🙏 Josiahs Lesson: You Can’t Serve Two Masters

Good Morning. Josiah’s story didn’t end when he took the throne at 8. That was just the beginning of a life fully devoted to God. Yesterday we looked at Josiah as a boy king. Today we move forward in his story and discover a powerful lesson from his adulthood. Josiah learned that you cannot follow God while keeping idols on the side.

📖 Verse Of The Day

🧠 Devotion

As Josiah grew older, Judah had drifted far from the Lord. The nation was filled with idols, false altars, and practices that pulled the people’s hearts in every direction but God’s. Years of compromise had made idolatry feel normal. In that kind of culture, it would have been easy for Josiah to allow the worship of the Lord while leaving the other altars standing. But Josiah knew something we often forget. You cannot truly honor God while holding on to other masters.

So Josiah acted with boldness. Scripture tells us that he tore down the idols, smashed the altars, and removed everything that competed with God’s place in the nation. He did not settle for partial obedience. He understood that following the Lord required single-hearted devotion.

That same choice stands before us today. Most of us do not bow to carved statues, but our lives are surrounded by idols. Money, approval, comfort, entertainment, relationships, power, and status all compete for our loyalty. These things are not always bad in themselves, but when they take God’s place, they become destructive masters.

It can be tempting to think we can balance both. We imagine we can serve God on Sundays while still letting success, possessions, or approval rule our hearts the rest of the week. Yet Jesus made it clear. “No one can serve two masters.” If we try to live with divided devotion, we end up despising one and loving the other. God does not ask for part of our heart. He calls us to love Him with all of it.

Tearing down idols in our lives is never easy. Sometimes those idols are habits we enjoy. Other times they are attitudes buried deep within us, like pride, jealousy, or bitterness. Removing them may feel painful, but it is the only way to live free. Josiah’s courage shows us that revival begins not with adding more to our lives, but with removing what does not belong.

The message is clear. God is not one option among many. He is Lord of all, and He calls us to complete devotion. When we choose Him fully, our hearts experience His presence without rivals.

So ask yourself today: who are you really serving? If anything in your life rivals God for first place, it has to go.

🙏 Prayer (Guided by ACTS)

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: Lord, You alone are worthy of all my worship. You are holy, faithful, and sovereign over every part of my life.
Confession: Forgive me for the times I have tried to serve You while clinging to other masters. Forgive me for letting idols take Your place in my heart.
Thanksgiving: Thank You for Your Word that reveals truth and exposes what does not belong. Thank You for Your mercy that welcomes me back when I turn to You.
Supplication: Give me courage like Josiah to tear down anything that competes with You. Help me to serve You with an undivided heart and to choose You above all else.