Choices we make

In this world there are lots of temptations but praise God, Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33) and we are told that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Source: all our lemmony thing

Every day when I wake up I am overwhelmed with God’s everlasting love for me (Jeremiah 31:3), God tells me that I am His child (John 1:12), He says that I am the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8), He also tells me that He has numbered every hair on my head (Luke12:7 & Matthew 13:30) and that He has my name is written in the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:17). If all that is not enough God also tells me that He gave up everything He loved to gain my love (Romans 8:32). Just before Jesus Christ went back to His Father He promised us another incredible gift; the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the member of the Triune God that would come and convict us of our sin and give us the strength to overcome (John 16:7) Amen. God’s Amazing Grace and mercy is an undeserved gift. We know as born again Christians that when we repent of our sins and turn the other way we are forgiven and washed clean in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. However I always try to keep in mind that even though I am forgiven, the choices I make will have consequences. Not only do I break God's heart when I sin but I can potentially break the hearts of the innocent people who I love and who love me. 

Many years ago I knew a man who raped a thirteen year old young lady and as a result many people were seriously hurt. The victim was obviously hurt along with all of her family, the man’s wife, son, daughter, his mother, brothers, nieces, nephews and so on. When the court sentenced the man the attack was published in the newspapers and his brother who was only ten years old at the time was beaten with in an inch of his life when walking home from school. Another innocent victim was the perpetrator’s mother who had her house set on fire. The young victim needed years of psychological help to try and overcome the rape. The list of the innocent who were hurt is endless as is the list of those who are still hurting, 35 years later. I appreciate that the example I have chosen is extreme but the fact remains that sin in our lives can often hurt innocent people. This is why I live my life with the bible as my book of instructions and I stay in communication with God for every choice I make. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness’, Amen.

Source: Redeeming God

There are many examples in the bible of incredible characters who’s lives were a real blessing to others (some are mentioned in Hebrews 11) but for the nature of this article we will be considering just a few of the characters who’s choices led to innocent people suffering because of selfishness. There is King David, the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). King David paid a high price for his sin with Basheba and for murdering her husband. We know that King David repented and prayed to God for forgiveness in Psalm 51:4; ‘Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight’. King David was forgiven by God however there was still devastating consequences because of the choices he made.

King David’s son Soloman became King after his father and was blessed with incredible wisdom by God (1 Kings 4:30). In the book of Proverbs Soloman constantly talks about the immoral woman and warns to stay away from her; yet he had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 3:11). We know that many of the marriages were for political gain but the wives still led Soloman to worship their gods and as we know the consequence of this was that after Solomon’s death the Kingdom of Isreal was divided.

Elisha’s servant (Gehazi) in 2 Kings 5:27 is another example. Gehazi’s greed meant that not only himself but his descendants would have leprosy. We can even go back as far as Adam and Eve and the consequences to the whole human race, because of their choice to eat the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6). Jonah is another example of how disobedient sin put the lives of others at risk, on the boat to Tarshish (Jonah 1:3). The list can go on and on.

Dear brothers and sisters we are in a spiritual war and we need to keep the full armour of God on to help us make Godly choices that bless the lives of others (Ephesian 6:10-18). The pastor of our church continually reminds us to never take the armour off. If we let our guard down the enemy is waiting to attack, he roams around like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). In this world there are lots of temptations but praise God, Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33) and we are told that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). In our weakness God will be our strength (2 Corinthians 12:9). Amen. We are the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13) and I refuse by God’s grace to shrink back  (Hebrews 10:39). I am in a war and I intend to fight.

Father God your Word tells me that your beloved Son is coming back for his spotless bride like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2) and I pray that your Bride will be ready for the Bridegroom’s return. Help me to always have the oil in my lamp (Matthew 25:1-13) with the full armour of God to protect me (Ephesians 6:10-17). Holy Spirit help me to never be tempted by anything the enemy throws at me and to smash any selfishness every single day of my life. When Jesus Christ was tempted in the wilderness He used the Word of God against the enemy (Matthew 4:1-11), let me have the Word of God ready on my lips always. Help me to never forget that Jesus has already defeated satan, He has won the victory and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for me (Romans 8:34). Amen.

If I am persecuted then please let it be for living a holy, righteous life and for your beloved Son’s name (Matthew 5:16). Help me Father God to rejoice when I suffer for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ just like the disciples did in Acts 5:41. Please God let my life be a good example to others, a light in this darkened world I pray Amen. Isaiah 6:8 ‘Here I am Lord’.

Author: Christina O’Neill  

May God bless and enrich your life 

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