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Making Decisions in 2009
Now that 2009 is upon us each of us may be reflecting and asking for Gods guidance in our daily life especially with those important decisions. We know that from past experiences that God has been a good God, guiding us all the way!
At some point, you’re going to have to make difficult decisions. Decisions that will affect your family. Your finances. And your career. Some of you are facing tough choices right now. And you’re wondering, "How should I handle this? What’s the right answer? Where do I turn for help?" You turn to the Word of God. I want to go back to Thursday Jan 15, 2009 and the Crash of Fight 1549 from LaGuardia headed to Charlotte NC but ended in the Hudson River. How did those passengers react to the situation, what decisions did they wish they could do over if they had the chance.
And what about Jesus... did you know that Jesus was under severe pressure in the Garden of Gethsemane, while he struggled in prayer - releasing his burden to the Father's will: "if possible, let this cup pass... yet not my will, but Thine be done." Following is the full text of Matthew 26:36-44
36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." 39And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt." 40And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41"Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." 42He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done." 43And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more....
From the word we know that GETHSEMANE is a garden near Jerusalem, where Jesus prayed. We know that he was so serious about wanting to make the right choice that he prayed all night! And in the morning, he was ready to make his decision.
Some insights on this text:
1. Jesus was "grieved and distressed" in prayer. (v. 37) He did not put on an air of pretense.
2. Jesus confessed verbally his feelings of grief. (v. 38) He did not pretend anything.
3. Jesus fell on his face when he prayed; it was a consuming prayer. (v. 39)
4. Jesus prayed, "If it is possible..." His "if" did not suggest unbelief; rather, it indicates the sense of urgency with which he prayed. Just like us, he had to keep on praying, till he found that place of surrender to the Father.
5. In fact, Jesus prayed "the same thing" three times! (vv. 39, 42, 44) Repeatedly praying the same thing is not unbelief. Persistence is necessary, for a breakthrough - either in the circumstances or in our surrender to the Father's will.
James 5:16 says that ’the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." And if you give your dilemnas and your decisions to Christ, he will put peace in your heart. A plan in your mind. And the wisdom to carry it out.
Another thing you should do before you make an important decision is to get all the facts. With the internet available, there’s really no excuse for not making informed decisions. We’re living in the information age. A unique time when you can learn about almost anything. Proverbs 13:16 says "Every prudent man acts out of knowledge."
A third thing we need to do is to ask for advice. Proverbs 19:20 says "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise." The same thing is true of my life. I have learned from serious costly mistakes that before I make any earth shattering decisions, I want to hear from people who are wise and who have a thorough knowledge of the Bible.
Alan Redpath (Victorious Christian Living: Studies in the Book of Joshua) has some sound advice on taking things as they appear to be... “When common sense says that a course is right, lift up your head to God, for the path of faith and the path of blessing may be in a direction completely opposite to that which you call common sense. When voices tell you that action is urgent, that something must be done immediately, refer everything to the tribunal of heaven. Then, if you are still in doubt, dare to stand still. If called on to act and you have not time to pray, don’t act. If you are called on to move in a certain direction and cannot wait until you have peace with God about it, don’t move. Be strong enough and brave enough to dare to stand and wait on God, for none of them that wait on Him shall ever be ashamed. That is the only way to outmatch the devil.”
After you have prayed for guidance. Gathered all the facts. And asked for advice. The next thing you need to do is to make your decision and stick with it. Proverbs 16:3 says "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." There’s comes a time where you reach that point of no return. And you just have to trust God and go for it. Amen?
________
Just remember God's love can dispel sorrow, help a broken heart, and give us a great assurance that the love of God is real. May the Lord Bless you, Rev. D. M. Barry
At some point, you’re going to have to make difficult decisions. Decisions that will affect your family. Your finances. And your career. Some of you are facing tough choices right now. And you’re wondering, "How should I handle this? What’s the right answer? Where do I turn for help?" You turn to the Word of God. I want to go back to Thursday Jan 15, 2009 and the Crash of Fight 1549 from LaGuardia headed to Charlotte NC but ended in the Hudson River. How did those passengers react to the situation, what decisions did they wish they could do over if they had the chance.
And what about Jesus... did you know that Jesus was under severe pressure in the Garden of Gethsemane, while he struggled in prayer - releasing his burden to the Father's will: "if possible, let this cup pass... yet not my will, but Thine be done." Following is the full text of Matthew 26:36-44
36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." 39And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt." 40And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41"Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." 42He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done." 43And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more....
From the word we know that GETHSEMANE is a garden near Jerusalem, where Jesus prayed. We know that he was so serious about wanting to make the right choice that he prayed all night! And in the morning, he was ready to make his decision.
Some insights on this text:
1. Jesus was "grieved and distressed" in prayer. (v. 37) He did not put on an air of pretense.
2. Jesus confessed verbally his feelings of grief. (v. 38) He did not pretend anything.
3. Jesus fell on his face when he prayed; it was a consuming prayer. (v. 39)
4. Jesus prayed, "If it is possible..." His "if" did not suggest unbelief; rather, it indicates the sense of urgency with which he prayed. Just like us, he had to keep on praying, till he found that place of surrender to the Father.
5. In fact, Jesus prayed "the same thing" three times! (vv. 39, 42, 44) Repeatedly praying the same thing is not unbelief. Persistence is necessary, for a breakthrough - either in the circumstances or in our surrender to the Father's will.
James 5:16 says that ’the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." And if you give your dilemnas and your decisions to Christ, he will put peace in your heart. A plan in your mind. And the wisdom to carry it out.
Another thing you should do before you make an important decision is to get all the facts. With the internet available, there’s really no excuse for not making informed decisions. We’re living in the information age. A unique time when you can learn about almost anything. Proverbs 13:16 says "Every prudent man acts out of knowledge."
A third thing we need to do is to ask for advice. Proverbs 19:20 says "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise." The same thing is true of my life. I have learned from serious costly mistakes that before I make any earth shattering decisions, I want to hear from people who are wise and who have a thorough knowledge of the Bible.
Alan Redpath (Victorious Christian Living: Studies in the Book of Joshua) has some sound advice on taking things as they appear to be... “When common sense says that a course is right, lift up your head to God, for the path of faith and the path of blessing may be in a direction completely opposite to that which you call common sense. When voices tell you that action is urgent, that something must be done immediately, refer everything to the tribunal of heaven. Then, if you are still in doubt, dare to stand still. If called on to act and you have not time to pray, don’t act. If you are called on to move in a certain direction and cannot wait until you have peace with God about it, don’t move. Be strong enough and brave enough to dare to stand and wait on God, for none of them that wait on Him shall ever be ashamed. That is the only way to outmatch the devil.”
After you have prayed for guidance. Gathered all the facts. And asked for advice. The next thing you need to do is to make your decision and stick with it. Proverbs 16:3 says "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." There’s comes a time where you reach that point of no return. And you just have to trust God and go for it. Amen?
________
Just remember God's love can dispel sorrow, help a broken heart, and give us a great assurance that the love of God is real. May the Lord Bless you, Rev. D. M. Barry
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