It is easier to make a good decision than to unwind a bad one. Christian leaders can relate to being asked for advise much more often with untangling the negative consequences of what might have been an avoidable decision in relationships, careers and finances, then being consulted prior to making it. Early in ministry on staff at Vineyard Columbus, I mentioned this to a fellow pastor, and he told me about the 5 C's.
The 5 C's of decision making are Counsel of Saints, Commanding Scripture, Common Sense, Compelling Spirit, and Coincidental Signs. The easy-to-memorize alliteration originated from Nicky Gumbel, author of the Alpha course that we offer. I’ve come to rely on this list quite a bit over the years.
Jesus' desire and plan for us, is to flourish. One of our most powerful gifts is our power to make decisions. Developing the skill to make good ones and avoiding the bad, is vital to living the abundant life.
Commanding Scripture
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (1 Tim 3:16). The Bible is the world's best single resource, for making decisions. It has many commands, principles, and wisdom for living life well. Searching the scriptures, which is easier now through free online tools, will provide you with direction about virtually every area of life, helping you to enjoy more of God’s blessing he intends for you.
Nearly every day, we make financial decisions. But, were you aware that on the subject of money alone, the Bible contains over 2,000 verses? There you will find commands, such as against dishonest dealing or co-signing loans. While other verses speak about generosity, greed, heart issues, or warnings about the dangers of debt.
Counsel of Saints
It used to be difficult to borrow money. Today, banks and credit card providers have made it easy and quick, to go into massive debt. They tempt us through emotional advertisem*nt to ignore wisdom. But it is never easy to repay it. Likewise, repairing relationships we fell into, instead of thoughtfully examining them before, is more difficult. Sadly, we often make decisions emotionally, or based on external pressure, but we don’t have to go at this alone on our own strength.
There are many people around to advise you and lean on. For me, it hasn't been easy to humble myself, and put what I want aside while I sought advice, but I've learned it can be one of the most beneficial things I can do. Rich Nathan was advised against debt, when he was a new Christian. He attributes this to helping him financially when he was young in his career and family.
Proverbs 15:22 provides sage advice; "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Before you sign a contract, enter in an important relationship, or make a career turn, humbly talk to several wise and Godly people, who manage their own households well (1 Tim 3:4).
In your circle, it is good to have mature Christian friends and elders as well as professionals in finance or law. You can rely on them for advise, or just to visit with periodically to share your life and to get insight.
Compelling Spirit
In the Vineyard, we believe that God still speaks to us today. We don’t have to hear through a human intermediary. Ephesians 2:18 tells us, "For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." We have growth classes that teach us how to experience God this way. Through prayer, fasting and scriptural meditation, God often guides us in the decisions we have before us.
Additionally, the scriptures are full of examples of the creative ways God speaks to us, sometimes through common sense, and wisdom gained through study and experience. Oftentimes, naturally or supernaturally in our environment, coincidences, dreams and visions.
Learn and grow
It has been said that "Knowledge is not power, but potential. The effective application of knowledge in decision making is very powerful." To deepen your understanding of the 5 C’s, we've developed a small group Bible study to assist your growth Email me if you would like a PDF of the study. Continue to develop and apply this life skill. You will increase your flourishing in every area of life, as you lean into the ways God has designed you to.
The 5 C's of decision making are Counsel of Saints, Commanding Scripture, Common Sense, Compelling Spirit, and Coincidental Signs. The easy-to-memorize alliteration originated from Nicky Gumbel, author of the Alpha course
Alpha course
The Alpha course is an evangelistic course which seeks to introduce the basics of the Christian faith through a series of talks and discussions. It is described by its organisers as "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life".
It can provide insight into the key drivers of success, as well as the risk exposure to various environmental factors. The 5Cs are Company, Collaborators, Customers, Competitors, and Context.
We want to see lives changed for the glory of God. One helpful way to look at this process is through a model called the five C's. The fives C's are the Community, Crowd, Congregation, Committed, and the Core.
God's guidance, as described in the Alpha course, comes down to Five CSs. This isn't CS Lewis, but rather: Commanding scripture, Compelling Spirit, Common Sense, Counsel of the Saints, and Circ*mstantial signs.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." God doesn't make decisions for us, though. He gives us the gift of free will so that we can make decisions and choose to love him.
The five C's, or characteristics, of credit — character, capacity, capital, conditions and collateral — are a framework used by many lenders to evaluate potential small-business borrowers.
But it is easy to remember the 3 basic elements upon which our faith is based and must remain focused: C #1 - Christ - the divine savior and Lord. C #2 - Cross - the place where our sins were cleansed.
Effective people management is a process that requires a set of skills and techniques that can be summarised by the 5 Cs: creation, comprehension, communication, collaboration, and confrontation. We will explore these Cs in detail and their significance in managing people effectively.
For effective communication, remember the 5 C's of communication: clear, cohesive, complete, concise, and concrete. Be Clear about your message, be Cohesive by staying on-topic, Complete your idea with supporting content, be Concise by eliminating unnecessary words, be Concrete by using precise words.
Psalm 25:12 states, "Who then are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose." In the context of guiding our decision making, this verse suggests that those who have reverence for the Lord will receive divine guidance to make righteous choices.
“Dear God, I look to no one else for wisdom. I humbly ask for Your help in making one of the most important decisions in my life because I don't know how to make it without You. Please, give me direction and wisdom so I can make the right decision and bring glory to Your name. Amen.”
Is your judgment clouded by guilt, shame, or fear? Confess these things to God and ask for forgiveness. Ask: Ask God for wisdom to make the best choice. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).
Because He knows this and loves us, He doesn't usually interfere with the consequences of our choices. If He forced us to make the right decisions, it would be impossible for us to grow and reach our divine potential. It would be impossible to live by faith in Him and His plan for our happiness.
God Guides First and Foremost Through His Revealed Will
God has been kind to give believers specific directions concerning life and godliness. If someone is looking for inner direction without listening to God's directions in the Bible, it's like they are looking for eyeglasses already on their nose.
And when our life expectations go unmet, we can let God prevail by trusting in Him, keeping our covenants, and acting in faith. Doing so will always lead us to more fulfillment, more happiness, and more opportunities than we ever thought possible. This has been true for me.
You can know that God is leading your decisions if you have sought His direction in prayer, have looked to His word for guidance, have tuned your ear to the Holy Spirit, and have sought the wisdom of godly people.
Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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