How to Make Wise Decisions
Throughout our lives we are confronted with the necessity of making many decisions. The nature of these decisions varies considerably. Each decision which is made has a direct bearing, to some extent, on one's life. The impact of decision making can weigh a person down rather heavily at times. Each day everyone makes at least one decision, whether it be trivial or monumental in nature. The latter type are those of utmost importance as they are the ones which not only affect our present lives the most, but more importantly, they most likely will affect our future status in Yahweh's coming Kingdom.
Man's First Decision
Man made his first decision in the Garden of Eden. We read in Gen. 3 how Eve was beguiled by the most cunning of all Yahweh's living creatures and chose to eat of the forbidden fruit, as did Adam also. What a monumental decision they made ― one which affected all succeeding generations of human beings! And because of this unwise decision, they were driven from the Garden of Eden so that they could not eat of the tree of life and live forever. Even then Yahweh gave a prophecy and a promise concerning Yahshua (verse 15), Who was to experience temporary sufferings but yet will completely destroy Satan and his works.
For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, Hebrews 2:14.
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Yahweh was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil, 1 John 3:8.
Here an important lesson should be learned by each human being. Just because something is pleasing to the eyes (senses) in no way justifies a commitment on our part to partake of it, especially when the Scriptures command against it.
Noah's Decision
At a time in history when "the wickedness of man was great in the earth and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5), Yahweh chose to destroy all the creatures He had created. But because "Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh" (Gen. 6:8), Yahweh committed unto Noah and his family the construction of an ark. To the wicked incorrigibles of the Cain family, this building of a ship must have seemed quite futile. Because of their wickedness they did not know Yahweh nor could they have fully comprehended what was about to happen. Noah had to make this important decision to engage in the construction and receive the warning of the impending destruction of all life but his, his family's, and the animals saved in the ark. By faith in Yahweh, he obeyed. He built the ark and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith,
Thus did Noah; according to all that Yahweh commanded him, so did he, Genesis 6: 22.
By faith Noah, being warned of Yahweh of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith, Hebrew 11:7.
How important it is for everyone to obey all of Yahweh's Words!
And Then Came Abraham
Many people have, for one reason or another, moved from place to place in search of new and better things. The decision to do so was most likely their own and the reason, many times, was of a personal, rather than a practical, nature. At times it may be difficult to do so because of the friends one makes and of the home that has been established. This type of decision Abram had to make. But his decision to relocate was not motivated by personal reasons, but because Yahweh told him to,
Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee, Genesis 12: 1.
So Abram, by faith, obeyed Yahweh's voice and left,
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went, Hebrews 11:8.
Are you willing to do as Abram did? If you have not thought about it, you should. Just as Yahweh called Abram out of the land of Chaldea, Yahweh is calling us to come out of Babylon, out of pagan worship, out of darkness into His marvelous light,
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light, 1 Peter 2:9.
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, Revelation 18:2.
This important decision will be placed before us and we will have to decide which is stronger: our love for earthly treasures or heavenly treasures and our love for earthly friends or our love for Yahweh. This decision will indeed be crucial to you since earthly friends and earthly treasures are only temporary. We should set our goals on heavenly things which are permanent, which will last forever.
Is your status in this society so fixed that if you were to change your present mode of living to one of serving Yahweh that you would fear losing friends or loved ones? If so, then the desires of your heart are not oriented properly. In serving Yahweh, one will gain many new friends and many new loved ones whose friendship and love are of such a new and deeper dimension that you will be simply thrilled at the joy you will experience.
Abraham was also required to make a second, and even more traumatic, decision. The story unfolds in Genesis 22 where Yahweh was to prove Abraham's obedience by requiring him to take his son, Isaac, to the land of Moriah and there to offer him as a burnt sacrifice,
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Hebrews 11:17.
