Choices!  To make a 'choice' means making a decision, stating a preference, a determination, an alternative, electing, or picking.  In the Hebrew, the word bahar, has been translated as 'choose' and it means: to choose, elect and decide for.  We see in 1 Kings 18:21 that Elijah defined making a choice for the Israelites, "Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long are you going to struggle with the two choices? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him so much as a word."

 Experts today claim that each of us makes about 35,000 choices a day!   Some choices we make are 'good' - or valuable, sound, and positive.  Some are 'bad' - or poor, damaging, not good and unacceptable.  Some of our choices can be 'right' - or sound, fitting, virtuous and honorable.  Then, there are 'wrong' choices, which are those that are misguided, unsound, faulty, and out of line.

 Jesus stated in Matthew 12:30 that anyone "who is not with Him is against Him."  What that basically tells us is that, what we choose to do is either God's way or our own.  God has chosen to give every person a free will, or the power to make decisions of their own, rather than having God or fate predetermine what they do.  God respects a man's free will within His laws.  Having a free will does not mean that a person can do whatever they want, without facing the consequences.  Each of us is accountable and responsible for the choices we make.  Choices we make can cause us to be blessed or cursed.  Based on the choices we make, some of the consequences we face will be for our better, or work to destroy us. 

 Deuteronomy 30:19 and 20a (NLT), "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life."

 Genesis 2:16 and 17, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."  Adam's choice was to obey or not, or, to eat the fruit or not.

 Genesis 4:6 and 7 (NLT), "Why are you so angry?" the Lord asked Cain. "Why do you look so dejected? 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."  Cain had a choice to make, and in making that choice, he was controlling his own destiny.

 The world is still being affected by Adam and Eve's choice to eat the forbidden fruit.  We live in a fallen world.

 God's Word is our authority for knowing right from wrong.  By following and obeying it, we will have life and blessing.

 Look at Deuteronomy 28:1 and 2 (NLT), "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God"

 Psalm 119:1-3, 11,24, 30 and 105 (NLT), "Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. 2 Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. 3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. ... 11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. ... 24 Your laws please me; they give me wise advice. ... 30 I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations. ... 105 [Nun] Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path."

 Disobedience to God's Word and failing to do God's will is sin.  We discover that sinning is a choice, when we examine James 1:13-15 , " Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." Notice, it says "when we are drawn away by our own desires". A well known comedian used to say, "The devil made me do it!", to explain why he gave in to temptation and chose to sin.  The truth is, you choose whether or not you will sin.  The devil, nor anyone else can make you sin.  You make that choice, and remember, there is always a consequence.

 Proverbs 1:28-31, "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, 30 They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. 31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies."  'They' in these verses are those who refuse God's wisdom. 

 Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."  They refuse to choose wisdom and knowledge.

 Psalm 1: 1-6, "Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His Law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."

  Realize this, 'walking' in the counsel of the wicked, 'standing' in the path of sinners and 'sitting' in the seat of the scornful, are all choices that are made.

 Joshua 24:15 (NLT), "But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."  Whether we serve God or not is our choice, just as it was for the Israelites.

 The most important, meaningful, valuable, and critical choice we will ever make is to accept Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord of our lives. John 3:15-18, "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

 Following making our choice to receive Jesus in our hearts, we must choose to follow Him wholeheartedly.  Matthew 16:24-27, "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."  John 8:12 says, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

 When we receive Christ as our Savior, the Father sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and guide us.  John 14:15-18 and 26 says, "If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. ... 26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

 1 Peter 5:8 and 9, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."

 James 4:7 and 8, " Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

 Understand, we, by our free will, choose to accept or reject the gift of the Holy Spirit. However, if we choose to allow the Holy Spirit to move or work in our lives, we will have the power to make right choices and to resist the devil.

 Matthew 12:36 is especially important today with all of the opportunities presented on social media and in conversations for us to 'speak our minds'.  We can choose to not respond to the emotions which rise in us, when we read something offensive.  We need to exercise self control and be cautious about what words we speak. This verse in the NASB20 reads, "But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment."

 As we saturate our minds and hearts with the Word of God, more of the choices we make will begin to be 'right' or fitting, virtuous, sound, and life giving.

 What are some of the choices we are faced with?

• Activities to be involved in

• Friends

• Clothing we wear

• Food we eat

• Entertainment

• Places we go

• Whether we exercise or not

 

Then, we choose to: 

• Forgive, or not

• Worry, or not

• Put God first, or not

• Judge people, or not

• Lie, or not

• Fast, or not

• Pray, or not

• Gossip, or not

• Put others first, or not

• Be anxious, or not

• Be thankful, or not

• Hate, or not

• Speak the truth, or not

• Tithe, or not

• Spend time in the Word, or not

• Have joy, or not

• Have happiness, or not

• Respond in anger, or not

• Love, or not

 I am sure you have a lot you could add to this list.

 The more time we spend with God, in His Word and prayer, the more intimate we will be with Him.  The more intimate we are with Him, the more we will desire to please Him.

 Just as Joshua told the Israelites to "Choose this day who you will serve," the Lord speaks to you today and says, "Choose this day, who you will serve."  The choices you make every day will reflect whether or not you have chosen to serve Him.

 Father, I pray, in Jesus' name, that everyone who reads this blog, will be more aware of the many choices they make each day.  Lord, help them choose wisely.  Help them choose life and blessings, by making choices that are in obedience to your Word, will, and desire.   Amen