God Or The World: Which Will You Choose?

At the end of the book of Joshua, the Israelites have moved into the Promised Land after great conquest. Joshua is very old and close to death, and he poses to the people this question, “Whom will you serve? The Lord God or the false gods of the surrounding nations?” It is given with a staunch warning, that if they turn from God to the things of the world, He would use the things they turned to to destroy them. Does this question and warning apply to us since we rarely encounter other “gods”?

Reason to Rejoice

What reason do we have to be joyful and give thanks? Sometimes it is easier to think of things than otherwise. A lot of that depends on our perspective, the way we view our circumstances and situation makes all the difference in how we respond to them. The state of our hearts also affects our ability to rejoice. Some can genuinely give thanks in the midst of horrible circumstances while others have trouble being grateful for a blessed life. In 2 Corinthians 7, Paul lists several reasons for which he rejoiced, and they apply just as well to us. This chapter holds particular sentiment for me because it was a sermon on it that brought me to give my life to Christ.