Making WISE choices

 

Joel 3:14

King James Version

14 Multitudes, 

multitudes in the valley of decision: 

for the day of the Lord is near 

in the valley of decision.

How to make wise choices?

As born again, SPIRIT and SCRIPTURE have simplified making choices for me.

GOD or strange gods.

Joshua 24:20

King James Version

20 If ye forsake the Lord, 

and serve strange gods, 

then he will turn and do you hurt, 

and consume you, 

after that he hath done you good.

GOD or man.

Colossians 3:23

King James Version

23 And whatsoever ye do, 

do it heartily, 

as to the Lord, 

and not unto men;

GOD or mammon.

Matthew 6:24

King James Version

24 No man can serve two masters: 

for either he will hate the one, 

and love the other; 

or else he will hold to the one, 

and despise the other. 

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

JESUS or the devil.

1 John 3:8

King James Version

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; 

for the devil sinneth from the beginning. 

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, 

that he might destroy the works of the devil.

SPIRIT or flesh.

Galatians 5:16

King James Version

16 This I say then, 

Walk in the Spirit, 

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Death or ETERNAL LIFE.

Romans 6:23

King James Version

23 For the wages of sin is death; 

but the gift of God is eternal life 

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hot or cold.

Revelation 3:15-16

King James Version

15 I know thy works, 

that thou art neither cold nor hot: 

I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, 

and neither cold nor hot, 

I will spue thee out of my mouth.

STRAIT gate or wide gate.

Matthew 7:13-14

King James Version

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: 

for wide is the gate, 

and broad is the way, 

that leadeth to destruction, 

and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, 

and narrow is the way,

 which leadeth unto life, 

and few there be that find it.

LIFE and GOOD or death and evil.

Deuteronomy 30:15-19

King James Version

15 See, 

I have set before thee this day life and good, 

and death and evil;

16 In that I command thee this day 

to love the Lord thy God, 

to walk in his ways, 

and to keep his commandments 

and his statutes and his judgments, 

that thou mayest live and multiply: 

and the Lord thy God shall bless thee 

in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

17 But if thine heart turn away, 

so that thou wilt not hear, 

but shalt be drawn away, 

and worship other gods, 

and serve them;

18 I denounce unto you this day, 

that ye shall surely perish, 

and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, 

whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, 

that I have set before you life and death, 

blessing and cursing: 

therefore choose life, 

that both thou and thy seed may live:

GRACE, through FAITH, or works.

Ephesians 2:8-9

King James Version

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; 

and that not of yourselves: 

it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, 

lest any man should boast.

MORE verses on helping us choose wisely.

Choosing WISELY means, we CHOOSE GOD.

Proverbs 3:5-6

King James Version

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; 

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, 

and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 14:12

King James Version

12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, 

but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Isaiah 30:21

King James Version

21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, 

saying, 

This is the way, 

walk ye in it, 

when ye turn to the right hand, 

and when ye turn to the left.

Isaiah 64:8

King James Version

8 But now, 

O Lord, 

thou art our father; 

we are the clay, 

and thou our potter; 

and we all are the work of thy hand.

Romans 6:23

King James Version

23 For the wages of sin is death; 

but the gift of God is eternal life 

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13

King James Version

13 There hath no temptation taken you 

but such as is common to man: 

but God is faithful, 

who will not suffer you to be tempted 

above that ye are able; 

but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, 

that ye may be able to bear it.

2 Corinthians 5:17

King James Version

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, 

he is a new creature: 

old things are passed away; 

behold, 

all things are become new.

Galatians 6:7-8

King James Version

7 Be not deceived; 

God is not mocked: 

for whatsoever a man soweth, 

that shall he also reap.

8 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.

Hebrews 11:24-25

King James Version

24 By faith Moses, 

when he was come to years, 

refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction 

with the people of God, 

than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

In conclusion:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

King James Version

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: 

Fear God, and keep his commandments: 

for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, 

with every secret thing, 

whether it be good, 

or whether it be evil.

Philippians 4:8

King James Version

8 Finally, brethren, 

whatsoever things are true, 

whatsoever things are honest, 

whatsoever things are just, 

whatsoever things are pure, 

whatsoever things are lovely, 

whatsoever things are of good report; 

if there be any virtue, 

and if there be any praise, 

think on these things.

Related material:

JESUS

WORD of GOD

AWARENESS of sin

BORN AGAIN articles

100 Bible Verses about Making Choices

Image: Unsplash

ABSENCE of arrogance

 

Micah 6:8 

King James Version

8 He hath shewed thee, 

O man, what is good; 

and what doth the Lord require of thee, 

but to do justly, and to love mercy, 

and to walk humbly with thy God?

Have people hurt you?

How do you feel about them now?

Have you gone past that hurt?

Do you have thoughts of revenge?

Obviously, if you are God's own, thoughts of the latter won't even occur to you.

Perhaps, you have erred, too.

But if you are not God's own, you will keep that hurt in your heart, letting it seep in every bone of your body, in the very marrow of your heart, waiting for an opportune time to seek revenge.

In the meantime, you are becoming the devil's own.

Well, this blog is about God's unvarnished truth.

Jesus taught us to love.

John 15:12 

King James Version

12 This is my commandment, 

That ye love one another, 

as I have loved you.

And it's only God who has a right to judge, and to avenge, for only He sees the total picture:

Romans 12:19 

King James Version

19 Dearly beloved, 

avenge not yourselves, 

but rather give place unto wrath: 

for it is written, 

Vengeance is mine; 

I will repay, 

saith the Lord.

