Choices

Text: Proverbs 7:6-27 (NLT)

6 While I was at the window of my house, looking through the curtain,

7 I saw some naive young men, and one in particular who lacked common sense.

8 He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman, strolling down the path by her house.

9 It was at twilight, in the evening, as deep darkness fell.

10 The woman approached him, seductively dressed and sly of heart.

11 She was the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay at home.

12 She is often in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner.

13 She threw her arms around him and kissed him, and with a brazen look she said,

14 “I’ve just made my peace offerings and fulfilled my vows.

15 You’re the one I was looking for! I came out to find you, and here you are!

16 My bed is spread with beautiful blankets, with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.

17 I’ve perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning. Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,

19 for my husband is not home. He’s away on a long trip.

20 He has taken a wallet full of money with him and won’t return until later this month.”

21 So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery.

22 He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter. He was like a stag caught in a trap,

23 awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life.

24 So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words.

25 Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path.

26 For she has been the ruin of many; many men have been her victims.

27 Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death.

Introduction:

Video Intro: Students answering the question, “What is the worst decision you have ever made?”

Insert personal story of a time you got lost (humorous) or how a certain decision led to a destination.

How did I get there? I made a decision. These decisions lead to a destination.

If you don’t listen to anything else I say today, hear this: Every decision leads to a destination.

Think about it in car terms. If you turn right on a road, that road will lead you to a destination. If you turn left instead of right, it will lead you to a different situation. The same principle applies if you are on a walk or a hike. Every decision leads to a destination.

As obvious as that is when it comes to geography, this same principle applies in all areas of our lives.

When it comes to who our friends are, this is our decision. People don’t sign up to be your friend. We choose them. Our decisions, the friends we choose, will lead us to a destination. It may be a good destination or it might be a bad destination.

In our dating life, how far do we go physically? That is a choice you get to make. Your decision will lead to a destination.

Should I go to that party? Once again, you have a choice. Understand that every decision leads to a destination.

Every decision – should I drink, should I experiment with drugs, should I cheat on this test, should I talk back to my parents; all of these decisions will lead to a destination.

The big question is this: Where are your decisions leading you?

The reason I emphasis this so much is because for some of you now and for some of you in the future, you are going to look around and say, how did I get here?

The reason we will ask this is because our hopes and dreams are over here (point in one direction), but our decisions are leading us here (point in opposite direction) and that is not where we intended to end up.

Let me explain it this way. If my goal or my intention is to go to Texas, I’m packed, I’m ready, I’ve reserved a hotel, I pray before I leave (“help me get to Texas safely”), but then I make a decision to go south on I-75, I’m not going to end up in Texas.

One of my former students from the Tabernacle called me a few weeks ago. She sounded frantic. She lives in Sarasota but was trying to get to the Desoto Square Mall. She was told that Dillard’s had the prom dress she was looking for. Unfortunately, she was lost. She couldn’t find the mall. You see, she had come up US41 from Sarasota. When she got to the Cortez Road intersection she had a decision to make: do I go left or right. Unfortunately for her, she went left. She wound up out near the beach! Every decision has a destination. One wrong turn and she wound up way over here (point in one direction), when she wanted to be over here (point in opposite direction.)

On a more serious note, several years ago a friend of mine was speeding down Upper Manatee River Road (his first bad decision.) As he was creeping toward 60, 70, 80, 90 miles an hour, a dog walked into the street. He now had two more choices. He could either hit the dog, or he could swerve to try to avoid hitting him. He swerved, lost control of the car, crashed into a tree, and lost his life at the age of 20.

For some of us, we believe that our intentions, our goals trump our decisions, but that’s not true.

Once again, our decisions, (not our intentions, not our hopes and dreams,) our decisions will determine our destination.

To make this a little bit clearer I want to checkout an interesting story in the Bible, about a specific decision leading to a destination, and it illustrates the principle – we are talking about.

