 19"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." Deuteronomy 30:19
Jesus is the life we choose.. and when we do.. it's the most amazing thing in the world! (Thank you Lord for making me want to choose you!) But we have to be willing to let go of our 'old life' as we know it, if we want to experience the victory and joy of Him living his life life through us. Truly life in Christ is glorious--His life for ours is the best thing I've learned all year! What a great trade.
If you want to know more about this life that I'm describing..you might want to check out this book "The Normal Christian Life".
Yes the Lord gives us the choice. No we aren't under the old covenant..the blessings we want now are not 'material' so much as spiritual.
Not to say the Lord doesn't provide for our needs..but the goal is not enough for all our wants.
The Lord sent me to the sermon on the mount to understand that the old system of blessings and curses that resulted from our obedience.. has been replaced by giving up our 'old life' for a glorious new one.. the one Jesus gives by living His life through us.
Matthew 5
Amplified Bible (AMP)
5 Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
Blessed (happy, [a]to be envied, and [b]spiritually prosperous—[c]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
Blessed and enviably happy [with a [d]happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!
Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, [e]spiritually prosperous—[f]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!
Blessed and fortunate and happy and [g]spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God[h]enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be [i]completely satisfied!
Blessed (happy, [j]to be envied, and [k]spiritually prosperous—[l]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
Blessed (happy, [m]enviably fortunate, and [n]spiritually prosperous—possessing the [o]happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!
Blessed (enjoying [p]enviable happiness, [q]spiritually prosperous—[r]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and [s] maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!
Blessed and happy and [t]enviably fortunate and [u]spiritually prosperous [v](in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
Blessed (happy, [w]to be envied, and [x]spiritually prosperous—[y]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of your outward conditions) are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account.
Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense), for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I don't even care if I HAVE anything in this life.. but I do care very much for the joy of living life in constant communion with Jesus, freedom from besetting sin, and the joy of just sharing the Lord's love and life with others and seeing them set free and beginning to walk in the abundant life the Lord always intended for us to have.
It's the 'normal' Christian life.. yet so few Christians ever experience it! But you can.. and I have all year. The only 'cost' was me being in control of life or getting to 'choose' how to live.
My life died with Christ on the cross, and now, like a child I just wait to see what HE wants to do.. and where he wants me to go...and he gives me the grace to do whatever his will is.
It's a wonderful life!!  When we are willing to abandon everything about our life to the Lord, and He allow him to have his way with us, new life just overflows.. and it brings life to our children as well.
The Lord wants to fill our hearts, our homes, our families with His life giving spirit.. not our old fleshly attempts to 'do things' for him.. but instead for him to live through us and minister life to us and our children.
Enjoying my day with Him.. though I am so grateful that we can have that every day.
Love in Christ,
Donna
PS. This was so good I had to include it.. as it explains a bit more. <3 p="">
Turning Back or Walking with Jesus?
Do you also want to go away? —John 6:67What a penetrating question! Our Lord’s words often hit home for us when He speaks in the simplest way. In spite of the fact that we know who Jesus is, He asks, “Do you also want to go away?” We must continually maintain an adventurous attitude toward Him, despite any potential personal risk.
“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). They turned back from walking with Jesus; not into sin, but away from Him.
Many people today are pouring their lives out and working for Jesus Christ, but are not really walking with Him. One thing God constantly requires of us is a oneness with Jesus Christ. After being set apart through sanctification, we should discipline our lives spiritually to maintain this intimate oneness. When God gives you a clear determination of His will for you, all your striving to maintain that relationship by some particular method is completely unnecessary. All that is required is to live a natural life of absolute dependence on Jesus Christ. Never try to live your life with God in any other way than His way. And His way means absolute devotion to Him. Showing no concern for the uncertainties that lie ahead is the secret of walking with Jesus.
Peter saw in Jesus only someone who could minister salvation to him and to the world. But our Lord wants us to be fellow laborers with Him.
In John 6:70 Jesus lovingly reminded Peter that he was chosen to go with Him. And each of us must answer this question for ourselves and no one else: “Do you also want to go away
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