THE POWER OF CHOICE

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The Power of Choice
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank” (Dan. 1:8, NKJV).


Making the Right Choice
Sandro A. Dela Roca, Dagatan, Taysan, Batangas, Philippines
Sabbath Introduction
Gen. 2:16, 17; Deut. 30:10–19


God created us as individuals capable of making decisions. We can analyze and categorize, but the query lingers today as it did in the Garden of Eden, “Is it evil, or is it good?”
I believe that what we are now and what we are to become depend on the choices we make. We may choose to remain silent in a particular situation or to speak forcefully in another. We must choose which god to serve, which foods to eat, which liquids to drink. Ultimately, what we choose is what we become as individuals.

I couldn’t stand the idea that I had no choice but to obey.

During my high school years, I formally trained in a military course integrated in the curriculum. I had no choice but to enroll. Not taking the course meant I could not graduate. What I hated most about the program was General Orders Rule #2, which stated, “Obey first before you complain.” Being inquisitive, I couldn’t stand the idea that I had no choice but to obey, or else I would be punished by having to do any number of pushups my superior assigned. The strictness of this discipline still lingers as I realize the significance of obeying God.

Since the Fall, God reminds us over and again about making the right choices. He even provides parameters to help us restore His lost image as stated in Deuteronomy 30:10–19. In these verses, “Moses challenged Israel to choose life, to obey God, and therefore continue to experience his blessings. God doesn’t force his will on anyone. He lets us decide whether to follow him or reject him. This decision, however, is a life-or-death matter. God wants us to realize this, for he would like us all to choose life. Daily, in each new situation, we must affirm and reinforce this commitment.”*

If we obey His decrees written in the Book, we participate in the process of restoration. The Lord reveals to us principles for physical well-being to elevate our spiritual maturity. But do we have enough power to make the right choices? This is the focus of our study this week.

REACT
Think about choices you have made. How important were they?
____________
*Life Application Study Bible (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Pub.; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1991), p. 321.



Decisions Over the World’s Temptations
Mariel Joyce L. Perez, Dagatan, Taysan, Batangas, Philippines
Sunday Evidence
1 Cor. 10:31

As Christians, we know that our bodies are the temple of God. So we must take care of them the very best we can. But people sometimes choose to put things into their bodies that are not healthful. Perhaps they do so because they are depressed, and they hope that what they eat and drink or the drugs they take will make them feel better. Sometimes people drink in hopes of forgetting their problems. But tobacco and alcohol are both poisons and do a great deal of harm to one’s body. These poisons increase the risk for behavior and brain-function disorders.

“Alcohol-dependent adolescents perform more poorly on tests of condition.”

“Researchers found that alcohol-dependent adolescents perform more poorly on tests of condition. The effect of nicotine on adolescent brains reveals the following results: (1) chemical receptors for nicotine (a sign of addiction) increase twice as much in adolescents as in adults; and (2) nicotine exposure caused permanent behavioral problems, especially in females.”*

On the other hand, healthful choices can powerfully effect positive changes in us. Regarding unhealthful foods, we know that meat contains cholesterol, which can cause many different diseases. That is why many people now choose to eat more vegetables, fruits, and other recommended healthful foods. They want to enjoy a good, long life. Because of their healthful diets, Seventh-day Adventists are known to live longer, healthier lives than people with other eating habits. Choosing to eat a healthful diet, to exercise, and to think good thoughts help us to sleep better and to have clearer minds.

God gave us the power of choice. We can use this power for good or for evil. We decide what to choose among the things that surround us. Whose steps should we follow? What kind of diet should we choose? It’s good to know that God is always available to help us with every choice we encounter in our journey. When we face difficult choices regarding our health, remember that He is ready to guide us.

REACT
1. What are some biblical guidelines in choosing the foods we eat?
2. How can people at any age resist temptation?
3. Why did God give us the power of choice knowing that we would often choose unwisely?
____________
*Elvira Galvez, “Alcohol, Nicotine and the Brain,” Sci-Tech Magazine, vol. XIX, no. 4, pp. 12, 13.



The Power of Choice
Jervenesence Salathiel O. Florece, Dagatan, Taysan, Batangas, Philippines
Monday Logos
Gen. 2:16, 17; 3:1−13; Deut. 30:10−19; Ps. 119:11; John 3:16; Col. 3:2; Heb. 11:8−10


The Fall (Gen. 3:1–13)
“In the midst of the garden, near the tree of life, stood the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This tree was especially designed of God to be the pledge of their [Adam and Eve’s] obedience, faith, and love to Him.”1

God did not create us to be robots.

When Adam and Eve were placed in the beautiful Garden, they had everything for their happiness; but God chose to test their loyalty before they could have eternal security. Satan was permitted to test them. If they endured the trial, they would be in perpetual favor with God.
Eve found herself gazing with mingled curiosity and admiration upon the fruit of the forbidden tree. God had given her the freedom and wisdom to choose between good and evil. He had freely given her the good, but she was considering the evil. The tempter plucked the fruit and passed it to her. She received it, ate it, and was delighted with it. It seemed delicious to her taste. As soon as she disobeyed, she became a powerful medium through which the fall of her husband could occur. Here is where sin entered our world.

