Making the Right Choices — Don Wilkerson

This message is one of the Times Square pulpit series. It was recorded in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in Manhattan, New York City. Other tapes are available by writing to World Challenge P .O. Box 260 Lindale, Texas 75771 or calling 214 -963 -8626.

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Making Right Choices Through Genesis 24

Genesis chapter 24. If I were to pick out some of my favorite chapters in the Old Testament, I would have to list as one of my personal favorites chapter 24 of Genesis. I've preached from here before a message about seeking a bride.

But tonight I want to talk to you about making right choices making right choices and I'll read just one verse of Scripture right now and ask you just to leave your Bible open as We'll be looking at this entire chapter in this story Genesis 24.

I'm reading from the King James tonight verse 27 verse 27 and he said this is a Eleazar Abraham Servant who sent on a mission which we'll talk about in a moment. And he came to a point in his mission.

He said Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham Who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth. I Being in the way the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren. I want you to note the words, especially it Would be different in a New American Standard and other versions, but in King James, it says I being in the way the Lord led me making right choices now I have made some good choices in my life and I've made some bad ones.

I've made some very very good decisions. I've made some very very bad decisions. I Remember at the age of seven I made a very good choice a very good decision. The best one that I have ever made in my life.

I went with my parents my father was a minister, but I Happened to accompany him one night as he and my mother went to visit another church to visit a friend of theirs who was an evangelist and While the adults were having their service In the main sanctuary as we do now.

They had a children's meeting and I went there. I was seven years of age and the evangelist wife gave a very powerful message to all of our children and She gave an invitation and asked how many had Not accepted Jesus and I though I knew all about the Lord from day one of my understanding I Realized that I had not actually Invited Jesus Formerly or to come into my life and I'll never forget.

I I remember the suit I was wearing I remember had a little blue suit on and I got down on my knees in that basement in Western, Pennsylvania in a town called Freeport, Pennsylvania. And I got on my knees and I asked Jesus to come into my life.

And I thank God for that meeting and I also I thank God for ministry to children. I'm a testimony of the lasting value of child evangelism and just because kids are little Does not mean the ministry to kids are little.

Neither in the eyes of God and certainly not in the eyes of of this church. And we're thrilled to see what God is doing. We thank the Lord for our teachers we thank the Lord for our ministries here and You know I've worked all of my life with young people young men who've come from a background of drugs and other kinds of life controlling problems and they have marvelous testimonies and I've heard so many kids like Myself who grew up in the church and they sometimes I hear them say well, I don't have a testimony.

Well, I beg to differ with that because I've got a testimony that the Lord has kept me by his power that I never had to go down that road and I haven't missed a thing. I haven't missed a thing. I thank God that he preserved me from all of that that I'd never went into gross sin.

But nevertheless I knew as a seven-year-old that I Needed Jesus in my heart and he came into my life and he's kept me all these years. I Won't tell you how many that is because you'll be able to divide seven from whatever figure I give know how old I am.

Only important for you to know that pastor David is a senior pastor. But we thank God both of us. Thank God for our Christian heritage praise the Lord. I made another important choice in my life one time when I asked a certain young lady to go out on date and I'm not referring to my wife and let me explain.

I better explain that. You know in one of David's messages. He talked about how he met Gwen and I figured I deserve equal time and Bob maybe you'll weave one into your messages as well or Gary but I was in Bible school and was dating a young lady that's my wife now for a period of time and I finally came to a point where I sought to get serious and She informed me that I was more like a brother to her.

She said I like you, but you know, you're more like a brother to me to add insult to injury. She has six brothers and so I was seventh on her list and so I said enough of that and I asked another young lady out and When my and when Cindy found that out she said oh, no that girl will rule him.

She'll destroy him. She's no good for him. And so she came to my rescue and we've lived happily ever after. It's one of the best decisions I ever made in my life to ask that other girl out so I've made some good decisions in my life, but as I said I've made some bad ones and I'll not bore you or I'll not dump on you regarding some of those bad choices.

