Here is the Word of the Lord

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16–17 NIV).

God’s Word teaches us how to live. It tells us what we should do, what we shouldn’t do, and what can happen when we choose one path over another. The Bible gives us God’s wisdom and instruction on how to live because He loves us. The truth is, none of us likes being told what we can and cannot do. We want the freedom to make our own choices and live life the way we want to live it. God gives us the ability to choose, but what we sometimes fail to realize is that our choices have consequences. When we make choices that go against God’s Word, there are consequences, and if we are honest, we don’t like consequences! Sometimes when the consequences of our choices catch up with us, we become defensive, angry, or frustrated. Why? Because we got caught! It’s not a comfortable place to be, but if we’re honest, we’ve all been there.

But God! Because of His great love, mercy, and grace toward us, God did not leave us without direction. He gave us His Word. The Bible is our instructional guide for living. It provides us with wisdom, correction, encouragement, warning, and direction. God didn’t create us and then leave us to figure life out on our own. He gave us His Word and His Holy Spirit to teach and guide us because He wants us to know how to live in a way that honors Him. He also wants to protect us from unnecessary destruction, and here is something we must understand: True freedom is found in obedience to God and His Word.

The world tells us, “Do whatever makes you happy,” or “Do what feels right!” But feelings can change, and what feels right in the moment can lead us down a path that we never intended to go down or be in a place we never expected to find ourselves in. I’m not saying we shouldn’t enjoy life. That’s not it at all because God wants us to experience joy, laughter, relationships, purpose, and the blessings He has given us. But we must remember that the things of this world are temporary. They do not last. What we have today will not last forever. And, as the saying goes, “It came to pass.”

Eternity, however, is forever. That means the decisions we make today matter. The choices we make concerning God, our faith, our relationships, our behavior, and the direction of our lives all matter. God knows what is ahead of us. He sees what we cannot see. He knows the beginning, the middle, and the end, and because He loves us, He is always trying to get our attention and is continually calling us back to Himself. So, the question is:  What choices are you making? Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” (KJV).

Every day, we have choices to make. We can choose our way, or we can choose God’s way. We can choose what feels good, or we can choose what is right. We can choose temporary pleasure, or we can choose eternal purpose. When we choose God, we are not choosing a God who wants to restrict our lives. We are choosing a Father who loves us enough to guide us. John 1:1-4 reminds us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind” (NIV).

The Word of God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world not to condemn us, but to save us (John 3:16-17). He came to give us life, abundant life here on earth and eternal life with Him (John 10:10). So today, don’t reject God’s instructions because they seem too restrictive. Receive them as evidence of His love. When God says “don’t,” it is because He knows what can hurt you. When God says “do,” it is because He knows what will help you. When God corrects you, it is not because He wants to condemn you. It is because He wants to restore you.

You may have made some wrong choices in your past. You may be experiencing the consequences of those choices and wish you could change them. But remember this, your consequences do not cancel out God’s grace, your mistakes do not cancel His love, and your past does not have to determine your future. Praise God!! God can redeem your story. He can use what you have been through to teach you, strengthen you, and ultimately bless you and others through you, but don’t confuse God’s ability to redeem a situation as permission to continue making choices that go against His Word. Today, choose wisely. Choose God. Choose His Word. Choose obedience. Choose life. Choose eternity.

Let’s pray,

Father God, we thank You for Your great love for us. Thank You that You loved us so much that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ, so that we might have eternal life. Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word to guide, teach, correct, encourage, and protect us. Help us to understand that Your commands are not meant to restrict us but to lead us into the abundant life You have prepared for us. Forgive us for the times we have chosen our own way instead of Your way. Forgive us for the times we knew what Your Word said but chose to do what we wanted anyway. Give us the humility to accept correction and the wisdom to learn from our mistakes. Help us to recognize that every choice has consequences. Give us discernment to make choices that honor You, even when doing what is right is difficult or unpopular.

Lord, help us not to be led solely by our feelings, emotions, or what the world says is right. Give us hearts that desire Your will above our own. Help us to choose You each and every day. For those who are dealing with the consequences of past decisions, remind them that Your grace is yet sufficient. Help them to learn, grow, heal, and move forward. Give them the strength not to repeat the same mistakes again but to walk in a new direction. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who came not to condemn us but to save us. Thank You for the life He gives us and for the promise of eternal life. Today, we choose You, Lord. We choose Your Word. We choose Your way. We choose life, in the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

An Invitation to Receive Christ

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, today can be the beginning of a new life. Jesus lovingly invites you: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in..." (Revelation 3:20 KJV). If the Lord is speaking to your heart today, I encourage you to respond to His invitation. Click on the Prayer of Salvation link to begin your journey of faith, and let us walk alongside you and you grow in Him.

Blessings,

Dr. Trisha J. Baker

Founder & CEO

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