Dave and JenDave and JenPrayPray

ShiftShift

PlowPlow

It cost me respectIt cost me respectIt cost me friendsIt cost me friends

It cost me the privilegeIt cost me the privilegeOf being able to share JesusOf being able to share Jesus

RacquetballRacquetball

Lost respectLost respectAnd willingness to meet himAnd willingness to meet him

Self-centerednessSelf-centerednessAnd immaturityAnd immaturity

Committed toCommitted toWhat he felt like in that momentWhat he felt like in that moment

(Just like me!)(Just like me!)

At the same timeAt the same timePastor NatePastor Nate

Day of PrayerDay of PrayerLike a boss!Like a boss!

God used NateGod used NateTo radically changeTo radically change

My lifeMy life

One of the factors:One of the factors:His integrity to his wordHis integrity to his word

Essential Spiritual DisciplineEssential Spiritual Discipline

What you What you commit tocommit toSays who you areSays who you are

What you're aboutWhat you're aboutAnd if you can be trustedAnd if you can be trusted

What if I've lost influenceWhat if I've lost influenceAnd respectAnd respect

And haven't realized it?And haven't realized it?

What if I could gain What if I could gain Influence and respectInfluence and respect

Among the people and groupsAmong the people and groupsI'm a part of?I'm a part of?

What you What you commit tocommit toForms youForms you

Big PictureBig Picture

Jesus is GodJesus is God

Big PictureBig Picture

Jesus is GodJesus is GodWhat he does What he does

Flows out of Who he isFlows out of Who he is

"I came to…?""I came to…?"

Commitment tested twiceCommitment tested twice

"Bow before me and I'll"Bow before me and I'llGive you all these kingdoms"Give you all these kingdoms"

Commitment tested twiceCommitment tested twice

"Who am I?" "Who am I?" "The Christ""The Christ""I'm going to suffer and die""I'm going to suffer and die""Far be it from you, Lord!""Far be it from you, Lord!"

"This is Who I am."This is Who I am.

Therefore, this is what I'm Therefore, this is what I'm CommittedCommitted to do" to do"

Anything that would keepAnything that would keepJesus from doingJesus from doing

What he What he committed to docommitted to doIs from the EnemyIs from the Enemy

We're committed to somethingWe're committed to something

What you What you have been have been Committed to so areCommitted to so areHas made youHas made you

Who you are todayWho you are today

What you commit toWhat you commit toForms youForms you

Prodigal SonProdigal Son

Committed to what?Committed to what?

Demas, because he loved this Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has world, has deserted me and has

gone to Thessalonica- Paulgone to Thessalonica- Paul

Committed to what?Committed to what?

"I am ready…to die for… Jesus""I am ready…to die for… Jesus"- Paul, Acts 27- Paul, Acts 27

Committed to what?Committed to what?

What you commit to todayWhat you commit to todayForms who you will be tomorrowForms who you will be tomorrow

And affects your influenceAnd affects your influenceIn our world for his gloryIn our world for his glory

- Pleasure- Pleasure- What others think- What others think

- Approval and affection- Approval and affection- What I can get out of it- What I can get out of it

MeMe

- Pleasure- Pleasure- What others think- What others think

- Approval and affection- Approval and affection- What I can get out of it- What I can get out of it

JesusJesus

- His Glory and Renown- His Glory and Renown- Becoming a devoted disciple- Becoming a devoted disciple- Based on his approval= cross- Based on his approval= cross

Jesus, after a temptationJesus, after a temptationTo give up on To give up on his commitmenthis commitment

Takes time to talk aboutTakes time to talk aboutWhat it takes to be a discipleWhat it takes to be a disciple

Whoever wants to be my disciple Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take must deny themselves and take

up their cross up their cross daily daily and follow me…and follow me…

Lose life= find itLose life= find it

As they were walking along the As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go”follow you wherever you go”

Jesus replied,Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no nests, but the Son of Man has no

place to lay his head”place to lay his head”

When you When you commitcommit to follow Me to follow MeYou don't get to choose You don't get to choose

To follow only when it's easyTo follow only when it's easy

He said to another man, He said to another man, “Follow me”“Follow me”

But he replied, But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and “Lord, first let me go and bury my father”bury my father”

Jesus said to him, “Let the dead Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, bury their own dead,

but you go and proclaim but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God”the kingdom of God”

When you When you commitcommit to follow Me to follow MeYou don't get to chooseYou don't get to choose

To follow when it's convenientTo follow when it's convenient

God's call on your lifeGod's call on your lifeIs not contingent uponIs not contingent upon

The convenience of your The convenience of your CircumstancesCircumstances

Still another said, Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; “I will follow you, Lord; But first let me go back and But first let me go back and Say goodbye to my family”Say goodbye to my family”

Jesus replied, Jesus replied, “No one who puts “No one who puts a hand to the a hand to the

plowplow and looks back is and looks back is fit for service in the fit for service in the

kingdom of God”kingdom of God”- Luke 9- Luke 9

When you When you commitcommit to follow Me to follow MeYou don't get to chooseYou don't get to choose

To follow half-heartedlyTo follow half-heartedly

Why? Why?

