From The Problem to the Solution
#2 - MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES
Last week, we began a series of messages entitled, "From the Problem to the Solution" and what we’re going to be doing is looking at over the next several weeks how we get FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION
Now, I asked you last week – how many of you have problems?
And last week, we talked about the reason for all of life’s problems, and they were because of the…
--world we live
--choices we make
--enemy we face
--people we know
--progress we gain
--God we serve
In other words, your problem today stems from one of these reasons
And I told you that no matter what you’re problem is, God wants you to go FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION
He dosen’t want you to constantly live in problems, but He is the God…
--that makes a way where there is no way
--that makes up for the years that the canker worm hath eaten
--that though you may be crucified on Friday, Sunday is coming
He is the God that dosen’t want to leave you in the problem, but wants to take you FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION
And we told you that the very first step in moving from the problem to the solution was to first of all ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM
Now, this is not always easy, because sometimes we are…
--clueless
--denial
--surrounded by people how don’t want to confront us
But the very first step is that we’ve got to say, LOOK, I’VE GOT A PROBLEM
Now, this morning, we’re going to be looking at the second step in how to get from the problem to the solution, and that has to do with the choices we make
So with that in mind, let’s read…
Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV) "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"
INTRODUCTION
Now, I’m not a big Country music fan…but sometimes, they have the most unique way of presenting life’s problems
For example, here’s some actual titles and lyrics…
--"You Can’t Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd"
--"Thank God And Greyhound She’s Gone "
--"How Can I Miss You If You Won’t Go Away?"
--"Fell In A Pile Of You And Got Love All Over Me"
--" Keep Forgettin’ I Forgot About You "
--"If Love Were Oil, I’d Be A Quart Low "
--"If The Phone Don’t Ring, Baby, You’ll Know It’s Me "
You just know that there’s a PROBLEM behind everyone of those song titles
There’s another great country song title with a problem behind it, and it was written by George Jones
We all know about George Jones – he was the king in those – "cheat’n & drink’n" songs
And the fact that George Jones had a drinking problem was no secret
But on March 6, 1999 country music fans were horrified to hear that Jones was critically injured when he crashed his Lexus into a bridge in Nashville
The investigation showed that George had been drunk at the wheel
Thankfully he recovered, and two months later his new album called "Cold Hard Truth" came out and on it was a hit song titled "Choices", and ironically the hook line says, "I’m Living And Dying With The Choices I Made".
And you know, that’s the truth of the matter – we are living and dying with the choices we make
And that’s what our text says this morning
Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV) "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"
In other words, this text says basically that we will be LIVING AND DYING WITH THE CHOICES WE MAKE
And if we want to go FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION, we’ve got to look at the choices we make and examine and learn how to make the right choices
Now, there are three things I want to share with you about choices this morning…
First of all, let’s consider…
1. THE PROVISION OF THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE
In our text, we find one thing absolutely certain, and that is that God has provided us with a powerful thing – and that is CHOICE
Now, there are different kinds of choices
There are MICRO DECISIONS that concern our day to day living
In my research I came across this bit of information. Dr. Eric Klinger did a study at the University of Minnesota and he determined that all of us face somewhere between 300 and 17,000 decisions every day. Imagine! Seventeen thousand decisions!
Now granted, a lot of those are subconscious. They’re the kind of decisions a lot of us don’t even think about. There are two ink pens on the desk. We decide to use the blue one. We decide what response we’re going to give to a question. We decide what clothes to wear. We approach an intersection and the traffic light is yellow. We decide to… slow down (right?) and stop.
These are MICRO decisions, but then there are MACRO choices
These are choices that mean something – they literally affect our…
--destiny
--eternity
Choices like…
--will I have an affair
--will I go to church or not go to church
--will I be saved
--how will I spend my money
--who will be my MATE
--what is my MISSION
--who will be my MASTER
These are MACRO choices that are very important and regardless of the choice, we must acknowledge that God gave us all the awesome ability to choose
And we can either…
--use it, or abuse it
--be blessed, or be blasted
--go to heaven, or find our way to hell
It’s all in the provision of the ability to choose
And this really goes all the way back to the garden, because when God put man in the garden, He wanted a being that would serve Him not because God made him do it, but because he would choose to do it
And that’s why God put Adam and Eve in the garden
They had everything…
--the world at their finger tips
--freedom
--the very glory and presence of God
But in the midst of the Garden, God said that there’s one tree that I don’t want you to touch
In other words, God gave them the PROVISION OF A CHOICE to obey Him
And we all know the rest of the story – they made the wrong choice, and we’re all LIVING AND DYING because of the choices that Adam and Eve made!
