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Speaker: Rev. Shine Thomas
Posted on: 2011-01-02
Series: Christian Discipline

Introduction

When God created man he gifted him with a free will. Choice or free will is the God given ability to select once course of action. You can either choose to do good or bad, you can either choose to obey God or disobey God. We make choices on a regular basis and every choice we make leads us closer to or further from our goals. We are already at the first Sunday of 2011. In a matter of 365 days this year will be over and what you choose to do will determine how you end this year. Therefore it is very important that you make the right choices in your life.

This morning we are going to see how we can make the right choices that will lead us to the God-given destination in our lives.

Ephesians 5:15-17 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Apostle Paul in this passage presents some important truths that we need to consider to make right choices.

Truths to Consider while making choices

1. Choose to live carefully

Ephesians 5:15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.

Somebody say, “I will live carefully.”

Let us live this year very carefully. We must be careful how we live because our time on this earth is limited.

Psalm 90:10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Now, some of you young people maybe thinking that 70 or 80 years is a long, long time. All those of who are above the age of 30 sitting here, can you imagine how fast time has gone. You remember yourself as a teenager, then you remember your twenties and here now you are in your thirties and forties. Remember just as fast we are going to face our fifties and sixties.

Illustration: When I think about how soon time passes by, I am reminded about a young girl who is in love. She would persuade and get permission from daddy or mummy for 2 hours of shopping or tuitions. Once they get the permission they would sms their friend and meet up. They are so lost in love that 2 to 3 hours seems like a blink of an eye. But for the poor mom & dad who are waiting at home completely unaware of what is happening to their child time seems like an eternity.

We must use every opportunity because the days are evil. Jesus said Satan is a robber and a thief. One of the things he tries to rob from us is our time because time is a very precious possession. Just think of the time we waste. Example: Gossiping or spreading rumours, worrying, seeing television. Think of the time we waste in browsing the internet. Satan is robbing your time. Time is valued differently by different people. But the ones who choose to use their time carefully chooses to live carefully.

The Psalmist also tells us to number our days so that we will develop a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 39:4 “Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.

Illustration: A year ago I had the privilege to pray for one of our member on his birthday. He said pastor, “I have numbered my months and years until age 75. I have clear targets to achieve for the Lord until I am 75. If I live more I continue to live for Christ.”

Remember, when we number our days we get focused, our priorities get into place, everyday we advance in the Lord. However, must understand that the Bible does not ask us to count on tomorrow. Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Now putting both into perspective, as much as we plan and number our days we cannot boast about our tomorrow. We do not know what tomorrow holds for us. All we have is today, now. Therefore when we number our days and work accordingly every day of our life, we become focused and anytime God calls us home we have done our part. Therefore chose to live carefully.

2. Choose to use every opportunity

Ephesians 5:15-16 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Illustration: In Luke 10 Jesus went to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He sat down to teach, and Mary was sitting right at His feet just getting every word into her heart. Meanwhile, Martha was out in the kitchen preparing dinner for Jesus. Martha gets upset because Mary is not in the kitchen to help her.

Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
Luke 10:41-42 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Now listen, was Martha wrong in cooking a good meal for Jesus in the kitchen? Of course not! But here’s the problem. Martha was so preoccupied with what she was doing that she didn’t realize that God was in her house. Martha was caught up in what she did and missed out on the opportunity to hear what God had to say.

That’s the same mistake we make. We get so caught up with our family, so caught up with everything that we miss on the eternal things that God wants you to do which will last for ever.

Illustration: Dr. Richard Swenson wrote a book named ‘The Overload Syndrome.’ in which he says that ‘overload’ is one of the major disorder people of our time face. People are just overloaded with things because of misplaced priorities. From a biblical view I can say that if we overload ourselves with many things there are chances that we can miss out vital opportunities that God brings in our lives.

Some are overloaded with commitments. We commit ourselves to go here and go there. We want to take part in this activity and that activity. Soon we become like machines; coming, going, dressing up, and hurrying because we have overloaded ourselves in the area of commitments.