It should be remembered that Abraham waited 100 years before Isaac was born (Gen. 21:5) and that he loved him very much. As we know, Isaac did not die at this time, for the precise moment when Abraham was about to slay Isaac, an angel of Yahweh restrained him because Yahweh knew that Abraham was willing to offer his son. And because Abraham obeyed the voice of Yahweh, he and his seed were blessed. Yes, indeed, what a decision Abraham had to make! But he did make the right one for Abraham obeyed Yahweh's voice (Gen. 22:18; 26:5) as we should.
The Moabites, descendants of Moab, the son of the elder daughter of Lot, were, generally speaking, not a martial people, as were the descendants of his cousin, Ammon. Their destructive capacity was not from the outside by physical force but from the inside by means of moral corruption and having their daughters seduce the Israelites into committing adultery, Numbers 25. This was not true of Ruth, a Moabitish woman, who married a son of Elimelech. Elimelech was from Bethlehem-judah who came with his wife and two sons to Moab because of a famine and lived there about ten years. When the three men died, Naomi, Elimelech's wife, contemplated returning to her native country. Ruth was very persuasive,
And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy Elohim my Elohim. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her, Ruth 1:16-18.
Ruth was permitted to accompany Naomi back to Bethlehem. Here we see that Ruth made a decision, like Abram did, to leave her parents and her native land, to journey to a country to take up residence among a strange people. Her venturing to a new country was for a good reason. When Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem, they stopped at the land which was owned by Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi. We read, in chapters 3 and 4 of Ruth, that Ruth became the wife of Boaz only afer Boaz purchased all that belonged to Elimelech and his sons after Naomi's nearest kinsman had chosen not to exercise his legal right. Compare Ruth 4:5 -10 with Deut. 25:5 -9. Ruth, a Gentile woman from the land of Moab, was the great-grandmother of David. Here we see an important fact established in that Ruth, a foreigner or stranger, was permitted entry into the natural legal line in the genealogy of Yahshua. This is analogous to our times in that all people of any nationality, Jews and Gentiles alike, are permitted the opportunity of entering into Yahweh's Kingdom.
A Foolish Decision
Samuel, judge of Israel and prophet of Yahweh, grew old. The elders of Israel became discontent, because Samuel's two sons, who also were judges over Israel, did not walk with Yahweh but perverted judgment. The elders desired to have a king who would judge them and build an army like neighboring nations. The elders could not wait patiently for Yahweh's King, the Messiah, but wanted one immediately so that they would be like all the other nations. See 1 Samuel 8. In verses 10 -18 Samuel tells the people what it would be like to have a human king. But the people could not be dissuaded. They were being influenced by the outside world and desired to be like them — of conforming to their ways rather than the ways of Yahweh. They began to think that the ways of man are better than the ways of Yahweh.
But history itself points a finger at the fallacy of this reasoning. Even though we are to obey the laws of the land we can only permit the world to influence us up to the point where our religious convictions are threatened. Then we must take a stand ― we must make a choice: to follow Yahweh or man,
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey Yahweh rather than men, Acts 5:29.
Knowing that we are not to love this world but rather are to overcome this world, the choice should be obvious. Read 1 John 5:4 -5; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; Rev. 3:5, 12, 21; and Rev. 21 :7.
Let Yahweh Make Your Decisions
There are certainly many other examples of decision making which are recorded for us in the Scriptures, some made by a single person, some by a nation, with the results of some being good while the results of others were not so good. History also records for us how futile and disenchanting the results of decision making can be if it is based on man's reasoning rather than letting Yahweh be the leader. One should use the Scriptures as lessons by which to guide our lives. One should desire to follow the example given by Yahshua's life so that He will abide in us and help us in making the decisions which are best for us in the long run. Even though our lives may seem unbearable at times because of the sufferings we must go through, we know that if we are obedient to His Word to the end then we shall reign with Him in His glorious Kingdom. This is the ultimate reward of those who look to Yahweh for the wisdom to make right decisions.
-Elder Roger G. Meyer
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2963 County Road 233, Kingdom City, Missouri 65262
View us online at: www.YAIY.org
Call Toll Free: (877) 642-4101
Main Line : (573) 642-4100