Are You A Five Pointer? (Godly Decision-Making) - [Matt 6:9-13]

Bethlehem Bible Church

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October 26, 2008

00:00: There's only one thing worse than making a bad decision that's making a bad decision using the
00:10: Bible Turn with me if you would to Isaiah chapter 20 for a quick introduction. We'll start suddenly today, but I'm sure
00:17: I will get your attention Isaiah chapter 20 people make decisions all the time we have thousands of decisions to make and God has given us clear instructions on how we are to make decisions what principles we are to use
00:32: But if we're not careful, we may use the Bible as some kind of template that always works
00:39: That is to say something's described in the Bible and we take it to heart like it's something that we should do
00:44: Something is describing a certain character, especially in the Old Testament And we say if it was good for him to do therefore,
00:52: I will have to do the same thing except louder Wow, I thought
00:57: I was a little soft. Can you hear me in the back there? I don't want you ever have to strain to hear preaching. And so if you can't hear then
01:06: Ron Farrar, would you come down here and tell Bernard? I always have one. Well, I have two words for sound people number one
01:12: You never get Thanked because it's always you know, if there's a problem, so thank you. Number two louder is always better And so it's a hermeneutical issue about decision -making just because something is said to a certain group or to Israel or to a specific
01:28: Apostle it doesn't mean that we're to do it. It's back to the old Description prescription and regarding decision -making if I were to read you
01:37: Isaiah chapter 20 verse 1 through 6 You can imagine what would be a good decision and what would be a bad decision based on what happens in Isaiah chapter 20
01:47: Let me explain what I mean verse 1 in the year that the commander came to Ashdod when
01:53: Sargon the king of Assyria sent him and he fought against Ashdod and At that time the
01:59: Lord Yahweh the covenant -keeping God of Israel spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz saying go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet and He did so going naked and barefoot and The Lord said even as my servant
02:18: Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and a token against Egypt and Cush So the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt the exiles of Cush young and old naked and barefoot
02:29: With buttocks uncovered to the shame of Egypt Then they will be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and Egypt their boast
02:37: So the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day Behold such as our hope where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria and we
02:47: How shall we escape? And here we have this context of Isaiah chapter 20 and you see the bereavement and you see
02:55: God Involvement with Isaiah and if you study it you will see the context and and figure out very quickly what this text is saying
03:02: And what this text doesn't say and you'll see the the clothing that's involved symbolized in the office of the prophet and other things like that and If you're not careful
03:13: And if you had back at bad exegesis and you wanted to make sure you were spiritual you could turn this passage into what?
03:20: And you laugh because I already know what you're thinking But actually in the 17th centuries the
03:26: Quakers because of these verses Literally stripped naked and they went going around as naked as a sign to say that they were being spiritual led by the
03:37: Spirit of God There's only one thing worse than making a bad decision and that's making a bad decision using the
03:42: Bible How horrible we look at that and we go that is foolish. I can't actually believe you gave that illustration in a sermon
03:50: Well, it's right there in the in the text what's happening? But the bad decisions can come in all ways and shapes and sizes in our lives
03:58: And I want to make sure that we understand that decision -making is not just randomly opening the
04:05: Bible Left foot read right hand Malachi or something and off we go. It's not something like rock -paper -scissors
04:12: How could I worship God the triune God as I make a decision?
04:17: That's the real question Whether you eat or drink or you make decisions we are to do them all for the glory of God Certainly wouldn't
04:26: God give us instructions in his written word so that we might properly have the right attitudes and actions
04:32: So we might say God this decision. I'm making I'm doing it at your feet as it were I'm submitting to you and here is my worship to you
04:40: Godly decision -making is that fair? I think that's very fair and just because something's in the
04:46: Bible for a particular person It doesn't mean it's applied to us. I could give you another illustration with Judges chapter 6 and Gideon's fleece
04:55: How many times do we run around thinking? You know, I'll use Judges 6 and I'll give a little sign for God that if he does it,
05:02: I'll know it's true And we don't really understand that Judges chapter 6 is God's kind benevolent wonderful con
05:12: Dissension to Gideon not trying to say that was the right way to make a decision But he says
05:17: I love you so much that even though you make an idiotic decision based on signs and presumption
05:23: Against me. I still am going to bless you And so we use fleeces we do all kinds of other things for Decision -making in Christianity we do t -sheets.
05:37: Maybe there's nothing wrong with that pros and cons. I Psychic hotline 1 -800.
05:46: I always say 1 -800. I'm foolish But we make so many decisions, how do we make a good one?
05:52: What about my new job? What about moving? What about someone to marry? What about? Small one small decisions.
06:00: What do we really do? The Bible gives bad examples. So we look at them and say
06:05: God what others do and rely on Astrology and the mind of God is somehow in the stars.
