You Don't Have To Make Mistakes

00:00 - Speaker 1
Real Life presents the Jack Hibbs Podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints and impact our culture.

00:09 - Speaker 2
Hey, can we actually get to a place, as believers, where we don't have to make bad decisions? I think you're going to be blessed by the answer. Hang on, let's dive in and find out what the Word of God has to say about that.

00:23 - Speaker 1
You can get the outlines of this podcast by going to jackhibbs.com slash podcast Today. If this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ, then make sure you leave us one of those five-star ratings. To us that's like saying amen or yes. Then that rating will encourage others to listen Now open your hearts to what God's word has to say to you. Here is Jack Hibbs.

00:52 - Speaker 2
Hey everybody, welcome to this edition of our podcast, and we're going to be talking about decision making, decision making. We've got to jump into this somewhere, and so let's just start with this decision-making. I've been told, I was given to me, that it's either Google or the National Health Institute. Somebody says that you and I make 33 to 35,000 decisions a day. I don't know if that's true or not. Who counts? Yikes, I'm tired hearing that number. It's like what Decision-making can be so daunting and terrifying that we don't want to make any decisions. And yet life cannot be lived without making decisions. And so some of you are older than me, some of you are my age, Some of you are young, and I'm really grateful that we have a really a lot of young listeners that joined in on our podcast.

01:56
So your decision making process. You might be asking the question do I have to make the wrong decision every time? Can't I make a right one? And I want to be able to say to you, in fact, just before we turned on the camera, I was asking the team that's behind the lens right now, behind the cameras, is because they're all Christians, they're all following the Lord and they're young is when was the last time you made a bad decision, I wish you could have seen from my perspective, from my vantage point. I asked them hey, before I do this, I want to ask you a question how many of you guys behind the camera have made tell me about your most recent bad decision? And all of them went like this they paused for a long time. You want to know why? Because there was no big bad decision that jumped out to their recollection in the instant. Because they've learned, even though they're young. They've learned in the scriptures. They've been in the word for a long time. They learned to take their decision-making to the Word of God and to lay it before the Lord.

03:07
And so I have to say the same thing. I'm 66 years old and what God has called me to do. There are many different hats. That I have multiple ministries some of them are connected, some are not connected that I'm involved in Different boards of ministries, that I'm on and decisions having to be made all the time, and yet I've never had more peace and calm. And those decisions are most often public. Those decisions deal with people and their lives. Those decisions deal with sometimes millions of dollars. It depends on the ministry and where they are located in the world and what's happening and what their mission is.

03:59
How do we make decisions? Hey, you say, jack, forget all that junk. Where do I get it? I need to decide on a job. I need to decide should I marry her or not? I need to decide this or that. Great Listen, super. Yes, we all do that on a continuous basis, but the discipline in decision-making still stays the same.

04:25
This is the beauty of what we're about to talk about is that if I am yielded, lord, I want to be yielded to your leadership today. Good morning, god, hi, good morning. Before my feet hit the bed, I mean the floor. Before my feet hit the bed, I mean the floor. Before my feet hit the floor having woken up. Lord, I'm giving you this day. I'm giving you my life. I'm asking you to feel my thoughts and to lead me, because your Bible says that you want to lead me by your right hand.

04:59
I believe, personally that God leads me by his right hand every moment of the day, so long as I'm walking with him in the spirit. Does that make sense? If I'm sinning, I'm on my own, I'm going to be making dumb decisions. I can't do that. I have to stay away from that. So I too have to agree with the team behind the camera.

05:24
I can't remember when I made a bad decision. That's a beautiful feeling. It doesn't mean we're sinless, my gosh. No, we're extremely flawed creatures. But God's not. And it just goes to show you that throughout the scripture, when it says, wait upon the Lord, that of course the go-to is you've probably already thought about it the Lord, that of course the go-to is. You've probably already thought about it.

05:46
Proverbs, chapter three. This is what I do Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Go to him. What's your first discipline? Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Number two lean not on your own understanding. Boy, this is a whopper. Lean not on your own understanding.

06:02
I'm going to tell you a little. I'm going to tell you some insight in my mind. You would be maybe not so shocked, so surprised, to hear how many times people say to me listen, listen to me. Hi, pastor Jack, I've been seeking the Lord about this decision I needed to make in my life, and seven of my friends. I was praying one day and then, like two hours later, in like an hour's time, all seven of them called me and we started talking about it and they said I should do it. So that's pretty amazing, right, and I do not agree with them. Or they say I had a dream and this dream I think maybe the dream means that I should do this or move there or to take on this thing. I say nothing to them.

