Making God-Honoring Decisions in Daily Life

Devotional

Day 1: Exercising Freedom with Love

Our freedom in Christ is a precious gift, but it comes with the responsibility to consider the well-being of others. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that while we have the liberty to make choices, not all choices are beneficial for those around us. Our decisions should be made with the intention of blessing others and building them up in their faith. This might mean abstaining from certain activities that could cause others to stumble, such as avoiding alcohol around someone with a history of alcoholism or choosing entertainment that is considerate of others' sensitivities. By prioritizing the good of our neighbors, we reflect Christ's love and care for others. [05:54]

"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.'" (Romans 15:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life might be affected by your choices today? How can you adjust your actions to better support their spiritual journey?

Day 2: Embracing Grace Over Legalism

Legalism can be a trap that leads to self-righteousness and judgment. Paul warns against creating additional rules that go beyond Scripture, which can burden us and others unnecessarily. Instead, we are called to live confidently under God's grace, enjoying the freedom we have in Christ. This means recognizing that everything good in the world is from God and enjoying it without imposing unnecessary restrictions on ourselves or others. By embracing grace, we can avoid the pitfalls of legalism and live in the freedom that Christ has given us. [11:22]

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, ESV)

Reflection: Are there any self-imposed rules or restrictions in your life that might be hindering your relationship with God or others? How can you embrace the freedom of God's grace today?

Day 3: Living for God's Glory

Every decision we make should be aimed at glorifying God. Whether we eat, drink, or engage in any activity, our primary aim should be to reflect God's greatness and love. This involves being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading and ensuring that our actions align with God's will. Paul exemplifies this by building bridges with different groups, seeking to benefit others and draw them closer to God. By living for God's glory, we can ensure that our lives are a testament to His love and power. [22:51]

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV)

Reflection: What is one decision you can make today that will specifically glorify God? How can you ensure that your actions reflect His greatness?

Day 4: Following Christ's Example

Christ perfectly glorified God in every decision He made. As His followers, we are called to imitate Him in our daily lives. This means making decisions that honor God and reflect His love to the world. By following Christ's example, we can live lives that are pleasing to God and impactful to those around us. This requires a heart attuned to the Holy Spirit and a commitment to putting God first in every aspect of life. [26:19]

"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you imitate Christ in your daily decisions? How can you ensure that your actions are aligned with His example?

Day 5: Walking in Faith

In all things, we are called to walk in faith, making decisions that align with God's will and bring glory to Him. This requires a heart attuned to the Holy Spirit and a commitment to putting God first in every aspect of life. By walking in faith, we can ensure that our lives are a testament to God's love and power. This involves trusting in God's plan and being open to His guidance in every decision we make. [31:47]

"For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God more? How can you take a step of faith today to align your actions with His will?

Sermon Summary

In our daily lives, we are faced with an overwhelming number of decisions—about 35,000 each day. While many of these decisions are unconscious, as followers of Jesus, we are called to honor God in our actions. This requires the guidance of the Holy Spirit and wisdom from Scripture. Today, we explore three ways to make God-honoring decisions, as outlined by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10.

First, we are encouraged to make decisions for our neighbor's good. Paul reminds us that while we have freedom in Christ, not all actions are beneficial for building up the kingdom of God. Our decisions should be made with the intention of blessing others, considering their spiritual well-being. This might mean abstaining from certain activities that could cause others to stumble, such as avoiding alcohol around someone with a history of alcoholism or choosing entertainment that is considerate of others' sensitivities.

Second, we are to make decisions without legalism. Paul warns against creating additional rules that go beyond Scripture, which can lead to self-righteousness and judgment. Instead, we should live confidently under God's grace, recognizing that everything good in the world is from God. This means enjoying the freedom we have in Christ without imposing unnecessary restrictions on ourselves or others.

Finally, every decision should be made for the glory of God. Whether we eat, drink, or engage in any activity, our primary aim should be to glorify God. This involves being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading and ensuring that our actions reflect God's greatness. Paul exemplifies this by building bridges with different groups, seeking to benefit others and draw them closer to God.