06:11: I think I need to study the stars to make decisions We see that in someone else and we say that's foolishness. We run we look in Genesis and here's this hydromancy where people would look at water and see how the the
06:23: Sun would come onto the water and if there's a little shake or a Little shiver in the water that would be the mind of God when
06:29: I look at that I think how stupid how stupid is it to take a lamb and cut the lamb open and bring out the the
06:36: Liver and the kidneys and look at it and see how it's shaped and say that's how I'll make my decision on who I'm gonna marry
06:42: I did that once that was the wrong the way to make the decision, but the right wife I almost got myself in trouble there
06:48: Wow No, you know what? I mean, it was the right decision. I've made wrong decisions that God has turned out for good
07:00: I have a track record of preaching if you're a visitor today Hang in there with me, by the way Today is the once a year non -expositional sermon and I repent after the once a year topical sermon and back to exposition next week
07:12: So I'm gonna have to repent after the sermon because it's a little more dealing with the issue of how do I make it? a good decision
07:18: Last week, we were in Matthew chapter 6 working through the Sermon on the Mount And we discussed that when we say to ourselves, here's this
07:25: God to be hallowed Here's this God where he want his kingdom to come not our kingdom
07:30: Here's this God when we pray we say we want obedience on earth as there's heavenly obedience now
07:35: That it was wrong to say God. I'm looking for God's will for my life and it was right to say
07:42: I'm looking for your will to be done It's not about me just like the song we just sang from Psalm 115.
07:49: It's not about our glory It's about God's glory But I think it's fair to ask this question if we're not going to talk about God's will for our life
07:56: Is it fair to answer the question and ask it? How do I make decisions? And the answer is yes
08:01: So look this morning. Let me give you five words. I usually don't use alliteration
08:07: Let me give you five words that will help you when you make decisions about every four years
08:12: I like to teach a message like this because we all make Lots of decisions and just as the
08:17: Sermon on the Mount teaches us through our Lord that our prayers should be God -centered Everything about it is about this
08:24: God who is close our Father. He's far away and transcendent He's in the heavenly places and he is to be glorified.
08:31: So too. I think we should have a desire to make Glorifying choices in our decision -making.
08:37: So let me give you five words five questions five points If you will and find out today if you're a real five pointer not when it comes to Calvinism Not when it comes to the solas, but the five points of decision -making that you should consider when you make decisions
08:52: I think too often we just run to the decision and Then what we do is we backtrack we know what we're going to do and then we need to find some people to agree with Our bad decision if we find some people that don't agree
09:04: We'll go to the next group of person till they they agree and then we'll think you know what there's confirmation here But what do we do when we make decisions, how do we decide things?
09:16: biblically number one The word would be word. What does
09:21: God's Word say about your potential choices? What does God's Word say about the situation true or false sometimes the
09:30: Bible directly speaks to a decision? We would have to make True it directly speaks of a decision.
09:37: We would have to make so what does the Bible say I? Could give you an illustration
09:44: Should you if you're a healthy male work if you were able to work should you work or should you somehow?
09:50: Cast lots and play Yahtzee to figure out if you should do it or not rock scissors paper shoot one potato two potato
09:56: I don't feel led to work. God hasn't opened the door to work the circumstances. Don't allow me to work
10:02: I don't want to work for that kind of price or let's just quickly to show you an illustration second
10:07: Thessalonians chapter 3 The Bible is very clear that if you're able to work, and you're a grown man
10:14: You should work doesn't say if you've got a huge bank account or you're just kind of cruising along Doesn't say well you can't find a job then make your job trying to find a job
10:24: But here very simply put if we ask ourself the question does the Bible address this?
10:30: Here's an illustration of what it does address you should work 2nd
10:35: Thessalonians chapter 3 Verse 10 we don't need to look at a liver or a kidney to find out if God wants us to work
10:44: For even when we 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 10 we're with you
10:50: We used to give you this order if anyone is not willing to work then he is not to what?
10:59: eat either You say who would ever do that there were some people doing that and Paul had heard about it
11:06: For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life Doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies if you don't work
11:14: You're gonna do something and you're gonna cause problems running around doing what busybodies do getting into trouble
11:23: Now such persons the ones that don't work that should work that can work and are working at being busybodies
11:31: We command and exhort in the
11:36: Lord Jesus Christ Why does he say Lord there because this is the king in the
11:42: Lord Jesus Christ to work in Quiet fashion and eat their own bread But as for you brethren do not grow weary in doing good when we need to make a decision first of all we can say
11:53: To ourselves does the Word of God directly give us an example. Let me give you another illustration quickly 1st
12:00: Peter chapter 4 if you have to ask the question should I use my spiritual gift as a
12:06: Christian in a local church, and I need to make a decision should I or shouldn't I the decision friends is already made for you
12:13: The Bible says that we ought to do that if you're a Christian You shouldn't ask for a leading of should
12:19: I or shouldn't I you may say God direct me into the path? So I can obey you, but when it comes to saying
12:26: God I want you to be honored in my decision -making the first thing we should do is does the Bible directly address it first Peter chapter 4 verse 10
12:38: It's interesting that in verse 7 it talks about the end of all things is near So how do you act when the end of all things is near get up on your roof and and wait for the second coming?
