Choices That Strengthen Your Future

1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Choices That Strengthen Your Future

English Standard Version Chapter 15

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand

A. Choices That Overcome Your Failures

Fail to plan, plan to fail

Fail to plan, plan to fail

If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time

Sow a thought reap an action

Sow an action reap a habit

Sow a habit reap an eternity

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time

There’s a hole in that road

“There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk ~ Portia Nelson

http://mymeditativemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bodhi-sidewalk.png

“I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost... I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place. But, it isn't my fault. It still takes me a long time to get out. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in. It's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. I walk down another street.”

I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk I fall in. I am lost … I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter II

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place. But, it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter III

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in … it’s a habit … but, my eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter IV

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

Chapter V

I walk down another street.

You can choose to:

Deliberately disobey God’s commands (this is different that disobeying God. What does it mean to disobey God? This can be a very subjective statement since we make God the way we want him to be. But to disobey God’s commands is a whole other thing. It’s right there in print in front of us.)

To remain in your failure

Blame others for your failures

To deal with it your way (: There is a way...

Remain in your pride

Or you can:

Call it what it is: sin, rebellion, and disobedience - When you have call it what it is you have begun the first step in change.

Take responsibility for your sin, rebellion, and disobedience - When you stop blaming your parents, your spouse, your employer, your friends, your enemies, your upbringing, your lack of education, your lack of money, your lack of anything, and realize that you chose to get into that hole, you have entered the second step to change.

Call it what it is: sin, rebellion, disobedience

To seek forgiveness -

Take responsibility for your sin, rebellion, disobedience

Deal with it God’s way

To deal with it God’s way

Humbly admit your wrongdoing

To humbly admit your wrongdoing

B. Choices That Strengthen Your Future

1 Corinthians 15:1–10 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1 Corinthians 15:1 ESV

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

Choose the Gospel

1 Corinthians 15:1

1 Corinthians 15:1

1. Choose to Remember the Gospel

2. Choose to Receive the Gospel

3. Choose to Remain in the Gospel

Choose the Resurrection Life

1. You choose God’s plan (15:14)

1 Corinthians 15:14 ESV

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

2. You choose forgiveness (15:17)

Your sin is forgiven (15:17)

1 Corinthians 15:17 ESV

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

3. You choose hope (15:19)

1 Corinthians 15:19 ESV

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

4. You claim victory over your failures (15:57)

1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

5. You dwell on God’s future instead of your failures (15:58)

5. You dwell on God’s future instead of your failures (15:58)

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Go fly a kite!

Building the Horseshoe Falls Bridge

Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge

One string leads to one cord, one cord to one chain, one chain to one cable, one cable to one bridge. But you have to get into the basket.