Holy Ambition - Exercise Personal Commitment, Part 2

Rarely in my life by experience such pain is when I make the commitment.

I know God wants me to make that I blow it I don't follow through. Today, three keys to keeping your commitments that are most thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge ship living only a national disciple featuring daily Bible just a literature for pickup in a series of holy ambition God shaped dreams into reality. This program ship continues the sizing edge just want to learn more about what we do go to Living on the Edge.or burial find tons of resources on a wide range of topics, and countless programs for you to enjoy. Or if you prefer.

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If you have a Bible handy for now to Nehemiah chapter 3 for the second half of chips message exercise personal commitment. Part of what we learned about motivation and sustaining commitments is that when you get isolated and feel like you got his weight on your own break and addiction on your own. Keep a commitment to God on your own.

Take a new step of faith on your own.

Usually the last two days to two weeks, but if there's people if there's accountability if there's encouragement, if you know you're not alone. Then you hang in there next observations. Each group worked near their homes or lease was whenever possible. In verse 10, verse 22 verse 26, 28, 29 and 30 and so they didn't have to travel and the other is the resort of the godly vested interest.

Can you imagine saying okay working to rebuild this part of the wall right here and the walls were. I mean, don't think a little. All these were huge walls you could drive a cherry on top of the walls and then inside the walls that the housing would be built so my living room might be here in an external wall be here. I'm thinking I'm going to do a pretty good job on this part of the wall. If you know the catapults and the stone start, and the arrows in the spirit. I think I'm gonna make it pretty thick and pretty good. I'm not can do one as well.

This is good enough for government work right and so he motivates them not only by the great intrinsic were doing this for God, but he puts them in a place that highly motivates them to work in a way that has their best interest in mind, noticed the context is its preceded by the apex of motivation and minutes followed by a big section of opposition need to remember that is at the end of chapter 2 its last horizon. Nehemiah is here to do it, let's make a difference even in those moments right. You people stand on top of chairs and this is what working to do.

Let's go for it will now this is how you sustain it you get fired up, but he has them with people they have clear roles. They make a very smooth specific commitment, they're doing it someone before them. Someone next to them were to learn in just a second that some people going to repair and other people are going to build because our giftedness are different.

Some people really great at fixing stuff and other people think I can fix anything, but they're great with a clean sheet of paper and I can build stuff but then in the context chapters for five and six will be about opposition. I mean, any time you take a step whether you decide to start really reading your Bible are really praying or working on your marriage or saying as a family bring you something radical ready to try and eat together like at a table with nothing.

Larry like two or three times a week of I'm gonna actually tuck my kids in and read him a story.

I'm gonna get with the group of single people were to make a covenant about making a difference in our workplaces were to be sexually pure. Every time you take any, step of faith like that. It'll usually get worse before it gets better. So chapter 4, you get external opposition in chapter 5.

There's internal opposition.

In the chapter 6, he gets personal attack so people who make these kind of commitments they change, they change people around them and they change the world but it usually starts with some very significant time of motivation and he gets clear. This is what we gotta do and then they start this process and usually is followed by things that are very difficult. Notice who started the work. It's the high priest, different people have responsibility that the high priest was the highest representative of God and notice the very first line he models that the ragtag group finished it in 52 days in. I have a friend who's an engineer who said this is an absolute engineering miracle with an impossibility in the notice. They worked in affinity groups.

If you could study little bit longer. The priest worked together the merchants.

The goldsmiths work together they worked in family servants and then they work in geographical areas so they knew each other. I mean, when you work your more motivated to work with people that they can have some kinship with many it's it's true today like some of you are like a real techie and you can talk in languages about understanding some of your more artistic and some of your unit more athletic and some of you have come from different parts of the country and some come from different countries and there's just an affinity of culture and background that as we work together with people that we can understand it helps to sustain motivation helps us keep our commitments. We understand one another and then the final thing here is that notice there were two special commendations in verse five. Skip down there you can see that he talks about the nobles they didn't put their shoulder to the work. So now I now imagine first imagine all these individual names God doesn't accomplish his will by some big blanket thing.

