A great Christian who lived over a century ago, named G. K. Chesterton, put it all in perspective when he asked this question, "Can anyone tell me two things more vital to the race than these: what man shall marry what woman and what shall be the first things taught to their first child?"
May I tell you why that question is so vitally important in the 21st century?
- Every eight seconds a child drops out of school
- Every twenty-six seconds a child runs away from home
- Every forty-seven seconds a child is abused
- Every sixty-seven seconds a teenage has a baby
- Every seven minutes a child is arrested for drug abuse
- Every thirty minutes a child is arrested for drunk driving
- Every thirty-six minutes a child is killed by a gun
I believe in a spiritual being called, Satan. I believe he has a master plan to destroy this country. His number one target is the home. The foundation of the nation is a stable family. If you destroy the family, you destroy the nation.
I want to share with you one decision that in effect wraps up all the other things we've been talking about that can ensure that you have an extreme home makeover. It is a decision that can give you a new marriage. It can give you a new family. It can literally give you a new home. It is the decision that a man named, Joshua, makes before the Nation of Israel over 2,000 years ago. He is standing before his fellow countrymen speaking, not as the commander and chief of the Israelite army, nor as the leader of the Israelite nation, he is speaking as a dad, who has a family. He says, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
Can you imagine what could happen in this country if every family made that same decision? Do you think the crime rate would go down? Do you think our jails would be emptier? Do you think our churches might be more filled? Do you think that marriages might be restored? Do you think that homes might be rebuilt?
No family can ever make a greater decision than Joshua and his family made. No father or mother could ever set a greater example of how to lead a family than to make this decision: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
