life and your commitments...

GOD also uses the persistence test to strengthen our faith. "will i keep my commitments?"

life is about making commitments. your life is shaped by your commitments. your character is developed by your commitments. your success is influenced by your commitments. your eternal destiny is determined by your commitments so you’d better choose what you’re committed to very carefully: heaven and hell are in the balance. you become whatever you’re committed to.

the problem we have today is that most people are half committed to two dozen things instead of being totally committed to the one or two things in life that really matter for now and eternity. that’s a waste!

if you’re going to develop any skill or any maturity, for that matter, you’ve got to learn to make and keep commitments.

let’s say you want to learn a musical instrument – to play the piano. that’s not automatic. you don’t just sit down and it’s instantaneous. to learn to play any instrument or develop any skill it takes practice and more practice and more practice, which takes persistence, which takes discipline, which requires commitment. the hallmark of emotional and spiritual maturity is you make and you keep wise commitments.

the uncommitted person there’s a word for them, it's immature. immaturity shows itself in the inability to make and keep commitments. some of you need to understand that no commitment that really matters is easy. they’re all hard if they’re important. so you can expect your commitment will be tested.

some of you are in the commitment test right now. your marriage vows are being tested. is it really going to be “‘til death do us part.”? i made a vow in front of people and before GOD, “‘til death do us part.” am i going to keep that or am i going to walk out?

now here is a sidelight for those of you who have had your partner walk out on you. don't emotionally beat yourself up right here. it was not your choice. ok. stay with me, ok?

some of you are having your personal integrity tested right now. i know the right thing to do but am i going to do the easy thing and the convenient thing, the popular thing, the thing that everybody else wants to do? it’s a test. it’s a test of your character.

just a thought from the front porch…