Category Archives: Commitment

Abiding, Bible, Commitment, Dedication, Following, Obedience, Scripture, Surrender

WHEN THE CAT’S AWAY…

GALATIANS 4:18

“But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable way, and not only when I am present with you.” 

You’ve heard that expression – When the cat’s away, the mice will play. Some people will only do what is right when someone is watching them. As a former supervisor, I had some employees like that. They were model employees as long as I was observing. But the moment I was out of sight, they would stop doing what was expected of them.

Paul seems to be saying something like that to the Galatians. I love how Barnes explains this. He says Paul was saying this. “You were exceedingly zealous in a good cause when I was with you. You loved the truth; you loved me. Since I left you, and as soon almost as I was out of your sight, your zeal died away, and your ardent love for me was transferred to others. Allow me to remind you, that it would be well to be zealous of good when I am away, as well as when I am with you. There is not much true affection in that which dies away as soon as a man’s back is turned.”

APPLICATION

Does that describe you? Are you zealous only when you think God is watching? I hate to tell you, but He is always watching. There is never a moment He does not know where you are and what you are doing. That reminds me of Psalm 139. Look at verses 7 through 12. “7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take up the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will take hold of me. 11 If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,’ 12 Even darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.”

Do you get the picture? God knows where you are. God knows what you’re doing. He expects us to love and obey because He loves us, not because He is standing over us and demanding it. Give Him honor today by your blind obedience to Him. Obey Him simply because you love Him. Just think of what He did because He loves you.

Father God, I want to be zealous for You at all times.

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Allies, Bible, Commitment, Companions, Decisions, Gospel, Ministry, Missionaries, Relationships, Scripture

LINKING ARMS

GALATIANS 1:18

“Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days.”

Years ago (and I mean YEARS AGO) I taught team building through group games and adventure based learning. One great exercise we did was a group stand up. We began by pairing up in twos, sitting on the ground back to back, linking arms and then standing up together. We kept adding people until the entire group was on the ground with linked arms, using each other as leverage to stand. Not so easy, but it can be done.

Paul knew he had to link arms with the apostles, the ones who had walked with Jesus. Who better to get to know that Peter, called Cephas here? Surely, Paul knew of him. He probably had even seen him with Jesus in Jerusalem years earlier. But now, Paul is a believer. Here he was, an educated former Pharisee, going to meet with Peter, an uneducated former fisherman, to talk about Jesus and their callings to ministry. What a pair!

APPLICATION

God sends us into some strange partnerships, doesn’t He? People we probably would have never crossed paths with in our former lives are now our dearest friends and confidants. In Acts 9:26-27, we see Barnabas (remember him from Acts 4?) taking a chance on Paul. “26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles…” Paul and Barnabas later traveled together on missionary journeys.

Is there someone you need to link arms with to accomplish what the Lord has told you to do? Perhaps it’s a neighbor or a person in your church. You may just have to take a chance. Reach out and see what the Lord can accomplish with your partnership. Maybe you need to link arms with a missionary who is doing work that you cannot do. Missionaries always need more ministry partners to come alongside them and support them financially.

Whomever it is that God is sending your way, get back to back with them, link arms and stand up. Stand up for Him. Stand up for the kingdom. Stand up and fight for those who need to hear the message of the cross. God is sending you. Link arms with others to accomplish more than you could ever see done separately.

Thank You, Lord, for those You have sent my way to link arms with. Show us how You want to use us.

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Abiding, Accountability, Battles, Bible, Commitment, Family, God's Will, Marriage, Relationships, Scripture

GOD’S MODEL FOR MARRIAGE

MALACHI 2:15

“But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And why the one? He was seeking a godly offspring. Be careful then about your spirit, and see that none of you deals treacherously against the wife of your youth.”

Marriage is such a joy. I pray your marriage is as much fun as mine. Now, I don’t want to give the impression that mine if perfect. It is far from that, but it is so much sweeter when my wife and I are yielding to Jesus. The days we don’t do that, we struggle a bit. We have to constantly remember what we are modeling for others – God’s model for marriage.

In today’s verse, Malachi gives a hint of that. Who was he referring to in this verse? Many scholars agree that it was Adam who was given Eve as his wife. He was given the Spirit when God breathed into his nostrils and gave him life. He was given Eve for companionship and to produce “godly offspring” to populate the earth. God intended marriage to be centered on Him. Remember, He walked with them in the garden before the fall.

