[doinghiswill]

Either or


1 Kings 18:21 (Amplified Bible)
21Elijah came near to all the people and said how long will you halt and limp between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.
Nothing makes us fall more silent than when we are faced with choice. To go for God or for what seems right to us. We face almost daily these choices of either Jesus or the world and its ways. To be in the spirit or out. To be in the dark or in the light.

We serve a God who is always calls us to choose him.

Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Even Joshua had this choice in time of battle. He found out where the lines were really drawn.


Joshua 5:13-15 (Amplified Bible)
13When Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up, and behold, a Man stood near him with His drawn sword in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, Are you for us or for our adversaries?
14And He said, No [neither], but as Prince of the Lord's host have I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, What says my Lord to His servant?
15And the Prince of the Lord's host said to Joshua, Loose your shoes from off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy. And Joshua did so.
Me thinks the fear of man has robbed us of the ability to live whole heartedly for Jesus. Even in the Church there are times when God calls us to go beyond reason and we back down because of what people may think or because we count the cost and it is too high. Or we may choose to stand under the wrong banner because of background or family of origin. Even in the case of Jesus and Barabbas the same kind of choice was made.
Mat 27:15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
Mat 27:16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
Mat 27:17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
Mat 27:18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
Mat 27:19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
Mat 27:20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
Mat 27:21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
Mat 27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
Even too how we live our lives is this choice…..that is in how we deal with each issue we make this either or choice.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
There is no gray area, no fence to walk on just in or out. Or flesh would like it to be this way but there is only truth and the lie….there are absolutes in this walk with Christ. No luke warm just hot or cold.
Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

So what about you what side In Christ or out?

Just a though………….

[christkid777]

As you have said, the fear of man, the fear of rejection, just plain fear has robbed us of the will to lay our lives down out on the public square for all to see. But I feel a change in myself, and I hope in others as well. Threads like this that tend to minister more than promote contention don't always get the attention they deserve but for those who read them there is encouragement and a reminder of what is the better choice.

[Amadeus]

Just a thought? No, it was more than just a thought, brother! It is the choice that God has given us. Many are now trying to ride the fence and, I believe, for a very short season God may allow it, but in the end we must be in Christ or out of Him. How much time remains for us to finally decide for Him or not? God knows! Glory to His name!

[Linsinbigler]

Good post Keith. We see so many people "limping between two opinions." We have fence sitters all the life long. But we must "choose this day" lest He spew us out of His mouth for our lukewarmness and our wish-washy thumb to the air approach to God. Excellent meditation!

[NotFinishedYet]

I smiled, Keith, as I read your OP for I started this morning with the story of Elijah soaking his altar and trusting God was going to bring down fire to consume his sacrifice while the priest of Baal begged their god in vain. Then after lunch my studies brought me to a site on the meaning of the term "in Christ". God is moving!

Romans 6:4-14 (New International Version)

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Joshua 24:15 "Choose you this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

Good thread Keith!