Decisions That Shape Eternity: A Call to Action

Devotional

Day 1: The Eternal Weight of Our Choices

Our decisions carry eternal consequences, impacting not just our lives but the lives of others. Unlike fictional stories where choices are often inconsequential, our real-life decisions can influence someone's eternal destiny. This calls for intentional and purposeful living, where every action is weighed with the understanding that it can have a lasting impact. By living with this awareness, we can make choices that align with God's will and contribute to the eternal well-being of those around us. [38:51]

Matthew 25:45-46 (ESV): "Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Reflection: Think of a recent decision you made that affected someone else. How might that decision have eternal consequences, and what can you do today to ensure your future choices align with God's eternal perspective?

Day 2: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Impact

God often uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. The story of Don and Bridget Brewster from Agape International Mission illustrates that willingness and obedience to God's call can lead to significant, life-changing impacts, even without specialized skills. Their commitment to prayer, obedient love, and sacrificial love led to the rescue and transformation of many lives in Cambodia. This shows that God can use anyone who is willing to follow His call, regardless of their background or abilities. [40:27]

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt inadequate for a task God called you to. How can you trust in God's power to work through your ordinary abilities to make an extraordinary impact?

Day 3: The Rhythm of Prayer, Obedient Love, and Sacrificial Love

To bear fruit that glorifies God, we must follow a divine rhythm: start with prayer, move to obedient love, and then to sacrificial love. This order is crucial as it aligns our actions with God's will and empowers us to serve effectively. Prayer connects us to God's power and guidance, obedient love ensures our actions align with His commandments, and sacrificial love calls us to lay down our lives for others. This rhythm is essential for cultivating a life that bears lasting fruit for God's kingdom. [49:26]

Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV): "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Reflection: Consider your daily routine. How can you incorporate a rhythm of prayer, obedient love, and sacrificial love into your daily life to ensure you are bearing fruit that glorifies God?

Day 4: Prayer as the Foundation

Prayer is essential to our spiritual life, akin to breathing for our physical bodies. It connects us to God's power and guidance, enabling us to face challenges and serve others with strength and courage. Without prayer, we are disconnected from the source of our strength and wisdom. By making prayer the foundation of our lives, we ensure that we are continually aligned with God's will and empowered to carry out His purposes. [50:55]

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV): "Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."

Reflection: How can you make prayer a more integral part of your daily routine? Identify a specific time and place where you can commit to regular, focused prayer.

Day 5: Sacrificial Love as the Ultimate Expression

True love is sacrificial, as demonstrated by Jesus. We are called to lay down our lives for others, which may involve significant personal cost but leads to profound, eternal impacts on those we serve. Sacrificial love goes beyond mere acts of kindness; it requires a willingness to give up our own comfort and desires for the sake of others. This kind of love is the ultimate expression of our faith and has the power to transform lives and communities. [01:00:04]

1 John 3:16-18 (ESV): "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Reflection: Think of a specific person or group in your life who could benefit from your sacrificial love. What is one concrete action you can take this week to demonstrate this kind of love to them?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, Asbury! Today, we continued our series, "Habits of a Healthy Heart," focusing on the profound impact our decisions have on others for all eternity. We began by celebrating the community efforts in our recent campus cleanup and highlighted upcoming events, including mission trips, new member classes, and the Alpha Marriage course.

The core of today's message revolved around the idea that our decisions, unlike those in movies, have real, eternal consequences. We explored this through the lens of service and the talents God has given us. Using the example of Don and Bridget Brewster from Agape International Mission, we saw how ordinary people can make extraordinary impacts by simply being obedient to God's call. Despite lacking specialized skills, their commitment to prayer, obedient love, and sacrificial love led to the rescue and transformation of many lives in Cambodia.

We delved into John 15:7-17, where Jesus emphasizes the importance of abiding in Him to bear fruit that glorifies God. This fruit is evidence of our discipleship and is cultivated through a rhythm of prayer, obedient love, and sacrificial love. Prayer is as vital to our souls as breathing is to our bodies, and it must be our starting point. Obedient love follows, where our actions align with God's commandments, proving our love for Him. Finally, sacrificial love, modeled by Jesus, calls us to lay down our lives for others, impacting their lives eternally.

