Choosing Faith: Strengthening Families and Legacies

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Choice: “As for Me and My House”

Every family faces a defining moment when they must choose whom they will serve. Joshua’s bold declaration, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” is not just a statement but a call to action for every household. This choice is not about chance or circumstance; it is a deliberate decision that shapes the destiny of your family and generations to come. The strength of a nation, a community, and a church flows from the strength of the family, and that strength is rooted in the choices made within the home. Today, let your home be marked by conviction, not compromise, and make a clear declaration: “We will serve the Lord.” [51:22]

Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV)
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Reflection: What is one specific way you can declare today, both in word and action, that your household will serve the Lord—regardless of what others around you choose?

Day 2: Remembering God’s Faithfulness Anchors the Family

Families are prone to forgetfulness, especially in the busyness and distractions of life. Yet, intentionally remembering and rehearsing God’s faithfulness anchors hearts in gratitude and adoration. Sharing testimonies of God’s goodness—how He has brought you through trials, protected you, and provided for you—strengthens faith and passes on a legacy of trust to your children and grandchildren. Around your table, make it a habit to tell the stories of God’s deliverance and blessings, for every scar and every victory is a testimony of His unfailing love. [01:03:18]

Psalm 78:4-7 (NIV)
“We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”

Reflection: What is one story of God’s faithfulness in your life that you can share with your family or a friend today to encourage their faith?

Day 3: Rejecting Competing Loyalties: Purging the Home

Every family serves something—be it career, comfort, culture, or Christ. Divided loyalties weaken spiritual health and hinder the flow of God’s blessings. Just as Joshua called Israel to put away foreign gods, families today must do a spiritual “spring cleaning,” removing anything that competes with Christ’s lordship in the home. God will not share His throne with idols or misplaced loves; He must be first in all things. When Christ is given first place, obedience and blessing follow, and the home becomes a place of holiness and peace. [01:11:45]

Exodus 20:3-5a (NIV)
“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…”

Reflection: What is one “idol” or misplaced priority you need to remove or realign in your home this week so that Christ is truly first?

Day 4: Publicly Declaring Your Allegiance to the Lord

Faith is not meant to be a private matter hidden away; it is a living testimony, spoken and unspoken, that should be boldly declared. Joshua did not hesitate to proclaim his family’s allegiance to the Lord, setting an example for others to follow. When you publicly declare your faith—through your words, your actions, and your hospitality—you open doors for others to encounter God’s love. Let your neighbors, friends, and even strangers know that your home belongs to the Lord, and let your life be a consistent witness to His goodness. [01:16:32]

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Reflection: How can you make your faith more visible in your neighborhood or workplace this week—perhaps through a simple act of kindness or a word of encouragement?

Day 5: Renewing Your Covenant Commitment Daily

A one-time decision is not enough; families must continually renew their commitment to serve the Lord together. Just as Joshua set up a stone of remembrance, you are called to build spiritual “altars” in your life—moments and practices that remind you of your covenant with God. This means regularly gathering for worship, prayer, and teaching, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. Drag your children and grandchildren to church, create rhythms of devotion at home, and let your commitment be unwavering. In doing so, you build a legacy of faith that will outlast you and bless generations to come. [01:25:48]

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (NIV)
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

Reflection: What is one new habit or family practice you can start this week to regularly renew your commitment to serve the Lord together?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered as a family of faith to reflect on the power of choice, especially as it relates to our homes and our legacy. From the very beginning, God established the family as His first institution, even before the church or the nation. The strength of our communities, our churches, and even our nation flows directly from the strength of our families. On this Family Day, we are reminded that the choices we make in our households ripple through generations, shaping not only our children but our grandchildren and beyond.

Drawing from Joshua 24, we see Joshua standing before the people of Israel, calling them to remember God’s faithfulness and to make a clear, intentional choice: “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Joshua doesn’t leave the decision in the abstract—he boldly declares, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” This is not just a private conviction but a public declaration, a line drawn in the sand that sets the direction for the entire household.

We are challenged to remember and rehearse God’s faithfulness, to tell our children and grandchildren the stories of how God has brought us through. Our scars and our testimonies are not marks of shame but reminders of God’s goodness and deliverance. In a world where the family is under constant attack, we must be vigilant to reject competing loyalties—those modern idols and distractions that would take the place of God in our homes. Spring cleaning isn’t just for our houses; it’s for our hearts and priorities as well.

