Decide to Decide

By: American Decency Staff

by Steve Huston

We make hundreds of decisions every day – some are simple while others can be pretty intense.  Think about just a few of the decisions you’ll make just today – what you’ll wear, the food you’ll eat, how you’ll spend your work time, your leisure time, the conversations you’ll have, the words you’ll choose to use.  Many decisions have become habit – to the point that we don’t even realize we’re making a decision.  However, God wants us to be intentional in our choices and decisions.

Not only does God want us to be intentional, He wants us to let His Word be our guide for every choice, every decision. 

The Bible speaks to every area of our lives. It gives guidance regarding friendships, marriage, entertainment, politics, finances – EVERY area of life.  And yet it’s easy to become lazy in our thinking, or to let the “wisdom” of the world be our standard rather than God’s unchanging word.  Take an honest look at your life.  Are you keeping “thy heart with all diligence” (Prov. 4:23)?

Why is it so important for us to guard our hearts from the things of this world?  Why is it so important to follow the Apostle Paul’s admonition to “set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2)? Why must we be diligent in seeking the Lord? The rest of Proverbs 4:23 tells us why: “for out of it [your heart] are the issues of life.” You must guard your heart because what you decide to allow in your mind, what and who you allow your heart to cling to, will affect all areas of your life.  It not only affects your life, but your spirit as well.

Although times have changed, society has changed, and even the church has changed, GOD has NOT changed.  He is still a holy God and still desires His people to be a holy people.  His desire is for your sanctification. You are called out to be a person who is different because of what Jesus has done in you; you are to be different because you are IN Him!  Time and again we are exhorted to seek God; time and again the Bible calls us to follow God’s way, not our own way.

We say we trust God, we call ourselves Christ-followers, but how often do we instead do what seems best in our own eyes?  Many Christians can quote Proverbs 3:5-6.  It’s a familiar passage.  “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths.”  But there, we often stop short. How many know the next verse?   It’s important that we include verse seven with those other two verses. “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”  (Which is followed by quite the promise in verse eight for those who will obey.)

Be not wise in our own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.  This is what we should look to in every decision we make.  

The problem is that many who claim the name of Jesus no longer use the Bible as their standard of living. They have replaced the very word of God with other things, things of men rather than the things of God.  The Bible speaks authoritatively to every topic; yet when it hurts or gets tight, there are those who say with some who followed Jesus, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it”? (John 6:60)

Don’t try to be wise in your own eyes; you can’t see the big picture.  Instead, follow the exhortation found in Numbers 15:39,“…remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes…”

You are called to love God with all you are.  God says, if you love me, you will obey me. 

Press on in holiness; press on in obedience.

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