#228 - Freedom of Choice

Proverbs 1:23-33 - ²³If you will turn (repent) and give heed to my reproof, behold, I [Wisdom] will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make my words known to you.
    ²⁴Because I have called and you have refused [to answer], have stretched out my hand and no man has heeded it,
    ²⁵And you treated as nothing all my counsel and would accept none of my reproof,
    ²⁶I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic--
    ²⁷When your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
    ²⁸Then will they call upon me [Wisdom] but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me.
    ²⁹Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord,
    ³⁰Would accept none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof,
    ³¹Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices.
    ³²For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of [self-confident] fools shall destroy them.
    ³³But whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom] shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil. 

Proverbs 31:26a -  She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom...

Recently, Tyler said something to me that was really profound, it helped me. He said, "God will respect anyone's right of freedom of choice." Everyone has complete freedom of choice! For the sinner or Non-Believer, God will completely protect their right to go to hell. He does not force ANYONE to choose Him. He is a Gentleman and allows each person to make their own decision whether to follow Him or not. He does the same for the Christian. He allows each Christian the CHOICE to follow and be obedient to Him. Equally, He allows them the choice to choose wrong if they want. If they want to choose to go "their way," He will allow them that choice. Again, He is a Gentleman and does not have ANY forced followers. Every person who follows Jesus, follows by their own free will. 

I typically don't include such a large section of scripture, but this morning I just couldn't decide what to leave out, so I included Proverbs 1:23-33. I study out of a Zondervan Parallel Bible which includes the King James Version in one column and the Amplified Bible in the other column. I really like it. This morning, as we were introduced to Proverbs chapter 1, I read some of the notes at the bottom of my Bible. It made a great recommendation in saying this, "Wisdom here is personified. Read 'Wisdom of God' instead of 'Wisdom' and see the wonderful power of this book." That has been helpful to me as I have read Proverbs 1. 

It has been helpful to realize that we can not change people, we can only be obedient to the leading of God's Voice & direction. In interacting with Christians and Non-Christians, He may lead us to share the Gospel with them. He may lead us to just listen. He may lead us to live by example. Ultimately though, however God may lead us in each situation, the person we are interacting with has choices to make on their own. They have the freedom to allow the Bible to be their guide, and be obedient to the Bible. OR, they have the free will to choose their feelings & "their" wants over what the Word says. Proverbs 1:23-33, to me, is a bit scary when read from the eyes of the person who chooses to go "THEIR WAY." I want to do what I want. I want to go MY way. I want to do it MY way! I don't care what the RIGHT thing to do is, I want to do it MY way. I don't feel like doing it the way the Bible says.  

All I have to say is, YIKES! That is a scary place to be for that person. As believers, we have the responsibility to be obedient to what God tells us to do. If it's directing a friend, we need to be obedient in directing them. But.... ultimately they have Freedom of Choice. 

Don't forget the power of prayer. Prayer changes things. When someone we love chooses to go "their way," remember that the power of prayer can always help them to soften to the leading of the Holy Spirit. That their "Freedom of Choice" would change to be a choice that would please our Heavenly Father. 

Is their someone you need to pray for today? Is their someone you need to talk to today? 

#219 - Feel Confident with Your Decision!

Proverbs 16:33 - The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly of the Lord [even the events that seem accidental are really ordered by Him].

Proverbs 31:16a - She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]...

Have you ever had an important decision to make, a decision that is a pretty big deal, that will affect the next several years of your life? Maybe the rest of your life? It's important, you really want to make sure you make the right decision. It's going to affect everything.


As you begin your decision making process, you begin to weigh the options. Maybe you are a list person, so you write out all the pro's & con's on a piece of paper. You may fold your paper in 3 sections, use a ruler to make a straight line and begin to neatly bullet things out. Or, maybe you're the type that just gets out a sticky note, and scribbles a few things down. You may be the thinker. The person who sits on it for awhile, days, thinks it over and over. Quietly & to yourself, but you just think. Then, there are those of you who are talkers. You just have to talk to enough people, hear yourself think outloud, hear the ideas come out, get the opinions of others to help narrow down your decision.


Whichever type of person you are when you make decisions, hopefully you do pray or take a minute to just bounce it off the Holy Spirit.


Whenever I read Proverbs 16, I think of it as a "Power Chapter" when it comes to making plans & deciding things. Verse after verse it talks about "plans." Something that I found comforting this morning was the very last verse, "The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly of the Lord [even the events that seem accidental are really ordered by Him]." Since the term "lot" isn't something that we commonly use today, I decided to get a bit more clarity and check how the original Hebrew defined "lot." The definition that made the most sense to me was this: a systematic way for making decisions. 


So here you are.... the big decision on the table. Maybe it's a job, moving to a different city, getting married, buying a house, changing churches, starting a business, closing a business, beginning to have kids... whatever the "big decision," it's on the table. Whatever your "lot," your "systematic way for making decisions," you begin the process. What I like, as a Christian, is the latter part of the verse. Though we plan, we systematically sketch out our thoughts, pro's and con's, at the end of the day, the Lord is going to ultimately direct us. Especially when we are seeking Him, acknowledging Him, considering Him, we are going to be led the right way. We are going to choose the "right spouse," the "right house," the "right city to move to." God is not in the business of leading us awry, but leading us down the path of life, godliness & favor. 


Our Proverbs 31 woman, follows the same process as we do. She "considers." The Hebrew breaks the word "consider" down as this: to fix thoughts upon, devise, plan, consider, to purpose. In the case of Proverbs 31:16, she is considering buying a field, basically jumping into a new business venture. She takes time to fix her thoughts, her undivided attention upon weighing her options. Is this a wise business decision for her?  


Friend, take comfort. God will not lead you astray. If you need one last "check" in finalizing your decision, a rule of thumb I always use is this: Let PEACE be your umpire.  In the natural, if I am not sure which way to go, I follow peace. With which decision do I have the most peace? The Holy Spirit is peace. I allow peace to direct me. I also heard Tyler say this recently, which is extremely helpful, "The Holy Spirit always pulls, the enemy, Satan always pushes. There is pressure with the enemy." If I feel pressure, I typically stray away from that decision.


As you acknowledge the Lord, take peace. Whatever the decision you make, it is not accidental. Take confidence in knowing, since you acknowledged the Lord, He will not lead you astray!