Because there is no such thing Because there is no such thing As a half-committed DiscipleAs a half-committed Disciple

"The dust of your Rabbi""The dust of your Rabbi"

Commitment is anCommitment is an

Essential Spiritual DisciplineEssential Spiritual Discipline

What you commit toWhat you commit toForms youForms you

For which of you, desiring to For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not build a tower, does not first sit down and count first sit down and count the cost, whether he the cost, whether he has enough to has enough to complete it? complete it?

Otherwise, when he has laid a Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man mock him, saying, ‘This man

began to build and was began to build and was not able to finish’not able to finish’

……So therefore, any one of you So therefore, any one of you who does not who does not renounce all renounce all that he has that he has cannot be cannot be my disciplemy disciple- Luke 14- Luke 14

We are formedWe are formedBy what we followBy what we follow

All the single ladies…All the single ladies…All the single ladies…All the single ladies…

What you commit to What you commit to TodayToday

Determines what you'll beDetermines what you'll beTomorrowTomorrow

But it's more than thatBut it's more than that

God holds his peopleGod holds his peopleTo their wordTo their word

Because they carryBecause they carryHis NameHis Name

GibeonitesGibeonitesJoshua 9Joshua 9

Gave their word…Gave their word…

It is better not to make a vow It is better not to make a vow than to make one and than to make one and not fulfill itnot fulfill it- Ecc. 5:5- Ecc. 5:5

God holds his peopleGod holds his peopleTo their wordTo their word

Because they carryBecause they carryHis NameHis Name

Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from the evil onecomes from the evil one- Matt. 5:37- Matt. 5:37

Yes= yesYes= yesNo= noNo= no

No need for promisesNo need for promises

Peter: Even if everyone falls Peter: Even if everyone falls away, I never will!away, I never will!

For the fallFor the fallThere's graceThere's grace

For the For the committedcommittedThere's maturity and growthThere's maturity and growth

Respect and InfluenceRespect and Influence

Short-circuits:Short-circuits:

2 sons. Which did the will2 sons. Which did the willOf his Father?Of his Father?

Living by what I feel right nowLiving by what I feel right now

Short-circuits:Short-circuits:

Comparison and PrideComparison and Pride

We are unprofitable servantsWe are unprofitable servantsWe only did our duty- Lk 17:10We only did our duty- Lk 17:10

Short-circuits:Short-circuits:

Complaining or Complaining or To be seen by menTo be seen by men

Do all things without grumbling Do all things without grumbling or complaining, that you may be or complaining, that you may be blameless and innocent… (and) blameless and innocent… (and) shine as lights in the worldshine as lights in the world- Phil. 2:14-15- Phil. 2:14-15

Short-circuits:Short-circuits:

RationalizationRationalization

Your ability to follow throughYour ability to follow throughOn commitmentOn commitment

Tells your world who you areTells your world who you are

The integrity of my wordThe integrity of my wordWill always outshineWill always outshine

The goodness of my intentionsThe goodness of my intentions

We are what we've We are what we've Committed toCommitted to

What you commit to What you commit to TodayToday

Is what you will beIs what you will beTomorrowTomorrow

DisciplesDisciples

Won't be easyWon't be easyWon't be convenientWon't be convenientWon't be half-heartedWon't be half-hearted

It means I'm carefulIt means I'm carefulWith what I say "Yes" toWith what I say "Yes" to

I pray throughI pray throughMy Commitments FirstMy Commitments First

When I failWhen I failI refuse to rationalizeI refuse to rationalize

I humbly apologize and repentI humbly apologize and repent

I become knownI become knownAs a man or womanAs a man or woman

Of my wordOf my word

And win the rightAnd win the rightTo be heardTo be heard

And discover whatAnd discover whatReal life isReal life is

As I commit to JesusAs I commit to Jesus

Questions?Questions?

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Saturday, Sept. 20Saturday, Sept. 20