Two Choices: Life or Death

In a culture where we have ever-increasing choices daily, the Bible places two choices before us life and death.  This is laid out in Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.  So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants..."  I may be the only one in the United States that often feels overwhelmed with the amount of choices from schools, to cereals, to activities, to churches, and even to websites.  It seems to me that we are constantly being bombarded by choices (just the amount products alone can be so much), as a culture we are obsessed with having as many choices as possible.  Does the amount of choices increase our freedom or is what God is saying really true that there really are only two categories of choices life or death.  We are told by God that He sets the choices but that we are the ones who are to choose life.  Many people are looking for God to make the choice for them, where they give over total control and no longer have to make a choice.  As I look at Scripture God is not about taking our choice but He is active by the Holy Spirit to point us to life.  We find that God is not looking to just give us the resource of life but the person who is Life, 1 John 5:11 & 12 say it this way "And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life."

So this is a paradigm shift to look to the relationship with an indwelling person of Jesus Christ as life, so I am really wanting to see the Life that is in me and on me flow through this earthen vessel out to others through my choices.  When I believe that I am going to get life out of my choices means I deeply believe that the choice I am about ready to make will give me life.  I think this is best seen through kids who long for some toy, they wait in anticipation to get it as a gift thinking "when I get this then...".  They get the toy or the item play with it feverishly getting as much out of it as possible and then not too long later this item is cast aside for something else.  I don't believe the drive that is behind this is bad, it is the desire for life itself and to truly be life it must be better than what I am currently experiencing.  What is the object or focus of what I am looking for to get life, as adults we are more sophisticated we look towards people, a certain job or level of appreciation, or a certain set of circumstances that will finally bring the rest or satisfaction we so seek.  Could it be that a deep relationship with the One who already dwells in us could satisfy the longings of our soul.  The Scriptures only point one place for Life and not the same quality of life we maybe experiencing but supernatural Life but this only comes from Heaven not from this earthly realm.  Even earthly relationships cannot provide the satisfaction we are looking for if we are looking to them for this Life but they can come alive with His Life if we agree to be vessels and conduits.

I had the privilege of attending a Revival for the mature generation at my Uncle's church, in this I can give you example of life versus death choice.  The church sits on the main street with large white columns and weathered granite steps that have seen there share of generations.  Inside the rich wooden pews are lined with red velvet seats and the choir is adorned behind the pulpit and two large chairs for the pastors.  I am not a Baptist by background and also wouldn't identify myself as Southern.  As I listened to the excellent sermon on the Holy Spirit, the seasoned out-of-town pastor succinctly talked about the Spirit-filled life with a few references to the limits he put on the Spirit according to Baptist theology.  Death would be sit back judge, be critical, and differentiate myself as lining up more with the Charismatic tradition.  Yet this man clearly had a rich relationship and intimacy with the Lord that stands out from others, he was one of God's friends.  I believe the other path, which is Life, was to align myself in the Holy Spirit to hear life-giving impartation of the Spirit and the Word even though I don't agree with the Baptist doctrine (which to me limits the manifestation and gifts of the Holy Spirit).  It was once said well that "life flows through Honor" but death flows through judgement and division.  We often see the results of judgement and division and call it judgement and division but the issue really begins in the heart.  It could have even been another step to get prayer from this man to receive an impartation of the grace that was on his life but he had directed prayer to be given by the senior pastor and I did not want to dishonor him.

In Him who is Life,
Bret