Psalm 23:1-3 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths.”
Here’s my point…
We make small things
We build big things
If we are going to BUILD a PATH toward good decisions…
B — Begin with God
Proverbs 2:6 (CEV) “all wisdom comes from the Lord and so do common sense and understanding.” Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to man but in the end it leads to destruction.”
Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
U — Understand your why
Psalm 37:23-24 “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”
I — Identify all the facts
Proverbs 18:15 CEV “The heart of the prudent gets knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
Proverbs 13:16 LB “A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t and even brags about it!’
Proverbs 14:6 “The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.”
L — Listen to wise counsel
Proverbs 11:14 “Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.”
People who know
b. People who know you
c. People who can tell you no:
D.ecide and don’t look back
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Psalm 23:1-3 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths.”
3 benefits to being on the right path.
1. On the right path we receive the shepherds PROTECTION.
2. On the right path we experience true PEACE.
Duet 28:65 “You will have no rest among those nations and no place that is yours. The Lord will make your mind worried, your sight weak, and your soul sad. 66 You will live with danger and be afraid night and day. You will not be sure that you will live. 67 In the morning you will say, “I wish it were evening,” and in the evening you will say, “I wish it were morning.” Terror will be in your heart, and the things you have seen will scare you.
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, your rod and your staff they comfort me." 3. On the right path we can PROSPER.
Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life…” Psalm 24:3 “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.”
Psalm 37:11 “Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. 2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. 7 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. 8 Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. 9 For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. 10 Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. 11 The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity.”
2 questions to ask yourself to make sure you are staying on the right path
What am I DOING that I SHOULD NOT be doing?
What am I NOT DOING that I SHOULD BE DOING?
James 4:17 “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”
When I know who I am - I will know what to do. Ephesians 2:1-3 2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. Ephesians 2:4 But God is so rich in mercy, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you cant take credit for this; it is a gift from god. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 for we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good thing he planned for us long ago.
As God’s masterpiece you are created for the Master’s purpose.
Psalm 139:13-16 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Ephesians 2:10 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Matthew 22:36 - 40 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
As God’s masterpiece, you have everything you need, to do everything God wants you to do.
2 Peter 1:3 3By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. Romans 12:4-8 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
As God’s masterpiece, God uses everything in your life to bring about his purposes.
Romans 8:2 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Genesis 45:4-8 4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.[a]8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser[b] to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.
Jeremiah 18:1-3 8 A message from the Lord came to me. He said, 2 “Jeremiah, go down to the potter’s house. I will give you my message there.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house. I saw him working at his wheel. 4 His hands were shaping a pot out of clay. But he saw that something was wrong with it. So he formed it into another pot. He shaped it in the way that seemed best to him.
a. People see money differently. Proverbs 21:20 “The wise have wealth and luxury,
but fools spend whatever they get.”
b. Your finances determine your future. Proverbs 22:7 “The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.”
c. Decide what you want to do with your money.
Proverbs 4:26 “ Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.”
1. Sow some 2. Save some 3. Spend some 4. Share some
Fallacies
a. You married the perfect mate.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 “Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.”
Romans 3:23 “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
b. Marriage will solve all of your problems.
Ephesians 5:31 “As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.””
c. You will no longer struggle in the area of passion.
1 Corinthians 7:1-5 “Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations.[a] 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. 4 The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his life. 5 Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
Families
a. Marriage adds stress to families.
1 Corinthians 7:28b “However, those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems.”
1 Corinthians 7: 32-35 "32 I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. 33 But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. 34 His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.”
b. Marriage will require families to make major adjustments.
Matthew 19:5 “And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’”
c. Harmonious families are not automatic.
Proverbs 14:1 “A wise woman builds her home,
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.”
Ephesians 5:33 “So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
Psalm 56:8 “You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded every one in your book.
Lets start with 3 reasons we have problems with money…
1. We LOVE Stuff
Proverbs 27:20 (NCV) “People will NEVER STOP DYING and being destroyed, and they will NEVER STOP WANTING MORE THAN WHAT THEY HAVE.”
Ecclesiastes 5:10 NLT “Those who love money will NEVER HAS ENOUGH. How MEANINGLESS to think that wealth brings true happiness!”
2. We LACK Discipline
Proverbs 13:18 “whoever DISREGARDS DISCIPLINE comes to POVERTY and shame.”
3. We LIVE for the Now
Haggai 1:5-6 “Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
1. Change your OUTLOOK.
3 wrong outlooks on money…
A. Money will make me HAPPY.
Haggai 1:6 " You eat but you never have enough, you drink but you never have your fill."
B. Money will make me IMPORTANT.
Haggai 1:6 "you have planted much, but harvested little."
Proverbs 13:7 "some people pretend to be rich but really have nothing."
C. Money will make me more SECURE.
Haggai 1:6 "You put on clothes but you are not warm."
Proverbs 3:9 "Honor the Lord with your wealth."
2. Change your OUTGO.
Haggai 1:6 "You earn wages only to put them in pockets with holes in them"
Check this out… When we make money we should…
A. SOW it first:
Haggai 1:9-11 " You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands. ”
B. SAVE it second:
Proverbs 6:6 “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it STORES IT’S PROVISIONS IN SUMMER and gathers its food at harvest.”
C. SPEND it last.
3. Change your OUTCOME.
Haggai 1:12-13 “Then… the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord.”
What Keeps You Up At Night? Part 2 Hurts and Fears
Psalm 56:8 “You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded every one in your book.
Lose your HEAD.
I Samuel 21:12 “David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13 So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard. 14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me?
2. Lose your HEART.
Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…”
3. Lose your HOPE.
I Kings 19:3-5 “Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
Psalm 56:3 “ But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God.”
3 ways God brings strength and comfort.
1.Through HIS PEOPLE.
I Samuel 22:1 “So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam, where his brothers and other relatives soon joined him. 2 Then others began coming—those who were in any kind of trouble, such as being in debt, or merely discontented—until David was the leader of about four hundred men.
2. His PROMISES
Philippians 4:19 “My God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus”
Exodus 15:26 “I am the God who heals you”
Isaiah 26:2 “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
I Peter “Cast all your anxieties on Him for He cares for you”
Philippians 4:6 “ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
3. His PRESENCE Psalm 56:9 “The very day I call for help, the tide of battle turns. My enemies flee! This one thing I know: God is for me! 10-11 I am trusting God.”
