Discipline Over Regret

Verde Valley Christian Church
Aug 18 – 20, 2019

==========
Welcome to Verde Valley Christian Church
August 18, 2019 / / / I Choose / / / Week 3-Discipline Over Regret.
We are shaped by many factors: our genetics, experiences, relationships, perceptions, and beliefs, to name a few, but our CHOICES matter far more than we realize.
==========

Title: "Discipline Over Regret"
Speaker: Jim Hammond
Series: I Choose

About This Series:
We are shaped by many factors: our genetics, experiences, relationships, perceptions, and beliefs, to name a few. But our CHOICES matter far more than we realize.

I. Discipline chooses what you want MOST over what you want NOW.

Romans 7:15, 18-19, 24-25 (NLT)

I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate... I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway... Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

3 OBSERVATIONS:

1. We tend to choose the easy route, and yet the easy route won't stay easy.
2. The reason we need a savior is that we cannot fix our own sin nature.
3. Jesus releases us from the trap of always choosing what we want now instead of what we want most.

REFLECT

Is what you want most also what God wants for you?
Are you trusting Jesus to help you?

II. Discipline chooses TRAINING where TRYING doesn't work.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

REFLECT

Disciples are disciplined. It's the same root word.
Disciples of Jesus practice the disciplines of Jesus.
It's like saying, "Followers follow."

Philippians 2:12-13
Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

REFLECT

You need training to receive and experience what you want most.

Lord Jesus,
We need your saving work inside of us. You promised to give us what we need inside as we train in the disciplines you showed us. Thank you for giving us new desires and the power to do what pleases you, as we train with you. Amen.