Decisions 101 (Part 2)

Thanks for tuning in to No Compromise Radio with pastor and author, Dr. Mike Abendroth.

Today on No Compromise Radio, we'll be hearing Pastor Mike open the Word of God in a recent message he preached at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.

Now let's join Pastor Mike in progress as he preaches through the scriptures, verse by verse, with No Compromise.

Paul says early on here, let me tell you the mysteries of the world.

And he pulls back the curtain of the Godhead and says, this is the mystery of his will. This is something that's happened, but you would never know by eating spicy food, staying up late at night and then having a dream.

You have to be told by God. He pulls back the curtain and what's the mystery of God's will? God saves people.

In Ephesians chapter 1, verses 4 through 6, he elects people in eternity past.

And then in verses 7 to 12, he sends the son to die for them in a substitutionary death. He raises them from the dead and in time, he brings the spirit of God to make people born again, to make them alive.

The whole world revolves around Jesus is glorified. The world exists to say, ascribe glory and honor to Jesus.

Now what does it say in verse 10? It gives us a little more information. As a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

The creator of this universe has a purpose for this universe and the goal is the exaltation of Jesus Christ, the elect coming in.

We come to, what's God's will for my life? There's a bigger issue in the world than your life or mine.

Listen to what O 'Brien says, the commentator, the will of God is closely related to even identified with God's gracious saving plan.

The Lord's will is frequently understood by Christians to refer to matters of personal guidance, but rather God's gracious saving plan.

And as a significant element of this, the formation of a people into the likeness of Christ who will be pure and blameless on the final day.

No wonder Ephesians 26 times, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, everything exists for the exaltation of the

Lord Jesus Christ. So for us, say, well, I've got a decision to make. Here's the first thing that you consider, which decision of the two or the three or of the many will exalt

Christ more, contribute to the saving gospel? It's not

God's plan for my life, but the eternal plan of God. Does this factor into the eternal plan of God?

That's a completely different perspective, basing your decisions on God's eternal saving plan, reflecting the

Son's glory in my decision. No wonder Jesus said, doesn't this seem to make sense now?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be what? Added unto you.

We shoot too low. We're thinking too much about ourselves. Not personal guidance, but does this give

God the most glory? Everything falls into that umbrella. Second W, there's more to be said.

We have to go through this quickly. My old pastor used to say, anytime a pastor says there's more to be said, it means he's ran out of information, but he just says that.

But there is more to be said. Number two, we should memorize these. Will of God, number two, starts with a

W, word of God. Consider the word of God. In the old days,

God led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. And today, he guides us through the word of God, applied by the spirit of God, period, paragraph.

Listen to some of these verses, Psalm 119. Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

The unfolding of thy words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple. Give me understanding according to thy words,

Psalm 119. So you say, all right, I want this decision to glorify

God. That's the main thing. Number two, what does the Bible say? That's a way you could go about it. What does the

Bible directly say? Well, I've been divorced. I'd like to get remarried. What does the Bible say about godly remarriage?

Maybe you just have to go for principles and say, you know, I'd like to marry either this girl or that girl.

What are the principles derived from the Bible, even though it might not explicitly say? Also, in this word of God, decision -making, how about let's not be consumed in trying to make a decision while we forget about what

God already says to do? So the word already tells us, this is God's will for your life, true or false, to give thanks and everything, 1

Thessalonians. This is God's will. How about to submit to the government? This is God's will for your life, 1

Peter chapter 2. How about sexual purity? This is

God's will for your life, that you abstain from sexual immorality, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. So you need to make a decision, but instead of becoming engulfed with the decision -making, study for a decision, do what the

Bible says about the decision, but make sure you obey what the Bible already says. One writer said the insistence of Jesus and the

Old Testament writers was not on the importance of discovering the will of God, but always upon the necessity of doing it.

So you obey what the Bible already says. And by the way, the last component to this word letter is read the

Bible, saturate your mind with the Bible. Bruce Waltke wrote a good book about decision -making and he said, if you're struggling with a specific question rather than trying to magically divine

God's answer, spend time drawing close to Him. To the many

Christians who spend time trying to divine the will of God, I ask. So if somebody says, I'd like to know God's will for my life in this, here's your retort.

