Wise choices in life  How do we go about making wise decisions in life?  How do you know if the choices you make concerning marriage, your career, education, ministry, etc. are correct?  Does God give specific or general guidance in our decision making?

Common ways of making important decisions among Christians  Rationalize and think carefully through issues  Seek spiritual guidance from Bible and prayer  Be sensitive to coincidental circumstances (open and closed door policy)

 3 rd party advice and consultation  Personal preferences and experiences  Have inner peace on your decision Common ways of making important decisions among Christians

If all of the above are in agreement 100%, then you can be sure that the decision is correct OR if the decision you make brings prosperity to you

The presupposition that God will provide SPECIFIC guidance for all decisions in our lives is NOT Biblically supported. There is no ideal detailed life plan that must be discovered by all Christians.

When making important decisions such as ministry, marriage, career path, etc., remember the following:  God blessed us with CHOICES and FREEDOM (Gen 2:16-17, 1 Cor 6:12, 10:23)  God’s will is for us to use spiritual wisdom in making decisions (Prov 31, Rom 14:5,10)

When making important decisions such as ministry, marriage, career path, etc., remember the following:  We are held accountable for all our decisions, both foolish and wise (Prov 9)  Be wary of subjective confirmation of “signs”

When making important decisions such as ministry, marriage, career path, etc., remember the following:  Circumstances can be considered as spiritual guidance but must be balanced by wisdom and not hastily read as confirmation (2 Cor 2:12-13)

When making important decisions such as ministry, marriage, career path, etc., remember the following:  God CAN give specific guidance for specific decisions but Biblical examples show this is more the exception than the rule.

How to acquire Wisdom? 1. ATTITUDE  Reverence (Prov 9:10)  Humility (Prov 11:2, 15:33) (James 3:13)  Be teachable (Prov 9:9, 15:31, 19:20) (2 Tim 3:16)  Hard work and diligence (Prov 8:17)  Faith and uprightness (James 1:5-8) (Prov 2:7)

How to acquire Wisdom? 2. APPROACH  From the Bible (Psalm 119:97-100)  From prayer and spiritual revelation (Col 1:9-10)  From personal research and wise counsel (Neh 2:11-16) (Luke 14:28-32)  From reflecting on life itself (Prov 30:24-28) (After Garry Friesen “Decision Making and the Will of God”)

1. Human beings are designed for intimate relationships a) Gen 2:18 “It is not good for the man to be ALONE.” b) Gen 2:24 “for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”  Marriage is probably the oldest cultural institution across the globe

2. The need for intimacy and companionship can color a judgment on who to marry a) 1 Tim 5:11 “For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry.”  The media and our culture subconsciously shape our expectations of marriage.

3. Marriage is a PRIVELEGE; many want to marry but sadly either cannot or enter into an unhappy marriage a) Matt 19:10 The disciples said to Him, "If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.”  Jesus then tells them that celibacy is not a life all can follow. Some have celibacy forced on them; others are celibates voluntarily.

4. The Church should always treat single people with equality and utmost respect a) 1 Tim 5:5 “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.”  The Lord Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul and John the Baptist were all single.

5. Intentional marriage to a non-Christian is not only a sin but sets the path for conflict between husband and wife  The point of 2 Cor 6:14-16 is to highlight that the core motivations and standards of believers and non-believers are directly opposed to each other.

6. The ultimate goal of marriage is to maximize one’s potential for God’s purposes.  Boaz married Ruth because she is a “woman of noble character” Ruth 3:11  Marriage should not only draw you and your spouse to each other but also to God.

Made for Marriage – 7 Tests (extracted from “The Marriage Book” by Nicky & Sila Lee, Alpha International Publications) Test 1 : Do I want to share the rest of my life with this person? Test 2: Does our love give me energy and strength or does it drain me? Test 3: Do I respect this person? Test 4: Do I accept this person as he/she is?

Test 5: Are we able to admit our mistakes, apologize and forgive one another? Test 6: Do we have common interests that can serve as foundation for friendship? Test 7: Have we weathered all the seasons and a variety of situations together? Made for Marriage – 7 Tests (extracted from “The Marriage Book” by Nicky & Sila Lee, Alpha International Publications)