Choices Have Consquences!

Choices: Power to chose
Consequence: The natural result from a preceding condition

The Lord is a perfect gentleman - He doesn’t force Himself on us. He doesn’t twist our arm to make us choose right (Him).  He allows us to make choices wanting us to willing choose Him.  He demonstrates His love and mercy toward us by being a shelter from the rain, a very present help in the time of trouble, our El Shaddai (The Almighty God) - the strengthener and satisfier of His people.

1 Chronicles 21:1 and 21:3 gives us an example of a bad choices: "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel... And Joab answered, the Lord make His people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servant? Why then doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?" David had a choice, he could have stop the count right then, but he chose to go ahead with it.  David was trusting in the numbers, rather than trusting in God. That choice had devastating consequence, as noted in 1 Chronicles 21:14  - "So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men."

Choices have significant impact on our lives - both positive or negative. David's choice had a negative impact. Of course, when we make good choices the consequences are awesome, let’s take Joseph for an example.

Joseph was hated and rejected by his brethren; cast into a pit; sold into Egypt; AND cast into prison... but despite all of that, Joseph still managed to make good choices.  And as a result, "the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man" (Genesis 39:2). Pharaoh made him an overseer over his house, and all that he had. When he refused his master's wife, Joseph was cast into prison and yet he continued to make good choices. Genesis 39:21 says that the Lord shewed him mercy and gave him favor by way of the keeper of the prison committing to Joseph’s hand all of the prisoners that were in the prison. When there was famine in the land, those same brothers who hated and rejected Joseph had to go to him to buy their food. Joseph could have chosen to be angry, but instead he gave God the glory, for he knew who was behind the master plan. And because of the positive impact of making a right choice, Joseph became the governor over all the land of Egypt and over all Pharaoh house.

Time does not allow me to tell you of Ruth, Daniel, Joshua, Samuel, and many others that were truly blessed - all because they were willing choosing the Lord... won't you please choose Him too?

With all that's said, let the Church say amen...and Amen!