COMMITMENT: THE LIVEWIRE OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE

Deut.6:4-5; Mat.22:37-38; Luke 14:26-27, 33; Phil.2:5-11

Commitment is the livewire of Christian service. Abraham did it. Moses did it. Daniel Did it. And Jesus epitomised it. God never asks for the half. He asks for the whole because he never gives half, He gives the whole. He gave himself, and the God who gave all of Himself will not accept half from us. Half-heartedness is unacceptable to him (Rev.3:15-16). Many who profess Christ today are not known by him because they do not know nor do the will of their Lord. We don’t want anyone of us to be in that number. If you find yourself in that group, quickly repent and go back to your first love and do the first works. The sweetest statement we will hear from God is “Well done thou good and faithful servant”. This message is not meant to condemn anyone but to challenge all to real commitment to Christ and the cause of the gospel this hour.

Some Christians live for nothing. Other Christians live for anything. But some Christians live for something! what are you living for? There is no greater Master to commit to but Christ. There is no greater cause to commit to but the Gospel both in principle and in practice.

1      WHAT CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT IS NOT

Not Showy Outward Righteousness (Mat.6:1-8; 7:21-23).

There are people whose idea of commitment showing everyone they are great givers or they pray a lot more or they are more sanctified than others, or that they are wiser than others. Jesus regards those people as hypocrites. Remember the story of the Pharisee and the publican who both went to the Temple to pray (Luke 18:9-14)? The Pharisee was boastfully exalting himself and his religious achievements while despising the despairing publican. His prayer and service were rejected.

Not Hypocritical Legalism (Mat.23:13-29).

The greatest criticism of anyone in the Bible was Christ’s denunciation of the Pharisees. Let us explore some of the things they did to show they were righteous: (i) claiming to be the custodians of the law while making it had for people to enter the kingdom of God (Mat.23:13); (ii) making long prayers while oppressing widows (Mat.23:14); (iii) converting people to Judaism while making it hard for those people to enter the kingdom of God (Mat.23:15); (iv) elevating material things above spiritual things (Mat.23:16-22); (v) majoring on minor things while ignoring the weightier matters of the law (Mat.23:23-24); (vi) being so particular on outward righteousness to the neglect of inward righteousness (Mat.23:25-28); (vii) being in denial of wrong doing by preserving the sepulcher of the prophets whom their fathers killed, they were still going to kill more prophets like John the Baptist and even Jesus Himself.

 

Not Just Vocal Verbal Profession (Mat.7:21-23)

Just being a member of a church without effort in doing the will of God as is committed to the Church is not a sign of commitment. To such people, Jesus would say, “woe unto you”. Just professing Christ with no effort to do the will of God is not commitment. George Verwer the founder of OM said that lukewarmness among God’s people is the greatest single global crisis in the body of Christ. What is your response to Mat.9:37?  You can only call Jesus Lord if you are obeying his commands (Luke 6:46).

2      WHAT CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT IS.

Deut.6:4-6; Mat.22:35-40; Rom.12:1-2)

Whatever you want to give to God, you must give Him all. Commitment to Christ your Lord means giving Him all your life. What is “all your life”?

(i)                All your heart – the heart is the centre of man’s personality, your determination, your will, your courage all come from your heart. The heart is the spiritual centre of worship. It is where God wants to dwell in man (Mat.5:8). Out of the heart are the issues of life (Prov.4:23). The composition of your heart defines who you are (Mat.12:33-35). It is your treasure house whatever is in the heart defines you. If God is supreme in your heart, His image radiate from you. You will truly be the light of the world. Therefore your heart is to be filled with God. It is God’s temple.

(ii)             All your soul – the soul contains your mind, your emotions and your temperaments. By the word of God you can renew your mind (Rom.12:1-2). Commitment involved loving God with all your mind, all your will and all your emotion. Love God with passion, with excitement.

(iii)           All your might – might here can be your strength. As you commit to God spiritually you also commit to him physically. When wisdom combines with strength we can acquire wealth. To obey the command of Deut.6:4-5, your wealth belongs to God (1Kings 20:1-4).

All in all what God is asking us for is to give our entire life wholly and everything we have to Him. He allows us to be the custodian of His blessings. This is the reason we give tithes and offering in the Church. What do you have that you have not received?

