"Buffet Or Menu?"

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."  James 1:22

It is amazing to me how many Christians treat the Word of God like it is a "buffet".  I am one of those people who like going to a restaurant that has a buffet because I like having a choice of variety and can pick only the food items that I enjoy the most. 

Many Christians act like, and think, they can do the same thing with the Word of God.  They like a "pick and choose" option.  I have news for you this morning, you can't do that with the Word of God-- there is no "pick and choose" option.  You only get what's on the menu-- that is the only choice you have. 

You can't decide you like the parts about blessings but not the parts about obedience.  You may like the part where the Lord promises to provide all your needs, but not the part where He says to bring your tithes and offerings into the store house.  You may like the part where it says that He will make your enemies your footstool, but not the part that says to "turn the other cheek, go the second mile, forgive seven times seventy". 

Just because you don't like certain parts does not exempt you from obeying it.  You don't get to choose.  God chooses for you.  A good parent will choose vegetables over candy to give to their child for a meal because it is better for them.  The Lord makes the same choices for us because it is better for us.  For example, we don't like to forgive someone who hurts us, but forgiveness is not an option-- God chooses for us to forgive.  By obeying the Word to forgive, we actually free ourselves from anger, resentment, bitterness and open up the door to God's forgiveness toward us. 

Like I said earlier, the Word of God is not a buffet.  God has chosen the "menu".  But He has given us free choice.  If we don't want to obey and do what He has chosen for us.  Then we can choose not to.  But we will not benefit from it, will miss out on what He has for us, we will be in disobedience, we will reap the consequences and we will live a less than abundant life. 

Have a great day.  God's Word is not a buffet.