August 18th

AUGUST 18th

Not making a choice, is actually a choice. There is no middle ground. We are on one side or the other.

Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

This verse is Jesus talking, and it makes it pretty clear that we can’t just say we believe in Him and then go about living our own life for ourselves. If we are not actively following, we are not with Him. Pretty hard truth. We too often just want to add Jesus into OUR lives, instead of making our life HIS. And then we get upset when we don’t get the results we expect from Him.

Joshua 24:14-16 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!”

Choose you this day whom you will serve. It is not just a matter of what we believe, it is a matter of action. IF we really believe that Jesus is Lord then let it be reflected in our lives. Often those verses are quoted and focus is on choosing God. But, notice it is on choosing who you will SERVE not just who you believe in at the moment. We too often have ourselves on the throne instead of God on the throne. Who are the “other gods” in your life? Is it yourself? Is it stuff? Are you serving the gods of the people “in whose land you are living” (the world)?

We have to be sure that we are not refusing to make a choice, thinking that it doesn’t matter. It does, and not making that choice is a choice. Not taking a stand for Christ, is taking a stand against Him. Not serving Him, is serving other gods. Often we do this by default when we accept the things the world says to be true. We cannot just bide our time and say that we will live for Jesus and not open our mouths about the sin going on around us in those we love. Now of course it is not our job to condemn, it is our job to snatch them from the fire of Hell instead. It is difficult to speak hard truth to those we love, but we must and we should… IF we really love them. But we do it in love, seasoned with salt and FULL of grace. We do it (with mercy) to snatch them from the fire of Hell. We do it not as rejecting them, but as choosing Jesus and wanting them to choose Jesus too.

Jude 1:22-23 Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

We should examine our lives for any other areas that we are not choosing Jesus. I have to ask myself today, “is there any thing in my day today that is there because I am not choosing Jesus in that area?” Will you join me in examining ourselves before God this day? I don’t want to choose against Jesus by default, I want to actively choose Him and serve Him.

Jesus, I choose you. Not just to believe in, but to serve and follow. Help me to identify areas in my day today that do not choose You. Show me how to turn them over to You. Help me to recognize when I am choosing wrong. Thank you for your patience and love, and thank you for choosing me Jesus.