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Choices
January 31, 2016
We all face choices every day of our lives. Most of the time, we live by the results of the choices that we make. Sometimes, however, time and chance interfere with our choices and our lives. Those who blame God -- or even Satan, for that matter -- for events occurring in their lives are not accepting the word of God on the matter. God showed us how to live and how to treat one another. That is what often saves us from disaster. Yet, disaster can strike unexpectedly, as the Bible teaches. Don't blame God -- or Satan -- for the choices that you make. - Bernie Parsons
Choices
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 01-31-2016
We follow Jesus by observing and considering what He did and by
listening to what He said. We determine to be like Him, and thus seek to
understand who and what He was, and what He did.
Some people make remarks such as, “If God leads you to it, He will lead
you through it”, as if God controls everything that we do every day. If
He did that, we would have no choice and no free will.
What many will not understand or acknowledge is that God gives us the
tools, advice and leadership to get us through the hard times in our
lives.
God Gives Us Choices
Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you
this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served
that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the
LORD."
Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against
you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his
voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the
length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD
sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give
them."
Luke 10:41 "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou
art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which
shall not be taken away from her."
It is up to us to make correct choices that lead to righteousness, thus
improving our chances at life, health and success.
Our Actions Affect Our Lives
1 Peter 3:10 "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him
refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it."
Proverbs 1:10 "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."
Proverbs 1:15 "My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy
foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood."
Psalms 1:1 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the
ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of
the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he
meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that
bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth
away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in
the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the
ungodly shall perish."
The Role of Chance In Our Lives
We should not ascribe to God every event that happens. To do so is to
say that nothing occurs in our lives without Him pulling the strings,
and we are nothing but puppets on those strings.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is
not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the
wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of
skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an
evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons
of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them."
Luke 13:1 "There were present at that season some that told him of the
Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans
were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such
things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them,
think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Sin and Danger
Our choices may lead us into sin and danger. We may bring danger upon
ourselves in this present life, and in eternity.
James 4:17 "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not,
to him it is sin."
Romans 14:22 "Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is
he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of
faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under
grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his
servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of
obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have
obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your
flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and
to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to
righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from
righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?
for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have
your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord."
If you wish to live in eternity, do those things that lead to eternal
life. If you want to suffer eternally, do those things that earn wages
of sin and lead to death.
God allows us to make choices. We can make good choices or bad ones. The
more good choices that we make, the better our chances are for a good
life. The more bad choices that we make, it is
more likely that our lives will not go well.
Even so, there are things that just happen in life. It does not
necessarily mean that God is leading us to things. However, God has
given us the knowledge to cope with whatever comes our way.
