Fear the LORD and Serve Him

“Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth ; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15 (NASB)

The Word [serve] in the above passage can be understood to be [worship].

“Now, therefore, fear the LORD and [worship] Him in sincerity and truth ; and put away the gods which your fathers [worshiped] beyond the River and in Egypt, and [worship] the LORD. “If it is disagreeable in your sight to [worship] the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will [worship]: whether the gods which your fathers [worshiped] which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will [worship] the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15 (emphasis mine)

When I was a boy, we regularly gathered as a family to read the bible and pray for missionaries. Some how this treasured jewel was lost in my earlier adult life. Family worship is a serious, sober moment. One that I will not be able to turn the pages of time back and do over. However, I hope to order my days with the purpose of Joshua. It may seem [disagreeable] in the sight of some in our day to worship the LORD. It may seem old fashioned by some that families would function in such a manner. It does seem odd that in the evangelical family, so few churches structure themselves to achieve this once treasured alter at the home.

Over the past few years, Eastside Baptist Church, has been striving to order our structure from Scripture and not from humanistic philosophy. The family unit is a created institution of the LORD. The LORD longs for his people to order themselves after His word.

Notice at the top of the page here there is a label “Family Worship”. I have posted some suggestions here and will aim to update this section with information to help families reclaim this once sacred moment in their homes. I offer suggestions to encourage and exhort you to gather your family together. I don’t offer these as one who has perfectly accomplished this sacred family moment. I offer it from the ashes of misery and failure, looking to Scripture to help me rise from the ashes and set my gaze upon this King of Glory.

A quick concluding examination from 1 Timothy 6 (emphasis mine)

“But flee from these things (this is specifically meaning to flee from ‘the love of money’, and yet means the many things Paul has warned Timothy about to not let the world stain him),you man of God (Take this as a serious call to all husbands and fathers to shepherd your families as a pastor would shepherd the LORD’s people), and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith (Knowing that you are going to a fight helps you prepare for the fight. It will not and never will be easy to boldly claim that you are turning from the gods of this current age to worship the LORD.); take hold of the eternal life to which you were called (Man of God, stand in the gap for your family. Your wife wants to support you as you do this. Your children may resist, but they will rejoice)… 1 Timothy 6:11-12 (NASB)