WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
OCTOBER 14, 2021
TOPIC: ARE YOU MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES?
 BY T. O. BANSO
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19 New King James Version).
Human beings make choices every day. Some choices are easy to make, but some are not. Nevertheless, making choices is inevitable. The impact or consequences of choices we make vary. Some consequences can be reversed, but some are irreversible.
Some people make choices based on today’s convenience without any consideration for tomorrow. Today’s gain may become tomorrow’s pain. For some people, the pleasure of yesterday has turned to pressure today. What appears to be a wise choice today may turn out tomorrow to be a foolish choice. The price some people failed to pay yesterday has created a bigger problem for them today.
It is always good to make the right choices. God created man as a free moral agent, and He won’t force anyone to do anything. He allows human beings to make their choices. Eve chose to believe the words of Satan and ate the forbidden fruit, instead of obeying the word of God not to eat the fruit (Genesis 3:1-6). God didn’t stop Eve and Adam when they chose to eat the forbidden fruit.
In Deuteronomy 30:19, Moses, speaking for God, told the Israelites, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (New King James Version). The choices were theirs to make.
Similarly, Joshua told the Israelites they could choose to serve the gods their fathers served on the other side of the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land they were living, but as for him and his house, they would serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15).
In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah told the people of Israel, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (New King James Version). That was a simple question, but the people didn’t give him any answer.
Is your choice to serve the Living God or a lifeless god? Do your choices agree with the Word of God? Romans 6:16 says, “Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval” (New Living Translation).
Wisdom cries, “Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it” (Proverbs 8:10-11 New Living Translation). But not everybody listens to make their choices based on the wisdom of God. They’ll rather choose gold rather than God. Proverbs 22:1 says, “Choose a good reputation over great riches, for being held in high esteem is better than having silver or gold” (New Living Translation).
Jacob didn’t force Esau to sell his birthright to him; he only gave him an offer in response to his request for his food. It was up to Esau to accept or reject the offer. He could have endured hunger and refused to sell his birthright. Unfortunately, he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him (Genesis 25:29-34).
Hebrews 12:17 says that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. You won’t make wrong choices that will make you cry later in life in Jesus’ name.
The following will guide you in making the right choices:
1. Let your motives be right. Don’t be covetous, greedy, self-seeking. Seek to do the will of God only. If you already have an idol in your heart, your preferred choice, you will miss God’s right choice for you (James 4:3; 1Samuel 16:7).
2. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Depend on Him.
3. Remember the LORD in all you do. Put the LORD first. Seek His will. Listen for His voice in all you do. That is what it means to acknowledge Him in all your ways, as said in Proverbs 3:6. When you acknowledge Him in all your ways, He will direct your paths. Commit the matter to God for divine guidance and follow Holy Ghost leading (Proverbs 16:3; Romans 8:14).
4. Be guided by the Word of God. The Bible is already categorical on certain things, and you don’t need prayer or divine leading again on them. You’re already led! You can also be guided by Word of God while listening to the preaching or teaching of the Word of God or in your personal study of the Word of God (Psalm 119:105, 133).
5. Follow your heart. I’m talking about a heart or your recreated human spirit where the Holy Spirit dwells and a heart that keeps the Word of God, not a heart filled with sinful thoughts and desires. “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 NLT). Listen to the Holy Spirit in your spirit or heart. Even before you pray sometimes, your heart feels uncomfortable about a matter. Stop and pray about it before you take any step further.
6. Don’t act under pressure. You’re likely going to make a mistake if you act under pressure. God doesn’t pressure you; He allows you to make choices.
7. When you don’t know what to do, do nothing yet. Wait until you are convinced of the right thing to do.
8. Listen to experts, but understand that the experts aren’t always right. In Acts 27, those on the ship with Paul nearly perished in the sea because the centurion listened to experts (the ship’s captain and the owner of the ship), rather than listen to divine warning through Paul.
9. Consider the facts. “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts” (Proverbs 24:3-4 The Living Bible).
10. Seek and respond to your pastor’s counsel. Proverbs 12:15 says, “Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others” (New Living Translation).
11. Benefit from Godly counsel from Christian friends and mature believers (1Kings 12:6-16; Proverbs 11:14, 15:22).
12. Listen to your parents. This is particularly useful if you are a child still under parental authority. God uses parents to help their children make right choices in life; although, in some cases, some parents, ignorantly or deliberately, lead their innocent children astray. Such parents will reap the fruits of their actions. However, a child who has Christian parents has an advantage.
Proverbs 1:8-9 says, “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck” (New King James Version).
Your choices today will determine, largely, your tomorrow. Don’t mortgage your future by your choices today. Life is not only about today. Make choices in light of your future – on this and in eternity.
Remember that the Bible says there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25). May you make the right choices at all times.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, deliver me from making wrong choices in life. I reject the spirit of error that will make me cry in the future. I shall make right choices in life in Jesus’ name.
(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
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