But I've had my share. But I I can say that I praise God not only because he guides and gives us direction. But he also overrules our mistakes. But anyone seeking to please the Lord and all things wants to and needs to make righteous and godly choices.

Isaiah 7 15 says butter and honey. Shall he eat? That he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. Now I believe that many of you probably this very night are In the thralls that you're in the middle of having to make important decisions in your life.

Some of them may be life-changing others may not be quite major things, but nevertheless they're important and in either case your desire would be According to Isaiah 7 15 to choose the good to do what is right.

Some of you may be making decisions regarding your future career or a change of career or change of job. You may be making decisions relative to making a a rate relational choice who you might want to date or such as in Mary or pursue marriage.

Or a choice that could lead to that or what you might hope might lead to that. You may be making a choice regarding your church to stay to leave to change. Some of you may be wondering whether or not God has called you into the ministry in a full-time manner.

Or whether you should volunteer for some type of ministry. I Dare say that there probably is represented in this congregation tonight. Dozens if not hundreds of Decisions that are being weighed in the hearts of God's people that sit here right here tonight.

Some of them are very very important. You may be at a crossroads in your life major major things in your life. And if not major at least important to your future. Now who of us have not struggled over the decisions that were called to make.

Those who are committed to follow God's will for their life. Will at times be heavily burdened in trying to seek and to find divine guidance. And all the agony and anxiety. I know that I've gone through at times in my life and I've seen other people go through as they endeavor to a certain or find God's perfect will in personal matters.

Now some people would prefer The pastor or a pastor or a leader? To make their decision for them. I'm always amazed at how people will stop me somewhere and I only have a very short time and it happens to other pastors and they'll in a very short time.

They'll lay before something that is a major major decision in their life. And I sometimes feel the pressure of having to say the right thing to them and We of course have to be careful that we're not trying to make their decisions for them.

You may be one who dreads making decisions. And putting it off or putting it on hold Indefinitely and this can be the cause of great anxiety in your life and in the life of other people. Somebody has said that when you have to make a choice and don't make it that in itself is a choice.

Seeking Divine Guidance Without Spiritual Shortcuts

So the need for divine guidance in making right choices Is very important, but also, you know, it's the cause For some Christians to look for or to trust in charismatic or evangelical fortune-tellers or self-proclaimed prophets.

There are Christians who seek to find God's mind via prophecy a prophet a prophetess by dreams by visions and I'm not saying that God cannot confirm or God cannot speak in those manners. But many people will will seek only that route.

Or they pray they play scriptural roulette. You know how it is. You open the Bible and say Oh Lord guide me and that's very very dangerous. I call that to spiritual roulette. But many times these efforts are merely shortcuts to finding God's mind and the result of spiritual laziness if you're not taking the time to pray and to Seek God and to get your heart and your mind in the Word.

Don't put the burden of decision-making on somebody else's shoulders. God wants to guide you. There's nothing wrong with seeking counsel or prayer or advice of others, but don't relinquish the Responsibility of finding God's will by placing it upon somebody else's shoulder.

Very very popular in the in the body of Christ. I remember when I was in in Bible school. Students would go from teacher to teacher. Until they found one that would verify what they had already made up of their mind to do.

It said in Psalms 25 12, it says what man is he that fear of the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he should choose. Let me read that again. What man is he that fear of the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he should choose?

I read where Omar Bradley who was a five-star general. He said this one time. He said we need to learn to set our course by the stars and not by the lights of every passing ship and By stars he didn't mean superstars, but by the heavens.

He meant the heavens above and Not by earthly things now. I've read to you the account in in Genesis chapter 24. Because I have find the account of Abraham sending his servant Eliezer to find his son Isaac a bride a perfect picture of How to be led by the Spirit and how to make right choices.

Now this is especially good if any young lady or any young man tonight wants to know how to make a decisions about a Relationship. How Isaac found a bride or how Someone listening to this message can find a bride or groom.

However is not the intent of my message, but it is there in the 24th chapter but more importantly the journey of Eliezer. To fly to Mesopotamia to bring Isaac a wife is a beautiful picture of Christ and his church.

