Displaying Christian Sermons by tag: Choices

TD Jakes (February-12-2024) Daily Devotional: The Power of Choice.

Bible Quote: Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV) "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."

In the riveting narrative of the Prodigal Son, there lies a hidden gem, a single word that has silently shaped the course of both sons' lives, yet often goes unnoticed: "them." When the father divided his wealth, he did so equally, laying before both sons not just a portion of goods, but a canvas of potential. Yet, it's the divergence in their choices that unveils a profound truth about our own journeys.

Today, we stand at the crossroads of life, much like the two sons, each day met with a bounty of decisions. Some of us, driven by a thirst for immediate gratification, like the younger son, may rush into choices that promise quick rewards but lead to long-term famine. Others, like the elder brother, might remain immobilized by indecision, cloaked in the guise of loyalty and diligence, yet secretly harboring resentment for unclaimed dreams.

This narrative isn't just a tale from the past; it mirrors our daily lives, where each morning brings with it the gift of choice. The Father has bestowed upon us our portion—talents, time, opportunities—equally distributed amongst His children. And yet, the disparity in our lives isn't a reflection of His partiality but of our choices.

You see, the paralysis of the elder son is a cautionary tale of the cost of inaction. Hidden within his complaint lies a revelation: the tragedy of unutilized potential. His bitterness stems not from his brother's return, but from a realization of wasted years, opportunities not seized, and a life lived in the shadow of what could have been.

But here's the good news: The power to change, to break free from the shackles of past decisions (or indecisions), rests with us. The Father's provisions have been laid before us; it's our move. Are you living beneath your potential because you're waiting for a sign, a nudge, or an invitation? The sign is life itself, the nudge is the stirring within your spirit, and the invitation was extended at dawn.

Let this be the moment you decide to fully engage with the life you've been given. No longer stuck between two opinions, no longer a bystander in your own story. Choose to act, to live decisively. Embrace the abundance that comes from engaging with your God-given potential. The road to redemption and fulfillment isn't reserved for the chosen few; it's available to all who choose to walk it.

And now, let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of choice and the potential You've placed within each of us. Forgive us for the times we've chosen comfort over calling, and indecision over action. Empower us to see the opportunities You lay before us daily and give us the courage to choose wisely. Help us to live lives that reflect Your glory, fully utilizing the gifts and talents You've entrusted to us. May we choose life, choose action, and choose You, every day. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Joel Osteen (December-18-2023) Daily Devotional: Happiness Is a Choice.

Today's Scripture: Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. James 1:2–3, TLB

Today's Word: when we wake up in the morning, we get to choose how we’re going to live that day. We can choose to live in faith, happy, expecting favor. Or we can choose to live discouraged, defeated, focused on our difficulties. Happiness doesn’t happen automatically; it’s a choice we have to make. The first thing in the morning you have to make the decision: “I’m going to live this day happy. I’m going to see the good, be grateful, love my family, and enjoy this day.” You can’t allow negative circumstances decide for you and cause you to choose to live discouraged and have a lousy day.

Psalm 39 says, “Joy comes in the morning.” Every morning God sends you a fresh supply of joy. You can dismiss it and think, “This is not for me. I have too much coming against me.” Or you can receive it and say, “Things may not be perfect in my life, but I know God is on the throne, and His plans for me are for good, so I’m going to enjoy this day.”

Prayer for Today: “Father, thank You that no matter what difficulties I face, I don’t have to live unhappy, discouraged, and defeated. Thank You that I can choose to live in faith, to be happy, and to enjoy this day. I believe and receive the fresh supply of joy that You have for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Charles Stanley (October-10-2023) Daily Devotional: The Choice Is Ours.

Though we’re free to look for satisfaction anywhere we choose, fullness of joy is found only in God’s presence.

Romans 1:24-32 - Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Yesterday, we saw that God makes Himself known to everyone but lets us decide whether to pursue a relationship with Him. Unfortunately, those who don’t choose God ultimately end up feeling restless and empty. And the reason is because He has “set eternity in [our] heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end).

By God’s design, true satisfaction is found only in a relationship with Him. Without the Lord, people continuously seek new ways to temporarily fill their hearts. And that quest often leads them to pursue unworthy idols: status, money, happiness, health, achievement, knowledge, or something else.

In his letter to the church at Rome, Paul described the phenomenon this way: “For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever” (1:25). Wouldn’t you rather serve truth than falsehood? Wouldn’t you rather serve the Creator, who is blessed forever, rather than the creature?

Scripture says that “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 - and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free) and “in [the Creator’s] presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11 - You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever). We can choose a mediocre, unfulfilling life without the Lord, or we can have a rich and satisfying relationship with Him. It’s never too late to change your mind.

Joyce Meyer (October-10-2023) Daily Devotional: It’s Your Choice.