The Son of God was mocked, reviled, and killed for our sins.

And yet, He had no vengeful bone in His body.

Jesus showed us how to love, how to sacrifice, how to obey God, how to be humble, even how to be humbled.

Every day we breathe, is an opportunity to be perfect in the eyes of the Lord.

We cannot grieve about what people have done to us.

Instead, we must grieve if we have hurt them, knowingly, or unknowingly.

And if we have grieved others, we must pray to Jesus, thanking Him for showing us our errors, asking Him to create an opportunity where we can right our wrongs with our brothers and sisters.

Only God would know how to create an opportunity for healing, and forgiveness.

Only He would know how to correct matters between us.

Only God sees the big picture.

Nothing is hidden from His eyes.

He searches our hearts constantly.

We can all pretend the grievances are nothing, or make others feel it is everything.

Thus, diseases, chaos, and wars.

But the Lord also admonished us:

Matthew 7:5 

King James Version

5 Thou hypocrite, 

first cast out the beam 

out of thine own eye; 

and then shalt thou see clearly 

to cast out the mote 

out of thy brother's eye.

Following the Lord, believing in Him, being a true child of God, means we are humble, teachable, and without any degree of arrogance in our hearts.

And most of all, we must open our hearts to God for correction.

The Holy Spirit loves such kinds of people.

Much will be given, according to our faithfulness to God's commandments.

And let's remember what the Lord Jesus did.

He did all for the Father.

It was never about self.

More verses:

Bible Verses About Humility

Updated 8 November 2023

The Only Way to Heal Nations

 

2 Chronicles 7:14 

King James Version

14 If my people, 

which are called by my name, 

shall humble themselves, 

and pray, 

and seek my face, 

and turn from their wicked ways; 

then will I hear from heaven, 

and will forgive their sin, 

and will heal their land.

Those were the days of King Solomon, son of King David, when He made offerings to God, to get back in the grace of the Lord.

This was what God wanted from Israel:

2 Chronicles 7:17-20 (KJV)

17 And as for thee, 

if thou wilt walk before me, 

as David thy father walked, 

and do according to all 

that I have commanded thee, 

and shalt observe my statutes 

and my judgments;

18 Then will I stablish t

he throne of thy kingdom, 

according as I have covenanted 

with David thy father, 

saying, 

There shall not fail thee a man 

to be ruler in Israel.

19 But if ye turn away, 

and forsake my statutes and my commandments, 

which I have set before you, 

and shall go and serve other gods, 

and worship them;

20 Then will I pluck them up 

by the roots out of my land 

which I have given them; 

and this house, 

which I have sanctified for my name, 

will I cast out of my sight, 

and will make it to be a proverb 

and a byword among all nations.

Has the world honored God today?

Is the world much different in its ways towards God since then?

I don't think so.

If anything, we are probably more wicked, and sinful.

Satan has newer methods, newer devices, literally, and figuratively.

And we keep up with the deceiver's devices, falling all over ourselves, lest we be behind "trends".

The game hasn't changed; the methods, and minions vary, that's all.

We continue to defy God's statutes with lifeless statues, more gods in every form, and industry, more high-tech devices and self-absorption that deceive us, and distance us from the Lord.

More seeming intellect that cloud thinking about God.

We remain in a fog.

To the great delight of the deceiver.

Our pride, greed, and vanity can never be satisfied, in exact reflection of the fallen one.

Moses reminded Israel, of what God commanded them at Mount Horeb:

Deuteronomy 5:6-10 (KJV)

6 I am the Lord thy God, 

which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, 

from the house of bondage.

7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, 

or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, 

or that is in the earth beneath, 

or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, 

nor serve them: 

for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, 

visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children 

unto the third and fourth generation of them 

that hate me,

10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them 

that love me and keep my commandments.

But you'd probably say, that was then.

God's laws were for Israel, for the Jews.

Doesn't apply now.

Doesn't apply to Gentiles.

Really?

Apostle Paul states:

Galatians 3:28 (KJV)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, 

there is neither bond nor free, 

there is neither male nor female: 

for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Thus, the same rule applies to all.

For we are all "one in Christ Jesus".

The laws of God are precise.

The heart that truly seeks the Lord, will seek to obey His laws.

The heart that wishes to defy the Lord, serves Satan.

It's really only two things to choose from : Jesus, or Satan.

Who have you aligned with?

How is your nation?

How is the world right now?

Obviously, we made the wrong choice.

It's now time -- and it's extremely urgent -- we reconcile with the Lord.

Who is the Lord, but Jesus, the only way back to the Father.

John 14:6 (KJV)

6 Jesus saith unto him, 

I am the way, 

the truth, 

and the life: 

no man cometh unto the Father, 

but by me.

God's laws are really very simple.

Jesus, the Son of God, descended from heaven, to make it even simpler.

He spoke through parables, He taught in synagogues, and everywhere He saw fit.

He spoke in plain language, and His gospel is simple.

Of course, we are forever confused, and ambushed by Satan, the tempter, and deceiver:

2 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)

3 But I fear, 

lest by any means, 

as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, 

so your minds should be corrupted 

from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Open your heart to Jesus now, and have Him heal the wounded recesses of your heart.

A healed heart will share his joy with the world.

And the world will get to know the Savior, whose Word can heal nations.

Our hope lies in Jesus, the Word of God.

Jeremiah 24:7 (KJV)

7 And I will give them an heart to know me, 

that I am the Lord: 

and they shall be my people, 

and I will be their God: 

for they shall return unto me 

with their whole heart.