What do we know about Joshua - the Old Testament hero?
One thing we know for sure is that Joshua knew Moses from the time of his youth. It is believed that Joshua was about 40 years old at the time of the Exodus. The Bible describes him as a “Servant of the Lord”. When Moses sent Joshua and Caleb into Canaan to check out the territory with the others, Joshua returned and made a statement that Canaan was “an exceeding good land.” Even though the others saw problems Joshua believed that real victory in any battle is not built on the soldiers courage, but on the fearlessness based on faith in God.
In the book Joshua, chapter 24, Joshua asks each of us a critical question: Whom Shall You Serve?
Have you ever realized that the Christians of the olden days were able to serve the Lord despite the lack of the technological innovations that we enjoy today? These people of God were still able to communicate the gospel and share information about the love of God. Sometimes we find it so hard to travel to a church or to a place God wants us to serve Him despite easy transportation systems that will make our journey easier. In the Bible Romans 12:11 encourages us not to be lazy but to be fully devoted in serving the Lord.
Sometimes serving the Lord can just be as simple as sharing the word of God over the phone, or on WhatsApp messages, Facebook, Instagram or even Tweet, or even an e-mail or a text encouraging someone. It can be as simple as sharing the word of God with your colleagues, friends and family that haven’t met Christ before or those that need to come back to God.
In Joshua 24:15, Joshua said “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. This shows an act of commitment and a heart fully devoted to serve the Lord, not just himself but his entire family. Joshua has demonstrated his love for God and he had also acted according to what the Bible says in Deuteronomy 6:5-7: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
We can apply the above scripture to our lives as Christians by asking what we can do for God and not what He can do for us. Our God can do all things, but we also need to serve Him. It does not mean if we don’t serve God, He will not do what we ask, but serving God is an act of commitment and ways of showing our love for him because of who He is.
I would like to encourage each of us to ask God what we can do for Him. It is possible that some are not sure of what area we can best serve God. We can serve God in the church, at work, as street evangelists, in our family or as a missionary. You don’t have to be an expert in that area, but whichever area God is leading you to serve please commit to it and God will equip you to do His work (Hebrews 13:21).
In the New Testament the word Disciple is used to describe the people who are committed to following Jesus Christ. To be a true disciple of Jesus requires real commitment. We have to let His life infuse our own so that we become more like Him. Following Christ is meant to be the central focus of our lives. Discipleship is about Christ being formed in you and you being formed in Christ. Jesus is our Redeemer and He is also our Example, God’s image of perfect human holiness. To become like Him we must be willing to follow His teachings. To follow Him we must be willing to submit ourselves to the truth of God’s Word, from beginning to end. Discipleship is an ongoing process that will last the whole of our lifetime and should touch every part of our lives.
Maybe you have been a Christian for many years, maybe you have already accepted Jesus as your Savior, but have you made Jesus Lord of your life? Being a disciple of Jesus requires more from us than just turning up for a church service, God is meant to have the central place in our daily lives. Being a disciple of Jesus is more than just reading your Bible once in a while or praying when you need something, it requires a real relationship with the God who loves you. Discipleship is the way we show that we take Jesus - His Incarnation, His works, His words, His person, His exemplary life, His commands and His commissions – seriously. A Christian who takes discipleship seriously is a Christian who takes Jesus and the Gospel seriously. Our ongoing walk with Jesus must be a priority in our lives.
Joshua had a pretty busy life, he had a life with God which was the main focus of everything that he did.
When Joshua was about 110 years old; he gave one of the most important speeches of his life. Joshua gathered the people around him and he spoke to them and gave them a challenge before he died. He told the people God had been good to them. He reminded them how God had delivered them from slavery and wandering. Then Joshua tells them that they need to worship the right God in the right way, not some kind of substitute God or idol. Joshua told the people it was time to make a choice - Joshua 24:15:
15 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.”
In this life we will face many choices. But of all the choices we face in life, the choice to know God or ignore God, has eternal consequences. Proverbs 28:26 says: Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in God’s wisdom are kept safe.
You have a purpose, you have a destiny, to discover God’s purpose for your life. You need to be willing to allow God to lead you and guide you. You have the ability to choose to obey God or ignore God. Will you choose this day to serve and worship God?
I believe that there are a lot of reasons to serve God, not just because of what HE has done for us, but because of who HE IS! There are also a lot of distractions in this world, but the choice to serve is up to us. Our God deserves outstanding service from each of us because HE is the one who was and is and is to come! The ONE who gave HIS best for us, so why shouldn't we do the same?