Think of all the individual names and imagine maybe the very next generation. These people are like your father or your grandfathers, God accomplishes things, not by groups and movements in programs he doesn't. One person, one life at a time and so that's how important individuals are all the specific names and he knows he knows who slacken off and that if you skip down to verse 20. Notice the Stella Brook it says he works zealously. God sees people's motives. He sees people's hearts. He knows where your writing is where I met in all this long list is as you know, this fellow really didn't carry his weight and this person over here is all those are observations right is a fair damages it's in the right will turn to the back page and let's turn those observations into some very specific principles about how you can help make and sustain your personal commitments. At NS we do can I ask you to lean back minutes. When I study the Bible, I'd that's just what I do okay when I study this for the first time I read it over a bunch of times and then I started looking up at a line under all the gates and then I started thinking is a lot of people so I circled the different people in, but then then I began to ask why, why is chapter 3. Here, why didn't this particular group at this particular time with this particular leader actually accomplish the task. When others have failed. What is it that I can learn about these groups and the affinities in building and repairing and after him and next to him.

That would help me personally make commitments and sustain them because that at the end of the day. God didn't put this in his word just so that we can understand the MI three. He knew that we be sitting in this room. In this day with the issues that you face and I face now before I go on her side like you think about where are you at in your personal commitment to Jesus Christ. I mean, is it an emotional one intellectual one is it yeah I apply I like to be more committed that what you know I'm kind afraid to, because I saw three steps forward.

Nine steps backwards or where you at coming privately no hands or anything, but for those of you that are married down deep in your heart where you at in your commitment to your mate or like I shared. I mean there were there were times that I just felt like God. This, in working I'm really frustrated. I mean, I went through the unnumbered fulfilled right now I'm not very happy effect on not happy at all and then the enemy comes in and tries to tempt you write so where are you there or how about how committed are you, some of you that her parents to really saying I will own the moral responsibility of raising my kids that regardless of their SAT scores how well they do in athletics. They can be godly kids see that change of stuff and I don't I don't know where it is on I got my journey but I'm think about God.

What do you want me to really refresh and renew my commitments but I want you to think about that right now mean for some of you may be as a single person you're saying and I'm sort of committed sexual purity you know where that land you don't.

I'm sort of committed to only dating someone to really walk unless he's very good looking or like she's really hot and I think there's real spiritual potential I could help right.

Been there, done that so so with that. What I want to do now is on a walk through these three principles.

I want you to pray. I want you to pray and say God, would you help clarify in my mind and my heart where you want me to make or where you want me to further sustain personal commitments in my life how to make and sustain personal commitments. Number one is the principle of cooperation we never get beyond how were getting along everything that ever gets accomplished in life is done in the context of relationships and so here's the key recognize people are different.

Nehemiah did that recognize people are different. Second, recognize the immense value of every person realize that whether it's work or whether it's your family. I mean you're human. Some of your kids frustrate you in some seasons and some make you very happy summer. Very easy and some are very hard. Some people in your small group you connect with some make you nuts but just recognize it.

It's not bad or good that's their different and third recognize that our common goal or common vision is greater than our individual differences. The principle of cooperation. You will never get beyond how you're getting along.

And if you find yourself in your heart critical of people, even if it's only in your mind if you find yourself always pointing out what's wrong with your mate or what's wrong with with some your kids. What's wrong with some people in the church or what's wrong with this or what's wrong with that. Or if you find yourself in little coffee shops talking about other people. The sort had this little negative slant. I will tell you what you will make progress. Personal commitments are fostered when we feel like we belong. I believe when those people started on that wall. Together they felt like I belong on the part of the team. Nehemiah God's got his hand on the Amaya God brought them here. We know it's God's will rebuild these walls. We know what God promised to do in the city. We know what the word God's people and and I belong I'm good to be a part and I'm going to do my little section on the wall when you feel like you belong. It fosters commitment. When you feel like you're visiting when you feel like it's them working on the wall when you feel like it's that church. When you find yourself in conversations talk about what they're doing. It's not negative them is a journey it's a process, but there's not that sense that you belong to sort and evaluate if while this is what they're doing. Here's what they're trying to do. Here's what that's a lot different than this is what were doing. This is where we're going.