Abraham was a great example of commitment. After waiting for a child till the age of 100, he got Isaac. Then God comes and demands that he should offer up Isaac. What was is reaction? Unquestionable obedience. Thank God Abraham obeyed. Otherwise how would we have understood that God did not mean to deprive him of his son! This is commitment!

The current news is that an estimated 500 British born young Muslims have gone to fight in Iraq and Iran. Now this is wrong, we do not endorse such barbarism, but they are doing is called commitment.

I believe one way or the other our leaders must have announced to us that this coming Christmas retreat will be held in this conference Centre. The cost is about £53 per adult for day delegates for those three days of Friday, Saturday and Sunday of 26^th to 28^th December 2014. Residential delegates will pay £35ppn. You say pastor that is a lot of money! I agree but Christ has not asked us to serve Him only when it is convenient. If you commit yourself to God 100%, to the cause of Christ and the Gospel, we will not have to chase you around to make your contribution to the conference and to whole-heartedly commit yourself to it. You will go out of your comfort zone to do it!

Your doing this will ensure that everyone will participate fully in the Retreat.  Those who run up and down buying food stuff, cooking, cleaning washing and making sure that everyone enjoys the retreat, whose work sometimes are not appreciated by others, will also enjoy the retreat.

Consider what Jesus told the rich young ruler (Luke 18:25). That is literal! No blessing we have or lack should hinder us from serving the Lord. Instead whatever blessing of wealth and possession and of resources we have must enhance and facilitate the service of the Lord.

3.  CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT AND CROSS BEARING

Luke 9:23-24; Mat.20:28; John 15:13-30; Phil.2:5-11

Deny yourself? Refuse to acknowledge of accept the old man – the old self before Christ saved you. The old lifestyle is controlled by sin worldliness and materialism! Denounce that life completely, not half-heartedly. Come out of your comfort zone for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. Deny yourself of comfort including necessary things. Can you suffer hunger because you have given all your money for the gospel? The rich young ruler did not learn that lesson and yet he wanted to enter into eternal life. Many Christians today have not learned that lesson and yet they want to enter into eternal life.

The mind of Christ? while people, ministers and churches are seeking for reputation, he made himself of no reputation . He took upon him the form of a servant. He took flesh - the weak form called man. He chose to go to death on the cross. He did all this for the transgression of mankind. If we would see souls born into the kingdom, if we must see the church triumph in this dangerous hour, we must deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Christ.

When you deny yourself, renounce all worldliness, all sinfulness and worldly pleasures that drown men in destruction and perdition (1Tim.6:6-9), your flesh may feel that you are losing something, but your spirit will soar before God. Old worldly unsaved friends who till today are still your best pals are likely to place you under the curse of an unequal yoke. Deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Christ. That is the battle cry of discipleship!

Your life now is Christ. Your Death is gain. Your fellowship is no longer with the world. You have left the world behind. Your face is set for heaven. Your effort is to please your Master. Your job is to finish the work he started. Your primary assignment is to honour His command. Your ministry is to serve His Church. Your responsibility is to give as He gave you, to love as He loves you, to forgive as He forgives you.

Your house is His house, your car is His car. Your money is His money. Your children are His children. And you now belong to Him.

He has built a mansion in heaven for you (1Peter 1:3-7). Cross bearing is like the trial of your faith. Your faith is much more precious than gold. Trial and cross-bearing are not meant to destroy your faith. When your faith is tried, it is strengthened and brings praise and honour and glory at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Your reward is waiting for you.

Other Christians are depending on your commitment. When they see you serving the Lord whole heartedly, they are encouraged. When you show lack of commitment, they are discouraged. You will not make any child of God to stumble. Angels are waiting for you to succeed, to overcome. Heaven is ready to erupt with joy at your decision to give Christ and Christ only, your one hundred percent commitment! Do it now. Commit your all to Christ. Give Him the best that you have.

The following vow was found among the papers of an African pastor in Zimbabwe before he was martyred.:

 I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His and I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
     My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I'm done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.
     I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy Spirit power.
     My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my guide is reliable and my mission is clear.
     I will not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.
      I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice or hesitate in the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
     I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.
     I am a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He'll have no problems recognizing me. My colours will be clear!

