"Decisions Well Made." (A cheat sheet from Apostle Paul.)

I. Introduction

I found myself with time to kill the other day, and my feet just automatically took me to this pastry shop on the Peninsula.

I had like six bucks of funny money in my wallet and a sweet tooth, so you know, It happened ok, it just happened...

I walked in and when I looked at the display case of various baked goodies, a fragrance symphony of baked goodness and carmelized sugar wafted over me!

It was almost as if I could imagine an angel choir singing in the background!

Only, I stood there for like ten minutes, just gawking..

Frozen in indecision!

They had fresh, cronuts! You know what those are don’t ya? Half croissant, half donut with a ring of lemon bright custard on top!

They also had little apple filled pie pastry thingies!

Chocolate drizzled strawberries!!!

“Choices, choices, which one shall I choose?”

I kinda froze up!

They must have thought me strange, but finally, I settled on a light, buttery, almondpuff pastry and a coffee. Totally worth my $6.00!

Now I’d like to tell you that when it comes to big, important decisions, I never freeze up with indecision.

I’d like to tell you that I always know what to do and I dive right in, every time.

Only thing is, my Bible tells me that Satan is a liar and the father of all lies and I don’t want any association in that area, so folks, I gotta be honest:

Sometimes we don’t know which decision is best!

Face it, we are not in heaven yet!

Sometimes we all loose sleep and suffer worry and heartburn, trying to make a good decision!

So this week, I said to myself, “Self, it might be a good idea to put together a little guide on how to make good decisions.”

“Like a little cheat sheet, to make things easy.”

See, I want to do things the right way! And I know you do too!

And the right way is always the Bible way!

Heroes, men and women who made difficult choices.

Immediately, I began to think about different ones in the Bible, known for the choices they made!

I imagine Moses, running fugitive into a ink black desert night! Hoping it will swallow him alive, if only to keep him from Egyptian wrath!

I think of Joshua who told the people: “Choose you this day, who you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

You have Aachan who made an awful choice fed by greed, and his whole family paid the price!

Job’s wife told him to curse God and die. And many a lesser man would have done just that!

Only he had something more. That man had guts!

Then don’t forget: you’ve these strong, brave women like Rahab and Ruth who left their old life for a new one under God.

Naman, could have given up, after braking the surface of Jordan the sixth time unchanged! But He didn’t!

And that choice made all the difference for him!

Esther took her life in her own hands when she chose to ignore royal protocol and approach the Emperor of the known wold, uninvited.

I really, really admire Nehemiah, who chose to leave a court position of great wealth and influence, to rebuild and remove reproach from the people of God! I really like him!

I think of that armour stand in Saul’s tent. The king offereing his armor to a boy who was crazy enough to try and kill the giant.

Somehow, I don’t think David would have brought Goliath down, in that get up!

Good thing he chose the sling, and five smooth stones!

Now if you jump over the judges, the OT prophets and their noble obedience, you land in the Gospels.

And here we see some awesome choices too:

Peter, chucking in the towel, giving away his fishing business, “You take the boat, you take my nets, take it all, I have a master, who bids me follow. He’s gonna make me a fisher of men!”

I see Mathew stolling away from the tax booth, I see Stephen, preaching the sermon that kill him.

And then I see Paul....

He’s in that scene. Yeah, there here he is...

A very intense man was Paul.

And idealist.

In the literary classic, “Les Misrable” I am fascinated with the character of Police Inspector Javert.

He is so intense and driven and honorable, and misguided! I kinda see Paul in that light. or Saul at least.

Stephen is stoned to death by the mob. Murder it seems is hot work, and Saul holds the coats of the self righteous lynch mob.

Not his best moment.

So I was reading the book of Acts this week, and it occured to me, that one could learn much about choices, by watching Paul.

Paul, a life of choices.

Maybe it’s easy for me to relate to Paul, because he was an imperfect man who made mistakes and errors of judgement.

For instance, as we meet Saul, we watch him make a choice to go farther and hit harder in persecuting these Christians than anyone else had to date.

He even gets persmission to go to Damascus and cause havoc there!

And you know he was a hot head, since nobody else was lining up to travel to a foreign place just to hurt the Church! Paul was zealous!

