Day 58 - Daily Decisions

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 65

Michael’s book is available through: 

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

Something came up this week in reference to someone making a decision about who they should date, perhaps consider for marriage.  As always, someone else was worried about whether the person would make the “right decision.”  Michael has some very special words about such a decision in this day’s writing…

DAY 58

Daily Decisions

He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT   HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” --Hebrews 4:7

I believe a common misconception concerning decision-making is that it is for the future, when decisions are just for today. God is the God of today, and therefore, decisions must be made in the light of our relationship with Him today. If a decision can be made presently that locks up the future, how is that living in faith, which is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen? Let me give an example. A young woman prayed and asked God to lead her in a decision concerning marriage. Everyone, myself included, believed that she was free to become engaged to a certain young man, and so she did. Several months later, when she called her fiancé at the university, she learned from his roommate that he was off visiting his fiancée in another country. She called the number the roommate gave her and discovered that her beau was breaking off his engagement to her in favor of marrying another. In conclusion, she stated, "I will never know what the will of God is; I believed it was His will for me to wed this man." Was she right in getting engaged? Had she heard the Lord? Did she make a mistake? I think not. The enemy would have us believe that a decision made today must affect all eternity; that simply is not true. Walking in faith means making decisions not based on outcome but founded in the principle of the Lord’s leading and what He is teaching today. I believe she made the right decision on the day she agreed to marry the fellow. Later, because of that decision and the subsequent breakup, God has done some wonderful things in her life. She drew near to God in her pain, discovered a comfort in Him that she had never known before, and was now moving again in faith. Only God knows the future, so a decision made today may not affect the future like we thought it would, but that does not lead to the assumption that we were erroneous in hearing the Lord when the decision was made. It was a steppingstone to the future. The important thing is hearing Him today.

"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart." If I walk in the valley of the shadow of death TODAY, He is with me. However, if I want to ponder walking in the shadow of death tomorrow, He is not with me. If I move into the future, I will move alone. He is the God of today.

Michael’s first statement is what we Texans call “a mouth full.”  When I was a young kid I would sometimes “bite off more than I could chew.”  Mom would tell me to politely remove some of what I had in my mouth…chew what was left, swallow, then put the rest back and repeat the process.  Often people in life choke on a “mouth full” of something, instead of spitting some out, and chewing and swallowing only when appropriate.  With correct thoughts, it is easy to “bite off the correct amount,” then chew and swallow without choking on some of the most difficult things in life.  We cause trouble for ourselves because we think wrong about something, then make decisions that “choke” us for a long time, perhaps the rest of our life.

As Michael points out, God is the God of today.  He has told us we are not guaranteed another day.  He has told us to live in this day, and not to borrow from tomorrow (p.s. – borrowing is always wrong with God in anything).  So, why do we think all decisions we make today lock in the future?  The vast majority of decisions we make today can be altered or changed by another decision at a later time, as God leads.

The most important thing Michael is sharing is that we should not think we were wrong (erroneous) in what we heard the Lord say, or allow, when we made a decision that He leads us to alter/change in the future.  And, never let us think that we “will never know what the will of the Lord is” (that’s a form of “hardening of our hearts”).   He is the Good Shepherd, always leading us in His will.  Sometimes His will is a few more times around the mulberry bush (that’s a Texas saying also!) before we are back on the joyful road.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

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Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

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