“Choices Bring Consequences”
BIBLE REFERENCE:
“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT:
If there is one thing that is certain, it is this, we will all be overwhelmed through our lives with making choices. Most of the choices that we make will most likely not have serious consequences, but every once in a while we come to a crossroad where it is crucial that we make the right choice. I can personally recall many times when I made a choice that had very unpleasant consequences. I won’t get into them, because some of those bad choices included people that I still know and I don’t want to create hard feelings for something that happened years ago.
A few choices that many of us have to make that could have bad consequences, are as follows. It seems that people these days do not like to stay at any one job for any length of a time, so they are always on the lookout for new job, one they think they will enjoy more than the one that they are currently working at. Back in the 60’s and 70’s longevity was a thing to be proud of, but today people change jobs as often as they change their underwear. Let me enlighten you, it is not always greener on the other side of the fence. I’m sure that many people will not deny this statement. Another change that has horrible consequences is divorce. This is where we feel that things will always be better with a new mate when in reality they are usually worse, that is why the divorce rate is even higher for second time marriages. About 67-80% of second marriages end in divorce compared to 40% of first time marriages. 2 out of 3 marriages will make it to their 10th anniversary, but only 1 out of 3 marriages will make it to their 25th anniversary. Here is where we all fail miserably, we feel love is an emotion, when in reality love is a commitment. Sure, all marriages start out all warm and fuzzy because we marry for the wrong reasons, emotions, but then those warm and fuzzy feelings start to fade away and we feel we have to move on because there is no more love. If that is the case, then there never was never real love in the first place. We confuse love with commitment. ‘Love is not an emotion, love is a commitment.” Let me give you an example of what I am trying to get across. We read in 1Corinthians 13:4-5; “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs.” Does it say anything about an emotion, these are all acts of the heart. Also, another way to explain this is when we say that we love Jesus Christ. Love toward Jesus Christ is a commitment. That special emotion that you have for your wife or husband is not the same emotion that you have for Jesus Christ. Our commitment to Jesus Christ is how we show our love for Him.
Emotions are a dangerous thing to count on when making choices, but commitments are forever. There is no verse in the Bible that I am aware of that equates to love being an emotion. 1 Corinthians 13:2; “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” I know so many so-called Christians that claim to be born-again, yet hate there brother’s and sisters in Christ. 1 John 4:20; whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”What does this verse say, read it out loud to yourself? This does not mean that you have to love them with emotions, it means you should love them as God loves the church. We are all part of the same body, how can we continue to battle with those that are also part of the body of Christ. Does your toe hate your figure, does your heart hate your liver, no, they all have to work together to make our bodies function as one. If one doesn’t function correctly it can affect the rest of body, just in the same way if parts of the body of Christ do not work together, the church will fall apart as it has been doing for the last few decades. We read in Proverbs 11:14; “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.” Our nation has fallen into apostasy because the church has divided itself among each other. This is because our nation has made a lot of wrong choices throughout the last few decades and the church stood by watching because we were too busy fighting amongst ourselves. We have allowed evil to take over our country and now it may look as if payday is coming.
With all this being said, we are all in a time of history where we need to make a very important choice. First of all, I can tell you with absolute certainty that Jesus Chris is coming soon for His Bride (The Born-again believers.) We all have a decision to make that will have devastating consequences if we fail to make the right choice. Here are your choices, there are only two, you can choose to put your faith in the world or you can turn from your sinful ways and repent of your sins and give Jesus Christ your life. It’s very simple, Jesus Christ or the world. Romans 10: 9-13; “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to turn to Jesus, tomorrow may be too late. “Written To the extreme glory of God, and Inspired by the Holy Spirit!” Amen!
Comments