He started his own personal inquistition and he’s on the way there, when something happens that will change his life forever:

Acts 9:1–18 KJV 1900

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Just like most of us, Paul’s story begins with some bad choices, but notice how that Paul was able to do an about face!

A complete 180 Degrees!

Now, it took a meeting with Jesus to bring it about, but just like you and me, when Paul got a taste of Jesus’ majesty and power, his presence and perfection, change comes natually!

And when I say fast, I mean it!

“Who art thou Lord” The word I Kurios. It can mean sir or master, but in almost every case, it is used as the proper way to adress God!

The first time he says Lord, It’s possible he may have meant sir, or master. I doubt it, but it’s possible.

Personally, I think the experience was so powerful, Saul knew it had to be God!

Well, surprise surprise, this Kurios, this Lord, answers: “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest!”

Then, Paul says Lord for the second time: “Lord, (Kurios) what will you have me do?”

I can’t gauranteed the first time folks, but I’d bet the farm, when Saul says “Lord/Kurios” the second time, he was fully aknowledging Jesus Christ as God!

Pause..

Then of course, he does everything Jesus instructs him too, even though that obedience will cost him his career, his influence, the respect of his peers, his personal property, his health and eventually his natural life!

Paul knew how to make a choice!

He made it that day, and when he left that dusty road, his feet moved onto a greater path, the King’s highway!

So here’s some cheat sheet advice on how to make decisions like Paul:

When you know God is speaking, do exactly what He says!

As Paul did in Acts Chapter nine, Follow Jesus’ instructions to the letter, no matter what!

The next few chapters center more on Peter, but by chapter 13, Missionary Paul is making more decisions and some of those have an edge!

Acts 13:1–12 KJV 1900

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Ambassadors are trusted to make hard choices!

When I read this, I understand that Paul was in a situation in which he was representing the Authority of God.

Like you, He was an ambassador, representing a spiritual Kingdom in a natural world!

And when wrong situation and a wrong person tried to impede the work of God, Paul made a choice.

It could have had serious reprecussions, but he did it anyway, because he was not simply representing himself!

He represented the authority of Almighty God!

And there will be times in your life and your family and your personal context, where you have to make the hard choices.

“This home is a Christian home! There are some things that we do not allow here.”

You may even be forced to be blunt at times, with those who have no spritutal perception and who would cause harm.

Do the right thing!

Remember who you represent!

Ambassadors are trusted to make the hard choices!

In Acts 14, we see Paul moved by compassion!

He recognizes a cripple man’s level of faith, he prays for him right then and there. (good choice) and the man is healed!

I think we would all do well to be just like that!

Some may call it impulsive, but I remember Bro Billy Cole say once in a certain context: Your first instinct tonight weill be from God. Your second instinct will be from Satan as he tries to talk you out of it!

I’m asking God to help me be more bold for him and this Gospel!

Acts 14:8–18 KJV 1900

And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

Paul did what he felt to do, and when God healed the crippled man, the entire city wanted to worship Paul!

But he was not a glory hound!

Far from it! Paul always chose to give honor to God!

He could have let some of that acclaim and applause rub of on him!

But the man of God knew better!

Direct all Glory to the Lord of Lords!

Folks, it’s always a right choice to give God the honor and the glory for every good thing!

On our best day folks, we are simply a conductor that the power can flow through!

We cannot heal anyone! We cannot baptise anyone with the Holy Ghost and fire!

Jesus name is the only name that matters!

His blood, His Spirit, His Word and His Name!

Not one of us is due an honorable mentnion!

On my best day, my rightousness outside of Him, is filthy rags!!!

No matter how far you go and how high you rise in the world of men, Always channel the Glory to God!

In chapter 15, he was on the right side of a controversy in the church. He was not a political animal!

In chapter 16, He took a young Timothy and chose to mentor him and develop his ministry.

This is always a good thing!

And later on, he would tell Timothy to repeat the process: “Commit these things to faithful men.”

That same chapter, God tells Paul to change his plans.

Acts 16:6–8 KJV 1900

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

Remember, when you are so sure of your intended course, that the Holy Spirit has the right to change your plans!!!

He owns you remember?

He paid for you!

Don’t forget: We see in a straight line backward. We have no visibility on the future or around the corner!

But God sees all at the same time! Trust me, he knows what’s best!