Someone said that when Adam ate the apple, he literally ate us out of house and home!
And over and over in the Word of God, God is giving man a choice…
--in the days of Enoch, people had a choice
--in the days of Noah, people had a choice to get on the ark
--in the days of Moses, people had a choice to walk in faith
Joshua said…
Joshua 24:15 (KJV) "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
In other words, we have the ability to make choices in our lives
When it comes to HAPPINESS, we have a choice
You may say that you don’t have a choice, just look at my circumstances
Consider Victor Frankl…
In his classic book, Man’s Search For Meaning, Victor Frankl described how he survived Auschwitz when most others died. He lived in a bleak, filthy barrack on the verge of starvation--in constant pain from hunger or wounds. Daily, he performed backbreaking, menial work and witnessed the guards--and other prisoners--perform incredibly inhuman and sadistic acts. Many prisoners became animals--who would do anything to survive.
Many prisoners could not tolerate this environment and died. Dr. Frankl wrote that the key survival factor was the will to live, and that whenever someone lost that will, he would die shortly thereafter. Many "ran into the wire" of the electric fence to end their misery. Others became ill. Some simply became immobilized in a catatonic state until they died.
Dr. Frankl kept both his life and his humanity. His survival secret was to create his own positive inner world.
In other words, HE CHOSE TO BE HAPPY!!!
When it comes to FORGIVENESS, we have a choice
You may say "You don’t know what they did to me"
But you have a choice
If you want to…
--be saved, you have a choice
--not be saved, you have a choice
--be a good father, you have a choice
--be a bad father, you have a choice
--be hooked on drugs, you have a choice
--not be hooked on drugs, you have a choice
--a great marriage, you have a choice
--have a not so great marriage, you have a choice
We have a choice in the issues of life, but here’s the key – THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO THOSE CHOICES THAT WE MAKE
Which brings me to my next point
Not only do we have the PROVISION of the ability to choose, but let’s consider, secondly…
2. THE POTENTIAL OF THE CHOICES WE MAKE
Because with every choice that we make, it doesn’t just stand alone – it keeps going and going and going
Our choices are not just random things that affect just the moment, but they have reprecussions…
--to others
--in time to come
--toward our destiny
--our eternity
And when we understand the potential behind every choice that we make, then it will be one of the major steps from getting us from the PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION
Listen to what Tolkein said…
"Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before and taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God and with other creatures and with itself or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God and with its fellow-creatures and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is... joy, and peace, and knowledge, and power. To the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other."
In other words, our choices have so much potential
And let me give you some examples of the potential of our choices
Let’s talk about NEGATIVELY SPEAKING
Now, how many of you will admit – YOU’VE MADE SOME DUMB DECISIONS
I did a little research and came across some bad decisions of History:
•Sam Philips sold a small recording company to RCA in 1955 for $35,000. It included an exclusive contract with a young man called Elvis Presley. Unknowingly he forfeited millions of dollars in royalties
•Tom Sellick turned down the lead role for Indiana Jones
•In Germany a bank robber pulls out a gun and demands money. The teller says she needs to se his ID So he gets it out, takes the cash and leaves the Id behind.
•The girl who told Bill Gates (Microsoft) it’s the computer or me.
All these were negative choices that were filled with so much potential
But what about some other negative choices – what about some wrong choices that we make…
--to smoke
--to drink
--to do drugs
--to have an affair
--to quit church
--to gossip
--to not be saved
All of these choices have so much potential for pain and sorrow in our lives
And then, on the converse, there are positive choices that have so much potential…
What about the Other Billy Graham
You’re going to hear a lot about him…
•The Other Billy Graham – Born with Muscular Dystrophy. Born blind. At birth his life expectancy was eight years. He’s not the renowned evangelist. This Billy Graham may be lesser known, but he’s just as significant an evangelist. He’s Pastor of Evangelism at North Mobile Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama and a certified Evangelism Explosion Clinic Teacher. During his first semester as an EE Teacher/Trainer, Billy took EE teams out five nights every week. He has every excuse not to share the Gospel. But he’s doing it every day, and training others to do it as well.
