CAN YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND?

Jos. 24:14-18.

INTRO:

1. Indecision is a great consumer of time and can be very dangerous.

2. Decision is necessary in sports, in jobs, in purchasing, in choosing a companion for life, and in every other activity of physical life.

3. Even more important is the decision that we must make in our spiritual life.

4. We cannot afford to be unstable or undecided in our spiritual life. We must make up our minds and act upon our decision.

A. James tells us that a double-minded man will receive nothing of the Lord. Jas. 1:8.

I. THE BIBLE REQUIRES OR CALLS UPON PEOPLE TO MAKE CHOICES.

Exo. 32:26; Deut. 30:15-20; 1 Kgs. 18:21.

A. A donkey stood between two stacks of hay trying to decide which one to eat from first. He could not make up his mind and starved to death because of indecision.

B. Two donkeys were tied together between two stacks of hay and begin to pull against one another, the one for one stack and the other for the other stack.

1. After a time they made a decision. That both should eat from the one stack and then go to the other. In other words, pull together.

II. EVIL OR UNWISE CHOICES THAT WERE MADE:

A. People refused to enter the ark in Noah's day. Gen. 7:21.

B. Lot made a foolish choice by pitching his tent toward Sodom. Gen. 13:10-13.

C. Some people choose to hate knowledge or should we say they hate what it takes to get it. Prov. 1:20-33; Hos. 4:6-10; 2 Tim. 2:15.

1. Some do not know how to divide the word. 2 Tim. 2:15.

2. Some Christians do not know how to tell a person what to do to be saved and where to find it in the Bible. 1 Pet. 3:15.

D. The multitude chose to have a murderer released to them rather than Christ. Mt. 27:17-20.

1. Evil companionships corrupt good morals. 1 Cor. 15:33, in other words, evil companions will entice us to make wrong choices.

E. The rich young ruler chose riches rather than salvation. Mk. 10:21, 22.

F. The rulers chose to have glory of men rather than to confess Christ. Jno. 12:42,43.

1. A fear of not being popular among our associates causes us many times to choose evil rather than good. Exo. 23:1-3.

G. Ananias and Sapphira chose lying over truth. Acts 5.

H. Demas chose to be a worldly person. 2 Tim. 4:10.

I. Diotrephes chose to have the pre-eminence. 3 Jno. 9.

J. If a child darts across the road in front of your car you must make an immediate decision.

III. WISE AND GOOD CHOICES

Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses.

A. Joshua made a good choice. Jos. 24:15.

B. Choose the way of faithfulness and truth. Psa. 119:30.

C. Choose a good companion. Prov. 12:4; 19:14; 31:10-31.

D. Choose to have a good name. Prov. 22:1.

E. Choose to be a Christian. Acts 11:26.

CONCLUSION:

1. The choice you make now may determine your eternal destiny.

2. Can you make up your mind and act upon your decision?

3. You WILL make a decision, a choice now, whether it be to accept or reject Christ.

4. Make up your mind to accept Him.

By Jim Sasser

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