Decisions

2009-12-02T15:33:00.001-08:00

As I was reading the Bible this morning, and something very precious caught my attention, I hope it will encourage you and bless you as you read on.

2Timothy 1:5-7
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying of hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self control.

I see many things Paul is trying to convey to Timothy a man that was not only been a friend but a part of his team for years. One thing that stands out the most to me is the word “Decision”.

Multitudes, Multitudes in the valley of decisions!!

Today is a day of decisions as is every other day in our lives, it often begins with the first decision we make in “getting out of bed” and then throughout the day we continue making more decisions.

The most complex decision for many ladies out there as they look into their wardrobe is looking at what they will wear. Have you ever wondered if the “d” in the word wardrobe was left what you would have? You would have a war on your hands. It seems that it doesn’t make a difference for the ladies “does it”? Many of you men must have heard this one “What I’m I going to wear?” seeing that they have 90% of clothing space anyway and so much to choose from, the question still remains “What I’m I going to wear?” I’ve got nothing to wear, better buy some new clothes.

I guess not many of you would know this but I was brought up by my Grandparents from a very early age, due to some complications my Mum had when she gave birth to me. I lived with my Grandparents until the age of 12, my Grandfather passed away when I was around 10 and my Grandmother migrated to Australia “Perth” when I was 12 years of age.

My Grandparents were very devout Catholics; we were very involved in the Catholic Church walking to church every Sunday which was around 30 minutes from our house. Daily prayers were important times in the house especially before bed time, weekly confessions were also necessary even when I didn’t think I had messed up.

Many things in life are decided for us and over which we have no control, I had no part in deciding where I was brought up or which school I would attend or which bed I would sleep in or when my Grandfather would pass away or when my Grandmother would go to Australia.

We have no part of deciding when the sun should come up, in a storm when the lightening would strike, never mind when, where and to whom we would be born. I remember when we told Joel, Sarah and Reece that we had decided to send them to Maranatha School; we didn’t give them a choice because we had decided that it was best for them. Although they were not happy about it at the time, it was a decision we made for them and they had to go along with it.

Looking back I think my parents made the right choice for me at that time, and I believe I was set apart for a purpose. As we grow and become independent we can make decisions for ourselves, and we learn over time that the decisions we make is ultimately the life we live.

As I read Paul’s letter to young Timothy this morning, I remembered the times growing up in my Grandparents house, it’s quite sobering for me. Speaking to Jared Grant from Hope Generation Church yesterday he made mention of his Grandparents and how they made an incredible mark in the kingdom. He made mention how his PA (his Dad’s father) who is still preaching and teaching in the bible school in Queensland and that his Grandfather (his mum’s father) was a great influence in introduction of the Holy Sprit and the gifts in his generation the truths that Jared is now living, WOW that is awesome isn’t it?

Just a few things I would like to bring to your attention today:

The importance of our decisions will shape the destiny of our Children-
Dr W Dwyer says this about choices” Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made”

Timothy’s grandmother Lois and her mother Eunice made a significant decision to walk with God and their decision left a mark in the history of the church. I wonder if they were even aware of the impact of their decision, we can learn through their decision making that destiny is formed through the choices we make. Certainly for Timothy it seemed like it.

We are today where our thoughts have brought us, choices aren’t always easy to make that’s for sure, but the reality is, our lives are a sum total of the choices we’ve made. I am living in Melbourne today because of the choice Mylene and I made 5 years ago, I am doing what I love the most because of that decision, the friends I have around me today are a result of the decisions we made. Sometimes without realising it the choices we think we’re not making we’ve actually made them by saying yes or no. Once we say yes or no the decision has been made.

There are two great abilities that have been attributed to us by God, the first one is the ability to make choices and the second one is the ability to carry them out and fulfill our destiny.

Remember the choices we make in life will determine our tomorrows, not only ours but our
children’s tomorrows as well.

Throughout human history, kingdoms and empires have been divided or have fallen as the result of a single unwise decision made by a human leader. Rehoboam, the grandson of King David, and son of King Solomon, certainly qualifies in that category. When Rehoboam became king of all Israel upon the death of his father, he gave the people a "take it or leave it" refusal when they asked for relief from their heavy government burden. Not only did most of them "leave it," they left him.

Solomon’s wrong alliances saw his down fall, his empire was lost and his kingdom divided, the introduction of gross idolatry plagued the land for many, many years some suggested as long as 400 years. One unwise decision reaped such a devastating outcome.

On the other hand, Jesus was faced with daily choices, the choices he made everyday brought incredible freedom to so many lives, some hated him because of the decisions he made and some loved him for it. As he faced death on the cross some people hurled insults at him, among them was a thief, a chief priest, and the teachers of the law saying “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself”? Come down if you are the Son of God? Let him come down now from the cross and we will believe him.”

Jesus made a wise decision to remain on that cross in spite of intense persecutions, and as he did he change the course of history and the lives of so many. Today we have access to the Father in heaven because of the decisions Jesus made, we are seated in heavenly places because of that crucial decision he made, and we are experiencing heaven on earth because of the decision Jesus made.

You and I are responsible for our choices. This is the most important lessons we can teach our children today. You’ve probably heard about the blame shifting theology which was passed on to us by Adam “It’s the woman you put here with me- She gave me some fruit from the tree, and oops I ate it” And the woman answer to God was “the serpent deceive me, it is his fault” Adam would have had to either reach for the fruit that was offered to him or open his mouth to eat, all these action are determine by the choices he made.

Paul makes it clear in Romans 5:12 when he says that sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. This is called the power of choice that was given to man, if only Adam had said no.

Can you see the ripples and chaos it caused, our decisions can cause devastating chaos or tremendous blessings. Even though Adam made the wrong choice, through Jesus’ obedience life came to many (Romans 5:18-19)). I often remind my children to think about the consequences of their decisions, I guess because I have learnt through some wrong choices I’ve made in life, until we take responsibility for our decisions and the result of those decisions, we will always be looking for someone to blame for our problems.

Jesus could have continuously blamed people around him but he chose not to. Remember Jesus was fully man when he was hung on that cross; he suffered excruciating pain and yet stayed on the cross, because he saw the joy that was set before him: the destiny of others kept him focused, there was a greater cause at stake. He could have called a legion of Angels and they would have come to his call, but he didn’t.

Timothy became a very close companion of Paul, according to history Timothy was ordained as the Bishop of Ephesus where he served for 15 years he died at the age of 80 as he tried to halt a procession of pagans who became angry, they dragged him out of the city, beat him and eventually stoned him to death.

One great warrior once said as he addressed the people who followed him giving his last farewell. He reminded them of God’s abundant goodness and faithfulness toward them and said “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve but as for me and my household we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15)

I leave you with this quote from Joshua 24:31 Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

Love always
Arlay Collard