Every day people all over the world do things that change their lives for good or bad. These are life’s experiences, and the most common action that affects our experience is choice. AMEN
Life is made up of choices. Life is a series of decisions we make, and whatever choice we make, we must live with the result of that decision.
The choices we make usually consist of a whole lot of possibilities and, whether real or imagined, we must recognize that in some way our decisions will change our life forever. Therefore when making a choice, we must be aware of how our choice will affect the future outcomes of our lives. AMEN
Of course there are different types of choices; some are easy to make, and others are hard. For instance, making a decision to buy a new pair of shoes is easy. We do this all the time, without much effort.
But other choices that will affect your life events, and might even affect other folk’s lives, are harder.
We must recognize that:
• These choices are gonna stay with us throughout our life.
• These choices will either haunt us or make us stronger in spite of.
• And, these choices could destroy you or another individual, just by association. AMEN
Romans 2: 5-6 states “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds.
My Message today is … Think about the Consequences
Brothers and sisters, God knows we’re not perfect, and God understands our progress. He knows that we’re constantly growing, and he knows, that as we grow:
• We’re gonna fall,
• We’re gonna hurt,
• We will stumble,
• And, we’re bound to slip, AMEN
But we get back up, we dust ourselves off, and we try again. This is life in the world we live in. We live in a world constantly battling to grab us up and change our direction.
We act according to what we believe we are. If we are deceived into thinking that we are not what God says we are, then we are gonna keep on acting according to what the devil has tricked us into believing.
But we can break this cycle with persistence. Our persistence in trying to understand and follow God’s words will allow us to be who we truly are.
Romans 8:37 states “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
Brothers and sisters, nothing is more compelling than the power of choice. Whether we’re young or old. Whether we’re easily manipulated or strong willed, or whether we’re just confused because of our lack of understanding. We can choose good over evil and right over wrong. It’s your choice, whatever age. AMEN
In this world, in this world today, as it was yesterday, there are good people and there are bad people:
• Those who lovingly obey their God,
• And, those who stubbornly reject him.
We define ourselves by the choices we make, minute by minute, situation by situation. All it takes is an act of our free will to be the best that we choose to be. AMEN
Romans 6:16 states “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
Our action show who we serve, and we serve only one of two masters. We can choose good, or we can choose bad. Therefore our destiny depends on our actions; our choices. God knows we’re not perfect, but God gave us a strong will, and a mind of understanding. He gave us an edge over all other creatures. AMEN
Have you ever wondered how people get to be the way they are? You may answer with the thought that our characters are the accumulation of the decisions we’ve made. Some of us may say that we are who we are because of the situations that we’ve gone through.
When we’re dissatisfied with our present state in life, it’s tempting to blame circumstances beyond our control. It’s not my fault. Or If I coulda, shoulda, woulda…… AMEN
We convince ourselves that we would be better off, if we had been “dealt a better hand.” Yet, in all the important ways, we’re each the product of the decisions that we’ve made. MY MY…
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 states “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Brothers and sisters, we’ve voluntarily thought, spoken, and done the things that have made us who we are. Our character is built up not from our external circumstances, but from what we’ve chosen to do with those circumstances. AMEN
Let’s look at David and Saul
The kingdom was to be taken away from Saul because of his bad choices. David was better than Saul because he’d made better choices, not because he had better circumstances. This goes to say that our circumstances don’t have to control us.
1 Samuel 13:14 states “But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee”.
David’s own father didn’t think that he could possibly be a King. After all he was just a shepherd boy. But when God looked at David, He didn’t see a shepherd boy, but rather he saw a man after His own heart.
And those five smooth stones in the stream near the valley of Elah were not that special either, but when God got a hold of them and put them into the hands a shepherd boy by the name of David, they became powerful projectiles that would slay the great enemy of the Israelites, Goliath.
David, God said, he will be King.
1Samuel 15:28 states “And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou”.
