Tues., 7/17/12 Devotion (Josh. 24:15a)

Today's encouragement comes from Joshua 24:15a, where we read these words:

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . "

God would have people be honest, even if it means they candidly ad-mit to being vile idolaters. The Lord prefers this, to hypocritical reli-gionists. Both the idolater, and the hypocrite will go to hell--barring genuine faith in Jesus (with resultant repentance)--but the hypocrite will have a hotter spot there.

Let us all honestly face the truth regarding this question: who do we really serve and worship? If it is Christ--because our trust is in His atonement and righteousness *alone* for our salvation--then we may rejoice, and give God glory. If it is not Christ, we should face the ugly reality of who we are.

[Puritan quote of the day: "What is the reason why carnal hearts seek up and down for comfort in this and another lust? It is because they do not have enough in God." --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Hope"]