"The Way That Seems Right..."

STAND & READ - Proverbs 14:12-14

?There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. [13] Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be grief. [14] The backslider, in heart, will have his fill of his own ways; but a good man will be satisfied with his.?

?The Way That SEEMS Right??

PRAYER?

We must all agree?that it is all too easy to make decisions for ourselves?and not even consider what the Lord would have for us.

-We have created a fatal habit for ourselves by taking FULL responsibility for our actions?when we are told that we are NOT to be in full control of our lives?

-In fact, we are to be FULLY dependant upon the Lord!

ILLUSTRATION:

Unlike those bumper stickers that we see that say, ?God is my Co-Pilot??

We need to shove over and allow the Lord to be the Pilot of our lives.

In total and full control?leaning upon Him for our every need and care!

Recently, there has been a swing in counseling and mental care?

Helping people deal with an issue we have called, ?Co-Dependency??

-Co-dependency is something that is seen as a weakness and a hindrance to an individual?

-A miss guided, and unhealthy, attachment to another person, thing or even chemical?

I agree?it is not a healthy thing, nor is it beneficial...

However?I must speak to one thing?

This is how God, in His wisdom, made each and every one of us!

-God has made us with a need to be ?Co-Dependant? on one thing?HIM!!!

-And we know that NONE of us could ever make it in this world without HIM!!!

Can you say AMEN?!

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Thus?the reason I bring this subject to our attention this morning?

-The way that SEEMS right! Unto a man or woman?

Again?Proverbs 14:12

?There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

Our danger in this life that we live?is that we live it OUTSIDE of the counsel and confines of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Now?I understand that we may know the Word?we have heard the sermons a million times?and we have heard all the songs?

-The investment of the Word has been made DEEP within our hearts?

-However, I must ask this question?

Has that investment been ignored, or have we taken heed to what we have been taught?and has it shaped our decision-making and us???

The danger that we bring ourselves into is when we begin to think that we can make decisions and do things VOID of the guidance of God?

-Why do we do this?

-Because?there is a way that seems right TO US!

Oh, my friends?we must guard our hearts and protect ourselves from becoming to callous towards the Lord and seeking out our own wisdom, rather than His.

-Even when His makes no sense?we must act on it!

-Even when we may not understand all the details?we must still obey!

-Even when we have no idea what the end result will be?we must still walk in faith!

The Bible tells us in James 4:17, ?Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.?

-And I want to propose to you today, that when we begin to make decisions upon what WE think is best?or the way that SEEMS right?rather than seeking the face of God and searching out His wisdom?

-We have sinned and neglected God in our lives!

ILLUSTRATION:

Here is a vivid picture to us of how CHRISTIANS have become victims of the mentality that we are speaking of now?

Guilty of going in the way that SEEMS right unto them?

10% of church members cannot be found?

20% of church members never attend church

25% admit that they never pray

35% admit that they do not read their Bibles

40% admit that they never contribute to the church?tithe or offering

60% never give to missions

70% never assume responsibility within the church

85% never invite anyone to church

95 % have never won anyone to Christ

BUT! 100% expect to go to heaven

(The Choice, by Thomas Trask, Zondervan Pub. House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1999)

I think that it is safe to say that there will be a sad awakening some day among the ?saints? of God?

A day of reckoning?when we are standing before the Lord?a day when we will have to give an account for our actions?

And the reality of the Proverb will be that, ?there WILL be a way that SEEMS right unto a man, but in the end?it leads to destruction!?

-We may be getting by just fine the way we are, but we must remember that just because we feel no ?conviction? from the Lord because of our actions?it does not mean that He is happy with our actions, or our independent way of life?