Life-changing Messages
Serving God Faithfully
Text: Joshua 24:15 IBCSWS May 2, 2004
IBC 16th Anniversary
Preacher: Pastor Jose B. Cabajar
Serving God is the highest and best service we could do as long as we live physically on this planet earth. Godly men are really enjoying their God-given life as they serve the Lord faithfully. Joy fills their hearts as they serve the Lord of lords and the King of kings. It’s an honor and a pleasure to them to serve and give their best to the True Master.
On the other hand, many people are not even interested, neither willing to give their time, strength and hearts to God who gave them life. What an indignity on our part if we please and serve other people whom we look up, but unresponsive to our Almighty God who cares so much for us.
Studying the life of Joshua, the faithful servant of the LORD, will escort us to a deeper understanding concerning our God-given ministry. Joshua really exemplified a classic model of a faithful servant. Through his life, he consistently demonstrated how to serve God in sincerity and in truth.
In Exodus 33:11, the Bible tells us about Joshua as a young man serving the LORD; and in Joshua 24:29, it tells us about Joshua as an old man serving the LORD. He served God faithfully until he went the way of all the earth. He not only served God alone, but also led his family and Israel in serving God through out their lives.
As we open our eyes and observantly consider the way we serve the Living God, we might wonder how Joshua kept himself faithful in the Lord. What really makes a person, a family or a congregation faithful in serving God?
(I) A Choice
Joshua 24:15
-A personal choice
-A family choice
-A congregational choice
To some people, making a choice is just a light thing and some sort of fun, but for Joshua, it is a matter of loving the Lord’s choice. Right choice is beneficial, but wrong choice brings forth sorrow. We are free to make our own choices, but we should also remember that inappropriate freedom leads us to lawlessness.
Serving God is a rewarding decision. It’s a pleasurable choice of godly people who really appreciate the wonderful works of God he made known to them. In Joshua 24:31, it is written, And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
(II) Great Encouragement To Others
Joshua 24:15-31
-to our family members
-to other people
-to the next generation
Joshua’s well-lived life influenced Israel to serve God faithfully. The way we serve the Lord might seem insignificant to us, but if we are serving Him faithfully in sincerity and in truth, we are a great encouragement to many believers. Through our good testimonies, our lives will touch other lives and serve as motivators to lead others to serve God faithfully.
Faithful servants of God are instrumental in setting believers’ spiritual pace. They lead and encourage other Christians to maintain consistent strides, inspiring them to make significant surges of faith in the Christian race of life.
The world is in need of true believers who will stand firm to what is right and pleasing to God. The vanishing vision and conviction of many professing believers intensify that great need.
(III) Delightful To God
Joshua 1:1-9 Joshua 10:12-14
-Pleasing to God
-Blessed people Psalm 31:23
A family that serves the Lord faithfully is a very delightful sight before the eyes of God. It reveals the spiritual heart beats of the family members and their special love for the Lord. God is well-pleased every time He sees believers walking in faith and serving Him willingly and faithfully.
In Psalm 37:4, it is written, Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Many believers want to experience the blessing of this verse in their lives, and truly, it is a good desire. In Joshua 10:12-14, Joshua experienced the wonderful blessing of being delightful to God.
As we see evil days ahead, may we follow the example of Joshua and say with authority: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Every individual, family, and congregation is in need of a firm decision today to serve God faithfully in sincerity and in truth. The Bible warns us of the danger of serving two masters. In Matthew 6:24, the Lord said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
May the Lord count us faithful as we serve Him till He comes. The Apostle Paul once said, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” Truly, God is worthy to be praised for the great opportunity he has given us to serve Him. It’s a great honor to serve God until we see the Lord Jesus face to face in Heaven above.