Near the close of his life, and at the end of 25 years of successful warfare against the nations of Canaan, Joshua summoned the leaders and people of Israel to Shechem for a final convocation. Read Joshua 23-24. After reviewing God's attention in keeping Israel safe, though facing many dangers, he called the nation to a complete commitment to God. Which meant eliminating the gods they still held and worshipped AT THE TIME. An amazing inconsistency!
The appeal he made then still resonates a blistering challenge to America. He demanded Israel's faithfulness to Moses. God still demands America's faithfulness to the Christian beliefs the nation's founding fathers—Puritans and Pilgrims—held in 1607 and 1620. Where would America be now if established by people of the politics and immoralities wedded to each other in the present administration and in our culture? The Founding fathers had strong Christian convictions. Present leaders of both parties forsake those convictions to keep peace in a diverse world. America faces the very challenge facing the newly-sovereign nation in Canaan. Israel proved it had established political dominance in Canaan WITHOUT eliminating the terrifying religious beliefs and practices of those uprooted by military power. The refusal to eradicate the religious beliefs of the conquered proved "thorns", "snares" and "barbs in the eyes" of Israel. The survivors of conquest had their revenge by paganizing the Hebrews. Some of the nations determined to remain, which made no difference, since God had ordained them to destruction—which meant obliteration. Only to find an Israel more committed to accommodation with pagan religions than committed to Moses. The same issue faces America today. In our rush to ecumenicity, we want to reduce the uncompromising singularity of Jesus Christ to an accommodating plurality of religions. Call an enemy of God anyone who proclaims, supports or tolerates that satanic lie. Just because Satan refuses to believe God is no argument to consider him right and God wrong. The Devil will continue to manufacture any deity fallen humanity wants—like the 33 heathen goddesses the lady painted. The deities will change as culture changes, and everyone will be a satanic lie because but One LORD exists, and no other. And he reveals himself in the Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and NO OTHER. That truth remains fixed in Heaven and no earthly power can alter or deny it. The challenge is this: if we will not remain true to the scriptural Godhead, to which of the MANY gods and goddesses will we be true? Will we seek? Will we believe? Will we serve? Christians, we have no choice: we must declare with Joshua we will serve ONLY GOD in CHRIST, the ONLY God! God isn't obligated to accept anything we believe just because we believe it. We are obligated to accept anything God says just because he says it! Fini
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