Freedom of Choice (Gen. 2:16, 17)
God instructed our first parents with regard to the tree of knowledge. He did not deprive them of the ability to eat the forbidden fruit. He left them as free moral agents to believe His word and obey His command. However, our first parents chose to believe the words of the serpent instead of believing in God. They basically distrusted His goodness in favor of cherishing the words of Satan.

God created humans with the power to think, to discern what is good and what is right. He did not create us to be robots. As a result, we have the freedom to choose and to decide what we will do with our lives. God wants us to exercise this power and freedom for our good and for His glory.

Wrong Choices and Their Results (Deut. 30:10–19)
“Eve really believed the words of Satan, but her belief did not save her from the penalty of sin. She disbelieved the words of God, and this was what led to her fall.”2

We must not neglect the opportunity to study God’s truths. They are given to save us from deception. Neglecting them will result in ruin. Every wrong choice has unpleasant and sometimes serious consequences; but when we hide God’s Word in our hearts, when we learn to walk by Jesus’ side, we will also learn how to make choices that are true to the faith we confess.

God’s Choice (John 3:16; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20)
When Adam and Eve sinned, God set into motion the plan of salvation. This plan was conceived out of His love for us (John 3:16). Despite our sins, God loves us and wants to save us. That’s why He sent His Son to die for us. Because we are valuable in His sight, He wants us to live happy, healthy, and holy lives. That’s also why He wants us to choose to obey His will, to exercise the freedom of choice by choosing what is good for our bodies. Then we will be able to glorify Him with a redeemed body (1 Cor. 6:19, 20).

“It is Paul’s insistence that, though he is free to do anything, he will let nothing master him. The great fact of the Christian faith is, not that it makes a man free to sin, but that it makes a man free not to sin. It is easy to allow habits to master us; but the Christian strength enables us to master them. When a man really experiences the Christian power, he becomes, not the slave of his body, but its master. Often a man says, ‘I will do what I like,’ when he means that he will indulge the habit or passion which has him in its grip; it is only when a man has the strength of Christ in him that he can really say, ‘[I] will do what I like,’ not, ‘I will satisfy the things that have me in their power.’ ”3

REACT
1. How can you use the power of choice more wisely?
2. What might you be neglecting that would cause you to make unhealthful choices?
3. What basic mistake did Adam and Eve make, and how can you avoid making the same mistake?
4. How do we face temptations similar to those faced by Adam and Eve?
5. When Adam and Eve chose to sin, they blamed others for their poor choice. Do you ever find yourself blaming others for your poor choices? If so, why and how can you learn to take responsibility for your choices?
6. What does Hebrews 11:8–10 teach us about Abraham and the choices he made? What can you personally learn from those choices?
7. We want to make good choices, but when faced with difficult or tempting possibilities, we sometimes fail. How can we “program” our minds so that we can be more successful? (Ps. 119:11; Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:2.)
__________
1. The Story of Redemption, p. 24.
2. Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 55.
3. William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians, rev. ed. (Philadelphia, Penn.: Westminster Press, 1975), pp. 56, 57.



One Choice Out of Many Choices
Jerome B. Balbastro, Dagatan, Taysan, Batangas, Philippines
Tuesday Testimony
Gen. 3:2

When we are puzzled about choosing the one right choice from among many choices, it can be like the shadows of a night haunted by the noise of crickets. From such a night, we might believe that everything is dark rather than reach for the sunrise as our decision unfolds.

Perhaps to choose is to be human.

One thing that requires good decision-making and can lead to either our “day” or our “night” is appetite. “In the wilderness of temptation Christ met the great leading temptations that would assail man. There He encountered, single-handed, the wily, subtle foe, and overcame him. The first great temptation was upon appetite; the second, presumption; the third, love of the world. Satan has overcome his millions by tempting them to the indulgence of appetite. Through the gratification of the taste, the nervous system becomes excited and the brain power enfeebled, making it impossible to think calmly or rationally. The mind is unbalanced. Its higher, nobler faculties are perverted to serve animal lust, and the sacred, eternal interests are not regarded.”1

“The uncontrolled indulgence and consequent disease and degradation that existed at Christ’s first advent, will again exist, with intensity of evil, before His second coming.”2

“Indulgence of appetite would have involved the sacrifice of physical vigor, clearness of intellect, and spiritual power.”3

Satan may lurk all around us, but we need not fall as his prey. “Every man has the opportunity, to a great extent, of making himself whatever he chooses to be. The blessings of this life, and also of the immortal state, are within his reach. He may build up a character of solid worth, gaining new strength at every step. He may advance daily in knowledge and wisdom, conscious of new delights as he progresses, adding virtue to virtue, grace to grace. His faculties will improve by use; the more wisdom he gains, the greater will be his capacity for acquiring. His intelligence, knowledge, and virtue will thus develop into greater strength and more perfect symmetry.”4

Every religious philosophy deals with the concept of choice. Perhaps to choose is to be human. Whether we like it or not, the power of choice is ours. The main question is, How will we use that power?
__________
1. Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 151.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid., p. 155.
4. Ibid., p. 15.



