Four Sources to Making Right Decisions

Deuteronomy 4:45

These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt,

When a judge makes a decision, he is to always refer to the law to make the proper ruling. We have all seen judges who made a judgment based on their own beliefs, but their beliefs were contrary to the law. Maybe the most prominent example is the Supreme Court. These nine justices are to refer to the Constitution to make decisions about a case brought to them, but there are some cases that are controversial to society, and in these cases, some justices make their ruling about the case based on their belief and not on the Constitution. When people who know the law see this, it bothers them because we know the wrong ruling will take our nation down the wrong path to our destruction.

When making decisions, you must act as if you are a judge about to make a ruling. The nation you are ruling is your life. The decision you make will determine God’s favor and blessings on your life. Therefore, you must make the proper ruling so that your life will see God’s blessings. God gives four sources we are to refer to in helping us make the right decisions. These sources are commandments, testimonies, statutes, and judgments. Let me show you what these are to your life so you can make the right decisions.

First, refer to the commandments. Commandments are laws that concern your relationship with God. God must be first in every decision. When making a decision, always ask yourself what it will do to your relationship with God. Will the decision pull you away from God, or will it push you closer to God? If you refer to God’s Word, you will always know what that decision will do to your relationship with God.

Second, refer to the testimonies. Testimonies are what history tells you to do. History is a great resource to tell you what others did in making the same decision you are faced with. You are no exception to the rule. Whatever happened to those in history will happen to you if you make the same decision. Always let the testimonies of past decisions guide you in making decisions.

Third, refer to the statutes. Statutes are what the rules tell you to do. These statutes are man-made rules that all are to follow, but they are to be followed as long as they agree with God’s Word. What one must do, all must do, and that is the purpose of statutes. Therefore, when you make a decision, always look at the established rules as a guide and ask yourself if the decision you are about to make will pit you against the rules. You can never allow a decision to make you an exception to a rule. Rules are in place to help everyone know what to do so that there is peace because all are doing the same thing.

Fourth, refer to judgments. Judgments are what your decisions tell you to do. Look at your past decisions to see if they will guide you with a decision you need to make. Past decisions tell you what to do, but you must remember that this time is no different from the past if you are faced with the same decision.

The key to these four guides is they must never contradict the previous guide. Commandments are always the primary decision-maker; therefore, anything that contradicts the previous guide must not be done because commandments affect your relationship with God.