This is where we have challenges so let me ask you, do you feel like you belong and maybe the second question is what do you need to do to take that next step, because otherwise we've created this culture, especially in America, but many places around the world were we actually think quote church is a building in the church is an event that happens some time, usually on Sunday morning and you go and sit and listen to someone talk and sing some songs hopefully feel a bit better about yourself because you've done it, and then live the other six days almost totally apart from that experience, but feel like I went to church.

Therefore what he think God it's it's that subtle consumer mindset versus church is us people together connected together to accomplish his purposes and his purpose here in this church is to help us love one another and love people outside this room and help Christians like Christians.

That's God's call and that's a 24 seven 365 event.

The second principle is the principle of coordination the multiple efforts of a group are far greater than the sum of its parts is it synergy.

In other words, this group couldn't get anything going. They had a catalytic leader in the Amaya he cast a clear vision people understood.

I want to do this part. This part disbarred this part you come from different places.

You can work with people that you know but from this section to this section.

You do this they do that in the sum of the parts in 52 days. Then a miracle. That's how God is always worked is true in acts chapter 2 is true in the early church was true in the Reformation. It was true with Wesley and Whitfield.

It was true in the early days of America and is true in different parts of the world. Now the principal cooperation will how do you do that well first we recognize we need each other. There are no lone rangers. You can't make it on your own. I can't make it on my own. I mean even the 12-step people know that you can't make it on your own. Recognize there's a job that only you can do personal commitments grow when we know that we are needed. Do you understand there's this amazing connection between commitment and love Jesus that he that has my commands and keeps them cute is that loves me and he that loves me will be loved of my father. And then here's the promise and we will disclose ourselves. You you get close and meet and touch and feel and experience and get transformed by God, not by just soaking in information despite receiving truth and I respond to the truth and I connect with other people and to discover my gifts and then together we do this thing, and he creates something out of it.

Here's what you hear your needed your needed what happens in the church and the life is just the byproduct. What happens is the most fulfilled people. The people that had their names written in this chapter were people who saw God could use an ordinary person like me and what they did is they moved off of looking at the rubble and assuming that this is the way it's going to be and they aligned around the vision and the sum total of the parts did something beyond what they could ever dream third principle is a principal motivation, the value of the project to the worker will determine the value of the worker to the project not have to think that went over very carefully bit coming. Think about the value of the project to the worker. How important is it will determine how important that person is. Some people walked was the last time you walk 17 miles. Anyone going up that quicksilver trail I've done for 5 miles an up hill and down hills like many of the kidney. These people in this in this text. They walked 26 miles eating take the bus and take their bicycle they didn't say let's take a little scooter. I mean if they were rich they maybe had a donkey, but they walked 26 miles to get to work to get to help and they left the harvest behind you understand that you are sitting in a room that's been paved by the sacrifice and the commitment of people that have given their time, their energy, their money, and many places all around the world. Their life, so the gospel could reach you and reach me, and our responsibility is to take that baton and move forward and do it for the next generation.

Motivation must begin with leaders and influencers minutes just like the way it is and if you're the head of your home dad you're an influencer if you're the glue of the home mom.

