November 26th, 2024
This week, I’ve been thinking about the power of our choices. We probably don’t dwell on it often but our ability to make decisions is a gift from God. Free will is a gift! God created Adam and Eve, perfect and sinless. He placed the tree of good and evil in the garden, not as a trap, but to allow them the freedom to choose. Faith is powerful and pleasing to God because it’s the choice to place our trust in the truth of who God is. God could do anything, but He chooses to be moved by our faith because He doesn’t want robots.
Adam and Eve were defined by one decision. They chose to take and eat of the fruit of the tree of good and evil and it was a choice that could not be reversed. We too are defined by our choices. Deuteronomy 30:19 says,
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”
Throughout the Bible we see the heroes of the faith defined by their choices!
David chose to run into the valley toward the Philistine giant. (1 Samuel 17)
Moses chose to return to Egypt. (Exodus 4)
Joshua and Caleb chose to believe God after they went to spy out the promised land and found it filled with giants. (Numbers 13)
Daniel refused to bow his knee to anyone but God and was thrown into the lion’s den.
(Daniel 6)
The disciples chose to follow Jesus when He called them.
These are examples of right choices that defined a life. However, we also have examples in the Bible of those who did not make the correct decisions. One man Jesus called to be His disciple chose not to follow. Mark 10:21-22 says,
‘“Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, [the rich young man] went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.’
After receiving an invitation from the King of Kings, the man walked away. That was a defining moment in his life, and he made the wrong choice.
All the decisions I’ve mentioned so far were moments that defined their lives. However, this week, I have been thinking about the fact that those defining moments are not the most important ones. See, there were many disciples that did choose to follow Jesus, but then didn’t continue in their choice. Mark 8:34 says,
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
That’s not a choice that can be made one time. The choice to follow Him is a choice we make and then continue to make every single day. After Jesus taught about the power of His body and blood, His listeners were offended and “many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” (John 6:66).
Even though they’d previously chosen to follow Jesus, they turned back. They became offended and made a different choice, walking away from life Himself.
Salvation is a defining moment in every believer’s life, but it’s the daily choice to keep following Jesus that will shape us.
We all know about the powerful moments of the Bible heroes, but while those moments defined them, they didn’t shape them.
David had faith to run into the valley because he learned to worship in the wilderness when no one was listening.
Moses, called a friend of God, was defined by His continual pursuit of God’s presence.
Joshua refused to leave the tent of meeting, cultivating a love for God’s presence that allowed him to have faith in the face of giants.
Daniel bowed his knees and prayed three times a day. His boldness wasn’t found in a moment but cultivated in a lifestyle of prayer.
If we choose to be faithful when no one sees – when there is no battle – we will be faithful in the fight.
We must choose life (Deut. 30:19) and keep choosing it.
Luke 9:62 says,
“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Hebrews 10:38-39 says,
‘“My righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.’
We must decide daily not to look back or shrink back but choose by faith to step forward.
Studies have shown that the average adult makes roughly 35,000 decisions per day. It’s in those moments, the small insignificant ones, that we must choose faith, hope, joy, and life. We must choose to bow our knees and pray even if we don’t feel like it. We must choose to be faithful in the study of His word. We must choose to pursue His presence.
If we don’t choose Him in the moments that seem mundane, we won’t have the faith and boldness to choose Him in the battle.
This week we encourage you to choose life, every day, in every moment. He’s given us the freedom to choose and it’s something that matters in every decision we make. We get to choose to keep our eyes fixed on Him. We get to choose to believe His word in the face of every circumstance. We get to choose life and it’s always worth it!
Adam and Eve were defined by one decision. They chose to take and eat of the fruit of the tree of good and evil and it was a choice that could not be reversed. We too are defined by our choices. Deuteronomy 30:19 says,
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”
Throughout the Bible we see the heroes of the faith defined by their choices!
David chose to run into the valley toward the Philistine giant. (1 Samuel 17)
Moses chose to return to Egypt. (Exodus 4)
Joshua and Caleb chose to believe God after they went to spy out the promised land and found it filled with giants. (Numbers 13)
Daniel refused to bow his knee to anyone but God and was thrown into the lion’s den.
(Daniel 6)
The disciples chose to follow Jesus when He called them.
These are examples of right choices that defined a life. However, we also have examples in the Bible of those who did not make the correct decisions. One man Jesus called to be His disciple chose not to follow. Mark 10:21-22 says,
‘“Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, [the rich young man] went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.’
After receiving an invitation from the King of Kings, the man walked away. That was a defining moment in his life, and he made the wrong choice.
All the decisions I’ve mentioned so far were moments that defined their lives. However, this week, I have been thinking about the fact that those defining moments are not the most important ones. See, there were many disciples that did choose to follow Jesus, but then didn’t continue in their choice. Mark 8:34 says,
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
That’s not a choice that can be made one time. The choice to follow Him is a choice we make and then continue to make every single day. After Jesus taught about the power of His body and blood, His listeners were offended and “many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” (John 6:66).
Even though they’d previously chosen to follow Jesus, they turned back. They became offended and made a different choice, walking away from life Himself.
Salvation is a defining moment in every believer’s life, but it’s the daily choice to keep following Jesus that will shape us.
We all know about the powerful moments of the Bible heroes, but while those moments defined them, they didn’t shape them.
David had faith to run into the valley because he learned to worship in the wilderness when no one was listening.
Moses, called a friend of God, was defined by His continual pursuit of God’s presence.
Joshua refused to leave the tent of meeting, cultivating a love for God’s presence that allowed him to have faith in the face of giants.
Daniel bowed his knees and prayed three times a day. His boldness wasn’t found in a moment but cultivated in a lifestyle of prayer.
If we choose to be faithful when no one sees – when there is no battle – we will be faithful in the fight.
We must choose life (Deut. 30:19) and keep choosing it.
Luke 9:62 says,
“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Hebrews 10:38-39 says,
‘“My righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.’
We must decide daily not to look back or shrink back but choose by faith to step forward.
Studies have shown that the average adult makes roughly 35,000 decisions per day. It’s in those moments, the small insignificant ones, that we must choose faith, hope, joy, and life. We must choose to bow our knees and pray even if we don’t feel like it. We must choose to be faithful in the study of His word. We must choose to pursue His presence.
If we don’t choose Him in the moments that seem mundane, we won’t have the faith and boldness to choose Him in the battle.
This week we encourage you to choose life, every day, in every moment. He’s given us the freedom to choose and it’s something that matters in every decision we make. We get to choose to keep our eyes fixed on Him. We get to choose to believe His word in the face of every circumstance. We get to choose life and it’s always worth it!
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