APPLICATION

Our world has tried its best to destroy the institute of marriage. We have condoned every sort of “marriage” and called it normal. We have forsaken the marriage of one man and one woman. We have made it easy to get out of a marriage if it does not suit us anymore. Jesus spoke against this in Matthew 19:3-10. Take a few minutes and read those verses. Jesus did not pull any punches there.

If you are struggling in your marriage and the “D” word has come up, stop right where you are. Go to the Lord and talk to Him about this. Don’t just listen to your friends or lawyer. Go to the Great Counsel. He has all the answers. Honor your marriage as God intends. He can help heal those wounds. He wants to repair your damaged marriage and remake it into His model.

I want to share again with you a commitment we teach our men in our ministry (Every Man A Warrior). It says, “It is my privilege to show my love for Jesus by caring for my wife – to love her, to show her honor, to try to understand her and to give up my life and rights for her.” That can be applied both ways in a marriage. If you are married, love your spouse today as Jesus does.

Father, I know I fall so short of your model for marriage. Give me the strength and wisdom to follow Your example.

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Abiding, Belief, Bible, Commands, Commitment, Devout, God's Will, Mentoring, Passion, Scripture

THE ONLY ONE

ZECHARIAH 14:9

“And the LORD will be King over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.”

I have been married almost 38 years. That’s a long time, but not nearly long enough. My wife is truly the only one for me. No other woman fills my thoughts. No other woman has my heart. There is only one for me. (I’m hoping she’s reading this, lol).

Aren’t the words of today’s verse exciting? The LORD will be King over the whole earth. He will be the only one. The Hebrew literally says “It shall be Yahweh one and His name one.” There is no need to say “only,” because it is implied with the word “one.” There is only one – the LORD.

APPLICATION

When are we going to start living that way? When are we going to stop putting all these other things above Him? What are you talking about, Carl? I don’t do that. Really? Take a look at your calendar. Take a look at your bank account. Where do you spend your time and money? What do you prioritize?

We are all guilty at times of not making Him first in our lives. We get so caught up with life that we forget Who is first. I am not throwing stones. I am just as guilty. Too much time in front of the television. Too much time on the computer or phone. We are all obsessed with worldly objects.

Can we all agree to make Him first this week? I want to spend more time reading His Word. I want to spend more time encouraging other believers. I want to invest in the lives of more men to make them better husbands and fathers. What will you prioritize this week? Make Him number one. Deuteronomy 6:4 says it best. “Hear, Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

You are the only One for me, dear Lord. Forgive me when I fail to recognize that.

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Abiding, Bible, Blessing, Commitment, Decisions, Following, Gospel, Loyalty, Memorials, Salvation, Scripture

A MEMORIAL

ZECHARIAH 6:14

“‘Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the LORD to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.’”

Have you ever put something aside as a reminder? I have. In fact, I could probably still find some of those things if I dug for them. That’s just my point. The things we think are so important at the time are really not. They will not last. We tend to put way too much value on things that are temporal. Instead, we should be laying up treasures in heaven.

The Lord tells Zechariah that this crown upon Joshua’s head will become a memorial, a reminder to the people. Back in verse 10, these individuals named here are first brought to our attention. Most scholars believe Helem and Hen are the same as Heldai in verse 10. The crown stands for God’s rule and reign in their lives as Priest and King. God seems to be saying, “Don’t forget this.”

APPLICATION

What is the key moment in your life when you gave your heart and mind to Christ? When did you finally surrender to His call? Think back to that time when you prayed to receive Christ’s offer of salvation. That is a memorial! That is a marker, a milestone. Mark it! Nail it down! You need to remember that moment.

Well Carl, I just kind of grew into Christ. Well, I have to disagree. Just because you are born in a garden you don’t grow into a turnip, do you? God calls each of us to Himself. I love that ole hymn that says, “Have you heard the Savior calling?” Revelation 3:20 tells us, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

There is a moment when you felt that call, when you heard that knock. Ask the Lord to show you when that was, if you are not sure. Why am I stressing this? Because we need those markers in our lives. As we share our story with others those markers give us our talking points. Use them to show others what He has done for you and what He can do for them.

