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“Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14-16
References: Joshua 24:14-16, John 21:18-19
In Joshua's last moments of life, we get to see the fruit of his maturity throughout the years. Joshua's life was made up of decisions. Even though his heart didn't always desire to do the things the Lord had called him to, the older he got, the more willing he became to walk into those places. When following God begins to be undesirable, we have to reflect on our desires and why they are not pointing to Him. Desires are fleeting, but decisions last. Joshua made his decision to embrace the call upon his life, which led him to finish strong.
The mature me doesn’t just start, the mature me finishes
When we step out in faith to serve the Lord, we may face challenges and setbacks. While it’s normal to falter and occasionally fall, it’s the speed at which you return to confidence after a setback that is a clear sign of maturity. This ability to ‘bounce back’ is a key aspect of building a strong character - the person you are when no one is watching. Joshua didn’t choose popularity with people as his guide. He chose obedience to God. Instead of looking to please people, make a decision to serve God.
The book of Joshua reminds us if we don’t love God, we will not serve Him. But it is usually not a lack of love that stops us from serving Him; rather, our desires for things of this world. Maturity in Christ is being willing to be led to places where we don’t want to go and having faith that God always goes first. As we saw Joshua portray, the Bible calls us to seek to please God more than we seek to please man.
Joshua’s famous words are much more than a mantra. They define the faith which makes us into who God has called us to be. Daily, we’re faced with having to choose to be challenged over our comfort. Making difficult decisions forces us to grow and become more like Christ. If we stumble and experience setbacks, God is still good; He never leaves us to walk alone. Rather, He works in us to cultivate strong character and holiness. But it is always our choice to take the first step of surrendering our desires to Him. Then, even when serving God becomes less than desirable, the ‘Mature Me’ lets unshakable faith stand in the gap.
Sometimes becoming a ‘Mature Me’ requires reflection. Take time this week to reflect on one area you feel God is calling you to mature in. Write down your areas of growth and your commitment to surrender. Be ready to share next Crew week!
All of you that are already in our database will receive a text this upcoming Thursday from our new text platform. It isn’t spam, it’s really us! This will become a primary way for us to resource, equip, and update you. We encourage you to save this number and opt in for more updates.
VOUS High is youth community of VOUS and we are creating a space for middle schoolers to gather for service every Sunday.
Students will start with worship in the main auditorium and then be dismissed to their junior high space. This will be a moment to connect with other students, hear a message, and then discuss in small groups.
For more information and to RSVP your student, click here
Join us at the annual ILMC Thanksgiving Bash to distribute meal kits and turkeys. Also, bring a chair and cheer on your favorite team at our annual VOUS Bowl.
To serve, click here
Date: Saturday, November 23rd
Time: 9:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: Charles Hadley Park
1350 NW 50th St
Miami, FL 33142
Ready to kick off Thanksgiving with a burst of energy and community? Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Whether you're a runner, a walker, or somewhere in between, this is a chance to start your day with some fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! See you at the starting line!
To sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here
Date: Thursday, November 28th
Time: 6:00AM
Location: Peacock Park
2820 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133
On Sunday, December 1st we're bringing our annual Tree Lighting tradition to both our SoMi and Miami Gardens Locations! Sign up to serve and join us for a night of fun! Invite your friends and let's welcome the Christmas season together!
Please note: There will not be a 6PM service at VOUS City. Instead, join us at VOUS Miami Gardens for the 6PM service, followed by the tree lighting celebration.
Date: December 1st
Time: 7:30PM
Location:
VOUS Miami Gardens
17801 NW 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33169
VOUS SoMi
6767 Sunset Dr
South Miami, FL 33143
To serve, click here
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
