Good Thursday morning! Technically, the blizzard has begun. If you gaze outside the window here in Sidney, there is a tiny bit of snow blowing around. The blizzard did hit in Utah last night, so we do have a chance to see the snow right on schedule today. The cats are glad to be inside; in fact one is trying to do some demolition work on my already cluttered desk. If he digs around and a mouse runs out then I shall be concerned. Today, I pray that you are snug in your home and well prepared for the snow. We have been rather short of moisture in these parts this fall, so I am praying for some good snowfall this time. Sorry about the late game tonight, but it wasn't my fault really. We'll have to write some letters to ol' Bo and express our displeasure at his team performing poorly in the Big 12 Championship and getting the New Year's Eve Eve Late Bowl. It's even worse for the fans in the eastern part of the state; for them the game doesn't start until 9pm. I suppose I could record the game, but after seeing the score on Friday morning I probably won't be all that interested in sitting to watch the game. I have the power to choose!
Today, I was wondering while laying in bed, after Ken Davis came on at just before 0600, if we realize just how much power and privilege we have in our ability to choose. I asked God to control my thoughts; after all what better way to avoid thoughts of sin than to have God's Holy Spirit take control, or so I thought. But God told me that He didn't work like that. The words I heard in my heart were more like: "I didn't create you to be a mindless automaton." That got me thinking about our ability to choose. Not to choose sin - that's so very easy for us from our lust of the flesh - but the ability to choose to do the right thing, and this is a very powerful and God-glorifying ability.
We certainly need all the help we can get from God and His Spirit to make the right choice too! James 5:16 tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. In order to pray that prayer, we much first become righteous. Jesus makes us righteous when we believe in Him, but we still must choose to make that prayer. The distractions of the day can drive away our thoughts of God and prayer. Making the right choice to devote time to prayer, especially for others, will have powerful effectiveness. Jesus taught us how to pray and to do it in the quiet room of our home. James reminded us that we have not because we ask not. Prayer is where we come to God and get closer to Him. That takes our making a right choice.
We can also do good works, not to save ourselves, but to prove our faith to the world. God is glorified when we make those right choices. Through the strength of God's Spirit, we gain the power to glorify God through our choosing to do the right thing! These chances to do good works might be from a regular duty, such as on our jobs, or there might come an opportunity that we did not expect. Have you ever come upon a chance to do a good work, and then reacted or chose in the wrong way? Once you ask forgiveness and get over the regret, ask God for another chance and the strength to do the right thing. In my Bible reading and personal experience, God is quite good at giving me another chance after I've blown it. I think dear Peter the disciple would agree with me in this!
Have a safe and snowy day! Stay home and keep warm while reading God's word!
Bucky
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