12:51: He says no you've got to think properly with sound judgment. You need to make sure you're praying You've got a love verse 8 that covers sins and covers other sins.
13:01: You're hospitable and Then it says in verse 10 whoever speaks
13:07: It is to do so as one excuse me. That's verse 11 verse 10 as each one has received a special gift
13:14: Employ it you've sovereignly received a spiritual gift at salvations 1st Corinthians chapter 12 says use it
13:20: God gave it to you not for yourself, but for others and so he says employ it in serving yourselves
13:26: No serving one another This is a trust God has given you as good stewards of the manifold grace of God and people look at a church and they they see all the different spiritual gifts that are there
13:39: And they think that is just the beauty of God. That is just the rainbow grace of God distributing spiritual gifts in the local church
13:47: And then it says in verse 11. What are those kind of gifts? They're speaking gifts and serving gifts the sign gifts are out, but the speaking and serving gifts exist whoever speaks
13:57: Is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God if you preach or teach teach the
14:02: Bible You never have to walk in and go. Well, I wonder what I should teach today God Would you lead me something to teach the the junior high kids today?
14:10: I wonder what that might be Oh, let's see. Why don't I pick a new blasphemous book called the shack and I'll teach them that you never have to ask that question
14:19: By the way It's just I can't get over how many people will just drink down books like the shack without ever thinking that is a blasphemous book
14:27: And it's poison you say yeah, but there's a couple of good things in there Snake poison is 80 % protein and 20 %
14:34: Poison and it's gonna kill you. I love you enough to tell you that if something's popular. It's probably not good a couple things aside the
14:42: Bible is the number one bestseller and Pilgrim's Progress is the number three bestseller overtaken by the Some other
14:49: Purpose kind of life book and don't get me started. Okay, stay on track You can worship
14:55: God as you make decisions. Number one you say does the word directly address it Says work
15:01: I work if it says use your gifts There's either speaking gifts or later on this text would say in first Peter chapter 4 verse 11.
15:07: There are serving gifts. I Was reading this week
15:14: Daniel Wallace said he had a friend and this friend asked the Lord whether he should go to work that day
15:21: Every day, he would wake up God. Should I go to work today? He also asked the
15:27: Lord every single day should I brush my teeth today should I use deodorant today and Daniel Wallace rightly says that man is described in Proverbs chapter 6 as a sluggard
15:39: Hiding behind should I do this God my triune God not unto me but unto you be the glory
15:44: Should I use my deodorant today? I mean, please I could probably stop the laughing and say you don't have to go too far
15:55: To find out that the Bible directly addresses the idea of sacrificial giving you can read 2nd
16:01: Corinthians chapter 9 You say I don't know if I should give sacrificial or not. We're not under Old Testament I don't have to give 10 % here and 10 % here 3 % here 2 % 1 % here 26 %
16:12: It's not a theocracy. I'll just do what I want. You don't have to go very far to find verses like this 2nd
16:18: Corinthians chapter 9 verse 6. Let me just read them. He who sows sparingly will also reap
16:24: Sparingly he who sows bountifully will also reap Bountifully, we don't have to say
16:29: I wonder what God means by that. So there are some things directly in the
16:34: Bible Additionally still under point one the word you can ask yourself this question
16:40: Does the Bible have a principle that relates to my decision? Are there principles from the text that would bear weight in my life as I make a decision?
16:51: There's some things directly involved and there's some things that would bear weight. Can you think of any think of any illustrations?
16:59: Well, if you said something like I think I'm going to move But there's not a local Bible teaching church with a high view of God with expositional teaching
17:08: There's not a verse in the Bible that says you can't move unless though they're there But you could find in the Bible the central place in God's economy of the local church
17:17: Ephesians 4 true You could say to yourself. I don't know if I should marry this unbeliever or not 2nd
17:24: Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14 and following has nothing to do with marriage Our business has everything to do with Christianity yoking itself to an unbelieving system a religion of works righteousness
17:35: So there would be a principle there if their church isn't to yoke herself with an unbelieving organization
17:41: Then I too ought not to marry somebody who's an unbeliever and we can go to 1st Corinthians 7 for direct references
17:48: But that's just an illustration should I have a business with an unbeliever? We can get principles from the Word of God and Here's the next question that I think sometimes we often forget to do when we're making a decision from the
18:00: Bible If I have one thing to maybe teach this morning for those of you that have been around for a long time
18:07: Here's here's what I want to focus in on beloved Ask yourself this question.
18:12: Have I flooded my mind with the word to think like God thinks?
18:19: So I think biblically I think God Centeredly George Mueller knew it when he said
18:27: God guides not by a visible sign But by the swaying of your judgment
18:34: God doesn't give you a sign to speak to you these days He changes your judgment and your thoughts and the way you think as you read the scriptures
18:42: And when you read like I said last week Chronicles Kings Samuel it doesn't address should you do something?
