Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Whom Shall You Serve?

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Joshua 24:15 that says “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” This is a verse spoken by Joshua near the end of his life. He is declaring to all the tribes of Israel that he and his family choose to serve God. He is reminding his people of all of God’s blessings and asking them to make up their minds who they will serve. In verse 24:14 he says “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!”

Have you made the decision to serve the Lord? What exactly does serving the Lord look like? Verse 24:14 gives us some excellent examples of how to serve. It says we are to have a deep respect for who God is and what He has done for us. We are to serve Him with sincerity instead of with ulterior motives. We should serve Him in truth meaning that we follow His will and not ours as we trust He knows what is best for us. False gods and idols should be put away and our focus should clearly be on Him as we serve Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

There is definitely much to be said about the life of Joshua. He was the next in command after Moses and patiently waited for his turn to lead. Verse 24:31 tells us about the effectiveness of his leadership during and beyond his life. It says “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua who had known all the works of the Lord which He had done for Israel.”

For Joshua it all started when he made the conscious decision to whole heartily serve the Lord. Joshua is an excellent example of someone who lived out Proverbs 3:5-6. He completely trusted the Lord, didn’t lean on his own understanding, acknowledged Him in all his ways and as a result his paths were directed and blessed by Almighty God. If you haven’t already chosen to serve the Lord, would you consider making that decision in 2010? What a blessing that would be to not only your life and family but also to future generations.


Your Brother in Christ,

Miguel "The Hitman" Viera #40

"Committed to tackling souls for Christ"

Visit www.trafford.com/06-0375 to read about Miguel's book "Walking on Higher Ground and Awakening the Spirit Within: A Christian Student Athlete's Spiritual Journey Through the Doors of College and Beyond." To learn more about Playing for Jesus Ministries, visit www.playingforjesusministries.com.

Kettlebell Meltdown 300 Workout

25 Hanging Knee Lifts
50 Snatches
25 Push-ups
50 Swings
50 Burpees
50 Clean and Press
50 Mountain Climbers

To view the youtube video on these exercises, google Kettlebell Meltdown 300 Workout. Please note I changed the V-Ups to Hanging Knee Lifts because it is easier on my lower back. Enjoy!