NO STRINGS ATTACHED? THINK AGAIN. “The choices we make and the chances we take, determine our destiny.” – Unknown By now you have probably discovered that there are not any “simple” decisions in life. Many decisions lead to another, and almost every decision comes with a consequence. Some decisions you will make will have only minor and temporary consequences, while other decisions may result in consequences that last a lifetime. We will attempt to hit many of those important decisions, all from a biblical perspective, including your relationship with Jesus Christ. I have always tried to communicate with three words in mind: Practical, Relevant, and Edify. I will use words and real-life examples that you can understand and relate to. My goal is to make it plain and keep it real. I hope to shed some light on the Word of God in a way that will build you up, fire you up, and cause you to want to seek Him with all of your heart. I want to help you learn to think before you make those tough choices you will face. Finally, I want you to be assured that God not only wants to give you hope for today, but He has great plans for your future. Since God is no respecter of persons, these words which He spoke to His people thousands of years ago still ring true for His chosen generation today: Jeremiah 29 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Although my over-all goal is to help shape your future, I need to briefly address your past. If I were to conduct a survey, almost every one of you would love some of the things about your past. Some things would make you smile and bring back great memories. They would give you a healthy pride in the tasks that you have already accomplished. However, many of you would also cringe when recalling some of the events of your past. Many of you still have great sorrow over tragic events. Some of you still carry great shame, guilt and regret over decisions that you have already made. You may be carrying anger, resentment, bitterness and hurt because of your decisions, or even the decisions of others, and their effect on you. There may be several things that you so desperately wish you could somehow go back and do differently, if only you could. We live in a “don’t judge me” type of world. A world in which many oppose any type of authority or spiritual guidance. A world in which many long for freedom to make their own decisions. While it is true that we do indeed have freedom over our decisions, it is also a fact that we do not have freedom over the consequences of our decisions. The Bible makes it clear that there are definitely strings attached when it comes to our choices: Proverbs 6: 28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? NIV Galations 6: 7 , 8 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. NIV Taking this undeniable truth of “reaping what you sow”, I want to focus only on your present. Your future will, in large part, be determined by your present day choices. If we can still be affected by the decisions we made many years ago, then consider this: Many years from right now, your life will be a reflection of the decisions you make today. Let’s start by taking the advice of Moses: Exodus 32: 29 Then Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day ….” The entire direction of your life from here on out will depend on 2 things: The Chances you take, and the Choices you make. Nobody ever “makes” a chance, they take one. They “roll the dice” and hope things turn out well. They realize that the odds are stacked against them, but they give it a shot anyway. Sometimes they win, but most often they lose. On the other hand, nobody ever “takes” a choice; choices are made. Facts are gathered, information is processed, consequences are considered. When this formula is used, in anything you do, you will have a much higher percentage of success. When it comes to spiritual decisions, the Bible is the greatest guidebook given to man. While the rest of the world rolls the dice, the Christian chooses to trust in Christ. (From Chances We Take/ Choices We Make, coming 2015) @Back on Track Bible Studies - Rick Flores
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:40:58 +0000