What Would You Choose? - Living in the Valley of Decisions
A compelling message about the power of our daily decisions and their eternal consequences, calling believers to choose life, choose God, and live wisely in the valley of decisions.
Text: Titus 2:11-15, Joel 3:13, Joshua 24:14-15
Preacher: Ptr. Sael Anota
Service: Gift Worship
Focus: C.O.M.E. (City Outreach Missions & Evangelism)
Grace That Teaches Us to Choose Wisely
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” — Titus 2:11-14
God’s grace not only saves us—it teaches us how to live. It instructs us to make right choices, deny ungodliness, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
The Valley of Decision
“Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” — Joel 3:13-14
Multitudes are standing in the valley of decision. The harvest is ripe. The day of the Lord is near. What will they choose? What will you choose?
Our Capacity to Choose
Decisions determine the direction of our life. The direction of our life determines our destiny.
God created us to make decisions. Our capacity to make choices separates us from animals. Yet throughout history, you can see a lot of people who used their free will to make really bad decisions.
What decisions have we made that have had a greater impact in our lives, then and now, both physically and spiritually?
Joshua’s Famous Challenge
“Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” — Joshua 24:14-15
Joshua drew a line in the sand and made his choice clear: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
The Weight of Daily Decisions
The average adult makes as many as 35,000 decisions a day. Many of them are mindless, but more than 70 decisions each day are those that make a tangible difference.
Decisions have consequences. The issue is: How do you make good ones?
God created us to make decisions. Our capacity to make choices separates us from animals. Yet throughout history, you can see a lot of people who used their free will to make really bad decisions.
Historical Bad Decisions
History is full of examples of costly bad decisions:
Business Mistakes
In 1979, Xerox showed Steve Jobs a mouse-driven computer interface that they didn’t think was a big deal. Bad decision. Jobs used the technology, founded Apple Computer, and the rest is history.
In 1962, Dick Rowe of Decca Records didn’t sign the Beatles to a contract because he thought guitar rock groups were dead. Bad decision.
In 1899, a man named Asa Candler sold the bottling rights to Coca-Cola for one dollar. Bad decision.
Military and Political Disasters
In 1941, Japan invaded Pearl Harbor - a decision that led to their defeat in World War II.
In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia and lost 300,000 soldiers—and his nation. Bad decision.
Survival Gone Wrong
- In 1846, the Donner Party took a shortcut through the mountains, got stranded, and resorted to cannibalism to survive. Bad decision.
Biblical Bad Decisions
Even further back, the Bible records countless bad decisions:
- Adam took a bite out of the forbidden fruit
- Cain killed his brother Abel
- Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a salt statue
- Abraham had a child with a maid and those consequences continue today
Bad, bad, bad decisions. Everyone will at some time make a bad decision. I’ve made too many to count, and I don’t really want to recount them.
Some people:
- Date the wrong person
- Choose the wrong career
- Sell their houses at the wrong time
- Buy cars they can’t afford
How can we tip the odds and make more good decisions than bad decisions?
God Sets Before Us Choices
We can recognize that every day is a new day of decision, just as Moses recorded:
“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.” — Deuteronomy 11:26-28
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” — Deuteronomy 30:19
God wanted the Israelites to remember to make good decisions, so He directed them to stand on two mountains—Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal—and shout out the choices of the blessings and cursings.
Years later, Joshua stood between those two mountains in a place called Shechem and made his famous “line in the sand” speech: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Israel’s response that day stands as one of the greatest decisions in the history of the world.
Seven Keys to Making Good Decisions
Each day, we can stand like Joshua in Shechem and have the opportunity to make the best decision of our lives. How do we do it? The following seven keys are critical to good decisions:
1. Meditate on Scripture
Immerse your mind in the will of God in Scripture. God promises good success to those who meditate on His word day and night.
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” — Joshua 1:8
2. Obey God
You can’t expect to hear from God if you haven’t obeyed the last thing He told you. Obedience positions you to receive fresh direction.
3. Consult the Right People and the Right Sources
This includes choosing the right friends. The counsel you receive will shape the decisions you make.
