I've been reading the book of Joshua lately, and just finished up. The final two chapters of Joshua contain his final words. It is apparent that he realized that his mission was nearly complete, and he used this one last opportunity to speak truth to the children of Israel. At this point they were living in a wicked land, and they had not driven out the inhabitants of the land as God had directed. Joshua knew that the greatest challenge that lay before them was staying true to their God and not blending into the culture of the people around them. He commanded the Israelites not to associate with the Canaanites or worship their gods.
“So be very careful to love the Lord your God” (Joshua 23:11).
Today, we also live in a world that does not honor God. Most people around us do not share our values or morals. Being a follower of Jesus often places us in direct contradiction to the current trends of culture. In effect, we have the same challenge as the Israelites had. We live in a society that seeks to tear apart the moral fiber of that society. Nothing is sacred any more. From the killing of innocent babies, to legalizing drugs and the destruction of family as we have known it, they seek to destroy Judeo Christian values at every turn. With all the corruption and evil that bombards us regularly, we must be intentional about keeping our focus on loving God. That focus will serve as a shield to protect us.
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