R1677 Making A Big Decision

God is interested in every decision we make large and small were headed in the book of Nehemiah chapter 2 just a minute with Dr. Don Wilton well-known author was pastoring today as he brings this message making a big decision. We want to know where here for you here to pray with you 24 hours a day at 866-899-WORD may be in the middle of a big decision would like to have a prayer partner agreeing together with you.

There is power agreement together in prayer. Feel free to call us at 866-899-9673 rather would love to connect with you on our website tewonline.org G while you're there, be sure and sign up for the daily encouraging email from Dr. Don that's online at T. W online.org. We would love when we began to embark on what God has put in a hall. I went to Monday's Lord what we say what you want to say to us from what is what is this interesting piece on the mantelpiece took me to Nehemiah Nehemiah chapter 2 in the month of Nisan in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes, when one was before him. I took up the wine gave it to the king, not not been said in his presence, and the king said to me why you face sad, seeing you are not sick.

This is nothing but sadness of the heart. Then I was very much afraid and I ceded to the king, let the king live forever. Why should not my face be said, when the city, the place of my father's graves lies in ruins and its gates are being destroyed by fire, then the King will say to me what you requested. So I prayed to the God of heaven, and I ceded to the king, if it pleases the king, and if your servant is found favor in your sight that you sing me to Judah to the city of my father's graves that I might read it and the king said to me with the queen sitting beside him. How long will you be gone when will you return said please the king to send me when I'd given him a time and I ceded to the king, if it pleases the king, let letters be given to me to the governors of the province beyond the river that they might let me parse through until I come to Judah later to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple and for the wall of the city and for the house that shall occupy and the king drawn to the water loss for the good gracious hand of my God was upon me. Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river and I gave them the king's latest. Now the king had seen me, accompanied by offices of the Army and horsemen of the cavalry, but in San Balla.

The horror night and told by the human mind servant hood.

This displeased great that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. So I went to Jerusalem and was there for three days making up a big decision look anybody need any further explanation about Nehemiah's big decision so wanted Nehemiah do just let's just put this in front was no one he humbled himself, we weave will never stop talking about in other words I've searched and searched and searched it very clear that Nehemiah did everything he could to make certain that he himself did not run interference on God, he humbled himself and James tells us very clearly is God resists the proud, if you are going before the Lord with a big decision be at your church be at that decision with that job be what you are going to give how you going to operate this starting point of absolute humility. God it's you. You are everything you have everything. Nothing I have belongs to you. How can you be prideful.

God resists the proud, if you are holding back on God with your service with your love with you giving you attitude God will resist you, but he gives grace to the humble. And by the way, the word grace. Among the many expressions of this move us that lies at the heart of God's holiness is the abundance flowing of God's blessings upon you. God will give you the flowing abundant blessings of himself upon you when you are humble, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble number two.

He approached the throne. Verse three and by the way the word the is approach the word approach when he came to the throne. It spoke very much of his attitude. The manner with which he approached God you know Jesus and in his ministry. And you and I love reading Jesus often shows us he shows us pictures of the Pharisee walking into the presence of God and say God just consider me for a minute and you know who I am. I have done this in my Belknap and you know this and I can preach and I can say all listen, I'm Lord Jesus shows us this. He approached the front number three, he prayed his and Stephen come up before, pray to the Lord. He prayed, he prayed it if if approaching the throne speaks to the man with which we come before God, praying is what we say to God, he prayed. Prayer is a conversation the dialogue between mortal sinful man holy and righteous God.

Can you imagine that you get a hold of that number four. He face the facts always face the facts were on you knob I wanted to put is my my point.

If you seeing the note up there on on the screen. I wanted to put the wanted to write it. He condescended the facts listen, you can consider the facts until the car comes on face the you you are a big decision to make face the fact they comes a time, stop considering you keep considering the facts that will grow whiskers and you forget which sides up. It's like ideas you can float ideas all day rangy an idea will just vaporize if you can't write it down.

Consider things done.

It's just an idea. People who succeed in life.

Don't just have good ideas they they they face. I come to terms with it. What big decision if you go to Mike face the facts of your decision. If I keep going back to this issue of who you marry as an illustration of that because it's big face the of you marrying and then living with that person for the rest of your life under the covenant of God. Excuse me for better for worse, lovely to talk about the better, for richer, for poorer, we love talking in marriage, about all the things we gonna be able to do. We don't want to talk about the things we may not be able to quantity due to number five. He surrounded himself with offices and I love that little thought. Verse nine Bible says. Now the king had seen with me offices of the Army and horsemen tomorrow is the fourth anniversary of the home cooling of Dr. Billy Graham. So I think about them a lot.