We celebrated the many ways Asbury Church has already lived out these principles, from raising funds for missions to supporting local and international communities. However, the work is far from over. We are called to continue this mission, knowing that every act of service, every prayer, and every step of obedience can change lives for eternity.

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Key Takeaways

1. slhdB7Q&t=2331s'>[38:51]
2. Ordinary People, Extraordinary Impact: God often uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. The story of Don and Bridget Brewster illustrates that willingness and obedience to God's call can lead to significant, life-changing impacts, even without specialized skills.

3. The Rhythm of Prayer, Obedient Love, and Sacrificial Love: To bear fruit that glorifies God, we must follow a divine rhythm: start with prayer, move to obedient love, and then to sacrificial love. This order is crucial as it aligns our actions with God's will and empowers us to serve effectively.

4. Prayer as the Foundation: Prayer is essential to our spiritual life, akin to breathing for our physical bodies. It connects us to God's power and guidance, enabling us to face challenges and serve others with strength and courage.

5. Sacrificial Love as the Ultimate Expression: True love is sacrificial, as demonstrated by Jesus. We are called to lay down our lives for others, which may involve significant personal cost but leads to profound, eternal impacts on those we serve.

### [38:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:48] - Community Announcements
[08:05] - Introduction to the Sermon
[37:18] - The Power of Storytelling
[38:51] - The Eternal Impact of Our Decisions
[40:27] - Example of Agape International Mission
[45:19] - Scripture Reading: John 15:7-17
[47:06] - The Importance of Abiding in Christ
[49:26] - The Rhythm of Prayer, Obedient Love, and Sacrificial Love
[50:55] - Prayer as the Foundation
[55:04] - Obedient Love
[59:38] - Sacrificial Love
[64:17] - Celebrating Asbury's Achievements
[66:10] - Call to Action
[67:35] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to John 15:7-17, what are the conditions for bearing fruit that glorifies God?
How did Don and Bridget Brewster exemplify the principles of prayer, obedient love, and sacrificial love in their mission work in Cambodia? [40:27]
What does Jesus mean when He says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends"? [45:57]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between prayer and the effectiveness of our actions? [50:55]

Interpretation Questions

In John 15:7-17, Jesus emphasizes abiding in Him. What does it mean to "abide" in Jesus, and how does this relate to bearing fruit?
The sermon highlights the eternal impact of our decisions. How does the story of Don and Bridget Brewster illustrate this concept? [38:51]
What is the significance of the order: prayer, obedient love, and sacrificial love, as discussed in the sermon? Why is this order important? [49:26]
How does the concept of sacrificial love, as described in John 15:13 and the sermon, challenge our everyday actions and decisions? [01:00:04]

Application Questions

Reflect on your daily decisions. Are there specific areas where you can be more intentional about their eternal impact? How can you start making more purposeful choices? [38:51]
Don and Bridget Brewster were ordinary people who made an extraordinary impact. What talents or resources do you have that you can use to serve others? How can you take a step of obedience this week? [40:27]
Prayer is described as essential to our spiritual life. How can you incorporate more consistent and heartfelt prayer into your daily routine? What specific times or methods might work best for you? [50:55]
Obedient love involves aligning our actions with God's commandments. Are there areas in your life where you struggle with obedience? What steps can you take to align more closely with God's will? [55:32]
Sacrificial love calls us to lay down our lives for others. Is there a specific person or group in your life that you feel called to serve sacrificially? What practical steps can you take to show this kind of love? [01:00:04]
The sermon mentioned various ways Asbury Church has lived out these principles. How can you get involved in one of these initiatives or start a new one? What is one action you can take this week to contribute? [01:04:17]
Reflect on the statement, "The decisions we make impact others for all of eternity." How does this perspective change the way you view your daily interactions and responsibilities? What is one specific change you can make to live out this truth? [38:51]