How as members of the bride we ought to make right choices each and every day of our lives? And in each and every decision that we face You see a God-ruled life is a well-ordered life and a successful one.

The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. Now Finding God's will for your life or knowing his mind in given situations is really not that complicated. Now it may not be easy to to Find it sometimes.

Or the timing of it may be difficult, but really the the the ground rules for it is not that complicated. Thank God that we don't have to be in the dark about our steps. The servant here said I being in the way.

The Lord led me and I want to bring you back to that. There is light upon our path. You see in darkness. There's no choice. It's light that enables you to see the difference between things and Christ has come to give us light.

There's an old Puritan preacher who said God's will is not an itinerary, but it's an attitude. It's an attitude and when your heart is right and when you're in God's way God will lead you to make the right choices.

Eliezer's Mission as a Picture of Divine Guidance

Now as we look at Genesis 24, there is some light here on how to make right choices. But first let me give you the story in a nutshell. Abraham is in was advanced in years and He had not yet chosen a bride for Isaac as was the ancient custom.

Isaac was 40 years of age and so Abraham said well, it's about time. So Abraham sends his most trusted servant Eliezer who was also his household administrator. He seeks him to secure a helpmate back in Abraham's home territory.

Eliezer is given very specific instructions and He goes out under oath to carry out this important mission. He goes with ten full camel loads. Loaded as the scripture says with good things of his masters.

Now upon arriving in Mesopotamia Eliezer meets a young lady in answer to a specific prayer. He is then taken to her family. He confirms that this is the one He is taken to her family and arrangements are made to bring her back to be presented to Isaac.

Now the care with which Eliezer undertook and carried out his assignment is a study in godliness and Dependency on the Lord and on how to make right choices and how to be led by the Holy Spirit. The story ends.

In fact, look how it ends in chapter 24 and verse 67. It says that Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and he took Rebecca and she became his wife and he loved her and They lived happily ever after.

Well, not really, but that's not the issue of the point of my message. But here are a few things involved in being led by the Spirit and in making right choices. Go to verse 3 first of all in making a right choice.

God's Glory Must Be the Highest Aim

Listen to me. God's glory Must be our highest aim. Let me say that again God's glory must be our highest aim. Eliezer tells his servant and he makes him swear by an oath That he will carry out this mission before the God of heaven and the God of earth.

Verse 3 he said and I will make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and the God of earth. That thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell. Now you see Abraham was under divine orders and His son had to come under those same orders and Those orders were intended to bring glory to the name of the Lord.

God was working out a specific plan By which all the families of the earth were to be blessed. Isaac was a next step in the working out of that plan and Isaac's sons would then continue to carry out the promise and the plan now, although all those plans required specific steps Which Abraham had to take such as leaving his home being a pilgrim and being a wanderer.

Offering up Isaac and now having his servant trek off to Iraq. Which is now Iraq to get a bride for Isaac all those plans all those steps all those movements and measures were aimed at bringing glory to God.

Now you see Isaac was blessed when Eliezer returned with Rebecca. Even though he never courted her. He never got a chance to woo her or to chase her and yet It's a touching story because to top it all off.

He loved her. The scripture says he loved her and then that did not always happen in pre-arranged marriages. It says again in verse 67. It says thus Isaac was comforted. He was comforted after his mother's death, but please follow me it was not Isaac loneliness.

Nor was it it wasn't his bachelorhood or Just his comfort or his marriage. That was the highest aim here. It was God's glory. That was at stake. God was doing something here. It was just not a marriage that took place.

It was God working out his divine plans. There was something much larger than just a marriage between a man and a woman. You see God was on his way to Calvary. Isaac was a seed of Abraham. Rebecca was an instrument in caring for that seed.

Until the day until the day the horn of salvation was raised up in the house of David and The heavenly hosts were praising God and they were saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.

You see whatever God is doing on earth through us. Whether it is finding a Rebecca for an Isaac. Or whether it's calling you to work in the South Bronx or in Israel or wherever or if it's God moving you from Ur to Canaan or It's him promoting you from the pits to the palace as he did Joseph.

