God's Faithfulness: Our Call to Wholehearted Devotion

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Faithfulness in Fulfilling His Promises

Throughout history, God has shown Himself faithful to His people, leading them out of slavery, providing for them in the wilderness, and giving them a land they did not labor for. This faithfulness is not just a story of the past but a living testimony that God keeps His promises, even when circumstances seem impossible. As Israel looked back and saw God’s hand in every victory and provision, we too are invited to remember how God has been at work in our own lives, guiding, protecting, and providing in ways we could never have accomplished on our own. Let your heart be encouraged today by the unchanging faithfulness of God, who does what He says He will do. [10:58]

Joshua 24:11-13 (ESV)
"And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant."

Reflection: What is one specific way you have seen God’s faithfulness in your life, even when you could not see a way forward? Take a moment to thank Him for that today.

Day 2: The Call to Serve God Alone

God’s faithfulness calls for a response: wholehearted devotion and worship of Him alone. The people of Israel were challenged to put away all other gods and serve the Lord in sincerity and faithfulness, recognizing that God alone is worthy of their trust and allegiance. This call is not just about avoiding idols of wood and stone, but about removing anything that competes for our hearts—ambitions, fears, or comforts that take God’s place. Today, you are invited to examine your own heart and choose whom you will serve, inclining your heart to the Lord and finding your deepest satisfaction in Him. [18:18]

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 “god” or competing priority you need to put away today so that you can serve the Lord with a sincere and undivided heart?

Day 3: The New Covenant—Transformed Hearts in Christ

God’s covenant with His people has always been about relationship, but in Christ, He offers a new covenant that transforms our hearts from the inside out. No longer do we strive to keep the law in our own strength; instead, God writes His law on our hearts and gives us His Spirit, enabling us to live in true freedom and obedience. This new covenant means that you are not defined by your failures but by Christ’s righteousness, and you are being changed day by day to reflect His glory. Rest in the assurance that God is at work within you, giving you new desires and the power to walk in His ways. [25:29]

Jeremiah 31:33-34 (ESV)
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you sense God’s Spirit prompting you to change or grow? How can you respond to His transforming work today?

Day 4: Jesus, Our Great High Priest and Guarantor of a Better Covenant

Jesus is the fulfillment of all God’s promises, the great High Priest who intercedes for us and secures our access to God. Unlike the priests of old, Jesus’ priesthood is permanent and perfect, and through Him, we are invited to draw near to God with confidence, knowing that we are cleansed and accepted. This better covenant means we no longer rely on our own efforts to be right with God, but rest in the finished work of Christ, who saves us completely and continually prays for us. Let this truth give you hope and assurance as you approach God today. [30:00]

Hebrews 7:22-25 (ESV)
"This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them."

Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus is always interceding for you change the way you approach God in prayer and in your daily struggles?

Day 5: Entering God’s Rest—Living in the Assurance of His Faithfulness

God’s ultimate desire is to bring His people into rest—not just a physical place, but a deep, abiding peace found in Christ. This rest is not earned by our striving, but received by faith in Jesus, who has completed the work on our behalf. Even when life is uncertain or difficult, you can hold fast to the hope that God is leading you toward His promised rest, both now and forever. Let your heart be encouraged to trust in His faithfulness, knowing that He will complete the good work He has begun in you. [36:06]

Hebrews 10:21-23 (ESV)
"Since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."

Reflection: What is one area where you need to stop striving and instead rest in God’s faithfulness and finished work in Christ today?

Sermon Summary

The story of Joshua 24 is a powerful reminder of God’s unwavering faithfulness to his people. Looking back over Israel’s history, we see that it was not by their own strength or wisdom that they entered the land of promise, but by God’s gracious hand. He delivered them from Egypt, protected them in the wilderness, and gave them victory over their enemies. Even when others sought to curse them, God turned those curses into blessings. The land they inherited was not the result of their own labor, but a gift from God, a fulfillment of promises made generations before.

This faithfulness of God calls for a response. The people are urged to fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and faithfulness, putting away all other gods. Joshua’s challenge is direct: “Choose this day whom you will serve.” The people affirm their desire to serve the Lord, but Joshua warns them of the seriousness of this commitment. God is holy and jealous; he will not tolerate divided hearts. The covenant is renewed at Shechem, a place rich with the memory of God’s promises to Abraham and Jacob, and the people are called to wholehearted devotion.

