Sermon Series: Sermons from Psalm 23
Sermon #4: God’s Answer to Indecision
Scripture Ref: Psalm 23:1-6
Psalm 23: 3b ‘….He leads me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake.’
Introduction:
This morning we continue in our series from Psalm 23.
We’re looking at GOD’S ANSWERS to SEVEN CAUSES of STRESS:
Thus far we’ve looked at the STRESS of WORRY & of BUSYNESS & of DAMAGED EMOTIONS. Today we’re going to LOOK at GOD’S ANSWER to the STRESS that is caused by INDECISION.
LIFE is a SERIES of CHOICES, of DECISIONS.
SUCCESS is when we manage to MAKE WISE DECISIONS.
When we MAKE DUMB DECISIONS we FAIL in life.
We MAKE our DECISIONS & then OUR DECISIONS, whether WISE or DUMB, make us.
Because EVERY DECISION has a CONSEQUENCE & because we’re HUMANS we can make some BAD DECISIONS. & DECISION MAKING can be very STRESSFUL because we DON’T KNOW WHAT is going to be the RESULT of OUR DECISIONS. SOME DECISIONS are NOT EASY to make.
Have you ever STRESSED OUT wondering if you MADE the WRONG DECISION?
Making the WRONG DECISION can bring us lots of GRIEF & HEARTACHE.
Should I sell now or wait?
Should I get in or get out?
Should I look for another job?
Should I spend this much money right now?
Do I really need this right now or can I get by without it?
The STRESS of INDECISION can get to us!
James 1: 8 ‘A double minded man is UNSTABLE in all his ways.’
The GREEK WORD for “UNSTABLE” means to STAGGER ABOUT LIKE A DRUNK.
When we CANNOT MAKE UP OUR MINDS in LIFE we STAGGER THROUGH LIFE, BOUNCING OFF WALLS like a PINBALL in a PINBALL MACHINE. We WAVER BACK & FORTH & that CAUSES us STRESS.
In our text this morning GOD gives us an ANSWER to the STRESS that comes from INDECISION MAKING.
Psalm 23:3b ‘HE leads me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake.’
“The LORD is my SHEPHERD I shall not want.’
The GOOD SHEPHERD not only FEEDS US, HE also LEADS US.
HE not only PROVIDES; HE also LEADS US.
The GOOD SHEPHERD not only PROTECTS, HE also LEADS US.
GOD has PROMISED to LEAD US through THIS LIFE IF we will TRUST HIM.
NOT just GO WITH US but to LEAD US.
GOD says: ‘I will lead you in the paths of righteousness.’
That means: “GOD will KEEP US on the RIGHT TRACK.’
It is so EASY to GET OFF TRACK.
It is so EASY to MAJOR on the MINORS & MINOR on the MAJORS.
We can very EASILY MISS THE WILL of GOD:
OUR PROBLEM is we often LOOK for the WRONG THINGS when we’re TRYING to FIND GOD’S WILL.
SOME PEOPLE go for the MYSTICAL APPROACH.
They’re LOOKING for a FEELING, some POWERFUL EMOTIONAL STIRRING.
A QUIVER of the LIVER:. The DEVIL can QUIVER our LIVER.
OTHERS are more LOGICAL. They want OTHERS to TELL THEM WHAT to DO.
That way if they MAKE the WRONG DECISION they have SOMEONE else to BLAME.
So HOW DO I KNOW GOD’S WILL?
HOW DO I KNOW the RIGHT PATH to take?
#1: ADMIT THAT WE NEED A LEADER & GUIDE:
Sometimes this is TOUGH. When we are LOST we hate to STOP & ASK for DIRECTIONS.
It is just NOT in OUR NATURE.
So we STUMBLE & get CONFUSED.
SHEEP by their NATURE tend to WANDER ASTRAY.
They NEED a SHEPHERD. & SO DO WE.
Isaiah 53:6 ‘All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned everyone to our own way.’
This is the REAL PROBLEM WHY we DON’T KNOW GOD’S WILL.
Again it is OUR NATURE to NOT want to FOLLOW ANYBODY; we would rather DO OUR OWN THING.
We DON’T want to ADMIT that we NEED a LEADER & a GUIDE.
We WANT to DO OUR OWN THING.
SHEEP have POOR VISION. They CANNOT SEE FAR OFF.
Instead of saying, “They’re as BLIND as a BAT” we could say, “They’re as BLIND as a SHEEP.”
They CANNOT SEE AHEAD of them. They DON’T KNOW if a PATH is going to LEAD THEM OFF a CLIFF or INTO a FIRE.
They NEED a SHEPHERD to LEAD them, SOMEONE that CAN SEE AHEAD.
We’re SO MUCH LIKE SHEEP.
We DO NOT HAVE the ABILITY to SEE the FUTURE.
