Monday, October 19, 2015

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Joshua, Chapter 24, Verse 14

“Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

 Joshua was telling the Israelites that it was a day for decision-making, a day for clarifying what they worship and to what they will give their ultimate allegiance.
In a sermon by Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas she states:
“Put away the gods that your ancestors served...” Joshua declares. Doing that requires an act of self-examination. 1. What are the gods that I serve?  2. What does my bank statement or my credit card statement say about my values? 3. What does the way I spend my free time say about what matters most to me? 4. How does the way that I treat family-members and co-workers, neighbors and friends show which gods I serve? 5. To what do I give my best, most focused attention and care? 6. What do I really care about? 7. What motives really drive me? 8. What goals really draw me forward? 9. Are there compulsive patterns of thought or behavior to which I am excessively attached? You and I can go to church and say very sincerely that we worship God, but in the hurly-burly of daily life there are all kinds of lesser gods that tug at us and clamor for our attention and our devotion.[1]
Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:3)



[1] http://www.holyhunger.com/sermons/message20090823.php

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