"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." (Deuteronomy 30:19, KJV)
Editor’s Note: This post is an expansion of Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M.’s original teaching, “Choose Life, Not Poison,” first published in January 1999. What follows builds on the biblical logic Pastor Anthony Massotti, Th.M. laid out decades ago, while drawing that same straight, urgent truth into our daily decisions today.
Have you ever found yourself standing at a crossroads, feeling the cold wind of uncertainty biting at your neck? Have you ever looked back at a decision you made in the heat of a moment and wondered how you could have been so blind to the impending wreckage? Why is it that the choices that seem so "right" in our emotions often leave such a bitter aftertaste in our souls?
We have all been there. We have all felt the sting of a choice made in the dark, and we have all wrestled with the agonizing weight of deciding which path to take. In our walk of faith, we are constantly bombarded with options, but the truth is far simpler and more urgent than we often care to admit. As Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M. often teaches in his Straight Talk For Straight Living, life isn't a complex web of shades of gray; it is a series of fundamental choices between the Light of God and the shadows of our own making.
The Simple Logic of Life and Death
If you were thirsty: truly, parched-in-the-desert thirsty: and someone placed two bottles before you, would you struggle to decide? If one bottle was filled with cool, crystal-clear spring water and the other was labeled with the skull and crossbones of deadly poison, would you need to pray for a week to find "clarity"?
“You are thirsty, and you are given a choice between a bottle of pure spring water and a bottle of pure poison. Which one would you choose? Who in their right mind would choose poison? What a ridiculous question.”
— Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M., “Choose Life, Not Poison” (January 1999)
Of course not. No rational, thinking person would reach for the poison. That was Pastor Anthony Massotti, Th.M.’s point in January 1999, and it is still our point now. We are deliberately building on that same biblical logic: when God sets life before us and warns us about death, the issue is not confusion. The issue is choice.
If you were offered a choice between a home flooded with the brilliant warmth of electricity or a house dim and flickering in the weak glow of a single candle, which would you choose? If the choice were laid bare between the eternal glory of Heaven and the desolation of Hell, the answer is immediate. We wouldn't hesitate for a second.
Yet, when it comes to our daily lives: our relationships, our finances, our secret thoughts: we suddenly lose our ability to apply this simple logic. We find ourselves staring at the "poison" of our own desires and wondering if, perhaps this time, it might taste sweet. This is the great tragedy of the human condition: we recognize the truth in the abstract, but we stumble when it becomes personal. We must realize that every time we choose our own path over God's revealed Word, we are essentially choosing the candle over the sun, or the poison over the Living Water.
The "I Feel" Trap: A Linguistic Deception
In our pursuit of understanding the bible and seeking biblical teaching, we often encounter a dangerous linguistic shift in our own hearts. It is a firebrand of emotional devastation that begins with three small words: "I feel like…"
“The problem comes in when people start saying, ‘I feel.’ ‘I think.’ ‘I want.’”
— Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M., “Choose Life, Not Poison” (January 1999)
Think about the weight of those words. How often have we pushed aside a clear scriptural command because "I feel like God would understand," or "I feel like I deserve this," or "I just think this is the best way for me"? That is exactly the trap Pastor Anthony Massotti, Th.M. exposed decades ago. The "I feel" life sounds personal, honest, and even sincere, but when it contradicts the Word of God, it becomes a polished form of rebellion.
We must understand the distinction between "I feel" and "God saith." Our feelings are like the shifting tides: unreliable, easily influenced by the moon of our circumstances, and often prone to leading us into the jagged rocks of regret. When we say "I feel," we are making ourselves the ultimate authority. We are crowning ourselves the kings and queens of our own tiny, crumbling kingdoms.
True spiritual growth resources teach us that our will must be sacrificed on the altar of His will. Does the Creator of the universe not have your best interest at heart? If He is the designer of your soul, does He not know the fuel it requires to run? When we stop to analyze it, our resistance to obedience is a rejection of the very Love that sustains us.
The Wolf Cloaked in Your Own Clothing
Why is it so hard to obey? If the choice is between life and death, why do we so often flirt with the latter? The answer is found in the ancient wisdom of the Word. In the parable of the wheat and the tares, when the servants asked where the weeds came from, the Master gave a chillingly simple answer: "An enemy hath done this" (Matthew 13:28).
Behold the reality of our struggle: we are in a state of spiritual warfare. You have an adversary who is a master of disguise. He doesn't always come with a pitchfork and a roar; more often than not, he comes as a whisper that sounds suspiciously like your own inner monologue. He is the wolf cloaked in YOUR sheep's clothing.
“The devil is so subtle that he can disguise himself as YOU.”
— Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M., “Choose Life, Not Poison” (January 1999)
He influences your decisions by masquerading as your own "rational" thoughts or your "justified" emotions. He takes the dirt of your past and tries to put it in the vase of your future. When you choose wrongly, it is often because you have allowed the enemy to sit in the director’s chair of your mind. Pastor Anthony Massotti, Th.M. laid this out with biblical logic years ago, and the warning has not aged one bit: not every voice in your head deserves your trust. To deepen faith and experience true growing in faith, we must learn to recognize the difference between the voice of the Good Shepherd and the hiss of the deceiver.
Discerning the Shepherd’s Voice
Jesus told us, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). This isn't just a poetic sentiment; it is a practical promise. You KNOW God's voice. Deep down, past the noise of your "wants" and the clamor of your "feelings," there is a resonance that occurs when the Spirit speaks Truth to your spirit.
So how do we clear the static?
- Root yourself in the Word: You cannot recognize a counterfeit if you do not know the genuine article. Dive into biblical teaching until the language of Scripture becomes more familiar than the language of the world.
- Examine the "Fruit": Does this decision lead to the peace of God, or does it leave you feeling anxious, secretive, and defensive? Poison doesn't just kill; it sickens long before the end.
- Resist the "Self" Mask: When a thought feels intensely selfish, defensive, or prideful, recognize that the enemy may be using your own personality as a mask.
The Choice is Yours
We are all standing at that fork in the road today. For some of us, the decision is about a relationship that we know is "poison" but we can't seem to let go. For others, it’s a business practice that feels "dark" but profitable. For many, it is simply the daily choice to put our own will on the throne instead of the Lord's.
Do not be deceived by the wolf. Do not let the "I wants" of your flesh drown out the "I Am" of your Creator. The same logic that tells you to drink water instead of poison should drive you to the feet of the Savior. He is not a distant Grandpa God who pats you on the head while you drink venom; He is a Loving Father who warns you because He wants you to LIVE.
You were not made to wander in the shadows of "just thinking" and "feeling." You were made for the Light. You were made for the Truth. Today, you must do something. You must make a stand.
CHOOSE Life!
CHOOSE God!
CHOOSE Right!
Stop getting distracted by the enemy’s masquerade. Step out of the darkness of your own will and into the radiant warmth of His. When you finally surrender that bottle of poison you’ve been clinging to, you will find that the Living Water is more than enough. You will feel like you are finally, truly living again.
For more spiritual growth resources and biblical teaching to help you in your walk, explore our full library of Pastors Corners and join us as we seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.