We DON’T KNOW what the REST of TODAY will BRING or NEXT WEEK or TEN YEARS from NOW.
GOD made us so that we CANNOT SEE into the FUTURE no matter HOW HARD WE TRY.
There’s a LOT of GIMMICKS today to SEE INTO the FUTURE but that’s all they are, GIMMICKS.
No one KNOWS WHAT is going to HAPPEN & GOD made it that way so we would DEPEND UPON HIM. So that THE LORD would be OUR GUIDE:
Because we CANNOT SEE into the FUTURE we often MAKE MISTAKES.
Proverbs 14: 12 ‘There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.’
We MAKE DECISIONS that AT the TIME SEEMED to BE RIGHT but LATER ON we DISCOVER it was NOT a GOOD DECISION at all. They turned out WRONG DECISIONS.
Some PATHS LEAD to DEAD ENDS.
However, some PATHS will LEAD to MANY HEARTACHES & SORROWS & PAIN & DESTRUCTION.
The 1st STEP is to ADMIT unto GOD we NEED HIS LEADING in OUR LIVES.
Psalm 25:4-5 ‘Show me thy ways, O LORD, teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, & teach me: for THOU art the GOD of my salvation; on THEE do I wait all the day.’
Verse 9: ‘The meek will HE guide in judgment: & the meek will HE teach HIS way.’
#2: ASK IN FAITH FOR DIRECTIONS:
Matthew 7:7 JESUS said: “Ask & ye shall receive, seek, & ye shall find, knock, & the door shall be opened unto you.’
GOD WANTS US to ASK HIM.
James 1: 5 ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ASK of GOD, that gives to all men liberally, & it shall be given him.’
ASK & ASK IN FAITH:
GOD WANTS to SHOW US HIS WAYS & to LEAD US in the RIGHT PATHS.
That’s WHAT WISDOM IS:
We have to ASK the RIGHT PERSON – GOD. & in the RIGHT ATTITUDE – FAITH.
ASK EXPECTING an ANSWER.
It is NOT OUR NEEDS that BRINGS RESULTS it is OUR FAITH.
BELIEVE that GOD WILL SPEAK to OUR SPIRIT & WILL LEAD US.
GOD GIVE ME YOUR WISDOM:
#3: LISTEN FOR GOD’S RESPONSE:
In any ATMOSPHERE there are RADIO & TELEVISION WAVES going on WITHOUT our PERCEPTION. We CANNOT SEE them but they are there. But if we had the PROPER PERCEPTION we could TUNE IN & RECEIVE them.
A RADIO can PICK UP RADIO WAVES because it is CREATED by its CREATOR to PICK UP those WAVES. It is NO ACCIDENT that a RADIO can PICK UP those WAVES.
When GOD CREATED US HE DESIGNED US with the ABILITY to HEAR HIS VOICE.
There is a RECEIVER WITHIN US that is ABLE to PICK UP GOD’S LEADING.
NOW WHAT IF WE DON’T HEAR GOD?
1: We could have OUR RECEPTOR TURNED OFF:
No SPIRITUAL CONNECTION with GOD.
TUNED IN to EARTHLY FREQUIENCES rather than to HEAVENLY FREQUIENCES
I’ve WATCHED that HAPPEN to so many people.
2: We could be TUNED INTO the WRONG FREQUENCY:
We’re TOO BUSY wanting to know WHAT OTHER SOURCES SAY.
GOD SPEAKS ALL THE TIME; we may NOT BE TUNED IN:
Job 33:14 ‘For GOD speaks once, yea twice, yet man perceives it not.’ JOB’S FRIEND ELIHU
WHAT CHANNELS DOES GOD USE TO SPEAK TO US?
There are many:
GOD USES the BIBLE.
GOD USES PASTORS &TEACHERS.
GOD USES SPIRITUAL DREAMS & SPIRITUAL VISIONS.
GOD USES CIRCUMSTANCES of LIFE:
GOD USES PAIN:
GOD WHISPERS to us in our PLEASURE but HE SHOUTS to us in our PAIN.
There are NO ATHEISTS in FOXHOLES.
Proverbs 20:30 ‘Sometimes it takes a PAINFUL SITUATION to make us CHANGE OUR WAYS.’
GOD SPEAKS THROUGH IMPRESSIONS, INSPIRATIONS, & THOUGHTS:
GOD doesn’t always SPEAK in the BOOMING THUNDER or the HOWLING WIND.
Sometimes GOD SPEAKS through HIS STILL SMALL VOICE.
Sometimes OUR EARS BECOME DULL to HEARING the LORD:
GOD SPEAKS but we CANNOT HEAR HIM.
DISOBEDIENT, LUKEWARM HEARTS have a HARD TIME HEARING the LORD.
