Wednesday, January 12, 2011

January 13, 2011

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2
Romans 12 is such a gold mine of spiritual truths! The more you dig the more you find.
As I was looking over verses one and two I noticed it gives a great picture of what powerful worship looks like.
Powerful worship begins with sacrifice. Worship involves offering something of worth. How else can you express the worth you find in God but to give something you value the most. Paul says to offer your body, yourself as a living sacrifice.
In ancient days no one could come into the presence of royalty without an offering. How can you enter into the presence of the King of Kings without offering your best - yourself. Worship is not a casual event. Here Paul reminds you that when you enter in you must be all in!
Coming into God's presence fully surrendered allows God to respond to your worship. When you consecrate yourself to Him He moves upon your heart and mind with His Spirit. The result is a transformed mind and a renewed heart. God cleanses the sin that had separated you and allows you to experience intimate spiritual fellowship with Him. THAT IS WORSHIP!
Authentic worship is transformational. When you sincerely worship and when you actually meet God, you will never be the same. The result of a renewed heart and transformed mind is the ability to hear from God! God can now trust you with new truths and deeper revelations. You leave worship a different person than when you came.
Is that how you worship or are you a "casual" worshipper?
Do you consecrate yourself to God when you come to worship? Do you come with an attitude of "getting something from God" or do come to give something to God?
Are you the same person you where before you worshipped or do you allow God to change you? Will you offer yourself completely to God today?

January 12, 2011

Good news this morning! God calls you to "not be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with (His) good" and He has given you EVERYTHING you need to win! And I also believe He has given your family, your marriage and you church all that is necessary to win! All it takes is for you to execute the game plan.



Now, sometimes you have to keep executing for a quarter, sometimes it takes a half, and there are times when you have to go into overtime, but believe in God and trust His plan and you WILL be an overcomer!



What is the game plan?



SURRENDER, Vv. 1-2


"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."




You can't overcome evil in the world until you overcome the evil in you! That takes surrender. Humble yourself by confessing your evil nature and repent of your sinfulness. When you do, He will transform your mind and renew your spirit. He will place His nature within you through the infilling of His Holy Spirit. And then, walk in holiness each day by living a surrendered, Spirit-filled life.




Have you done that? Are you doing that?




SEEK, V. 2

"Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, perfect, and pleasing will."

Once you have had a spiritual transformation in your heart and mind you get on God's wave-length and can know what His plan is for you. Are you seeking His will?

I want you to notice what this verse says about God's will. It is good! That is good as in "righteous". So, if you are called to overcome evil with good wouldn't you want a "good" will at work in you and through you? Seek it! Seek it daily!

Also, notice that His will "perfect". How many things do you know that are perfect? God's will is perfect for you and for the purpose He has called you to accomplish. The word means "perfectly fitted for a task". For example, if you have a slotted screw and a phillips screwdriver that tool is not perfect for the job. A slot screwdriver is. So, this will that you seek is perfectly designed to fit you and to fit you for the task of overcoming evil with good! How good is that!

SERVE, Vv. 3-8

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."


A huge part of the "perfect" will of God for you is discovering the "measure of faith" or the "spiritual gift" that He has hard-wired within you and activated by His Spirit. Once that happens you will find your place - the position you are to play to contribute to a winning team!

Once you discover your place then ministry will become a joy instead of a job! You will find greater satisfaction in serving! You will have boundless energy for serving rather than burn out!

Have you sound your position? If not, keep seeking! If so, keep serving!

Once you surrender to God and seek His will and then serve in that will, you will find that you grow stronger and you will bring strength to the church where you serve AND you will shape the people you serve! Week by week and day by day as you serve you will bring God's goodness to bear against the evil around you! You will accomplish the purpose God called you to!

Sound good? Sounds Scriptural!

Will you surrender today? Will you seek? How will you serve?