Sermon Clips

1. "The decisions we make impact others for all of eternity. And that's where we're going in here today as we talk about this idea of service, we talk about this idea of talent, the things that God has gifted us with. And whenever we talk about this we can think about going and serving and all these things and we can almost put that into this higher status. Well, these people have these gifts or these abilities and what we see so often in scripture and really honestly just real life is God just uses everyday just ordinary people that are willing to make decisions that are going to impact people's lives for all of eternity." [38:51] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "They weren't doctors, they weren't social workers, they weren't counselors, they were none of those things but they had a burden by what was happening in Cambodia with the young women that were abused each and every day as they walk down those streets they said something has to happen and so a little over over 18 years ago they left their home and moved to Cambodia they started a home up and what they thought was going to take years of bringing in girls but it only took four months and they already had 24 girls inside of their Center of helping them get back on their feet of recovery helping them see who God created them to be." [40:27] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "They wanted them to know that there is a father who is in heaven who loves them and they are valued that they belong that they are a daughter to the king of kings and the lord of lords that's what they had and they just said you know what we're going to move forward and we know god is going to take care of this he is going to fill in the details he's going to give us those counselors he's going to give us those doctors those people are going to come around with us they're going to give us people who can form and be a part of a SWAT team that goes in and busts up these things and rescues these girls god is going to provide this and they went forward in over 18 years of doing this they have done amazing work." [41:49] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The decisions we make impact others for all of eternity. All they did was take that step all they did was something so simple that god calls each and every one of us to is to go forward and pray and for god to open doors to bust down doors all they did was have this idea of obedient love of listening to the commandments of god and then this heart of just sacrifice knowing they wanted to reach these young girls and to get them back on their feet to help them see their value in the kingdom of god that's where they step forward that's where they lived in this statement the decisions we make impact others for all of eternity." [43:29] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We are called to live on mission, to have this heart, to see people how God sees them. And last week, we lived into this statement, and we talked about it a lot. Maybe you got sick of me saying it, but last week, we talked about this idea of live your life out of your connection with Jesus. And when we do, we will start making decisions, and those decisions will start to produce fruit in our lives, and that fruit will impact people for all of eternity. Or another way of saying it, and I hope you get sick of me saying this, the decisions that we make impact others for all of eternity." [44:38] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Prayer is as important to your soul as breathing is to your body. Do we get this? This is really what he's trying to say here. Prayer is as important to the soul as breathing is to the body. Another way of saying what Jesus said in 1 Thessalonians 5, 16, 13, through 18, it says, rejoice always, pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. God wants to give to you. God wants to equip you. God listens to his people and he acts on our behalf. He's always moving before us and we cannot do anything without him." [50:27] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "When we pray like that, that's where we see God moving. When we want to serve, we want to take ground, we want to bust through those doors of hell as Jesus says that we will conquer. Those gates cannot prevail but for us to actually prevail, for us to bust through those gates, prayer has to be first. We have to lead with that because he's the one who has to bust down those doors. So when we are facing hardships, when we are facing persecution, when we are facing that hatred, our prayer should not be like take this all away from me God, but rather let's pray for strength and peace and courage and love. Let's pray to see people how God sees them." [53:48] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Obedience doesn't earn love. Please hear that. Then we just become fairly legalistic and that's not what he's talking about. Obedience doesn't earn love. Obedience is the evidence of love. The evidence of love that we have for God and us latching on is when we're obedient, when we look at this word and say, this is my authority. This is my lens. This is how I'm going to love people through this word. I'm going to follow what God commands me to do whether it's easy or it's hard. I'm going to follow through on that. I'm going to listen to this. This is why obedience has to be first. We have to be obedient." [55:32] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "The greatest love is sacrificial. Are you laying down your life for others? That sacrifice that we look to, the ultimate sacrifice Jesus gave for each and every one of us is our supreme example as he laid down his life for us. His sacrifice is the old hymn classic, nothing, nothing, but the blood of Jesus Christ. That is our foundation to everything because last week, remember living out your life in connection with Jesus Christ, out of that connection. That is our foundation. Everything goes from this." [01:00:04] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "None of this happens without sacrificial love. None of this happens without prayer. None of this happens without being obedient and leaning in. This all happened because people said, I'm gonna, my life is gonna be different. My decisions are going to be different. I'm gonna lean in and help out. I'm gonna give, I'm gonna volunteer. I'm gonna be guided by God to do amazing things. This happens when people pray. This happens when people are obedient. This happens when people sacrifice. And there's more work to be done. There's more work to be done. As much as this is amazing, there's more work to be done, people. More souls at stake. More ground to be taken." [01:04:17] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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