Just the facts!
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life that you may live, you and your descendants.” Deuteronomy 30:19
Have you ever noticed that as people we tend to make most things more complicated than they really are. When we have a decision to make we need to know every minute detail; now I am not saying that we don’t need to be aware of what we are getting into because we do. Even Jesus said that we should investigate an opportunity before we get involved.(Luke 14:28-32) There are times when we need to be cautious, but those times are usually apparent, and some details are left ambiguos or obscure. But, there are other times when we see every detail, but we are still hesitant about making a decision. These are the things that God has prepared for us.
God told Moses, and the children of Israel, you have seen the cost of not following, and not obeying my commands; and you have seen, and felt, the benefits of doing My will. Now the decision is up to you! I have put before you life(following Me), and death(not following Me) now you have to decide which one you want.
God is usually like that He lays all the cards on the table, and the decision is ours. God does not force us to follow Him, even though He knows that is the best choice. God will, and does respect our decisions because He loves us.
Do You remember the story in Luke 18 of the rich, young ruler who came to Jesus. The following is taken from the Devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers-“This man understood what Jesus said. He heard it clearly realizing the full impact of it’s meaning, and it broke his heart. He did not go away as a defiant person, but as one who was sorrowful and discouraged. He had come to Jesus on fire with zeal and determination, but the words of Jesus simply froze him. Instead of producing enthusiastic devotion to Jesus, they produced heartbreaking discouragement.”*
God lays out His plan, and then it is up to us to decide whether or not we can follow His plan. His plan never changes, so we must alter our lives appropriately. If we choose not to follow God’s plan then it will break His heart because He knows the outcome, death. But, if we decide to follow His plan then the angels in Heaven rejoice because the outcome for us is eternal life in the presence of God.
The plan of God has not changed since Adam and Eve first looked at the forbidden fruit. The facts of God are very simple.
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Obey Me and you will live!
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Disobey Me and you will certainly die!
The choice is yours what will you choose?
Father, I thank You for making Your plan for life so simple that a child could understand it, and I ask that You would help me to stay strong in all that I do; so that I may continually follow You in the plan to give me life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The above image can be found at:
http://dartonequation.com/2008/12/20/factoids-r-us/
*”My Utmost for His Highest”, Oswald Chambers, August 17
Yes, You Can Ministry 