18:49: but it addresses how to look at history and how to look at current events and how to look at life and the world from God's perspective as pink would say we don't start with our circumstances and work out
19:01: We start off with God as a sovereign king on the throne and work in wordly as your relationship with Christ Jesus increases
19:16: So too does your mind think the way God wants you to think and then you would naturally make decisions
19:23: That are commensurate with that. Listen to Bruce Waltke if you are struggling with a specific question
19:30: Rather than trying to magically divine God's answer Spend time drawing close to him
19:37: Then your character and perhaps your perspective will change Did you hear that as we sit under the word
19:45: We are becoming more and more like Christ from one level of glory to the next true 2nd
19:51: Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 and as we become more godly we make more godly decisions and if we start with the word the first point is word use the word then what follows that what is
20:04: Certainly secondary to that things like feelings. How many people have made a horrible decisions?
20:11: Because they have not led with the word the principles from the word flooding their mind with the word, but they've been their feelings
20:18: They've been following their feelings Can you trust yourself or should you distrust yourself?
20:27: How about circumstances? Let me show you an illustration Acts chapter 28 These poor people did not have any kind of way to understand circumstances and certainly they're not believers
20:38: But we could misread Circumstances just like these people did with one of the most glaring illustrations
20:45: I've ever seen When you look at circumstances to make a decision and then you try to interpret them
20:55: It tells me or tells other mature people a lot more about you than it does which decision you should make
21:03: That is to say when you try to divine circumstances it's basically showing other people that you're immature when it comes to decision -making and It shows us your perspective of those circumstances more than it shows you.
21:16: Oh, I should do this or I shouldn't do that Let me give you an illustration fascinating Acts chapter 28 verse 1 start to figure out what
21:28: God's doing here and When they had been brought safely through then we found out that the island was called
21:35: Malta The natives showed us extraordinary kindness for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold
21:41: They kindled the fire and received us all well received us all excuse me but when
21:47: Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks laid them on the fire a Viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
21:55: Can you imagine if you divine circumstances? What's the point if you're like, let's see.
22:00: I'm gonna read circumstances verse think biblically. What is God trying to show me with this sign? Verse 4 and when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand wouldn't you like to been there?
22:12: They began to say to one another Undoubtedly, this man is a murderer and though he has been saved from the sea justice has not allowed him to live
22:21: Circumstantial evidence. He's guilty and God finally got him undoubtedly
22:28: Oops new circumstance new perspective new demonstration of sinful immaturity
22:35: Verse 5 however, he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm
22:41: Well, maybe we'll get it right this time you saw a guy he got bit by this deadly Viper you go up justice
22:48: Karma comes around goes around every dog has its day Shakes the thing off into the fire and now what's your new way of reading the circumstance?
22:58: verse 6 But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead
23:03: But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him They changed their mind and began to say that he was a god wrong again wrong reading of a circumstance
23:18: And we're gonna learn very quickly Maybe even the next point that we just have to be careful about reading circumstances because we will read them improperly because we are
23:28: Uneducated ignorant. I don't know everything that's happening in the world and we're fallen Freason said circumstances define the context of the decision and must be weighed by wisdom
23:40: But not to be read as Rones road signs to God's individual will
23:46: How do I make a decision number one word? number two wisdom
23:54: You must seek wisdom like buried treasure So first we go to the word does it directly say something are there principles and have
24:03: I flooded my mind with Scripture? Now I need to make the second one and this is by the way in Descending order the word is always at the top and then we start working our way down Number two wisdom and as I just said we need wisdom for a couple of reasons one is because we're not omniscient
24:21: To whatever knowledge we have of life and circumstances and the world it's off kilter
24:28: It's it's we have a nature that although we may be redeemed We're still sinful and so we have a human mind not capable of understanding all the universe
24:38: We're inexperienced in life Even if we're 70 or 80 years old and we need guidance because we have a core heart problem meaning
24:46: We're sinful and so since God knows that he emphasizes in Scripture get wisdom
24:53: Go after wisdom It's not go after money. It's not go after power.
24:59: It's not go after anything else It is go after wisdom listen to this precious commodity wisdom
25:06: Ecclesiastes 9 wisdom is better than strength Also in Ecclesiastes 9 wisdom is better than the weapons of war
25:18: Proverbs 3 wisdom is more profitable than silver the next verse.
25:26: It's more profitable and precious than rubies Proverbs 8 nothing you desire.
25:31: What's the top of your desire list if you could have anything in the world? Proverbs 8 11 nothing you desire can compare with wisdom turn with me to job 28, please and let me try to Reinforce in your minds what you already all know basically
25:51: That's what preaching is a lot of times is telling you what you know To reinforce in your mind the priority that we should have for wisdom
25:59: There should be something that we want and that we would ask for and that we would desire wisdom in general and certainly wisdom in decision -making
26:07: Number one word number two wisdom how much do we need wisdom Job 28 talks about it with very wonderful language that should remind you of how the
26:17: Hebrew mind would think of word pictures very picturesque versus the Greek language cut and dry and sense of a computer programming language almost with the intricacies of the
26:29: Greek language, but here picturesque Job 28 There's a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined
26:40: Iron is taken from the earth and copper is smelted from ore man puts an end to the darkness He searches the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness
26:49: To what extent will people search for gold and silver? Far away it you can see them going down the tunnel in verse 4 far from where the people dwell
27:00: He cuts a shaft this deep tunnel is holding the ground in places forgotten by the foot of men.