06:57
People will come up and say Pastor Jack, pastor Jack just want to tell you, listen, the Lord told me to do thus and so, and so I'm going to do that. Pastor Jack, what do you think? I never answered them. Do you see where I'm going with this? They're feeling for an answer, they're searching for an answer. It's so obvious to me, but not to them. That's the sad part. I do not jump in. When somebody says God told me, pastor Jack, to go do that thing over there in Los Angeles or in Hollywood or in San Diego, I'm going to say you know what? Keep praying to God, seek the Lord, open up the word. I am not going to say I don't think God told you that. You say, oh, pastor, but you should. You're a pastor. Let me tell you something when you stick your nose in someone else's, god told me to go do it thing you set yourself up to be the one blamed for when they fall apart. They're going to have to learn that God didn't tell them this.

08:07 - Speaker 1
Well then, how?

08:07 - Speaker 2
do I know when God speaks to me. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. That sets you up, that gets you ready, that prepares you to number two lean not on your own perceived notions, ideas and thoughts and understandings about what you are dealing with. Don't make it happen, oh God, if you want me to do this, cause the sun to come up tomorrow. That's insane. Listen, are you a believer in the Lord Jesus? Do you have a Bible reading appetite? Do you have scripture input from God's word on your own? Then you don't need to hear your friends. It doesn't matter what the Pope says or the pastor says. God has spoken to you from his word. You say well, that's what I want to know. Well, that's what we're looking at. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding In all your ways. Acknowledge Facebook, instagram, twitter self-help programs. Five steps on how to hear the voice of God going to a seminar. Nope, it tells you in the Bible. In all your ways. Acknowledge him, recognize and insert him right in the middle of the thing. I am not thinking about this one moment further without you, god, being involved in my thoughts. I am not going to do one thing about this God. Unless you make it crystal clear, beyond denying, I'm going to do. I'm going to be like Gideon. God bless Gideon. I love that guy.

09:38
God told him to do something and Gideon was like man. I want to be so sure it's God that I'm going to lay out the animal skin. And if all the ground around it is wet in the morning but the skin is dry, then I'll know it's from the Lord. And it was as he prayed. And Gideon was like I really need to know it's from the God. So he turned the animal skins over, got some more. They were absolutely soaking wet, while the whole ground around it was dry. Gideon wasn't a weirdo. Gideon wanted to know what God was leading him. He didn't want to make a mistake. Listen, it's so true. Listen, you don't have to make mistakes. Oh my gosh, I married the wrong person. Listen, you don't have to make mistakes. Listen in all your ways. Acknowledge him and he shall direct your ways or your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. Friends, listen. Indecisions, not indecision. When you are making decisions as a believer, you must make those decisions from the word of God regarding your life. You say, come on, what about those 33,000 a day? That's a great question and there's a beautiful answer.

11:01
When you have a reading routine of reading through a book of the Bible, maybe you took on today, jeremiah, the first five chapters of the first three chapters, and you just read and you're making your way through. Are you doing a daily Bible reading? Now, for me, I'm not knocking that, but for me that doesn't speak to me as deeply as my own personal reading. But I know this that God has the day ahead of me, I'm in his word and during the day I wind up making the right decision. Sometimes the decisions have to be made instantly. Is that pretty scary? Huh? How do I do that? And I, I do that based on the reading of the word that was guiding me that morning, or the word of God that is hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you, o Lord. You see, and so the decisions are decisions that are biblically based, and I love it because you know what. You guys are so kind and generous with your words. But I got to tell you, you know you'll say oh, pastor Jack, you know you're so brave, you're so strong, you're so bold. You have no idea that. That is so, not true. I am none of those things. If you ever perceive me to be bold and strong and courageous on an issue, it's because I've become 100% secure from the word of God as to what I'm supposed to do about the thing that you see, in fact I don't know. I don't want to be a bad guy about this, but if some pastor thinks he's courageous, if some pastor writes a book on courage, if that guy doesn't give all the credit to God, something's wrong, because you know what it's perceived as courage.

12:54
But think about Joshua. God tells Joshua Be strong of good courage. Here's the translation of that Joshua do what I tell you to do. If you do that, it's going to go well. Just do what I'm telling you to do and it works. Joshua didn't say hey, god, I got this. You know, I was born with courage Kind of runs in my family and so, adding you into it, god, it's pretty cool, let's go take on the world. No, no, no, no, no.

13:29
I actually have this belief. I have this belief that Joshua was probably a pretty careful guy. He was a great general, he was a great warrior, but his strength came from the Lord. But how many times did God tell him be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, joshua. Why? Because Joshua was not a man of courage and he was very, very prone to be afraid. That's why God kept telling him. Why did God tell Paul? Paul, be of good courage, I'm with you. There's many people in this city that are going to get saved, so you just stand strong. Why? Because Paul was freaking out. So listen. When you know what God says in the Bible, you can make decisions. And when you make it listen sometimes in actual life, you make it listen sometimes in actual life. Much of our personality now has to manage the decision process and let's say, even God gives you an answer.

