Choice And Consequences

The Bible does not present any proof for the existence of God. It simply declares that God exists and that only a fool denies that fact.

The verse, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” is perhaps one of the best-known verses in the Bible. However, many people today would say, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is a God.’” Atheism has become a religion, and many individuals and countries base their way of life on the denial of any supernatural being.

To prove the existence of God some would ask us to consider “cause and effect” as a reason to believe in a God. Every effect, they argue, demands a cause – so, if there is a creation there had to be a Creator. Hence, God.

Some offer the argument of “being.” Man has the idea that a “perfect being” exists somewhere or “is” some place. Where did that come from? Certainly not from ourselves because we know we are imperfect. So, it had to come from a Perfect Being – whoever it is or wherever He may be. Therefore, God is!

Others claim the moral argument. We have a voice inside of us that says, “Thou shalt” and at times, “Thou shalt not.” Certainly, these are not man-made, they say, but God-given. So, there must be a “Moral-Ruler” – so, it’s got to be Him - God.

Is it wise to try to prove that “God is” with an argument? We can debate that issue forever.

Why not show the difference Christ makes in our lives by words and deeds? No one can deny our experiences. So, let’s share them and let our faith in God speak on our behalf.

Prayer: Help us, Lord, to live God-honoring lives and show others that You are real by what we do. May our lives speak our faith, not only our words. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! Psalm 14:1 

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It's All About Choice

A reader recently wrote and asked a question that many of us ask at one time or another: "If there is a God, and if He is a good and loving God, why does He allow sin and suffering?"

A simple answer is that God gave each of us, from Adam and Eve, to the newest born baby, the opportunity and responsibility to make and live with choices and consequences. But there is a liability that came with this freedom. Even though we can make a poor choice, God will not interfere with our freedom to make it. Unfortunately we all live with the choice that Adam and Eve made: it introduced sin into the world and we have to live with their choice.

But it seems that we all make decisions that are not in keeping with what is in our best interests. Consider the history of Israel. The psalmist wrote, "My people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts."

Without choice there could be no love or liberty, grace or goodness, caring or compassion. We are free to choose what is right and righteous or what is destructive and devastating. This is true of individuals and nations alike. We have sin and suffering because of wrong choices.

And why do we make wrong choices? Again our psalmist has the answer: "If my people would but listen to me...I would subdue their enemies."

We make wrong choices because we do not listen to the Word of God and follow its directions.

Prayer: We pray, Father, that we will allow Your Word to speak to our hearts, guide our decisions and bring hope. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 81:11, 12 “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.

Choices And Consequences

The Bible does not present any proof for the existence of God. It simply declares that God exists and that only a fool denies that fact.

The verse, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” is perhaps one of the best-known verses in the Bible. However, many people today would say, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is a God.’” Atheism has become a religion and many individuals and countries base their way of life on the denial of any supernatural being.

To prove the existence of God some would ask us to consider “cause and effect” as a reason to believe in a God. Every effect, they argue, demands a cause – or if there is a creation there had to be a Creator.

Some offer the argument of “being.” Man has the idea that a “perfect being” exists somewhere or some place. Where did that come from? Certainly not from ourselves because we know we are imperfect. So, it had to come from a Perfect Being – therefore, God is!

Others claim the moral argument. We have a voice inside of us that says, “Thou shalt” and at times, “Thou shalt not.” Certainly these are not man-made, they say, but God-given. So, there must be a “Moral-Ruler” – hence, God.

Is it wise to try to prove that “God is” with an argument? We can debate that issue forever.

Would it not be better to live a Christ-filled life that demonstrates the difference that only He can make?

Prayer: Help us, Lord, to live God-honoring lives and show others that You are alive and well by what we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

Do It Right The First Time!

The class was excited to meet their new art teacher. Waiting expectantly for their first assignment, the teacher stood before the class and said, “I want each of you to draw a square, a triangle and a rectangle. And I want you to do your best.”

After a few minutes she began to walk among the students and observe their work. Pausing to look at the work Bobby was doing she noticed that his lines were not straight.

“Look, Bobby,” she said, “that line isn’t straight.”

“I know,” he admitted, “but I can straighten it later.”

“Bobby,” she replied, “a straight line never needs to be straightened. Do it right the first time!”

The Psalmist wrote, “I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your law.” In this psalm the author reveals two critical decisions: first, to be faithful to God’s laws and, secondly, not be deterred from being faithful by being fully committed to keeping God’s laws. He said, “I am determined!”

