Today's Decisions Determine Who You'll Be Tomorrow
2007 National Conference
The following notes were taken during the message.
Main Point
Whether ornot you endure in your Christian life is dependent upon who you become.Will you become God's man or your man, Christ-dependent orself-dependent? It is the little choices of life that determine whichone you become.
Life is Done by Little Decisions
Enduranceconsists of a "long obedience in the same direction." Losing directionis the cumulative result of many poor little decisions.
We have tolook at our lives and consider what we are actually doing to become more Christ-centered. Real spirituality is the developmentof regular spiritual discipline.
2 Timothy 2:3-7. The soldier,the athlete, and the farmer must each be disciplined if they hope tokeep and fulfill their jobs. So it is with Christians. The Christianlife is hard work, hard God-empowered work (Colossians 1:29). Andthis hard work is what puts us in the position to bear enduringfruit (Psalm 1).
There Are Practical Implications
Romans6:12-14. The purpose of self-discipline is so that we might be godly.We have a choice about who we present our bodies to. Romans 12:1-2.Offer your bodies (and minds) to God. We often regret certain ways wespend our time (i.e. watching too much TV), but have you ever finishedreading God's word and felt that way?
Reclaim the hours of yourday that are being wasted on useless activity. Read God's word and othergreat books. Have conversations with your family about what you'relearning. Redeem the time so that it enriches you and makes you thekind of person you want to be.
Make heaven your motivation (2 Peter 3:13). Clothe yourself with humility to encounter suffering (1 Peter 4:12). Followthose who have finished well (Jim Elliot and his brother Burt). And setyour heart on who you want to become. Then pray to God that he wouldmake it so.