(Author unknown)
   

 

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

1.    REGIONAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING SERVICE

v Date: Saturday 28^th June 2014

v Venue: Westerwood Hotels and conference Centre, Cumbernauld

v Time: All day. Start time: Registration and refreshment: 8.30 am

v Cost: £35 per adult; £8 per child.

 

2.    REGIONAL COMBINED SERVICE

v Date: Sunday 13^th July 2014

v Venue: Aberdeen

v Time 2.00 pm

v Transportation: Bus, except you will like to make your way there.

 

3.    2014 CHRISTMAS RETREAT

v Date: Friday to Sunday 26-28 December 2014

v Venue: Westerwood Hotels and Conference centre, Cumbernauld.

v Arrival Time: 4 pm 26^th December 2014

v Finishing Time: Sunday afternoon 28^th December 2014

v Cost £53 per adult for the three days. Cost includes venue hire, food and refreshments throughout the conference period.

v Room rate £35ppn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HYMN

I AM READY FOR SERVICE

 

Listen to the Master's pleading,
There is urgent work for all;
Heed the Spirit's interceding,
Give this answer to the call:

I am ready for service for Thee, dear Lord,
Here am I, send me,
I am willing to be what you'd have me be,
I will go where you want me to go

I am ready for service for Thee, dear Lord,
Here am I, send me,
Though the pathway seems dark for Thee I'll do or die,
I am ready for service, Lord.

There's a voice to you now calling,
Will you heed the earnest word?
On the ear 'tis gently falling,
Give this answer to your Lord.

I am ready for service for Thee, dear Lord,
Here am I, send me,
I am willing to be what you'd have me be,
I will go where you want me to go

I am ready for service for Thee, dear Lord,
Here am I, send me,
Though the pathway seems dark for Thee I'll do or die,
I am ready for service, Lord.

Many souls in sin are dying;
Haste to help them while you may,
For the time is swiftly flying,
Will you now to Jesus say

I am ready for service for Thee, dear Lord,
Here am I, send me,
I am willing to be what you'd have me be,
I will go where you want me to go

I am ready for service for Thee, dear Lord,
Here am I, send me,
Though the pathway seems dark for Thee I'll do or die,
I am ready for service, Lord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deeper Life bible Church, Glasgow

77 Southpark Avenue/University avenue, Glasgow G12 8LE

 

Have a blessed week!

LIVING EXAMPLES FROM GREAT BIBLE PATRIARCHS

 Noah, Abraham and Joseph; Eli and David; God the Father

The bible is a book of examples and of instruction (Rom.15:4; 1Cor.10:11), it is a guide book for pilgrims on their way to the Eternal City. Whatever character we read about, we are meant to learn some life lesson from them. There are many prominent fathers in the Bible from whom we can learn a great many lessons for life. This Fathers Day we consider a few.

Some of their actions may be negative and we need to take warning. Other actions will be godly and we are called upon to emulate those.

1.     The Godly Examples Of Noah Abraham and Joseph

Noah (Gen.5:32; 6:1-22). Noah was a righteous man. That was how the bible described him. God testified to his righteousness (Gen.7:1) It was because of his righteousness that He received the divine assignment from God. God told him to build an ark for the salvation of his family and a percentage of all living things (Heb.11:7). During his time the world was full of wickedness as the bible testifies (Mat.24:37-39). It was said that Noah began the construction of the Ark when he was about 500 years old, preaching righteousness for over 100 years as some believe.

Noah was married. He had three sons – Shem, Ham and Japheth.

What lesson can Godly fathers of today learn from Noah?

(i)    You can live godly in an extremely godless generation.

(ii)  You can bring up godly children in an extremely godless generation.

Abraham (Gen.18:17-19; 21:1-3; 22:1-3, 10-18). Abraham was known as the friend of God! He was a man of obedience, a man of great faith. His actually called the father of faith. The first time he came into contact with the God of the universe he was instructed to leave his kindred to a new land of promised inheritance. He immediately obeyed. The faith of Abraham was counted as righteousness (Gen.15:1-6).

The first 25 chapters of Genesis were devoted to telling the story of the life of Abraham.

(i)                Called at the age of 75 with a promise of being the father of many nations (Gen.12:1-4).

(ii)              At the age of 99, yet without a child, God reappeared to him and renewed His covenant with him.

(iii)            At the age of 100 his dream was fulfilled, Isaac was born and the promise of God was fulfilled.