In all things, we are called to imitate Christ, who perfectly glorified God in every decision. By following His example, we can live lives that honor God and reflect His love to the world.

Key Takeaways

1. Decisions for Neighbor's Good: Our freedom in Christ should be exercised with consideration for others. Decisions should be made with the intention of building up and blessing those around us, reflecting Christ's love and care for others. [05:54]
2. Avoiding Legalism: Adding unnecessary rules can lead to self-righteousness and judgment. Instead, we should live confidently under God's grace, enjoying the freedom we have in Christ without imposing additional restrictions. [11:22]
3. Glorifying God in All Things: Every decision should be made with the aim of glorifying God. This involves being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading and ensuring that our actions reflect God's greatness and love. [22:51]
4. Imitating Christ: By following Christ's example, who perfectly glorified God in every decision, we can live lives that honor God and reflect His love to the world. [26:19]
5. Walking in Faith: In all things, we are called to walk in faith, making decisions that align with God's will and bring glory to Him. This requires a heart attuned to the Holy Spirit and a commitment to putting God first in every aspect of life. [31:47]
** [31:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:47] - Introduction to Decision-Making
[04:39] - Freedom and Responsibility
[05:54] - Decisions for Neighbor's Good
[07:38] - Practical Examples of Consideration
[08:59] - Supporting Fellow Believers
[11:22] - Avoiding Legalism
[12:58] - Enjoying God's Creation
[15:50] - Confidence in God's Grace
[17:48] - Sensitivity to Others' Convictions
[21:12] - Glorifying God in All Decisions
[22:51] - God's Presence in Challenges
[24:24] - Building Bridges with Others
[26:19] - Imitating Christ
[27:46] - Conclusion and Call to Action

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 1 Corinthians 10:23-33
- John 15:12-13

Observation Questions:

According to 1 Corinthians 10:23, what does Paul say about the lawfulness and helpfulness of actions? How does this relate to the freedom we have in Christ? [04:39]
What examples were given in the sermon to illustrate making decisions for the good of our neighbors? [07:38]
How does Paul address the issue of legalism in 1 Corinthians 10, and what examples does he use to explain this concept? [11:22]
In what ways does Paul suggest we can glorify God in our daily decisions, according to 1 Corinthians 10:31? [21:12]

Interpretation Questions:

How might Paul's instruction to seek the good of our neighbors challenge common cultural attitudes about personal freedom and rights? [05:54]
What are the potential dangers of legalism that Paul warns against, and how can they affect our relationship with God and others? [11:22]
How does the concept of glorifying God in all things, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 10:31, influence the way believers should approach everyday decisions? [22:51]
In what ways does imitating Christ, as Paul suggests, provide a model for making God-honoring decisions? [26:19]

Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent decision you made. How did you consider the well-being of others in that decision? What might you do differently next time to ensure your choices benefit those around you? [05:54]
Have you ever found yourself creating unnecessary rules in your spiritual life? How can you shift your focus from legalism to living confidently under God's grace? [11:22]
Think about a specific area of your life where you struggle to glorify God. What practical steps can you take to align your actions with the goal of glorifying Him? [22:51]
Identify a situation where you might need to build bridges with others, as Paul did. What actions can you take to connect with and benefit those who are different from you? [24:24]
Consider a decision you are currently facing. How can you ensure that your choice reflects the example of Christ and brings glory to God? [26:19]
How can you be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading in your daily decisions? What practices can help you stay attuned to His guidance? [21:12]
Reflect on a time when you prioritized your own desires over God's glory. What changes can you make to put God first in similar situations in the future? [31:47]

