"You can have success overcoming the fallen memories of your past by having victory over the decisions you make in the present. With every wise choice of today, the remembrance of past failures fades away, leading to a more effective lifestyle for Christ."The sidewalk preacher, with Bible in hand, projected his message the length of the block as Kyle and Jim approached the downtown bar from the south. They had just circled several blocks looking for a parking spot. Now they found themselves amongst a line of people waiting to get in. They couldn't help but hear the man on the sidewalk."Make every effort to examine your ways before the throne of God. Commit your minds to choose Christ each day for no man knows what the day will bring. Discipline yourselves to learn how to choose. Learn how to not make the wrong decision."Several members of the crowd mocked him, but most just ignored him, anxiously shuffling forward, and wishing they could get inside away from the uncomfortable distraction."Gonna have me some fun tonight!", Kyle said, clapping his hands together. "Christine is out of town and I'm a bachelor tonight!"With that said, he pulled his wedding ring off and put it in his pocket."What are you doing, man?", Jim asked, provoked."Hey, while the cat's away, the mice will play. Just look at all these hotties scoping us out. They know the game.""Can you not hear what this guy is saying on the sidewalk? What if it was your wife at a bar, out of town, and with her ring in her pocket?", Jim challenged."Well, that...I never thought of her doing... That just wouldn't be right.", Kyle sputtered."Tell me about it.""What? Oh. That's right! I'm sorry, Jim. I forgot that's how you lost Kelly. Don't I feel like an idiot right now? Let's get out of here and go shoot some hoops at my place or something."Our decisions nudge us to and fro through life as each one has impact enough to move us. Add them all up, and we get who we are today. Some will receive the consequences from foolish decisions, some will reap the rewards from wise ones. First Timothy 6: 9 warns that "People who want to get rich fall into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.". Who knows how we are to make the right choices? We can follow Jesus's example because He chose perfectly when faced with the same pressures we face today. Hebrews 4: 15 explains, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin.".We can look at the story of His three big temptations while fasting for forty days in the desert. Satan first tempted Him to satisfy His hunger by turning the rocks into bread. Jesus's response is our first step to making good decisions and avoiding making the wrong ones. Matt. 4: 4 says, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.". We need to be in the Word to know the word, so that we can live by the Word. The second decision Jesus had to make was whether or not to throw Himself off the roof of the temple for God to save Him. "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." (Matt. 4: 7) was Jesus's reply. We shouldn't put ourselves on the edge of sin's cliff, knowing better, hoping that He will somehow pull off a miracle and save us. Thirdly, Satan tempted Jesus to bow down and worship him instead of God. Jesus said, "Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.". (Matt. 4: 10) Next week we will discuss priorities and how the world competes for them, but with this in mind, we must be careful to analyze our activities to see if they hinder our ability to worship and serve God alone. But if we are ever in doubt about what we shoud do, we can depend on asking God to help us because, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.". (Phil. 2: 13). To God be the glory.Next week: Priorities: How to Decide What's Important.
