For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ... For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Rom 7:15-19 (also see Gal. 5:17)
In the past couple weeks as we prepared for VBS, I have thought back on Noah choosing to stand for the Lord in a day when the Bible says that every imagination of the thoughts of man was only evil continually - Genesis 6 (and we think it is bad today!).
Then reading about persecuted brethren in the Body of Christ, I am struck by their repeated choices to declare Christ when told to deny Him. When they choose a road of suffering by sharing their conversion with their own families, when they choose to follow Christ at the risk of being disowned, unemployed, imprisoned, or tortured - how does one make such choices?
My heart is grieved to think of so many in my generation, so many who grew up listening to the same Sunday School lessons and memorizing the same Awana verses have not allowed their once claimed faith to direct their worldview. The gospel has had no application to their many life choices. How can so many years of training seem to have been wasted? How do we go to camp together, go on missions trips together then choose to not let God's Word affect how we live? It is a series of choices. To whom much has been given, much more shall be required. {Luke 12:48}
As I thought about my own failures to choose wisely, it often came down to wanting to do what was more convenient and take less time, what was easier, what required less effort, what allows for the least pressure and had the least opposition, or what was the most "acceptable". This is not say that convenient things are bad necessarily, but if my character is too weak to choose what is right because it is harder, I have failed.
So how are we supposed to make "good choices"? What do we choose?
- Choose LIFE {Duet 30:11-20}
- by obeying God's Commandments
- loving the Lord your God
- walking in His ways & keeping His principles
- holding fast to Him!
- Choose WHOM YOU WILL SERVE {Josh. 24:14-18]
- fear the Lord
- serve Him in sincerity and faithfulness
- Choose INTEGRITY {Prov. 22:1}
- a good name is rather to be chosen than riches, and an honest report over quick money
- Choose CHRIST {Luke 10:38-42, Ps 16:5, 73:26, 142:5, Lam 3:24}
- sit at the Master's feet
- find in Him your Portion & satisfaction
- walk closely with the Lord
- rejoice for our eternal relationship with Him is secure!
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Ps 73:26
The LORD is my chosen portion… Ps 16:5
"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." Lam 3:24