MAKING WISE CHOICES: SACRIFICE BY FAITH OR SATISFACTION OF FEELINGS


 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

(Hebrews 11:25-27)

MAKING WISE CHOICES: 

SACRIFICE BY FAITH OR SATISFACTION OF FEELINGS

  • We all make choices
  • What do you think are most important decisions in life? 
  • You don't choose your parents but you choose who will be your life time partner. 
  • You don't choose your physical characteristics, but you can choose to be physically healthy, build your body through exercise.  
  • You don't choose to be born in flesh on earth, but you can choose to be born again in spirit to enter heaven. 
  • You may not be born rich but you can choose to strive to be successful person in the course you take. 
So if you would choose 3 important decisions in life, what would that be? 
  1. The right course, vocation, or work that you would undertake to be able to serve others with your best and be successful. 
  2. The right companions that you would have that would motivate you to serving God with your best and the right partner in life who aims to glorify God. 
  3. The greatest decision in life is to accept Christ by faith and to grow in Him, and be useful for His glory, Mark 8: 36.  
These goals are very idealistic: 
  1. You want to be successful in this life. 
  2. You want to marry the right person. 
  3. You want to be saved and not go to hell. 
I tell you these things are not going to happen in your life unless you make the right decisions!!! 

  1. If you don't truly accept Christ as Lord and Savior. 
  2. If you don't strive to improve in your personal life and work. 
  3. If you prioritize spending your life with the wrong person. 
    • You will have a trouble some family
    • No blessed children
    • No children at all. 
A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.
(Psalms 128:1-3)


I.  OUR CHOICE IS NOT BASED ON SATISFACTION OF FEELINGS. 

  1. To enjoy pleasure is not wrong if it is not sinful. (Psalm 16:11; 36:8; Jer. 29:11; John 10:10; 15:11) 
  2. To enjoy pleasures is wrong if it is sinful ( Luke 8:14; 2 Tim. 3:4; Titus 3:3; Rom.1:32).
  3. To enjoy pleasures that makes us losers at the end is wrong.  (Prov.14:15; 16:25)
  4.  To enjoy pleasures that hurt our Christian testimony and influence is wrong (Mat.5:16).
II. OUR CHOICE OF RIGHT DECISION INVOLVES DETERMINATION AND SACRIFICE.
  1. It is not easy, Mat. 7:13-14.
  2. There is always a struggle: 
    • Of pride, Prov.16:18.
    • Of shame, Mark 8:38.
    • Of feelings, 1 John 3: 20; Prov.28:26
    • Of desires, Rom.7:15; Psa.37:4
    • Against temptations, 1 Cor. 10: 13
    • Concerning praise of man, John 12:43; Mat.19: 16-26.
  3. There must be determination:
    • Not mine will but thine
    • Lay aside every sin , Heb 12: 1
    • Look to Jesus, v.2
    • Forget behind, Phil 3: 13
    • Press toward the mark, v.14
    • This one thing I do, v. 14. 
  4. There must be sacrifice (Rom.12:1-2; 2 Cor. 4:16; Heb.11:26).
III. OUR CHOICE IS TO PLEASE GOD BY FAITH. 
  1. We live to please God, 1 Cor.6:20; Col.3:23-24;Phil1:21; Gal. 2:20.
  2. We please God by faith, Heb.11:6; Rom.14:23;James 1:5-8.
CONCLUSION

When we make right choices, God will bless us:
  • Abraham Tested, Gen.22
  • Joseph Tempted
  • Moses
What about you?


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