In John 15:16 Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain”. God has chosen us and ordained us to bear much fruit but an important part of bearing fruit is the individual choices or decisions that affect our lives right now and in the future. Should I get up at 5:30 AM and spend quality time with the Lord or sleep until 7:00 AM? I’m running a little behind this morning but I can choose to be on time for work or choose to be “a little bit late for work”, after all, “It’s Monday morning and I’ve had a tough week-end and my boss will understand and because I want to stop at Starbucks for my favorite almond latte!! Have you said this before and justified it to yourself? We are all faced with choices like these each day that will affect our eternal destiny. How can one “small choice” affect my eternal destiny?

In his old age, God promised Abraham a son and that his descendents would be more numerous than the sand on the seashore and the stars in the heavens. Abraham made the choice of not waiting for God’s promise but “having it his way”, thus, Ishmael was birthed from this poor choice. Each of us have birthed Ishmaels in our lives due to wrong choices but remember you will be required to feed and care for your Ishmael all the days of its life.

After Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for forty pieces of silver, Judas made a choice to hang himself rather than allow the One he betrayed to forgive him of his sin and restore him to true Sonship. Jesus showed his unconditional love to Judas when he called him “friend” (Matt. 26:50) after he kissed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. How would the Bible read today if Judas had made a different choice? In Acts 5 we find the account of Ananias and Sapphira who made a choice to tell a “little white lie” about the cost of selling their land. This wrong choice immediately cost both of them their very lives.

We are faced with choices each day; choices we don’t consider to be real important but later on prove that we did in fact make a poor choice. So, what are some keys to making right choices?

• Allow Holy Spirit to make all your decisions/choices for you! Gal 5:16 exhorts each of us to walk in the Spirit so we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. The Christian walk is all about saying “yes” to Jesus and saying “no” to our personal ambitions. Choose to live a spirit-filled and controlled life by the power of Holy Spirit, not one directed by our own emotions and personal desires.

• Take more time in making your choices/decisions. Pray earnestly about your choices, even small ones. Most often, your decision or choice does not need to be made immediately; so think about it for awhile and allow Holy Spirit to implant His answer in your heart. Beware of the tyranny of the urgent!! Max Lucado recommends that very important decisions/choices should be made in the quietness and serenity of a cemetery. Why? Because you can see and feel eternity in a cemetery and your choice may have eternal consequences. This really does work.

• Ask the Lord to make you a man or woman of discipline. The root word for “disciple” (loyal, life- time, follower-learner of the Lord Jesus Christ) is “discipline”. I believe the reason many people do not make wise choices is because there is no spiritual discipline in their lives. There is no regular, “set time” to pray for wisdom and understanding, read and study God’s Word, be alone and quiet before the Lord so you can hear His heartbeat and then do His will; not just what you think is good for you at the time.

• Stay filled with the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18, the Apostle Paul encourages us to stay “filled with the Holy Spirit”. The word “filled” means overflowing, poured out so you can give some away to others. The reason that God fills you up is because He wants to pour you out! Ask the Lord to make you broken bread and poured out wine for the Gospel.

  
  
  Have you recently made some poor choices in your life? Allow the Holy Spirit to minister His peace, His love, and His directions for you. Cry out to the Lord and tell Him that He is God - and you are not!! Confess to Him that you have made some wrong choices. Place Jesus Christ back on the throne of your heart, and allow Holy Spirit to make all the choices in your life. What have you got to lose? Well, your pride for one! Allow the Director of Operations in your life to take full control in the decision-making process in your life. Jesus said it very well in Luke 22:42, "Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours, be done".

   

   

          Pat and I traveled to Mexico on September 1st to minister with our friends, missionaries David and Julie Miller who live in Mexico City. We are grateful that the Lord allowed us to walk in divine health during our trip and we thank Him that our stomachs adjusted very well to the spicy Mexican food.   

          The first Sunday we were in Mexico City, Pat and I each ministered in two different churches as the Lord did some “heart” work; nine were saved by God’s power!! On Monday, we traveled five hours by automobile to the city of Oaxaca to minister in another church (outdoor) for two evenings. This church had just completed a Holy Spirit Conference and God’s presence and power came down mightily. Several were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit during these meetings. We prayed for a young girl whose aunt was a witch and had placed a curse on her several months beforehand. We prayed for this precious twelve-year-old girl with the father and mother at her bedside and God did a tremendous work of deliverance and healing right before our eyes! Thank you my Lord!!

            On Thursday, we traveled five hours by bus to Morelia as Pat was the speaker at a Ladies Conference for four days with the theme “The Heart of the Father” (El Corazón del Padre). Two churches from Mexico City and one from Morelia participated in this conference. One lady who attended from Mexico City gave her life to Jesus Christ the first night of the conference. The church in Mexico City had been praying for her for many years! Also, a man who just walked into the meetings off the street gave his life to the Lord and continued to attend the conference sessions as well!! Bless you Lord! God did a mighty work of restoration and healing as the Father Heart of God was taught to the ladies. During this time, Gary preached at a local pastor’s conference in Morelia, ministered at two different churches on Sunday, and taught a group of hungry Bible Institute students who are studying for the ministry.

          Pat and I helped conduct a three-day evangelistic crusade after traveling back to Mexico City. Each day different teams went door-to-door, praying for people, handing out flyers, and inviting them to the crusade. There were twenty-four people saved for the first time and we prayed for many others for healing and to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Several people gave their testimony of God’s intricate working in their lives. This crusade was the first major outreach that the people in this church had been involved. David and Julie did an great job of planning and organizing this crusade so God could have his way among the Mexican people.

           The next Sunday, Pat and I ministered in different churches in the morning. In the afternoon we ministered on “Integrity and Leadership” to the leaders of several churches in Mexico City. On Sunday evening, Pat taught on the Principles of Water Baptism and we conducted a Water Baptism Service at another church location. Gary baptized seven (7) believers each one giving a testimony of how God has radically changed their lives!! Thank you Lord for your saving and keeping grace!!

           Pat ministered at a Ladies Prison in Mexico City the following Friday afternoon. Five ladies received Christ as Savior and several others were touched by God’s love as the good news of Jesus Christ was proclaimed. Pat also ministered at a ladies breakfast on Saturday concerning “Prayer” and Gary spoke to the men at a men’s dinner about a “Heart After God”.

          We flew home on Monday evening; physically tired but overflowing with joy and great memories of what our Sovereign Lord accomplished among our Mexican friends. The Mexican people are indeed a gentle, passionate people who need our prayers daily. Gracias Señor!!