27:05: You can't walk down there Far from men he dangles and sways What do you mean? You hold a rope down and then one guy climbs down there trying to get down into the middle of the center of the earth
27:16: As it were to get this or out Swinging basket or his foots in a knot
27:23: Verse 5 the earth from which food comes is transformed below by as by fire There's all kinds of things down there sapphire nuggets of gold
27:32: Verse 7 birds don't fly down there Falcons don't see down there You think you're a wonderful beast of a lion of prey you don't go down there
27:42: But men they tunnel why because they want to get this kind of gold and silver
27:48: They want something that they can use Verse 12 has an interesting question though Verse 12 asks the question that we should be asking ourselves
28:02: What's better than silver? What's better than strength? What's better than gold? What's better than all these things? Why would
28:08: God so kindly tell us about this so that we would not go after what we'd like to go after Verse 12, but where can wisdom be found and where is the place of understanding?
28:21: Man does not know its value nor is it found in the land of the living the deep says it's not in me the sea
28:27: Says it's not me Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it nor silver can be weighed as its price
28:33: It cannot be valued in gold in onyx sapphire verse 17 gold or a glass cannot equal it
28:39: It can't be exchanged for articles of fine gold you can't get it down there and This is all a picture to teach us that if we go to these lengths to get silver and gold
28:53: How much more should we want wisdom verse 28? Let's just skip ahead and to the man he said behold the fear of the
29:02: Lord that is wisdom and To depart from evil is understanding There's a place to get gold.
29:10: There's a place to get silver. They have value, but they don't have any value compared to wisdom
29:17: That's why Proverbs 4 says the beginning of wisdom is what anybody know the answer here. What's the beginning of wisdom?
29:23: That's true. But Proverbs 4 says here's the beginning of wisdom get wisdom That's a funny kind of way to do the verse the beginning of wisdom is this acquire wisdom
29:32: Wisdom is supreme Solomon said So you say all right, I've looked at the word
29:39: Flooded my mind with the word had some principles from the word and now I move to wisdom first.
29:44: Let's get wisdom from God Wisdom from God. We know wisdom is important. So now what do we do?
29:50: Let's turn to James 5 We ask God for wisdom. It can't be found in the ground. It can't be found at a secular
29:56: University it can't be found inside of us or in our groups or at the Goat's Lodge or the the the
30:03: Royal Order of the of the Celebrated I don't know. It's not in those groups
30:10: I was gonna quote somebody but I decided not to I was wise you say
30:17: James chapter 1 and again, this is all stemming from and I a goal to make a good decision
30:25: Wisdom is important. So let's ask God for wisdom And you know the wonderful thing about the
30:31: Lord He's so unlike me if I'm not careful, I'm Chintzy, I'm cheap.
30:37: I'm not I don't give with extravagance Left to ourselves nobody gives this way but God gives this way and when you ask
30:44: God for wisdom, what does he do? Maybe next year. You got to memorize a few more verses probably better be in discipleship and You come to the church for a year
30:57: I'll maybe do it Verse 5 if any of you lacks wisdom, that is
31:02: James pastoral code for you do lack wisdom You don't know and you need to get it, but he says in a kind way
31:10: This is a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down if any of you lacks wisdom you lack wisdom
31:15: Let him ask of God and as we've been learning in Matthew chapter 6 this father
31:21: Here comes your child coming to you a father an earthly father a creature father a sinful father
31:27: And yet you will give your children what they ask if it's good for them Let him ask of God what kind of God and here it describes
31:34: God with great language You can just hear the half -brother of Jesus teach these truths who gives to all all who ask
31:45: Generously With and without reproach and it will be given to him
31:54: Of course, we must ask in faith. It says in verse 6 without any doubting But when you ask without doubting you say, you know, my pride is not going to make me say
32:04: I don't need it The humility that God has given me is going to say God. I need wisdom help me over and over and over God I need wisdom for this situation
32:13: No wonder Solomon was so blessed when he could ask God of anything for anything and he asked for God Give me divine wisdom.
32:21: I can't do it my own way. I can't figure it out I have a deficiency and God you have everything
32:29: So when you need to make a decision God give me wisdom, there's another place you can get wisdom on earth not just from God But from other godly
32:38: Christians other godly Christians So when you want wisdom ask from God ask
32:44: God for it number one and number two ask other people Let's turn to Proverbs and just have a quick tour
32:51: Of this and I've got to speed up a little bit because next Sunday. I'm going to talk about Revelation Excuse me
32:56: Romans chapter 13 and how we need to frame our minds, right? So when November 4th and 5th come along we are going to be thinking
33:06: Godly and not the world is upside down our right side up depending on who you want to win.
