Sermon Central
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The Commitment Of Our Ways
Contributed by Jeremy Poling on May 15, 2013 (message contributor)
Summary: When we commit our ways God will bless
Psa_37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Commit - To give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust; with to.
Trust - to run for refuge be bold (confident, secure, sure), careless
Way- deh'-rek a road (as trodden); course of life or mode of action conversation, custom, journey, manner,
STORY: In 1776, colonists signed their names to a radical document that
would change the world – the Declaration of Independence. The final sentence of the famed document says, “And for the support of this declaration and with a firm reliance and the protection of the divine providence we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”
they pledged their entire lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor – and because of this (there commitment), the United States became the most
powerful and influential nation in the world. That’s the power of commitment.
STORY: (Picture) a group of 100,000 young Germans crammed into Olympic stadium (the largest known stadium in the world at that time) and they formed with their bodies a sign that said, “Hitler, we are yours” – and they took over the entire European continent. And it would take World War II to liberate Europe from that bondage of Nazism.
a group of Chinese students took a little red book called “The Sayings of Chairman Mao,” memorized it, said they were going to live by it, and die by it – and they did. Today, China is under communist rule – over 1.3 billion people
FACT: Nothing happens without commitment. (Say That)
Look what the Bible has to say about IT.
“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.”
CIRCLE: “fully committed”
The Bible says that God is looking for people who can make a difference – and He has BUT ONE requirement – COMMITMENT.
“Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord.”
1 Kings 8:61NIV
SONG: Bob Dylan (1979) – “It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”
This is the most important issue in life – “Who am I going to live for and serve?”
Before anything else can happen, we have to COMMIT to Him first.
LISTEN: Every COMMITMENT has a price tag. There’s a COST and a BENEFIT.
What’s the COST? You’re ENTIRE life. It’s when you say, “No longer my way, but Your way. No longer my plans, but Your plans. I want to be the person that God wants me to be. I want to do the things that God wants me to do.”
What’s the BENEFIT? Your sins are forgiven. You get His power and presence every day.
You RECEIVE a purpose in which to live for. You get heaven as home. That’s a good deal.
COMMERCIAL: Remember the American Express AD – “Membership has its privileges” – so does being a follower of Christ – and one of them is the church.
KEY: Being a Christian is more than just BELIEVING – it means BELONGING.
“You are a member of God’s very own family...and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.”
(I can just encourage you) MOVE from spectating to participating. MOVE from being a consumer to a contributor.
Chapters 14 and 15 record a very good time under the reign of King Asa. There were reasons that Judah enjoyed such good times…
1. He Sought only the Lord – 2 Chron 14:7
7 "Let us build up these towns," he said to Judah, "and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God; we sought him and he has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.
In our main text Asa was told by the Lord through Azariah son of Oded to seek the Lord. In fact, he was specifically warned not to forsake the Lord for if he did, Asa would be forsaken.
I believe that this was more than an encouragement but also a prophetic warning.
But here in 2 Chron.14:7 we see that Asa had led the people of Judah in seeking the Lord and because of that the Lord had given them victory over their enemies and they had a time of rest.
It is interesting to note that God’s people are the ones who are exhorted to seek the Lord.
So often we think of seeking the Lord as it relates to those who do not know the Lord. And that is true, unbelievers must also seek the Lord.
In this text the word “seek” means to “seek with care, to inquire”
