Common Sense – How to Make Wise Decisions sermon notes and audio. Have you ever known someone, even a Bible totten, praising, shouting believer, who didn’t have good common sense? They consistently do dumb things and go from one crisis to the next crisis. They may have a doctorate in rocket science and an IQ comparable to Einstein, but have no common sense – no wisdom. The problem is not they have not been given common sense. The problem is they don’t listen to it.
ABUNDANT LIFE – Living in the Kingdom
By Pastor Delbert Young
Common Sense – How to Make Wise Decisions
Audio
Common Sense – How to Make Wise Decisions
Scriptures: John 10:10, Jeremiah 1:5, Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 1:11, Ephesians 3:20, 2 Peter 3:9, Deuteronomy 30:19, Romans 8:7, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Timothy 1:18, Galatians 5:16
We are talking about enjoying and experiencing the abundant life Jesus came to give us.
(Amplified) John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have {and} enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
There is a thief who comes to steal life from us. If allowed, the thief will kill the life we have been able to acquire. The thief will also destroy any future life we could have. Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom to stop the thief and give us the full, overflowing, abundant life God has planned for us.
We talked last time about how the choices we make determine whether we experience an abundant life. There is the voice of the conscience. It will help the Christ follower in choice-making. I want to continue along those same lines today and talk about another voice helping us: the voice of Common Sense.
Have you ever done something dumb and said to yourself, what was I thinking? The problem was we were not thinking. Have you ever known someone who had done something dumb, and you asked him or her, “What were you thinking?” The problem was they were not thinking.
There was a five-star Paris restaurant with a magical wishing mirror. It would grant anyone’s wish, but only if the person wishing told the truth. If the person lied, they would disappear. One day, a blond, a brunette, and a redhead entered the restaurant and decided to try out the mirror. The brunette went first. “I think I’m the smartest woman on earth.” “POOF!” She disappeared. The redhead went up to try. “I think I’m the prettiest woman on earth.” “POOF!” She disappeared. The blonde went up. She said, “I think…” “POOF!
Sometimes, we all are blonds. We just don’t think and the abundant life disappears.
The truth is every person who is a Christ follower has been given good minds.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Never allow anyone to tell you differently. You have a sound mind. The Bible says you have been given the mind of Christ (1Co 2:16). We have access to the mind of Christ. But we must let this mind work.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Our minds are renewed when we are Christ’s followers.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The Bible says we have access to God’s wisdom. All we have to do is ask for it (James 1:5). One of the gifts of the Spirit is the word of wisdom.
A DEFINITION OF WISDOM IS COMMON SENSE
When the Bible talks about wisdom, it is really talking about good common sense.
(TLT) Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:7 He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity.
A part of having a sound mind is having good common sense. Common sense is a treasure to the Christ follower. It is given to us to protect us.
We attempt to make everything super spiritual. The wisdom of God sounds so spiritual. In actuality, it’s simply listening to the good common sense God has given every believer. God will protect us and help us enjoy abundant life to the full if we simply use the treasure of good sense he has given us.
Have you ever known someone, even a Bible totten, praising, shouting believer, who didn’t have good common sense? They consistently do dumb things and go from one crisis to the next crisis. They may have a doctorate in rocket science and an IQ comparable to Einstein’s, but they have no common sense – no wisdom. The problem is not they have not been given common sense. The problem is they don’t listen to it.
PEOPLE SAY THEY CAN’T HEAR GOD
They try to make hearing God some “spooky-spiritual” event. It’s not. As we saw last time, he will speak through our conscience and the wisdom called common sense. Every Christ follower can hear this.
(TNLT) Proverbs 8:1-9
1 Listen as wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!
2 She stands on the hilltop and at the crossroads.
3 At the entrance to the city, at the city gates, she cries aloud,
4 “I call to you, to all of you! I am raising my voice to all people.
5 How naive you are! Let me give you common sense. O foolish ones, let me give you understanding.
6 Listen to me! For I have excellent things to tell you. Everything I say is right,
7 for I speak the truth and hate every kind of deception.
8 My advice is wholesome and good. There is nothing crooked or twisted in it.
9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those who want to learn.
Wisdom is trying to speak to us through common sense. It calls out. In fact, it raises its voice. What’s more, it cries aloud.
Notice 8:2 says wisdom is at the crossroads. Other translations say where paths meet.
(NIV) Proverbs 8:2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
The Holy Spirit is saying every time we come to a crossroad, or place of decision, where we can go right or wrong, God’s wisdom – common sense – will always be there, crying out to us and trying to tell us the correct direction. But we must listen.