33:12: So we need to finish today Proverbs chapter 1
33:19: Proverbs chapter 1. How do I make a decision that would honor God? What does the word say and now
33:25: I need to get wisdom Wisdom from God and prayer first who generously gives and now wisdom from other people who have learned from this
33:33: God This is a secondary agency wisdom if you will derived wisdom This is wisdom.
33:39: God has given other people now they in the flesh will give to us, but it starts off in Proverbs 1 5
33:45: With the description of what should be our hearts desire and by the way As I give this these five points for decision -making if you thought somehow
33:55: I want you to will these things to work these things to do these things with sweat and toil alone
34:01: That wouldn't be right God will work through our sweat and toil sanctification is
34:07: God's work through our work But here we have the greatest gift of all Christ Jesus the empowerment of the
34:14: Spirit of God through Christ Jesus has finished work on Calvary as resurrection and we are able to complete these things because God has allowed us to not just because We work hard but certainly there are commands in Scripture and here as we look
34:27: Proverbs 1 5 for wisdom a Wise man will hear and increase in learning a man of understanding will acquire wise
34:35: Counsel it is good to get wise counsel from other people and when you go just a little quick hint when you ask for wise counsel
34:42: When you walk out ask yourself this question did I talk more or did they talk more?
34:48: Now there may be some certain things that come up obviously, but we are there to receive we are needy
34:54: We're fallen and we need to receive what other people say verse 14 of Proverbs 11
34:59: Please just quickly going through again. It's a topical message today. I know but I trust it's biblical
35:05: And if you can't stand it that there's no Expositional teaching this morning you can get online.
35:10: There's about 500 tapes on there CDs or mp3s Whatever you'd like. You can listen all afternoon if you'd like.
35:16: I Already had to make one apology to some visitors saying you've come down the exception day Proverbs 11 14 where there is no guidance that people fall but in abundance of counselors.
35:33: There's what? Victory Proverbs chapter 12 verse 15 the way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who what?
35:43: listens the council Not listen to the council that matches up with his already predetermined plan that he's gonna make anyway
35:48: And then he goes around and says I already got a bunch of counsel. No chapter 13 verse 10 through presumption comes nothing but strife, but with those who receive counsel is
36:01: Wisdom and then lastly although there are many other verses, but for this morning Proverbs 19 20
36:09: Listen to counsel and accept discipline that you may be wise the rest of your day
36:14: If you have a decision to make ask the Lord who will grant you wisdom and find some people who aren't perfect but who are mature and godly and as Galatians chapter 5 would talk about are walking according to the
36:26: Spirit and ask them say, you know, I've got a blind spot if there's to be a multiplicity of elders because one elder has blind spots if they're supposed to be a husband and a wife because one of them is gonna
36:38: Have blind spot and so will the other and we're helping each other cover those blind spots. Certainly I have a blind spot as well.
36:44: Let me know what you think. Help me. Correct me. I'm willing to listen to counsel word 3 .3
36:51: Wish you must remember that God gives desires to those who delight in him
36:57: Wish so we've got word wisdom and wish turn with me to props Psalms chapter 37
37:04: Please the book of Psalm verse 37. We're going in descending order of importance.
37:09: What does the word say? Are there principles? Is my mind flooded by the word wisdom other people can give me wisdom
37:18: But certainly at a higher priority God give me wisdom and now the word wish this is the one that sometimes freaks people out
37:26: This is kind of one of those freaky ones, this is John Calvin who said love God and do what you please
37:34: How do I make a decision? Love God and do what you please Wow Now we're gonna find out very quickly that if you're walking according to the counsels of God and you're a spirit influenced person
37:47: What you please? Has been placed in you by God He has said this is what pleases me in a
37:54: Bible pleasing God pleasing person And then your desires are really God's desires.
38:00: That's what we're going after here in Psalm 37 delight yourself in the
38:07: Lord a delight is exactly that take delight in a
38:15: Refresh yourself in this word really means enjoy yourself Enjoy yourself delight yourself in the
38:22: Lord this great Yahweh this King Delight yourself. How would you delight yourself in the
38:27: Lord? Never reading the Bible Never praying never fellowshipping never serving never evangelizing the answer is no that wouldn't be delighting yourself in the
38:38: Lord because The person of God and his work go together And if you're delighting yourself in him you're in the word you're thinking of him often you're praying without ceasing
38:46: You're involving your whole life in the kingdom matters And when do you have a life that's involved in all these things
38:53: God said you're walking the right direction You're influenced by the right things and people in my word So if you're that kind of person who delight yourself in the
39:00: Lord God will give you the desires of your heart and they will be godly desires sinless desires kingdom desires
39:09: Hallowed be thy name kind of desires delight yourself Enjoy the
39:15: Lord Please him and honor him as you would a father on earth
39:22: And it's true isn't it when you're trying to teach your children How to be an adult when they're really little you give them do this do this don't do that then when they get older It's more like coaching and you give them some parameters and you don't have to you know
39:36: Give a 20 year old or a 16 year old or a 14 year old every single thing to do or else
39:41: They're off track and so to here with our great heavenly father. There's certainly things that we have to know and do
39:47: There's certainly wisdom that we need and then after a while It's love God and do what you please because if you're loving
39:53: God, you're obeying him So do what you want and God hasn't told us exactly how to make every decision in terms of well
40:00: Do I work here or do I work there? Do I marry her or do I marry her? The light yourself in the
40:06: Lord and he'll give you to his own desires By the way, we have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us are in dwelling instructor first John 2 20 you have an anointing from the
40:17: Holy One and you know and As for you the anointing which you receive from him abides in you and you have no need for anyone to teach you
40:29: He doesn't mean you shouldn't have a pastor teach you but you have the word you have the Spirit of God, you know enough
40:35: Love God and do what you please God is working in us both to do his goodwill, right?
