We've had a
powerful series this month and tonight we'll conclude on the thought of
"what are you bringing to the table?"
Romans 6:13 "Do not let any part of your body become
an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God,
for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an
instrument to do what is right for the glory of God."
1.When Paul uses the term
"instrument of evil," he uses a word that can refer to a tool or
weapon.
1.Our skills, capabilities, and bodies
can serve many purposes, good and bad.
1.In sin, every part of our bodies are
vulnerable.
2.In Christ, every part can be an
instrument for service.
1.It is the one to whom we offer our
service that makes the difference.
3.Will you give yourself completely to
God, asking him to put you to good use for his glory?
2.What part of your body have you not completely
given to God?
1.Your mind? Choices, attitudes,
wandering.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT) "We are human, but we don't
wage war as humans do. [4] We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to
knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.
[5] We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We
capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ."
1.Your Spirit? The true inner workings
of God in you. Your emotions, character, true you. The you God knows.
1.Omnipresent-God is present everywhere
all at the same time.
2.Omniscient-God knows all things.
3.Omnipotent-God's unlimited power,
able to do anything.
Hebrews 12:9 (NLT) "Since we respected our earthly
fathers who disciplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of
the Father of our spirits, and live forever?"
1.Your members?
1 Corinthians 9:27 (NLT) "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."
1.Discipline your mind, your spirit and
your body to do what you want and need it to do for God.
2.Don't disqualify yourself by not
hearing and responding to the voice of God.
3.Don't disqualify yourself by knowing
what to do then refusing to make yourself do it.
4.Your body and all it's 2000 parts is
a terrible thing to waste but such a powerful thing to surrender.
Proverbs 6:16-19 (NLT) "There are six things the Lord
hates- no, seven things he detests: [17] haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands
that kill the innocent, [18] a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do
wrong, [19] a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a
family."
1.Haughty eyes.
1.Arrogantly superior.
2.Lying tongue.
1.Refusal to tell the truth.
3.Hands that kill the innocent.
1. Abortion, murder.
4.A heart that plots evil.
5.Feet that race to do wrong.
6.A false witness who pours out lies.
7.A person who sows discord in a
family.
1.These sins are in a provoking manner
to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life.
1.These things which God hates, we must
hate in ourselves; it is nothing to hate them in others.
2.Let us reject all such practices,
watch and pray against them;avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty
of them, whatever may be their rank.
1.When I think about what I bring to
the table, what I personally offer, I want to be loyal to God, loyal to His
message, loyal to His mission and not just faithful.
1.There is a huge difference between
being loyal and being faithful.
2.Many people faithful to the core but
disloyal to the cause.
Loyal-showing
firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution.
Faithful-constant,
reliable.
1.It could be that your current life
challenge is just God giving you an opportunity to do something you've never
ever done before?
1.To be a voice of God to this
generation you must know who and what you are to this generation.
2.God has gifted you, open your mouth
to speak for Him, open your heart to serve for Him, open your ears to the
injustice in this society, and open yourself to others they desperately need
the message.
Romans 12:9-10, NLT "Don't just pretend to love
others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."
1.Most of us have learned how to
pretend to love others--how to speak kindly, avoid hurting their feelings, and
appear to take an interest in them.
2.We may even be skilled in pretending
to feel moved with compassion when we hear of others' needs, or to become
indignant when we learn of injustice.
1.But God calls us to real and sincere
love that goes far beyond pretense and politeness.
2.Sincere love requires concentration
and effort.
3.It means helping others become better
people.
4.It demands our time, money, and
personal involvement.
1.We are the change the world is
waiting for.
2.We've got a love the world is
desperate for.
1.Use my calling, use my gift to change
the world!
1.Now, right now is my time I am the
voice to this generation I abandon all to you God and only to you will I
surrender.
2.Carry hope, let love shine and show
this world that mercy is alive.
3.Whatever you are bringing to the
table is what is being consumed by this generation, by this culture, by
society, by your friends, your family.
1.So it's imperative that you bring
your very best, your anointed, your reason and calling from God to this table.
4.The world needs your testimony of
hope, your testimony of passion, your testimony of salvation, your testimony of
rescue, your testimony of His Spirit's power working in you!
Acts 4:32-33 (NLT) "All the believers were united in
heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they
shared everything they had. [33] The apostles testified powerfully to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them
all."
1.God's great blessing was upon them
all.
1.God's great favor and protection was
upon them all.
2.Your love in us has given us the
power to change the world.
3.Your love in us is how we change the
world.
