Greetings again my Brethren. Our decisions will measure how far we can go in God. It is not God’s power or His ability (He is all powerful and has an unlimited ability), but it is the decisions and often the indecisions not made that flag our life for success or failure in God. One right decision we make can change the course of many lives as one wrong decision can detail heartache and pain for countless folks. Often our failures and mistakes have more impact on others than they do on us. We painfully see this truth in the life of Adam and the decision he made and feel the effects with each passing birthday. Sin was not a part of God’s creation in the garden, but because of Adam’s decision to disobey what God told him sin entered into God’s creation and became a plague to all born in the earth. God told Adam, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) Adam choose, he made a conscious decision not to do what God told him. And thus, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12) My friend it is true, “obedience is better than sacrifice,” but often our religious self would rather sacrifice hours of prayer and fasting, work endlessly at the church, or even give our self to be burned when all God wants is just one act of obedience. And it is our decision is the difference. Now there was a second Adam, Jesus Christ who by His decision changed the outcome for those who believe in Him. I am always amazed to know eternal life is not for everyone. Even though Jesus died on the cross for everyone still everyone will not be saved. Eternal life is for only those who believe. Jesus said in the Gospel of John, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) In other words for those who make the decision to believe in Me you shall have eternal life and will not perish. Jesus could only say this because of His obedience to His Father. Just a few verses down from Romans 5:12 we read, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19) Adam’s decision caused sin to enter God’s creation which is more than the physical world, but Jesus’ obedience made many to be righteous, those who believe on Him. What decision are we making? What impact in our lives and in the lives of others has our decisions had? Oh how I would love to go back and change some decisions I have made. Oh how I would love to go back and take back words, thoughts, and actions out from some decisions I have made. You know in the natural we do not get a chance, Adam did not get a second bite (chance) at the apple to make things right, but now in God we do have a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. chance at going back and setting the record straight by saying things like I am sorry, please forgive me. Yes, consequence for our actions may still be there, but in our heart where it matters to God issues are settled and the captives have been set free. Always remember at the heart of every issue it is always an issue of our heart.
As we make our approach to God’s call in our lives we must consider the promptness and speedy execution of our decisions. As we continue to look at the “Living Creatures” (there is much we can learn from them) we find a very unique verse, but a more unique characteristic they possessed. In Ezekiel we read, “And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.” (Ezekiel 1:14) Here we find no slothful lingering indecision, but prompt and speedy execution of God’s will. When God speaks to us He is listening for two words and they are “yes Lord.” He is not looking for our bellyaching or excuses He is looking for our obedience the first time. Like most it will take us time to reach this level in God, but He is faithful to train and teach us in this area. It is unto God alone we give unqualified obedience everyone else in authority over us must be given only submission. Obedience to God is absolute an inward work of the heart where submission is outwardly it is relative and applies to our character and nature. When Jesus stood before Pilate He submitted to Pilates authority, but never was obedient to him, “yet He open not His mouth” this too was a decision Jesus made.
Next month we will continue looking at the Call of the Apostles by ever being watchful for any divine communication. Can you hear Him now?
