The Wild Card: Your Choices

Sunday, January 19, 2014   The Wild Card: Your Choicesby Rick Warren   “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.” Romans 8:29 (MSG)   You are wonderfully complex (Psalm 139:14). To fulfill God’s purpose for you, you have to look at every dimension of your life and understand five factors that influence your identity. We’ve talked this week about the ways that our chemistry, our connections, our circumstances, and our consciousness affect the way we are shaped.   If these factors are like the five cards you’re dealt in a game of poker, then the fifth factor would be your wild card. Why? Because it’s your choices, and it affects all your other cards. You may not be able to control the hand you were dealt, but you can use your wild card to change the way you live your life by the choices you make.   The Bible says we are created in the image of God. No other animal was created in the image of God! Dogs have instinct but don’t know the difference between right and wrong. Elephants have no moral compass. But you get to choose to do right or wrong. The freedom to choose is man’s greatest blessing and also his greatest curse, because we make stupid choices all the time that harm us and everyone around us.   The wild card can change the suit and number of the other cards you are dealt. You didn’t choose your chemistry, but you can choose what you do with your body. You didn’t choose your connections, but you can make new relationships and mend or nurture the ones you already have. You can choose how you respond to your circumstances, and you can choose to stop believing the harmful things people say to you.   Your identity is shaped by your choices. What choices will you make today that will positively affect the rest of your life?   Talk It Over* What do you need from God today to help you overcome the difficult circumstances in your life that keep you from making good choices? * Pray, and ask God for the help you need.   *** *** ***     Monday, January 20, 2014     Five Winning Choicesby Rick Warren   “Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (LB)   We learned yesterday that, ultimately, your identity is based on your choices. Here are five winning choices you can make that will help determine your destiny:1.You can choose to get healthier. Instead of bemoaning the fact that you don’t have an Olympic body, find ways to increase your energy, lower your stress, get more sleep, and have more power. Psalm 119:73 says, “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands” (NIV). Improving the controllable factors in your life helps you reduce the impact of the uncontrollable factors. 2.You can choose to deepen relationships. The fear of rejection prevents connection, and the only way to get rid of fear is to do the thing you fear the most. Learn communication skills, replace bad relationships, and reach out risk connecting with someone. “Let love be your highest goal!” (1 Corinthians 14:1a NLT) 3.You can choose to trust God, no matter what happens. “I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises” (Psalm 34:1 LB). When you get to the point in your life where you can say, “I praise the Lord, no matter what happens,” that is a confidence that you won’t find anywhere in Hollywood, on Capitol Hill, or on Wall Street. That is a confidence built on a relationship with God! 4.You can choose what you think about. Throughout the 20th century, scientists believed the adult brain could not be changed. When the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner proved that you can rewire your brain, science finally caught up to the Bible: “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (Romans 12:2 NLT). Your self is created by your memories, and your memories are created by your mental habits. Feed your brain with truth — God’s Word. 5.You can choose Jesus as your Savior. I’m not just talking about Jesus saving you from your sins. I’m talking about letting Jesus be your Savior every day. Letting Jesus save you gives you the power to follow through on the choices you make. “Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (LB).   You get to choose how much God blesses your life; he is just waiting on you to use your wild card. It is never too late to change. When you make these five winning choices, God gives you a winning hand.   Pray this prayer today: “Dear God, there are some things you’ve dealt me and life has dealt me and others have dealt me that I don’t like. But I thank you for the wild card. Thank you that you made me in your image and that I can make choices. Today, in your power and your strength, I choose to get healthier. I choose to do the things that will give me more energy and a healthier mind, body, and emotions. Lord, I choose to build healthy relationships. I’m scared to death, but I’m going to risk building new, healthy connections. I want love to be my highest goal; I want my life to be built on love.   “God, I choose to trust you, regardless of the circumstances. I will praise you, no matter what happens! I will trust that every detail of my life is being worked out for good. Lord, I choose what I will think about — no more junk. Help me to fill my life with positive memories and the Word of truth. Most of all, Jesus, I choose you as my Savior. I need your salvation, but I also need you to save me from myself. I need you to help me rewire my body, my heart, my mind, and my relationships so that the rest of my life is the best of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”