This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19
Some things we would choose are not God’s choice for us.
God knows that we humans apart from Him are carnal and fickle. Therefore He makes it easy to know His will by giving us His Word. However, many people make decisions in haste that they later regret because they did not consult with God through prayer, supplication and His Word. It’s easy to bypass these vital steps when we want what we want, how we want it, when we want it. But God never leaves us without a witness and a way of escape from the temptation to sin or go astray (1Corinthians 10:13).
Life and death, blessing and curses
The Holy Spirit is our Guide and our Witness. He bears witness of the will of God for our lives. When we yield to His promptings we can hear and be lead into life and blessings. He will also tell us when a choice we are about to make is going to lead us into curses and death. However, God leaves the choice with us with the warning of what is set before us in hopes that we choose life.
Choosing life will at times feel like death because it is death to your flesh and a laying down of your will.
Life works best when we look to the Word of God for our counsel and primary authority. This is where trust comes in because it’s hard to follow something or someone when you don’t know where it may lead you. But the Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” So, in fact, if we believe the Word of God we can have faith and peace that even if we don’t have all the details (highly unlikely) God does and He promises that if we will acknowledge Him in our decisions He will take the time and care to direct our paths.
Our choices affect not only us but our children.
The Lord sees beyond our immediate wants to the future and the effects that our choices will have on our children. Making decisions without our children in mind is a very selfish and destructive way to live. Parents often do things without thinking of the effects on the children; they live lifestyles that are not good for children. Single/divorces parents who bring other men or women around their children don’t realize the effects that bringing people who were never meant to be a part of their lives, not to mention their children’s lives has. Everything we do, from our music and movie choices to our friends and the decision to raise our children with God-consciousness and Christ-centeredness will bring life or death (spiritual or physical), blessing or curses not only to us as individuals but to our children as well.
Beloved, I urge with every decision to THINK, PRAY, PLEAD, READ. Ask the Lord if it will bring life or death, blessings or curses and choose life.
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