Choosing Courageous Service: A Call to Commitment

Devotional

Day 1: Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve

The call to serve the Lord is not a passive suggestion but an urgent, personal challenge to make a decisive commitment today. Joshua pressed the people of Israel to choose, not tomorrow or when it’s convenient, but in the present moment, whom they would serve—reminding them that true leadership and faithfulness are not swayed by the crowd but are rooted in a personal, unwavering decision to follow God. This same challenge echoes to each of us: our allegiance to God must be intentional, not based on the shifting opinions or actions of others, but on our own resolve to serve the Lord with our whole household. [01:28:40]

Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been delaying a decision to fully serve God? What would it look like to choose Him in that area today?

Day 2: Serve the Lord with All Your Heart and Soul

Serving God is not about giving leftovers or half-hearted effort, but about offering Him the very best of our time, energy, and devotion. Joshua’s exhortation to serve the Lord “with all your heart and with all your soul” is a call to wholeheartedness, to bring our prime hours and our deepest affections to God, not just what remains after everything else. When we serve with sincerity and truth, we honor God with genuine worship and commitment, reflecting His worthiness in the way we live and serve. [01:22:59]

Joshua 22:5 (ESV)
“Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Reflection: In what practical way can you give God your “prime time” this week, rather than your leftovers?

Day 3: Remember God’s Faithfulness and Let It Fuel Your Commitment

Reflecting on God’s past faithfulness—His deliverance, provision, and miracles—strengthens our resolve to serve Him and keeps us from drifting toward lesser “gods.” The Israelites were reminded to look back at all God had done: bringing them out of Egypt, preserving them, and giving them victory, so that their present and future allegiance would be rooted in gratitude and trust. Likewise, remembering our own testimonies and blessings helps us resist spiritual amnesia and renews our commitment to the Lord who has never failed us. [01:17:58]

Joshua 24:16-18 (ESV)
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

Reflection: Take a few minutes to write down three specific ways God has been faithful to you. How can remembering these shape your choices today?

Day 4: Courage Means Hearing and Obeying God’s Voice

True courage is not just about bold actions, but about listening for God’s voice and responding in obedience, even when it requires sacrifice or stepping into the unknown. Joshua’s life was marked by a pattern: he heard God’s word, and then he acted—his “then” moments were the turning points of faith. For us, courage is found in the willingness to do the next thing God asks, whether it’s speaking, restraining, worshiping, or extending grace, trusting that blessings and benefits are tied to our obedience. [01:45:39]

Joshua 1:6-9 (ESV)
“Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Reflection: What is one specific thing you sense God asking you to do right now? What step of obedience can you take today, even if it feels risky?

Day 5: You Are God’s Chosen People—Live Set Apart

As God’s chosen people, you are called to live distinctively, proclaiming His praises and reflecting His mercy and light in a world that often forgets Him. The apostle Peter’s words remind us that our identity is not ordinary; we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, set apart to declare the goodness of the One who called us out of darkness. Let this truth shape your daily actions, relationships, and worship, knowing that your life is meant to point others to the greatness of God. [01:43:00]

1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV)
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Reflection: How can you intentionally proclaim God’s goodness to someone in your life today, showing that you belong to Him?

Sermon Summary

Today, the call is clear: serve the Lord with courage, hearing and obeying His voice above all else. As Joshua stood before the people of Israel in his final days, he reminded them of God’s unwavering faithfulness—how the Lord delivered them from bondage, provided for them in the wilderness, and fulfilled every promise by bringing them into the land of inheritance. Joshua’s challenge was not just a history lesson, but a pressing invitation to choose, decisively and personally, whom they would serve. He did not leave room for half-hearted devotion or divided loyalties. Instead, he called for a deep, reverent fear of the Lord—a sense of awe that should permeate every aspect of life, like a program running in the background of our hearts and minds.

Serving God is not about giving Him our leftovers or fitting Him into the margins of our schedules. It is about offering the best of ourselves—our prime time, our full attention, our whole hearts and souls. Joshua’s words cut through complacency, urging the people to put away any lingering idols, whether physical or hidden in the heart, and to serve the Lord in sincerity and truth. The same challenge comes to us: after all God has done, how can we allow anything or anyone to take precedence over Him? Forgetfulness is a subtle enemy; when we cease to remember God’s works, we risk slipping back into old patterns and misplaced priorities.

