CHOICES – LIFE’S DEFINING MOMENTS
1. LIFE IS FULL OF CHOICES
– Life is full of so many choices.
– Which career to follow, which house to buy, which offer to accept, which business deal to take, who to marry.
– Each day many choices confront us and cross our paths.
– It calls for courage.
– We are once again living in one of those seasons where we need to make choices.
2. CHOICES DICTATE OUR FUTURES
– Each choice has an effect.
– Example: If we decide to marry, this can affect the direction of our lives for a long period of time.
– Some people rush in and make choices without much thought.
– Other people hold back and never end up making a choice.
– Others regret not having made certain choices.
– Have you ever heard someone say, ‘Oh, I should have done that’ or ‘I am glad I did that?’
3. OFTEN CHOICES CARRY COSTS
– Choices carry risks and marriage is a good example of this.
– Many times, our choices cost us something.
– Joshua 24:21-23 The people answered, we choose the Lord! You have heard yourselves say it, Joshua said. You have chosen to obey the Lord. Yes, they replied, we are witnesses. All right, he said, then you must destroy all the idols you now own, and you must obey the Lord God of Israel.
– The people of Israel’s obedience called for action.
– They had to destroy those things that had been their priority.
4. CHOICES BRING REWARDS
– Even a right business choice has its reward.
– Good and correct choices bring a positive reward.
– The Bible indicates that the effect of our choices affects our lives.
– It goes further to say the effect of our choices will influence the lives of our children and our children’s children.
– This is why choices need to be carefully and prayerfully considered.
– God wants to help us to always make the right choices.
5. THE REMEDY FOR WRONG CHOICES
– Wrong decisions are also part of life.
– We do not always successfully achieve the right decision every time.
– God can even take wrong decisions and turn them into something that works for our good. Perhaps you have made some wrong choices, but how do we remedy those wrong choices?
– 1. Repentance.
– 2. Forgiveness – to others and towards ourselves.
– 3. Surrender of our lives to God.
– 4. Develop a lifestyle of dependence on God.
6. GOD HAS ALSO GIVEN US CHOICES
– God wants to help us with our choices.
– Psalm 25:12-13 Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God’s circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth.
– God gave men in the Bible choices.
– 1 Chronicles 21:10 Go and tell David, ‘The Lord has offered you three choices. Which will you choose?’
7. WHAT CHOICES HAS GOD GIVEN US?
– 1. We can choose God.
– Psalm 91:9 Jehovah is my Refuge! I choose the God above all gods to shelter me.
– Joshua 24:18 It was the Lord Who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. Yes, we choose the Lord, for He alone is our God.
– 2. We can choose our own way.
– Isaiah 66:3 But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed.
– 3. Even children need to be taught to make the right decisions.
– This will affect their entire lives.
– Proverbs 22:6 Teach a child to choose the right path, and when he is older, he will remain upon it.
– 4. We can choose life or death.
– Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you that today I have set before you life or death, blessing or curse. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your children might live!
– 5. We can choose to love God.
– Deuteronomy 30:20 Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey Him and to cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days. You will then be able to live safely in the land the Lord promised your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
– 6. We can choose Heaven or Hell.
– Matthew 7:13-14 Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find (choose) it.
– 7. We can choose who we will serve.
– Romans 6:16 Don’t you realise that you can choose your own master? You can choose sin (with death) or else obedience (with acquittal). The one to whom you offer yourself – he will take you and be your master, and you will be his slave.
– 8. We can choose the type of Christian life we live.
– 1 Corinthians 4:20-21 The Kingdom of God is not just talking; it is living by God’s power. Which do you choose?
8. JESUS ALSO HAD CHOICES
– In the garden of Gethsemane – Jesus chose His Father’s will over His own will and in the process died for you and me!
– Jesus chose you and me!
– John 15:16 You didn’t choose Me! I chose you! I appointed you to go and produce lovely fruit always, so that no matter what you ask for from the Father, using My Name, He will give it to you.
9. LET’S MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE
– Choose life.
– Choose blessing.
– Choose what is right.
– Choose to love God.
– Choose His way.
– Choose to serve Him.
– Choose Him.
By Pastor Andrew W. Roebert
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