Saturday, November 14, 2009

Decision Making

Are you ready to make decisions?
Jesus successfully endured His wilderness experience (Matthew 4:1-11). Thereafter, He entered His ministry, calling Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him (Matthew 4:12-19a). Jesus gave them an eternal purpose for living (Matthew 4:19b-22).

People will give themselves for a noble or perceived noble calling. By nature, we need to participate in an enterprise that is larger than ourselves. God calls us to participate in an eternal purpose (Matthew 6:33).

Invest yourself into an eternal purpose early in life (Acts 2:14, 38, 3:1, 4:8-12, 19, 5:29, 8:14-20, 9:32-15:7). Invest yourself into an eternal purpose until the end of your life (2 Peter 1:12-15).

Life is empty when not participating in an eternal purpose. To fulfill eternal purpose, God calls some away from their personal enterprises. They left their personal enterprise of fishing. To fulfill eternal purpose, God calls some not away from, but beyond their personal enterprises.

God gave unlimited power to Jesus (Matthew 28:18). Yet, Jesus kept His life on course. He resisted every temptation to use His power in a way that violated His assigned eternal purpose (Matthew 4:1-11). You can remain focused on your eternal purpose. How do I avoid deterring options?

Learn to say yes when only saying yes leads you in the direction of your eternal purpose. Jesus said yes when saying yes led Him in the direction of His eternal purpose. Jesus said yes to the person possessing demons (Mark 5:7-10).

Learn to say no when only saying no leads you in the direction of your eternal purpose. Jesus said no when saying no lead Him in the direction of His eternal purpose. Jesus said no to the formerly demonic possessed man (Mark 5:20).
Your conscience mind makes your decisions. Your conscience mind contains information that has been assigned moral and/or ethical value. Your conscience mind consists of your belief system, the product of your accepted teachings. Your conscience mind must be developed (belief system) before the time when you must make a decision. God wants you to emphatically speak your decisions that lead in the direction of your eternal purpose.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

What I say is what I get
The word of God is His power force working within the universe (Genesis 1:3, 6-7, 9, 11). I am made in His image; therefore, my spoken words program my life.

Through His Spirit: God engraved His word into the spirit of believers - their heart (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). Believers received the Spirit from God so that they would know the things given by God (1 Corinthians 2:12). God enabled the apostle Paul to speak persuasive words of power (1 Corinthians 2:3-4). His persuasive spoken words of power enabled the faith of the believers to rest on the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5).

Through my words: I speak that which comes from the fullness of the treasure of my heart (Matthew 12:34, 15:18, Luke 6:45). Therefore, when I speak I am speaking the very power force of God (Ephesians 3:20, 2 Samuel 23:1-2). My faith comes from hearing myself speak the very word of faith that I have heard preached (Romans 10:17, 8). The very words that I speak activate the very power of God that is within me (Hebrews 4:1-2).

My spoken words (of faith) program my life for life. God wants me to always speak faithfully about my faith, family, and finances. I must never, ever speak fearfully.

Abraham fathered Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7). Isaac fathered twin sons, Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:21-26). Isaac blessed his son Jacob (Genesis 30:20-30, 31:22-25, 29). By what he said, Isaac intended to bless his son Esau (Genesis 27:1-4). But, by what he said, Isaac instead blessed his son Jacob (Genesis 27:4-29).

Because of what Isaac said to his son Jacob, God blessed Jacob (Genesis 28:10-22). But, because of what Isaac said to his son Jacob, in spite of the fact that he thought he was speaking his son Esau, God blessed Jacob (Genesis 35:9-13).

By what I say, I may bless others. I can never unsay what I have said (Matthew 14:6-10, Daniel 6:6-16). Spoken blessings are irrevocable (Genesis 27:30-37, 28:1-4, Numbers 30:1-2). Therefore, what I say overrules what I intend. God wants me to choose my words carefully.