Help Me Understand – How to Make Wise Decisions

Pastor Bryan – HELP ME UNDERSTAND .

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”

Proverbs 4:7 (NIV)

“Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal.”

Hebrews 12:16

GUIDING TRUTH: “Wisdom is not about —it’s about knowing God intimately enough to trust His .”

“As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. ²⁸ Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob.”

²⁹ One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. ³⁰ Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)

³¹ “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”

³² “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”

³³ But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.

^34 “Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.”

Genesis 25:27-34

THE ANATOMY OF BAD DECISION MAKING – a case study on Jacob and Esau

1. Bad decision making is inevitable when you’re

“One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry.”

Genesis 25:29

“Tired people make trade-offs they’d never consider when rested.”

“When your body is tired, don’t make forever decisions.”

        2. Bad decision making is fueled by the wrong . 

“Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!”

Genesis 25:30

“What your flesh demands today may destroy what your faith needs tomorrow.”

        3. Bad decision making often our .

“All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.” ³² “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”

Genesis 25:31-32

“When emotion replaces truth, convictions collapse.”

        4. Bad decision making .

“Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” (ESV)

Genesis 25:34

“The most dangerous lies are the ones we tell ourselves to feel okay.”

        5. Bad decision making takes what’s and treats it as .

“You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.”

Hebrews 12:17

THE SPIRIT FILLED REMEDY FOR WISE DECISIONS

• Rest in God’s .

“He leads me beside still waters. ³He restores my soul.”

Psalm 23:2-3 (ESV)

• Feast on God’s .

“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Matthew 4:4

• Daily surrender to the .

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

Galatians 5:16

• Remember your .

“And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.”

Romans 8:17

• Practice .

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

I Thessalonians 5:18