Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

April 6
Sunday


CHOOSE LIFE

READ:
Deuteronomy
30:11-20
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Choose life, that
both you and your
descendants may live;
that you may love the
LORD your God, that
you may obey His voice.
__Deut. 30:11-20
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What is God's will for my life? The question haunted me when I was growing up. What if I couldn't find it? What if I didn't recognize it? God's will seemed like a needle in a haystack. Hidden. Obscured by lookalikes. Out-numbered by counterfeits.

But my view of God's will was wrong because my view of God was wrong. God takes no pleasure in seeing us lost, wandering, searching. He wants us to know His will. He makes it clear, and he makes it simple. He doesn't even make it multiple-choice. He gives just two choices: "life and good" or "death and evil" (Deut. 30:15). In case the best choice isn't obvious, He even says which one to choose: "Choose life" (v.19). To choose life is to choose God Himself and obey His Word.

When Moses addressed the Israelites for the last time, he pleaded with them to make the right choice by observing "all the words of the law....Because it is your life" (32:46-47). God's will for us is life. His Word is life. And Jesus is the Word. God may not give a prescription for every decision, but He gave us a perfect example to follow__Jesus. The right choice may not be easy, but when the Word is our guide and worship is our goal, God will grant us the wisdom to make life--affirming choices. __Julie Ackerman Link

`````````````````````Lord Jesus, we know that true wisdom comes`````````````````````
```````````````````````from leaning on You. Help us to trust in```````````````````````
```````````````````````You and to seek Your face and Your will```````````````````````
````````````````````````that we find in Your life-giving Word.````````````````````````
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The evidence of God's guidance can be seen
more clearly by looking back than by looking forward.

***************************Today's Bible Reading __ Deuteronomy 30:11-20

11 For this commandment
which I command you today
is not too mysterious for you,
nor is it far off. 12 It is not in
heaven, that you should say,
"Who will ascend into
heaven for us and bring it to
us, that we may hear it and
do it?" 13 Nor is it beyond the
sea, that you should say,
"Who will go over the sea for
us and bring it to us, that we
may hear it and do it?" 14 But
the word is very near you, in
your mouth and in your
heart, that you may do it.

15 See, I have set before you
today life and good, death
and evil, 16 in that I
command you today to love
the LORD your God, to walk
in His ways, and to keep His
commandments...that you
may live and multiply; and
the LORD your God will
bless you in the land which
you go to possess.

17 But if your heart turns
away so that you do not hear,
and are drawn away, and
worship other gods and serve
them, 18...you shall surely
perish....

19 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; 20 that
you may love the LORD your
God, that you may obey His
voice, and that you may
cling to Him, for He is your
life and the length of your
days; and that you may
dwell in the land which the
LORD swore to your fathers,
to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, to give them.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Today's passage begins with a beautiful statement of how intimately
God wants us to know Him. He has not given us commandments
that are "too mysterious" or "far off" (Deut. 30:11). This passage
ends with the reason His commands are "very near" __that we may
love and obey God and enjoy life in Him (v.20).