Decisions Have Descendants                  10/20/2019

Whether we like it or not our decisions will populate the future!

For instance, two men lived in the state of New York during the first half of the 1700’s.  One was Max Jukes and the other was Jonathan Edwards, each had numerous descendants and a lasting legacy:

Max Jukes

Did not believe in Christ

Refused to take his children to church, even when they asked him to go

He had 1026 descendants

300 were sent to prison (average incarceration 13 years)

190 were public prostitutes

680 were admitted alcoholics

His family cost the state of New York $420,000 by the time the article was written

Jonathan Edwards

Loved the lord and had his children in church every Sunday

Had 929 descendants

420 were ministers

86 were University professors

13 were University Presidents

75 authored good books

7 were elected to Congress

1 was Vice-President of the United States

His family never cost the state one dime, yet contributed immeasurably to our country

The Potential Factor  

Every decision will release its energy upon the future!

Our thoughts carry potential and our decisions release it!

As a young boy I was taught to shoot a gun.  The fact of the power and range of my ammunition was stressed every time I was allowed to fire a weapon.  

The Cardinal Rule in the decision to fire was:

“check downrange- make sure of your target!”

With this in mind:

Let’s consider for a moment…

…Eve beside the tree

…Cain alone with Abel

…Moses seeing what looks like a bush on fire

…Moses, a rod and a rock

…Caleb and Joshua-what to report?

…Abraham and Sarai- thinking maybe Hagar might       

           be God’s answer

…David deciding to stay home from battle 

…A rich young ruler struggling with his investments

…Jesus weighing the Father’s will against His own

… Pilot deciding not to decide

…Ananias and Saphira deciding to lie

It’s plain to see from these few examples that;

The momentous often is hiding amidst the mundane!

It’s very obvious that a different decision in each case would have resulted in a very different outcome!

Question:

Is there any significant personal decision I can casually dismiss as “no big deal”?

I saw a quote one time I thought said it well:

“Life is what happens while you are planning more important things.”

Question:  How am I going to live with the pressure, considering the fact that my decisions will have such a major impact on the future?

Thankfully, as believers, we have a massive amount of principles and promises from the Lord that assure us of His ever-present guidance and interest in leading us toward good results.  His repeated promises of provision, protection, direction and even redemption and restoration not only make decision making less stressful but potentially exciting!

So, as a first order of business… FEAR NOT! 

Let’s look at a very small sample of the many promises the lord has given to those of us who seek His direction…

These three verses provide what I refer to a kind of general “Atmospherics” to bear in mind as we approach a life filled with decisions…

…Psalm 119:105… (immediate and intermediate direction from God’s word)

…Galatians 5:16… (invites us to walk in the Spirit to avoid fleshly mistakes)

…Philippians 2:13… (indicates that God is at work in a submitted heart to provide the desire and ability to accomplish His will)

…Proverbs 2 and 3… (provide a beautiful guide to the attitudes and activities that will result in God’s direction, protection and wisdom in light of the choices we face)

Let me leave you today with a checklist of situations and attitudes I have identified in the Scriptures and in my experience that I hope you will consider when contemplating a decision.

Be careful about decisions made WHEN…

…You’re feeling weary, hungry, ill or otherwise physically distressed.  (Esau… Genesis 25:29-34; Jesus… Matthew 4:1-11)

…You’re feeling devastated, overwhelmed and hopeless.

(Job… Job 2:7-10; The 10 Spies…Numbers 13:31-14:4; Saul…I Samuel 28:5-20)

…You’re being influenced by unusually strong emotions.

(Samson…Judges 16:4-20; The Disciples…Luke 9:54-56)

…You’re feeling self-satisfied or flattered.

(King David…II Samuel 11:1-17; Herod…Acts 12:21-23)

…You make assumptions based on previous success (yours or other’s).  (Israel…Numbers 14:40-45; Paul… Acts 16:6-7; Seven Sons of Sceva…Acts 19:14-16)

…You’ve not properly counted the cost.  (Tower builders…Luke 14:28-30; Adulterers…Proverbs 5:1-23)

…You feel you just need to DO something!  (Abram…Genesis 16:1-12; Saul…I Samuel 13:9-14)

…You’re recovering from a major loss or suffering from significant levels of depression or confusion.  (James 1:8; I Corinthians 14:33)

…You’re tempted to act out of anger, revenge or jealousy.  (Moses…Numbers 20:7-12; An angry man…Proverbs 19:19; 27:4; Absalom…II Samuel 13-18)

… God seems far away due to prayerlessness and broken relationship.  (King Saul…I Samuel 28:5-8; Judas…Matthew 27:3-5)