Biblical Decision-Making
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In this episode...
Biblical Decision-Making
https://faithfulontheclock.captivate.fm/episode/biblical-decision-making
Timestamps:
[00:04] - Intro
[00:38] - The biggest mistake people make when it comes to Biblical decision-making is putting scriptures on the table and God in a closet.
[02:04] - Make sure you are bringing the One who gave the Word on board. Make sure you are glorifying Him in your choices, rather than just yourself. Real-time prayer is one of the best ways to do this.
[03:14] - People tend to cherry-pick scriptures. Use the whole Bible and see the big picture of your situation, too (get all the facts!).
[04:29] - Be open to the idea that God will fly in the face of your facts or data sometimes.
[05:48] - Avoid black-and-white thinking and accept that God might reveal more to you. Even if things are cloudy to you, trust that they are clear to Him.
[07:06] - Scripture often will contradict what the world tells you. Don’t be afraid to listen to the Word rather than the world.
[09:26] - Don’t get overly controlled by time. Trust that God will allow you the time necessary to make the best decision and that His timeline is correct, regardless of what the world barks at you.
[11:07] - You might be asked through scripture to make a decision that puts you out of your element. Embrace that challenge and see it as an opportunity to grow.
[12:25] - Consider should versus can any time you are consulting the Word for a decision. Should must always precede can — just because you have the technical ability to do something doesn’t mean it is the right choice.
[15:21] - Prayer
[15:57] - Outro/What’s coming up next
Key takeaways:
- The biggest mistake people make with Biblical decision-making is using scripture but leaving God out of the picture. It’s critical to step back and ensure you are including and glorifying Him and that you are not simply serving your own ego. Real-time prayer can be enormously helpful for this purpose.
- Good Biblical decision-making means seeing the entirety of the Word rather than cherry-picking the scriptures we like or agree with. We must get all the facts and consider the entire context around the choice to be made. But there might be times when you have to simply listen to God rather than the available data — even experts don’t know everything He does. We must also be careful not to lapse into black-and-white thinking, which can prevent us from interpreting the Word properly during the decision-making process. Remember that even when things aren’t clear to you, they’re clear to God.
- What scripture tells you to do can directly contradict what the world tells you to do. Don’t allow cancel culture, fear, etc. to stop you from fighting for the right thing. Remember that different action is a good thing — your fruit will distinguish you to others as a follower of Jesus.
- You likely will be tempted to hurry through decisions given the competitive, rushed nature of the business world. But remember that God’s timing is both different than ours and perfect. He will reveal what you need when you need it. Focus on making the best decision, not necessarily the fastest one.
- As you strive to use scripture to make choices, try to lean into what will challenge or grow you. Aim for what will allow you to serve in new ways.
- Should and can are very different things. Should involves values, ethics, or morality, whereas can involves capability. Don’t do something just because you can. Do it because you should. Many scripture stories, such as the tale of Elijah and Jezebel, offer a warning that moving forward just because you have the ability can bring dire consequences if you are not seeking what is right in the eyes of God.
CTAs:
- Identify the three most important decisions you need to make in the upcoming week.
- Find at least one Bible verse that’s relevant to the decisions you identified.
- Pray and seek counsel from at least one other person on the three decisions you have to make.
What’s coming up next:
If skills and knowledge are equal, it’s increasing visibility that helps you win out. Episode 96 of Faithful on the Clock explains how to make selecting someone else over you unthinkable.
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113 episodes