“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” (Deut. 30:19).
Few statements in Scripture are more direct. Moses stood near the end of his life and ministry with Israel on the edge of the Promised Land. A new generation was preparing to cross the Jordan, and God set before them a clear choice — life and blessing or death and cursing.
When Moses said, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you,” he was not offering a casual suggestion. He was speaking in the language of covenant. God had made His will known, and Israel would be responsible for how they responded. The choice before them was real, and the consequences would reach beyond that moment.
God did not leave His people guessing about how to choose life. In the next verse, Moses explained what that choice looked like: love the Lord, obey His voice, and cleave to Him. Choosing life was not an empty religious performance or fearful compliance. It was a heart turned toward God, expressed through obedience and dependence on Him.
That truth still speaks to us today. Our choices do not exist in a vacuum. The spiritual, emotional, and moral decisions we make now echo into the future. Choosing life plants seeds of faith, stability, and character that can impact our children, grandchildren, and those who follow after us.
From a New Testament perspective, we understand that true life is found in Jesus Christ. He is the One who gives life, and through the Holy Spirit, He empowers believers to walk faithfully each day.
Ultimately, Deut. 30:19 reminds us that our destiny is not merely a matter of chance — it is a matter of choice. God sets life before us. By His grace, may we choose life.
From Our Missionaries
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “One of the passages that most encourages me in the work of church planting is 1 Cor. 3:6-9: ‘I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase’ (1 Cor. 3:6). These words remind me that each person has a role to play in the Lord’s work, but ultimately, it is God who produces the results.
“That has been our experience at Ebenezer Baptist Church. You sent us to plant a new Hispanic church, and when we say ‘new,’ we truly mean starting from the ground up — reaching people with the gospel, making disciples, and establishing a congregation. It is a process that requires time, patience, and perseverance.
“Over the years, we have seen God open doors for us to connect with our community, share the gospel, disciple new believers, and help them grow in their faith. We are now also seeing new leaders develop as they faithfully use their God-given gifts to serve others.
“Recently, my ministry partner through Conexión Silas (Silas Connection), Moisés Rico, led an excellent workshop on the inductive Bible study method for participants in our Discovery Bible Study groups. It was a blessing to watch our people grow in their ability to study and teach God’s Word.
“I am grateful for men and women such as Moisés, Joselyn, Kory, Victor, Veronica, Santi, Esther, Liz, Jose, and many others who serve in leadership at Ebenezer. I am also thankful for every church and individual who prays, gives, and supports this mission.
“We are all fellow workers with God. Yet, the glory does not belong to us. As Paul reminds us, it is God who gives the increase.
“Thank you for partnering with us as we seek to make disciples who make disciples.”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “We had an amazing week at Faith Chapel! We did not have Sunday school, but we set a new record for worship attendance, with 10 first-time visitors from our area and several from Mt. Pleasant in Plumerville who were here helping us with our first VBS.
“We praise and thank God for them! VBS was a smashing success, and our expectations were exceeded greatly. We had 23 young folks and plenty of youth and adult volunteers to make everything go smoothly. It was just wonderful!
“We wound it all up Sunday morning and let the kids have the worship service. They led the singing and showed the church what they learned and did, and, as I said, it was amazing! The theme for VBS was ‘Jesus is the Light of the World,’ and what a coincidence — my sermon was titled ‘Light of the World’ from John 8:12.
“We thank you all for your prayers and support! And we thank God for you all!”
Faith Journey, Benton: Bryan Clay writes, “Faith Journey was blessed with an exciting week of ministry and encouragement! Our worship leader and his wife met a family this week and had the opportunity to share the gospel with them. During their conversation, the father shared that the Lord had been convicting his heart over the past few weeks. We are happy to say this gentleman put his faith in Christ and received Him as his Savior!
“On Sunday, one of our young families invited another family to attend worship with them. Not only did they come, but we were blessed to have five first-time visitors in our service. It is always encouraging to see our church family reaching out and inviting others to experience the love of Christ and what Faith Journey has to offer.
“Thank you for praying for Faith Journey. We are grateful to see God moving in people’s lives and bringing our families closer together.”
Misión Gracia Soberana (Sovereign Grace), NWA:Roberto Marcelletti writes, “Greetings, brothers and sisters in Christ, from Northwest Arkansas. This week, after visiting two doctors, we finally learned what is going on with Patty. She has a torn meniscus and will need an arthroscopy. We are now waiting for the MRI appointment so they can schedule her surgery. I ask for your prayers — she has had to stop working because of this.
“On Saturday, Patty ordered some food, and when the delivery driver arrived, he could not find our address. We stepped outside so he could see us, and we realized he was Hispanic. We greeted him and invited him into our apartment. His name is Daniel. We were able to share the gospel with him and invite him to our church, and he said he plans to come on June 14.
“Please continue praying for Daniel and that God would keep giving us these kinds of opportunities to share the gospel.”
Epic Life, Pea Ridge: Jake McCandless writes, “This week, our Connection Circles met and definitely felt the first week of summer in terms of attendance, but both groups enjoyed great fellowship and meaningful discussion. While we always enjoy seeing our groups at full strength, it is often during smaller gatherings that some of the deeper conversations take place — the conversations that might otherwise remain unspoken.
“Both circles continued our ‘A God Big Enough to Ask?’ Discovery Bible Study series. The study has produced some powerful discussions around the beginning of the world and the early chapters of Genesis. One of the most encouraging aspects has been watching people, especially the children, discover these truths directly from Scripture rather than simply being told what to believe. There is a noticeable difference when people engage the text for themselves and wrestle with the questions together.
“Next week, we will gather in one of our two monthly worship services.”