Brothers and sisters, our parents have the initial task of encouraging us, and this may mean not allowing us to hate one another, and to teach us right from wrong.
They understand that:
• It’s natural for children to fight and argue.
• It’s natural that they are gonna do things that hurt one another at times;
• And, it’s natural for them to sometimes lose their way.
But, our parent’s duty is to encourage us to understand our differences. They should teach us to embrace our differences. We had to learn that differences are like the “seasoning” of life. We had to understand that too much “salt” is not good for us.
Now, some of us may have been raised under terrible circumstances and terrible situations. While our parents’ guidance does have much influence over what we believe and do; it does not have to control us.
Just because your dad was a drunk doesn’t mean you have to be. Just because your mother wasn’t there for you, doesn’t mean you have to do the same to others.
1 Corinthians 13:11 states “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
Brothers and sisters, every day our young adults and some of us old adults, will most likely be faced with pressure to do this and that. That pressure is intensified today by the “world wide web”. The internet has opened up an avenue that portrays options of seemingly fun situations, without showing the potential consequences, or considering how God wants Christians to handle these situations.
Our young adults face a tough decision that comes with a price. Honoring God, themselves, and their future, often means that they’ll face ridicule from their peers, and sometimes adults. We must understand that doing the right thing may come with physical and emotional difficulties, But by the grace of God, he’ll be there to help you stay strong. AMEN
Young brothers and sisters, please understand, when you’re own your own, your mistakes mold you. Your mistakes will either make you stronger or take you down a road of struggle and destruction.
However, mistakes are a part of being human. Learn from them; but don’t let them consume you. Mistakes, slip-ups, disappointments, defeats, and failures can either be a tool used by the devil to bring you down, or they can be the tools God uses to show us the way. Embrace them. Pick yourself up and press on. Don’t let them control you! AMEN
Exodus 2:23-25 states “And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.; And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.; And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
It you didn’t know, let me tell you. Our decisions and choices have a cumulative effect. They tend to “snowball” or have a boomerang effect. Even “little” choices are more significant than we might think.
Every decision and every act can change a person for better or worse. A person is never exactly the same after making any choice, and future choices tend to either cater around our past choice, or build above that choice.
We have to understand that choices will lead to consequences. And we can’t always control those consequences. We may find ourselves making the best of our past choices or letting them control our lives forever. AMEN
Brothers and sisters,
• Choices build habits.
• Choices form character.
• Choices drive self-will
• Choices cater self-defeat.
• And choices make it easier to act in certain ways and more difficult to act in others.
Our choices will be a catalyst to building good and bad habits. And, yes, some of these bad habits will be hard to quit. Therefore we must pray. Pray for ourselves and pray for those around us. Pray for a blessing of understanding. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, we need to accept responsibility for what we’ve made of ourselves. We’re what we’ve chosen to be. We are self-made persons. If we’ve listened to that old devil, telling us that we are essentially a bad person, we’ve listened to bad advice.
We must step back and take control of our life. Don’t let your consequences continue to bite you, to reap havoc in your life. Turn things around, and step up. Yeah, it may be hard, but with God on your side, you can turn those consequences around. AMEN
Galatians 6:7-8 states “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”.
With every choice we’re becoming more like God, or more like Satan. Becoming more like God, makes it easier to resist Satan. Becoming more like Satan, makes it easier to believe Satan’s lies and deception.
Hebrews 5:14 states “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Brothers and sisters, God will take every act into account in his judgment of our lives. No decision will be too small to be insignificant.
Matthew 12:36 states “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment”.
As children playing on the playground or in the street, we may have said “That didn’t count” or “I had my fingers crossed”. But, when God judges our lives, no such excuses will be accepted. AMEN
We may tell ourselves that we’re merely being careless, but the consequences of our choices are eternal, and we’re responsible for them. The goal, the end, or the outcome of those acts, will produce the inevitable consequence of actions that we chose. Sooner or later, our consequences will literally hit us in the face, or kick us in the behind.
