Scripture:
John 6.66-69; 15.4-5; Matt. 26.36-46; Rom. 12.1-2; I Cor. 10.31; Mark 1.35-39;
Acts 1.23-25; Josh. 9.14; Matt. 7.7-8; James 1.5-8; Gen. 12.1-4; Acts 10.1-48;
15.28; 16.6-10; Matt. 4.1, 18-22; 16.21-28; Gal. 5.16-26; Prov. 3.5-8; 15.22;
14.8; 20.4; Heb. 13.7, 17; Ps. 90.12;
Translation: Gen. 12.1Go for
your own good away from your land, from your birthplace, from the house of your
father to the land that I will show you. … 4And Abram went just as Yahweh
told him. And Lot went with him. And Abram was 75 years old when he left from
Haran.
Psalm 90.12Teach us how to count our days,
so that we can get a heart of wisdom.
Prov. 3.5Trust in Yahweh with all your heart; don’t rely on your own
understanding. 6Know Him in all your ways, and He will straighten
your paths. 7Don’t be wise from your own perspective; fear Yahweh
and turn away from evil. 8It will be healing for your body, and
refreshment for your bones.
14.8The wisdom of a shrewd man is
understanding his path, but the stupidity of idiots is deception.
Prov. 15.22Plans fail when there is no
advice, but with a lot of advisors you will succeed.
Prov. 20.4The lazy person doesn’t plow
during planting season; he looks in harvest season, but there’s nothing.
John 6.66At this point, many of His
followers left for what they left behind and didn’t walk with Him anymore. 67So
Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go too, do you?” 68Simon
Peter responded to Him, “Lord, who will we go away to? You have words of
eternal life! 69And we really do believe and know that You are the
Holy One of God!”
John 15.4Stay in Me, and I will stay in
you. Just as the branch can’t produce fruit from itself, unless it stays on the
vine, in the same way you can’t either unless you stay in Me. 5I am
the Vine; you are the branches. The person who stays in Me and I in him—this
person will produce lots of fruit, because without Me you can’t do anything!
Matt. 26.36Then Jesus went with them to a
garden called Gethsemane. And he was saying to the disciples, “Sit here while I
go pray over there. 37And taking along Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee, He began to express sorrow and emotional turmoil. 38Then He
was saying to them, “My soul is depressed to the point of death. Stay here and
hold vigil with Me. 39And going ahead a little, He fell on His face
praying and saying, “My Father, if it’s possible, take this cup away from Me!
But now how I want it, but how You want it.” 40And He came to the
disciples and found them sleeping. And He was saying to Peter, “How are you not
strong enough to stay awake with Me for one hour? 41Stay awake and
pray, so that you don’t go into testing. Although the spirit is willing, the
flesh is weak.” 42Again, for a second time, going off, He prayed
saying, “My Father, if it’s not possible that this pass except if I drink it,
Your Will be done.” 43And coming back, he found them sleeping,
because their eyes were heavy. 44And leaving them, going back, He
prayed for a third time the same sentiment saying it again. 45Then
He came to the disciples and He was saying to them, “Sleep the rest of the time
and rest—look, the time has come and the Son of Man is being handed over into
the hands of sinners! 46Get up. Let’s go. Look, The person betraying
Me has come.
Rom. 12.1I urge you, brothers, by the
mercies of God to offer your bodies as a living, holy, and pleasing sacrifice
to God, your logical act of worship. 2And don’t be conformed to this
age, rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you can prove
what really is the Will of God, which is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Mark 1.35And really early in the morning
while it was still dark, He got up, left, and went out to a deserted place and
He was praying there. 36And Simon and those with him were searching
all over. 37And they found Him and were saying to Him, “Everyone is
looking for You.” 38And He was saying to them, “Let’s go somewhere
else to the nearby market-towns, so that I can preach there too, because I set
out for this purpose. 39And He went preaching in their synagogues,
in all Galilee, and casting out demons.
Applications
1.
Outline
a.
Step # 1: Get God
i.
Get a relationship with God
1.
If you don’t have one, get
one—right now, it’s easy.
2.
If you do have one, get it
healthy—right now.
3.
Life with God is not life;
it is nothingness
a.
John 6.66-69
b.
John 15.4-5
ii.
Get a passion for God’s
Will
1.
Matt. 26.36-46
2.
Rom. 12.1-2
iii.
Get a passion for God’s
Glory
1.
I Cor. 10.31
b.
Step # 2: Get Praying
i.
Example: Jesus prays before
making a major life decision (Mark 1.35-39)
ii.
Example: the Apostles
replace Judas with Matthaias after praying (Acts 1.15-26, esp. 23-25)
iii.
Example: Joshua and the
Israelites get tricked, because they fail to ask God about their possible
alliance (Joshua 9, esp. v.14)
iv.
Example: Jesus prays about
going to the cross (Matt. 26.36-46)
v.
Instruction: Jesus tells us
to pray for what we need (Matt. 7.7-8)
vi.
Instruction: James tells us
to ask for wisdom if we need it (James 1.5-8
c.
Step # 3: Get Direction
(from God)
i.
Listen to God
1.
Gen. 12.1-4
2.
Acts 10.1-48
3.
Matt. 26.36-46
4.
Acts 16.6-10
ii.
Follow Jesus
1.
Matt. 4.18-22
2.
Matt. 16.21-28
iii.
Walk in the Spirit
1.
Gal. 5.16-26
2.
Matt. 4.1
3.
Acts 15.28
d.
Step # 4: Get Wise
i.
Trust Yahweh (Prov. 3.5-6)
ii.
Fear Yahweh (Prov. 3.7-8)
iii.
Study the Bible (Ps.
119.105)
iv.
Get Advice from Wise People
(Prov. 15.22)
1.
Parents
2.
Pastors
3.
Grandparents, Aunts,
Uncles, etc.
4.
Older brothers and sisters
5.
Wise friends (but not all
friends are wise friends)
6.
Experts on the issue
v.
Consider your options
(Prov. 14.8)
1.
Figure out what your
options are
2.
Evaluate your options
a.
Costs vs. benefits
b.
Pros vs. cons
c.
Rightness vs. wrongness
d.
From your own perspective,
from others’ perspective, from God’s perspective
vi.
Follow Godly examples/Obey
the instructions of your leaders (Heb. 13.7, 17)
vii.
Plan ahead (Prov. 20.4)
viii.
Consider the Consequences
(Prov. 20.4)
ix.
Know /Discover your Calling
x.
Recognize how short life is
(Ps. 90.12)
e.
Step # 5: Get Sober (Don’t
Make a Major Life Decision…)
i.
IF you’re emotionally
unstable/disoriented
1.
Like after a major breakup
2.
Like after a major failure
3.
Like after losing your job
4.
Like after a death of a
loved one
5.
Etc.
ii.
IF you’re extremely tire,
sick, injured, etc.
iii.
IF you’re drunk, high, or
unable to think clearly
iv.
IF you’re depressed
v.
IF you’re really angry
vi.
IF you’re really scared
vii.
IF you’re far from God
f.
Step # 6: Get Going
i.
Don’t hesitate to do what
you need to do, once you know what right decision is and it is the right time.
ii.
Don’t procrastinate, waste
time, or miss the opportunity (Prov. )
iii.
Don’t let fear, worry,
apprehension, or pain hold you back from doing what God is calling you to do.
(Matt. 26.36-46)
g.
Step # 7: Get Praising
i.
WE are in it to win it, not
for ourselves, but for the glory of our God (I Cor. 10.31)
ii.
Ultimately, it is God who
makes all our success and ability possible (Prov. and Phil. 2.13)
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