Sermon Clips

"Father we come before you and we're so grateful for your love to us we're grateful for your patience with us your presence in our lives and lord we are people who as we're seeking to follow you as we're enjoying the salvation that you have given to us freely lord we want to walk in a way that's honoring to you god please help us to understand as we walk through your word may your holy spirit come and speak to us to help us to know how to make decisions that are honoring to you god we pray all these things in the power of the holy spirit and in the name of jesus and all god's people said amen amen well like i said we're going to take a look at decisions and actually we've got in our passage today three ways to honor god with every decision of life three ways to honor god i want to share the first way to do that number one that the apostle paul is going to point out to us is that we need to make decisions for your neighbor's good make decisions based on the things that will benefit the people god has put into our lives if you're new here i want you to know we've been walking through a series in first corinthians this is a book that's really a letter that's been written in the Bible and it's been written in the Bible and it's been to a church that is beloved by the author the apostle paul he had traveled to greece and he had planted a church" [00:01:40] (96 seconds)

"He starts with the mantra that the people would quote. He says, all things are lawful. He says, some of you Christians are acting like you're more mature than everybody else, like you're smarter than everybody else, and you're acting like you can do whatever you want because God's given you freedom. So he says all things are lawful in his responses, but not all things are helpful. Not all things are helpful. He shares the quote again. All things are lawful, but not all things build up. He says, yeah, there's a lot of things that you can do as a follower of Jesus. You've been given freedom in a lot of areas, but not everything that you do is helping the kingdom of God grow." [00:04:39] (54 seconds)

"And in verse 24, we see the bottom line for this first point. He says, Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. When you have a decision to make, don't make it just based on the things that will help or please you. Make that decision based on things that are going to bless other people. You know, we've illustrated that in a number of ways over the last five weeks as we've been walking through chapters 8, 9, and 10. We gave examples like maybe you've got a friend who used to have a spiritual experience in the exercise of yoga. And one of the things that it may look like to be accommodating and understanding to those individuals and say, you know what? Instead of going to my normal class where I'm doing, some exercise like that, even though there's nothing inherently wrong with those stretches, I'm going to choose something else as a way to help out my sister in Christ who has a past with that type of a thing." [00:06:29] (69 seconds)

"Another example that was given over the last few weeks is avoiding alcohol. The Bible doesn't say that drinking alcohol is inherently wrong. It does prohibit drunkenness. But the Bible gives encouragement to us. Hey, if you've got somebody in your life that's drunk, that's struggled with alcoholism in the past, it may not be the best thing to drink around them. Seek to be accommodating. Another example we gave was making your movie choices with your friends, being careful for the sake of those who may struggle with certain forms of content in that entertainment. We also talked about being understandable, using understandable words about God when you're in small group and at church to help those who are new in their faith. You don't need to flex all your theological muscles. It's good to have those things and to dive deep, but we're not trying to look impressive. We're seeking to be accommodating." [00:07:38] (61 seconds)

"Because what we're called to do is to come alongside a fellow believer and say, what is it that you need in this time to thrive spiritually? What that also allows us to do is recognize the opponents that we have in this life is not fellow believers. The opponents that we're fighting against are the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Hopefully that's a helpful picture that each one of us can recognize when we may come to a conflict like that. But I love what Jesus says in John chapter 15. John chapter 15 is where Jesus shares the ultimate example of looking out for your neighbor's good. Jesus said, Jesus was willing to think about what we need, and instead of when Jesus could have, instead of laying down the, and giving us the punishment that we deserve when we were at enmity with God, Jesus came to us and said, I want to give you what you need. That's what it looks like to make decisions for your neighbor's good." [00:09:42] (75 seconds)

"What should my walk with the Lord look like? Well, it means that I'm reading the Bible seven days a week. I'm going to make myself a checklist. And if I do those things, then God's good with me, okay? And we start to make some of these rules, and that's a little bit of legalism. But what Paul has to say is, make decisions without legalism. Make decisions without adding a bunch of rules over and on top of what Scripture says. So go ahead and write that down in your notes. The second way to make decisions that are honoring to God is to make decisions without legalism. The Apostle Paul was no stranger to the idea of legalism. He was, as I believe is expressed elsewhere in Scripture, Pharisee of Pharisees. He was one not only who came up with these different rules, but who adhered to them, but who adhered to them so well that he used that to boast. Say, look at me. Look at how great I am. Look at how well I'm following these rules that I made up for myself. And now Paul's come out on the other side and after experiencing God's grace, he says, making more rules for yourself is not what helps the covenant community of God." [00:11:01] (81 seconds)

