Take It To Another Level

Its time to take your relationship with God to the next level.

I know if you are like me, you often get to the place where you think your are not doing enough for God. You get like that?

TWO TYPES

Maybe you have never committed yourself to Christ and you are here today because you feel that you need to really get this church thing going in your life, or maybe you have been around the walls of Jericho in your life and have marched a bit with God, but one thing is for sure, we all have a need to try and do more

UPS AND DOWNS

Sometimes that need comes in valleys and mountains. Sometimes we are doing really great at this relationship with God, and then other times we feel like we are just not quite making it. Quite time is not working, home cell just doesn’t do it for you anymore, and prayers well all they are good for is to chip the paint on the ceiling as they bounce back faster than you can say them.

Wherever you are today, I know deep down, you would just love to take your relationship with God to a whole new level.

CALLED DISCIPLES

Now when Jesus Christ called his disciples, they were all pretty down the line jews. But at the time he called them, they were seeking to do more for their GOD. If they weren’t, they would never have responded. They made an instant decision to accept the disciplines of now being a disciple.

MOTIVE

They had to make a decision right away and decide if they stood as a disciple of the most High God or if they did not.

That’s the same decision we all need to reflect on daily. You see whether you are sitting here this morning thinking that I am a Christian, or you are sitting here thinking that you need to be a Christian, you need to find a motivation to lift the bar.

So whatever your decision it needs a motive. The motive is simply am I for Jesus Christ or not? If I am well, then I will change, I will go down when the preacher is done and commit. You check why by simply asking am I doing this for Christ.

So whether or not you consider yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ or not this morning, if you want to raise the bar a bit in your life, if you want to take the relationship with God in your life to another level, well then there are some disciplines to being a disciple. There are some very specific things you can do to raise your game a bit.

RICH MAN

An example of someone who had a sense that he needed to raise his game a little was the Rich Man that came along to Jesus.

Luke 18:18-22

So here was a guy who had been doing all the things he was supposed to, but just needed something more.

He needed to lift up his game. Learn more disciplines and being a disciple. Jesus saw what he wanted and realised there was something holding him back.

One thing that Jesus knew was holding him from taking his discipleship to the next level. In this mans case it was his money. What is it in your case?

ONLY ONE THING? – MIND CHANGE, REVOLUTION IN HEART

Now you may be saying but Craig, by works I can not inherit Gods kingdom. Its not about one thing that I still need to do to better my relationship.

Well I am not talking about that at all. I am not talking about doing one thing so we can get to the next level to find out what it is we must do on that level to go on to the next.

I am talking about a shift in your thinking. A mind change. I am talking about borrowing the lawn mower. I am talking about a revolution in your heart.

Paul did all the wrong things, but it was only when he reacted in his heart and mind that he saw things.

Timothy 1:13, he wrote, "I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy."

As a disciple, a person of the discipline of being a disciple, Paul knew that if he wanted his actions to change he would have to change his reaction to God.

IF YOU WANT YOUR ACTIONS TO CHANGE, CHANGE YOUR REACTION TO GOD.

DISCIPLINE

There are many disiciplines we can get involved in. When I here that word, I sometimes think of Gymnastics.

There are disciplines in that sport aren’t there?

Floor

Beam

Parralel Bars

Rings

Etc etc.

Each one of the disciplines is very different. Each one of them however exacts extreme discipline for the athlete to reach the top of their sport.