BUT HOWEVER GOD CHOOSES to SPEAK it is UP TO US to LISTEN & to FOLLOW.
FOLLOWING OUR OWN PATHS will always lead to BROKENESS, BROKEN HEALTH, BROKEN HOMES, BROKEN MARRIAGES, BROKEN FINANCES, BROKEN HEARTS, & BROKEN DREAMS.
We have TODAY a SOCIETY that is BROKEN BECAUSE it has QUIT LISTENING to GOD’S VOICE.
It DOESN’T TAKE LONG of DOING THINGS OUR WAY.
But there is some GOOD NEWS.
GOD CAN PUT US BACK on the RIGHT PATHS.
EVERY DAY GOD PLACES PEOPLE on the RIGHT PATHS & CHANGES THEIR LIVES.
SOME THINGS will CHANGE QUICKER than SOME OTHER THINGS.
But WITH GOD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is HOPELESS.
NO MATTER HOW FAR OFF the RIGHT PATH we may be GOD CAN PUT US BACK ON.
This LEADS us to POINT #4:
SOMETIMES GOD WILL LEAD US to PLACES that to us DOESN’T MAKE SENSE.
That may INVOLVE a TRAGEDY, a CRISIS, a LOT of PAIN.
SOMETIMES the PATH GOD CHOOSES for us is HARD to UNDERSTAND.
POINT #4: TRUST GOD WHEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND:
WE ARE NOT GOD.
A GOOD EXAMPLE of this is when the CHILDREN of ISRAEL was SET FREE from EGYPT after 400 YEARS of SLAVERY.
MOSES had said to PHAROAH: GOD said, ‘LET MY PEOPLE GO.’
Finally, PHAROAH HAD ENOUGH & he LET THEM GO.
The WHOLE NATION of ISRAEL starts MARCHING to FREEDOM & the 1ST THING they come to is the RED SEA.
On ONE SIDE of them is a MOUNTAIN RANGE that is UNCROSSABLE.
On the OTHER SIDE of them is the RED SEA that is UNCROSSABLE.
BEHIND THEM were the ARMIES of EGYPT in HOT PURSUIT.
The PATH LOOKED like a DEAD END.
BUT GOD KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
HE was PREPARING THEM for a MIRACLE.
GOD COULD SEE WHAT THEY COULD NOT SEE.
GOD OPENED UP the RED SEA & they SAFELY CROSSED OVER UNHARMED.
GOD MADE a WAY WHEN there was NO WAY.
SOME here this morning are FACING PATHS that APPEAR to be DEAD ENDS.
FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, RELATIONAL, SPIRITUAL
But rather than a DEAD END it is an OPPORTUNITY for GOD to PERFORM a MIRACLE for us.
It is NOT a WALL it is a DOOR.
The PATH may seem to be DARK & DISCOURAGING & DEPRESSING & DESPAIRING & may appear to be IMPOSSIBLE but if we KEEP ON WALKING the PATH that GOD puts us on the PATHWAY will become CLEARER & CLEARER. & in GOD’S TIMING GOD will MAKE a WAY.
Our CHOIR sings the song: GOD WILL MAKE A WAY
GOD will make a way, When there seems to be no way, HE works in ways we cannot see & HE will make a way for me, HE will be my guide, Hold me closely to HIS side, with love & strength for each new day, HE will make a way, HE will make a way.
Proverbs 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge HIM & HE shall direct your paths.’
‘Lean not unto your own understanding..’
Don’t try to FIGURE THINGS OUT YOURSELF.
We’re NOT going to UNDERSTAND MOST THINGS of THIS LIFE UNTIL we get to HEAVEN.
The KEY is to TRUST in the LORD with ALL of our HEART….’
TRUST HIS WISDOM. TRUST HIS LOVE & CARE for us.
ELVIS PRESLEY sang a song: I DID IT MY WAY.
We can do EXACTLY THAT & many people do.
Or, we can DO IT GOD’S WAY, TRUSTING in HIM all the way.
One of the DEVIL’S MOST FREQUENTLY USED LIES is that GOD DOESN’T CARE for us.
Does he ever tell you that? He does me.
But GOD DOES CARE.
GOD has a PLAN for each of our lives & HE wants us to WALK a CERTAIN PATHWAY so that we can ARRIVE at the PLACE HE has for us.
‘The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD.’
As I bring this message to its close I want to ask us TWO QUESTIONS:
1: Are we WALKING the PATH GOD wants.
THERE is where HIS BLESSINGS ARE & HIS ANNOINTING is.
The PATH GOD wants.
2: Are we WALKING the PATH GOD wants BUT we don’t UNDERSTAND.
GOD will give ABUNDANT GRACE UNTIL the LIGHT BREAKS through.
The LORD ASSURED PAUL:
‘My GRACE is sufficient for you.’
