Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. Are you serving the Lord? The real danger is that we become comfortable with our things, our relationships, our money, and all the stuff that gives us pleasure, and we slowly forget about the Lord and His work. We start forsaking Him. And this is the danger of a decaying nation; the people forsake the Lord. If you forsake the Lord, you're not a part of what God is doing; you start losing your prayer life, you don't meditate on God's word, you stop attending a Bible study because "you're too busy." And boy, if there's one thing we need in our nation, it is a getting-to-know-Him kind of life. So, if you're not serving Him, who are you serving? (Remember Bob Dylan's hit record, "Gotta Serve Somebody.") If you're not serving the Lord, you are serving yourself, and you're serving the devil and his kingdom. Isn't that what Jesus said? "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Mark 6:24). Remember in Matthew 4:10, when Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness for forty days? Satan kept trying to get Jesus to serve Himself and to serve the devil. And Jesus responded with: "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" And may this be your prayer and your heart's cry today. "I will worship the Lord my God and Him only will I serve!" Let this statement pierce your heart deeply. Put this to memory and repeat it often. Don't allow Satan the privilege of distracting you and making you feel comfortable about your situations and sins. "I will worship the Lord my God, and Him only will I serve!" Your family needs you more than ever. Maybe you haven't talked with your son or daughter in years because of something in the past. Pick up the phone today and talk with them; restore that relationship and make it right. Your church needs you more than ever. Maybe you haven't attended in weeks, months, or even years because of a negative situation or hurt that it caused you. Don't forsake the Lord. Allow God to mend those hurts and pains and start getting in fellowship with other believers. And lastly, remember this: while we have flesh and at times forsake the Lord, He doesn't forsake us! He's there and ready to take you back if you'd give Him a chance. Don't let past circumstances dictate your future; God is there, ready with open arms to forgive you and take you in. "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you'" (Hebrews 13:5). 
Today's Devotion
From Mike MacIntosh
Judges 10:6 
Mike Macintosh: Are you serving the Lord?