Yet, the story does not end with Israel’s resolve. The reality is that the old covenant, based on law, could not bring lasting rest or perfect obedience. The law revealed sin, but could not remove it. But God, in his faithfulness, promised a new covenant—a covenant fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Through Christ, we are given new hearts, cleansed consciences, and the Spirit who enables us to walk in God’s ways. Our rest is not in a land, but in Christ himself, our great high priest who intercedes for us and brings us into God’s presence.

As we reflect on these truths, we are reminded that God’s faithfulness is not just a story of the past, but a living reality for us today. We are invited to rest in Christ, to trust in his finished work, and to walk in newness of life by the Spirit. This rest is available to all who believe, and it is our calling to share this hope with others. God will complete what he has begun; his promises are sure, and his faithfulness endures forever.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s faithfulness is the foundation of our story. Israel’s journey from Egypt to the promised land was marked by God’s initiative, power, and grace—not their own merit. In the same way, our salvation and spiritual rest are rooted in what God has done for us in Christ, not in our own efforts or achievements. [06:15]
2. The call to serve God alone is a call to undivided devotion. Joshua’s challenge to “choose this day whom you will serve” confronts us with the reality that we cannot serve God and idols. True worship requires sincerity, faithfulness, and a heart inclined wholly toward the Lord, forsaking all rivals. [17:31]
3. The seriousness of covenant relationship demands honest self-examination. Joshua warns that God’s holiness and jealousy mean he will not tolerate half-heartedness or hypocrisy. Our commitment to God is not a casual promise, but a witness against ourselves, calling us to ongoing repentance and wholehearted obedience. [19:51]
4. The new covenant in Christ transforms our hearts and empowers our obedience. Unlike the old covenant, which revealed sin but could not remove it, the new covenant gives us the Spirit, who writes God’s law on our hearts and enables us to reflect Christ’s glory. Our sufficiency is not in ourselves, but in God who makes us new. [25:29]
5. Our ultimate rest is found in Christ, our great high priest. The story of Joshua points forward to a greater rest—a rest not found in a place, but in a person. Jesus intercedes for us, secures our forgiveness, and invites us to draw near to God with confidence. This rest is our hope, our assurance, and our message to the world. [32:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:36] - God’s Deliverance and Provision
[01:44] - The Call to Serve God Alone
[02:22] - Covenant Renewal at Shechem
[05:29] - Lessons from Israel’s Journey
[06:15] - God’s Faithfulness in Israel’s Past
[08:12] - God’s Power in Deliverance
[09:09] - The Meaning of the Hornet
[10:14] - God Fights for His People
[12:19] - The New Covenant Promised
[16:56] - The Call to Fear and Serve the Lord
[19:51] - Covenant Commitment and Witness
[21:09] - The Significance of Shechem
[23:32] - The New Covenant in Christ
[26:43] - God’s Faithfulness Fulfilled
[28:57] - The Better Hope in Christ
[32:03] - Rest in Christ and Our Mission
[36:06] - God’s Unfailing Promises
[36:45] - Closing Prayer and Announcements
[44:11] - Benediction and Farewell

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

In Joshua 24, what specific acts of faithfulness does God remind Israel of from their history? (see Joshua 24:2-13)
What challenge does Joshua give to the people regarding whom they will serve, and how do the people respond? (see Joshua 24:14-18)
According to Jeremiah 31:31-34, what is different about the new covenant God promises compared to the old one?
In Hebrews 10:19-25, what are believers encouraged to do because of Jesus’ role as our great high priest?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Joshua warn the people that God is holy and jealous, and that He will not tolerate divided hearts? What does this reveal about God’s expectations for His people? [19:51]
How does the story of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the promised land illustrate that salvation and spiritual rest are not achieved by human effort, but by God’s grace? [06:15]
What does it mean that the old covenant could reveal sin but not remove it, and how does the new covenant in Christ change this? [25:29]
Why is the renewal of the covenant at Shechem significant in the story of God’s promises to His people? [21:09]

Application Questions

Joshua calls the people to “choose this day whom you will serve.” What are some “other gods” or rivals for your devotion that you are tempted to serve in your own life? How can you put them away this week? [17:31]
Joshua warns that following God is not a casual commitment. Are there areas in your life where your devotion to God is half-hearted or divided? What would wholehearted obedience look like for you right now? [19:51]
The sermon said that God’s faithfulness is the foundation of our story, not our own achievements. When you look back at your life, where do you see God’s hand at work, even when you didn’t deserve it? [06:15]
The new covenant in Christ gives us new hearts and the Spirit to help us obey. Is there a specific area where you need to rely more on the Spirit’s help rather than your own strength? What would it look like to ask for His help this week? [25:29]
Our ultimate rest is found in Christ, not in a place or our own efforts. Are you currently experiencing that rest, or are you striving to earn God’s approval? What is one practical way you can rest in Christ’s finished work this week? [32:03]
The sermon mentioned that this rest and hope is not just for us, but something we are called to share. Who is one person in your life who needs to hear about the hope and rest found in Jesus? How can you share this with them? [33:11]
Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us to “stir up one another to love and good works.” What is one way you can encourage someone in your small group or church family this week to keep trusting in God’s faithfulness? [31:11]

