Becoming Skillful in Making Right Choices. Prov 1:20-33/2Chronicles 18-20

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1 Prov 1:20-33/2Chronicles 18-20

2 RECAP When the Scriptures speak of Wisdom it is the scriptures way of teaching us how to develop LIFE SKILLS FOR LIVING LIFE SUCCESFULLY.

3 RECAP Two Kinds of Wisdom James 3: Earthly 2.Heavenly The Fundamental Element Of Wisdom The Fear of the Lord Job 28:28(GW) The fear of the Lord is wisdom!

4 RECAP Life Encounters Life Encounters involve unpredictable challenges, situations, problems and issues that occupy our lives on a daily basis. These are contrasting occurrences that constantly confront us while challenging us to make the right godly decisions

5 RECAP People Encounters People Encounters consist of the wide assortment of people with character disorders we come upon every day of our lives. These are people with contrasting dispositions that we constantly confront as challenges that place us in position to make godly decisions.

6 The Choices/Decisions of the Unskillful An unskillful (unwise) person usually makes choices according to the INCLINATION toward their present encounter (whether a life encounter or people encounter) Inclination is a tendency to tilt in a direction favorable toward the emotions, mind (thoughts) or will which is triggered by the encounter

7 23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' 24 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. Jeremiah 7:23-24 (NKJV)

8 A. The Choices /Decisions of the Skilled The skillful person usually makes choices according to the INCLINATION toward the Word of God/Fear of the Lord 57 May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, 58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers. 1 Kings 8:57-58 (NKJV)

9 A. Today s Choices of Inclination can/will effect your future outlook (Destiny) 1. Cain made the decision to kill - Gen 4:4-8 a. Results: Cursed from the ground, became a fugitive & wanderer. Was force to leave the Presence of the Lord 2. Saul made a decision to disobey - 1 Samuel 8:57-58 a. Results: Saul s Kingdom will not be permanent as intended. God would replace him with another after His heart. 3. The Widow (Elijah) made a decision to obey -1 Kings 17:10-16 a. Results: The jar of flour never emptied. Oil never ran out. Elijah, the widow and her family ate for quite a long time

10 DEVELOPING LIFE SKILLS FOR MAKING RIGHT CHOICES 1. We must be committed to renewing our thinking! a. We do this by consistently acquiring the right knowledge about God/Christ and you've become a new person. This new person is continually renewed in knowledge to be like its Creator. Col 3:10 (GW) 2. We must train ourselves in the Fear of the Lord. Come, children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the LORD. PS 34:11 (GW) The fear of the Lord is the teaching of wisdom. Prov 15:33 (BBE)

11 DEVELOPING LIFE SKILLS FOR MAKING RIGHT CHOICES 3. We must be willing to obey God & His word at all cost Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 1 Sa 15:22 (ESV)

12 A.YOU CAN RECOVER FROM BAD CHOICES 1.You normally do this by excepting REBUKE (Correction) Those who refuse correction hate themselves, but those who accept correction (rebuke) gain understanding. Prov 15:32 (NCV)

13 Jehoshaphat & Choices 2Chron Jehoshaphat makes a bad choices (2 Chron18:14-27) Jehoshaphat s bad choice nearly cost him everything (2Chron 18:30-32) Jehoshaphat took his rebuke to heart (2Chron 19:1-10) Jehoshaphat receives favor/good report (2 Chronicles 20:29-30 )