Joshua’s leadership was marked by courage and commitment. He did not base his decision on the crowd’s opinion, but declared, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Each of us must make that same personal choice, not swayed by the majority or the trends of the day, but rooted in our own encounter with God’s faithfulness. True courage is not reckless bravado, but the quiet strength to hear God’s voice and act on it—again and again, in every season.

The secret to serving the Lord is not reserved for a select few; God expects both leaders and followers to be fully committed. Blessings and benefits are tied to obedience, and our best choice is always to follow God’s lead. When we remember what He has done, our hearts are stirred to renewed allegiance and deeper trust. So, let us be a people who not only hear God’s word, but respond with a resounding “then”—acting in faith, worship, and obedience, whatever He calls us to do.

Key Takeaways

1. Reverence as a Life Posture: Cultivating a deep, ongoing reverence for God is not a one-time event but a continual posture that shapes every action and decision. Like a program running in the background, this awe for God should influence our words, choices, and relationships, distinguishing us from the world and drawing us closer to His heart. [80:11]
2. Wholehearted Service, Not Leftovers: God is not honored by our scraps or half-hearted efforts. He calls us to serve Him with the best of our time, energy, and devotion—offering our “prime time” and not just what remains after everything else. This kind of service is both a privilege and a responsibility, reflecting the depth of our love and gratitude for all He has done. [83:48]
3. The Danger of Forgetfulness: Spiritual amnesia leads to misplaced priorities and the subtle return of old idols. Remembering God’s faithfulness—recounting His deliverance, provision, and miracles—anchors us in gratitude and guards our hearts from drifting. Regular reflection on God’s works is essential for sustaining commitment and resisting the pull of lesser gods. [85:19]
4. Courage to Choose, Regardless of the Crowd: True spiritual leadership—whether in a family, community, or personal life—means making bold, independent choices to serve God, regardless of popular opinion. Our commitment must not be contingent on others’ decisions; instead, we are called to declare, like Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” and to act on that commitment with courage and conviction. [91:40]
5. Obedience as the Bridge from Hearing to Doing: It is not enough to hear God’s voice; the blessing is found in the “then”—the moment we act on what He has spoken. Every prompting from God is an invitation to immediate, courageous obedience, whether it means stepping out in faith, restraining ourselves, or offering worship and mercy. The life of faith is marked by a continual cycle of hearing and doing, each step deepening our relationship with Him. [01:50:10]
** [110:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[67:31] - Opening Prayer
[69:00] - Series Recap and Introduction
[72:00] - Joshua’s Final Challenge
[75:00] - God’s Faithfulness Remembered
[77:58] - The Power of Testimony and Praise
[80:11] - Reverence and Fear of the Lord
[81:23] - Serving God in Sincerity and Truth
[82:59] - Giving God Your Best
[83:48] - The Call to Wholehearted Service
[85:19] - The Danger of Idolatry and Forgetfulness
[91:40] - The Courage to Choose
[96:51] - The Secret of Commitment
[105:39] - Hearing and Obeying: The “Then” Principle
[111:16] - Invitation to Respond
[113:51] - Closing Prayer and Blessing
[115:14] - Dismissal and Final Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Joshua 24:14-24 (ESV) —
> 14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
>
> 16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
>
> 19 But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”

Observation Questions

According to Joshua 24:14-15, what specific instructions does Joshua give the people regarding their service to God?
What reasons do the Israelites give for wanting to serve the Lord in verses 16-18?
In the sermon, what does Pastor Ed say about the kind of service God desires from us? ([01:23:48])
What warning does Joshua give the people about serving God in verses 19-20?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Joshua emphasizes “serving the Lord in sincerity and truth” rather than just outward actions? How does this relate to the idea of giving God our “prime time” and not our leftovers? ([01:23:48])
The sermon mentions that “forgetfulness is a subtle enemy.” Why is remembering God’s faithfulness so important for ongoing commitment? ([01:25:19])
Joshua makes a personal declaration: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” What does this reveal about spiritual leadership and personal responsibility, even when others may choose differently? ([01:31:40])
Pastor Ed talks about obedience as the bridge from hearing to doing. Why is immediate obedience (“then”) so crucial in our walk with God? ([01:50:10])

