Mensa Otabil - Choose Your Actions (10/01/2025)
This week, we’ve been looking at choices, and we’ve been considering various aspects of choices: the road we should walk on, the road we should not walk on, who holds the key, and that life is a choice. Today, we’re going to look at some practical aspects of making choices. Psalm 119, verse 30: «I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.»
The choices we make in life are ours. Once in a while, other people choose for us if we ask them to, but mostly, we make our own choices, and each one of us has the burden of intentionally doing the things that will get us the right results. Sometimes, we may have a desire, but the choices we make may be totally opposite to that desire. Therefore, it’s important that our desires are aligned with the actions we take.
Whether we are serving God as pastors, are members of a church, or are simply Christians, all of us must intentionally seek to do the will of God. Here are some guidelines I’m providing for us to make choices—five of them for today.
Firstly, we must choose based on godliness. Godliness has to do with God’s character; that’s where we start. The basis for making a choice should always be godliness or godly values. God looks at the heart; He doesn’t look at the outward. He doesn’t just look at beauty and stature; He looks within. For whatever decision you are making, don’t just look at the surface. In other words, if you’re going to marry, don’t just look at someone and say, «Oh, I like him» or «I like her» and marry them.
«Oh, this business looks good; I’m going to do it. People are making money doing this; I’m going to do it.» We have to look beyond; we have to be like God, not looking at the outside but taking an interest in what is within.
Secondly, we must choose to work towards our desires. Work is not a curse, and we must be very careful about anything that promises us results without work. Apart from our salvation, which is freely given to us because of the work Christ has done, everything else we receive in life requires some effort on our part. We shouldn’t be looking for free things—things we haven’t put energy or effort into—but still want to reap results. That’s not how it works; we have to work for it; we have to put in a lot of effort.
God gave Israel a promised land and called it the land flowing with milk and honey. But guess what? In the promised land, nothing flowed; they had to plant. Even the manna, which they were receiving freely in the wilderness, ceased in the promised land, and they had to work in the land of promise. That means for the promises of God to become real in our lives, a lot of work has to be put in, and we have to put in a lot of effort.
We must choose based on godliness; we must choose to work; and then, we must choose to go the full distance of our journey. When we start a journey, we don’t quit. We don’t stop along the journey and say, «Oh, I’ve seen it all; I’m tired. I tried, and it’s difficult.» No, because on the journey we have chosen, if it’s the narrow gate and the narrow way, there will be difficulties, setbacks, disappointments, and negativity. People will fight you; people will resist you. But you must stay on track; you must not quit if you’re doing the will of God.
We have to choose to magnify God in all that we do because everything we do in life must ultimately honor the Lord. We must choose for Christ to be at the center of everything we do with our lives. These are practical guides that will help us when faced with choices to determine which ones are good for us and which ones are not. I hope you’ve been helped.
I will continue this tomorrow, and I believe you will receive insights that will practically assist you in your Christian life. Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, You reward those who diligently seek You. Magnify Yourself in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen and Amen.» I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom—peace and life to you.