He was a member of our church for the loss. 10. 12 years of his life. We loved him and everybody knows MNEs lift an amazing legacy.

I want ever for the rest of my life to get his funeral and and all the things and I've watched this testimony, like so many faithful people in our own church and others that just lives on, you know, every now and again I think of things and when I was studying this I remembered one of those many occasions just he and me, and I remember him telling me on and you know what I love about your church what Mr. Graham he said you know I'm not able to be there in person, but I'm a member of yours. He said it just seems to me that you just surrounded by incredible people. On one occasion I took his Sunday school teacher, not like to give you his name but he would not be pleased because it sounds like a but I took Mr. Graham's Sunday school teacher. He was a member of the old boys of the new boys of forget what the name of the site. He love the thought that he was a member of the Sunday school so yeah he was, remote, and he couldn't be here in person, but he boy he he had to know every week what was being told to. So I carried his Sunday school teacher who I think is listening to me right now up to see Mr. Graham and the next time I went up the he said to me you are so blessed. I think about what I knew he was going to tell me how is grace because of me. He said man.

That man does to mean that you brought up. You mean you've good man like that who are counseling unit advising you loving you see this thing about the offices of the Army. Did you see the second part, the cavalry, the cavalry Genesis celebration. The cavalry sky had these people had a big decision to make surrounded himself with offices God did it for him number six. Wish I didn't have to mention this, he encountered the enemy. He did encountered the enemy is not the questions he encountered, not the construction it's not the better color over this, that's always talking about. There were three people. Sam Ballack toe by indicium. I don't have time to get in all of this.

Who were they they were three governors who served directly and under the Persian king hello the Persian king. Their allegiance was not to God it was to the Persian king of besides that there is not a single thing that the devil ever locks about what the church does little, in whom we represent.

He encountered the enemy in the number seven. He activated his faith.

He activated his faith.

Verse 11. I love verse 11 will probably come back to next week so I went to Jerusalem. I love that that's like no other big decision blogs told you what get on with forgive the interruption but haven't we all been caught in that analysis paralysis. The Lord leads day. My dad used to remind delayed obedience is disobedience to God's told to do something.

We love to pray with you about that. You can reach us at the 866-899-WORD number any time again that numbers 866-899-9673 or connect with us online@twonline.org that's tewonline.org RG you will discover wonderful resources like this I can now what to sit at the feet of Dr. Billy Graham spring so many right in every sector put down Saturday's my focus this relationship never violating any just sharing the life this man that God touched used the wound to reach so many people from Christ brains of prisons and prime minister. You don't want to miss this. It is personal and double the blessings that flow from God's servant, Billy Graham and that's one of many many resources on our website at tewonline.org RG that's TW online.org now back today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. The big decision God's told you what to do, get on with it can lose the going in circles never get down the river. So what does this teach us cannot just give you a couple of things to think about Arad ready couple of things to think about making big decisions number one, they all big decisions to make in your life as a believer, we will have are you the one is gonna determine whether they fall into the category of big because all decisions are important. Everything we do as believers, as we live out our lives occupies number one focus God is interested in the smallest detail of your life, but they were something that all big cannot does anybody think poorly of me saying that. So you going to college next year.

I'm just gonna say to you, because I'm I'm just going to tell you this so you trying to choose this college.

This that my friend is a big decision. You better make sure if you're a believer you put God in the same truth. These decisions, that's a big decision, and it can have long-term consequences. There big decisions number two I go to save us some decisions need to be big decision. Perhaps today you're treating a decision that you have to make as a not so very important. Big decision. Some decisions need to be big decisions number three have a pure heart.

When you do with big decisions. The nature of a big decision will run interference on your human heart. Make sure you got a pure heart, you can all look at me and Simon would get so tired of you saying I want you to get tired of this this morning when I left my study to walk into this century to be caught up in the spirit of God.

I because I'm trying to impress you. Obviously I got my Bible and I go to my kneeling bench and I said Lord Jesus just please forgive me of my sin. I wouldn't know right to say anything on the worsen among anybody.

I failed you on so many of my big decisions. What what qualifies me to say some I'm just telling you as simplistic as that may sound odd, big God that when I walk in here and open the Bible that that I have a pure heart. How does that happen. It's through the spirit of God by the power of God taking hold of the righteousness of God in us.

