Decision Time

We are confronted the choices on a regular basis - to choose to follow Christ and His principles or to pursue our own way.  We can seek God's Word for direction and make sure we are sensitive to the
promptings of the Spirit. Exodus 19 states:
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him.
8 Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do."

The way of obedience is a way of peace with God, of knowing what pleases Him and doing it, of abiding in His love.  We will no doubt be tempted and there will be the tendency to rationalize our decisions so that we don't conform with the will of God.  But, He gives us the tools to resist the schemes of the enemy and to walk confidently before Him.  We can experience a right relationship with Almighty God as we lay down ourselves and surrender to Him.

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We will encounter sacrifice and suffering in the Christian walk, but we can know that God will affirm our choices to obey Him. Jesus said in Matthew 16:
(24) "...If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

The latest film from Georgia's Kendrick Brothers remains in the top 10 at the box office and has rolled past $20 million total in its third week of release, according to Box Office Mojo.  Last weekend, among the top 10 movies, it was second in per-screen average and it's showing at just half the number of theatres as the number 1 film. Yesterday, it was #3 at the box office, and its per-screen average exceeded the top movie, Angel Has Fallen.  And, the website indicates that Overcomer will be available in over 300 more locations this weekend.

The movie itself tells a compelling story in which main characters are discovering their identity in Christ.  The main character, Alex Kendrick, is experiencing a transition in his life, and he is helped by a man he meets during hospital visitation.  The character is Thomas Hill, and he is played by Cameron Arnett.  I had the chance to talk with him and his wife B.J. at the recent red carpet premiere for the film in Atlanta.

After the screening of the film that night, the main actors did a short Q&A from the stage, and Cameron shared about not only how he became involved in this film, but he talked a bit about his acting success and his refusal of a particular role that would have furthered his career.  ChristianHeadlines.com published a story that spotlighted this critical moment of his acting journey.  It said:

Arnett was climbing the Hollywood ladder in the 1980s and 90s, landing roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Doogie Howser M.D., Miami Vice and China Beach.

“I was in California and things were going well. And I thought that was going to be my path,” Arnett said this month after a red-carpet premiere for Overcomer.

Then he was asked to do something that conflicted with his faith: partial nudity.

“They brought me in, and I auditioned… and I got the role,” Arnett said. “... They were happy [and] the money was going to be really nice. For the first time, things are happening. And right before I signed, they said to me, ‘Oh by the way. We need you to do partial body nudity.’ And so it kind of like put a halt on everything. And I felt God tap me on the shoulder and say, ‘You know, it’s time to get out of the system.’”

The crew offered the idea of a body double, but as the story relates, "Arnett, though, felt God pointing him to a Bible verse: 'Abstain from all appearance of evil' (1 Thessalonians 5:22).  He believed that the Lord had shared with Him that people would think it was still him.

So, for each of us, we can consider:

There may be times in our lives when earthly rewards conflict with heavenly principles; it's decision time, and we have to make sure we're grounded in the Lord in order that we might make the right choice.

Compromise is born of temptation...and rationalization.  We have to guard against talking ourselves into a particular action, when deep down, we know that it is the wrong move.

We can also be resolute to make the right decision, no matter what the cost.  Jesus spoke of taking up our cross and following Him.  There may be personal cost in obedience, but we know that God is faithful, and He will walk with us as we dedicate ourselves to pursuing His best.