Choices

I have found in life that everything is a choice. Being saved is a choice, walking as a Christ follower is a choice. I can walk as a man and just let everything happen that will happen to me and make very few choices, but to walk as a Christ follower, I have to make the choices to do what Christ did do. I have to wonder if that makes sense, because so many people think that being a Christian is just saying I am a Christian, but I believe there is so much more to it than just going to church on Sunday, or praying, it is making a daily choice to surrender my life to Jesus Christ. It is actually making a choice to say even when bad things happen, that I will make a choice to give thanks to God for even the struggles, because through the struggles come growth. If life was an even plain, I would not grow, I wouldn't look to become better at who I am, but through the struggles, I am forced to either through up my hands and give up and allow life to pass me by, or to say Lord, I can't do it and I need your help. By making that choice, I am surrendering my will to His. 

We all make choices, like getting out of bed, brushing our teeth, getting ready for work even going to work is a choice we make. But what if we start changing the way we think about choices, to being that we have the freedom to have the kind of day that God has given us? What if we start thanking Him for the struggles, start thinking that this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. That means no longer when trials come our way, will we sink into the despair of thinking there is no hope, because God has said He has given us hope, He has given us peace, He has filled us with His Holy Spirit, we just need to walk in it, we need to start practicing the art of being Joyful. It will not just happen, it may from time to time, but when we start saying that I am going to be joyful because Jesus is with me, it is no longer about me, but about Jesus who died on the cross for my sins. It is about walking with Him, no longer about trying to do it on my own. 

I think once we start walking in the Holy Spirit, it will change, but it is a choice. Either we do it on our own or we do it through His strength, in His way, not our own. It isn't easy, but God said we can do it, why not do it? The choice is mine, moment by moment I have to make the choice to praise God for everything, even the hard, He is in it all. 

Choice is the ability to chose where I am walking and what my attitude will be when I am walking there, chose to walk with Jesus, instead of trying to tell Him how it should be, allow Him to tell you.

At the Cross

This morning I woke up singing this song and I think it is so important to remember. At the Cross I surrender it all, I give it all to God, I lay it all at His feet, not just the easy stuff, but the hard stuff too. Surrender is a choice, just like everything is a choice, I can chose to hold onto it, or I can give it to God. Surrender means:cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority, to submit, to yield, to give oneself up.

There's a place where mercy reigns and never dies
There's a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide
Where all the love I've ever found
Comes like a flood
Comes flowing down

[Chorus:]
At the cross
At the cross
I surrender my life
I'm in awe of You
I'm in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
and my sin washed white
I owe all to You
I owe all to You Jesus

There's a place where sin and shame are powerless
Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness
Where all the love I've ever found
Comes like a flood
Comes flowing down

[Chorus]

Here my hope is found
Here on holy ground
Here I bow down
Here I bow down
Here arms open wide
Here You save my life
Here I bow down
Here I bow down

[Chorus]

Walking as a Christ follower means actually walking in a way that we are different then the world. The world may do things, but as a person that calls themselves a Christian needs to make a choice to be just what God calls us to be. It comes down to my choice to either give into what the flesh wants or to make a choice and do what God wants. It is choosing God every time, not easy, but the more I submit and surrender to God's way, the more He will use me, the more He will change me. I just got done doing a Fight Club for men, it was about allowing God and changing the way I was, it can't work unless I am willing to surrender it all to Him. Not 99%, but all of it. 

Today what could hold me back? If I give it all to God.

I can't change people, but I can present myself as a changed person and allow my actions to minister to other people. God will take care of the rest.