Decision Making

Decision Making

Revelation 17: Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me and said, “Come, and I will show you how the famous prostitute is to be punished, that great city that is built near many rivers. ² The kings of the earth practiced sexual immorality with her, and the people of the world became drunk from drinking the wine of her immorality.”

 

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Being out on my own felt great! I was free to make my own decisions and had no one to tell me what I could and could not do. The first night of my freedom led me to a party where everyone would get drunk. I joined in. The next morning I woke up, opened my door and there was a woman, passed out on the floor, outside my door. “Wow!, I’m going to like this place!” I said to myself!

 

• I wanted to be part of the drunken parties.
• I wanted to take part in the sex.
• I wanted to do “what everyone else” was doing!

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, was addressed by one of the seven angels who held the bowls. The angel explained that whatever was causing the world to make bad decisions would be punished.

 

My Observations:

• My decision making needed some guidance from GOD.
• Following the world can cause me to get in trouble with GOD.
• My clearest thinking includes times and ways to follow GOD.

 

Bad decisions seem easy to do and are plenteous these days. I mean, it seems like bad decisions are placed in front of me more that me searching them out. News and other media portray terrible ideas as the right thing to do. Meanwhile, morality gets questioned and even raised in heated debates. BUT GOD sees what’s going on.

 

JESUS knew you and I would choose the immorality versus HIS purity. HE never sinned, even though HE was tempted in the same way you and I were temped. HE died for our sins and was raised from the dead. All authority has been given to HIM. HE will judge the tempter, not the tempted, for those who believe in HIM. I am grateful for salvation from my sins.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer was noticed?
• Have you ever wanted to be free to sin as much as you want?
• Will you ask GOD for self-control and for protection from yourself, so HE can guide you to HIS Way, Truth and Life today?

Have Been Versus Is

Have Been Versus Is

1 Corinthians 5: ⁹ In the letter that I wrote you I told you not to associate with immoral people. ¹⁰ Now I did not mean pagans who are immoral or greedy or are thieves, or who worship idols. To avoid them you would have to get out of the world completely. ¹¹ What I meant was that you should not associate with a person who calls himself a believer but is immoral or greedy or worships idols or is a slanderer or a drunkard or a thief. Don't even sit down to eat with such a person.

 

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Over the course of my life I looked exactly like everyone else. I tried to fit into the world, so I picked up its behaviors. I read this list which included immorality, greed, idol worship, slander, getting drunk and being a thief. Yes, I have been all of the above.

 

• There have been many times when I have looked just like the world.
• There have been many times when I just wanted to fit in so I acted like “everyone” else.
• There have been many times when my own lusts made me choose to act like the world.

 

Paul gives a very strong warning about “someone who calls himself a believer but…” The “But” in his statement is very strong. He implies the person does not really believe JESUS is the only answer but mouths the words of GOD by mentioning HIM on occasion to manipulate people in immoral, greedy, idol worshipping, slanderous, drunken and thieving ways.

 

• GOD wants me to be able to confess when I sin.
• GOD wants me to be ready to admit a fallen state in hopes that I can be restored.
• GOD wants me to use the fruit of the Spirit, especially “self-control” to keep from falling back into the ways GOD dislikes.

 

Restoration can happen to anyone. I mean if I fall to being immoral, greedy, idolater, slanderous, drunk or a thief, I should be removed from leading in any gathering of believers as a leader. Fortunately, GOD wants to use sinners to spread HIS message.

 

If I confess this behavior and truly repent or stay away from old behaviors, then I can be restored and useful to lead people to CHRIST. Yes, GOD takes sin seriously and so should I. I am grateful for the HOLY SPIRIT who pleads on my behalf, who restores me and who leads me daily.

 

• Are you trying to stay away from people you have judged?
• Do you think you heart is perfect and other people have imperfect hearts?
• Will you stop applying this list to other people and examine yourself to see if there is something blocking you from speaking boldly and truthfully about JESUS today?

GOD keeps HIS promises

2 Kings 8: ¹⁶ In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah. ¹⁷ He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. 

¹⁸ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

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“I’m done with church” I said to myself. Seeing the hypocrisy was too much. “Now what do I do?” was the decision I had to make. My first night on campus, there were parties, drunkenness and nudity!  “I know… I’ll try that” I thought to myself excitedly.

• Many times I have tried to leave GOD when I wanted my way.
• Many times I blamed the church for not being perfect.
• Many times I thought could make it on my own without consulting GOD.

Leaving church and stopping my efforts of following GOD seemed like a good idea at the time. I mean, the people in the church were acting like the people they called “worldly” only they were sneakier about it. I figured this would give me the license to leave them alone and do as I pleased. BUT GOD had something different in mind for me.

• GOD saw me in the middle of my sins and decided to rescue me.
• GOD saw me committing evil in HIS eyes yet HE held to HIS promise of mercy for me.
• GOD saw me doing the opposite of what HE wanted and went to HIS death in my place.

GOD cannot back out of a decree. Once HE says something it HAS to happen. HE said the wages of sin is death, so someone had to die. HE decided it would be HIM instead of me. HE also said “No one can pluck you out of MY hands”, so HE allows me to sin BUT rewards me the more I follow HIM.

HE allows consequence to happen in my life and chastens me. BUT he has saved me from eternal separation from HIM.

• Are you in the middle of sin?
• Have you stopped following GOD?
• Do you realize HIS grace is sufficient?
• Can you stop thinking you have to be clean in order to have a relationship with GOD?
• Do you realize that no matter how deep in sin you have fallen GOD forgives you?