"MAKING WISE CHOICES"
INTRODUCTION
- The Old Testament provides valuable lessons for the Christian - 1Co
10:11
- One such lesson is the importance of "Making Wise Choices" in our
lives...
- Lot made a choice as to where to live, and as a result he
experienced:
- War and kidnapping - Gen 14
- Oppression and torment by the ungodly citizens of Sodom - 2 Pe
2:7-8
- Loss of all his possessions, death of his wife, and incest with
his daughters - Gen 19
- David chose to commit adultery with Bathsheba, and as a
consequence he suffered:
- The death of his infant son - 2Sa 12
- A daughter molested by her half-brother - 2Sa 13
- That son killed by her vengeful brother - 2Sa 13
- A rebellion led by that son, who shamed him publicly, and whose
death brought even more grief to David - 2Sa 15-18
- With Lot and David illustrating the need for "Making Wise Choices",
let's consider...
- Some choices that greatly affect our lives
- Suggestions for making wise choices
- What to do when we have made the wrong choice
[We begin with a review of...]
- CHOICES WHICH GREATLY AFFECT OUR LIVES
- CHOOSING JESUS...
- Will you follow Jesus or not?
- Will you become His disciple?
- Or will you refuse to accept His gracious offer of salvation
- Mt 11:28-30
- This one decision will affect your life more than any other!
- It will determine your place in eternity
- It will have a bearing on every other decision you make
- As a disciple, you will be concerned with doing His will
- As a disciple, you will not simply "do your own thing"
- Mt 28:18-20
- CHOOSING A CAREER...
- Even from a worldly viewpoint, your choice is important
- The job market is always changing
- The wrong choice could lead to financial ruin or fiscal
hardship
- More importantly, the choice can have a lasting effect on:
- Your marriage and family
- Your service to God
- Make the choice to honor God first, and you will be blessed
- Mt 6:33
- Make money the primary factor in your decision, and destruction
will follow - 1Ti 6:6-10
- CHOOSING A MATE...
- This choice will determine to a great extent your degree of
happiness - Pr 12:4
- It will have a permanent bearing on your children and their
emotional well-being
- You may think you can simply divorce a person if they turn
out to be a bad choice
- But once you have children, there is no way to reverse the
choice you made as to who is the mother or father of your
children!
- The children are not unaffected by the violence of divorce
- cf. Mal 2:16
- CHOOSING YOUR FRIENDS...
- Having close friends can be a wonderful blessing - cf. Pro
17:17
- But the wrong friends can be a curse - cf. Pr 12:26; 1Co
15:33
- CHOOSING WHERE TO LIVE...
- It was this choice where Lot made his mistake
- It appeared to be a sound business decision - Gen 13:10-11
- But it was a poor moral decision - Gen 13:13
- Upon what basis do we choose where to live?
- Is it based solely on how much of house we can afford?
- Is it based upon the location to work, school, etc.?
- Do we consider whether it will help or hinder our service to
God and His church?
-- There may be some modern-day "Sodoms" and "Gommorahs" to avoid!
[For every action there is a reaction, and for every choice there is a
consequence. To increase the likelihood that our choices will have good
consequences, here are a few...]
- SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING WISE CHOICES
- ASK GOD FOR WISDOM...
- He promises to give wisdom to those who ask in faith - Jm 1:5-8
- Asking for wisdom requires diligence - Pr 2:1-9
-- Fill your prayers with requests for wisdom to make wise
choices!
- ASK OTHERS FOR ADVICE...
- There is safety in having many counselors - Pr 11:14
- There is wisdom in heeding the counsel of others - Pr 12:15
- Two great sources for counsel:
- The Bible itself, especially a book like Proverbs
- Older, mature Christians
-- Don't hesitate to ask others what they would do!
- COMMIT YOUR CHOICES TO THE LORD...
- Trusting that you have made choices pleasing to Him, put them
in His hands - Ps 37:5-6, 23-26
- Make your choices with the understanding, "if the Lord wills"
- Jm 4:13-15
- One might even ask the Lord that if a choice is not according
to His will...
- He might frustrate the carrying out of the choice
- Or to otherwise show you what is His will
-- Include God in your decision making, if you wish to make wise
choices!
[There will be times when it becomes apparent that we made poor choices,
even wrong ones. What can we do to avoid making matters worse...?]
- RESPONDING TO WRONG CHOICES
- LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS...
- Do what Lot did: Heed and flee!
- Heed the Word of God
- Do what you now know to be right without reservation
(remember Lot's wife!)
- Do what Peter did: Repent and serve!
- Repent, if sin is involved (as when Peter denied Christ)
- Serve the Lord with what time you have left in this life
- Do what Paul did: Accept and live!
- Accept the forgiveness Jesus provides - cf. 1Ti 1:12-16
- Determine to live for the Lord to the best of your ability
- cf. Php 3:13-14
- THE WRONG THING TO DO...
- Continue - remain in the choice you've made because of pride,
or some other reason!
- Wallow - just feel sorry for yourself over your guilt or loss!
CONCLUSION
- May the examples of such men like Lot and David...
- Teach us the importance of "Making Wise Choices"
- Serve as a warning not to make our decisions lightly
- May we ever be open to the wisdom from God and the counsel of others
as we make such choices as...
- Our careers
- Our spouses
- Our friends
- Where we will live
- Have you made the most important decision you will ever face in this
life?
- The decision which will determine your eternal destiny?
- The decision to follow Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
Why not decide today to follow Jesus, and become His disciple? - cf. Mt
28: 19-20; Ac 2:36-41