Here's your question. Here's your no -compromise radio response. I didn't write this though, but I wish

I would have. How much time have you spent reading your Bible? You say, well, it doesn't even address, do

I take this, you know, do I go to Merck or do I, do I go to EMC? The Bible doesn't say anything about that.

Well, what Waltke was trying to get you to do is to so read the Bible that you're thinking about things from God's perspective.

You read, I tell people all the time, you need to make an important decision in your life. Read 1 and 2 Kings. Why? Well, I just picked it, 1 and 2

Kings. No, I did more than just pick it because Kings is history written from a theological perspective.

And you're reminded when you start reading Kings, you know, God's in charge of this whole thing. And I need to be reminded this is

God's universe, God's omnipotent, God's immutable, God's holy, and everything is going according to plan.

I need to rest in that. And so if you have a hard time making a decision, make sure you read your

Bible, saturate your mind with the Bible. And then you're going to avoid things that are so much less than the word.

Like what? Feelings. You can have a perfect, peaceful, easy, eagle's feeling and be totally out of God's word and disobeying.

Just like Jonah at the bottom of the boat. He had a peaceful, easy feeling.

Luther's right. Feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving. My warrant is the word of God.

Nothing else is worth believing. Too many Christians lead with their feelings.

It's like a referee. You see a football game and there's a guy with a black and white striped shirt on.

You're like, well, my black and white striped shirt, my referee, my umpire is going to be my feelings. Oh, friends,

J. I. Packer's right when he said we can never distrust ourselves too much. Yeah, but Pastor, the fruit of the

Spirit's peace. Yeah, it is. But it has nothing to do with making decisions, peace.

Just think about how many people have been misled by their feelings. They think they're in love and really they're dating some unbeliever and they mistake the feelings of love for simple lust or stupidity or maybe a little bit of both.

Oh, I'm in love. It inhibits critical thinking if you're not careful. One man said how often people say they feel led to get married when all they are really describing is a particularly novel state of endocrine balance.

If you're in the word, it trumps you looking at circumstances wrongly. You say, well, the circumstances all put together.

Sometimes you can misread circumstance, can't you? It's like that Rorschach text test that you look at.

And the thing about that test had Robinson's right. It tells you more about you than it does about what the test is.

And so you look at the circumstances and you go, huh? Paul went over to get a stick to put in the fire.

Acts 28, the snake bit him and everybody looked at that circumstance and said, sinner, justice of God, he's dead.

Then Paul shook it off. And then they said, hmm, only a God could do that. Praise be

Paul. Misreading circumstances. The word is so much better than this whole open door, closed door deal.

Doors closed. Could it mean knock it down by faith, of course, in the

Lord. Open door, don't go through it. Only a fool would walk through that.

That's why the word is so important. David had an open door to kill

Saul. He walked right up to him, passed all the guards. Circumstances were right. His feelings were probably right.

And he walked right up to Saul and he cut off the robe of Saul secretly. He had an open door, but it was contrary to revelation, wasn't it?

Stretching out his hand against the Lord's anointed, he knew that God forbid that. When you study the word, then you get away from things like this.

Well, God talks to me when I pray. He does? You? No, just kidding.

If you mean verses come to your mind, great. If you mean God talks to you through scripture, you talk to him through prayer, and then

God answers back out loud in your gizzard, in your mind, in your whole refried beans, frijoles at midnight or something.

I don't know what that is, but the Bible doesn't teach that God talks to you through prayer. That's when

Jack Hayford said, while alone and quiet, listen with your heart, don't strain your ears for an audible sound. The Bible describes this as God's still small voice, true or false.

The Bible regularly commands you to tune into your inner voice. It never does.

True or false? The Bible says, listen for God's audible voice in prayer. No. Impressions are impressions.

That's all they are. Number three, how do

I make a decision? Six considerations in order. Will of God, word of God, and the consideration number three, wisdom from God.

I'm telling you, sooner or later, somebody's going to call you and say, I have a decision I need to make. Could you help me? I want you to think, will of God, word of God, now wisdom from God.

Turn your Bibles to James chapter one, please. You're familiar with the passage. We need God's wisdom, don't we?

The Bible never says, here's God's plan for your life, look for it.

But it does say, get wisdom. Ecclesiastes says, wisdom is better than strength, better than the weapons of war.