40:43: And for us to work out his good purposes and pleasures let me just we don't have time, but let me read you these verses and focus in on the word wish if any man thinks that he is acting and unbecoming towards his virgin daughter if he should be full of if she should be full
41:00: Of age and if it must be so let him the father of this girl that needs that like to get married
41:05: Let him do what he Wishes he does not sin. Let her marry if you're a godly man
41:11: You've got a daughter and you're deciding whether to give her to be married or not do what you want Wild what if you have a husband who dies?
41:21: Wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes only in the
41:30: Lord How about when it comes to eating certain things and not eating things with Liberty and license if one of the unbelievers invites you and you wish to go
41:41: Eat anything that is set before you. It's okay. If you don't wish to go don't go Amazing Ezra 7 and whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold you may do
41:54: According to the will of your God do what you want. Love God and do what you want Joshua 9 and now behold, we're in your hands do as it seems good and right in the sight to do to us in your sight to do to us
42:06: And last illustration acts 15 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders with the whole church
42:12: To choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. I think we have a good idea
42:17: We're walking in the spirit. We know what the Bible says We know what wisdom says and we think we have a good idea. I think we should just do that So word wisdom wish number four, we're gonna make it wait
42:33: If you are undecided on what to do then wait for God to provide more information wait
42:42: Now we always should go to the word we always should ask for wisdom Sometimes we don't have to worry about our wishes because if it's already in the
42:50: Bible we don't have to say do I wish to do or not and Sometimes we have to make a decision right away So we won't have to wait, but there are times we need to wait
42:59: Wait, let's turn to Psalm 37 again verse 9. You will see this
43:06: Common refrain in the stanza of the Psalms wait on the Lord wait on the Lord wait on the
43:12: Lord wait on the Lord and as You're awaiting God has given you more information God is teaching you something
43:18: God is working on your character There's lots of reasons to wait, but sometimes we just need to wait and this does not mean to lay back and let
43:26: God We'll talk about that in a minute There's a time to act but Psalm 37 verse 9 for evildoers will be cut off But those who wait for the
43:35: Lord will inherit the land. I wanted to focus on that waiting word there It means this not just to wait, you know kind of with Jeopardy music in the background waiting for the test
43:46: Don't you dare sing it? See Shouldn't have done that it means to eagerly anticipate.
43:57: That's the Hebrew word I'm not just waiting. I'm not just waiting for you know,
44:03: Ed McMahon to show up at my house I'm anticipating God's sovereign. He's a good father.
44:10: I've asked for wisdom He's given me some desires in my heart for certain things and not for other things. I still can't make a decision and so God I'm gonna wait on you.
44:19: I don't have to force it. I don't have to rush it I don't have to go get bad advice I don't have to take a Bible verse out of context
44:25: God you made me you gave me the largest gift Salvation based on the cost of your son's death
44:32: You raised him from the dead and you will take care of me If you don't love me, you will no longer be
44:38: God because you love me in Christ You love me father as much as you love the son You can't love me more you can't love me it less and so it's just time for me to anticipate
44:48: What are you going to do not in some kind of prosperity gospel kind of thing? But I know God you're going to do something and as birds look to the to the
44:57: Robin mother for some nourishment I'm going to look for you look to you
45:03: To hope in that's what it means to eagerly wait for it The opposite would be
45:10: I'm in a tough spot. Don't know how to make a decision I don't know what to school go to school.
45:16: I don't know what kind of school to go to and Acting in such a way that you're somehow saying to others and to yourself and your family
45:24: God doesn't care There's nothing to eagerly wait for you know, I've been out of out of work for so long, you know
45:31: And and we just you know, I'm anxious and bitter and what's God gonna do? Well, we all sin and there's certainly forgiveness
45:37: Granted to us as we confess our sins, but the one who eats Well eats and waits eagerly says
45:44: God, I know you're gonna provide I trust you You're a revealing God who's revealed himself in sovereignty and in love and in compassion and long -suffering.
45:51: I know, you know me That's why in Psalm 52 9.
45:56: It says I will wait on thy name for it is good Psalm 62 my hope is from him wait in silence for God only
46:07: Psalm 69 I'm weary with crying. My throat is parched.
46:12: My eyes fail while I wait for my God I'm down, but I still look eagerly to God Psalm 130
46:20: I wait for the Lord. My soul does wait and in his word. I do hope certainly there's a time to act
46:34: But while there we're waiting God could be working on us and working on giving us more information and now number five in closing worship
46:42: Related to number four, but since I'm not an Amaraldine I needed a fifth point.
