The Hour Of Decision!

The Hour of Decision

1 Kings 18:21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."

Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

INTRODUCTION:

Life is the TOTAL of all my decisions and their corresponding actions.

Have you ever been challenged with making decisions? “What should I fix for dinner?” “What should I wear today?” “Where should I invest my money?” “Who should I date?” “Where should I go on vacation?” “What career should I pursue?” “Should we move?” “What doctor do I select?” “Should we take the job offer?” “Is this the person I am to marry?” “Do I buy these shoes are those?”

Some decisions are BIG – but others are small. So the question is –What is the process we use for making our decisions.

Martha beck in her fine article on Decisions, Decisions, states, “Countless wise men have advised us to make decisions based on our rational objectivity rather than from an emotional demeanor.

There are people that are intuitive and they make decisions because they trust their gut more than their brains. These individuals often take flying leaps without little information.

There are those that have little trust in their cognitive reasoning skills nor do they rely on their instincts –therefore these folks normally follow the path of least resistance. (Not an optimal strategy)

here are those that place all their trust in their mind alone. They place no faith in their hearts desires. These people normally stall and wait and contrast and brew forever insisting that with just a little more knowledge, the choice will be made clear.

We are all wired differently and some of us or bent more right brain and others left brain.

However the question demands an answer –what is your ultimate strategy in making a decision?

The bible tells us to love God with all of our soul, spirit, mind an strength. So there are several components that are involved in our response to choices.

I heard the story of the woman driving through the mountains west of Denver when she ran into a snowstorm. She was completely lost and then peered ahead and saw a four-wheel drive pickup with a blade on the front of it.

Since she was lost she decided to follow the truck and kept as close to the machine as she could while it removed snow from the road. At times the blowing snow almost cut off her view, but she kept following the truck. The truck would go up the hill get to the top and make a “U-turn” and go back down the hill. She faithfully kept following the truck.

After about the third time that the truck went up and down the hill, the truck stopped, and its driver got out and walked over to her car. “Lady, where are you going?” he asked. “I’m on my way to Denver.” she replied.

The truck driver replied, “Well, you’ll never get there following me! I’m just plowing my drive-way!”

How do you make decision? What is your road map for making sound, satisfying well thought out decisions?

There are some that make their decisions by searching through their horoscopes

Some people will even ask complete strangers for their advice or will follow the accepted patterns of their culture

God has placed man on this earth with some choices. We are given the freedom to decide what route we are going to follow.

Deut 30:19 I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.(Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

1.A decision is to make up your mind, to determine what direction you are going or not going.

2.Decisions are important. Today’s mighty oak is yesterdays little nut that held his ground.

 Distinguishes strong from weak.

 Determines success or failure.

 Indecision causes us to lose opportunities.

 Causes one to be lost or saved.

I Consider some devastating decisions and demoralizing

results

 Eve-to eat fruit. Gen. 3 - brought death.

 Lot chose Sodom. Gen. 13 – lost all he had.

 Ahab chose Jezebel. 1 Kings 16-22 – much sin and wrong involved.

 Samson chose Delilah. Judges 16 – Lost power and finally death.

 Rehoboam- took advice of young men. 1 Kings 12 – Divided kingdom.

 Rich young ruler. Matt 19 – Went away lost.

 Prodigal son- left home. Luke 15 – Went into the mires of sin.