LORD your God

Joshua 23:14 - not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you.

God’s faithfulness Revealed to Us:
- Jesus heard our cries when we were lost….
- Jesus saw how beaten and wonder we were…
- God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to deliver us from the bondage of sin….
- God purchased us through the sacrifice of His Son….
Jesus took the wrath of God that was meant for us upon Himself…
Jesus cleansed us from our sins…
Jesus gives us forgiveness of sins….
Jesus clothed us in His righteousness…
Jesus healed us from our dead state….
Jesus gave us new life….
God demonstrated His love for us, while we were still sinners…Christ died for us….
God made us His children….
God filled us with His Holy Spirit….
Jesus is preparing a mansion in glory for us….
God has given us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus….
God provides for our every need….
Jesus has given us victory….
Jesus crushed the head of the devil for us….
Jesus will once and for all - cast our enemies into outer darkness!
Jesus allows us to reign and rule with Him…
Jesus gives us everlasting life….

This is the Hour of Decision…..