"people within his culture who were still sacrificing food to idols he says eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience so for a lot of us when we go to the store we may pick up you know maybe they got some packaged meat there and we probably a lot of us check the expiration date right how long is this meat going to last in my fridge is it already expired i wouldn't buy it in that case that's just fine to do but what paul's saying is when you go to the meat market and they've got meat there that may have been already slaughtered offered to an idol the idol doesn't do anything with it because the idol actually doesn't exist then the people take that food to the to the meat market and it's sold he says don't worry about if the meat at the market has been has been sacrificed to idols god has made that food and it is just fine and i love how he says that in verse 26 paul quotes psalm 24 many of us are familiar with psalm 23 which says the lord is my shepherd the very next psalm starts this way it says the earth is the lord's and the fullness thereof why would paul bring that up the reason he's bringing it up is because he's saying everything that's good in this world is good because god made it good everything that's beautiful in our world" [00:12:58] (99 seconds)

"Okay? And we explained a little bit, okay, this is not the way that we want to use the body that God has given to us. So, you know, this is out of bounds for what we believe and how we practice. Well, not a few days went by, and I think I was scrolling on my phone, and I'm not sure if my fingers were sticky or what, but wouldn't you know it, I was using my middle finger to scroll up, and one of my kids said, Dad, what are you doing with your middle finger there? And I had to explain, hey, every single one of our fingers, our body has been created good to give glory to God. And so even though there are people who would use their bodies in ways that are not honoring to Him, we can use the body that God's given to us without fear of being confused with some of those things. So I'm not sure if that's helpful, but hopefully it helps you to understand that God has given us so much that we can, enjoy and use without fear of falling into some of these things. So let's avoid legalism. Don't make up rules to make yourself sound holier. Let's live some straightforward and confident lives before God. Amen? Amen." [00:19:28] (79 seconds)

"And so as we get to this final point within these five weeks, we've got some questions before us. We focus on food sacrifice to idols. How do we show love to the weaker believers who are in our life? And the question has been, as Hamlet shares in that work by Shakespeare, to paraphrase, to eat or not to eat. That is the question. To eat or not to eat. And the Apostle Paul says, sometimes it's all right to eat. And sometimes the way to honor God is to not eat. You've got to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's work in your life. You've got to have your faith working out. It's not about a list of dues. And don'ts. But there's one bottom line metric, one bottom line measurement, truth that we're called to as believers. Every decision that we make should be made for one reason and one reason alone. We are called to make decisions for God's glory. We're called to make decisions for the glory, of God verse 31 says it this way Paul summarizes he says so whether you eat or drink" [00:21:12] (90 seconds)

"Or whatever you do, He expands it. Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Whatever decision you make, whatever 3,500 conscious decisions that you make each day, aim to bring glory to God in that. To allow others to see just how great is God as we put Him first. Allow God to see that as we proclaim just how worthy He is of all our praise, honor, and glory forever and evermore. The fact is, God deserves credit for all the things that He has done. He deserves that praise for the things that have been going well in your life. God deserves praise for His presence in your life even when things are challenging. Challenging and not so straightforward. When you're encountering a situation that you're scratching your head and you're like, I'm trying my best, but God, you're going to need to show up in big ways because there's no way I can do this on my own. God deserves glory in all things. So when you've got a decision before you, don't make a decision for your own glory." [00:22:51] (81 seconds)

"Paul says, hey, I'm willing to make any accommodation, any accommodation I can. I'm not going to change what the gospel says. I'm not going to go outside of God's doctrine that he's given to us. his word. But I'm going to make every accommodation that I can to connect with other people to benefit those people who need to be saved and who need to draw nearer to God as well. And Paul explains to us why it is that he's been sharing his pattern of life as an example. That's a pretty bold thing to do, right? To say, hey, why don't you imitate the way I've been building these bridges? It's a pretty bold thing. But in our final verse, Paul shares the reason for that. He says, be imitators of me as I am of Christ. Paul says, hey, I'm walking the Jesus way, and that's why you can imitate how I've been living." [00:25:45] (62 seconds)