Have you ever heard of the Message Translation? It was written for me because I am so hardheaded.
(Message Translation) Proverbs 8:1-6
1 – Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling? Can you hear Madame Insight raising her voice?
2 – She’s taken her stand at First and Main, at the busiest intersection.
3 – Right in the city square where the traffic is thickest, she shouts,
4 – “You–I’m talking to all of you, everyone out here on the streets!
5 – Listen, you idiots–learn good sense! You blockheads–shape up!
6 – Don’t miss a word of this–I’m telling you how to live well, I’m telling you how to live at your best.
Isn’t this great? I need this translation in my library.
Remember, I told you my story about coming back from vacation a few years ago, pulling my boat. Before I left Florida, I remember thinking about how I needed to put some grease in my wheel bearings, but I had forgotten my grease gun. Walmart was only a few miles away and I also passed by one on the route home. A grease and grease gun only cost a few dollars, but I kept putting it off, saying I would stop in a little while and buy one. I remember stopping to fuel up and putting my hand on the bearings to see if they were hot. They were not, so I kept on coming.
See, Common Sense was talking to me, saying, “You better put some grease in those wheel bearings. I got on the interstate. I was running about ????? Mph. I was in the left lane about 50 miles south of Atlanta when WOOM! My right trailer wheel bearing locked and broke off my trailer axle. I had cars slamming on breaks, trying to get away from me. The trailer began fishtailing. I was able to hold it and got over to the right lane and onto the shoulder. Then, I had to call a wrecker. So, I lost a lot of time and several hundred dollars in having it fixed. However, I could have lost my boat, truck, and even life because I just didn’t listen to the voice of common sense talking to me.
How many times does common sense try to get us to listen, but we keep going down the interstate of life?
We are running full speed when our wheels run off, and abundant life is taken.
BLAME IT ON THE DEVIL
See, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. We always want to call the thief the devil. If we can’t blame it on someone else, blame it on the devil. It was the devil who caused my wheel bearing to lock down and me to nearly have a wreck, right? No. It wasn’t the devil. I was responsible, and I simply did not listen to the common sense God had given me. It was screaming at me. God has given me a sound mind. He has given me a wealth of common sense, but I have got to listen.
I say this in love. Some of you are going through things but not of the devil. Maybe you are challenged in your finances, home, business, work, or school. Let me ask you something. Is there anything you are doing causing the situation? Or is there anything you are doing to prolong the situation? A little grease in the wheel bearings of life will save you a lot of trouble and a possible crash. Many issues are simply issues of not listening to common sense as it screams at us at every crossroads. If we listened to common sense we could avoid many bad experiences in life.
You can rebuke the devil all you want over your finances and other things. Furthermore, you can sing. You can shout. By all means, you can put your bills on the floor and do a Jericho march around them, but nothing will change until you begin listening to God’s wisdom – common sense – and doing what it says.
TOO OFTEN, WE SIT BACK AND “WAIT ON GOD…“
…to do something in our lives when the truth is God is talking to us through common sense. We need to stop over-spiritualizing things.
For example, we are waiting for God to make us feel better. Maybe you are always tired and run down, have no energy, grouchy. You need to look and see if you are working too much. Are you eating correctly? Are you getting any exercise? “Well, I thought I could just pray about it, and God would fix everything.” No. Listen to common sense. Many physical and mental illnesses can be avoided if we use some common sense.
Some people want to make more money and get a promotion at work. So, they pray about it and think that is all they need to do. No. You can’t expect to stay up until 3 a.m. and then think you will get up at 6 a.m. and be alert and at the top of your game at work. You will get passed over for advancements if you fall asleep on the job. Get to work on time. Be friendly. Do a good job. Listen to common sense.
Maybe you are single and have been praying and believing for a wife. You can’t sit at home every night expecting Miss America to come knocking on your door saying, “Where have you been, baby?” It doesn’t work like this. Neither can you go to the local bars and expect to find a good, wholesome Christian wife. No. You have got to clean up, dress up, and go to some good, wholesome events. Then God will help you meet someone. Listen to common sense.
ANOTHER DEFINITION OF WISDOM IS
…the best action to take in view of the consequences of that action. Many times, we take action without thinking about the consequences. We get caught up in the emotion of the moment and allow it to override common sense.
Wife, the time to talk to your husband about money or a situation with the children or family is not when he walks in the door from work. You are caught up in the emotion of your day. He’s been dealing with stuff all day. He doesn’t want more stuff as soon as he walks through the door. Listen to common sense in your timing. Let him settle. Feed him.
