How can we make certain our lives are headed in the right direction? We are all faced with an extensive decision making process each day that eventually defines us. The choices we make in life often dictate who we are and more importantly, who we become.
It makes perfect sense that consequently, our work, the people we befriend, our relationship with our families, our hobbies and even the car we drive all have a role in our destiny. Unethical work or business practices will cause our integrity to be challenged, bad influence stemming from an undesirable entourage might create opportunities that lead us away from God or even land us in prison. Self-centered pastimes too often prevent ministry work and enhance moral decay while driving an unsafe, polluting automobile not only foolishly destroys God’s earth but might lead to vehicle homicide when a rusted out part snaps sending you raging through a busy school yard. All are links from a chain that becomes one’s life.
What’s my point? For one, choose your friends wisely. “Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.” (Proverbs 22:24-25)
Just as “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33), if you don’t knowingly hang out with habitual sinners such as drug addicts, chances are you will never become a drug consumer or go to prison for possessing illegal substances.
Imagine a fictional scenario where you are a passenger in a car casually driving to the beach or a sporting event with a friend on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. A cop pulls your friend’s car over for a burnt out turn signal light. As the trooper climbs out of his car, your friend throws something under his seat, then nervously rises suspicion resulting in a search of the vehicle during which your friend’s goodie bag is found.
A simple tail light causes you both to end up incarcerated for possession of illegal drugs. Thankfully you are cleared after your buddy confesses, but that one night in jail might turn out to be the worst night of your life. Caused by your friend’s withdrawal from drugs he’d grown addicted to, a fight with another inmate results in additional charges after a prison guard wrongfully testifies you and your friend were the instigators. Because you trusted the wrong person, your life and those of the people who love and depend on you are forever enslaved to one bad judgment call.
Why would God let something like this happen? While such disastrous chain of event are often disguised as blessings, sometimes that are just a curse laid upon us by God in response to disobedience. While God is in deed known to give out tremendous blessings to those who love Him and obey His commands, He is also well known to curse those who rebuke His love through bold disobedience. Remember what happened to the snake in the garden of eden? “So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:14)
What about the curse God laid upon the inhabitants of the earth at that same time? “To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:27)
Throughout the bible and ever since the God created man and woman He has blessed and cursed countless beings and things all over the earth. None of us are safe from His divine judgment which is not based on His love for us since it is unconditional, but based on our love and obedience for Him.
Make the right choices in your life, God has dealt you a winning hand but it is up to you to play the right cards at the right time. Don’t be fooled by temptation or blinded by greed. Surround yourself with other godly people, live according to Christ and serve God with all that you are. Surely, your life will lead straight to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Let’s pray!
Father God;
We thank you for looking over us
And for guiding our footsteps each and every day,
Allowing us to make our own decisions
And sculpt our own lives, our own destiny.
Lord we ask that you continue to provide for us
For our families, our friends and those in need,
And that you will answer our prayers
And hear those of your people throughout the world.
God we know we are not perfect
But still ask you to inspire us to strive for perfection
Knowing we can live like you did
When you walked among us in Christ..
God we love you and thank you for all that surrounds us!
Praise God,
Amen!
This message was written by Daniel St.Pierre
Email: DanielStPierre@ThriveThroughChrist.com
