Fight for Your Family Making the Right Choice

Fight for Your Family

Making the Right Choice

I got married right out of high school

Two years after Sandy and I said “I Do”, we said “We Have”…

Sarah Joy our first born

Wow life changed when I said “I Do” and “I Have”

When I was single, choices were about me

When I started a family, my choices were about my family

The words of Joshua challenge us to examine our choices

Joshua said

“Choose whom you will serve”

“....as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Joshua realized the Lord is the only one who can meet every need

The greatest thing you can do as you fight for your family

Is to be like Joshua and say

“....as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." 

Making the Right Choice

I got married right out of high school.

Two years after Sandy and I said “I Do”,

 we said “We Have”…

Sarah Joy our first born.

Wow life changed when I

said “I Do” and “I Have”.

Before marriage I loved to

go fishing every chance I got.

When I wasn’t fishing, I was out

in the woods and fields hunting.

It was great doing things I wanted to do

without any responsibility to anyone but me.

After I said “I Do”, I realized

I was really saying “I Did”.

  

“I Did” go fishing and hunting.

And when Sarah came along, saying

“I Have” a daughter changed everything.

As I look back I see the

transformation of my life.

The joy of being a husband to Sandy

and a parent to Sarah changed my desires. 

I found myself fighting for the things

that would give them the best.

I fought selfishness in

order to be with them.

Fighting for the best for my

family meant changes for me.

I had to be a provider…

 A job that has never seem to be easy.

A builder…

 Not of just the natural things the body needs,

 but the spirit and soul of my family members.

I had to become a soldier…

 To protect and fight for their well being.

As I look back over my life,

I think of Joshua, a warrior.

A man who fought many enemies in order

for God’s people to enter the Promise Land.

Joshua is speaking to all the family leaders.

He reminds them of the victories God has given

them in order to enter into the Promise Land.

And Joshua says to the family leaders…

"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness.

Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped

beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,

....But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Joshua 24:14-15

“Choose whom you will serve”

We all serve something.

There will always be some

master or masters in your life.

Joshua is given a good challenge to make

 a choice in who or what will master you.

Who or what will you serve?

Joshua declares…

“....as for me and my household,

we will serve the LORD." 

For Joshua this was not a nice slogan

hanging on the wall of his house.

Joshua had just finished reminding the

family leaders how it was the Lord who

took care of hundreds of families in the

wilderness and now giving them a Promise Land.

The Promise Land did not come without a fight.

Serving the Lord and receiving the promises

He has for your family will

not come without a fight.

We too need to make a choice…

Whom will you serve?

Joshua said…

  

“....as for me and my household,

we will serve the LORD." 

Joshua fought for a family that served the Lord.

The word “fought” may give us thoughts

of battles with our spouse or children.

But we need to look again at Joshua’s

way of convincing the family leaders.

Joshua did not say…

 “You will serve the Lord and you will like it!”

Joshua reminded the leaders of all

the good things God had done.

As we fight for God to be Lord of our family…

We need to be pointing out the goodness of God.

We all need to be reminded of God’s faithfulness…

From the lives of those in the scriptures to

the stories of what the Lord has done for us.

 When any other master tries

to become lord of your house…

Remember what the Lord has done.

There will be times you

feel you are in a vacuum.

Times when you have to fight for your

promise land, the provisions your family needs.

It is in those times we need to call the

family together for encouragement and prayer.

Making God, the Lord of your house,

does not mean you will not have battles.

It means you will serve the Lord in the battle.

When I was young I served myself.

If I continued to serve myself

after starting a family, I would fail.

But if I chose my family as

lord to serve, I will also fail.

My family and I succeed as we

all choose to serve the Lord.

God is the only One who is able

to give us life and godliness.

He is the only One who can meet every need.

The greatest thing you can do as you fight

for your family is to be like Joshua and say…

“....as for me and my household,

we will serve the LORD." 

Scripture Reading

Nehemiah 4:12-15 NIV

12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."

13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.