The Choice - Joshua 24:15

 

 “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.” - Joshua 24:15

    As a Confessional Presbyterian, I avoid the cable channel TBN like spoiled meat. I know that is a harsh criticism of a religious channel that caters to thousands of  ‘professing Christians,’ but it is a critique that is well deserved. Preachers such as Joel Osteen, Crefalo Dollar, Jan Crouch, Joyce Meyer, Andy Stanley, T.D. Jakes, Pat Robertson, and a host of other fire-breathing ‘health & wealth preachers.’
    Not to be one-sided about my dismay over TBN, they also feature more dignified ministers and authors of the faith such as Eric Metaxas, Mike Huckabee, and Robert Jeffress. My overall disquiet comes not so much from the objectionable preachers but their confused and often downright false Christian doctrines. “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions . . .” - 1 Timothy 6:3-4.
    The issues at hand involve the false teaching the a woman can be a preacher, the crazed Pentecostal ravings that claim new revelation, the belief that God wants us to be wealthy and healthy in spite of His given providence. Their preaching is tantamount to the ‘snake oil salesmen’ of the 19th Century. The fact that they bilk thousands of lost souls out of the savings is reprehensible. We are even warned of their scams and bunko games. “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” - Colossians 2:8.
    How can one tell if a pastor or preacher is running a shell game? The Bible is clear beyond a shadow of doubt. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” - 1 John 4:1. There have been many a preacher who seemed possessed by the devil himself (Kenneth Copeland) while others presented false healings on stage (Benny Hinn). Sadly, these and other such vaudevillian ministers are presented by the modern media as representatives of true and correct Christians today. They are even portrayed as ‘Bible thumpers.’ These false teachers may be many things but they are certainly not men or women preaching the Word of God, the Way, the Truth, and the Light.
    How do these purveyors of lies manage to accomplish their nefarious goals? Many people are charmed by their satanic message; it’s what they want to hear, rather than the Holy Word of God. “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” - 2 Timothy 4:3-4. People like being placated by happy thoughts and promises of health and prosperity. Open up your Bibles and I can assure you that you will not find such worldly promises from God. God only shares His truth with us. We must put away our wish lists and know the truth as Christ has presented it to us - “And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” - Mark 8:34. Doesn’t sound like a picnic to me
    Joshua knew the heart of the Israelites. He had seen it displayed often enough during the forty years in the wilderness. That is why he offered them the choice - “choose this day whom you will serve.” That is the choice we are offered and it is the only choice.