Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
How many times have you been walking through the grocery store, and watched as a parent gave their child the opportunity to pick out a treat, but they could only choose one, and no more. Initially, they might reach out for a candy bar, but after a few moments, change their mind and grab some suckers instead. After throwing them into the shopping cart, they suddenly reach back, return them to the shelf and pick out some licorice instead. After hesitating once again, they consider grabbing a cold pop, but eventually the parent has to make the decision for them, otherwise they would never make it home in time for supper.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Some people can’t make a decision, continuing to flip flop back and forth between their options. But the decision to follow the Lord is one from which there is no going back. You are either on one side or the other, and you must choose this day whom you will serve. The choice is yours, to either walk with the Lord, or to walk with the world.
Joshua 24 ¹⁴ Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. ¹⁵ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.¹⁶ And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; ¹⁷ For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: ¹⁸ And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God. ¹⁹ And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. ²⁰ If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. ²¹ And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. ²² And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. ²³ Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
If someone’s going to make the choice to serve the Lord, they must be fully committed to obey His will. To serve means to comply with the commands and demands of someone or something. In order to love the Lord perfectly, we must obey Him perfectly, because without obedience to Christ, you are outside the love of the Heavenly Father
John 14 ²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ²² Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? ²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. ²⁴ He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
There are many forms of false Christianity that have tried to mingle the things of the Christian faith with the heathen, such as worshiping idols, or even putting up Christmas trees, all of which came from pagan practices. The world council of churches is a prime example, as there is documentation of them joining up with devil worshipers and others who are completely outside the will of God. But this was bound to happen, because it is a preparation for the appearance of the son of perdition who will try to join all religions together as one, and himself as the leader. A true servant of Christ cannot be partakers of these things because it provokes the Lord to wrath. Just like a faithful and obedient bride, we must make the decision that He is the only one for us and there is NO OTHER!
1 Corinthians 10 ²⁰ But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. ²¹ Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. ²² Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
Being in the middle of the road doesn’t work for a Christian. Even on the highway you need to pick one side or the other. Many people are trying to walk both sides of the fence, but to serve the Lord requires making the decision to abide on His side.
Revelation 3 ¹⁵ I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
A double-minded man is unstable in everything that he does. With a wishy-washy, maybe or maybe not mindset, they are incapable of committing themselves fully one way or another.
James 1 ⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. ⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
……purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James 4:8
When we choose Christ Jesus, we must forsake all others.
2 Corinthians 6 ¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? ¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? ¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
You need to choose this day who you are going to serve because today is the day of salvation. You’re either in, or you are out. You’re either with Him or against Him. You must decide right now, if you are going to…..
….. Fish or Cut Bait
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
tlkjbc.com
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 