I heard Your call and answered, Lord. Now, use me to glorify You.

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Bible, Commands, Commitment, Completeness, Confidence, Scripture

FINISH WHAT YOU START

ZECHARIAH 4:9

“‘The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of armies has sent me to you.’”

I was taught to always finish what I started. If I started playing a sport, I was expected to finish that season. If I started a project at home or school, the same was true. And it was important that I finish well. I never wanted to half-do something. If it was to carry my name, I wanted it to be excellent.

Zerubbabel and the early remnant of Israel had begun rebuilding the temple when they returned. Twenty years later it was finally finished. Zechariah was an important part of stirring up the excitement to finish this house of God. It just goes to show that God can use anyone or any age to accomplish His purposes.

APPLICATION

Have you been called to do something for the Lord that you have not started or finished? Many of us have. We have all had that initial urge to do something and then the new wears off. When I think of finishing well, I think of Paul’s last words to Timothy. 2 Timothy 4:7 tells us, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;…”

Look back over Paul’s missionary journeys. He was targeted for assassination numerous times, beaten, shipwrecked, and the list goes on. But he did not stop. Neither should we. We have been given a mission by Jesus to go and make disciples. Are we doing that? Are you doing that?

That mission starts right in your family with your children and grandchildren. They are your first mission field. Then how about your neighbors and work colleagues. Wherever God calls you, go and don’t give up. Paul tells us again in Galatians 6:9, “Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.”

Give me the strength, dear Lord, to work until Your return or You carry me home.

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Agreement, Authority, Belief, Bible, Commitment, Covenant, Encouragement, Eternity, God's Will, Judgment, Promises, Relationships, Reputation, Scripture

HE DOES WHAT HE SAYS

ZECHARIAH 1:6

“‘But did My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, not overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, “Just as the LORD of armies planned to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.”’”

Keeping your word is a big thing. If you become known as someone who can’t do that, you won’t have many close friends. I have tried to keep my word. If I say I will do something, I try to get it done. If I say I will pray for someone, I pray right away so I won’t forget. Have I always kept my word? I am sorry to say I haven’t. I hope at the end of my life to be remembered as someone who did what he said he would do.

The fathers of these Israelites are quoted by God saying that God did just what He said. He told them they would be judged, and they were. Jeremiah said the same in Lamentations 2:17. “The LORD has done what He determined; He has accomplished His word which He commanded from days of old. He has torn down without sparing, and He has helped the enemy to rejoice over you; He has exalted the might of your adversaries.” God does what He says He will do.

APPLICATION

While these words in Zechariah may seem foreboding, they can be seen in the opposite light. When God makes a promise to you, He will keep it. One of my favorite verses in Joshua 21:45. “Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; everything came to pass.” Isn’t that a great verse?

That same promise applies to you. When the Lord of the universe tells you that you will spend eternity with Him because you have trusted Christ as your Savior and Lord, that’s where you will be one day. When He promises to be with you through every trial you may face, guess where He will be. Right beside you.

The Lord has been so good to me. He has been with me through thick and thin. He has always and will always keep His word. He always does exactly what He says He will do. Get into His Word. Find those promises yourself. Don’t take my word for it. Trust His Word. Joy awaits you.

Word of God speak, would You pour down like rain, washing my eyes to see Your majesty (lyrics to Word of God Speak)

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Abiding, Bible, Commitment, Heart, Scripture

TAKE TO HEART

HAGGAI 2:18

“‘Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the LORD was founded, consider:’”

In the past several years I have made a drastic change in the way I read and study God’s Word and spend time with Him. Every Man A Warrior (www.everymanawarrior.com) did that through its emphasis on memorizing and meditating on the Word of God. You could say I have truly taken to heart the meaning of doing a Quiet Time. It’s a passion for me now. The first thought on my mind each morning is getting with the Lord and listening for His voice.

What you can’t see in the English translation of verse 18 is the two different Hebrew words that are used for “consider.” Actually, in the Hebrew, it reads “Now consider, consider…” And the last word of the verse is again, consider. The second and last time “consider” is used, Haggai uses the word that really means “take to heart.” The verb comes from leb, the Hebrew word for heart.

