Life is full of choices. The decisions you make today, even the small ones, can create changes in your life that last for many years to come.
One young man decided to join the choir in high school. Because of that decision, he chose to be a music major in college. He chose the college because of their music department. There he joined a music club that met each month for a dinner where he met a young lady who was serving. They quickly became friends, dated, fell in love, and got married. After they were married, they moved to another state to work in his father-in-law’s business. He served as the music minister of a local church, made many friends, had children, and lived his life. But it all was the result of his choice to be in the choir while in high school.
I remember my late night discussions with him while we were in high school. He couldn’t decide: sports or music. What should it be? And then late one night he tossed a coin. If it was heads, it would be music. If it was tails, it would be football. Heads won and his life and his destiny was changed by a flip of the coin.
Today there are many choices you must make in your life that should not be left to chance. Your choices multiply and like a row of dominoes, the first choice affects the second, the second affects the third, and so on. Every day you must choose who you will spend your time with because your friends will affect your choices. Each day you must choose where you spend your money. Your financial choices today will affect your prosperity tomorrow. And each day you must choose your words, because according to Jesus, by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
As you can see, your choices affect everything in your life. But how do we know what choices are right and what choices are wrong? How do we know whether to go to the right or to the left? How do we know what words we should say?
The answer to this question is actually quite simple. You must surround yourself with Christian friends who speak the Word, and you must keep in regular attendance at a church that teaches Bible truth and not social doctrine. To make right choices you must follow sound biblical principles and your words must align themselves with God’s words.
This is why you need a strong local church family. Jesus said that we, as Christians, would be in the world throughout our life here on earth, but we were not to be of the world. (John 17:15-16.) We must be spiritually and mentally separated. And once again, this happens through consistent, diligent training of the entire family in God’s Word. The job of the local church is to equip the entire family as they work in the world so that through faith (1 John 5:4) there will be victory over the world.
The church is a family and everyone in the family should be doing something to strengthen the family. When I was a very young boy, I mowed the yard while my sister washed the dishes and my mom cleaned house while Dad was at work. We all did our part.
According to the Bible, the church family is no different. Ephesians 4:16 says, “…The whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” You have a part in your church body. There is a place for you to serve where God has equipped you.
You and your church should partner together to be teaching centers for your children. Your home can be at peace and full of the glory of God. And together with your local house of God, your home can be strengthened so that the perversion of the world will not destroy your family.
I heard of a family who had a tragedy take place recently. This family did not have a church home. They did not have a family of believers to stand with them and they didn’t have the Word of God in their hearts to sustain them. I’m sure that throughout the years they invested in many things, but the one investment that could have changed their lives was ignored. We must invest in our families and we do this through training at home and at church.
I encourage you to invest your time in the Word and to invest finances in your local house of God. Then as individuals and as a church family no weapon formed against you will prosper.
Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of eight books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.