Q5. Joshua's Challenge

[Pastor Ralph]

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites? How does God seem to challenge you? What is He saying to you? What do you plan to do about it?

 

[charisbarak]

Choose this day whom you will serve.  He affirmed that he & his family would serve the Lord.

Continue to take my part in the sanctification process and daily choose to serve Him.

"You may be older now--but you are still growing!!"  Praise God!

More Bible reading & study, prayer, sharing, to be open to God's leading each day.

[ducminh]

Joshua made Israelites to confirm their loyalty to the Most High by promising their strict observance of the law and renew their covenant with God and wrote everything in the book of law:

Jos 24:25  So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

Jos 24:26  And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.

Being a creature of God, I ought to pledge my loyalty to Him, my Creator.  Being a believer of Christ and His Father, I also make my promise to serve the Most High alone and observe His commandments and His laws.

I serve the Most High through my daily duty in the society wherever I live.  I observe His commandments in my best at all time.  I love my neighbours as myself but it does not mean I have to embrace their pagan ways and gods.

God’s law is the law of the Spirit and it set me free, as Paul has said:

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

And John has also confirmed of that freedom, the defeat of the devil:

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1Jn 3:5  And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

1Jn 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1Jn 3:7  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Christian Churches have deceived the entire world by suppressing God’s commandments and His laws from their daily observance.  They preach a deceitful doctrine, they have kept people under the power of Satan, so people continue to offend God but believing they are saved by grace alone and by professing the name of Jesus Christ.

The Roman Catholic Church is the WOLF under the skin of the LAMB, and so are her multitude Christian Daughters.

Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Rev 18:3  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

I have listened to God’s call:

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

For the judgement of Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, is coming as Christ has announced:

Rev 18:2  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

Rev 19:20  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

[Ron B]

Joshua's challenge to the Israelites of that day were to choose for their house what gods they would follow. They chose the Lord their God who brought them out of the house of bondage of the land of Egypt. 

God challenges me today as to who I and my house will follow and I choose My Lord Jesus Christ who has brought us out of bondage,who has redeemed us from the curse of the law.

What I plan to do about it is to with the help of the Love of God through the Holy Spirit, continue preaching the one gospel and that is the gospel of Christ and as Paul stated in Galatians 1:8-9 " But if even we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you, let him be accursed. As we have said to you before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed".

[van]

Joshua's challenge to the Israelites was to choose who they were going to serve. Was it going to be foreign gods or the one true God. God had challenged me to turn my life completely over to Him and He would clean me from the inside out. Since doing that I have more peace, not because I still don't have problems, because I still run into everyday challenges. It's just that now I don't go through them alone.
 

[Gladys E.]

Joshua's challenge to the Israelites was to continue to serve the Lord their God. He ask them to choose who they would serve, whether God or the gods of the other people. 

My challenge from God is to continue to be steadfast in serving Him. And my plan is to continue to live a life that is pleasing to God, through the help of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

[JanMary]

Lesson 8: Joshua 24:15-17

Q5 What was Joshua's challenge to the Israelites?

Joshua was confronting them with their unfaithfulness to God with their foreign gods, and asked them to get off the fence and decide whom they will serve...God or their gods! Letting them know you can't serve both. One or the other!

This reminds me of the statement Jesus made about not putting new wine in old wine skins....trying to add grace, the new wine, to the law that He came to fulfil so we can now be led by the indwelling Holy Spirit.....all is lost when we try to mix the two.  We can't be led by the Spirit while in bondage to the law which was their guidance in Joshua's day and the days before the cross.

How does God seem to challenge you?

He is always challenging me to come up "higher and closer" to Him. To let go of the habit of worry and fear, which have been my norm since childhood. He's also been challenging me to grow in grace...to let go of trying to keep the law and the guilt and bondage I grew up with, and to grow in His gift of grace....and to walk in that freedom. (which isn't license to sin.....on the contrary, the freedom of grace kills the desire to sin!)

What is He saying to you? 

"Fear and trying to obey the law, kills JOY! I want your Joy to be full, and for you to enjoy the lightness of giving Me ALL burdens, while you walk in peace, love and freedom!

What do you plan to do about it?

I'm meditating on Romans, and Hebrews, and Ephesians....and with more revelation and understanding on grace, I am beginning to walk in joy and lightness. Until I began to understand grace, the burden of the law dogged me like a ghost lurking and insinuating that I wasn't doing enough, wasn't enough, that He wasn't pleased with me. I now wake up smiling, eager to begin my new adventure with Him, thankful that He said "It IS FINISHED" on the cross, thankful that I am seated with Him at the right hand of the Father (Eph 2:6) in Heavenly places. I have more appreciation for all that Jesus accomplished in His work on the Cross, far beyond forgiveness from sin, and the gift of Eternal Life..He gives us abundant life, fullness of life and joy and so much more! How I praise and thank Him.

 

 

[PrayingMan]

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites? How does God seem to challenge you? What is He saying to you? What do you plan to do about it?

Joshua challenged the people to choose whether or not they were going to serve the Lord or serve the gods of the Canaanites.  God calls daily to take up our cross and follow Him.  To do that, we must forsake all other gods and things that distract us from serving Him.  He says, Follow Me, and I follow daily.