“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” — Proverbs 13:20
4. Do Your Homework
Know what you’re buying—and what you’re buying into. Don’t make decisions based on incomplete information or emotional impulse.
5. Consider the Long-Term Consequences
What will this choice mean six months from now? Or a year from now? Look beyond the immediate gratification to the lasting impact.
6. Pray and Ask God for Help
Be humble enough to say, “God, I need you.” Ask outright, “Lord, is it a yes or a no?”
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” — James 1:5
7. Be Sensitive to the Holy Spirit
God is speaking at all times. Don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Trust God from the bottom of your heart.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6
Learning to Make Better Decisions
These seven keys may take years to learn. The best way to learn is to start today.
Of the many bad decisions I’ve made in my life, because of learning these keys, I’ve also made some great ones—many that absolutely astonished me. How did God open a door we’d never dreamed of? We went from bad decisions to good decisions by using those seven keys.
The Most Important Decision
If you’re young, the decision to marry is at the top of your list. But the most important decision in anyone’s life is to choose what you will do with Jesus.
Even for people who have a long history of bad decisions, one good decision to follow Christ will change everything.
And if you’re following Christ, then stand in Shechem with Joshua every day and follow those keys to make the choices that lead you further and further into God’s will and God’s blessings for your life.
The Significance of Our Choices
Life is filled with choices—choices that affect us every day in everything we do, which means that every day’s choices are not without significance.
Therefore, what we choose to do not only affects us but others also, whether we see the results immediately or not.
What Is a Decision?
DECISION: To settle, determine, or bring to resolution; to resolve; in other words, to decide or to make up one’s mind.
God has given all of us the choice to make up our own minds about:
- Whether to serve Him or not
- Whether to live for Him or not
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” — Deuteronomy 30:19
God is not a God that will force Himself on anyone. But He has given us an option as to what we want to do.
Standing at the Crossroads
Every day, we stand at the crossroads of decision:
The Choice of Obedience
- Blessing if we obey the commandments of the Lord
- Curse if we disobey and turn aside to other gods
The Choice of Life
- Life leads to blessing for us and our children
- Death leads to destruction and consequences
The Choice of Service
- Serve the Lord in sincerity and truth
- Serve false gods and idols of this world
What would you choose?
Living Soberly, Righteously, and Godly
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” — Titus 2:12
God’s grace teaches us to:
Live Soberly
With self-control and sound judgment in all our decisions and actions.
Live Righteously
In right relationship with others, treating them with justice, fairness, and love.
Live Godly
In right relationship with God, honoring Him in all our choices and ways.
Looking for That Blessed Hope
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” — Titus 2:13
Our decisions today are shaped by our expectation of tomorrow. We live with eternity in view, knowing that Christ will return.
He gave Himself for us:
- To redeem us from all iniquity
- To purify unto Himself a peculiar people
- To make us zealous of good works
The Harvest Is Ripe
“Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.” — Joel 3:13
This is a season of harvest—a time when decisions matter most. The harvest is ready. The workers are needed. The time is now.
Multitudes stand in the valley of decision. They need to see believers who have made their choice clear, who stand with Joshua and declare, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Your Decision Today
What would you choose?
Will you:
- Choose life or death?
- Choose blessing or cursing?
- Choose to serve God or idols?
- Choose wisdom or foolishness?
- Choose obedience or rebellion?
Remember:
- Decisions determine direction
- Direction determines destiny
- Your choices affect not only you but others
- One good decision to follow Christ changes everything
Conclusion: Last Two Minutes!
LAST MINUTE WARNING: The moment just before some climactic, decisive, or disastrous event. The time just preceding a deadline or when some decisive action must be taken.
We are living in the last minutes of human history. The day of the Lord is near. Multitudes stand in the valley of decision.
What will you choose?
Joshua made his choice clear: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Moses put it plainly: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.”
Jesus made the stakes eternal: “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already.” (John 3:18)
Today is your day of decision.
Today is your valley of choice.
Today is your Shechem moment.
What would you choose?
Choose life. Choose blessing. Choose Christ. Choose wisely.
The harvest is ripe. The time is now. The decision is yours.
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” — Joshua 24:15
Make your choice. Draw your line. Take your stand. The valley of decision awaits your answer.