"The Direction Of Choices"

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live".  Deuteronomy 30:19

Life is made up of choices.  Some are simple and don't affect us much-- such as choosing what to eat for lunch.  Others are major and carry lifelong consequences with them.  I want to start with a question this morning.  "Are the choices you're making bringing you closer to the Lord or taking you further away from Him?".

David made the choice to commit adultery with Bathsheba.  It didn't bring him closer to the Lord.  King Saul made the choice to disobey the words of Samuel the prophet.  His choice didn't bring him closer to God.  Mary made the choice to submit to the will of God to give birth to the Messiah.  That choice brought her closer to the Lord.  Adam made a choice to disobey God, and it took him and all of mankind away from God.

The Bible admonishes us to "acknowledge the Lord in all our ways and He would direct our steps".  We are to seek Him in every decision we make, every choice we make, every direction we go and let Him direct us.  When we do, He will always lead us in not only making the right choice, but in making the choice that will bring us closer to Him at the same time.

Have a great day.  Are the choices you are making bringing you closer to the Lord or taking you further away from Him?  

"Present Not Absent"

"... and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen".  Matthew 28:20b

When we go through difficult and trying times in our lives, we should have a confidence that no matter what it is we are facing the Lord will be with us. I believe He is wanting us more and more as the "evil days" approach to be confident and unshaken in our faith that His presence is with us in every situation. 

The presence of trials does not mean the absence of God.  The presence of pain doesn't mean the absence of God.  The presence of financial want doesn't mean the absence of God.  The presence of grief, the passing of a loved one, a bad physical report, the loss of a job, the rebellion of a child, the attack of an enemy does not mean that God is not present with you. 

He is there in the valley of the shadow of death.  He is there in the fiery furnace.  He is there in the lion's den.  He is there when Pharaoh's army is behind you and a Red Sea in front of you.  He is there in the storm.  He is there when all the demons of hell are waging war against you.  Just because you go through these places and situations does not mean that He is not there.  He is not absent.  He is present.   

Have a great day.  The presence of problems does not mean the absence of God.

"The Simple Answer"

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest".  Matthew 11:28

When we are burdened down by the cares of this life, by problems or by unpleasant circumstances, we tend to run here, there and everywhere looking for answers.  We often miss our true source of help because the answer to the help we need is too "simple"-- "Come unto Me".

Is going to the Lord the first place you turn to for help or the last?  Do you go to Him after you have exhausted every other avenue of help?  Is He at the top of your list for help or the bottom?  Or is He somewhere in the middle? 

The Psalmist said, "I will look unto the hills from where my help comes.  My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth".  (Psalm 121:2) Hebrews tells us, "The Lord is my helper". (Hebrews 13:6)

The Lord is our helper, not only for the big problems or not only for the small problems.  He is our help for all problems.  Whether the problem is a spiritual one, a physical problem, a financial one or a problem with a relationship.  He is our help, our answer and our guide in every problem we face.   

Have a great day.  Got a problem?  There is an answer.  The answer is so simple we often miss it-- Come unto Me.  

"Don't Wait"

"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"  2 Corinthians 6:2

There is one thing I have noticed about human nature-- we tend to put things off until the last minute.  I tend to do it myself.  

Many people treat their eternity the same way.  They are waiting until the "last minute" to get things right with God.  Many are waiting until after they have lived their lives and finished doing all the "fun things" they had planned to do before giving their lives to the Lord.  Some are waiting until their "death bed" to do it.  Some are just waiting with the idea that "one day" they will do it. These people are gambling with the state of their eternal souls. 

We can't think that we have plenty of time to get things right with God.  We are not promised tomorrow.  We are not promised the next breath.  We are not promised we will have a "death bed" opportunity.  We are not promised to live to a "ripe old age".  We only have now.  We only have this moment.  We only have this breath. 

Are you waiting?  Are you holding out until you have done all you want to do?  Are you putting God off until you are ready?  If so, you are taking a big chance.  If so, you are on dangerous ground.  If you are you may wind up falling short of eternity.

Have a great day.  Don't wait until the last minute to get right with God.  You aren't promised to have that last minute. 

"Fallen From Grace"

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace".  Galatians 5:4

"Fallen from grace".  Usually, we say that someone has fallen from grace when they turn from serving Jesus and go back into a lifestyle of sin.  I want us to look at another aspect of what it means to "fall from grace" that may be more accurate.

The Apostle warns the people that once they had accepted salvation by grace through faith, if they went back to working out their salvation according to the law they had "fallen from grace". 

We are saved by faith in what Jesus did at the cross.  Salvation is the gift of God.  We don't earn it.  We can't work hard enough to obtain it.  It is given by grace.  It is unmerited.  If it is received by grace, then it is also kept by grace.  If we try to keep it any other way, then we have "fallen from grace".  "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?".  (Galatians 3:3)

Grace is not a license; it is a gift.  You can't do enough good works to stay saved-- although we should be doing works which cause our lights to shine and bring glory to our Father in heaven.

You can't be holy enough to stay saved-- although we are to live holy lives.

You can't be religious enough to stay saved-- although we should be tending to what we consider our religious duties:  church attendance, Bible reading, fasting and prayer. 

If you are trying to be saved through your own goodness and works, then you won't receive the gift of eternal life-- it is given by grace. If you are trying to stay saved by your own goodness and works, then you have fallen from grace. It ceases to be about what Jesus did and becomes about what you can do.

Have a great day.  If you are trying to stay saved through your works, you are "fallen from grace".