Choices: August 2, 1010

Today's Word for Monday August 2, 2010

CHOICES

DEFINITION

The act or instance of choosing; selection; the right or power or opportunity to choose; a variety from which to choose.

SCRIPTURE

Jesus said: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit."
John 15:16

Joshua said: "Choose you this day whom you will serve, but for me and my house we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

"A good name is rather to be chosen then great riches." Proverbs 22:1

"Refuse evil and choose good." Isaiah 7:15

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Every day we make many CHOICES in our day to day living. Some of these choices we make are good and some are bad. We choose what we wear. We choose what we eat. We choose where we go. As parents we choose how we lead and teach. And as children we choose how we respond. When facing life as we know it every day we have to make choices.

The greatest and most important CHOICE we must make in our life is whether to serve God or not to serve God. If we choose to serve God we have made a good and positive choice and will spend an eternity in Heaven. If we choose not to serve God, we have chosen to spend an eternity in hell. May we remind you that not making that choice is the same as rejecting God and your choice therefore is not to serve God. This should be an easy choice to make but many find it very difficult.

How can we determine when the choices we make in our daily lives are right or wrong? The right choice will not be in conflict with God's Word - the Bible. This is why it is so important to study the Bible because in the Bible is God's guide book for our life. The Psalmist said: "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105.

Parents have a huge responsibility to train their children in how to make choices. If you as a parent have or are making bad choices in your life it is going to be impossible for you to teach your children how to make right choices. You need to change now, with the help of God, and let your children know by your words and actions that you are changing.

There are so many pressures on children today that can affect the choices they make daily. There are so many outside influences today that make a profound impact on children's thinking. Three of the most harmful are peer pressure, music and television. Parents must be constantly on the alert, and that is why we encourage every family to have dinner together every night, so your children can talk and you can listen to what they are doing and what they are feeling.

Parents must make it a priority to spend time with their children so they know what is going on in their life. Do you know who your children are spending time with? Do you know where they are going and what they are doing?

Parents must begin teaching their children at a very early age that making the wrong choices can have a negative affect on their lives for a life time. And the opposite is also true. Making the right choices affects ones life in a positive way for a life time.

Isaiah tells us (Isaiah 7:15) that we have the choice to refuse evil and choose good or not to. Joshua tells us also that we choose whom we will serve. The choice is up to you.

Children are making choices today based on what they see their parents doing. With children, especially teenagers, what parents do has a greater influence on them than what a parent says. That is why we parents must live a consistent Christian life putting God first in all we do and in all we say. If parents choose to live for sinful pleasure, that will affect their children and their grandchildren (Exodus 20:4-5). Parents who live by faith and honor God will have a strong influence for the positive on their children and grandchildren.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 1:21:

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

PRAYER

Give us this day, dear Lord, the wisdom to make choices to honor Your name. We give You praise for choosing us and then allowing us to choose to follow You and then bear fruit for Your sake. Help us to make the right decisions today in our choice of friends, our choice of words and our actions. Protect our children, dear Lord, from harmful choices. Thank You for being our Lord and our Savior.