Hebrews 12:25 states “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven”.
Brothers and sisters, God doesn’t require larger steps of righteousness than we can manage, only small steps taken in faith. God is not looking for people who can do everything, but for those who are willing to do what they can! We must learn to choose actions that lean toward God’s direction. AMEN
Let’s consider a few choices:
First…………Hanging out and having fun
Let’s consider a young person getting caught up in the downhill consequence of bad choices that leads to severe hurt and loss.
Most of us can relate to being young and going to an establishment serving alcohol. We normally go with friends for a night of partying and drinking. But I’m here to tell you, we must be diligent in “our” choice. AMEN
In this situation, the party was great, and you leave with friends.
1. You leave there driving the car belonging to another person.
2. Because you yourself are a little tipsy, you drive through a stoplight without stopping and hit someone.
3. At the urging of your friends, you make another bad choice by driving away from the accident scene. MY MY
Guess What….You are later apprehended. The words if I coulda, shoulda, woulda just ran through your thoughts, because you now realize that these bad choices all began with the initial choice to go partying and drinking with friends. AMEN
The experience of that night has resulted in the following consequences:
• You now have been arrested and placed into a jail cell.
• You’ve been charged with driving under the influence.
• You’ve been charged with "Hit and Run" which is a felony.
• You’ve been charged with running a stoplight.
• You’ve been charged with driving an uninsured vehicle, that “your friend” just so happened to forget to tell you about.
• You’re gonna have attorney fees and court cost for your defense.
• You may lose your job if convicted of the felony charge.
• If you lose your job, you will also lose your income source.
This is quite a serious set of consequences resulting from the wrong decision to party, drink alcohol, and then drive.
Was it worth it…….. Think about it……..Think about the consequences………. My My…
Next……..Your Reputation follows you….
Consider someone that does and says what they want. They really don’t care what anyone thinks. They blog and tweet bad things and really don’t care how they affect others.
Brothers and sisters, if you didn’t know, our reputation is based upon our past behavior. It’s something we build over time by how we have reacted to the circumstances around ourselves. Some of the factors that determine our reputation are based upon the following actions.
• Do we tell the truth or do we lie?
• Do we honor our word or back out of promises we make?
• Are we respectful of the property of others or careless with it?
• And, are we helpful or a hindrance?
A good reputation can be destroyed with just one bad choice. It may be nearly impossible to repair the damage done by that single wrong blog, or tweet, or txt, or email, or post. It will keep coming back over and over like a “dark shadow” over your reputation.
Proverb 18:19 says, "A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle."
In a society without moral principles, anything goes. When people can choose what’s right and wrong without having a standard, how do you decide which way to go? Eventually you’ll get caught in your dishonesty. It will come back to bite you. But, if you live with integrity, your decisions will be easier to make. AMEN
Job 4:6 - “Is not your fear of God your confidence and the integrity of your ways your hope?
Brothers and sisters, we should make the choices in our life that make our soul sing, and sustain a happy life doing what God has intended. Just think: The choice you make today could make not only your life happier, but make a better world in which we live. AMEN
Thirdly…Sometimes we let our Emotions get the best of us
How many times a week could you just kick yourself for losing control? How many times have you seen those consequences coming straight at you? You try to be patient with:
• Your kids,
• Your spouse,
• Your parents,
• Your co-workers,
• Or, those so called friends,
Before you knew it you let that old devil get a hold of your tongue, and the words you say begin their spiral of damage and strike with an ugly burst of cruelty.
Do you know what I’m talking about? AMEN
You thought you’d broken the grip of that nasty habit, but there was that one weak moment, and you listened to the whisper that told you "it’ll be okay just this once," and now you feel like a failure. You knew you should’ve steered clear, but you thought you could handle it. Before you knew it, you’ve found out the hard way that you were weaker than you thought. My My..
