Happy New Year!

How the Choices In Your Decision Making can bring Glory to God
Did you know 90% of the choices you make as a Christian involve areas where Scripture says surprisingly little? The Bible doesn’t say anything about who to marry or what house to buy, how you spend your free time, how many kids you should have; there are just no explicit instructions in the Bible.

Of course Scripture forbids all clear-cut sins such as lying, cheating, stealing, murdering, or committing adultery. The Bible also tells us to live by faith and not by our circumstances. Christians don’t question whether they should read the Bible, pray, or tell others about Christ. Scripture is very explicit about those things.

There are, however, a lot of questions that seem to fall somewhere in the middle. These are all those issues dealing with Christian freedom—things that fall between what God prohibits and what He commands. What entertainment is acceptable? What kind of music is okay? What can a Christian do or not do on Sunday? What about what you wear, what you eat and drink, or how you spend your free time—what does the bible say about those things?

When you run your choices through the following principles from God’s Word, you will find both clarity and true freedom to live your life to God’s glory.

1.    Will it help me spiritually? 1 Cor. 10:23
A “profitable” thing is useful, helpful, or to your advantage to do; and the idea behind “edify” is to build up spiritually. So based on this verse, ask yourself, “Will doing this enhance my spiritual life? Will it cultivate godliness? Will it build me up spiritually?” If not, you should seriously question whether that behavior is the best choice.

2.    Will it bring bondage?1 Cor. 6:12
In the second part of this verse, Paul is saying, “I will not be brought under the power of anything.” If what you are considering can be habit-forming, why pursue it? Don’t allow yourself to be in bondage to anything or anyone. You are a bond-servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone.

3.    Will it defile God’s temple?
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Don’t do anything that you know will harm your body or bring shame—it is the only instrument you have to glorify God. Romans 6:13

4.    Will it cause anyone to stumble? 1 Cor. 8:8-9
This is the principle of love. Rom.13:10 If you know that your choice—what you consider “in bounds” and approved—causes another Christian to stumble and sin, love that brother or sister enough to restrict your own freedom. That is not very popular in our self-absorbed society, but it is biblical.

5.    Will it further the cause of evangelism? 1 Cor.10:32-33
Whether you are aware of it, what you allow or disallow in your behavior affects your witness for Christ, and the world is watching. It’s an issue of testimony—what your life says about God. Your testimony either tells the truth about God, or it tells a lie. The choices you make in areas where Scripture speaks principally rather than specifically should reflect your concern not to bring offense to God’s reputation but to bring Him praise instead.

6. Will it violate my conscience? Rom. 14:23
1Cor.10:25-29 contains three references to abstaining from a certain practice “for conscience sake.” Never train yourself to violate your conscience. If your conscience is troubled by what you consider, don’t do it. If you aren’t sure about it, don’t do it. It is hard to overstate the value of a clean conscience, but it is worth keeping your conscience clear so that your relationship to God will not be hindered. If you’ll keep yourself in prayer and the study of God’s Word, you will inform your conscience so you can “walk as children of light…finding out what is acceptable to the Lord” Eph. 5:8, 10

7.    Will it bring glory to God? 1 Cor. 10:31
That verse is clearly both the summary and the goal of all the principles listed above. Isn’t our heart’s cry to glorify our Lord and Savior with our lives? Think about your decision—Will He be glorified, honored, and praised through it?
So the next time you face a decision where Scripture is less than specific or overt, run it through the principles above and enjoy your freedom in Christ. Happy New Year from The Choice Driven Life to You!

The New Year

People have a way of looking at the end of one year and towards the beginning of another as a way of encouraging themselves to start making changes.  If I were to make a New Year’s resolution, I would resolve to make the kind of change that would help people receive even more and more of the love of God.  I know from past experience, with a resolution like this, not only would I be able to make key changes in my own life, but I would be able to help other people make changes in their lives as well.

And wouldn’t you know that as I’ve continued to press in for more change, I have discovered one of the most powerful teachings I have ever received, and it’s on the direct relationship between the blessings of God and the way we treat people.  This revelation was triggered in me by Luke 6:38, where Jesus said: [Read more…]

What would you say is the single, most outstanding thing about God? What’s His most important characteristic? Some people would say it’s His power, His holiness or His goodness or how much He loves us and so forth. But I believe God Himself would give a totally different answer.

In Exodus 33 Moses asks God to show him His glory.  The word “glory” refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. It’s the sum total of their worth.
So what Moses was actually saying was, “Lord, I want to see the weightiest thing about You. I want to know Your grandest attributes.” What did God say to him in response?

Exodus 34:6-7 tells us, “The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.”

As we approach the end of another year we begin to reflect. It is during these reflections that we come to hard choices and decisions.

One of those choices that we have to make is forgiving people that have hurt us. It is a choice to make that decision. Show mercy instead of resentment toward that person. It will set YOU free!

Here are 8 guidelines to get started.

1. Recognize your emotion. Know exactly how you feel about what happened and be able to articulate what about the situation is not OK.
2. Choose what you are going to do. Make a commitment to yourself to do what you have to do to feel better. Forgiveness is for you and not for anyone else.
3. Know that forgiving is not pardoning. Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation with the person that hurt you, or condoning of their action. You don’t have to go on vacation with that person. You want peace especially in your own heart.
4. Get insight and understanding in what is happening or has happened. Choose to get the right perspective on what is happening. Recognize that your primary distress is coming from the hurt feelings, thoughts that are going on and not what offended you or hurt you two minutes – or ten years – ago.
5. You have to choose your reaction to the situation. Don’t let the situation rule over you and throw you around.  Yield to the Holy Spirit who is always there to help and guide you into the right direction.
6. Understand that you are the only one that controls you. Give up expecting things from other people, or your life, that they do not choose to give you.
7. Choose to not replay it over and over in your mind. Draw near to God; He is your help in time of need.
8. Move forward in life and not dwell on the past. Remember that a life well lived is your best revenge. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, and thereby giving the person who caused you pain power over you, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you.

This way you can enter 2011 with a clean slate and conscience.
Remember:

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.