Restoration
Lyka Manalo, Dagatan, Taysan, Batangas, Philippines
Wednesday How-to
Gen. 1:29; Ps. 23:3; 119:11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 1 Cor. 10:31; James 5:16; Rev. 1:3

Our bodies are not ours. We are just stewards of them. Therefore, we need to treasure them. We can actually compare our bodies to photographs. Family pictures, for example, are treasures that can be damaged by water exposure, light exposure, and careless handling. If they are digital photos, they can be deleted accidently or our computers can crash and lose them. When our pictures are damaged or lost, we try to restore them any way we can.

When our pictures are damaged or lost, we try to restore them any way we can.

How does sin damage us? And how can we restore ourselves? Here are some ways:

Scan pictures. The first step to restore photos is to scan them. This will be the mirror to help you to see all distortions. By returning to the original diet God has given you, you can restore your body (Gen. 1:29).

Save. After scanning, begin saving the parts of the photo that you have restored. Whenever you start to restore your body, always remember to have a goal and to keep that goal in mind. Save it in your memory, so you won’t forget it (1 Cor 10: 31).

Fix flaws. The third step is finding what else you need to fix. Your whole body has been damaged because of sin. The only possible way to fix it is to ask the Lord for help (Ps. 119:11).

Remove marks and scratches. Adobe Photoshop Elements and Adobe Photoshop have dust and scratch filters that can delete imperfections. After restoring your body, temptations will still come your way. Two elements that will remove those temptations are prayer and the study of God’s Word.

Print and archive. After you’re done with all of the above steps, you’re ready to print and archive the pictures. You’re ready to share your living testimony and to be a more effective person in spreading the good news of Jesus’ soon return (Matt. 28:19, 20).



Feelings in Lieu of Choices
Villanueva Asis, Dagatan, Taysan, Batangas, Philippines
Thursday Opinion
Prov. 16:25; Matt. 13:18–23

In an accounting refresher course, our instructor used the phrase in lieu. She told us that it means “as if,” “would have been,” or “assumed to be.” We were discussing the topic “cash received in lieu of stock dividends.” She explained how to recognize stock dividends when they are declared and received. However, a problem arises when cash is received in lieu of cash dividends. When this occurs, she said that the “as if” approach is to be followed. This means stock dividends are “assumed to be received” and “subsequently sold” to the cash received.
What if this were compared to our choices? Does this mean to say that our feelings are “assumed to be” the choices we make?

We all know that for every choice we make, there are consequences—either good or bad.

However, sometimes people don’t take their choices seriously because they rely only on their feelings. They believe that it is better to make choices based on how they feel rather than on careful reasoning. We are sometimes blinded by our feelings to the point that we cannot see what the possible consequences of a choice could be.

Consider the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:3–8. If we choose to hear God’s Word and accept it quickly and joyfully, but then do not allow His Word to take root in our lives, we shall quickly be swept away by trouble or persecution. God surely wants us to choose, instead, to take the seed that fell on good soil. He knows we will be more fruitful and profitable when the reaping time comes.

Our salvation depends on how we choose and what we choose. We should base our choices not on feelings but on principles and on Scripture. As we live out the Word in our lives, the correct choices will be made clear. It is not true that feelings are “in lieu” of choices. It is unsafe for us to rely on our feelings. Learn to obey God. It is His plan for us to live a life of usefulness.

REACT
1. What is the remedy or remedies for having made a wrong choice?
2. How can we evaluate God’s will if we are faced with several good choices?
3. When might there be a time when feelings should influence how we make a choice?




The Right Choice
Sandra Araújo-Delgado, Apison, Tennessee, U.S.A.
Friday Exploration
Deut. 30:19; Josh. 24:15

CONCLUDE

Today more than ever we protect our right to choose. We see the power to choose and to shape one’s destiny as a basic human right. But while most of us have been given the opportunity to get behind the steering wheel of our lives, we often lack the wisdom to make sound choices. As Christians, we believe that God gave us freedom of choice not as a right but as a gift; and with that gift He also gave us in His Word guidelines on how to choose well.

CONSIDER
•Playing a word association game with a friend. Each of you write down whatever comes to your mind when you think of the words choice, responsibility, and consequence. Compare and discuss your answers.
•Making a list of the choices you have made in two different areas of your
• life and rank them in order of importance to you.
•Analyzing the life of Joshua. Make a video report highlighting his character qualities and the fortitude that compelled him to make wise choices in difficult circumstances.
•Singing the song “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” Write your reactions to the lyrics.
•Setting a goal to form a new healthful habit. Follow your progress in a journal for three weeks.
• Interviewing five people with the question: Do you feel the need to make better health choices? If so, why? Write a report on their answers.
•Reflecting on the role your feelings play when making a decision. Ask God to help you make good choices based on His Word.

CONNECT
Patriarchs and Prophets, chapter 49.

http://www.cqbiblestudy.org/site/1/lessons/2010-2/English/STUDENT/CQ-10-Q2-02.pdf