Application Questions

The sermon compares reverence for God to a program running in the background of our lives. What would it look like for you to have a continual sense of awe and reverence for God in your daily routines? Is there a specific area where you need to invite God’s presence more intentionally? ([01:20:11])
Pastor Ed challenges us not to give God our “leftovers.” Think about your weekly schedule and energy. Are there ways you can offer God your best time, attention, or resources this week? What might need to change? ([01:23:48])
Are there any “idols”—habits, priorities, or distractions—that you sense God is asking you to put away so you can serve Him more wholeheartedly? What practical step can you take to address one of these this week? ([01:25:19])
Joshua made a bold, personal choice to serve the Lord, regardless of what others did. Is there a situation in your life where you need to make a courageous stand for God, even if it’s unpopular or goes against the crowd? What would that look like? ([01:31:40])
The sermon warns about spiritual forgetfulness. What is one way you can regularly remember and celebrate God’s faithfulness in your life? (For example, journaling, sharing testimonies, or setting reminders.) ([01:25:19])
Pastor Ed says the blessing is found in the “then”—the moment we act on what God has spoken. Is there something you sense God has been prompting you to do, but you’ve been hesitating? What is your “then” step this week? ([01:50:10])
The message closes with an invitation to renew your commitment to God. Is there an area of your relationship with God that needs to be refreshed or restored? What is one thing you can do this week to move closer to Him? ([01:51:16])

Sermon Clips

Each and every day in all of our activities of life, there should be this conscious sense of fear for the Lord that should be present within us. It's sort of like the computer program that's running, that's constantly running in the background. And it's a program, this fear, this reverence, this awe for God, it should wash over everything that we say and that we do. [01:20:11] (31 seconds) #FearOfTheLordAlways

Serve the Lord with all of your heart and with all of your soul. In other words, he said, serve him with the best of the best that's within you. As a matter of fact, I think when she was singing on the stage this morning, she talked about giving God your very best. Amen? Serving and worshiping him from the depth of your heart and from your soul. [01:23:00] (21 seconds) #ServeWithYourBest

After all the things that we have seen God do in our lives and in the lives of others, after all the wonders that we have seen and after all of the battles that God has won and fought on our behalf and the victories that we have achieved, how in the world is it that we would give priority to the things of the world over the God whom we say that we love and we adore? [01:27:17] (32 seconds) #PrioritizeGodFirst

What I wanted was this: courage, us somewhere and God speaking to us and us listening to him, right? Hearing and then the challenge for us is to hear and obey his word and what happens when we listen to the word of God and we hear and we obey? Well, it begins to build this depth of relationship between us and God to the point that we can say, God, I will trust you in all things and in all ways and all it does is it continues to deepen and foster our relationship with him, our commitment to him over and over and over again. [01:37:55] (50 seconds) #HearObeyTrust

I want you Mount Olivet to remember what God has done for you. You at some point in time made a commitment to serve the Lord. Don't go back on that commitment. [01:42:57] (15 seconds) #RememberYourCommitment

Exercise courage in your life, hear and obey the voice of God, hear and obey the voice of God. I want to remind you that you are not just everyday people. [01:43:50] (21 seconds) #CourageToHearAndObey

Have courage, hear and obey the voice of God. It is he who has brought you from a mighty long way. [01:45:20] (17 seconds) #GodBringsYouThrough

It's one thing to hear the word of the Lord, it's another thing to do it. So don't miss the last thing that Joshua did in response to what God said to him and it's found in verse number 10. It's one of those two words that I reminded you that all throughout this sermon series they were going to indicate what Joshua was made of. He would hear the voice of the Lord but he had a response and that response is couched for me in one word: what's that word? Then. [01:48:05] (43 seconds) #HearThenDo

When you hear the voice of the Lord, then act on it. Then respond appropriately to what God has said to you. Then be the man of God, be the woman of God God is calling you to be, then do the thing that God is calling you to do. Then say the thing that God is calling you to say. Then restrain yourself if God is calling you to restrain yourself. Then drop to your knees if God is calling you to drop to your knees. Then raise your hand in worship if God is calling you to worship. Then shout with a voice of triumph if God is calling you to shout with a voice of triumph. Then extend your hand of grace and mercy if God is calling you to extend your hand of grace and mercy. Then, then, then have courage and do the very next thing that God says to do. [01:49:09] (81 seconds) #RespondWithThen

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