Our blamelessness is not it's the imputed righteousness of Christ. We always say what can I do for the Lord not know know it's what the Lord does for us.

It's not what we do for him might show you what a pure heart, go to big decision number four. This is about what this teaches us, always remember that prayer is not seeking an option you a big decision, you pray to God you not asking God for options. By the way, you can eliminate that little wood option as far as God like you are saying to God. Lord, would you kinda give me and consider what you might think you might do you not cost you got prayer is not an option. Seeking mean prayer is a direct request because God is all-knowing he's there so much longer before you and I even thought we'd get got us in the palm of his hand. Praise not an option. Don't go to God in citing Lord, would you give me options here. Now we could open up a wonderful discussion on God's permissive will and God's divine because these are very pertinent question. Don't pray to God with options in mind, pray to God because he's God asking what it is he wants you to do. Number five.

What is this teach us.

God will always provide the cavalry. You got a big decision you got maybe you don't need to look any further than your mom or dad right now God will provide the God will place those elders, those leaders those men and women around you. Those godly people as teachers listen this today. We've got all these incredible families. Parents I mean the FCA basketball league. Do you know that with baseball coming up in this church. We've got record responses going on right now and the bottom line of this is I look at all those coaches I seal these boys and girls in God's providing the cavalry the teachers the coaches you never alone you not alone in what you doing your aloneness.

If you take hold of that translates into your own foolishness because God loves you too much and God is raised up my keen men and women of God that your offices of the Army in the cavalry that accompany every step of the way number six. The enemy is alive is not a single thing about Satan, that Antichrist that has anything that pleases him about any facet of God Jehovah through the Lord Jesus Christ, the son, and by his spirit. Are you kidding me. God doesn't want you to marry the right person.

Satan doesn't want you to marry the right person.

Satan doesn't want you to go to the right school site doesn't want you to make that purchase. In the right place. Satan doesn't want you to succeed the way he designs for you.

Satan doesn't want you to open your heart and do not want you to do that and he's gonna bring into your life. Sam balance the gonna whisper in your ear.

But in a walk around and they gonna try to get a company of committed people to join with them to raise up all means I gonna legislate tried everything from the White House to the state house to tell you you're bad and you left after your in the rearview mirror.

God spoke to me and my house we also making a big decision number seven, seven point when God says go go dillydallying for the next 10 years, sometimes in making big decisions you've done doggy paddle now for how long, how how long is it been since you've made the decision you need. You know you need to make it. What more do you want to do what more does God go to site your love the Lord Jesus.

Your counsel is a telling you affirming what's going on you being honorable in every way. Even in the context of you human, to the best of your spiritual understanding God's told you what to do. Good morning good on that big decision. The quicker you will fulfill long, you'll end up at the end of your life.

I wish I could, if only I had gone to such great plans for you and one big decision bring this start a look at the end of the line, you go right throughout the Scriptures. Big decisions bring you value his with me me tell you about the biggest decision anybody at any time in the entire life Pastor Mike biggest decision to put their faith and trust in Jesus, God loves babies life and buys that the biggest decision because this issue of conversion. The salvation Jesus lives in you receive abundant life of Christ. Everything comes brain biggest such a powerful challenge in such tremendous teaching from God's word from God sermon Dr. Don Wilton hurt him as he's been teaching from the pulpit, leading us through the book of Nehemiah.

But right now I pray you open your heart what he wants to share next well hello again my friends are you ready to give your life to Christ, you know you been listening like this God has been speaking and he's speaking to your heart. I'd love to help you give your life to Christ right now. I pray this prayer make this your pray because you know that God nodded and he hears our prayer. Pray this prayer with me. Dear God, I know that you love me very much.

I believe Jesus came and died on the cross just for me, that he gave his life for me right now. I confess my sins, but right I receive you into my heart, my life in Jesus name I pray.

Well if you prayed that prayer right now in just a moment, we can send you some information. I want you to listen real carefully because you can take note of.

We've got the means by which we can connect together. I want to connect with you because you're part of my family are part of the family of God.

You are my brother, my sister in Christ, God bless you today. If you've been doing business with God, perhaps even praying along with Dr. Wilton. Moments ago to give your life to Jesus or we dedicate your life to Christ. Dr. Wilton wants to pray for you and put resources in your hands that will help you grow in your faith. You can call us right now it 866-899-WORD that's 866-899-9673. Dr. Don would love to have us send you these resources and would love to pray for you.

He also love to hear your story.

You can feel free to email him Don Dio in at tewonline.org every day. It's a blessing to hear how God is using the word in your