I Choose You, Lord

God, Or The World?

Putting God in my life over the world is a conscious choice. Drawing closer to Him is a privilege, which is why I choose Jesus, not the world. However, there are days when my prayer life can feel empty, and I feel almost as if I'm just talking to myself. This is when I "choose" to follow Jesus because he wants only what’s best for me.

The world does not care about me, but He does. Take a look at James 4:4:

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

What James is saying here is that if you decide to be friends with the world you are an enemy of God.
Being friends with, or having a friendship with the world, is to take an active part in the sin and wickedness the world provides.
We, as Christians, are commanded to love others, and yes, to love others in the world.
However, we are commanded also not to take part in the evil that the world presents to us every day.
We who’ve asked Christ into our hearts don’t need what the world offers!

My Situation

I have to live and function in this world, but I am spiritually separate from this world.
I have no desires, or needs in this world that Jesus Christ cannot—or has not—already provided.
Can I enjoy this world? Absolutely! There are ways I can live in it, and avoid falling into its trap.
God didn’t want for us to be miserable in our lives; he wants us to know that we are loved and protected.
But there are things we must do to protect ourselves from being victims of this world.
I try to picture my life as a chess board: there are many pawns all around whose only objective is to move aggressively toward me.
They are weak and have limited moves, but if I’m not careful, an insignificant little pawn can take me down.

How do I respond to the trials in my life?

I choose to draw close to God. I don’t just pray, I choose to pray!
I choose to draw close!
It's something like this: "Lord, I'm coming to you in just a minute; I plan to discuss things that are troubling me today. I'm gonna go grab a cup of coffee, then let's sit down and go over this, okay?"
I just chose to make an appointment with God. I wanted Him to know how important He is.
If no immediate answer comes, I just have to be patient, and ask myself 3 questions: "Did He already answer and I don't recognize His answer?" "Is it good for me?" and "Is it His will, or mine?"
When we pray because of a desperate need and wait for an answer that doesn’t seem to come then we can get discouraged.
People will test us; they’ll challenge our patience daily. And it’s not just people, but circumstances of everyday living in the world that become trials.
I can’t defeat these things on my own. If I lean on my own understanding I’ll go down like The Titanic. I have to rely on God’s leading. Proverbs 3:2 tells us this: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

How do I choose to draw close?

Drawing close to God is easy. He is my father, my friend. He is my first love and my very best friend who lifted me up when I needed it most.
I draw close by going directly to his word in the Bible.
I try not to read out of obligation, or because there’s nothing better to do.
I also make my reading "goal-oriented", meaning I plan to walk away with something valuable. God has something to say to us each time we open his word, it's just a matter if we're awake, attentive, and receptive to it.
I try to meditate on His Word. As an example, I may go to 1 & 2 Timothy, or Ephesians, or even Philippians.
I find a “parking spot” where I can rest; these parking spots are found in beautiful and inspiring passages.
I look for key words, or repeated words to understand how much God wants me to understand what is written. I’ll use Colossians 3:1 as an example: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Key words: risen, seek, above, where.
Meditating on this verse makes me think about what Christ truly wants for me:
He wants me to set my earthly sights on the things above, the good things, the beautiful things, the things are above and waiting for me. I can cross-reference this verse with Philippians 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

How do I choose to pray?

I simply replace “I forgot to pray today”, or “I should pray today” with: “I get to pray today”.
I choose to take the time to pray and mean it.
I choose to speak with my friend.
Ask Jesus these questions:
“Are you there?” “Are you far away from me?” “Show me where I can find you.”
Then wait; he’ll answer.

“Father, Let Me Hate What You Hate”

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

In Matthew 22:39 Jesus repeats the second greatest commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
So, if we’re supposed to hate our father, and mother, and brethren, how can we love them as ourselves?
Luke 14:26 is speaking to a greater type of love.
What I take from this is that we are to love God so much, that any other love in comparison comes in second place.
Think of word pairs that feature opposites such as: black/white, cold/hot, or love/hate, then you can see it a little more clearly. Jesus does not want us to hate anybody, but to love him with an unconditional love.
Jesus gives us perfect direction on how to walk with him in Matthew 7:13-14: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Take The Time To Know God Daily

I like to praise God daily in prayer.
I have a desire to give back to God!
Sometimes praising gets a little boring; my mind wanders in prayer, or I’m just plain tired and can’t focus.
I want to truly praise Him, but I’m having some invisible conversation in my head with someone other than God.
Here’s a great way to praise God in prayer:
I chose Psalm 82 as a random example: 1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. [ Thank you Lord for being where you are when I need you. Thank you for rescuing me daily. ] 2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah . [ Lord I know you’ve never been unjust with me. I know you deal faithfully and truly to me. You do not deal falsely with me, and for this I praise you on high. I thank you Father for showing me that I can always count on you—even on the days that it doesn’t feel like you’re there, I know you really are. ]
Even elsewhere in The Bible:

Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

God is always there, and wants to hear from you. I pray that you choose to draw closer to Him.

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