Some are overloaded with possessions. Some people are in the habit of buying. If they feel a new television model has come they push their old one to the bedroom and replace it with a brand new one. Such people stuff their houses with gadgets, dress, electronic items etc. They are so caught up with the possessions that they miss our on what God really wants them to do. I want you to have the best of everything, but do not just choose and buy impulsively because you are what you choose.

Yet there are some are overloaded with work. They get up early, fight traffic, get to work, meet targets, do overtime, finally get home and are dead tired. Then they do not have time for their spouse or children.

Then there is another group who are overload with information. They have the internet and all sorts of wrong and right information is there. You try to browse and browse to get information but the problem is that we can’t possibly absorb all what is there in the net. Browse the net for what you want to know, fix a time and come out of the net.

I can go on speaking on some overloads we face because of wrong choices and the opportunities we loose because of it. At the same time I am not telling negative about any of these things. Your commitments, work, possessions, internet all are very vital and important part of the present society. These are the opportunities for you to grow and succeed. But you must have a clear boundary when it comes to such things and you are the best person to know the limit.

How can you make the right choices?

How do you know the limit of all what you do and make use of every opportunity?

Understand the will of God.

Ephesians 5:15-17 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Some people think they need to do many things in life. In the process of doing many things one way will really show up, you choose that way and you do God’s will. Do you think God wants your days and weeks so crowded? How really do I choose to do God’s will?

In order to understand and choose God’s will we need to set certain things right in our life.

1. Establish Right Priorities.

I would like to list you some priorities that I use to discern God’s will.

a. Put God First. As you are all in the church today I believe God is an integral part of your life. Therefore in whatever you do place God first. When God is in our priority list it affects our decisions, our relationships, and our total outlook on life.

b. Daily Devotion. Schedule some definite time each day to pray & to read His Word. Have a family prayer. Pray for yourself, for your family, for people around you. Pray for the church, missions, & for the missionaries.

c. Quality Family Time. Spend quality time with your family. Every husband here ought to talk to your wife everyday. Every wife need to make time for your husband everyday. A time with just the two of you and you don’t have anything else to interfere. It is also very important that both husband and wife spend time with your children. They’re growing up. These are precious moments of growth. Make sure that your family is very high on your priority list.

d. Hard Work. Majority of us work here. Work hard where God has placed you. As Christians we have a responsibility to the Lord to honor Him even in our workplace. Do not neglect your Sunday worship unless it is unavoidable.

These are a few priorities of mine and you need to custom make a priority list for you.

2. Enjoy Everyday.

Once your priorities are ready, learn how to live every day. Some people spoil their day worrying about the past. Yet there are some who spoil their day being anxious about the future. Do not live in the past or future, learn to live today.

Illustration: A girl who went to college and just hated studying. She told herself, "If I can ever get out of college and get married and have children, I know I’ll finally be able to enjoy life." She went to classes every day and finally graduated from college. Then she got married and had children, and discovered that children are a lot of work. So she told herself, "If I can just get these kids raised, then I’ll be able to relax and really enjoy life." But about the time the kids were entering school her husband said, "Guess what? We don’t have enough money to send our kids to college. I guess you’ll have to get a job." Well, she didn’t want to, but she knew he was right and they needed the money, so she went to work and she hated it. But she told herself, "If I can just get these kids out of college, and get them married then I can quit work and really enjoy life with my husband."

Finally, the children graduated and got married. She had to work one more year to pay off her loans. When she was finally putting down her papers thinking she can enjoy the rest of her life, she got the good news that her daughters were pregnant. She finally left her job to baby-sit her grandchildren.

Do not ever postpone your joy and enjoyment for tomorrow thinking things will be fine. Learn to enjoy every day.

As you prioritize and learn to enjoy everyday in the framework of the Word of God, God will lead and guide you to his will in your life. You will be in a better position to understand and choose the perfect will of God.

Conclusion

Remember you are your choices. Let us not be foolish in choosing wrong and end up as a failure this year. God is going to arise for you. God has a will for you. Therefore choose to live wisely, choose to use every opportunity, prioritize your life, and know the will of God. God bless you. Amen.