[hanks]

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) 
What was Joshua's challenge to the Israelites? 
How God seem to challenge you? 
What is He saying to you? 
What do you plan to do about it?
To remain faithful to the one and only true God.
They are to love Him with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their strength.
Keep themselves separate from the pagan nations; not to intermarry or worship their false gods. 
I have committed my life to the Lord about 34 years ago.
I love to do a periodic spiritual checkup – to see if I’m showing the work of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:19-23). If the Holy Spirit is genuinely at work in my life, I should be producing the kind of character traits that Paul calls the Fruit of the Spirit. Is there more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in my life? These are the character traits that are found in the nature of Jesus Christ. I know that if I want to grow spiritually I must join my life to His (John 15:4-5).
He must control my life – I must know Him, love Him, remember Him, imitate Him, and acknowledge Him in everything I do. I know I can never perfectly exemplify these fruits, but I have noticed a chipping away of my old self. A change of attitude in my heart. Thankfully, a definite growing of them over all these years. But, of course, much work still to be done. 
 

[Ganti Vivek]

Joshua's challenging question to Israelites that day at  Shechem was whom do they wish to serve, He read the Gods commandments to them and said that for he and his family will follow the lord, when he questioned them they all said they also will follow the lord wholeheartedly. They were reminded how the Lord brought them out of the bondage and out of Egypt to this promised land of milk and honey.

looking at the Israelites at this juncture and to live in this promised land they are supposed to keep lords commandments and walk by it without following the gentile in that land, similarly Gods challenge to me in my live is to keep his commandments and live a life which is set apart from the gentiles and their Gods which all around me, to set an example by living a righteous life by which the gentile will be able to follow our Lord.

Meditate on the word of God and lead a life as shown by Jesus Christ, with love and faith try and win over evil in this world righteously.

 

[blezed]

(Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites? How does God seem to challenge you? What is He saying to you? What do you plan to do about it?

Joshua's challenge to the Israelite's was for them to make a decision as to whom they will serve.  We, too, must make a decision in our lives.  We need to commit ourselves to him. We cannot serve God and serve other gods too.  His word says that he is a jealous God.  Sometimes I have to take a step back and ask myself "am I doing all for God that I committed to do?"  In the society that we live in today, I know I am not.  So, I must ask for God's forgiveness and recommit myself to serving him.  
 

[Susan B]

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites? How does God seem to challenge you? What is He saying to you? What do you plan to do about it?

 

Joshua's challenge was not only to turn away from idols but to turn to God wholeheartedly.  This is a personal challenge as I am distracted by everything and anything. I am working on stilling the mind. I sit in stillness in the morning and speak to and listen for God. I

[lighthouse2014]

On 6/10/2016 at 3:08 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites? How does God seem to challenge you? What is He saying to you? What do you plan to do about it?

 

Joshua's challenge to the Israelites was to whom they would serve, either the idols from the pagans living among them or serve the Lord, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, the God who redeemed them from Egypt and gave them the promised land.

God challenges me by eliminating any old habits I have and depending on him for all I have.

He says to me "depend on me and I will open the windows of Heaven for you".

I plan as I have done many times, to give all I have to do for him as glory that he has helped me. But, most of all trust him for everything, asking before doing, praying before acting.  

[Eilen]

Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites was that they make the choice of whether they served their God or their neighbors’ idols. That they remain steadfast in their loyalty to the Lord and throw away all idols they have picked up from the Amorites who lived among them.   That they do not become tainted with the religious beliefs of those who inhabited the land with them.

God seems to challenge me by my not being able to ignore all the different distracting objects around me .  I read my scriptures every day but I often find my thoughts wandering so that I have to read over to understand what I am reading. I need to pray more and ask God’s help. 

He is telling me that I need to become more a Christian.  I need to spend more time trying to communicate with him.

 I have to find a way to hear what God is saying to me. I have to be changed and transformed so that I might be brought into a closer relationship with Him.

[Stanley Tavaziva]

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua's challenge to the Israelites? How God seem to challenge you? What is He saying to you? What do you plan to do about it?

Israel had to suffer because of failure to follow God wholeheartedly. God was supremely loving and patient with Israel, just as he is today. But we must not confuse his patience with us as approval of or indifference to our sin. We should be aware of demanding your own way because eventually you may get it—along with all its painful consequences.

[Debra Grant]

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua's challenge to the Israelites? How God seem to challenge you? What is He saying to you? What do you plan to do about it?

 

1. The people of Israel looked at the example of their leader. He had stepped forward and committed himself. And his example itself was a challenge and encouragement for them to make up their mind that they were going to serve the Lord and not idol gods.     

Joshua told them, You can't take serving the LORD lightly or casually. You can't serve him at the same time as you go your own way and worship other gods. This must be an exclusive relationship.

2. To make sure I pray, read, and fast.

3. If I do his will, he will bless me highly spiritually and physically.

4. I plan to obey his will continuously and do it well.

 

[Commissioned]

On 6/10/2016 at 4:08 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites? How does God seem to challenge you? What is He saying to you? What do you plan to do about it?

 

Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites was to serve God rather than man.  God seem to challenge me to seek Him continually and rise to newer and deeper levels in Him.  He saying move into a deeper commitment and step into a new season.  I am praying for clearer directions.

[Irmela]

Q5. (Joshua 24:15-27) What was Joshua's challenge to the Israelites?

How does God seem to challenge you?

What is He saying to you?

What do you plan to do about it?

Joshua challenged the people to choose whom they would serve. 

Draw closer and closer to Him. To become more and more like Him. To serve Him with all that I am and all that I have.