“Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.”
Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
The choices we make are very important; they allow us to control how we use our life. This is similar to when a person is walking along a road that splits into two separate roads. He has to choose which way to go. Most likely, he will choose the road that brings him closer to where he wants to go instead of the road that takes him farther away. And we need to be on that road that leads us closer to God.
God’s word tells us about many people who had to make some very important choices. For example, Cain had to choose whether he would control his anger or not. (Genesis 4:6-7)
Genesis 4:6-7 (NKJV)
So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
Joshua had to choose whether he would worship the true God or false gods. (Joshua 24:15)
Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
It was important to Joshua to be on the right road. He wanted to stay close to God, so he had to make a choice that would help him to do so. Unfortunately for Cain he made a choice that separated him from Jehovah.
These same choices are still with us today too. Sometimes we have to make appropriate decisions, so that we too can stay on the right road. We need to remember that our choices can either bring glory to God, and help us to stay close to him or they can separate us from him. (Hebrews 3:12 (NKJV)
Hebrews 3:12 (NKJV)
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
Here are some examples of some choices that we need to make:
Employment/Career:
God tells us we must work to support ourselves and our families. God also tells us in His word, if anyone does not want to provide for his family, he is worse than an unbeliever.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NKJV)
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
1 Timothy 5:8 (NKJV)
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
From the above verses we have learnt, it’s important to work. But if we are not careful, our decisions about the work we take, can start to separate us from God. How? For example, you may take a job that requires a lot of your time with long hours. This can lead you to not have enough time to spend with God or learn about Him. So often, when I have tried to invite people over for a casual study time, I often get a response like this, “I just don’t have time for that at the moment.” What your actually saying, is, I don’t have time for God. Remember, your choice could help you to stay close to God or separate you further from him.
Hebrews 2:1 (NKJV)
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
Whether you need a job or are thinking about changing your job, make a wise decision.
Recreation / Entertainment
God does not tell us we cannot have fun, but we do have to choose and consider what we do wisely.
For example, don’t take on a sport or hobby that again will end up taking up a lot of your time. As this again, will only lead you, to not having enough time for God or lack of time in fellowship with other believers.
God tells us in His word; there is “a time to laugh” and “a time to dance.”
Ecclesiastes 3:4 (NKJV)
A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
But if we are not careful, recreation and entertainment could start to separate us from God. How, by spending too much time on recreation, and entertainment or by choosing the wrong kind. First, let us think about what kind of recreation and entertainment we should choose. It is definitely possible to find good recreation and entertainment.
Please be careful, ask God for direction and make the right choices, as much of the entertainment in today’s world, is about things, that God hates, like violence, spiritism, and immoral sex. So we need to be careful about what kind of recreation and entertainment we choose.
So lets start today, by making those changes and choosing to walk in the right direction, His Pathway.
