Choose This Day

The Decision that Determines Destiny

Jos 24:15-28

Vs 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyonthe River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

What Decision have you made or will you make that will determine the Destiny for those who come after you? Not arbitrary, or by default… an active, conscious choice to change the destiny of your family!

1) You have A Serious Decision to Make

“choose this day whom you will serve”

The choice you make determines the destiny you cultivate

The Atmosphere around you is no accident it is cultivated by choice

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”

That one statement, truly embraced will change your home, will change this church, and will change our community.

People said… “Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

The choice you make determines the destiny you cultivate

2) You have A Sacred devotion to pursue

25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.”

Israel was to be “married” to Yahweh, and (like a good spouse) He tolerates no rivals in their hearts. He is a jealous God (Ex. 20:5) and a holy God, and He could never permit them to be divided in their loyalty. Just as a husband and wife are faithful to their marriage vows and jealously guard their mate’s affection, so Israel and the Lord had to be faithful to each other.

The depth of your destiny is a consequence of your devotion!

Sets up a Stone engraved with the law at the tabernacle as a witness

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Jos 1:8).

Your success is found in your soaking.

Most of the time the root problem is not DISCIPLINE, its DEVOTION

DISCIPLINE never leads to DEVOTION, but a radical DEVOTION will produce DISCIPLINE

3) You have destiny to pass on

28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

This is the end of a 500 year narrative.

From Promise - To Abraham (first promise)

To Possession - Joshua (final speech)

Its been 500 years from the PROMISE to the POSSESSION and inbetween has been this thing called a PROCESS

The Process is often longer than you want

The Process is more painful than you expect

The Process is involves more people than you thought

It’s passed on through the hands of multiple people. You may not get to play the part you want in God’s story, but thank God you play a part, and important part that affects the lives of multitudes.

(Nine Such Memorial stones in Joshua)

1. The stones in the midst of the Jordan (4:9).

Like going into the waters of Baptism, the old is buried

2. The stones on the western bank of the Jordan (4:20–24)

Like Coming out of the waters of Baptism, the new life is now

3. The stones in the Valley of Achor (7:26)

Disobedience is Deadly

4. The heap of stones at Ai (8:29)

It is God who gives us victory over our enemies

5. The altar on Mt. Ebal (8:30)

(Grace of Repentance - Repent, Re-identify, Receive)

6. The stones of the law on Mt. Ebal (8:32).

Remain in his Word!

7. The stones at the cave at Makkedah (10:27)

The five kings, sun stand still, when the enemy comes in like a flood

8. The altar built by the Transjordanic tribes (22:10)

Borderline believers - Far from the tabernacle, close to the enemy

Even as they left, they could feel the separation

9. Joshua’s stone of witness (24:26–28).

A wedding ring between God and Israel

Nine - Finality - the completion of a process,

Every one of us eventually come to chapter 24 in our life

As parents - child leaves

As leaders - leaders move on

With every end, there is passing on. When you transition, in leadership, in life… you have a responsibility as to what happens next.

What are we passing on? Suddenly this seed seems 100x more significant

Choose This Day…

What will cultivate for future generations to enjoy?

How deep am I willing to go in my devotion?

Am I setting up the next to be successful?

UNITE714 | Week 13 Prayer | English

#UNITE714Dates: 6/14-20

“And it shall come to pass afterward,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your old men shall dream dreams,

and your young men shall see visions...”

Joel 2:28-29 (ESV)

But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams;

even on my male servants and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit,

and they shall prophesy...’”

Acts 2:16-18 (ESV)

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with

healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.”

Malachi 4:2 (ESV)

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer

to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe…

Hebrews 12:28 (NIV)

THE PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we come before Your throne of grace today, and we are mindful of Your ancient promise to “…pour out Your Spirit on all flesh.” This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts, but history bears witness to the fact that countless times, through fresh outpourings of Your Spirit, You have revived Your Church and saved the lost. Our economies have been impacted by this pandemic, and our nations have been shaken. Yet, there is great promise hidden in this pain, because the nations of the world have been ripened for harvest. We ask for revival and harvest to come through a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit, like the one we see in the book of Joel.

Lord Jesus, we cry out for Your Church to be revived. We ask for millions to be saved as You bring a spiritual awakening to the nations of the earth.

Today, we stand in awe of Your care for the peoples of the world, for it is an all-encompassing, loving care that extends to the spiritual, emotional, relational, physical, and material needs of every human on our planet. Knowing that Your omniscient eye misses nothing, we ask You to heal those who have been afflicted with COVID-19, comfort the hearts of those who have suffered loss, and heal this broken world.

Lord, we boldly come before Your throne today, asking You to eradicate COVID-19 from the earth. Please heal our nations from the ravages of this pandemic.

In a time of unprecedented worldwide shaking, we thank you, Lord, for placing us in a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Fill us with faith, love, joy, and peace. As You freshly empower us with Your Holy Spirit, anoint us to become ambassadors of reconciliation.

Lord, we reject panic and receive Your peace. Empower us to be Your witnesses in our cities and nations.