Making Good/Godly Decisions

Making Godly Decisions

Colossians 3:1-17

Over the next 72 hours you who sit here will be making several crucial decisions. Decisions crucial to our nation who will be our next president. What will the character of our Supreme Court be what will the laws of the land be about religious liberty, Abortion, Partial Birth Abortion, Euthanasia, the definition of marriage, public prayer and a host of other things critical to the fabric of our nation. Today you will be making decisions crucial to our church. Are we ready to begin a capital campaign to build our Family Life Center? Are we willing to sacrifice to make it a reality? This week will be full of other decisions about your own family, finances, activities, discipline, worship, and faith. Our life truly becomes the sum of our decisions. Life is about making decisions. Some of our decisions are good ones and they bring positive movement and blessing in our lives. Others are bad ones and they bring negative movement and discipline. So how do we make Good/Godly decisions in life? Let’s look together at this passage in Colossians. We find that making right decisions is all about asking the right questions. Not in priority order. Each has equal priority.

1) How will my decision affect eternity? V2 God makes it clear to us in His word that good decisions are made with eternity in mind.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:19-20

1For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Cor 5:1

Only the things we do for God will outlast this world.

2) How would God feel about this decision? V5-6 ¡V I often imagine God sitting on the couch in my living room watching TV with me. It helps me make better decisions about what I watch and what I allow my children to watch on TV. Our lives are like Computer Garbage in Garbage out! When we come to the realization that God is concerned with the details of life because life is lived in the details ¡V it changes who we are and what we do. This passage reminds me of a simple principle of life that I have shared with you before. It think I first read it from John Maxwell In those things that I am obedient I am blessed ¡V in those things that I am disobedient I am disciplined.¨ It’s a simple project of parenting.

3) How does my past affect my decision? V11 Here is a good thing to remember when making decisions. My past can be a help or a hindrance to making good decisions.

Some Good things: Experience; tradition (holding to personal truth); Wisdom

Some Bad things: Predjudice; tradition (I’ve always done it this way, we¡¦ve never done it that way before); familial sin; painful memories.

4) How will my decision affect others? V12 ¡V 13 Family, friends, innocent people. Many of the bad decisions that we make would be taken care of it we just for a moment stopped to think about how our choices affected others. Most of us are not intentionally hurtful to others. Most of us would strive to live by the Golden Rule (do unto others). But the truth is most of us don’t think - we just do. We talk about people, gossip, criticize, complain, the works without thinking. I tell me all the time ¡V we just have to think.

5) What does the Bible Say? V 16 When will we understand that we are created by God and this my friends is the owners manual for life. God¡¦s word is active and living and it is given to us for instruction, reproof, and training in righteousness. This my friends is the standard ¡V this is the truth. If I disagree with this - I loose because I don’t get to write the rules. The one who created us has already written the rules. If I want to make good decisions look to the word for guidance.

6) Does my decision Glorify God? V17 We are created to give glory to God. Anything else is a waste of material, time, and talent. Paul says here in word and deed another time he says whatever you do even eating or drinking do it to the glory of God. Even the basest things of our life should be done to the glory of God. You don’t punch a time clock as a Christian it’s 24/7/365.