It’s not enough to simply avoid the wrong things; we must actively and publicly declare our allegiance to Christ. Our faith must be lived out loud, not just in words but in consistent actions that our neighbors, friends, and especially our children can see. And this commitment isn’t a one-time event—it must be renewed regularly. We build altars of remembrance, moments where we mark our decision to serve the Lord, and we return to them when we are challenged or discouraged.

Neutrality is not an option. Every family, every individual, must choose. Will our homes be marked by compromise or conviction? Will our legacy be confusion or clarity? Today, we are invited to make a fresh declaration: as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Key Takeaways

1. The strength of a family determines the strength of a community, church, and nation. God’s design is that the family would be the primary place where faith is nurtured and passed down. The choices we make in our homes today will echo into future generations, shaping destinies far beyond our own. [48:17]
2. Remembering and rehearsing God’s faithfulness anchors us in gratitude and adoration. When we intentionally share our testimonies and God’s goodness with our children, we build a foundation of faith that can withstand life’s storms. Our scars become stories of God’s deliverance, and our homes become places of worship and remembrance. [63:18]
3. We must reject competing loyalties and idols that vie for our devotion. Whether it’s career, comfort, culture, or lesser loves, nothing can take the place of Christ on the throne of our hearts and homes. Divided loyalty weakens spiritual health; wholehearted devotion brings blessing and clarity. [67:23]
4. Publicly declaring our allegiance to Christ is essential for a flourishing faith. Faith is not meant to be hidden or private; it must be lived out in word and deed, visible to our families and our communities. Our consistent actions and bold declarations set a standard and provide a witness that others can follow. [76:32]
5. Renewing our covenant commitment to God must be a regular practice. Building “altars” of remembrance—moments where we mark our decision to serve the Lord—helps us stay anchored when challenges arise. This ongoing commitment strengthens our resolve and ensures that our legacy is one of faithfulness, not compromise. [80:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:41] - Opening and Prayer
[06:37] - Children’s Worship and Announcements
[43:35] - Celebrating Christ’s Victory
[45:06] - Preparing Our Hearts for the Word
[48:17] - The Power of Choice: Joshua’s Challenge
[51:22] - Declaring “As for Me and My House”
[63:18] - Remembering God’s Faithfulness
[67:23] - Rejecting Competing Loyalties
[76:32] - Public Declaration of Faith
[80:12] - Renewing Our Covenant Commitment
[85:48] - The Call to Choose: No Neutrality
[88:33] - Family Prayer and Declaration
[96:32] - Celebrating New Commitments
[97:52] - Fellowship Instructions and Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV) — “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Observation Questions

According to Joshua 24:14-15, what specific choice does Joshua put before the people of Israel? What does he say about his own household?
In the sermon, what are some examples given of “competing loyalties” or “modern idols” that can take God’s place in our homes? [[01:07:23]]
What does the pastor say is the result of remembering and sharing stories of God’s faithfulness within our families? [[01:03:18]]
How does Joshua make his declaration of faith—private or public? What does the pastor say about the importance of making our faith visible? [[01:16:32]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Joshua emphasize the need to “throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped” before serving the Lord? What does this mean for us today? [[48:17]]
The pastor says, “Your destiny is not a matter of chance, it’s a matter of choice.” How does this idea challenge the way we think about our family’s spiritual direction? [[51:22]]
What does it look like for a family to “build altars of remembrance” in today’s world? Why is this important for faith to be passed down? [[01:20:12]]
The sermon says neutrality is not an option—every family must choose. What are some ways families might try to stay “neutral,” and what are the dangers of that? [[01:25:48]]

Application Questions

The pastor talked about “spring cleaning” our homes and hearts to get rid of idols or distractions. Is there something in your home or routine that competes for your loyalty to God? What would it look like to “throw it away” or put it in its proper place? [[01:07:23]]
Think about your own family—parents, children, or even roommates. What is one story of God’s faithfulness you could share with them this week? How might sharing this story encourage or strengthen their faith? [[01:03:18]]
The sermon challenged parents and grandparents to “drag your children to church” and make faith a visible priority. How do you currently model faith in your home? Is there a new step you could take to make your commitment to Christ more visible to your family? [[01:20:12]]
Joshua made a public declaration: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” What would a public declaration look like for you? Is there a way you could make your faith more visible in your neighborhood, workplace, or extended family? [[01:16:32]]
The pastor said, “Either He’s Lord of all, or He’s not Lord at all.” Are there areas of your life or family where you’ve been holding back from full devotion to Christ? What’s one step you could take this week to surrender that area? [[01:07:23]]
The sermon encouraged building “altars of remembrance”—moments or markers of commitment. Is there a way you could create a physical or symbolic reminder in your home of your family’s commitment to serve the Lord? What might that look like? [[01:20:12]]
The pastor said, “Neutrality is not an option.” Are there places where you’ve been trying to stay neutral or avoid making a clear choice about faith in your home? What’s holding you back, and what would it take to make a clear decision? [[01:25:48]]

