“Your greatest regret could have been avoided had you asked The Best Question Ever and then acted on your conclusion”.
Oh to have a time machine! If we could all only have “that one back”. Since we can’t, so many of us have learned to grow from the mistake and make a better decision next time. This weeks sermon notes, for me, should go a long way towards helping me make those decisions. The service was a broadcast of a teaching from Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church and based on the book by Andy of the same title.
This morning was the first in the series and it started with a bang. The teaching is all based on Ephesians 5:15-17:
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
1. My temptation and your temptation is to ask this question: “How close can I get to sin without actually sinning”?
2. The question isn’t, “is it moral?, “is it legal”, or “is it right?”. The question we must begin to ask is: “Is this the WISE thing to do?”
3. The key to making wise decisions is to understand (and face-up) to the will of the Lord.
4. We have to ask “the question” at three levels.
a) The first level is, “what is the wise thing to do in light of my PAST experience?”
b) The second level is, “what is the wise thing to do in light of my CURRENT circumstances?”
c) the third level is, “what is the wise thing to do in light of my FUTURE hopes and dreams?”
Here are some of the other notes that I jotted down on our handout –
“If you handle (insert temptation here) the way that culture does, you will eventually be in a place where you never wanted to be.”
“If asking that question makes you feel uncomfortable than you just discovered something has set you up for regret in the future”.
“Why is it so easy to see the foolishness in others lives but not to see it in our own?”
“Every man that chooses to do what they want to do and avoid the important question needs to understand that your decision effects not only you, but all of those depending on you.”
YOUR TURN: What were they preaching where you went to church on Sunday?
LOVE Andy! Just wish I lived about 45 min’s closer to NPoint!
But, great message and very timely for me, after a whole weekend bursting with regrets and unforgiveness (toward myself).
Thanks for sharing!
Great sermon Notes. We had a sermon about past,present and future today as well. We had a fill in pastor today and he did a great job. He told us that the past is history, the future is a mystery and the present is a gift from God, hence why they call it the present. He also asked us “Who is ready to go to heaven today” and hardly anyone raised their hand. What a convicting question, we know that what heaven offers us is better than anything we could ever imagine but we also cherish the treasures he has allowed us to experience here. It definitely will be a question that I ponder throughout the next week.