When God does all of these things, it's just not your comfort or your blessing or Divine guidance that God is accomplishing. It's his glory. That is at stake. It's his purposes that are being fulfilled.

Abraham told his servant I will make you swear by the Lord the God of heaven and earth. You see Eliezer was not just on an earthly mission. But he was on a heavenly one. He was not just finding a bride for Isaac, but he was finding a member of the Bride of Christ and God's glory.

What was made is what made finding God's will for Isaac so important. God's glory now tonight if you want to make right choices. If you want to be mistake proof in your decisions. Then the first step you have to do is give it the glory test.

Give it the glory test. Whose glory is at stake? Paul said the Lord will deliver us from evil wrong and Evil decisions. Listen to what it says in 2nd Timothy 418 it says the Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and Will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.

To him be the glory forever and ever amen. Now I hope that you can say amen to that as well. To him be the glory forever and ever amen. This should be the single most desire of every believer. When we're endeavoring to find God's mind God's will.

We're not to have 20 desires. It's only one That's to bring glory to his name. Oh we may desire to have a better job or Better pay or an apartment or a house or a husband or a wife or this or that? But the purpose is only that to God be glory forever.

We may desire or covet earnestly the Bible says covet earnestly the best gifts and you may God want God to do Something miraculously or spiritually in your life to endow you with some gift, but again Only that to him may be glory forever and ever.

There's one thing I know church. You are not acting as you ought to do. When you are moved by any other motive than the motive of your Lord's glory. If that's your highest aim God will lead you in the choices that you make hallelujah.

You see when God's glory is our highest aim. When his will coming down from heaven to earth is our utmost desire. Rather than just finding a Rebecca or an Isaac or the fulfillment of our needs. When our prayer is that to God may be glory forever.

Then we are granted an open heaven, and then we are granted the knowledge of his will. The scripture says thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven in heaven first of all. You see it's heaven's will being superimposed on our will that is our object.

That's what brings glory to God. 1st Corinthians 1031 says do everything do everything for the glory of God. Isaiah 42 and 8 says I am the Lord that is my name my glory I give to no other more or my praise to graven images.

And you see the problem folks is that many times? In our effort to find God's will it can become an idol to us. It can become such a even a graven image to us. God is not so much concerned about it on an earthly level.

He's concerned upon on an unheavenly level and that glory would come to him. Through the choice that you're making in your life. Amen. Now this brings me to another point. That's found in this story right choices must be made on the basis of Righteous principles now.

Bringing Every Choice to Christ

Eliezer was not told whom to choose. But Abraham gave a very specific command on how to choose. How to choose look at verse 6 chapter 24. And I'll give it to you. I like it better in the New American Standard.

He said beware. Lest you take my son back there. Beware lest you take my son Eliezer you go and you bring a bride back. From there, but don't take Isaac with you. In fact, this was so important that three times Abraham repeats the instruction.

If you'll read it, you'll see it's there three times. Do not take my son back there. Rebecca was to join Isaac. Isaac was not to join Rebecca. Now this is just as relevant today as it was then. And What applied to Isaac's marriage applies to making right choices today?

You see the object of our choice. Listen to me the object of our choice Must be brought to Isaac. Which is a type of Christ? If you want to make right choices Bring that short. If you can bring that choice to Isaac, then you're on the right step.

You're on the right road. Turn with me to John chapter 16. John chapter 16. Here is a beautiful again Eliezer is a picture in this of the Holy Spirit. Isaac is a type of Christ. Rebecca is a type of the church and here is a parallel to what is happening in the 24th chapter of Genesis.

John 16 verses 13 through 15. It says how be it when he the Spirit of truth is come. He will guide you into all truth for he Eliezer Shall not speak of himself. But whatsoever he shall hear of Abraham He shall that shall he speak and he will show you things to come.

He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and show it to you all Things that the father hath our mind therefore said I that he should take of mine and show it unto you. You see the Holy Spirit Will never lead you to anywhere or To anyone or excuse me.