Sermon Clips

Family is God's first institution. Long before there was a church, before there was a nation, God created the family in the Garden of Eden. And the strength of a nation, the strength of a community, even the strength of a church flows out of the strength of the family. So today on Family Day, we're reminded that the choices that we make as a household ripple into generations yet to come, from one generation to the next. What we set in our homes will most often be what transcends into our families of our children and our grandchildren, and for some of you, even your great-grandchildren. [00:47:58] (44 seconds) #FamilyFirstFoundation

Joshua is saying, this is your choice. Choose, but choose wisely, because all choices have consequences. So choose wisely this day what or whom you're going to serve, either the God of heaven and earth or the God of your past. Come on. Whatever that looks like or wherever you've come from or whatever's been poured into you from the time you were a child until you are right now. [00:50:41] (30 seconds) #ChooseWiselyServeFaithfully

Strong families choose, declare, and live to serve the Lord together. I want to say that again: strong families choose these things. They choose to make declarations—it's a choice, it's a declaration. Choose, that's what we heard earlier. Let this be your declaration: my declaration is this, that as for me and my household we will serve the Lord and we choose to do that and live to serve the Lord. Listen to me, together. When we do it together, God is glorified and it magnifies what he wants to do. [00:54:10] (41 seconds) #UnitedInFaithServeTogether

The family unit is the element that is under the greatest attack right now. It is falling apart across the world but more so in our nation left and right. The problem—and listen to me, this is not regardless of the condition or the state of your family right now, I'm not here to cast the stone, that's not what I'm doing—I'm here to open our eyes to the attack that's happening behind the scenes and the more Satan can do to disrupt and destroy the family, the more he can do to hinder the flow of what God wants to do in your life. [00:57:41] (39 seconds) #ProtectTheFamilyUnit

Has God not been good to you? Can anybody say amen today? Has God not been faithful to you? Hallelujah. So in God's goodness and in God's faithfulness he draws them to come to a conclusion here and so he says to them choose this day whom you will serve and then he makes the declaration: I'm going to go ahead of you. Joshua says I'm not going to just leave it out there for you to ponder, he said I'm going to set an example for you. Listen to me dads, I'm talking to you right now for just a moment: it's time the dads in the house, the husbands of the house, the men of the household set a direction that is easy and right and profitable for the rest of the family to follow. [00:59:03] (48 seconds) #FaithfulLeadershipMatters

We are prone to be forgetful, we get busy, we get distracted, we even get discouraged, but when we remember what God has done, when we remember what God has done, it anchors us in a position of gratitude and adoration towards him, hallelujah. [01:04:58] (29 seconds) #RememberGodsFaithfulness

Here's a key point I want to get to you: around your tables at home you need to learn how to rehearse God's blessings, share your testimony, tell your children, teach your children, tell your children about the goodness of God. You're saying but I don't want them to know all the dumb things I did—they're going to find out anyway because they got aunts and uncles, amen, and they're going to tell on you, hallelujah. So you might as well go ahead and tell them, let me tell you something, I made some bad choices when I was young but let me tell you how God brought me through those, amen, and how he sustained me and I don't want you to make those same decisions that I made so let me tell you a little bit about my testimony. [01:06:53] (47 seconds) #TeachFaithThroughTestimony

When Satan tries to knock you down and he hits you hard, just remember there's still some get up in you, amen. There's still some get up and it's not you, amen, but it's the power of God within you, amen, because he that is in you is greater than he who is in this world. You ought to testify to that, amen. [01:09:43] (23 seconds) #PowerWithinOvercomes

Every family today must choose. Neutrality is not an option. You can't stay neutral. You will choose today because the word of God has confronted you, not me, the word of God. So today on Family Day, let's ask: will our homes be marked by compromise or conviction? Will our legacy be confusion or clarity? Will we serve the world or will we serve the Lord? [01:26:16] (33 seconds) #ChooseConvictionNotCompromise

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