And you cannot claim to be submitted to God until he tells you something you don’t want to hear!

But when you hear it and recieve it and obey, know that something great is just around the corner!

Choose to worship and praise Jesus in the good times, and especially in the hard times!

In chapter 16, Paul and Silas chose one of the worst days of their lives to worship and praise God!

Blood seeping from lash welts, hand and feet in stocks, those two got their praise on!!!!

Sometimes when your world is falling apart, the best choice you can make is the decision: “I will praise God in the middle of my circumstances! I’m just gonna love my Jesus and let him take care of the rest!!!”

Get a job!!!

In chapter 18, Paul took a job!

He was a tradesmen and knew how to sew tents.

I like that Paul was not afraid of hard work!

He did not scam anyone either! He did not get fake hurt, claim disability and lay on the couch all day watching Judge Judy and wasting his life!

I understand there are legitimate needs and I’m not making light of that, but you and I both know that we have a lot of people in this day and age, who are scared to death of an honest job!

Folks, there are a lot of unhappy people out there, who would find much fulfillment and stop drainingpublic coffers, if they’d simply go get a job!

Their whole outlook on life would improve drastically, if they would just go get a job!

Paul kept busy!

Work in the day, and teaching the Scriptures at night!

For a year and six months he taught doctrine to those who wanted to learn!

We are going into outreach mode folks! This church has a job to do! I’m enjoying it!

And that wave, will be followed by personal Bible studies!

I pray some of that Paul spirit will rub off on us and soon we will be teaching Bible to everyone who will listen!

Stay in the will of God, no matter what!!!!

In chapter 21, we find Paul on his way to Jerusalem.

And the people he loves and trust tell him not to Go!

He goes anyway, because he knows it is the will of God.

Here’s what happened:

Acts 21:10–14 KJV 1900

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Paul knew that he knew he was in the will of God.

Even though it would mean imprisonment and suffering, Paul was not willing to remove himself from the perfect will of God, in order to escape the coming storms.

That’s what submission looks like folks! And trust!

Learn to trust God in all your decisions!

“In all thy ways aknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths!!!”

Paul showed us a certain greatness, in doing what was right even when everyone he loved begged him not to!

He knew he was in the will of God and that was enough for Paul!

What a lesson in life choices!!!!

When a decision needs to be made, be gracious and mind your manners!

Later in that chapter, Paul meets with James, the Bishop of the church there and James essentially tells him that the local situation is very tense with regards to all the gentiles coming to God. Even in the church, there was some tension.

You can read about it at leisure and you will find that Paul humbled himself and made a gracious gesture towards the Jewish elements of the church. It backfired through no fault of his own, and it landed him in prison, But he felt it was the right thing to do.

Folks, if anyone should have good manners, it should be us!

Mind your manners!

Treat your elders with respect!

Know how to talk to people!

Let your humor work for you and not against you!

Give honor to those who deserve it!

Consider others and their perspectives!

Know when to zip your lip and let others talk!

Be gracious and humble and noble! It’s the right thing to do!!!

And if you do it, your actions will elevate you in the esteem and trust of others!

You’ll be glad you were paying attention at Bible Study!

Know when to pick your battles!

At one point in his ministry, Paul had to run in order to escape danger!

His enemies knew he was in a certain city and shut it up tight!

But the saints lowered him from the battlements in a basket!

There’s another great lesson here on choices.

Folks, we ought to learn to pick our battles!

There’s a time to regroup and fight another day on a more strategic front!

Okay, so I’m at the last one, but before I go there, let me just remind us that when a life changing decision needs to be made, don’t make such a decision lightly!

Ask God for specific direction.

Consider all the stakeholders! Men, gain consensus with your spouse! Let the kids have input!

Counsel with your pastor. Any pastor worth his salt is going to pray with you for direction. His input may take some time.

That means if you’ve already made your choice and you’re just expecting him to green stamp it, that is not the way this works!

We’re not like doctors! When your pastor prays for you and feeds you God’s word, you don’t go asking for a second opinion, you simply recieve it!

And that’s how you should recieve his counsel even if you don’t like it!

The principle here is so big, that even if your pastor’s counsel is inaccurate, God will honor your obedience to a principle that is waaaay bigger than the people invovolved!

