PRAY FIRST

The Acts 1: 24, 25

And they prayed, and said, "Thou LORD, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two Thou hast chosen, that he may take part in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas, by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."

The choice Judas made, in betraying JESUS, the Christ, cost him his life, eternal life, ministry and his ordination as an Apostle of JESUS. Judas chose to over-ride the plan of GOD by his own plan, which was based in greed.  His choices led him to "his own place" which he chose, to live there forever.

This is a horrible end to the life of Judas and a great sorrow for JESUS.  This is the consequence for wrong choices. This is why it is so important for all of us to repent of the transgression of wrong choices and wrong words. To maintain that you are right when you are very wrong, means separation from GOD; and yet, if you repent, you are immediately restored to fellowship with GOD.  Judas did not repent, instead, he hung himself.

Notice the context of the prayer in Acts. The Apostles had to choose between two men to fill the slot of Judas, they prayed first for GOD to choose the replacement. In all of our life, the sound way to choose anything is to pray, "LORD, Thou knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these Thou hast chosen." The LORD has a plan and that plan includes us, since He sees all things, His choices are 100% correct.

So, choose according to the foreknowledge of GOD, through preventative prayer.