God’s word helps us to be able to see how to choose to live for God. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Gal 5:16-24 KJV) The world glories in the works of the flesh, and some Christians are enticed into joining them in their sin.
The world paints a picture of the works of the flesh as if there is no wrong in anything that is done. Is not this the same thing that happened to the Israelites?
They saw what those around them were doing and before long were involved in their neighbor’s sins. The same thing happens today, and Christians are led astray. Forgotten is the sacrifice God made for them, forgotten it the commitment they made to God. Is this much different than what the Israelites did?
Parents we have to set the example for our children and teach them to always put God first in their lives. Recreational activities can hinder the proper choice unless we are careful.
Sports are good for the most part, but occasionally the choice has to be made whether to put sports or God first. If it is rationalized that since it is only a few times that sports take priority everything is o.k. is God really coming first in our lives? The decisions made with our young people will help them make other decisions later.
Yes, the words of Joshua are just as important today as they were the day he said them.
“CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE”!