Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.

      1 Kings 18:21 Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you try to have things both ways? If the LORD is God, worship him! But if Baal is God, worship him!” The people did not say a word.
      Having it both ways seems to be the desired way of life that people from the past wanted life to be. If we take stock of our own lives today, it seems things have not changed. Wanting both good and bad all the time with no consequences or accountability seems to be the goal of government and special interest groups. 
      Give me gluttony and greed with no effect on my body or personality. Give me envy and lust with no stain on my character. Allow me to reign my life with pride and wrath with no consequences or responsibility for any of my actions. When we take on this secular default setting we do not become a tolerant society, we become a nation of sloths with no ability to make righteous choices in life. We become susceptible to any kind of nonsense offered to our souls. 
      God asks us to make a personal and solid choice because lukewarmness – the state of many people today – will keep them in a place of non-effectiveness and with no authoritative power to move forward in life. Rev. 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. 
      When we are hot or cold God can do something with us, because we have made a solid decision. However, lukewarmness – an insipid emotional state, or a lack of enthusiasm in life – makes it hard for God or anyone to help humanity make a qualitative life decision with the forthrightness of heart. People are stuck between two opinions; therefore, going nowhere fast.
      This view of life is all around us and makes it hard for the general population to get a grip on what to do. The government subsidizes big agriculture to produce products for junk food and promotes the overuse of chemicals and poisoning fertilizers, while at the same time telling us to eat more vegetables and make healthier choices. 
      The governing financial leaders create easy credit of all kinds persuading people into ever-increasing and higher amounts of debt while expressing concern about the debt and suggesting restraint and control in order to keep paying the never-ending debt. They want it both ways and expect a sane decision from the population they are manipulating. 
      The credit score is a common phrase among our youth, rather than the idea of earning and saving up for a particular item. Duplicity and subterfuge are the norms that come out of our institutions, and confusion with the lack of ability to make a hot or cold decision is the result. Many students come out of college and university bewildered and believing in nothing because of the non-ethical view taught on morality and keeping a clean conscience, thus creating a new generation of sloths who are stuck betwixt and between the ability to make sound judgments.
      I do believe there are some good instructors, politicians, and advisers who are truly trying to make a difference for the betterment of our lives and country. However, they seem to be voices in the wilderness. Their numbers may be few, but thank God they are there. This is why we, as individual people, have to step up to the plate of life and make positive and righteous choices in our lives. This way we will not be dependent on the governing institutions to make our decisions for us. 
      If the will of the people is the will of a righteous and loving God, then God will do His part in changing the hearts of the leaders and kings of industry to reflect a desired blessed and healthy life. Prov. 21:1 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he guides it wherever he pleases.
      When we, as individuals, clean up our own back yard and take the Lord at His word, we will make sound choices that are conducive to the health and blessing of one another and our nation. Hopefully then, over time, common sense may become commonplace. We will grow up and stop being children with no direction stuck betwixt and between something that should be an obvious choice. Eph. 4:14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
      Choosing the fear of the Lord or righteousness in Christ with a heart led by integrity should not be odd or a foreign concept to us, unless you are like the Psalmist says a fool who says there is no God. Psalm 14:1a The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. To remain in a place of no decision is a decision. 
      If we are not sure how to proceed, we can ask God for His wisdom and He will give it to us. James 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God — who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly — and it will be given to him. So we come to the same place Elijah was at when he presented his declaration of choice. Hopefully, we will answer and not stand there not saying a word. I choose the fear of the Lord and His love. Blessings.