“Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

JNT) Matthew 11:28-30

What choices do you have to make in a day, a week, or a month? Do you sometimes fret and worry over what is going to happen if you do not handle these choices correctly? Do you ask people for their opinion regarding how to handle these situations?

Do you feel there are decisions we should make on our own? Do you believe there is anything in your life, God is not interested in? Do you believe there is anything in your life; God does not want to help you with? Do you believe God cares whether you go to the movies, bicycling, or fishing, or swimming on a certain day, or at a certain time of the day?

Do you feel there are some sorts of ramifications from each choice we make, whether good or bad? Do you feel there are big choices and little choices? Do you believe we can put ourselves in potentially dangerous situations by our choices?

When God created man and woman and placed them in the Garden of Eden He gave them a very precious gift. That gift was the ability to be able to make our own choices. In other words, they were given a gift of free will. (Genesis 2:15-17, Genesis 3:1-6) By their wrong choice, they set the course not only for themselves but for all of mankind. Let us remember once again, if they had not made that choice, one of us would have!

How can I say that? Simply stated, we have made the same type of choice hundreds of times in our lives already and sometimes daily! When we choose to walk the path of Satan, we have made the same choice. Example: When we choose to give into our anger in an ungodly manner, we have made the same type of choice. This cannot be sugar coated, a sin, is a sin, is a sin. Understand?

We have multiple choices in our lives every day; this is not something new to us. However, God wants to assist in those choices. Why? Because, the salvation we can have is a daily walk and we can only walk in that salvation by our daily choice! When you get up in the morning, you make a choice. First, you are choosing to get out of bed, then you have a choice to stop and give God your day. If you do not, you have set the course for your day already. First, to put it bluntly, you have already begun to backslide! Salvation is daily! The church likes to think, salvation is carte blanche upon saying a sinner’s prayer, it is not. It is a daily choice; it is a moment by moment choice- if it were carte blanche - there would be no need for people to rededicate their lives! If we get up in the morning and we start making plans for our day without spending time with God and asking God what He wants us to do during our day. We can put our self in danger! Plus, we will be walking in disobedience because we are not where God wants us to be at any given moment during the day! Yes, the road that leads to the Narrow Gate (Plan A) is tough and it is hard, however keep in mind: Obedience saves lives!

“Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross dailyand follow me. (NIV) Luke 9:23

If we do not choose to let God into our decisions, we are going to be overwhelmed and burdened down and very possibly in danger!

Two Gates = One Choice

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (NIV) Matthew 7:13-14

God offers us two options or paths to take during our walk on this earth. We will refer to them as Plan A and Plan B. However, there is the possibility of an offshoot from Plan B which I will call Plan C.

Now, since God does not have a permissive will it is either one path or the other and Jesus did not mention a third path!!

Plan “A” = live totally for God, do everything you do for him only!

Plan “B” = do whatever you want to do and let God and or others help you.

Plan “C” = worship Satan, hurt God intentionally and persecute others for not worshipping Satan too! (This path is an offshoot from plan B which is spoken of when Jesus said, “. . .and broad is the road which leads to destruction.)

When a Situation Comes Up!

Stop!
Get a tablet or paper & pencil!

Sit Down!
Acknowledge the Situation to God1

Listen!
Get God’s perspective!

Learn!
Put YOUR emotions down!

“Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (NIV) Matthew 4:4

In the original Greek, this is the Rhema Word, the spoken Word - word from the mouth of God. It is not the written Word: The Bible, The Torah or The Tanakh that is being spoken of here! It is important to understand – you need to be listening to God’s VOICE! God needs to talk to YOU!

God wants to be involved in every aspect of our life! If He is not allowed there, we are going to open the door for struggles, pain, and sorrow! The burdens are going to get us down; there will be no peace in our lives.

The bottom line in this lesson is this. By the decisions you are making regarding issues in your life, who are you yoking yourself with? What doors are you opening for problems in your life?

Thought Tool

Plan A and B: When God gives you direction - it always is for Plan A! This plan could take a long time and it could be very hard and stressful to go through – most Christians can’t take it and because it is not easy they ask for Plan B – which we are never to do!

Most Christians want the easy way out – we cannot do that! Only God can change the direction for our lives - there is no other way!

Plan A – Is God’s Best

Plan B – Is not!

(sw-h)
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