I don’t care what car or house you buy! This isn’t a cult!

I do care if a promtion is going to take you far away from the nearest Jesus Name church!

I do care if some opportunity is going to damage your ministry or sow the seeds of disaster in your marriage!

Thats when I surely do care!

When it comes to the big choices,

Weigh your pending decision against your Bible based principles.

And don’t jump until you feel peace!

When you have prayed and taken counsel and God blesses that with a sense of peace and hopeful extectation, then go for it!!!

But know this:

There are times that God does not give you specific direction on a given issue and you have to make the best choice given the information at hand.

If The Holy Ghost is not giving you specific direction on a certain issue, make the best choice you can with the facts that you have.

Okay, back in Jerusalem, things have come to a head! the gesture Paul made was not recognized and the mob was about to tear him apart Moussolini style!

That’s when the local Roman authority stepped in!

They were just stopping a riot, but learning that Paul was a Roman citizen and no criminal, the Chief Captain in charge of Roman forces in the city, had him locked up for his own satety!

Like any good soldier, he took a problem he couldm’t handle and sent it up the chain of command.

That meant sending Paul on a 60 mile journey to Ceaserea.

Oh the Jews wanted Paul dead!!!!

So much so, that forty plus men bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed him!

There was so much hate being directed at Paul, such tumult that the Romans used almost half of all the soldiers stationed in Jerusalem to get him out!

Rome took citizen status seriously! They gave Paul Protective custody.

When they found out that Paul was going to be murdered, they took steps to see it didn’t happen.

If Rome wants you dead, they’ll kill you themselves, thank you very much!

It took two hundred infantry, seventy cavalry troopers and two hundred spearmen, leaving under the cover of darkness to get Paul out of Jerusalem alive!

They took this innocent man to the governor Felix.

Felix was a dirty politician. Even though his accusers had no evidence to support their wild claims against Paul, Felix kept him in prison for two whole years, hoping to get a bribe.

Felix had seen that these Chritianss were big givers. Surely they would want to secure Paul’s release!

Well, no bribe was forthcoming and Felix was eventually replaced by Festus.

Just think about this for a moment. The Apostle to the Gentiles, a very busy and organized man, has the weight of millions of Gentile souls resting on his shoulders and the greed of a dirty politician has sidelined him for two whole years!

Can you imagine his frustration!

Perhaps he thought the situation would improve once a new Governer took over.

Not so.

Acts 25:1–12 KJV 1900

Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

The Jews had forgotten nothing!!! The moment new leadership came in, they went after Paul again!

As it happened, the new procurator, Festus needed to make a good impression and get things quiet and profitable for Rome, so when the Pharisees demanded that Paul be returned to Jerusalem for a trial there, He was gonna let them take Paul.

That’s when Paul made another choice. He had to.

He knew that he’d never survive the trip to Jerusalem, that only a knife in the ribs waited for him on that journey.

He knew there would be no justice if he did survive the trip and so he made his appeal to Caeser.

Roman law allowed any Roman citizen to appeal his case directly to Caeser.

This would likely mean months and years of imprisonment before the actual audience, at which point your case and life hung in the balance.

This was a last, last resort for any Roman, but it was better than an assasin’s blade.

So, Paul make the best choice that he could with the information he had.

And that’s what I really want to point out tonight.

Let me remind you that Jesus had himself appeared to Paul with instructions!

He had sent angels and visions and dreams to Paul many times prior. But it just so happens that God speaks when and where he wants to.

II. Conclusion

There are more to be found here and in your private study and I hope you do!

But for your consideration tonight, here’s a cheat sheet from Apostle Paul on making decisions:

1) Be willing to admit when you are wrong, and make a 180.

2) When Jesus speaks to you, do exactly what He says!

3) Ambassadors are trursted to make hard decisions.

4) Direct all Glory to the Lord of Lords!

5) Stay in the will of God, no matter what!

6) Be gracious and mind your manners!

7) Get a job!

8) Pick your battles!

9) If The Holy Ghost is not giving you specific direction on a certain issue, make the best choice you can with the facts that you have.

Finally, in the boook of 2 Timothy, Paul taught us one last lesson on making choices.

No matter what, stay faithful to God!

2 Timothy 4:6–8 KJV 1900

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.