46:48: No, just kidding word you go. What's that? I don't want you to know the Word of God wisdom from God wish wait and now worship
46:58: Could be Psalm 115 or it could be 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse 31 whether you eat or drink or make decisions all
47:04: Do it all for God's glory We're gonna worship while we're waiting.
47:13: We're gonna worship while we're in bed in a tough spot What to do how to do it how to go about it
47:19: GSS is knocking at the door so -and -so tax thing so -and -so financial thing I've got to make some decisions, but I'm not going to forget
47:26: I'm a child of God and I want to act in a becoming fashion turn with me to Ecclesiastes to last verse to look up today
47:39: Ecclesiastes chapter 2 I Think since God is sovereign since God is all -knowing since God is all -powerful since God couldn't love you anymore
47:48: I think as you have to make a decision you ought to worship by enjoying who God enjoying
47:54: The person and work of God See, I'm preaching this because left to my own self.
48:01: I don't do this when I'm in a tough bind making a decision I don't tend to want to worship.
48:07: I don't intend to want to enjoy things I don't want to intend to save myself, you know this pickle that I'm in now
48:13: God's got me right where he wants me and I might as well just learn quickly to submit and to bow and to follow and I love
48:21: Ecclesiastes chapter 2 because it talks about how we need to see everything as a gift from God Everything is given by the hand of God including these difficult times of decision -making
48:36: And even though we live in a world where there's futility and despair God gives good gifts to his children and he has got us right where he wants us while we're making this decision and let's worship
48:46: God as we do look at Ecclesiastes 2 verse 24 Just to show you that it's from God's hand and whether it's good things or bad things.
48:55: Let's respond with worship There's nothing better for a man to eat and to drink and to tell himself that his labor is good
49:01: This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God God gives fullness in all different kinds of small things and he says in verse 25
49:12: For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without him? What's the converse?
49:18: What's the flip side? What's the positive side of this you can eat and you can have enjoyment what?
49:24: with him It doesn't matter how bad things are in life, but you can enjoy the greatness of God simple pleasures of life
49:33: Eating and drinking with the Lord Recognizing that it's a gift from God.
49:38: Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 13 we will worship in our tough times of decision -making by Recognizing that everything is a gift of God including this difficult time
49:54: Moreover, I'll go to verse 12 I know that there's nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime
50:00: Moreover that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor. It is the gift of God chapter 5
50:07: Ecclesiastes says the same thing There's lots of ways to worship God But I think in a wonderful way to worship
50:13: God is to recognize God's sovereign and you can still Have joy, that's a fruit of the
50:18: Spirit is joy and enjoyment verse 18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting Ecclesiastes 5 to eat to drink
50:25: Enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the Sun and difficult times during the years of his life
50:32: Which God has given him? For this is his reward It's worship while saying
50:39: I don't have to get out of my situation for me to worship I'm worshiping in my situation. The way out is the way through Verse 19 furthermore as for every man to whom
50:51: God has given riches and wealth He's also it empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor.
50:57: This is the gift of God For he will not verse 20 often consider the years of his life because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart and The list goes on and on God has given
51:12: God has given God has given every good and perfect gift God gives from above we can eat we can drink we can live with sweat and toil and have enjoyment in Him I tend to do the opposite too often and just say
51:31: I'm in this difficult time And I'm not enjoying the things that God has given me a God who richly supplies me with everything to enjoy.
51:39: I Forget to say God. Thank you for this tough decision -making process. I'm going through I forget to say
51:45: I'm even glad I'm able to work let alone try to pick between two jobs I'm glad I'm alive to do
51:50: X Y & Z for who can eat and who can have enjoyment without him. How do
51:58: I make a decision? Let's see if you remember these five. Let's say him out loud one two three four five
52:11: It's an interesting thing how wonderful our Lord is when you learn things He often gives us opportunity in the coming weeks to live them
52:19: But he will be with us as we do. This is not try harder This is respond to God with the riches
52:26: He's given when it comes to making decisions and say to yourself the next difficult decision you have
52:32: God I'd like to increase my empire. I'd like to increase my strength. I'd like to increase my pride I like to increase all these other things that left to myself
52:39: I do but it's not unto me But it's for your glory and could I make a decision that would please you because if you're pleased everyone's
52:48: Elsa's decisions will fall in line. Let's close in prayer.
52:53: Please bow with me as our heads are bowed.
53:02: I'm going to read the first five verses of Psalm 25 for our prayer To you
53:08: Oh Lord, I lift up my soul. Oh my god in you I trust Do not let me be ashamed.
53:14: Do not let my enemies exalt over me Indeed, none of those who wait for you will be ashamed those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed
53:23: Make me know your ways Oh Lord Teach me your paths Lead me in your truth and teach me for you are the
53:30: God of my salvation for you. I wait all the day Remember Oh Lord your compassion and your loving -kindness for they have been from old we pray this in Jesus name.