Let me let me rephrase that the Holy Spirit will never lead anyone To look at anyone or anything else but to glorify Christ and to be occupied with him. Azar you see was worried whether it was possible to carry out his mission on the conditions that were laid down.

Look at verse 5. He said pre adventure or suppose the woman will not Be willing to follow me into this land. He Says can I then? Bring thy son. Can I bring Isaac with me to the land where you're sending me and Abraham says no No under no conditions and You see Eliezer's temptation is our temptation.

If we can't fulfill our desired objective by following the conditions set down by our master. We look for a way to bring Christ with us and Ask if he will permit us to still realize our objective. This is the end of side one.

They're not looking to follow him. They're drawn by signs and wonders. But they do not see that Jesus wants to open the door for them to enter into his kingdom and to take up Their cross and follow him.

John 664 he said to the people of a while if a fellow who was with hitchhiking one time and Somebody came along and picked him up and he grabbed the the driver the hitchhiker and he threw him in the backseat and he took over the car and That reminds me of what we do as Christians.

You know the Lord we're we're astray and we ask the Lord to pick us up and he comes along and he picks us up. And then we want to be in the driver's seat and if we can't get our Rebecca to come to Christ, then we try to bring Christ to Rebecca and The master said no, no, no.

Three times Abraham says no my son must never be brought down to the level of this world. You must never Compromise my son to the world. You see Abraham knew that if Isaac went back there Back there that he might want to settle on the land or more Importantly that Rebecca would maybe want him to settle there and so he said no and if you and I do not bring our choices and our desires and our longings to Christ and Know that he'll be pleased to be joined with us in that choice then cut it loose.

Then cut it loose and that's what Abraham said to Eliezer in verse 8. He said if the woman will not be willing to follow thee if the object of your desire. If the woman will not be willing to follow thee then thou shalt be clear from my oath only bring not my son thither again.

And anytime we try to compromise or change the conditions or Principles that Abraham set forth. That's when we get into trouble for example. The most obvious one is in dating or marriage. Never expect that Christ will join you in being unequally yoked together with an unbeliever.

Rebecca had to leave her land and be joined to Christ and all her future choices had to be based on her union with Christ and The principle in marriage is the same. Now, of course if you're already married and your spouse is a Unbeliever, it does not mean that you now can leave your spouse because he or she is unsaved.

I hope you understand that. But the principle Eliezer followed here applies not just to marriage. It applies to many situations. For example we have had people who have come to this church and are fellowshipping in another church and I've seen many people get saved and then try to take Christ back to their old church and try to change the pastor or the people and.

And usually it doesn't work and they end up being overwhelmed by death. You see don't ask Christ to join you or bless you if you're in a church that does not preach or live Christ. Abraham said he these words beware lest thou take my son back there.

Rebecca must come to Isaac. There are many other situations where this principle applies for example when some young people get saved they don't want to leave behind their music and so they try to bring Isaac to Rebecca and They try to bring the Christian music they try to bring their music of The old life and just because it has a few Christian words to it.

They think that's okay but first Corinthians 15 33 says do not be deceived. Bad company corrupts good morals. Bad company corrupts good morals. Now the third thing that I see in this story in Making right choices is something very very simple, but something very very important.

Making Choices Through Persistent Prayer

Right choices have to be made by proceeding it in In prayer. It must be preceded and interceded and tested in much prayer. I Love what Eliezer does in this story. He prayed before he went he prayed as he went and He prayed even as the answer seemed to be unfolding before his eyes, but he didn't jump to conclusions.

He waited. He waited and he made sure that God was in it. Look with me if you will the chapter 24 verses 12 to 14. Genesis 24 verse 12 and he said O Lord God of my master Abraham. I Pray these send me good speed this day now.

He's going he's on his way now. Oh God of my master Abraham. I pray these send me good speed this day and show kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold I stand here by the well of water and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.

