2. Dave and Jen Pray

3. Shift Plow

4. It cost me respect It cost me friends It cost me the privilege Of being able to share Jesus

5. Racquetball Lost respect And willingness to meet him

6. Self-centeredness And immaturity Committed to What he felt like in that moment (Just like me!)

7. At the same time Pastor Nate Day of Prayer Like a boss!

8. God used Nate To radically change My life One of the factors: His integrity to his word

9. Essential Spiritual Discipline What you commit to Says who you are What you're about And if you can be trusted

10. What if I've lost influence And respect And haven't realized it?

11. What if I could gain Influence and respect Among the people and groups I'm a part of?

12. What you commit to Forms you

13. Big Picture Jesus is God

14. Big Picture Jesus is God What he does Flows out of Who he is

15. "I came to…?"

16. Commitment tested twice "Bow before me and I'll Give you all these kingdoms"

17. Commitment tested twice "Who am I?" "The Christ" "I'm going to suffer and die" "Far be it from you, Lord!"

18. "This is Who I am. Therefore, this is what I'm Committed to do"

19. Anything that would keep Jesus from doing What he committed to do Is from the Enemy

20. We're committed to something

21. What you have been Committed to so are Has made you Who you are today

22. What you commit to Forms you

23. Prodigal Son Committed to what?

24. Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica- Paul Committed to what?

25. "I am ready…to die for… Jesus" - Paul, Acts 27 Committed to what?

26. What you commit to today Forms who you will be tomorrow And affects your influence In our world for his glory

27. - Pleasure - What others think - Approval and affection - What I can get out of it

28. Me - Pleasure - What others think - Approval and affection - What I can get out of it

29. Jesus - His Glory and Renown - Becoming a devoted disciple - Based on his approval= cross

30. Jesus, after a temptation To give up on his commitment Takes time to talk about What it takes to be a disciple

31. Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me… Lose life= find it

32. As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go”

33. Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head”

34. When you commit to follow Me You don't get to choose To follow only when it's easy

35. He said to another man, “Follow me” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father”

36. Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God”

37. When you commit to follow Me You don't get to choose To follow when it's convenient

38. God's call on your life Is not contingent upon The convenience of your Circumstances

39. Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; But first let me go back and Say goodbye to my family”

40. Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” - Luke 9 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” - Luke 9

41. When you commit to follow Me You don't get to choose To follow half-heartedly

42. Why?

43. Because there is no such thing As a half-committed Disciple "The dust of your Rabbi"

44. Commitment is an Essential Spiritual Discipline

45. What you commit to Forms you

46. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

47. Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’

48. …So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple - Luke 14

49. We are formed By what we follow

50. All the single ladies… All the single ladies…

51. What you commit to Today Determines what you'll be Tomorrow

52. But it's more than that God holds his people To their word Because they carry His Name

53. Gibeonites Joshua 9 Gave their word…

54. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it - Ecc. 5:5

55. God holds his people To their word Because they carry His Name

56. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one - Matt. 5:37

57. Yes= yes No= no No need for promises

58. Peter: Even if everyone falls away, I never will!

59. For the fall There's grace

60. For the committed There's maturity and growth Respect and Influence

61. Short-circuits: 2 sons. Which did the will Of his Father? Living by what I feel right now

62. Short-circuits: Comparison and Pride We are unprofitable servants We only did our duty- Lk 17:10

63. Short-circuits: Complaining or To be seen by men

64. Do all things without grumbling or complaining, that you may be blameless and innocent… (and) shine as lights in the world - Phil. 2:14-15

65. Short-circuits: Rationalization

66. Your ability to follow through On commitment Tells your world who you are

67. The integrity of my word Will always outshine The goodness of my intentions

68. We are what we've Committed to

69. What you commit to Today Is what you will be Tomorrow

70. Disciples Won't be easy Won't be convenient Won't be half-hearted

71. It means I'm careful With what I say "Yes" to

72. I pray through My Commitments First

73. When I fail I refuse to rationalize I humbly apologize and repent

74. I become known As a man or woman Of my word And win the right To be heard

75. And discover what Real life is As I commit to Jesus

76. Questions?

79. 9 AM Groups Home/Coffee Shop Groups Next Sunday after Church

80. Meetings: Carowinds Youth Trip Volunteers Group Facilitators

81. Charlotte Motorcycle Trip Dave and Busters Saturday, Sept. 20