Day 40 - The Will of God Is That Man Can Choose

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 43

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

In Blog #5 (go to www.leemccm.blogspot.com, and search past blogs, Oct. 2012…Day 39) you will find my first look at Michael’s teachings on “choice.”  Incredible truths.

We are living in a day where Christians will not only rise or fall on their “definitions,” but on their “choices”…as perhaps never before.  So, I have decided to look at the 5 “days” in MWfHS that immediately follow Day 39.  Starting this week with Day 40, and continuing for 4 more, we will glean all we can from what God wants us to have to face these interesting days of our lives.

Lord Jesus, come and show us Your Truth…Yourself…in these teachings.

DAY 40

The Will of God Is That Man Can Choose

Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. –Matthew 6:10

As I think through choice, it seems that one key deception is that choice is not resident in the human realm but is held by God. Many ministries make a covert claim that their information holds the key to making a person choose. The brochures of seminaries claim that they are in the process of “producing men and women of God!” Just how does a book, a professor, or a building produce a man or woman of God? If the very best information is not chosen and followed—and we all know some students will follow and some will not--then what good is it? For the students who do choose to follow, was it the school that made them choose? Is it right for the institution to focus on the one who chose and use him as an example of the power of its teaching? A lesser truth gives way to a greater one, so was it the information or the will that was the change factor? I used to do this myself! I would only tell the victory stories that came out of my counseling, and the subtle message was, “See what power there is in this teaching?” Claims are made for methods, teachings, ministries, and institutions that even Jesus Himself would not make, for Jesus never indicated that He could make a choice for the people.

We are all partly responsible for the continuation of the deception; we cannot just blame the institutions. We want to hear that a program can do for our mate or child what only their choice can do. We seek out and pay these institutions to lie to us! Notice those same confident experts who promise to turn a situation around never offer a money-back guarantee. Why? I have watched the human-behavior experts in court, under oath. All of a sudden what used to be an absolute becomes a vague mumbling with a resounding, “I cannot help someone who does not want it!” True, but this was not said initially when clients were being drawn in. We must realize that if God Himself cannot make a person choose, then what about us? We will never be able to make someone choose. Herein lies a warning about how some will allow us to believe that we are in charge of their choices. This is a trap, for they will continue to choose what they want and covertly manipulate us into taking responsibility for it! We will find ourselves working all the harder, pleading, watching, and attempting to control their behavior, all the while having enabled them to become free from their responsibility.

Unlike Day 39, this day does not hold, in number, as many “truths”…but oh, of what magnitude the statement is: “for Jesus never indicated that He could make a choice for the people.”  Very profound.  For years pastors and disciplers have had to deal with person after person who wanted someone else to make a decision or choice for them.  Even way back in Bible times, people were like that, even wanting God to decide for them.  I won’t give the illustrations…I will just let you search and recognize them for yourself.

Let me summarize 3 points that none of us can afford to miss, and forget:

1.  choice is resident with me, not God
2. if I have the very best information, but don’t choose or follow it…it is of no good
      to me.
3. no one, including God, can make me choose…or, choose correctly.

Don’t miss the last thing Michael points out:  “some will allow us to believe we are in charge of their choices.”  There isn’t a minister alive who doesn’t have one or more persons right now that is doing all of the things Michael mentions following the noted statement.  AND…many ministers are wallowing around doing all the things Michael mentions in his last sentence!  How tragic!

Aha!  Choices.  My responsibility.  My decision.  My choice.  And I have to live with each and every one.  Oh, me.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                       936-559-5696