As you learn to manage your emotions more effectively so you can be stable in an unstable world, it’s important to realize that no one is born knowing how to manage their emotions, but we can learn to do it. Making healthy, godly decisions when we feel like doing something else is vital to enjoying a victorious life. For years, I simply did what I felt like doing, and it got me into a lot of trouble. But God has taught me how to follow His Word instead of following my emotions. I don’t always succeed, but I have learned a lot about this and will continue learning all of my life.

People respond to emotions in various ways. Some ignore, deny, or suppress their feelings. Others respond physically—by overeating, drinking, exercising excessively, or substance abuse (whether that’s sugar, caffeine, prescription medications, or mood-altering drugs). Still others withdraw when emotions are intense, while others run to their friends or to social media to process how they feel. And there are some who go on cleaning sprees, and others take shopping trips. The list goes on. Perhaps you’ve experienced one or more of these unhealthy responses. If so, today is the day you can begin to handle your emotions in positive ways instead of negative ones.

In today’s scripture, God tells His people to “choose life.” This means to make decisions that lead to peace, joy, and stability. We learn how to make these decisions as we study His Word, and we find peace, joy, and stability as we obey it.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, God, for Your Word and for the ways it teaches me to choose life. Help me to obey it in every area of my life for as long as I live.

Rick Warren (September-23-2023) Daily Devotional: Love Is a Choice.

“You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him.” - Deuteronomy 30:20 (NLT)

The Bible teaches this about love: Love is a choice and a commitment. You choose to love—and you choose not to love. 

Today we’ve bought into this myth that love is uncontrollable, that it just kind of happens to you.

In fact, even the language we use implies that we can’t control how we love. We say, “I fell in love”—like it was a ditch! “I was just walking along one day and—bam!—I fell in love. I just couldn’t help myself.” But is that really love?

No, what someone really means when they say they “fell in love” is that they were attracted to someone. Attraction and arousal are uncontrollable—no doubt about it. But attraction and arousal are not love. They can lead to love, but they are not love.

Love is a choice.

During a wedding ceremony, a man and a woman stand before each other and say their vows. They say to the other person, “I choose you above everybody else in the world, and I choose you for the rest of my life.” They make a public statement of their choice—that’s a commitment.

You can’t force somebody to fall in love with you, and you can’t force him or her to stay in love with you. Why? Because love is a choice. Love cannot be forced. This is true of all relationships, including your relationship with God.

Deuteronomy 30:20 says, “You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him” (NLT).

Just like in any other relationship, you must choose to love God. God isn’t going to force you to love him. You can thumb your nose at God and go a totally different way. You can destroy your life if you want to. God won’t force you to love him—because love can’t be forced. Love is a choice.

In what relationships do you need to choose love today?

Talk It Over

  • Why do you think God made love a choice?
  • How do you show someone that you have chosen to love them? How do you show God that you have chosen to love him?
  • What about your life shows that you have made a commitment to God to love him?

Amir Tsarfati (March-13-2020) Message: The Real "Pro Choice". Pro-life is a great term, but pro-life and pro-choice should be one and the same because life is, in fact, a choice. "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."- Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Joyce Meyer - Sermon: Making Right Choices. Blessed Sermon from our Pastor Joyce Meyer Making Right Choices

Jesse Duplantis sermon Life Is About Choices online. You’ll be encouraged as Jesse shares how you don’t ever have to guess or make decisions on your own. The truth is that your heavenly Father seeks to instruct you and guide you to His blessing with every choice you face.

 

Victoria Osteen - God Chose You! You were handpicked by the Creator of the Universe. Victoria Osteen at America's Night of Hope San Francisco.

Joyce Meyer  (December-29-2021) Daily Devotional: The Choice Is Yours. 

The first step in doing anything is choosing to do it. In order to encourage someone, you first choose to look for the best. In order to be at peace, you first choose not to worry. In order to start something new, you first choose to step out and go for it.

You may not know how it’s all going to work out, but you can make some foundational choices today. Begin by saying things like, Today, I choose peace over fear! Today, I choose to start to break that old habit and start a good one! Today, I choose not to lash out in anger! Today, I choose to live fully in this moment!

Make a choice, take a step, and never forget to ask for God’s help (His grace) in the process. We can do all things with and through Him, but we can do nothing without Him (see Philippians 4:13; John 15:5).

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You that You have a divine destiny for my life. As I step out in faith, help me discover Your plan for my life. Thank You for showing me more about who You are and who I am as I walk with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Page 1 of 2
© 2013 - 2024 Sermons Online. All Rights Reserved.
× Progressive Web App | Add to Homescreen

To install this Web App in your iPhone/iPad press icon. Progressive Web App | Share ButtonAnd then Add to Home Screen.

× Install Web App
Mobile Phone
Offline - No Internet Connection