It is the old choice with which is still presented to every soul: the old crisis which reappears in every experience. Cesar or Christ, that is the question: the vast, attractive, skeptical world with it’s pleasures and ambitions, and its prodigal promises, or the meek, majestic and winning figure of Him of Nazareth.
The election remains for each of us. And the amount of the election in the shaded and solemn “Valley of decision”, will be memorable in our history, when suns for us have ceased to shine.
Decision: a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration.
Within life we will have to make decisions, from young till we get of age to live on our own, we are going to have to make decisions. From what jeans to wear, to what bill to pay first, from how do I wear/cut my hair to whether you want to purchase a certain house or property, decision making is inevitable in life.
In our bible we are given clear cut instructions in many things, but this morning I want to focus in on a very important matter and that is on hearing instructions clearly. There are people that are given instructions that will yes you to death and yet did not hear a word you said. Making clear decisions has to begin with hearing clear instructions.
In our text Solomon is given clear instructions on how to deal with immorality, in our generation we are to give clear directions to save our generation from this perverse and wicked time. We live in a time where right is wrong and wrong is right, this is biblical prophecy that has come to past and we are living in the thick of it and sooner or later will be confronted with the valley of decisions. Who am I going to serve? What route am I going to take?
Proverbs 6:20-23
20 My son, keep your fathers command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually around your heart; tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep they will keep you; And when you awake they will speak with you. 23 for the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
1st Point “Decisions, but given instructions”
Throughout life there is going to be set before a split path, one direction will lead us to joy, pure happiness, everlasting laughter and eternal life unto Jesus, the other will lead to trouble beyond yourself, sadness, hurt, pain, anguish of soul and destruction, these paths are inevitable these paths are sure and are going to be set before you and I and we are going to have to make a decision which path am I going to take?
How do we make decisions? How do we make the right decisions? Not only do we have parents and/or maybe those that love us enough to give us direction, those that will speak truth, but we have this, our bible. Basic instructions before leaving earth.
In our text the writer of this book in our bible is speaking to his son, he is commanding his child to keep the commands given to him, to follow the instructions and hold them dear to his heart, this is a matter of life and death, the wisdom that I have bestowed upon you through the gifting of God and experience are priceless.
“Keep your fathers command”, to keep something is to retain a prized possession, the bible is telling us to hold dear to the commands that are given to us, secondly the bible tells us to not forsake the law of your mother, to forsake is to abandon and/or renounce, the law is a system of rules that are recognized by a community to regulate the actions of those that are members of that community and if there are any violations there will be penalties, consequences.
So we have two very important matters here this morning, to keep and to not forsake, keep the instructions that regulate your life to finish strong. Some may look at the bible as a book of rules and regulations but how could you twist and perverse the very book that instructs us to life of fulfillment. All around you there are rules that you don’t mind, schools have dress codes, they have time clock that you must follow, you must obey if your late you get a tardy, when you drive you have rules as well you cannot run a red light if you do you will get a ticket you broke the law, there are penalties and consequences that you must face if you violate, well the same with God, sin comes along with penalties, with consequences, with a price that we will not be able to pay. But we have a book that instructs us to a life of good living, holy and clean living, the answers are a light unto your feet. Whatever you have a question about, it is here, whatever you have a doubt about the answer is here. I am so intrigued with people that do not believe in the things of God but they believe just about everything they hear, read, and see on social media. There minds are so clouded and bombarded with garbage that they have a hard time with truth, with following instructions when it comes to God, making clear decisions. Decisions are what we are going to have to make but in order to make the right decisions we are going to need to have some good counsel, truth.
2nd Point “Getting counsel”
Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
Here we have a father giving counsel to his son, who we could just imagine was given godly tools and experienced a life of routine church services and revivals and a mountain of outreaches, now we could just think of the concern that a father has for his child to give him a reminder of all the things he has learned before he steps into his own life.
The desire of a parent is to see their child or children succeed in life and follow the steps provided for them to soar and make good of their lives and begin to form their own lives/families/marriages.
Let us just see this for what it is, I could just imagine this father saying to his son, remember the commands that I conducted toward you, how I instructed you and how I continued to direct and redirect you remember how your mother reminded you of the consequences you would’ve faced unless you were instructed, do not abandon them now that you are on your own but keep them and hold them close to your heart.
22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep they will keep you; And when you awake they will speak with you.
To roam is to travel aimlessly, listen to me there will be moments in your life that you will have confusion, when that happens remember to keep the commands and uphold the law, when this takes place and your in your time of uncertainty the spirit of God will lead you. Times of sleepless nights and you feel alone they will comfort you, and when you awake from your rest they will stir the spirit within you, they will speak to you and direct your steps.
When you embrace righteous counsel, when you find yourself listening to the instructions that are given to you there is a great blessing in that. The bible speaks at moments of leaning on your own understanding, the danger of such a rebellious thing is that it can be destructive for you and those around you.
No matter how you are raised, no matter how successful you become, no matter what situation you find yourself in you will find yourself having to make decisions all the time. Some decisions you make will be pretty cut and dry but others you will need to really think through and seek after godly counsel, somethings you just can’t do it on your own and everything should be done with God’s involvement.
Beloved instant obedience is the only kind of obedience, delayed obedience is disobedience, see if you withdraw from obedience you will withdraw from grace.
3rd Point “Today’s thinking”
23 for the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
We must retain the word of God and the good instructions which our parents gave us out of it. We must never cast them off, never think it a mighty achievement (as some do) to get clear of the restraints of a good education:
Today many shy away from instruction, the bible tells us that Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, Those reproofs of the word which not only show us our faults, but instruct us how to do better, are the way that leads to life, eternal life.
The generation we live in today, the people of this time despise instruction, people could care less when it comes to getting godly counsel, everyone is for themselves because people today do what is right in their own eyes. This is where God has said and spoke this truth that is very fitting for us, do not despise.
See beloved the bible tells us that the commandment is the lamp and the law is the light but it also tells us that a disdain for instruction is the way of a persons life. That’s incredible. The lamp symbolizing the body/building the light symbolizing the word/direction within the church and yet a people that despise the very help we need to obtain clear and concise direction for our lives is absolutely astonishing.
Will you be the difference, will you be the change, see today that is the culture, do what you want when you want whenever you want but in the things of God its not like that, there are instructions that are clear and concise, beloved will you be the example of obedience and diligence of following the instructions of this precious word this today? People will only listen to those that listen. It is a spiritual truth. (Don’t think that you will have the power to instruct and others listen if God is instructing you and your not listening, it wont work).
When they put up a skyscraper they put a lot of work into the foundation before they start worrying about the walls. They’ll want to make sure it will keep standing. Obedience to God is the best foundation to lay when building our lives and helping to build others.
Proverbs 6:20-23
20 My son, keep your fathers command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually around your heart; tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep they will keep you; And when you awake they will speak with you. 23 for the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
