Sometimes God puts choices in front of us. For example, some of you have made New Year resolutions to eat healthier, maybe even diet. Everyday there are choices to be made between the doughnut you love, and the better health you want. You see desiring to be different, and doing so are two totally different things. We can know we need to do something, but never do it. Why? The answer is because it is hard work. It’s about more than making a decision; it’s following through with a commitment. At some point we have to decide is the outcome we want worth the sacrifice.
Recently I have been studying personalities. I took a personality test and made Chad take it as well. I will give you the highlights of our results- Lion and Turtle. If you know anything about us you would know who is the lion (me), and who is the turtle (Chad). There are some key differences in our personalities according to our test: driven/indecisive, impatient/slow speed, motivated/initiative challenged, just to name a few. So there is obviously some work involved in getting along. For instance, the simple act of hanging a picture together. In my mind the project should take five minutes (impatience), and in reality it takes at least 30 if not more (turtle). So for the sake of our marriage, I now only come in when the picture actually needs to be held on the wall for the nail. The truth is we made a decision to get married, but we have made a commitment to stay together. The decision was easy but the commitment can be exhausting. The commitment is all about the follow through when things are hard. If we truly want to serve the Lord, we always have to be in the mindset of how others think and feel. For example, because I love Chad I have to find a way to deal with all his details and his turtle speed. In return because he loves me he has to learn to deal with impatience, and abruptness. This all falls on the commitment we made. Although we can drive each other insane, we know the outcome of being together is worth the work.
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Sometimes the Lord challenges us to be different. Maybe he is calling you to repair a relationship in your marriage, with a friend, at work, or in your family. It could be he is challenging you to share your faith more; to move outside your comfort zone, take on a leadership role, have a healthy lifestyle, to make a career change; the list could go on and on. The point is whatever you are being called to do will require a decision, but even more than that a commitment. Notice in the verse below the word daily. Salvation is a decision; the daily walk is the commitment.
Mathew 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?
“For the most part, many do not see a big distinction between a decision and a commitment, but for the follower of Christ there is a significant difference. Those who make a decision about Jesus can say they believe that Jesus is God’s Son, that he died on the cross for their sins, and that he was raised on the 3rd day. They can say that Jesus is the only way to salvation, that Jesus is the Savior, and that they believe the Bible is true. They can know all of the right terminology, and know about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, BUT the issue is that it is possible to make all of these statements without actually living as a committed follower of God. Simply believing all of those things is of no value if our lives are not transformed by the gospel itself. Jesus calls us to follow him; this demands an action. There is a false distinction between what it means to believe in God and what it means to live for God, but the truth is that it is impossible to have one without the other. If we claim to know God as our Lord and Savior then our actions must match what we say we believe. Our commitment to God must be as unconditional as God’s love is for us.”—Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman
What decision does God need from you today?
Recently I have been studying personalities. I took a personality test and made Chad take it as well. I will give you the highlights of our results- Lion and Turtle. If you know anything about us you would know who is the lion (me), and who is the turtle (Chad). There are some key differences in our personalities according to our test: driven/indecisive, impatient/slow speed, motivated/initiative challenged, just to name a few. So there is obviously some work involved in getting along. For instance, the simple act of hanging a picture together. In my mind the project should take five minutes (impatience), and in reality it takes at least 30 if not more (turtle). So for the sake of our marriage, I now only come in when the picture actually needs to be held on the wall for the nail. The truth is we made a decision to get married, but we have made a commitment to stay together. The decision was easy but the commitment can be exhausting. The commitment is all about the follow through when things are hard. If we truly want to serve the Lord, we always have to be in the mindset of how others think and feel. For example, because I love Chad I have to find a way to deal with all his details and his turtle speed. In return because he loves me he has to learn to deal with impatience, and abruptness. This all falls on the commitment we made. Although we can drive each other insane, we know the outcome of being together is worth the work.
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Sometimes the Lord challenges us to be different. Maybe he is calling you to repair a relationship in your marriage, with a friend, at work, or in your family. It could be he is challenging you to share your faith more; to move outside your comfort zone, take on a leadership role, have a healthy lifestyle, to make a career change; the list could go on and on. The point is whatever you are being called to do will require a decision, but even more than that a commitment. Notice in the verse below the word daily. Salvation is a decision; the daily walk is the commitment.
Mathew 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?
“For the most part, many do not see a big distinction between a decision and a commitment, but for the follower of Christ there is a significant difference. Those who make a decision about Jesus can say they believe that Jesus is God’s Son, that he died on the cross for their sins, and that he was raised on the 3rd day. They can say that Jesus is the only way to salvation, that Jesus is the Savior, and that they believe the Bible is true. They can know all of the right terminology, and know about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, BUT the issue is that it is possible to make all of these statements without actually living as a committed follower of God. Simply believing all of those things is of no value if our lives are not transformed by the gospel itself. Jesus calls us to follow him; this demands an action. There is a false distinction between what it means to believe in God and what it means to live for God, but the truth is that it is impossible to have one without the other. If we claim to know God as our Lord and Savior then our actions must match what we say we believe. Our commitment to God must be as unconditional as God’s love is for us.”—Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman
What decision does God need from you today?
RSS Feed
