Organizing the Inside – Day 306 Choose Life!

July 5, 2012 at 12:00 pm · Filed under Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, Love, Relationship, Wisdom, Women's Ministry and tagged: Choices, Choose Life, Commitment, Desires, Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Jesus

10“Son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”’ 11Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’ Ezekiel 33:10, 11 (NIV)

God makes His position perfectly clear to the Israelites. He doesn’t want anyone to perish in their wickedness. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) God’s desire toward mankind is that we would know Him and choose life. 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 (KJV) He wants us to be in fellowship with Him. Before Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden and tried to hide from God, he had perfect fellowship with God. Even then God wanted to reconcile man unto himself 8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8, 9 (NIV) It’s not as if an omnipotent God didn’t know where Adam was. I believe God was admonishing Adam to consider the choice he’d made and the consequences he now had to face.

Often times as Christians we make choices without bothering to consider the consequences. Many go about their lives choosing to live according to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life; instead of choosing to live the way the Holy Spirit leads. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. John 14:17a (NLT) The Holy Spirit is on His job, leading Christians into all truths. The reason so many don’t walk in those truths is because they aren’t bothering to follow His lead. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 1 John 2:16 (NLT)

God sent a warning to the people of Israel. He sent Ezekiel who was the watchman to warn them of their sins. Sin separates us from God. While it doesn’t separate us from his love, it keeps us from having fellowship with Him. Man cannot truly have an intimate relationship with God while choosing sin over righteousness. One cannot choose to obey their flesh, while honoring God with their mouths, and think the lie they are living is hidden from God. And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Isaiah 29:13a (NLT) Adam tried to hide from God once he sinned. God understood what happened and exactly where Adam was. God understands your choices and He knows the exact reasons why you made them. Nevertheless, that doesn’t relieve us from the responsibility of making the right choices.

The question is not sin, sin, sin… The question is the space behind the door where you refuse to let Him in. If we are ever going to be organized on the inside, we are going to have to yield completely to the Holy Spirit. The choice is clear; obey God and His commands or obey your flesh and follow your own selfish desire. Will something else have to die because of poor choices? God wants us to be in fellowship and harmony with Him. He provided a way out and a way to make better choices by giving His Son Jesus Christ. He strengthens us to say yes to His will and then empowers us to keep the commitment. He wants our lives to honor and glorify Him in every way. We’ve got to let Him in the secret places.  Allow God to reign, especially in those small and hidden places where truth and flesh meet up. If you check, I guarantee you’ll likely find fear there. This is where life and death decisions are made, within your heart. What will your heart choose today; will your heart choose life? Will you choose to obey God, allow Him to organize what’s on the inside and put that one thing to rest?

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