Sermon Clips

The faithfulness of God is on display in the book of Joshua and as we've been going through the book we have kept some questions before us the questions that the book of Joshua has been answering are these is God going to really lead his people into their land of rest and would the people really obey God and be led into their land of rest the land was promised them by God through their father Abraham and so the question was would God fulfill that promise yes he did but as we've been thinking about the rest that the people are being led into we're asking are they going to fulfill the promise would they really be led into the land there was some stumbling along the way in the book of Joshua but yes they did obey the Lord now as we've been going through this book though it's not just been thinking about the Lord's work with the old testament nation of Israel we've been thinking about how God deals with uswe've been thinking about the rest that God leads us into. We also, as believers, as people in Jesus Christ, find our rest in God. No, it's not a rest in a land. It's a spiritual rest. [00:04:02] (75 seconds) #FaithfulPromiseFulfilled

So when we struggle with the question like, what's going on in this world? The book of Joshua can give us help because it reminded us that God is really in control.And we're told to walk toward his rest.If we struggle with knowing what to do in this journey of faith, the book of Joshua is helpful for that too because Joshua helps us know more of who God is.It teaches us something about walking in his ways and teaches us to be strong and courageous in our faith, in our own walk, in our journey in this life.And if we struggle to know where God is, when this life wears us down and we begin to wonder if God knows or even cares about our trouble, the book of Joshua reminds us that God does care. He's with his people.God does what he says he will do.He does not forget his promises. [00:05:17] (53 seconds) #GodInControlRestInHim

Serving God in sincerity and faithfulness speaks to the reverence demanded of our holy God. There was necessarily an honesty in their heart. They couldn't just say this and go live how they wanted to.There couldn't be this double -minded aspect that for them might look like in the time of this Old Testament writing, and even in our time, might look like we worship God, but then anything else that we think would help. [00:17:40] (26 seconds) #RestInGodsLove

So they're being called to serve God alone because he alone is worthy to be praised. Yes, Calvin summarized this commitment that the people were supposed to have in his commentary on this passage. He says there to incline your heart unto the Lord, rest in him, and so give up your heart to the love of him as to delight and be contented only with him.I thought that was helpful because it's our calling as well.We are to rest in God, loving him wholeheartedly with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. [00:21:59] (35 seconds) #TransformedByChrist

But our covenant with God is different than the covenant of God with his Old Testament people. And that's because we are not covenant made with laws, and if we keep them we're in, we are covenant made with Jesus Christ.It's by faith that we are saved. [00:22:34] (16 seconds) #GodKeepsHisPromises

We are made clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are washed pure and given his robes of righteousness.He himself took on our sin so that we can have our sin removed and we can walk in newness of life in God's ways. That's the hope that we're supposed to hold fast to. God is faithful.He will do what he said he will do. He led his people to their land of rest and he's going to lead us to our rest as well.So thanks be to God for his faithfulness to us in Jesus Christ. [00:31:40] (39 seconds) #GodFaithfulToComplete

Now we rest from having to try so hard to work out all the things of the law because we rest in Christ and his completeness and the spirit of God given in us so that we can walk in God's ways.We're being changed, new hearts, new minds to think about what God wants us to think about. That's who we are in Christ.But that's only if we're in Christ. [00:32:42] (29 seconds)

So when we struggle with questions in this life, like what's going on in this world, the book of Joshua helps us. It reminds us that God is in control. This world is going somewhere. We are being invited into the rest of God. And one day that rest will be made known.All of our enemies will be defeated because Christ has defeated them. [00:33:58] (27 seconds)

So when we struggle to know what to do in this journey of faith, we look back at Joshua and we are reminded to be strong and courageous in the word of the Lord, in our faith, in our walk in this journey of life, because it's the power of God at work in us.Our rest isn't found in our strength. Praise God for that. It's in his might. It's in his might. It's in the finished work of Christ for us. [00:35:21] (30 seconds)

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What demonstrates God's faithfulness in Israel's history?

How does the new covenant differ from the old?

Why is spiritual rest emphasized over land rest?