This message deals with the six critical areas of decision in the lives of young people that they encounter on the seas of life. Storms will come and go, and we must have an anchor that will keep us steady. Making these decisions ahead of time, will keep us save on the seas of life, no matter the storms that arise. We are sharing with you some observations, advice, and discoveries, trusting that they will help you as they have helped us. Today we will discuss the six ‘seas’ of decision, and each one will start with the letter ‘C’ of the alphabet.
The first ‘sea’ of decision is Christ. Paul states in Philippians 1:20-21, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul did not count that he had any life, except the life which was found in ‘Christ.’ Jesus was the author, the sustainer, the law, the aim, the impulse, the influence, the crown, and the finisher of life. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Therefore, our first decision should be to follow Christ in everything that we do. We must learn to put first things first. Learn that the beginning of all things is Jesus. He said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” We cannot even sustain life unless we stay connected to the vine. We cannot live in this present world without being born naturally, and neither can we live a Christian life without being born of the Spirit through the new birth experience. We must take time to get acquainted with Christ. There may be an hour coming when one touch of his hand in the darkness of our trial, will mean more than all that is written in the daylight hours, in our records and little journals on our social media.
The second ‘sea’ of decision is Conduct. 1 Timothy 4:12 tells us, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Christianity challenges the best that is in us. We need to get rid of the idea that there is something weak, unmanly, or unpractical in the life of holiness to which God has called us into. As a young person you can prove to all the world that Christianity is real and tangible, and that it does not make those who strive after it out of touch with reality. This walk with the Lord enhances our lives. Paul is telling Timothy in this verse that he needed to be a representative of what Christianity really is. Though the world might reject his God, they could not help but admire his godly life. The same will be true for us today. However, the response of others is not our responsibility, only how we live as a testimony in front of others.
We cannot profess Christ Jesus on a Sunday unless we are willing to let that profession of faith continue into our week-day practice. Here are a few guidelines for our Christian conduct. Firstly, be humble enough to obey. You may be giving orders to others yourself someday. Secondly, make it your underlying purpose to please the Lord. “A man who trims himself to suit everyone else will soon whittle himself away.” Thirdly, go only to those places where you would be glad to have the Master accompany you to as a guest and companion. Fourthly, practice only those intimate personal habits that in your inner soul you know would please him. Your character is known by the things you do when no one is watching. Fifthly, live each day with the thought uppermost in your mind, that his glorious appearing may occur today. We all want to be ready for His coming. Sixthly, strike the word compromise from your vocabulary. Do not hesitate to make war on all forms of sin and ungodliness. Seventh, do not show off when driving. If you want to race, go to the Speedway. The Lord takes breaking the law very seriously. Eighth, guard your heart. Do not take back the sacrifices already made to God. Ninth, do not lower your standards to try to raise yourself. We never rise higher by becoming lower. Tenth, respect yourself, or others will not respect you. Real respect is based on your character.
The third ‘sea’ of decision is Convictions. “An opinion is something that you hold, a conviction is something that holds you.” It is said that “If you do not stand for something, you are likely to fall for everything and anything.” The Christian who steers away from truth, sound doctrine, and sound convictions based on the word of God, is on the ‘toboggan slide downward’ from the moment he makes that decision. We cannot play fast and loose with the truth. Proverbs 23:23 admonishes, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” We must fit the Bible’s standard; we cannot try to make it fit us because of what we may think it should say. The Anglo-Saxon word for ‘belief’ literally means, “what men live by.” There is a vast difference between the truth to which intelligence says, ‘yes,’ than that which the emotions accept easily. Truth which takes hold of the mind and heart is captivating and alters the reactions of our entire being. Your beliefs are not the ideas you display to the public, nor the opinions you form certain opinions about, but those things you believe in your heart and practice in your personal everyday lifestyle daily. James 1:25 tells us, “But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” People will know your convictions by your actions.
The fourth ‘sea’ of decision is Companionships. 1 Corinthians 15:33 states, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” We must choose our companions carefully. We will become what they are when we fellowship with them long enough. Avoid following the crowd but be the engine and not the caboose. A leader and not a follower. It is said that a man is rarely better than the company he keeps. You may hope to bring them up to your own level, but they are more likely to drag you down to theirs. Be especially careful about close associations with those not in sympathy with God, His word, or the church. Jesus mingled freely with all classes of people, but with one purpose in mind which was to help them, never to take part of or be tainted by sin. A man is not only judged by the company he keeps, but he is molded and influenced by it as well. We become like those with whom we associate. It is those whom we care about most, who can change the texture of our lives. If the ungodly talk of your fellow workers is disgusting to you, your heart is safe, but when it becomes amusing and no longer offensive to you, then you are becoming brainwashed and like them. This is a dangerous place to be in.
