Be Wise

You are listening to a message from Thrive Community Church, a church located in Southwest Florida. For more info, visit us at thrive-fl.org. For the next three weeks, we're looking at divine direction, how in the world to make good decisions, wise decisions, decisions that are in the will of God, and what that all means. And I think we're going to have some good news to start with today. Let's begin with prayer, okay? Lord God, thank you for this day, for that we are here, that we are here together, that you are here actually, Lord, that you are present. And Holy Spirit, we pray through your word today, you would do a work in all of us, that where there is hardness or bitterness, that you would soften that, and that would be released. Where there is doubts and fears, Lord, that you would bring your peace. Where there is frustration and even despair, Lord, that you'd bring your hope. That you would just be you, Lord Jesus, all that you are for us today, where we are, right here, right now. And that you would give us your wisdom today, your spirit today, through this word. We thank you, Lord, that Thrive is just one of many churches in this area, many expressions of your gospel and goodness in this kingdom. And we pray for that kingdom today across this area and across this nation, across this world. We thank you, Lord, that there are two billion more, countless numbers, Lord, praising you today across this world. We pray for your movement here and everywhere, that your kingdom would grow, and that your will would be done in our lives through us to others. And that we would become a movement of your spirit, a movement of your grace to this community and world, Lord God. That's what we pray for right now. In Jesus' name we pray all these things. Amen. So it's good to have you here today as we start this new series. I think it's a question I've always asked. I know I'm a weird guy in a sense, okay? Weird in the sense that when I was in grade school, I was asking, what is God's will for my life? And you're going like, what? Yeah, I know. I was always kind of the neurotic, trying to figure these things out. And so even in grade school, and especially in high school, I asked these questions. And so we're going to study this for the next three weeks, because I think there's a lot of good news. Where I was filled with a lot of doubts, and going like, I don't know how to make a good decision. Is this what God wants me to do? Is this what God wants me to do? Is this what God wants me to do? We're going to find out today a little about that, and what really God, what really matters to God. Okay? What really matters to God. So we're going to read, first of all, from Colossians 3, where we can see what really matters to God in this passage. So you can follow along. If you've got the view version, there are some notes to this as well, that are available under events. But right now, we're going to read Colossians 3, 12 to 17. Put on, then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bearing with one another, and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which, indeed, you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Okay. Let's be honest, though. How many of us always make good decisions? Right? I think, how many of you would say, yeah, I struggle sometimes with making good decisions? Anybody raise their hands for that? I'm there. I am there. Have you ever made a long-term decision based on a momentary feeling? No. Good for you. You've never gotten – you've blown your stack at a time when you look back, oh, I shouldn't have said that, shouldn't have done that, that that momentary – got you. And then all of a sudden, you regret it. I think a lot of people regret different decisions that they've made in life. I don't know what it might be for you. Some people will say, I regret the person I was – I wish I could go back there again, you know, dating someone. And it's like, I would want to do that all over again. And maybe it's that you made a purchase, and you go like, I wish I wouldn't have bought that. I'm still paying for it. Yeah? Or maybe it was a move, or maybe it was when you said, hey, hold my Coke. Watch this. Anybody ever – and then it's like you do something, and it's like, oh, gosh, ow. Why did I even think about that? Well, we've got a little video here, humorous. I think this guy regretted not going to the optometrist sooner. You think he...