Your influencer if you're a student in your people, look to you because of academics or athletics your influencer if you're a single person I knew you realize it when you move some everyone says what you do not you say let's do this and people do that your influencer always begins with leaders there's a stewardship. There do not better than anybody else you're a business owner and entrepreneur your CEO. If your manager you need to understand that where you move networks move with you so you need to really examine the stewardship and say what vision in my gonna line my life. My time and my energy around because that's how that thing happened on the wall then and that's how it can happen on the wall here. Motivation is sustained by godly vested interest. We want to help people serve in volunteer. We want to help them serve and volunteer in a way where they get refreshed, we want to help them serve in volunteer so they become better parents will help and serve in volunteer with a get love and encouragement would help and serve in volunteer where they discovered their gifts where they learn about how to align their finances so that five years from now, instead of being in debt up to here and feeling under pressure will so you want to pick all that stuff off. I just apply biblical principles. There's people that really help me. We want people to volunteer and serve in such way were they saying what I didn't tell anyone about that, little private porn addiction or that drug addiction or that little alcohol addiction or that people addiction or that workaholic addiction. But when I got involved in it cuts safe and I got that out there in the word of God and the grace of God and the people of God, I'm free. That's how it works.

Notice what happens. The completed wall would mean protection from their enemies, the completed wall will mean provision for a better life in the completed wall would mean productivity and impact in the world.

Personal commitments are sustained when the vision becomes our vision.

So where are you at in your personal commitment with God.

Are you low fair weather like when there's a kid in ICU or you need a job.

I am very committed to God, help me help me help me or have you signed up and said you know what I get one little trip through this thing called time and on the live forever and I'm really glad my sins are forgiven.

I'm really glad I'm having down, but I don't want to waste this.

I want to do exactly what you want me to do and I want to pay whatever price because the rewards are astounding. Now an eternal life. The end of the day whether it's in your marriage or your parenting, whether senior singleness whether the work. It really boils down to have the heart of the serve said Lord use. There are few things overwhelm us with guilt like knowing that we made a commitment to God to a mate to a friend and and then just dropping the ball in knowing we flown and saw what to pray for you right now you may not be able to close your eyes you may be on the highway or you might be listening to this as your doing something in the office but could you pause mentally with me and let me pray for you. Holy father, we want to thank you that you are a good God, and that you are a merciful God, that you are slow to anger and your abounding in lovingkindness and you are mindful that we are people of Dustin people a flash and we make the best of intentions, and we tell you we want to do what's right and we find ourselves blowing it. We do exactly the thing we said we didn't want to do or we don't follow through on the very thing that we promised we would do and we want to own that want to come to you and say that were sorry we ask you for your forgiveness we would plead the blood of the Lord Jesus in our behalf as the forgiveness and the cleansing of our sand and we want to be restored and lower. We also want to draw near to you.

Now we we want the grace and the strength to renew our commitment to find people that we can team up with get support and help so that we can be the men be the women that you want us to be Lord I pray for those who have given up on their marriage and that is not your will that you would give them the grace at this moment be committed and do whatever necessary to make it work. I pray for those it made a commitment to you and wondered and know that today's the day they need to return and know that you will forgive and restore, or be given the grace to do that right now.

I pray for those the kids that are wandered away from their parents and their family and the faith and they need to do a 180. Do a U-turn, even as they're hearing my voice, you give them the grace right now at this moment to decide.

I'm going back I'm gonna make it right with my folks. I'm gonna do what I know is right. Almighty God, we pray for your grace to keep the commitments we know your will.

In Jesus name. Thanks, Chip will if you're looking for some help in recommitting your life to Jesus and developing a deeper relationship with them. We have a great resource for you. It's chip series true spirituality becoming a Romans 12 Christian through his teaching, you'll discover a clear blueprint to become a genuine follower of Christ. Besides the broadcast. Let me encourage you to order the book or get the small group resources, there's a lot of ways to experience the foundational truths found in Romans 12 to learn more about all of the series resources for true spirituality go to special offers. LivingontheEdge.org or on the chipping remap has a wrap up today's program I have to tell you that one of the greatest things that happens to living on the ad is people make Jesus the Lord of their life and I've read literally thousands of emails and the change that happens is just absolutely amazing and it's a chain reaction and so I just want to thank all of you that support the ministry financially because when someone makes Jesus Lord, their marriage changes the parenting changes of who shows up were changes. Thank you very very much for your financial support. And you know if you have not supported us or haven't supported us in a while or just kinda like to make it a habit.

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