Joshua 24:14 - 18 "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. (15) And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (16) And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; (17) For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: (18) And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God."
God demands to be served and worshiped, God is a jealous
God, and He does not share His glory with any one or thing. If you are going to
worship God then do not worship anything or anyone else, this includes self-worship.
We see the Israelites throughout the Old Testament worshiping Idols as well as
self. We see people and worship centers all over the world worshipping idols
and self. As Christians the command is to worship and serve God, no other
worship is acceptable to God.
Joshua tells us to “fear the LORD” and this means to “Reverence him as
the sole object of your personal life and religious worship”. Fearing God is
accepting Him as the Sovereign of the universe with absolute power and
authority. One cannot worship God if they do not first fear Him, fear is what
keeps us in line with His commands. Without obeying God’s commands there is no
true and acceptable worship. Next “serve him in sincerity and in truth”
The word “serve Him” means – completely and without blemish, or sound, without
spot – that means to have your whole heart engaged in His worship. In total
worship and service to God, not just on church day but everyday of your life.
If you ever put ANYTHING before God or His service, ever, you are not sincere
in your worship. Next is “and in truth” you cannot serve God any other
way than “in truth”. This means According to the directions he has given you in
his infallible word. However, no one is perfect in anything in this flesh. The
word of God must be Reverenced as He is to be Reverenced, if it is not absolute
Truth then it is false. The bible is not of private interpretation therefore
just because you believe it does not make it truth. God said, “Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 Laziness, for Pastors or
churches or Christians in general is a refusal to “rightly dividing the word
of truth” and worship God in Truth. Next, “if it seem evil unto you to
serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve;” Who would think it
to be evil to serve the Lord? But this is those who refuse the truth of the
word. If God says it, it matters little what you believe. Study the word
without rejection and accept the truth of the word. Don’t lean upon mans
wisdom, and a failure to lean upon the revelation and wisdom of the Holy
Spirit. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all
men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James
1:5 If you seem to differ with your Pastor and church on the scriptures,
find another church that you agree with, do not forget, you are responsible for
your error that is a burden you must account for yourself. “For every man
shall bear his own burden.” Galatians 6:5 You cannot blame your Pastor
and church for your wrong understanding. Choose to serve the Lord, just as the
bible teaches of Him. Next, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the
LORD.” The question here is, “are you and your house actually serving the
Lord”? if your worship is not in absolute “in sincerity and in truth” then you
are not serving the Lord. Refusing to believe in the Sovereignty of God of the
bible is normally the first error of failure. The second is to refuse the
saving power of the Holy Spirit, and the third is refusing to believing in
Jesus Christ as the absolute Saviour of mankind. “For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 If
you do not serve God rightly, then you do not serve God at all. In conclusion,
you must in your own heart by the reading and studding of the scriptures and in
prayer to God conclude that you are serving God in sincerity and truth. These
folks concluded “therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God."
Folks, the interpretation of the scriptures is everything, it matters not what
people find right and popular, it only matters what God said. Seek the truth,
find the truth, and believe the truth. Then find a church that teaches the
truth and join them. Your rewards in eternity depends on biblical truth and
following God’s commandments. Your sins are paid for, they have been pardoned
by God through Jesus Christ’s blood. You need to choose to serve God in sincerity
and in truth in a church that believes and serves the Sovereign God of the
bible, seek and you shall find.
“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will
hearken unto you. (13) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search
for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12 - 13
“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall
find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (10) For every one that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened.” Luke 11:9 - 10
