Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods of your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua 24: 14-15 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)
Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from the land of slavery, and who performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.
Joshua 24: 16 – 20 (NIV)
We will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:21 (NIV)
Israel served the Lord through the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything that Lord had done for Israel.
Joshua 24:21 (NIV)
After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.
Judges 2:10 (NIV)
Faith and Faithfulness
Shema – “Summons”
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 upon 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. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (NIV)
It takes the whole community of faith-all believers working together-to reach the hearts of the next generation with the message of God’s love.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
We are to equip and grow disciples who in turn go out to equip and disciple others.
Including God in our Daily Lives
- Talk when you sit at home
- Talk when you are on the road (Car Times)
- Talk when you lie down (Bed Times)
- Talk when you get up (Morning Times)
Faith & life are woven together
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:9 (NIV)
Are you willing to stand up and say “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”
Are you willing to take it a step further, to go alongside others and help them grow their relationship with the Lord, encouraging them to become followers, not just believers?