14:32
You know, this kind of like real life stuff for me is I can be mowing the lawn, doing something completely, completely brainless, and I love that because it's so rare. It's like, oh, that's so good. You can hear the birds, you're mowing the lawn and you're checked out for a moment. It's so great. And I have found in my own life that there'll be this boom thought. It's like man, that's weird a thought. You know what I'm gonna. I'll tell you something right now. This is for real. That kind of a situation, that kind of a scenario hit my head and I let it sit in my head and my heart for months. I didn't tell anybody, I didn't tell Lisa. It's just there and fast forward, fast forward a couple of years.

15:29
I began to mention we need to do, we need to do a service publicly out in the open to the world. But calling the church back it's in the post-COVID world. So many people are gone. Where'd they go? We need to do a just church event. That was something that was in my heart and my mind and my head for so long I can't even tell you so long but when you announce it to people, they're like whoa, that's such a snap decision. Oh my gosh, jack, are you crazy? I totally get it.

16:03
I didn't let them in on what I was pondering. Think about my poor wife Lisa. This happens to me and I'm thinking about something for months and then the Lord confirms it to my heart and then I turned to her and I say, hey, lisa, guess what? We're going to vacation in Mozambique and we're going to go witness to all the Muslims there that are killing Christians. She's going to say, oh no, we're going to go witness to all the Muslims there that are killing Christians, she's going to say oh no, we're not. I get it. I didn't bring her in on it. Are you with me?

16:33
Listen, husband and wife, I'm trying to learn this now, Bring your spouse in on the revelation when it comes to you. If God and you say I'm not sure yet. Revelation when it comes to you. If God and you say I'm not sure yet, god gives it. Ponder it for a little bit, but then start to share with him or her this hey, don't judge what I'm about to say. I'm judging it, don't critique it. I'm just sharing something with you. It's been in my heart now for several weeks.

17:01
It's going to sound crazy to you because when I first, I believe, heard it from the Lord we'll see I thought it was crazy. Just hear me out. I want to recruit your prayer support. That's all I'm asking you to do is pray that I'm hearing from God and it's this. He wants you and I to move to the South Pole, but he didn't say when A good wife or a good husband will say okay, I'll pray for you, because the temptation will be. You're nuts. That's crazy. There's no palm trees there. I already know all that Already, worked all that out in my head, and yet God is intensifying, the South Pole as an example. Do you see where I'm going with this?

17:59
It's part of decision making as a believer, biblically based, read the scriptures daily. God will confirm. And as your husband and wife or your friends, who knows whatever? Whoever needs to know and I need to know basis, by the way, if it's just you, it's just you need to know basis God will also start speaking to them. So God is in the process.

18:23
You are to obey him by being in the word, and David summed it up perfectly Thy word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you. What word is that? Be more specific? I'm going to trust in the Lord with all my heart. I'm not going to lean to my own understanding and in all my ways I'm going to acknowledge him and he will direct my path. All my ways I'm going to acknowledge him and he will direct my path. If I do that, I'm going to be like our staff a moment ago when I asked them the question when was the last time you made a dumb choice, dumb decision and you go like this? It's been a while since I've goofed up.

19:07
Awesome. Walk in the Spirit. Let the Word of God be the light and the lamp to your feet on a daily basis. Don't let emotions make decisions for you. Don't let people make decisions for you. Don't let a pastor, priest or pope make decisions for you. Don't let a pastor, priest or pope make decisions for you. Let God tell you what's up next. You'll nurture a hearing ear of what the Spirit is saying to you and you'll recognize more and more the voice of the Lord.

19:49
And when that day comes, when God says something like open the church to preach the gospel, do not close the doors because of COVID. I opened a door that no man can shut. You have no authority to shut the doors of my church, jack. To shut the doors of my church, jack. I didn't flinch one second. I did not have one second thought, not one. I knew what I had to do and I'm nobody's special friend.

20:20
God's word is here for you. Just make sure that you are consulting his word. You'll never fail. God bless you guys. Listen, this is part, obviously, of us living out what we believe in. It's real life we're talking about. It's time for us to do that. Hit, subscribe, share this with others if it matters to you. I hope it does, and we'd love to see this podcast grow more and more and love to get your feedback. What would you like to hear about? Give us topics they're infinite, you know and we'd love to handle those topics. We'd love to take them on through the word of God, as always. So listen until next time, god bless you, guys and stand strong.

21:15 - Speaker 1
Look up, jesus is coming. Hopefully now this Jack Hibbs podcast, as well as all the broadcast outreach opportunities, are listener supported. Will you consider partnering with us through a special gift? Go to jackhibbs.com to learn more and stay connected.