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!

God chose what is weak…

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

In our weakness, foolishness, and lowest points in life God amazingly chooses us.

6 Marks of (real) Christian Fellowship

This Sunday’s message is about fellowship. (Or maybe next Sunday’s message, if we have too much snow!) Anyway, fellowship is essential for the life of every believer and every church. Why?

Here’s why…because you and I were created in God’s image which means we were created to live in community and fellowship with one another. Our relationship with God TOTALLY DEPENDS on our relationships with one another and our relationships with one another TOTALLY DEPEND on our relationship with God.

But our view of fellowship – true Christian fellowship or koinonia (Greek) – is often times limited to covered dish meals, being polite, and occasionally praying together.

True Christian fellowship is much deeper and much more meaningful than this. There are many characteristics of true Christian fellowship. Here are 6 that are key.

1.   Forgiveness – It all begins with forgiveness! If we want to be forgiven by God so that we can be in fellowship with him and with each other WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO FORGIVE EACH OTHER. I’m not kidding! Check it out  Matthew 6:14-15.

2.   Acceptance - God totally accepts each one of us for who we are and we should accept one another the same way. For way too long churches have made acceptance conditional – we accept you if you dress like us, act like us, or whatever. Read Galatians 3:28.

3.   Encouragement – “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) This passage is awesome! One of the main reasons we gather for worship and meet to pray together each week is to encourage one another as believers! When we encourage someone we build them up spiritually!

4.   Service – Jesus was the model servant. He served us by giving his life for us. God has given each one of us different gifts and abilities to use to serve him. To be Jesus’ hands and feet on earth today we have to be willing to serve one another. Check out 1 Peter 4:10.

5.   Unity – Let me be really clear about this one – not only does God want us to get along with each other, but he wants us to agree with each other and to live with a spirit of unity and cooperation. Paul writes,  “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (1 Corinthians 1:10) Fellowship doesn’t mean agreeing to disagree. It means agreeing that Scripture commands us to agree.

6.   Love – Jesus COMMANDS US TO LOVE EACH OTHER. Here’s the verse. It’s important here for us to realize that in the same way that Jesus’ love was not conditional – neither should ours be. Jesus commands us to love each other even when we don’t get along or don’t understand each other. Love is like a force-field that God places around those who seek authentic koinonia fellowship. When God’s love is present in us, God is present among us!

God uses our circumstances…

Warren Wiersbe once wrote,

“Before God changes our circumstances, He wants to change our hearts.”

God has a purpose for every situation and circumstance that you and I face in life. Every circumstance, good or bad, presents an opportunity for us to grow.

God uses our circumstances to change our hearts.

Sometimes before God is willing to change our circumstances he gives us an opportunity to change our hearts.