Proverbs three, better than silver, more precious than rubies, nothing you desire can compare with wisdom.

And you know, it can't be bought, God has it, and God says, get it.

The beginning of wisdom is what? Get wisdom. That's a good verse,

Proverbs four. And here, can you imagine, there's a trial going on in James' time, trials go on for us, you don't know what to do, you're surrounded by a various kind of trial, all kinds of things are happening, and God is gracious,

God cares for his people. James one, verse five says, if any of you lacks wisdom, what?

He should act, he should ask God, excuse me. Very pastoral there, notice he doesn't say, you don't have wisdom, but that's what he means, you don't have wisdom, so ask

God. Pride says, I can do this on my own, I'm a self -made man or woman,

I have all the resources in and of myself to handle my trials, and God says, just ask me. Your daughter comes to you and says,

I could use some help, Dad, and some advice. And if a husband or a father could give advice because he loves his daughter, how much more?

So you ask from God, God please give me wisdom, and he's a generous God, he gives, you ask in faith, just like the rest of the verse says.

And then there's also wisdom found someplace else, and that wisdom is found in other believers who are mature.

Proverbs 11, where there's no guidance, the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is what? Victory.

Proverbs 12, a wise man is he who listens to counsel. Proverbs 13, presumption comes with nothing but strife, but with those who receive counsel is wisdom.

Proverbs 15, without consultation plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.

Proverbs 19, listen to counsel. Proverbs 20, make war by wise guidance, prepare plans by consultation.

And maybe my favorite one, Proverbs 27 verse 9, oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man's counsel is sweet to his friend.

So you find somebody who's mature and you say, could you help me? I've got this situation here, and would you please give me your advice?

It only takes about three minutes for me in my study when someone says, can I get some advice from you?

And they tell me what's going on, and then I tell them what I think they should do. And I can see it in their eyes when they say to themselves,

I wanted a different answer. He didn't give it to me, so do you have Steve's number?

I'll get somebody to go with what I want. That's not what it's talking about here. Now, I don't give inerrant counsel.

Steve surely doesn't give inerrant counsel. But you find someone and you say, what do you think?

That's why, I don't mean mine, but that's why gray -haired people are such an asset to the local church.

That's why youth needs to find older people. That's why

Titus 2 exists in the Bible, so you find those older people to say, you know what? I don't know if I'm thinking right or not, rightly or not, but could you just help me?

Here's what's going on in my life. And then you listen to them. I mean, if you're foolish, you make foolish decisions.

Another group of people, though, that I notice make a lot of bad decisions are super smart people because they're so smart.

They can try to figure out their own rationalizations and get to where they think they want to be even though it's wrong.

The smartest people I know make the stupidest decisions. But wise people, listen, will of God, word of God, wisdom from God, and we've got three more to go and we're going to do them rapid fire.

Number four, in order, wish. Do what you wish to do. See why they're in order?

How about if somebody comes to you and says, Pastor, I'd like to make a decision. Could you help me? Sure, do whatever you want to do.

What you do, do quickly. Calvin said, love God and do what you please.

Love God and do what you please. How could he say that? Because if you're walking by the spirit, you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh.

If you're in the word thinking about God's glory, thinking about Christ's redemption and how that's the ultimate purpose of life, and you're thinking this way, you're praying, you're getting wisdom from other people from God, then make a decision.

I know it's hard to make decisions in America because we have too many decisions to be made. You walk in and there are 49 kinds of popcorn to buy.

I mean, it is really, it's apoplectic where you're just like, it's paralyzing. I can't make a decision.

Turn to Psalm 37 and I want you to see. This is what David did when you delight yourself in the Lord. Make a decision.

This is the kind of thing that got Luther to say, sin, if you're going to sin, sin boldly. Of course, we would take issue with the way he said it, but that's the point.

Once you're doing these things, then make a decision. Walk by faith, not by what?

Sight. Wish. Do what you wish. Psalm 37, 4, delight yourself in the

Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Because the desires of your heart were given to you by God, implanted by God.

So you say, yeah, I'd really like to do that. Because if you're walking by the spirit and you're doing what the other earlier

W's are saying, then you go, okay, I just need to make that decision. No wonder Spurgeon said, men who delight in God desire are asked for nothing but what will please

God. Hence, listen, hence it is safe to give them carte blanche.

