“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!” Deuteronomy 30:19
Day after day, we make choices.
Those choices effect what comes our way tomorrow.
Sometimes there is immediate consequences for our choices.
Other times it may takes weeks, months, or years.
No matter how long it takes, we all reap what we sow.
Reaping and sowing is something none of us can escape.
When we make poor choices the reaping is often tough to accept, and usually isn’t fun to go through.
I walked away from writing this post to eat dinner with the children and do our nightly bible study using Jesus Wants All of Me (based on the classic devotional by Oswald Chambers) My Utmost for His Highest. February 9th is title Tired Times: it talks about how it is hard to make the right choices all of the time and how children get tired of doing the right thing all of the time. Yet, Jesus is right there to help them when they are struggling to make the right choice.
This little story (they are about three sentences tops) opens the door for me to teach them a practical lesson every night. Tonight we discussed sowing and reaping. That every single choice they make will either bring good or bad into their lives. I then reminded them of this lesson:
JOY = JESUS OTHERS YOU
Every choice we make must be put before Jesus. If you would not do it in front of Him or to Him, then you shouldn’t do or say it.
Every choice we make must be put before others. If anything we are going to say or do is going to hurt or stumble them, then we shouldn’t do or say it.
Every choice we make must be without causing us harm as well. For example, I told one of our children to walk up the path to school, that there was no rush, they were not late. The child chose to run and fell very hard and got hurt on their knee. This child paid the consequence immediately upon making the wrong choice. This child sees and feels the consequence for days after bad choice. It is a reminder that they should listen and not do what they want before thinking about the whether it is a good choice to make.
Life is really just that simple.
We complicate it. We mess up by overthinking things just as much as when we don’t think things through. God, gave us the ability to reason (think). It is the only thing that separates us from the animal kingdom. They act on instinct and desire only. We have the ability to think rationally and resist our desires. Unlike an animal who can’t stop themselves from overeating, we feel full and know we have had enough before making ourselves completely sick. Sometimes we are complete gluttons and act irrationally, making ourselves sick too. We can either live rationally or irrationally(faith vs. fear).
What drives your life? Faith or your passions? Faith or fear?
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:16
You want joy in your life – follow the guidelines above. You will die to self and literally be following in the footsteps of our Savior.
You want peace, gentleness, kindness, hope, patience, goodness, and love in your life, then simple live the model Jesus has given us. Place all others before yourself. Love without hypocrisy. Don’t focus on what you can’t fix, or what is wrong in others. Focus on allowing God to change you. Then as you change others around you will too. You will begin to reap the goodness you are sowing.
Remember sin has a way of costing more than you imagined you would ever pay, taking you where you never intended to stray, keeping you longer than you intended to stay.
To God, you are special. I used to think yeah, yeah God loves me, but he loves everyone. To Him I’m just one of millions of Christians. God has his favorites and I’m not one of them. I thought I was being humble thinking this way. But what I was really doing was accusing God of imperfect love. In fact, I was calling God a liar. God says He loves you. So to believe that you are unimportant to God is to believe that God is a liar. There is nothing humble about calling the holy Lord a liar! It’s sin.
Friends I pray you are willing to live out His promises for you – simply lay down your lives (Romans 12:1-2 and Luke 9:23-25) and He will give you joy abundantly.
May this song bless you and remind you how ever present He is and hears the cries of our hearts!
2 Friend's Thoughts:
This message is very powerful and deeply convicting! It really speaks to the desire of my heart and what I have been asking God for. I just want to hear His voice and follow in His footsteps, so that no matter how hard life gets I know that I am doing right and not messing up His plans for me. I want my life will give Him glory, so that I will experience His best in this life and hear the words well done when time gives way to eternity.
Thank you for sharing and always speaking the truth in love! I am blessed to have your words to challenge and encourage me.
Much Love!
Melissa
I love that first verse you shared.... its one I read often, and try to use to ask myself what have I been choosing lately. Are my choices bringing life or death? Ouch.
It's amazing how our choices change when we consider the possible outcomes. we all need that pinch to remind us just how exactly our decisions every day, both little ones and small ones, determine our futures, the consequences of those choices.
I know I've made some horrible choices in my past.... Thank God he works with them and makes them into something good, even if its just a lesson for me to never do it again. :) Thank God he's never surprised and loves us no matter our choices, and thank God he allows the consequences so we can hopefully learn quickly.... And praise him when he removes the consequences, by his grace and mercy.
much love!
chell
Post a Comment