Have you gone out each week and shared your faith with Christ – why not? What’s the excuse?
What about The Contender?
•They call him "The Contender". When Kyle Maynor’s mother was pregnant, the doctors said they could not find his legs. He was born without hands or legs. However, despite his handicaps, he eats with a spoon, played football and award-winning wrestling while in High School and graduated with a 3.6 average. Two months after his High School graduation, Kyle was a keynote speaker at a forum for the disabled. "Anyone," he told the crowd, "can overcome their boundaries and achieve their dreams."
When my children come home from school with a bad grade, I’m going to point them to the Contender
Because the truth of the matter is we do what we CHOOSE TO DO
And if we’re going to go from the PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION, then we need to understand the…
--PROVISION of the ability to choose
--POTENTIAL of the ability to choose
And then, finally, let me leave you with
3. THE PATH TO MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES
Because I’ve told you about the…
--PROVISION of the ability to choose
--POTENTIAL of the ability to choose
But let me leave you with some things that will help you make the right decisions
First of all…
A. Make "Word" decisions
In other words, when it comes to important decisions in your life, find out what the WORD says
In other words, don’t make a decision based on…
--feelings
--peer pressure
--what you think
Base your decisions on the Word of God
If…
--you’ve been hurt, make a WORD DECISION
--you are wondering about tithing, make a WORD DECISION
--you’re sick, make a WORD DECISION
--it comes to worship, make a WORD DECISION
--it deals with lost loved ones, make a WORD DECISION
--it deals with marriage, make a WORD DECISION
--it deals with business, make a WORD DECISION
If you’re going to make more money, but you can’t be in church and you can’t have quality family time, then make a WORD DECISION!
If you want to make the right decisions, they must be based on the word
Isn’t this what Jesus did? IT IS WRITTEN!!!
When making a decision – ask IS IT WRITTEN!!!
And then, secondly,
B. Seek advice and counsel from many
• Proverbs 11:14 (KJV) "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety."
• Proverbs 11:14 “Many advisors make victory sure.”
• Proverbs 19:20 “Listen to advise and accept instruction. In the end you will be wise.”
• Proverbs 20:18 says, "The more advice you get the more likely you are to win."
In other words, don’t just ask your friends what they think, find other people who are…
--older
--wiser
--more experienced
--deeper in the Lord
--honest
--the ones who’ve made some wrong decisions
Seek advice and counsel from many
Thirdly,
C. Learn the facts
•Proverbs 23:23 (TLB) "Get the facts at any price, and hold on tightly to all the good sense you can get."
Find out all you can about…
--who you’re hiring
--what you’re getting in to
--how much will it cost
Everything that glitters is not gold
D. Don’t give up when its difficult
A lot of times we make decision under pressure that become wrong decisions
Don’t quit your job just because you have a bad day or disagreement or somebody is getting by with things that you are not
I heard about the teenage boy who was fed up with all the rules of his teachers. So he dropped out of school early … and he joined the army. That was worse! The sergeants were barking out orders. He couldn’t wait to be discharged so he could settle down and be free. So he got married.
E. Factor in the impact on others
How would this decision affect…
--my children
--my church
--my witness
--my soul!
There are a lot of things we may can do, but we shouldn’t because it may affect others
F. Rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit
John 16:13 (NIV) "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth…"
This involves a prayer life, fasting, and relying on the Holy Spirit
James 1:5 (TLB) "If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it."
IN CLOSING
Chorus:
I’ve had choices, since the day that I was born
There were voices, That told me right from wrong
If I had listened, No I wouldn’t be here today
Living and dying, With the choices I made
I was tempted, By an early age I found
I liked drinkin’, Oh, and I never turned it down
There were loved ones, But I turned them all away
Now I’m living and dying, With the choices I made
Chorus:
I’ve had choices, Since the day that I was born
There were voices, That told me right from wrong
If I had listened, No I wouldn’t be here today
Living and dying, With the choices I made
I guess I’m payin’, For the things that I have done
If I could go back, Oh, Lord knows I’d run
But I’m still losin’, This game of life I play
Living and dying, With the choices I made
The most important decision is this: do you want to know Christ
Death runs in my family
There’s a 100% chance that you will die
If you will take life in Jesus Christ, put up your right hand
If you will take hell and the devil put up your left hand
Because to not to decide to accept Christ is to decide to reject Christ
Make the right choice today!