Their will is subdued to God's will and now they may have what they will. A wise mother isn't going to tell her daughter every step of every decision of everything she ever has to make decision -wise.

You prepare them, make responsible choices, send them out, and we have the

Spirit of God living in us too. We have the anointing from the Holy One and you know all. No wonder then

Paul says to the church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 7, she is free to be married to whom she wishes.

1 Corinthians 10, if an unbeliever invites you and you wish to go, go. 2

Corinthians chapter 9, let each one do just as he has purposed in his own heart. Ezra chapter 7, whatever seems good to you and your brothers, do.

Joshua chapter 9, do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us. Many more illustrations, but lastly

Acts 15, then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders and the whole church to choose men from among them to send to Antioch.

Number five, two more that are quick. Can you have the first four memorized?

Number one, the will of God. Number two, word of God. Number three, boy the first service was so much better than you guys.

Wisdom from God. Number four, wish. What do you wish to do? Number five, wait.

I think too many times we're paralyzed with decisions, but sometimes we just can't make a good decision and so we wait.

Look at Psalm 37, you're already there, so go to verse 9. This is a refrain in the psalm.

Sometimes take a yellow marker, pick a different color, pick sky blue pink marker, and every time you see in the psalms, they wait on the

Lord, wait for the Lord, wait on the Lord, underline it and you'll see the refrain. And you'll start saying, you know what?

I'm in pretty much a hurry all my life and I don't think God's quite as much in a hurry as I am.

Look at verse 9, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.

One of the best translations of wait is eagerly anticipate. I know God's going to do something.

Not making a decision is even a decision, but I'm just going to wait. I'm going to wait with anticipation for God to bring more information to light so I can decide between the two.

And then lastly, number six, worship. Number six, worship. Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, including making hard decisions, worship.

Trust in God and act. Romans 8 says, we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love

God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Waltke would say, above all, fear making a mistake and then never choosing.

So we don't presumptuously say, God will just clean up my messes anyway. I'll just do whatever. But we say, you know,

I've considered your program, God, and your will. I've looked at the word. I've got wisdom from you in prayer and from other people.

I think I'd really like to do this. I've waited long enough and now I just need to make a decision and do it.

And by this action, may it please you. And you just do it. And, of course, God does clean up things.

If we do make a mistake, we're not trying to, and so we worship.

And it's in that order. So the next time you have a decision to make, should

I do this or should I do that? Super simply, go through and say, would this decision here exalt

God and his kingdom and his saving plan more than this one? I better be in the

Bible. Instead of trying to find a solution to my problem, I'm just going to make sure I'm in the word. God, give me help.

Find other people. Ask them. Do what you like.

If you can't make a decision, wait and then worship as you go so you don't have to fall into the

Christian version of tassiomancy. Who knows what tassiomancy is?

Reading tea leaves. Make a decision and make it boldly so you don't have to fall into lacanomancy.

What's lacanomancy? Throwing stones into water and looking at the ripples. I always called that skipping rocks.

How about seroscopy? How do I make a decision? Throw some wax on the water and then see.

I had my own error. It didn't seem to make sense, but it was throwing earwax on the water and then making a decision.

That would be even more unwise. You know what I'll do?

I think I'll go to that woman who lives in a cave. Simple. And I think I'll ask her. She's got the gift of prophecy.

You know, I live by the New Bedford and there's a lot of rats there, so I'll go to Myomancy, the divination involving rats.

We have everything pertaining to life and godliness in the word, so don't do this.

I got an impression. God had a talk to me. God, if this happens, then I'll know it's true because everything less is simply omphalomancy.

What's omphalomancy, you ask? Divination by the navel.

Will of God. Word of God. Wisdom from God and from other people.

Wish, wait, worship. No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.

Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible -teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life -transforming power of God's Word through verse -by -verse exposition of the sacred text.

Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 8 .30 and 11 a .m. and Sunday evenings at 6 p .m.

We're located on Route 110 in West Boylston, Massachusetts. You can check us out online at bbcchurch .org

or by phone at 508 -835 -3400. The thoughts and opinions expressed on No Compromise Radio do not necessarily reflect those of WVNE, its staff or management.