Who will you choose to serve today?
One thing we know for sure is that Joshua knew Moses from the time of his youth. It is believed that Joshua was about 40 years old at the time of the Exodus. The Bible describes him as a “Servant of the Lord”. When Moses sent Joshua and Caleb into Canaan to check out the territory with the others, Joshua returned and made a statement that Canaan was “an exceeding good land.” Even though the others saw problems Joshua believed that real victory in any battle is not built on the soldiers courage, but on the fearlessness based on faith in God.
In the book Joshua, chapter 24, Joshua asks each of us a critical question: Whom Shall You Serve?
Have you ever realized that the Christians of the olden days were able to serve the Lord despite the lack of the technological innovations that we enjoy today? These people of God were still able to communicate the gospel and share information about the love of God. Sometimes we find it so hard to travel to a church or to a place God wants us to serve Him despite easy transportation systems that will make our journey easier. In the Bible Romans 12:11 encourages us not to be lazy but to be fully devoted in serving the Lord.
Sometimes serving the Lord can just be as simple as sharing the word of God over the phone, or on WhatsApp messages, Facebook, Instagram or even Tweet, or even an e-mail or a text encouraging someone. It can be as simple as sharing the word of God with your colleagues, friends and family that haven’t met Christ before or those that need to come back to God.
In Joshua 24:15, Joshua said “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. This shows an act of commitment and a heart fully devoted to serve the Lord, not just himself but his entire family. Joshua has demonstrated his love for God and he had also acted according to what the Bible says in Deuteronomy 6:5-7: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
We can apply the above scripture to our lives as Christians by asking what we can do for God and not what He can do for us. Our God can do all things, but we also need to serve Him. It does not mean if we don’t serve God, He will not do what we ask, but serving God is an act of commitment and ways of showing our love for him because of who He is.
I would like to encourage each of us to ask God what we can do for Him. It is possible that some are not sure of what area we can best serve God. We can serve God in the church, at work, as street evangelists, in our family or as a missionary. You don’t have to be an expert in that area, but whichever area God is leading you to serve please commit to it and God will equip you to do His work (Hebrews 13:21).
In the New Testament the word Disciple is used to describe the people who are committed to following Jesus Christ. To be a true disciple of Jesus requires real commitment. We have to let His life infuse our own so that we become more like Him. Following Christ is meant to be the central focus of our lives. Discipleship is about Christ being formed in you and you being formed in Christ. Jesus is our Redeemer and He is also our Example, God’s image of perfect human holiness. To become like Him we must be willing to follow His teachings. To follow Him we must be willing to submit ourselves to the truth of God’s Word, from beginning to end. Discipleship is an ongoing process that will last the whole of our lifetime and should touch every part of our lives.
Maybe you have been a Christian for many years, maybe you have already accepted Jesus as your Savior, but have you made Jesus Lord of your life? Being a disciple of Jesus requires more from us than just turning up for a church service, God is meant to have the central place in our daily lives. Being a disciple of Jesus is more than just reading your Bible once in a while or praying when you need something, it requires a real relationship with the God who loves you. Discipleship is the way we show that we take Jesus - His Incarnation, His works, His words, His person, His exemplary life, His commands and His commissions – seriously. A Christian who takes discipleship seriously is a Christian who takes Jesus and the Gospel seriously. Our ongoing walk with Jesus must be a priority in our lives.
Joshua had a pretty busy life, he had a life with God which was the main focus of everything that he did.
When Joshua was about 110 years old; he gave one of the most important speeches of his life. Joshua gathered the people around him and he spoke to them and gave them a challenge before he died. He told the people God had been good to them. He reminded them how God had delivered them from slavery and wandering. Then Joshua tells them that they need to worship the right God in the right way, not some kind of substitute God or idol. Joshua told the people it was time to make a choice - Joshua 24:15:
15 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.”
In this life we will face many choices. But of all the choices we face in life, the choice to know God or ignore God, has eternal consequences. Proverbs 28:26 says: Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in God’s wisdom are kept safe.
You have a purpose, you have a destiny, to discover God’s purpose for your life. You need to be willing to allow God to lead you and guide you. You have the ability to choose to obey God or ignore God. Will you choose this day to serve and worship God?
I believe that there are a lot of reasons to serve God, not just because of what HE has done for us, but because of who HE IS! There are also a lot of distractions in this world, but the choice to serve is up to us. Our God deserves outstanding service from each of us because HE is the one who was and is and is to come! The ONE who gave HIS best for us, so why shouldn't we do the same?
Who will you choose to serve today?
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