God or the World #4
A Choice of the Heart
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Israel enjoyed the blessings for less than 1000 years. They entered the land of Canaan about 1400 BC and Babylon conquered Israel about 587 BC. In addition, many times during this period, Israel disobeyed God and was chastened.
This particular passage refers to the grand finale of Moses’ address to the people in which God will turn the captivity of the people if they will listen and obey His voice. In their case, it is a choice of the heart.
This morning, we conclude this series of God or the World by allowing God to give us a “Heart Checkup” if you will. We now know the ways of Satan, the tactics of Satan, we know who we need to choose, but are we going to choose God with all of heart, mind, and soul? That’s the point today.
TEXT
Expose the scripture verse by verse.
15: A separation of the sides
Good versus Life and Death versus Evil
The people have a choice, it is theirs to make.
Salvation is our choice it is our free will decision to make.
16: Moses commanded the people to:
Love God
Walk in His Ways
*Keep His Commandments
Live and Multiply and experience God’s blessing in the new land
*What about the commandments? Were they meant for rigid law or were they meant in love and care.
Ex 20:1-20
God loved us to the point that he sent Jesus Christ to the cross to die for our sins. He sent these commandments as a loving law for us to follow. He desired people to follow His will and sin not. It’s a choice that we have to make.
17: A warning of turning the heart against God and choosing another source
18-19: 18 tells us that when you choose against God, you will perish
19 – the choice verse – Moses laid down blessing and cursing in front of his people. It is their free will choice to choose.
20: Plead that the people will choose God.
It is a choice of the heart. We can make an outward appearance decision, but we need to make an inward decision and an inward choice.
Romans 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
It’s a heart decision, we must put Jesus Christ first in our lives.
The choice boils down to, as we have discussed this past month, to a choice of good and evil – God or the evil wiles of the world.
1 John 2:15-17
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world.
What is your heart condition this morning? You can make an outward decision to try and do things the right way, but you will fail miserably until you make an inward decision with your heart to follow God and let God lead you in every passing circumstance of every passing day.
