Spiritual Commitment: Transform My Mind

 

5 Commitments to change your life and the world

 

1. I commit my life to Jesus Christ.
2. I commit to be a member of His family. “God has given us the privilege of being born again so that we are new members of God’s own family.” (1 Peter 1:3, LB)
3. I commit to be a model of His life. “Let us go on...and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be.” (Hebrews 6:1, LB) “Commit yourself to instruction; attune your ears to hear words of knowledge.” (Proverbs 23:12, NLT)
4. I commit to be a minister of His grace. “Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah did not come to be served but to serve.” (Matthew 20:28, LB)
5. I commit to be a messenger of His love. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 19:20)

Spiritual Darkness: Be the Light

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14)

 

• Many people have never heard the name Jesus Christ.
• Jesus said we are light and salt in this world.
  “God said to Isaiah, ‘You are my servant, and you will bring me glory.’ I replied, ‘But my work all seems so useless...and to no purpose at all.’” (Isaiah 49:4)
  “Then God said to Isaiah, ‘I have a greater task for you. Not only will you restore your people but I will also make you a light to the nations, so that all the world may be saved!’” (Isaiah 119:6)
• I’m scared and don’t know what to do.
  “We are not saying that we can do this work ourselves. It is God who makes us able to do all that we do.” (2 Corinthians 3:5, NCV)
• I don’t have the time or money!
  “God will give you all you need for today if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” (Matthew 6:33, NLT)

Servant Leadership: Humble My Heart

“Without wise leadership a nation falls.” (Psalm 11:14, NLT)

“People wander about like lost sheep. They are in trouble because they have no leader.” (Zechariah 10:2)

 

• It is time we move to the next level. We must equip others for ministry.
  “Pass on what you heard from me in the whole congregation to reliable leaders, who are competent to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:2, The Message)
  Jesus said, “I have given you an example to follow: Do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15, LB)
• We need to educate the next generation.
  “So the next generation will know and all the generations to come, know the truth and tell the stories, so your children can trust in God…” (Psalm 78:6-7, The Message)

Starting Churches: Faith in Action

“My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.” (Romans 15:20, NLT)

“The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose. Yet they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work.” (1 Corinthians 3:8, NLT)

 

Jesus will build His church. He has called us to be His hands and feet.

 

Average people can be used of God to start new churches in places where churches do not exist. It is one of the most significant things a person can ever do.

 

The average Sunday School teacher knows more about church growth than the average pastor in third world countries.

 

“Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.” (3 John 5-8)

Social Demise: Give of My Resources

“My people are destroyed from a lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)

“The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” (Proverbs 29:7)

 

• We offer help for the helpless
• We give to help the poor
• We reach out to the physically ill
• We teach those caught in ignorance

 

“The diseased and weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the hurt and crippled you have not bandaged, those gone astray you have not brought back, and the lost you have not sought to find...therefore I am against you!” (Ezekiel 34:4, Amp)

 

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27)

 

“If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them,‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” (James 2:15-16)