The fifth ‘sea’ of decision is Career. All of us are in full-time service for the Lord. Our secular career is our sideline job. We must spend our lives for something that will outlast life and something that will endure when this present earth has passed away. In choosing our careers, we must remember we can seek and know the will of God. Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” The secret of success and living in God’s will is found in Proverbs 3:5-6, which so simply yet so profoundly states, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
We must make sure that our career is such that it can honor God. Do not let salary be the all-important driving force. Satan has switched the price tags around in this world, so do not be deceived. There is seldom much correlation between the eternal value of a job and the price tag placed on it. Great men of God are often not highly paid in dollars and cents. Be certain that your employment is in accordance with your God given ability. Many people are square pegs in a round hole. They are not happy in their work because they are doing things for which they are not suited. Take an honest look at your abilities. It is much better to face the facts in the beginning and admit you cannot make it in that position or career, than to become involved and vested in a job that you will become nothing but a failure in. Be careful whose advice you seek regarding a career. Consult with those in close fellowship with Christ. Your work should be something that will not drag you down spiritually, mentally, physically, or emotionally. It is better to starve in body than to lose your soul. Jesus said to his disciples in Mark 8:35-37, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Do not let your career come between you and the Lord.
The sixth ‘sea’ of decision is Courtship. In Weymouth’s translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 it states, “It is God’s will that you be pure, that you abstain from fornication, that each of you know how to procure himself a wife in purity and honor, not in lustful passion.” The King James versions says, “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.” Love and relationships are not a game, we must give ourselves plenty of time to find that ‘special one’ that God has for us. Choose a date who will make you a good mate! It is important to have the right kind of dates, with the right kind of people, at the right times, and at the right places. Avoid those who do not care for your mother and father. If he or she does not care for them, he or she is not likely to care for you either when the infatuation stage wears off. It is vital to keep your relationships a hundred percent clean. If your courtship is such that when you are together with that person, all you think about is sex and impulses that should be reserved solely for the boundaries of marriage, then there is something wrong with your relationship.
In courtship, we should stay away from those who think dating consists of petting in parked cars or dark streets. Young people who take liberties with each other’s bodies are on the road to committing the sin of fornication, which does not only hold the consequence of spiritual death, which is only reversible through repentance, but other consequences that are irreversible. 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 tells us, “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sins against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Take dating seriously because marriage is more than just a romance, it is a responsibility. The aisle to the marriage altar may be short, but it is a long road thereafter. When we make God the center of our relationship, we will find true joy and happiness together.
So, to recap, no matter where we are in our ‘sea of life,’ young, old, or in between, God needs to be the center of it all. Following Christ is the first major decision we should make before even launching out into the deep. Secondly, what will our conduct be as we sail the seas of life after professing our commitment to Christ. Thirdly, how will our convictions or lack thereof affect us during the times of calm or storms we may face. Fourthly, what kind of friendships or companions are we going to associate ourselves with? Will they be able to save us in a storm because they share our love for the Lord, or will they walk away when the seas get rough, and they are put on the spot. Fifthly, what type of career will we choose because of our relationship with the Lord. Will we seek His will before we accept a job, or will we rely upon our own skills and abilities without even consulting the throne? And lastly, who will you choose to sail with you on the seas of life as your mate and confidant? Will you keep yourself pure and holy and allow God to assist in one of the greatest decisions you will ever make?
The dark stormy sea aka this world is not a friendly place to be, especially alone. We need the Lord, and we need each other to navigate them successfully and make it through to the other side. Matthew 8: 22-27 tells us this story, “But Jesus said unto him, follow me; And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! They underestimated the power that they had in their boat, just because Jesus was taking a nap.
Jesus later told his disciples in Matthew 28:20, “Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Because of their experiences with Him, they realized that He is what they needed, and they could not navigate this world alone. They believed His promises, because He had shown them by example that He would always be with them. The writer to the Hebrews reminded them of this in 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Take the Lord with you on this venture called life and make those important decisions before embarking on your journey. In Luke 14:27-30 Jesus said, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and counts the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish.” It is not only important for us to start the journey, but even more important that count the cost so we can make it to the end and hear the Master say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.”