A Call to Commit!

Romans 9:14–21 HCSB

What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy. For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: I raised you up for this reason so that I may display My power in you and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth. So then, He shows mercy to those He wants to, and He hardens those He wants to harden. You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?” But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?

Romans 9:20–21 HCSB

But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?

Job 38:1–4 HCSB

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind. He said: Who is this who obscures My counsel with ignorant words? Get ready to answer Me like a man; when I question you, you will inform Me. Where were you when I established the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

John 38:1-4

Romans

The Gurkhas, a tribe in Nepal were being trained to fight in Borneo in the confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia in 1964. They were asked if they were willing to jump from transport planes into combat against the Indonesians if the need arose. The Gurkhas had the right to say no, so of course, thats what they did. They had never been trained as paratroopers. But the next day their leader approached the officer who initially asked them about jumping out of transport planes and said, we discussed it and are willing to do it under the following conditions. We want jump over swamps or soft areas with no rocks and we want the plane to fly as slow as it can at no more than 100 feet off the ground. The officer said you’ll be jumping over jungle, so there aren’t rocks to worry about, the planes always fly as slow as the can, but to jump out at 100 feet would mean certain death, because the parachutes wouldn’t have a chance to open. The Gurkhan spokesman said; “Oh thats alright then, We’ll jump from anywhere with parachutes. You didn’t mention parachutes before!”

Romans 9:14–21 HCSB

What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy. For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: I raised you up for this reason so that I may display My power in you and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth. So then, He shows mercy to those He wants to, and He hardens those He wants to harden. You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?” But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?

Commitment to God’s Sovereignty (vs. 20-22)

God has a unique purpose for your life.

Peter was to be a shepherd to God’s people, Paul was to be the missionary for Christ, John was to be a witness of Christ. What is your purpose in this life?

Romans 9:14–21 HCSB

What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy. For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: I raised you up for this reason so that I may display My power in you and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth. So then, He shows mercy to those He wants to, and He hardens those He wants to harden. You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?” But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?

Your responsibility is to fulfill God’s purposes.

“A saint of God should never look back. If we are where God would have us, if we are doing what He calls us to do, then our command is to do it well; and if we give our best to the ministry God has given us, we will have a full reward at the end of life’s journey — and no time to be curious or critical about what others are doing!

Luke 9:57–62 HCSB

As they were traveling on the road someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go!” Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” “Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.” But He told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Commitment to God’s Word (vs. 23)

Artificial horizon - when flying a plane, because of inertia, you can’t feel the plane banking to the left or right. You can be in a jet and it starts to turn and a cup of coffee will not spill and the stewardess will walk as if the plane is flying level to the ground. This is because of inertia. Early pilots would fly into clouds and because of a inertia, crash into the ground, they didn’t realize they had turned, or banked. Sometimes they would even be upside down in the cloud. Many pilots crashed because they didn’t know which way was up! This changed with the artificial horizon. It has a gyroscope that keeps it level to the ground no matter what the plane is doing. Here’s the thing, the biggest problem with the artificial horizon when it was invented was that the pilots didn’t trust it, they didn’t belief it, they’d follow their guts right to the scene of the crash, and beat the paramedics there by 30 minutes.

Study the Bible on your own.

Listen to Bible preachers and teachers.

Read Commentaries on the Bible for yourself.

Compare what you read and hear to the rest of the Bible.

Compare what you hear and read to the rest of the Bible.

Cailynn and I were talking yesterday about what it means to live in the presence of God and how one might live int he presence of God. (Scripture, Prayer, Meditation, & obedience are all essential to living in the presence of God)

Here’s the problem with our “Christian” nation. Americans are fond of the Bible, but don’t actually read it! Less than 20% have read the entire Bible. Over 50% have read stories and some passages, but not even half the Bible. 66% hold a high view of scripture, but 33% say they read the Bible once or more a week! Less than 20% have read the Bible all the way through at least one time in their adult life!

I’m not sure how much you read the Bible, but if you want to keep your head and heart on straight you need, you must, read the Bible more than you don’t. Every day would be great, but 4 out of 7 days would be better than once a week!

Commitment to God’s Son (vs. 24-25)

His story is true - Repent of your sins & Believe in Jesus Christ.

John 20:30–31 HCSB

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.

His story is exceptional - Follow His example of loving God and loving others.

Obedience - Fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.

Could we with ink the ocean fill

and were the skies of parchment made

were every blade of grass on earth a quill

and every man a scribe by trade

To write the love of God above

would drain the ocean dry

nor could the scroll contain the whole

though stretched from sky to sky

- Unknown Author