APPLICATION

You are probably thinking Well, big deal, Carl. Now, listen. When you take something to heart that involves some serious contemplation. I am reminded of the commandment given to us in Deuteronomy 6:5-6. “5 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.” Twice the word “heart” is used there. It’s the same word used in Haggai 2:18.

So, let me ask you. What is your heart set on? What is your greatest desire? What drives your thoughts each and every day? Nothing has changed since these words were written by Haggai back around 520 B.C. That’s closing in on three thousand years ago. God’s commands and His words are timeless. We are still told to set our hearts on Him.

Let me encourage you today to examine your heart. See where it is set. If it is not set on Him, reset it. Make knowing Him your top priority. I promise you He will show Himself to you. Oh, how He loves you.

Oh, how He loves you and me. Oh, how He loves you and me. He gave His life. What more could He give? 

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Accountability, Bible, Commands, Commitment, Discipline, Exhortation, God's Will, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Humility, Messages, Scripture

THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME

HAGGAI 1:3

“Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying,”

How many sermons do you think you have heard in your lifetime? A hundred? A thousand? For some of us church goers, it can easily be in the thousands. I did some calculations this morning. If I have averaged just one sermon a week since age six, I have conservatively heard around 3,000. Some of those weeks I heard more than one. This doesn’t count the many conferences and revivals I have attended. That number could easily jump to 5,000.

So, when we read the words of today’s verse, don’t just read that and pass it by. Look at the words. “Then” means at a certain time, at a certain point. God decided when to speak to Haggai. Haggai didn’t just spout off some information he had. He waited for the Lord’s words. They came to him as he waited for the Lord to speak. Then and only then did Haggai speak. That’s important to see.

APPLICATION

The danger many preachers face each week is waiting on the Lord to speak before they do. The pressure to “get a sermon ready can lead to some misspoken words. Words are shared as if they are from the Lord but are not. We have to wait on Him, just like Haggai did. 2 Timothy 2:15 is a great verse to contemplate about this. It says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Maybe you don’t preach or teach the Word each week. How do you share it with others? Are you accurately handling it then? Do you quote verses incorrectly to suit your situation. We have to be careful about that, too. We need to make sure when we share a verse with someone that it points them to Jesus, not just what we think is right.

Sharing God’s Word with someone else is a good thing. But we must do it with humility, knowing it is not our word but His. Only His Word can heal and guide correctly. Only His Word can accurately teach us how to handle life in the way He intended. Our job is to listen carefully for the Spirit’s bidding and then act. Wait on God’s word to come to you before you speak.

I want to be true to Your Word, O Lord, in everything I do. 

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Accountability, Accused, Belief, Bible, Cleansing, Commitment, Faith, Forgiveness, Redemption, Salvation, Scripture

EVERY KNEE WILL BOW

ZEPHANIAH 2:11

“The LORD will be terrifying to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.”

I can still remember when I came to Christ. I was raised in church and even got baptized at eight, but I did not bow to Christ until I was sixteen. While singing a song, Christ spoke to me clearly and showed me my sins. That night I bowed to Him and gave my life to Him. I was proud and egotistical, but I knew I was lost and in need of salvation.

Zephaniah tells us in 2:11 that all “the nations will bow down to Him. The Hebrew word here for “bow down” is shachah which means to bow down, crouch, fall down flat, humbly beseech, do reverence, worship. Do you get the picture? One day, Zephaniah says, they will all worship Him. That holds true today. Everyone will bow one day before the Lord. No exceptions.

APPLICATION

If this prophecy is true (and it is), then we need to be busy spreading the good news. Philippians 2:10-11 says, “10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Sounds a little bit like Zephaniah, doesn’t it?

We all know people who are just like I was at sixteen. They are too proud to admit they need a Savior. They think they can handle things on their own. But it is not about that. It’s about realizing we will all answer for our sins one day. Without Christ in your life, you will not have the right answer. Without Christ there is no escaping God’s wrath.

But praise be to God, with Christ, we have the answer. Our answer to God is “I am Your child. I belong to You because of the blood of Your Son. He paid the price for me.” Is that your answer today? Have you bowed down to Him? Have you seen your sins and realized your need for a Savior? If not, do that today. He is waiting.

I bow before You today, O God. I worship You.

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