Little Peach Music, Inc.

Decisions

The French philosopher Rene Descartes once said, "I think, therefore I am." Too often, people want to amend that statement to read, "I feel, therefore I am." That is to say, they want to narrow down decsion making to an emotional choice, regardless of the moral, ethical or social consequences. This series will raise some tough issues, show that decisions are willful choices we make in our minds, then define the biblical basis in choosing correctly for each of the issues.

Jump straight to a Topic:

To Lust or Not to Lust: When we are tempted to lust, we can decide to yield or not to yield to temptation. (Mt. 5:27-30)

To Love or Not to Love: The feeling associated with love can be flighty and flaky. Love is a choice.

To Worry or Not to Worry: The anxiety experienced by not abandoning to God is a result of our own choice.

To Live or Not to Live: The enjoyment and adventure of life is within reach.

To Believe or Not to Believe: Opinions, doubts and feelings aside, belief is a decision one makes, an act of the will.

Feedback and questions can be directed to: Edward Craner, Little Peach Music, Inc. e-mail: ecraner@littlepeach.com

To Lust or Not To Lust

It haunts us in nearly every commercial and movie, it lurks in the pages of our favorite magazines, distracts us in the workplace and while we're recreating. It is relentless and has no conscience. It takes our focus off of God, our principles, and clouds our minds to inhibit us from making clear descisions. It does not discrimate against race, age or gender, and it is responsible for broken relationships, criminal activity and moral decay. It is more than a sexual affect, as it crosses over into material want and greed as well.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Reference Matthew 5:27-30
PROGRAM IDEAS:

Perform a reading of the story, "The Midas Touch." You can find it in "The Book of Virtues" from Simon & Schuster. The story illustrates the folly of wanting/wishing for everything, then getting it. The storyline takes the angle of lusting after material things, which complements the other issue, that of sexual lust.

An excellent drama is "Me, Myself, and Chris" by Zondervan.

Use the song, "Tempted," by mainstream group, "Squeeze," as the offertory or as an interlude song before or after the drama. If you need a short segment, the chorus of the song works well. Also, if you have someone who is a good storyteller, the reading works well summarized in story form.

To Love or Not To Love

Countless commentaries have been written, with the continual theme being that love is a choice, a decision, an act of the will. Whether it be in the context of a marriage relationship, in our actions toward friends and family, or in the way we treat our fellow man, love takes conscious initiative and often times, sacrifice. Make an effort to use more than just I Cor. 13 as your text. This will ensure that people are aware that the Bible talks about or illustrates love in other parts of Scripture!

PROGRAM IDEAS:

Present a reading from the Bible, using 1John 4; I Corinthians 13; and John 15. Have two readers ping-pong between verses, using the I Corinthians passage for your primary text and interspersing the other verses. If you have the talent, presant as a "reader's theater." • The Bob Bennett song, "Unto the Least of These" from the album, "Songs From Birght Avenue," is an excellent story song to illustrate the idea of love.

For a drama piece, use "Family Snapshots -IV," a delightful "ongoing saga" from Zondervan.

Place the song, "Unto the Least of These" directly after the drama, as it helps to illustrate God's love for us in comparison to our love for the people we find it difficult to love. The song/drama combination also speaks to how Christ modeled unconditional love and how we should do the same.

To Worry or Not To Worry

This topic lends itself to concentrate on the art of abandonment, the notion of giving over to God the concerns of our day-to-day lives, the haunts of the past, and the unknowns of the future. And if we are plagued by the anxieties despite our efforts, then our objective is to continue to decide to act on what His Word tells us. (Luke 12:22)

PROGRAM IDEAS:

Here's an idea for a special program element: put together a top-ten list of the "Top 10 Things To Worry About." For instance, take current events in your community and throughout the nation that people are making a big deal of and are in a frenzy over. Also include generics (e.g., "Your barber says it will grow back").

To Live or Not To Live

In an effort to stay away from people becoming hedonistic about their leisure and recreation, many messages are preached on sacrifice and suffering. The result is a view of God as an Almighty "Killjoy." Dispel that myth by identifying the wonders, adventure and excitement that come with an authentic and well-nurtured life with Christ. God created us with an appetite for wanting to live an abundant life - - this topic is designed to illustrate that fact.

PROGRAM IDEAS:

Gather 6-8 home videos from families (those w/ small children work best) and edit together shots of birthdays, camping trips, picnics, vacations, sporting events, etc. Then play the song, "What A Wonderful World" behind it. Guaranteed warm and fuzzies!

From the original animated movie, "Jungle Book," use the clip where Baloo and Mogley are floating down the river singing, "Bear Necessities." Put the clip at the top of the program to set the mood for the entire service. Guaranteed smiles!

To Believe or Not To Believe

A constant challenge in asking someone to accept Christ is the chasm that exists between conscious choice and a heart-felt tug, that is aligning both the mind and soul. Allowing people the opportunity to examine Christianity can help eliminate some intellectual hesitancy, but ultimately the step of faith has to be taken, directed by a heart inclined toward God and a mind open to the notion that Christ is the only way. This topic can be an excellent platform to ask people to make a decision for Christ.

PROGRAM IDEAS:

A testimony from a person who has made a commitment to Christ in their mid-life would complement well. In adolescence, the information we have available to make a decision is often limited, making a decision easier and less risky. Later in life, having more information, making a life-changing decision is often more difficult and threatening, thus making a testimony about a conversion very powerful.

Feel like pushing the envelope a bit? Use the song, "Something To Believe In" by the 80's rock group, "Poison," which is on their self-titled album. The song raises lots of questions, is passionate, and isn't as dated sounding as you might think. For optimum effect, place the song just before the testimonial. And, if you're audience is ultra-conservative, get ready to find another job! :)

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