"It’s quiet. It’s early, my coffee is hot, the sky is still black. The world is asleep, the day is coming and for the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands.

IT IS TIME NOW THAT I MUST MAKE A CHOICE - (Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose & so I choose.)

I CHOOSE LOVE –

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY –

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical (the tool of the lady thinker), I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings created by God. I will refuse to see my problems as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE –

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE –

I will overlook the inconvenience of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fists at a new assignment, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS –

I will be kind to the poor for they are alone. I will be kind to the rich for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind for such is how God treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS –

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I CHOOSE FAITFULNESS –

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will never regret that trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear their father will not come home.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS –

Nothing is won by force, I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clinch my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL –

I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose Self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose Self-control.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. TO THESE I WILL SEEK HIS GRACE, AND THEN WHEN THE DAY IS DONE, I WILL PLACE MY HEAD ON MY PILLOW AND REST."

As per me... So few realize that they even have a choice. I sent these texts out to a young man one morning when he asked what I might teach a men's group I was speaking to the next week...

"My usual topic which I stress in all three books?...we must spend time in relationship with Jesus Christ daily - in prayer and in His Word for Him to be able to impact us and transform our minds, as well as our lives. People are too busy...and just find it so difficult to make the time to spend in fellowship and relationship with Jesus each day...

It's pretty complacent and apathetic out there when it comes to Christ...and how we can live our lives for Him...

Such a tough sell, but I've found that this is the only thing that has brought "true happiness and joy"...for me in living out my life!

The problem for most of us is when we eventually find this "true happiness and joy" - we wish we'd have found out about it much sooner than we actually had!

Read Oswald Chambers’ “Utmost” for May 20th - “Taking Possession of Our Own Soul”...

 It speaks to our struggle...

Most "Christians" don't have the spiritual courage and determination to live out their faith in the flesh - so they are weak in their faith and impact so few, if any, of those around them for Christ. The more time we each spend in relationship with Christ, the more transformed and enabled we are to share Jesus and His gospel with those around us in a loving way...almost, in a contagious way!

Those who don't do so - "muddle along" like the Laodiceans in Revelation 3 - are "lukewarm," and the Lord will spew them out of His mouth...!

They're too busy seeking the "stuff" that won't bring true happiness, and will actually rot! 

Most never realize how Satan has them blinded to the "true joy" of being Christ-filled, and they are missing this happiness and true joy, while searching for it in all the wrong places...and they live out their entire lives never knowing they are even missing it! All for lack of a "CHOICE!"...

Think about it...

Side note: I had breakfast at a local cafe one day and the owner of the establishment came by, sat across from me in the booth and asked, “So Mark, what do you think about all this craziness going on about this coronavirus pandemic?”... 

I said, as I showed him the cover of my “Which Way Is Up? From Amongst All This Chaos!” book on my phone, “You know Tom, all this chaos and fear is going to cause people to examine themselves and think about what or Who it is that they are placing their faith in...!”

His reply? - “You know Mark, I’m not religious, but I’m going home to Albania to my brother’s wedding soon and I’m feeling that when I do, I should gather my family and pray... The problem is, I’m fearful that they would laugh me out of the house...!”

A question I would ask him to think about is... “Who...or what - would he be praying to...and would his prayer even be heard???”

Also, “Isn’t his family WORTH IT…?”

Think about it...

Side note: Please continue to pray for my big brother Frank - and the healing of his foot…

And I would ask you to pray for me as I am helping with a funeral of a friend up here in Dallas this afternoon…

Thank you for praying!

In Christ,

Mark

Read utmost.org for Nov. 5th... “Partakers of His Suffering”… and for Jan. 15th... “Do You Walk In White?”… and for Aug. 5th... “The Bewildering Call of God”…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:33-34‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭30:14-20‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15:10-17‬ ‭NASB‬‬

As per me again…Sooooo what are you choosing…???

Think about it…

Amen and Amen…!!!