Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
Lou Coleman
By Lou Coleman
You have got to choose! The decision that God is calling for this day is of more importance than any other decision you will ever make. This decision is whether or not you will come to Christ and serve Him. It is a personal decision. It is so personal that no one can make it for you. It is a decision that must be made now! Why? Because you do not know what tomorrow holds (James 4:14). What is your life? “It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.”
In Joshua Chapter 24, Joshua was faced with a great choice. That choice was related to who he would choose to follow in life…” If God is God, then this settles the matter. Joshua said, “For me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” We should be either infidels or faithful followers of God. The very nature of this issue leaves no room for a middle position. There are only two paths that we can take in life and Jesus defines them in Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Two roads, one is good, the other is evil. One leads to life, the other leads to death. One will bring the blessings of God upon your family. The other will bring the curse of God upon your life which can affect your whole family. You have got to make a choice…Now!
Don’t get caught up in the false gods in the world — the god of consumption and materialism, the god of militarism, the god of fame and celebrity, and the god of individualism. Don’t pursue things, pursue God. Choose to live God’s way. Living God’s way is a life of confidence and less worry. Living God’s way is a way of liberty knowing that you are held in His hands regardless of what happens to you while living on this earth. Live God’s way and be motivated by His Way. Don’t live according to the way of the world because at best the world is meaningless in the entire context of true life. Serve God and not the world.
Throughout the Bible we find that God holds up choices to people – life or death, righteousness or sin, justice or deceit – and He does not force us to live the good life. It is a choice. It is your choice. But He continually encourages us to make the right choices. You know, Jesus said that those who refused to come to Him did so because they were evil and knew that their evil would be exposed in His light. I tell you, what was true of Moses day is true of today. You have got to choose! What way will you live: Godly or Worldly?
There is one major revelation that all Christians really need to grab a hold of and that is this: This life is for just a very short period of time compared to the eternal time frame that is operating in Heaven. Heaven is for eternity – our earthly life is not! The time we will spend in Heaven, and then eventually the New Heaven and New Earth, will be for the rest of our eternal lives – forever and ever. This earthly life is not even a blink of an eye compared to the eternal time frame that is operating in heaven. So ask you sure you want to call all of your own shots and do what you want to do in this life – all for earthly wealth that will completely perish and pass away the second you die and cross over to Hell? Or do you want to go with God’s perfect will for your life, accomplish the missions and goals that He wants you to accomplish for Him in this life, and then receive your full and final just rewards that will last forever once you enter into Heaven? Don’t wait until it’s too late. Heed the signs and Heaven will be your home. Ignore the signs and you are headed for a tragic ending.
You may not like this message, but you need to know where you are going when you leave this world more than anything else in this world or the one to come. Jesus makes it clear that man must choose which gate he goes through and what kind of life he lives. If you make this decision, then you also decide where you spend your eternity. I ask, or you a fool or are you wise? The Bible tells us that many will find their way onto the broad road than onto the narrow way. That is a sad thing! But, what’s really sad about the whole thing is that God continue to give us many chances throughout our lives to change roads. However, we ignore these opportunities and plunge headlong toward Hell with reckless abandon and without visible concern for our souls! Please do not let this happen in your life. You have the opportunity to change today, take advantage of it and come to Jesus for salvation! What are you holding on to today that is keeping you away from the Lord? Let me tell you, whatever it is, it isn’t worth the price you will have to pay to keep it! Throw it down and cast yourself on Jesus for salvation!
If the Lord is speaking to you about your soul and your salvation, heed His voice and come to Him right now! “Imagine a driver traveling down a highway passing sign after sign telling him that the bridge over the river ahead was out. Imagine that same driver plunging to his death in the river because he ignored all the signs. You say, “No one would do something so foolish!” Oh No? Isn’t that just what you are doing? You are speeding down the road of life toward your death and the bridge is out. Yet you ignore sign after sign telling you to stop and change roads. Don’t plunge into Hell! Come to Jesus and be saved. Come today. Come now!” It’s later than it’s ever been!