But it's that it's the prayer again in the 12th verse. I Want you to see O Lord God of my master I pray thee send me good speed this day and show kindness unto my master Abraham again. Note who he has in mind in his prayer.

Show kindness to my master. After all the miles he had traveled and it was not an easy journey. He still had not lost sight of the fact that it was a master's desire. He is fulfilling. He is asking for success for the father and for the son.

He's asking it for Abraham who is a type of our Heavenly Father and he's asking it for Isaac which is a type of Christ for the father and the son and. Listen my friend we ought to follow Eleazar's example and proceed every decision every step we take.

Every choice that we have to make to bathe it in prayer. And in some cases we ought to be fasting before the Lord for God to show us his mind and his will in Luke 6 12. Don't turn there. Let me read it to you and it came to pass in those days.

This is Jesus he went into a mountain to pray and he continued all night in prayer. You know what what he was doing, you know why he was doing it. Because Jesus was about to make one of the most important decisions That would affect the kingdom of God of all the decisions that he had to make.

This was one of the most important ones. The very next verse tells us what decisions he made the next day. He went in the mountain to pray he continued all night in prayer and then then the next verse it said and when it was Day, he called unto him his disciples and of them.

He chose twelve. And they were not any ordinary disciples. It says whom he also called apostles. They were the men to whom the responsibility would be given to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature they were the founders of the New Testament Church and If Jesus needed to proceed his choices by prayer, how much more art you and I?

Folks, this is so simple and yet we miss it so many times. We don't commit it to God. But Eliezer not only preceded his choice by prayer. He continued to intercede even when it appeared That he had the answer.

Let's go to verse 14. Go to verse 14. Now he prays very specifically. He said Lord and let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I shall say Let down thy pitcher. I pray thee that I may drink and she shall say drink and I will give thy camels drink.

Also. Let the same be she That thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac and thereby shall I know that thou shalt show kindness unto my master and It came to pass before he had done speaking that behold Rebecca came out verse 16 and the damsel was very fair to look upon a virgin neither had any man known her and she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up and The servant ran to meet her and said let me I pray they drink a little water of I picture and she said drink my lord and she hasted and let down her picture upon her hand and gave him drink and When she had done giving him drink, she said I will draw water for thy camels also until they have done drinking and you see as Eliezer watches her he prayed for this and Then she begins to do it and as he watches her run back and forth to the well to draw water he knew That he was seeing a very very special woman.

He knew he believed that he was seeing an answer to her prayer his prayer. Now drawing water for ten camels was no small feat. I don't know if you've ever watched a camel drink. I heard somebody say yes.

You probably haven't. But have you ever seen an alcoholic drink or have you ever seen one of these semis trucks pull up to a gas station? As I have at times where I made a mistake and went into the wrong place to get gas and Got behind one of those fellows while he filled up his tank with gas.

Well, if you've ever been in that situation, you know what a camel's What a camel's appetite is like and Rebecca had no automatic pump as well. It took a long time to to do all that a Long time to water those ten camels, but you know what Eliezer was doing while Rebecca was Demonstrating this remarkable act of charity and Christlike character.

He wasn't dancing in the spirit. He wasn't jumping to final conclusions. He was still praying. Look at verse 21 and the man Wondering at her. This is Eliezer. He's wondering at her. He held his To wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

You see it appeared he prayed. It appeared that this young version was the one that God had provided and It turned out that he was right but he held his peace and He continued to hold on in prayer. He continued to hold it up before the Lord and said Lord.

I want to be sure. I Want to know that this is your will. You see the reason that many Christians make wrong choices. Is that they rush into things without going through the important step that Eliezer went through.

He didn't even allow Favorable conditions to the be bed to be the basis of his final choice. Sure, Rebecca looked good. The signs all appeared to be right. But listen to me just because somebody offers you a drink and Fills your ten camels with water does not necessarily mean God is in it.

It may very well be. But he watched it all he waited and said Lord is this it? He held his peace and he continued to seek the Lord. The scripture says beloved. Believe not every spirit. But try the spirits whether they be of God because many false prophets are gone into the world first.