I was listening to The Way CD series by Martha yesterday, and in it she made this statement: “All the requirements of the New Covenant are on the Life of Christ.” This is such good news! But while performance is lived out in the Life of Christ, free-will dictates that the choosing is mine to do. I must make the decision for my direction and then Christ supports my choice with His Life. The New Covenant is Christ’s Life, satisfying the Father’s requirements, but my active participation in this is the choosing. My decision for Christ’s Life is a must. If my life is not a reflection of what I think I have chosen, then I must go back and ask the Spirit, “What am I choosing?” My choice and direction is made evident by my life.
The Work of Decision
As I described in my last post, righting a life may take time. You don’t turn an aircraft carrier on a dime. It takes miles and miles to reverse that course. And after a lifetime of choosing one direction, it may take time to establish another course.
The Word says, “What a man sows, he will reap.” Unfortunately, this is usually referred to in a negative light. “Hey dude, if you do bad, bad will result!” But this also applies to our godly choices. Obvious I know, but hopeful, yes? If I sow the seeds of God-choices, He will assure my reaping of His Life. Basically, God is not mocked; I get what I choose in life, good and bad.
Choosing My Path
Jesus said to sinners, “Go and sin no more!” So how could He set them an impossible task unless it was actually possible? “Do the work of choosing!” He gave us His Spirit to direct our choices and the power of His Life so that we could succeed in this life. If I’m not happy with my direction, I have the power of decision to navigate another course. This is true even when it looks impossible. Is God so cruel to allow only the negative affects of His Word to effect me? If I sow choices for Him, will He not reap from those choices?!
Though Satan tempts me to believe my choices have no power, I have been given the power to choose. It is not only my right but it is also my responsibility. If anything hinders me in the performance of my choice, God is able to remove it when it no longer serves His purpose.
I am responsible for the direction of my life, and Christ’s own Life is the performance of His Life to live my life. I can do the work of decision to see His Life realized in me, today.
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16:9 ESV
“I am responsible for the direction of my life, and Christ’s own Life is the performance of His Life to live my life. I can do the work of decision to see His Life realized in me, today.” WOW, John, you got that in a nutshell — amazing! Very easy to understand. No offense but I didn’t want to touch your last post…I got nervous when I saw “This is the WORK of decision.” [caps, no less]. It’s taken some time, after years in a works-based ‘religion,’ but I’m getting so accustomed to letting the Holy Spirit take control (not… Read more »
OH John, you give the full picture, bad and good, and yet this post is so full of power for the sowing of HIS choices. “God is able to remove anything that hinders me in the performance of my choice, WHEN IT NO LONGER SERVES HIS PURPOSE.” (I rearranged your sentence but it was so poignant to me because you made it so clear: HE uses everything for HIS purpose. My heart has to join with HIS HEART and HIS PURPOSES. GLORY FOR TOO MANY YEARS I didn’t take responsibility for my choices. So grateful for Martha’s always teaching the… Read more »