Bible Study

Theme: Character Study Series - Developing Godly Character

Topic: Making Godly Decisions

Text:     Genesis 35:22; 37:18-36; ch 39; 41:14-16

Memory Verse: “Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

Introduction

MAKING GODLY DECISIONS

Leading Students to Christ and preparing them to become reliable men and women that God can entrust with His Word for the next generation.

If there’s one thing a college student does more than anything else it is making decisions. From the crack of dawn - if you wake up at the crack of dawn - to the middle of the night (for those of you who go to bed late), the college student has to decide on one thing or the other. ”Should I go to class today or not? If I should go, should I hurry to class or should I take my time? What should I wear? Considering the fact that I’m already running late, maybe wearing high-heeled shoes won’t be such a good idea.”  And so on and so forth.

Even more important than things as trivial as these are decisions concerning the spiritual growth of the college student.

 

“I know that God expects honesty of me, but if I do not join my friends to cheat on this test they will feel betrayed. God Almighty is in heaven, but I want friends on earth. What do I do?”

Some of these things have short term effects and others, long term effects. Some things even seem trivial, but can have devastating effects if handled carelessly.

Just like in everything else, God wants us to let Him guide us in our decision making process. He expects us to depend on Him and will hold us responsible for the decisions we make and the actions we take even as college students.

 

 

 

Discussion

1) For each of the passages below, discuss the answers to the following questions, as regarding the decisions that Reuben or Joseph made.

a. What decision, if any, did he make in this passage?

b. Was it right or wrong?

c. Did he have a choice?

Leading Students to Christ and preparing them to become reliable men and women that God can entrust with His Word for the next generation.

If he did, what could he have done differently?            If he did not, are the things he did therefore justifiable before God?

Reuben:

A. Genesis 35:22

B. Genesis 37:18-36

Joseph:

C. Genesis 39

D. Genesis 41:14-16

2)     Highlight, from the passages above, these different kinds of decisions and give contemporary examples for each (open discussion):

A.      Decisions that are obviously wrong (leading to presumptuous sin): Psalm 19:13, 2 Peter 2:9-10

B.      Decisions that appear right to onlookers, but which are born of a desire to compromise: Rev 3:16

C.      Decisions that are in strict accordance to the will of God: Joshua 1:7-8

This is an important decision to make:

D.      The decision to make conscious effort to give God the glory: Genesis 41:14 - 16; Acts 12: 23; Acts 14:11-18

3)     Confessions of a confused college student

a. “I am young and prone to mistakes. God should understand. When I’m older, and done with college I will make amends.” I Timothy 4:12, 16

b. “But it wasn’t my fault! My best friend made me do it.” Genesis 3:12,19

c. “How do I know what decision is right for me in any given situation?”  Psalm 119:11

4)     Steps necessary to make the right decisions:

a.     Plan to do the right thing ahead of time:  Luke 14:28; Daniel 1:8

b.    Know the right thing or find out: Psalm 119:11; James 1:5

c.     Stick to the right thing: Ezekiel 3:9

Leading Students to Christ and preparing them to become reliable men and women that God can entrust with His Word for the next generation.

God will eventually distinguish between those who will make the right choices and those who will not. Read Genesis 49:1- 4; 22-26.Youth is not an excuse. Joseph was only thirty by the time he was made the governor of Egypt, having passed the tests of his faith (Genesis 41:46).

Conclusion: God will hold us responsible for the decisions we make, even now. We therefore need to devote ourselves to studying His word and seeking His face, renewing our minds, so that we might “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

.

Personal Reflection:

  • What decisions am I making or will I have to make?
  • Am I basing my decisions on the will of God?
  • How am I preparing myself now for the decisions I will have to make in the future?

Share This