Class One ~ "Choices"
(All Bible verses can be read by clicking on the links.)

Eric opened his classes with an object lesson that required a volunteer from the audience. For his first class, Jason Hensley volunteered (brave soul) and was offered the choice between chocolate and fresh grapes. After opting for the chocolate, he was instructed to go ahead and have a bite. His face puckered up as he discovered that it was bitter bakers chocolate!

The lesson for us: What looks sweet on the outside may be very bitter on the inside.

Using references from Romans 1:26-32 Eric pointed out what behaviors and desires are common to the world. This shows to us that all down the history of time, people are faced with a choice to work righteousness, or to commit unrighteousness, and that the majority will choose unrighteousness and try to convince others to choose the same.

So there is a constant pull from the world to only think about ourselves, disrespect our parents and forget all about God and what he asks of us. Also, not to just forget about God, but look back at verse 30, to be Haters of God!

We looked at the examples of Joseph, Abram, and Daniel. Each of these individuals had to face and resist the influence of the world. Joseph had to choose whether or not to sleep with his bosses wife, Abram had to choose whether or not to lie to a pharaoh about his wife, and Daniel had to decide whether to embrace Babylonianism or to stand for Yahweh the One True God. Sometimes they made bad decisions (Abram) sometimes the right decisions (Joseph & Daniel), but the fact remains that there was a choice, and it has to be made.

In each situation, what the world offered these men seemed sweet on the outside, but was full of bitterness on the inside. Joseph was tempted over and over by Potiphar's wife and in order to resist her, he would not listen to her or spend time in her company. This is good advice for us, when we are tempted to do what we know is wrong. Do not Listen to Wrong, Do Not Spent Time with Wrong-Encouragers, and if need be physically run away!

Abram gives us a negative example: He travels with his family down to Egypt to get relief from a severe famine. But, in Egypt, he is faced with a test of his trust that God will protect him. Afraid of the Egyptian Pharaoh's ability to kill him and take his wife, he asks Sarai to lie for him about their marital state. Lying to the world will only get you in trouble, and Abram is asked to leave Egypt when their lie is discovered.

Daniel was a captive Hebrew, born a prince of Israel, forced to live in Babylon and serve the king. The king wanted to give the best of the Israelites a extreme Babylonian makeover!! They were to leave behind their Hebrew ways, and encouraged to be modern and live like everyone else around them. You and I are always under the same pressure from today's world. How did Daniel stay so strong? Verse 8, He made up his mind to choose what was right.

And so must we.......everyday......and when we fail, pick ourselves up ask God for forgiveness and try again.