If you hit him with stuff when he walks in, there is a good chance negative things will be said, feelings hurt, and the whole evening ruined. It all could have been avoided if you would listen to common sense. It will show you the consequences.
You go to the mall and see something you just have to have. The flesh says buy it, buy it, buy it. Common sense says to put it back. You can’t afford it right now, and you already have 14 of those at home. But it’s half price. The flesh says just put it on the credit card and worry about it later. Common sense says don’t pay 18% interest. Common sense is crying out to you right there in the middle of the mall. What will you do? Will emotions win? What will you do when the bill comes in you can’t pay? I know what you will do. Pay the minimum for 20 years. This is the consequence of not listening to common sense.
All my friends drive new cars.
And all my friends have big houses. In fact, all my friends take big vacations. Yes, but you have to run your race. Most likely, your friends are in debt up to their eyebrows. You can drive an old car until common sense tells you to buy a better car. Ask people who know me about the old junker trucks I used to drive.
Live in an older house until your common sense allows you to buy another. We lived in a house when we first came to town where the plaster on the ceiling fell into the bed with us. If you do it right, you will be taking long vacations soon. You don’t have to keep up with the Joneses. The Joneses have already gone bankrupt. But we want it now, right?
This is one way our abundant life is stolen, killed, and destroyed.
Esau refused to see the future consequences and gave in to his emotions and appetite. One day, Esau’s brother Jacob was cooking a pot of stew. They were young men at the time. Esau saw and smelled the stew and told Jacob he had to have it. He said he was so hungry he was fainting. Jacob said he would give him the stew if Esau would sell him his birthright. The birthright was a big deal back then. The birthright went to the first-born son and it meant a double portion of the inheritance. Esau was caught up in his emotions and in what he wanted. He refused to listen to common sense.
Esau said what good will the birthright do me if I starve to death? He did not consider the future consequences. Nor was he going to starve any more than you or I “have to have it now.” As a matter of fact, he was a skillful hunter. He could have gotten food. He simply wanted something. Esau got the stew, and someone else got his blessing.
Esau gratified himself with short-term satisfaction and robbed himself of a lifetime blessing. His birthright was stolen from him by his not listening to common sense and seeing the consequences of this action.
So many of God’s people do this: They sell out their birthright for a short-term desire, never realizing it will cost them a lifetime of blessings.
Hebrews 12:17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
People don’t understand the long-term consequences we reap when we do not listen to common sense. I have watched people lose everything over a ten-minute lust. They totally shut their ears to common sense. I watch people cry with bitter tears, wanting their blessing back they lost because they would not listen to common sense.
Common sense looks ahead to the consequences.
USING COMMON SENSE IS VITAL
if we want to enjoy an abundant life. It will bring God’s blessings. God told Solomon he would give Solomon anything he asked. Solomon didn’t ask for anything that most people would have asked. He asked for the wisdom. He asked for common sense to do what God had asked him to do. Because Solomon chose wisdom, God prospered Solomon beyond belief.
2 Chronicles 1:11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king,
2 Chronicles 1:12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”
When we listen to the common sense the Lord gives us, he assumes responsibility to bless us. We begin having God’s best. Our lives become full and overflowing.
PEOPLE ACCEPT AND LIKE US when we listen to common sense.
1 Samuel 18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
David knew the secret to success. It is a walk in wisdom and listening to common sense. He was accepted and loved by God and the people because David behaved wisely.
People enjoy being around people who listen to common sense. People do things for them. God’s favor is upon them.
THE LORD IS WITH US WHEN WE — USE COMMON SENSE.
1 Samuel 18:14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
The Lord was with David because he behaved wisely. David listened to common sense. God took this little shepherd boy with a big dream to be king and made him the most powerful and prosperous ruler of his day. David drew from the treasure of common sense.
Proverbs 3:16 Wisdom gives: a long, good life, riches, honor, pleasure, peace.
True pleasure will come with wisdom because when wisdom—common sense—is heeded, wise choices follow. When we make wise choices, we enjoy a good life, riches, honor, peace, and a long life.
Let me encourage you today to learn to listen to the voice of common sense. Don’t allow a short-term pleasure to rob you of a life-long blessing. Wisdom is crying out to us all. She is trying to tell you the right path to take.
Some of you are at a crossroads. Listen to common sense. Let it tell you the consequences. Listen to your conscience. If you will, you will take the correct path every time. Stop allowing the thief to take your abundant life. We can live the abundant life rightfully ours. We can reach in and enjoy all God has for us.
Common Sense – How to Make Wise Decisions
Common Sense – How to Make Wise Decisions
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