{"id":65510,"date":"2019-05-14T04:40:31","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T09:40:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prayingpint.com\/?p=65510"},"modified":"2019-05-11T06:47:27","modified_gmt":"2019-05-11T11:47:27","slug":"163-first-or-second-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/14\/163-first-or-second-choice\/","title":{"rendered":"163. First or second choice?"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Proverbs+3%3A5-6&amp;version=ESV\"><b>Proverbs 3:5-6<\/b><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/b><\/span>Trust in the\u00a0Lord\u00a0with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Psalm+37%3A3-5&amp;version=ESV\"><b>Psalm 37:3-5<\/b><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b> <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/b><\/span>Trust in the\u00a0Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the\u00a0Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the\u00a0Lord; trust in him, and he will act.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John+15%3A5&amp;version=ESV\"><b>John 15:5<\/b><\/a><\/span><b>\u00a0 <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Psalm+27%3A14&amp;version=ESV\"><b>Psalm 27:14<\/b><\/a><\/span><b>\u00a0<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>Wait for the\u00a0Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the\u00a0Lord!<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Psalm+37%3A4&amp;version=ESV\"><b>Psalm 37:4<\/b><\/a><\/span><b>\u00a0 <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>Delight yourself in the\u00a0Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+Corinthians+10%3A12-14&amp;version=ESV\"><b>1 Corinthians 10:12-14<\/b><\/a><\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John+8%3A31-36&amp;version=ESV\"><b>John 8:31-36<\/b><\/a><\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b>So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, \u201cIf you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+Chronicles+16%3A11&amp;version=ESV\"><b>1 Chronicles 16:11<\/b><\/a><\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b>Seek the\u00a0Lord\u00a0and his strength; seek his presence continually!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\">Is our first choice to trust God, to seek God, to rely on God????? Do we do it on our own pushing forward without waiting for God\u2019s perfect plan?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>When do I put myself first and God second?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Do I even know how to put God first?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The real question I should be asking is \u201cdo I trust Him\u201d, Do I rely on Him, Do I seek Him and his perfect plan and purpose for my life?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>To be honest I would have to say yes and no.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I struggle with waiting.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I struggle in the limbo stages of life.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I struggle with not knowing?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>All of these struggles happen when I truly am in a place in my life where I need to trust in, rely on, and cling to God.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Therein is where the problem is.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I place more significance in needing and wanting God present and working in my life when things are a bit of center than when all systems are good.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>If my choice for God is on reserved for times of need then what kind of wretched man am I.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Should not my choice be for wanting to honor, glorify, serve, worship, follow, obey, and rely on Him ALL OF THE TIME?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">If I don\u2019t establish God first in all things at all time then I will find myself not being fueled up for all times of life.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Fuel for life comes from His word but the use of that fuel is a choice, a disciplined choice, an intentional choice, and a commitment that is heart, mind, and soul deep.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>There cannot be times where<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I am content enough today without it being all about God, or where I allow myself to think that I can coast today, or that I am good enough today on my own.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Never is it right to think we serve, honor, follow, and obey God on our terms as an alternative way to live for those moments of trying times.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>If we think this way He will always not be an intentional first choice in our life and more than likely not even a close second.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Here is a hymn that speaks of realizing the heart, mind, and<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>soul-deep need for Jesus each day:<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord; no tender voice like thine can peace afford. I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee! O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee. I need thee every hour, stay thou nearby; temptations lose their power when thou art nigh. I need thee every hour, in joy or pain; come quickly, and abide, or life is vain I need thee every hour; teach me thy will, and thy rich promises in me fulfill. I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee! O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Proverbs 3:5-6\u00a0 Trust in the\u00a0Lord\u00a0with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Psalm 37:3-5 \u00a0 Trust in the\u00a0Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the\u00a0Lord, and he will give you the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/14\/163-first-or-second-choice\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;163. First or second choice?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[5114,5586,917,2676,333,6295,3132,6054,1785,3843,223,2222,10174,612,10176,10175,5111,850,1423,9080,32,2677,7707,6,126,4642,2820,10177],"class_list":["post-65510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-prayers","tag-abides-in-me","tag-acknowledge","tag-all-your-heart","tag-be-strong","tag-believed","tag-branches","tag-commit","tag-continually","tag-delight","tag-desires","tag-disciples","tag-do-good","tag-do-not-lean","tag-faithfulness","tag-fears-much-fruit","tag-he-will-act","tag-jews","tag-presence","tag-seek","tag-straight-your-paths","tag-strength","tag-take-courage","tag-take-heed-lest-he-fall","tag-trust","tag-understanding","tag-vine","tag-wait","tag-you-can-do-nothing"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65510"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65513,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65510\/revisions\/65513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}