Proverbs 7:6-27 (NLT)

Read 6-20. You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to see where this story is going. If there were a soundtrack for this story, it would sound like this – (Play “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye)

But for Solomon watching this, the soundtrack would be more like this (Play “Theme from Jaws”)

The reason the soundtrack is different is because Solomon understood that every decision leads to a destination.

Read 21-22a. He followed her thinking, I am special, this is awesome, He says to himself “I am like a rock star– all eyes are on me, women can’t wait to hook up with me. This is like a dream come true!”

Solomon replies with this. Read 22b-23.

“No, no, that isn’t what is happening Solomon. My life is like the movies. I am the main man walking into a club. I am the party. Hey you, up there in the window, you are missing it, you are like my parents.”

This is just a date… no it’s a decision!

This is just a kiss… no it’s a decision!

This is just a party…no it’s a decision!

Every decision leads to a destination.

What Solomon is saying is this: you are focused on what you are doing, but I’m focused on where you are going.

You are focused on the immediate, the here and now. I’m looking at the destination, the future (tomorrow).

The guy in the story, like many of us, ends up at the wrong destination.

I know most of us don’t plan to end up at the wrong destination. The problem is that we don’t plan not to.

I don’t know many students who planned on: drifting away from God, getting pregnant, becoming an addict, losing their relationship with mom or dad, getting arrested, or ruining their reputation.

But I have met hundreds of students have made quick, naïve decisions without thinking how this might affect their future, only to have that impulse decision rob them of their future. (Pause here – let this sink in.)

Proverbs 28:26 (NLT) Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.

· Anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. Safe from what?

o Safe from guilt.

o Safe from some memories that haunt us.

o Safe from impurity.

o Safe from a bad reputation.

o Safe from a destination full of pain, hurt, and scars.

Solomon wanted this kind of safety for his sons. Listen to how he wraps this story up.

Read 24-27. Pay attention to this. He tells us not to wander. Don’t just make decisions on the fly. If you do, chances are you will make the wrong choice and because of that you will end up at the wrong destination.

Instead, decide where you want to be (in a week, a year, 5 years, as an adult, as a husband/wife, mom/dad, business person) and make decisions that will lead you to that destination.

I know that can be hard. That is like me saying, pick a destination – California, okay go west.

Let me give you something more practical to help you get to your intended destination.

What I am going to give you is a question and if you will ask this question, it will serve as a wisdom GPS.

Much like a car GPS, the wisdom GPS will help you to make the right choices and it will help you to get back on the right path if you should stray off it.

The Wisdom GPS question is this: What is the wise thing to do? (Repeat) Say that with me. What is the wise thing to do?

Based on where I have been, where I am at, and where I want to end up, what is the wise thing for me to do?

Should I go to that party? What is the wise thing to do?

Should I cheat on this test? What is the wise thing to do?

Should I sneak out and lie to my parents? What is the wise thing to do?

And when we don’t know what the wise thing to do is, the Bible tells us to ask for it!

James 1:5 (NLT) If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

In Ephesians 1, Paul prayed for the church to receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation.

If we walk in wisdom, do you know what the bible says will happen?

Proverbs 1:3 says we will live successful lives and know the right thing to do.

Proverbs 9:11 says that wisdom will multiply our days and add years to our life.

Proverbs 11:30 says that a wise person wins friends.

Proverbs 27:9 tells us we will be a good counselor to those around us.

Proverbs 28:26 says we will be kept safe from harm.

If wisdom produces all of this, isn’t it worth having?

If we can get where we want to go, rather than wind up of course, isn’t making the wise choice worth it?

The decision is up to you.

Every decision leads to a destination.

Conclusion:

Call to Christ:

Every decision leads to a destination. Your choice to accept Christ or deny Him will lead to your final destination. Heaven or Hell.

Wisdom GPS Challenge

How many would make a commitment for 48 hours to live our lives with the wisdom GPS on in our life? That when we are faced with a decision, large or small, that we would ask the question: What is the wise thing to do?

I’m not saying end at 48 hours. My hope is that this would become the practice of your life. That it wouldn’t be 48, hours, 48 days, or 48 months.

But first things first – who would do this for the next 48 hours?