Brothers and sisters, we’ve been given a "sound mind" Therefore, we first must believe in ourselves. If we’re not careful, that old devil, if given the opportunity, will twist your mind in ways that only could make him happy.
In the form of others, he’ll tell you 'you're not good enough,' 'you're opinion doesn't really matter,' or go ahead and curse them out. AMEN
Don’t let these things get you twisted in an emotional hail storm. Don’t let other folks comments lead you to a life of trying to be perfect at everything, or believe that you’re not smart, or lead you to do or say something you know is not Christian-like. AMEN
According to 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
Our emotional strength is determined, to a great extent, by how we respond to the circumstances around us. If we choose to react in a positive manner, it often will help us maintain a strong mental attitude about the situation. All too often we choose to react negatively based upon our “assumption” of the intent of what someone else has said or done. When we do that, we are choosing to judge without hearing both sides of the story.
For instance, before making a hot tempered reaction and judging someone wrongly, instead, you should take a moment and attempt to understand why this person is behaving a certain way, and you then may choose to react to the situation in a healthier, constructive way, and demonstrate some intelligence.
Two angry people will NOT create a positive outcome. AMEN
Proverbs 12:18 states “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
And, Proverbs 16:24 states “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Brothers and sisters we should strive for an emotional confidence that allows us to do what’s right, and our righteousness will prosper. It will prosper in ways we never imagined. AMEN
Philippians 3:14 states “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” AMEN
Now, As I being this message to a close
Brothers and sisters, life is serious business. It brings with it consequences. It pays to live carefully, but the truth is, we have failed, and kicked ourselves, and felt condemned. And we have hidden ourselves from God, and turned away, not because we don’t love Him, but because we are ashamed. We have felt like a wretch, and we have listened to Satan tell us that God condemned us for our sin. But if we were in Christ at the time, then we were wrong to listen to Satan.
So……..
• We must never let others dictate what we do.
• They must never come between us and what’s right.
• To become a person of integrity we must do what’s right and refuse to be persuaded by others.
• We must understand that sometimes you have to go against the crowd if the crowd is wrong.
• And, sometimes you have to be willing to stand alone, if necessary, for what’s right. AMEN
You see, it’s not what other people think about you that count. It’s what God thinks of you that you’ll care about. Whether that’s today or at the end of your life. Sooner or later you’ll understand that the only thing that counts is what God is going to think and say about you.
Job 8:20 states “Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers” AMEN
Understand me brothers and sisters, there will be people out there that see you going in the wrong direction and would say to you that you can never change. But listen to me when I say…
Don’t let anything that you’ve ever done, or will ever do, separate you from God. No one is righteous; all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. AMEN
The bad news is that everyone outside of Christ will suffer the consequences of their sin. The good news is that God has made a provision for us to come "into Christ."
His will is that every person will come into Christ. But God does not force His will on us. He gives us free will. AMEN
Ephesians 5:15 states “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise”.
We must understand that each action reaches into eternity. We will eventually have to take responsibility for the bad choices we’ve made.
Let us be encouraged knowing that we can make a difference for good even in “small” acts of faith.
Let us be grateful for the opportunity to make better choices today.
We may not be able to control the consequences, but we can control our choices.
No one is a natural at being a Christian or becoming what God wants us to be. But we strive to be a Christian and hope that someday when we stand before God we will not be ashamed of how we lived and what He will say to us.
1 Corinthians 15:10 states “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Brothers and sisters, we can never truly say that our lives are helpless and hopeless. We have a choice to do something that will alter our situation for the better.
Many would say that we have no control over our world or what happens to us.
I say perhaps you cannot control the world, but you can certainly control how you choose to react to various situations and how you will handle them. AMEN
Someone once said: “Choice is the basis of every part of your existence. Choice creates movement. Healthy choice moves you to where God has intended.”
References:
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