How to Make Right Decisions

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"How to Make Right Decisions"
(part 1 of a four part series)

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” — Matthew 22:37-39 (NRSV)

Making the right decision is not easy. There are so many portions of our world that pull at us saying, “No one will know if you lie,” or “If you don’t look out for yourself, no one else will,” and “What’s the big deal?”. We are bombarded with examples of people who cut this or that corner and seem to be rewarded for it. However, we must always ask the question, “Is it really worth it? Is the end result, whatever it may be, really worth putting someone else in harm’s way?”

As we read our scripture today, I hope that you can answer that question with a definitive ‘no’. The ethic that we should live by is not, “Me at all costs”. Instead, it is a life that is rooted in service: to our God, and to all those with whom we come into contact. To make the right decisions in our lives, we need to place what we are doing up against the barometer of this ethic. If it measures up in such a way that it loves God and neighbor, then it is a step that can be made with clear conscience. If we place what we are doing up to this life guide and see that neither God nor neighbor is glorified, then we need to stop…immediately.

Making life choices that are God filled are not easy, but they are right. Strive to do what is right as opposed to doing that which does as little wrong as possible. God wants us to shine as examples of love, honesty, and integrity. Looking at our actions through the lens of love toward the Almighty and our neighbor grants us the opportunity to move toward this state.

Gracious Lord, help us to make right decisions by living a life that is guided by the ethical barometer that was articulated by Your son, and our Lord. Amen.


“Prayerful Living”

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"How to Make Right Decisions"
(part 2 of a four part series)

“You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.” — John 15:16 (NRSV))

Last week we talked about how we need to place how we live up to the ethical barometer of loving God and our neighbor as ourselves. This is step one to making the right decision.

However, what do we do if the way that we have been acting does not exist upon the path that God would have us take? It's at this point that we honestly and earnestly need to go to the Almighty in prayer. In a very important way it's a form of confession, we're acknowledging that we have fallen short and that we need forgiveness and guidance from the Creator of all. And I'm not talking about lip service prayer. I mean get down on your knees (a position of utter humility) and unassumingly ask that you might be able to receive the stepping stone that you need to move you back toward the path of righteousness, the path that will allow your actions to begin to measure up, in a positive way; when placed up to the ethical barometer that we have been provided. Go to God in prayer.

I recently sat down with a member in my church who was telling me about his life, where he had come from, where he was at, and where he saw himself going in the future. As I listened to him talk, I ultimately had to ask him the question, "Who's in charge here? Is it you? Or is it God?" The question stung him and he sat back and looked at, or maybe it was through, me. Tears began to well up in his eyes. "It's me. I've tried to be in charge." I looked back and said, "It's time to give that to God. It's time to actually follow through on what you say you believe and allow God to lead you, as opposed to telling God what you think you can and can't do."

Turning your life over to God can be a scary proposition. But when you are able to let go of the reigns and hand them over to the Almighty, you will come to see that your life, and the decisions that you make, will be more aligned with who God created you to be in the first place.

God of all blessings, coming to You is so difficult. We say we trust in You but our actions say something very different. Help us to come to You in prayer so that our decisions might reflect Your desire for our lives. Amen.


“Prayerful Living”

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"How to Make Right Decisions"
(part 3 of a four part series)

Listen to this Prayerful Living message in:
Real Audio MP3

“But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD, and the LORD sent Nathan to David.” — II Samuel 11:27-12:1 (NRSV)

Step 1: Check the ethical barometer.

Step 2: Go to God in prayer to correct the areas of your life where your decisions have not measured up.

Step 3: Find someone, or several people, to hold you accountable.

One of the biggest reasons that we fall back into old habits, those decisions that leave us in conflict with how we should love God and neighbor, is that we try and do it alone. Readjusting our ethical compass should not be done in a vacuum; we need someone else who will applaud us when we take good steps, and admonish, and encourage us when we come up short.

Because here’s the thing, we are going to come up short. We are sinful creatures and our natural disposition is to do that which is contrary to the will of God. We then try, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to step beyond that cast. What we quickly realize is that it’s easier said than done, which also means that there are many days when we don’t do as well as we and God want us to. I don’t know about you, but when I have been faced with such situations, I have become discouraged and begin to fall back into those decision making habits that needed to be changed in the first place.

The way that I have found relief from this discouragement is by making the decision – making the journey of transformation with someone else. When you have someone who holds you accountable, you are reminded on a regular basis what it is that God has set for you to do. Maybe that person is your spouse, a child, a friend, a co-worker, or a spiritual guide. Whatever your case may be, search out that person and enlist his or her help. When you do this, you will be amazed at how clearly God begins to speak, because now God is able to speak though that person. You want to make right decisions? Make sure that someone holds you accountable!

Ever-supportive God, we tend to think that we are super-people, capable of being able to do whatever we set our minds to. But God, we need help. Grant us the courage to find those persons who will hold us accountable to make decisions that will allow us to walk Your holy path. Amen.


“Prayerful Living”

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"How to Make Right Decisions"
(part 4 of a four part series)

Listen to this Prayerful Living message in:
Real Audio MP3

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” — Colossians 2:6-7 (NRSV)

PREFACE: Before you read this devotional, be sure to read the pieces from the previous three Sundays. Trust me on this one, once you do, what you are about to hear will make a whole lot more sense!

Once we have gone through the three steps to making right decisions, we have but one remaining action: express our thankfulness to the Almighty. As we move through the process of getting our decision-making process realigned, the thing that we consistently realize is that if we did not have God, we would not be able to get where we have needed to go. Simply put, God is the reason that we are able to make right decisions.

Since this is the case, we need to thank the Almighty for providing us the ethical barometer, the stepping-stones, that lead us back to the path of righteousness, and the accountability structure that allows us to be recreated into who we were intended to be. Not only is it right to be thankful, but it reminds us of how faithful the Divine truly is. In recognizing this reminder, we avoid the pitfall of thinking that we are the ones who deserve the lion’s share of credit for the transformation that has taken place.

Making right decisions is not a reflection of who we are, but instead, how God is able to work through us. This is a distinction that needs to be proclaimed so that all who look to us as an example of right living might know where the real answers reside. Allow your rebirth to be an opportunity to allow the light of God to be championed!

Holy and gracious God, You are our defender and support, our light-bringer and re-creator. We praise Your name for all the ways that You have lifted us up and thank You for granting us the ability to become the people You would have us be. Amen.


“Prayerful Living”