God has given each of us the wonderful gift of choice. In this psalm, the author said that he made a decision that would guide every decision he would ever make.

If our decisions are based on the teachings of God’s Word, we will not need to go back and “straighten the lines.” May His Word light our paths and guide our steps.

Prayer: We pray, Lord, that we will surrender our lives completely to You and think the truth, speak the truth, live the truth and do things right the first time. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 119:30 I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.

Change Your Course!

It was a stormy night. The waves were high, the winds fierce and the stars hidden behind angry clouds. Suddenly, from the bridge of his ship, the captain saw lights in front of him in the distance. He immediately had his signalman send a message: “I’m the captain of a large battleship. Change you course ten degrees.”

Back came a reply: “I’m a seaman first class, Sir. You change your course ten degrees.”

“I said I’m a captain. You are a seaman. I order you to change your course ten degrees,” replied the captain.

“I would, Sir, but I’m on a lighthouse and can’t change my course,” came the message from the seaman.

We find some great advice in Proverbs: “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” The path that many travel may “seem right” but it is “not right.” It may offer many options and choices that seem exciting and require few sacrifices, but ultimately it destroys the soul and ends in death.

The right choice often requires hard work and difficult decisions, self-sacrifice and doing without. It may demand a change in lifestyle and force us to give up attractive surroundings and pleasurable experiences.

Giving in often requires giving up what matters most in life: living to please God and to be blessed by Him.

Prayer: Often in life, Heavenly Father, we know the right thing to do. But knowing what is right and doing it is often difficult. Give us strength, we pray, to “do right.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

What To Live Without

A young lady was bragging to her girlfriends about her good fortune. “I have two handsome men who want to marry me, and I can’t decide which one to choose. I can live with either of them!”

One of her friends wisely said, “Your job is to determine which one of them you can live without.”

Everyone has a decision to make: Will we accept or reject Christ as our Savior.

When we choose to accept Him and the life He has to offer, we settle our eternal destiny. Once we have accepted Him as our Savior our life will be different. When we turn from sin to the Savior, we are given the power to live an abundant life – a life that is satisfying and fulfilling and one that pleases and honors God.

Sin is not a defect in our personality but a disease that destroys us. Sin is not an attitude or an accident, but a decision to turn against God. Sin is not a mistake but a willing rebellion against God’s laws. God’s Word says that “the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are eternally grateful to You for giving us the opportunity to choose life through Your Son, Jesus Christ. We ask that You will become the Master in our lives and keep us from sin. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What Counts

In the game of baseball victory is determined by runs. It is not determined by strikes or strike outs, hits, double plays, triple plays or the number of innings a game may go. It is only determined by runs.

The player who hits the ball into left field for a single, even stretches it into a double and slides safely into second is not rewarded with “half-a-run.” It is not part of the final score.

How true of life. How true of everything we do. It is not how well we start, how well we continue for a while, but whether or not we finish what we started.

Paul had a co-worker named Demas. How long he was involved with Paul or whether or not he had any particular skills in church planting is not known. What is known is that he deserted Paul because he loved the things of “this life.” He allowed his desire for worldly things and pleasures to surpass his desire for the things of the Lord.

There are two ways we might view the world. One is the way God intended it to be and the way it will be when He returns in His glory. The other way we might look at the world is as Demas did – as it is now with its attractions and pleasures that can defeat us and destroy us.

All of us have the same choices as Demas and Paul: to live for the things of this world or the world to come.

Prayer: Create within us, Lord, the desire to seek first the Kingdom of God and a life of righteousness. May we honor You in all we do and forsake the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: 2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica, Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmania.

Choosing Sides

A minister had been invited to have dinner with President Abraham Lincoln shortly after his inauguration. After they gave thanks for the food, the minister said, “I hope the Lord’s on our side. We are facing some difficult times!”

“I don’t agree with you,” said the president.

“What?” gasped the minister. “You don’t agree that we need the Lord on our side?”

“No,” replied Lincoln. “It is my prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side.”

When we ask God to be on the side of the choices we make or the paths we choose to follow, they may or may not be those that would honor God. The assumption is that God will be with us and bless us no matter what.

But when we choose to be on God’s side, everything is different. We look to Him for guidance and instruction and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. Often individuals think that if we are a nation of slogans and signs that refer to God we will be honored and blessed by Him. Not so!

The Bible clearly and consistently reminds us that: Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD!

Prayer: We acknowledge, Lord, that we cannot expect You to guide and guard us unless we willingly honor, worship and praise You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Exodus 32:26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.