Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Around the world on any given Sunday, people will meet in churches to hear a preacher or a teacher talk to them or preach to them, and exhort them about the love of God, and what God has the power and the desire to do for us.
Not many will be telling the people what their responsibility is.
In any covenant it takes two parties. It takes two to tango. It takes two to reproduce.
Perhaps the greatest thing that God has ever given to us is the privilege and the Power of Choice.
Joshua words, "choose this day whom you will serve" tell us that you are responsible to choose, and that you have the privilege and the power to choose right or wrong.
Those words tell us; you are in charge of your destiny. “God is not in charge of your destiny”.
God designs your destiny but you must discover your destiny.
Let me say it another way, “the future you experience is the future you create”.
Just as Noah built the ark over a period of time, you and I are building our future.
One day at a time.
One choice at a time.
One act of obedience at a time.
Your future and your destiny is not a miracle or a mystery, it is a harvest.
There is a very powerful verse here in Hosea 8:7 "for they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind".
Notice, they reaped exactly what they sowed, they sowed the wind but they reaped a tornado.
You cannot blame anyone for the life you have good or bad, because you created it by your choices.
Yes I know that many things can happen in life, and can affect you for better or worse, but ultimately; no one can choose your destiny but you.
You cannot always control what happens to you, but you are the governor of what happens in you.
For many years the focus and the content of my preaching was all on the Holy Spirit and the Power of the Holy Spirit, and the operation of the Holy Spirit.
But one day it hit me: Most of my ministry had been telling people about God and about his power and his faithfulness, in other words, all about Gods part.
But the point of change and transformation has never been on Gods side.
God’s side is constant, it's settled, it's established. This is where these words fit, "it is what it is".
We never have to worry about God being faithful.
We never have to worry about there being enough power.
We never have worry about God loving us.
We never need to call Gods mercy into question.
It is what it is. God is love and he always will be.
So where does that leave us?
That leaves in the same place Joshua was in, the place of decision.
Decisions decide destiny.
Change happens at the speed of your decisions.
You can either run into your future or crawl into it. Your future can be gross, or it can be glorious.
God designs destiny.
You discover it.
Your decisions decide it.
Joshua exhorted the people to choose, then he was quick to say; I've made my decision. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
What decisions are you making today that are affecting your future?
After accepting Jesus into your life, the most important decision you will ever make is to obey the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the greatest teacher, the greatest instructor, and the greatest mentor.
Remember this: decisions decide destiny.
God decides your harvest, “30, 60, or 100 fold,” but your decision to sow schedules your harvest. Your decision to sow sparingly, determines that your harvest will come back sparingly.
Your decision to sow generously, determines that your harvest will come back to you generously. (See 2 Co 9:6).
Let me ask you some very important questions.
Who have you decided to listen to?
Whose words have you decided to believe?
Where do you go to church?
What part of Gods word have you decided to believe?
(The only part that works for you is the part you believe.)
What part of Gods word have you chosen to obey?
What part of Gods word have you chosen to ignore?
What battles have you chosen to fight?
What battles have you chosen to ignore?
Who have you chosen to honor?
Who have you failed to honor?
Every sin is birthed out of dishonor.
Dishonor for parents, dishonor for a husband or a wife, dishonor for an employer, dishonor for God and his Word, dishonor for authority, “The police department, the government” dishonor for yourself.
You can go to the prison and you will find that every person there is there because they chose to dishonor.
Your life today is the product or the fruit of your decisions.
Your future is being decided by your decisions today.
The only future God can endorse for you is the future you authorize him for.
The only future God is authorized to endorse is the one you create with your decisions.
In other words: God is not even going to get involved with your future unless you honor his Word, agree with his word, and obey his Word.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
The living bible says it this way; for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
The thought here is that God has plans for your life and mine, he has already designed the blue print, but he is not going to build my house or your house.
God designed and created his world with his words. Now it’s up to you to create your world with your words, and it’s up to me to create my world with my words.
Yes Gods Word has creative power, and God created everything with his words, but it is not what God has said that will create your world.
It is what you say!
I am going to give you a shock treatment here, are you ready?
“A sinner that boldly speaks what they believe has more creative power working for them than a born again spirit filled, tongue talking, bible totin, pew jumping, isle running, cross wearing child of God.
What?
Yes you heard right, the law of confession works for anyone who works it.
The Bible declares, death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof proverbs 18:21.
Notice it doesn't say: And those who pay their tithes and speak in tongues shall eat the fruit thereof. It just says; they that love it, shall eat the fruit thereof.
And it doesn't even say they’re speaking Gods words.
A mans belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth, and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Proverbs 18:20
Notice that it doesn't’ say a godly man, or righteous man, or a holy man. It just says, a mans belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth.
Spiritually speaking, many people in the world have fat full bellies, but many believers have flat empty bellies because there is no fruit of their lips. Because they aren’t speaking Gods word.
Jesus said: By thy words thou art justified or by thy words thou art condemned.
Not his- (Gods) words, not your thoughts, but “your words.”
Mark 11: 22-23 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall "say" unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he "saith" shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he "saith."
And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb “and the word of their testimony” Revelation 12:11.
God created his world with his word, what kind of world are you creating with your words?
What kind of world am I creating with my words?
Every Noah or Mrs. Noah must build his or her own boat. God gives us the material, he gives us the blue print, but you decide what kind of boat you want. The boat represents your future, your life.
Do you want an ocean liner, or will you be satisfied with a rowboat?
I am not authorized to build your life, I am a visitor in your world, I can only give advice and instruction as you give me permission, but I am not responsible for what you do with it.
The future you desire, is waiting for you to create it, the power is in you, you have the material (Gods Word) now create.
Because if it’s going to be, it’s up to me. If it’s going to be, it’s up to you.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us Ephesians 3:20.
