Joshua 24:15 - Man Is Made To Worship And He Will Worship Something.

Jos.24:15: Man Is Made To Worship And He Will Worship Something.

Joshua 24:15 (NLT)  But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, 
then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your 
ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the 
Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will 
serve the LORD." 

Josh 24:15 (CWR)  If you can't serve Him and Him alone, then 
make up your minds whom you will serve.  Will it be the gods from 
beyond the Euphrates, the gods of Egypt or the gods of the Amorites 
where you live?  Make up your minds once and for all.  As for me and 
my family, we've made up our minds.  We will serve the Lord! 

CONTEXT

Choose Whom You Will Serve  (24:14-28)

CROSS REFERENCES

1 Kings 18:21 (KJV)  And Elijah came unto all the people, and 
said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, 
follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him 
not a word.  

Matthew 6:24 (KJV)  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.  

Ezekiel 20:39 (KJV)  As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith 
the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter 
also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no 
more with your gifts, and with your idols.  

John 6:67-68 (KJV)  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye 
also go away? [68] Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall 
we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.  

Joshua 24:14 (KJV)  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.  

Psalm 119:111-112 (KJV)  Thy testimonies have I taken as an 
heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. [112] I have 
inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.  

COMMENTARY / APPLICATION

One of the most famous of Old Testament affirmations of faith, 
"As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" [The 365-Day 
Devotional Commentary] 

Man is made to worship and he will worship something.  It ought 
to be Almighty God.  But man is very inventive in this regard and 
may worship stone, wood, money, lust, another person, an idea or 
many other things. And what man worships, man serves.... Consider this 
as you look at your life and the things you serve. They will 
reflect what it is you truly worship.  Let your service be rendered unto 
God Almighty.  It is the only service that has eternal value and 
whose product will continue on throughout all eternity, to God's glory 
and your benefit. Be warned, anything less than God that you serve, 
the product of that service will be burned up and destroyed.  Today, 
choose to serve the Lord.  [In His Time; Walk With Wisdom] 

Jesus places mankind in two categories:  those who follow Him 
and those who do not.  Those who follow Him are in the minority and 
must struggle against the current of our time in order to be obedient 
to Him.  The Lord calls His followers to a life of selflessness; 
the world encourages each to get all that he can.  The Lord calls 
His followers to a life of patient waiting; the world urges 
immediate gratification.  The Lord calls His followers to labor for the 
kingdom; the world strives for bigger, better, and the most now.  What do 
you do more than others?  Are you more selfless or selfish?  Are you 
waiting or striving?  Does what you do have eternal or temporal 
significance?  Think about it! [In His Time; Walk With Wisdom re Mat.5:47] 

It's easy to slip into a quiet rebellion--going about life in 
your own way. But the time comes when you have to choose who or what 
will control you. The choice is yours. Will it be God, your own 
limited personality, or another imperfect substitute? Once you have 
chosen to be controlled by God's Spirit, reaffirm your choice every 
day. [Life Application SB] 

Those who are bound for heaven must be willing, despite all 
opposition, to do as the best do and not as the most do. [SDA Commentary] 

Everyone may place his will on the side of the will of God, may 
choose to obey Him, and by thus linking himself with divine agencies, 
he may stand where nothing can force him to do evil. ED289 

A pure and noble life, a life of victory over appetite and lust, 
is possible to everyone who will unite his weak, wavering human 
will to the omnipotent, unwavering will of God. MH176