(iv)            When Isaac became a teenager God told Abraham to sacrifice him on Mount Moriah.

(v)              Abraham OBEYED God. God showed him it was a test of his faith.

There is a lot we fathers of today can learn from father Abraham.  Faith in God, unquestionable obedience. His acceptance to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice unto God was a stunning example of obedience difficult for men of this age to accept. You can begin to see why he is called the friend of God. The offering up of Isaac as a sacrifice was a picture of what God intended to do with His own Son.

Abraham brought up Isaac as the son of promise. He taught him about God and obedience to Him so that Isaac completely gave himself up to be offered as a sacrifice. Children usually copy what their fathers do. Many young children want to be like their fathers, so fathers must live by example.

Joseph: the Husband Of Mary. What can fathers learn from Joseph? Humble, obedient, trustworthy, protective, priest. His job was to protect the infant Messiah which he did very faithfully. He taught Him by his example how to obey and honour God.

 

2.     The Ungodly Examples of Eli and David

David (2Sam.11:1-6, 15-17; 12:7-12). David was a great King, a man after God’s own heart but he did a couple of things so wrong that the anger of the Lord was kindled. First he took advantage of a vulnerable young woman – Bathsheba the wife of Uriah the Hittite – while her husband was at the war front fighting for Israel. Then when he was told that Bathsheba was pregnant, he abused his royal power by manipulating events to kill Uriah and cover up his sin.

That one sin started a long chain of devastation in the family of David. His was a polygamous family. His children went into many unspeakable vices. Amnon David’s son raped Tamar David’s daughter. Absalom Tamar’s brother killed Amnon. Absalom revolted against his father David the King, sending him into temporary exile. Absalom died in the war to overthrow his father. When he became king, Solomon killed Adonijah his older half-brother. Solomon became interested in many women, went beyond his father and married 700 wives and took another 300 women as concubines against God’s commandment concerning kings These foreign women turned his heart away from God(1Kings 11:1-10; Deut.17:17).

This tells us that as parents today, whatever God commands us to do today, we must do for our own benefit. If not for some lines he wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes (Eccl.12:13), you could be forgiven to think that he was eventually lost! Fathers and Fathers to be, sin has consequences. Except you repent and turn away from your sin, you will perish (Rom. 6:23).

Eli (1Sam.2:12-17, 22)

Eli was the priest of Israel from the line of Aaron. His children were bad, scoundrels. They did not know the Lord and so always defiled the altar and the sacrifices of the Lord. We know that children will normally do that which they have learned from other people. The behaviour of Hophni and Phinehas shows that their Father failed to teach them godly principles! Many fathers of today are like that. They care little what their children are growing up to be. They care not what they do, what they eat, what they watch on TV and see online. They care not what clothes they were, what friends they keep! Such fathers are failing in their duty (Deut.6:5-7; Eph.6:4).

 

God: The Perfect Example for All Mankind

2Cor.6:14-18; Mat.5:43-48; 6:9-14;

Our Father in heaven is our perfect example for all human fathers. He leads by example. He offered his son for the ransom of sinner (John 3:16). He forgives all who would come to him. He even cares for his enemies and those who hate him!

Godly father are needed everywhere today, who would bring up godly children. Mothers you must assist your husbands to be the great fathers they must be, support them in providing leadership, in being the priests they are called to be at home.

Fathers do not forget Deut.6:5-9 is meant for you. It is a command from God our Father to teach our children his commandments and His word.

 

WALK A LITTLE PLAINER DADDY

Walk a little plainer, Daddy,
Said a little boy so frail.
I'm following in your footsteps,
And I don't want to fail.
Sometimes your steps are very plain,
Sometimes they are hard to see,
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

I know that once you walked this way
Many years ago,
And what you did along the way,
I'd really like to know.
For sometimes when I am tempted,
I don't know what to do.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
For I must follow you.

Someday when I'm grown up,
You are like I want to be.
Then I will have a little boy,
Who will want to follow me.
And I would want to lead him right,
And help him to be true.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy.
For we must follow you.

(Unknown)
And what you did along the way
I'd really like to know:
For sometimes when I am tempted
I don't know what to do
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
For I must follow you.
Someday when I'm grown up
You are like I want to be.
Then I will have a little boy
Who will want to follow me
And I would want to lead him right
And help him to be true.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy
For We must follow you."