Eugene Peterson on Our Daily Life

Four Biblical Principles for Making Godly Decisions

The way we go about making decisions is usually just as important as the decisions we make. If our decision-making process is flawed so will our decisions be.

Here are four Biblical principles for making Godly decisions that you can apply to just about any decision in life.

1. Always seek to glorify God. In everything we do and especially in our decisions – seek to glorify God. Matthew 5: 16 states, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven.” With every decision we make we should ask ourselves, “Will this glorify God?”

2. Pray for God’s clear guidance and direction. How many times do we just rush into a quick decision without even praying about it? Check out Proverbs 3:5-6. The Bible warns us against running out ahead of God and just relying on our own understanding. God desperately to help us, to love us, and to guide us through life’s toughest decisions.

3. Weigh every decision against God’s Word. Many believers struggle with this one simply because we do not take time to read and know God’s Word. God’s Word is suppose to abide in our hearts. If we don’t know ANYTHING
or just very little about God’s Word we’re going to make very bad decisions.

4. Consider the results and the consequences. How many times do we make short-sighted or quick decisions without really thinking them through? How many times do we make decisions without really weighing out what the results or the consequences may be. Check out Luke 14:28. God has given us a brain to use and the Holy Spirit to guide us! Before you make your next decision – think it ALL THE WAY through!!!

Obedience and Disobedience

One of my favorite preachers, Charles Stanley, often says, “Obey God and leave all the consequences to him!”

Not only is this wonderful advice, but it is also a great truth of the scriptures. The problem is that we don’t always obey God and when we don’t there are consequences.

Here are a few lessons about obeying and disobeying God that I’ve learned from my own life and study. . .

1. Obedience is easier than disobedience. Life is actually way more fulfilling and meaningful when we obey God than when we don’t. The consequences of disobeying God make life a lot harder.

2. Obedience or disobedience is a choice that we make. God wants to bless us and love us in his care. Yet he gives us the choice to obey or not and when we choose to disobey God’s word and promises we have to live with our choice.

3. To disobey God is to partner with the devil. Satan IS the ruler of this world. Check out 1 Peter 5:8 and 2 Corinthians 4:4. Satan IS looking for anyone who is weak or who does not recognize his schemes and ways. He will come your way to lead you to disobey God.

4. Disobedience has earthly and eternal consequences. We often experience the earthly consequences of disobeying God but seldom recognize the eternal consequences of disobeying God. DON’T GET ME WRONG! When we disobey God does he still love us? ABSOLUTELY!!! But there are still eternal consequences to disobeying God that we never even consider that will far outweigh the earthly consequences we experience.

The Hebrew word for obey, shama, means “to listen.” To obey God means to listen to and for him. To disobey God means to disregard God’s word and direction for our lives.

Is anything too hard for God?!

This verse ROCKS!

NO REALLY!!!

“The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ‘Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?!”

- Jeremiah 32:26-27

No matter what we face in life. . . no matter what we are going through. . . there is no problem, no challenge, no situation, no obstacle that is too hard or too big for God to handle!

Don’t forget that!

Are you serving man or serving God?

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

I ran across this passage earlier this week when I was preparing for our Sunday night Bible study on Galatians. Paul must have really been wrestling with this in his own life. I appreciate his passion and transparency.  Serving God is not always as easy as it seems. It requires:

• a servant’s heart
  
• a life of prayer
• a discerning spirit
• courage
• a clear calling from God
  
• humility

How do you know whether you are serving man or serving God? Wrestle with this question long enough and you’ll know.

Love is…

Eternal. Long-suffering. Life-changing.