And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

This message was preached August 10, 2003 at FBC Toulon, by Albert Harmon. See it at ToulonBaptist.com

 

3 As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. NLT

Many people struggle in life. Even Christians often have problems. Other Christians have wondered so far from the right way that they have been absorbed or assimilated by the world. So much so that they have totally lost their Christian witness. The purpose of our message this morning is to address that. If you have struggled with who you are as a Christian and have had difficulty making that wit into the rest of your life, then this message is for you. If you have gotten out of step with Jesus in your life then listen to what God's word has for you.

1. Remember
   1. Isa 51:1 "Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance--all who seek the LORD! Consider the quarry from which you were mined, the rock from which you were cut! NLT
      1. In this passage God is calling the nation of Israel to remember where they had begun
      2. They were not a great people but small.
   2. We need to remember that it was grace that brought us to where we are.
      1. We are here this morning because of God's amazing grace.
      2. We were lost and without hope, condemned and alienated from God.
         1. Eph 2:3 All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God's anger just like everyone else. NKJV
         2. Eph 4:17-19 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. NKJV
   3. This keeps us humble.
      1. It makes us usable for His service.
      2. If we do not remember where we came from we might get the idea that we are deserving of heaven and better than those "poor misguided souls" who are out side.
      3. We must never loose sight that without the grace of God we could be the most defiled individual that we know.
2. Think Soberly
   1. Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. NKJV
   2. Pride is a natural characteristic of our fallen nature.
      1. It comes from Satan himself.
         1. We are never so like Satan when are over come by pride.
         2. Isa 14:13-14 13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' NKJV
      2. 1 Cor 15:12 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, NKJV
3. You're in a spiritual battle
   1. We have two natures
      1. Gal 5:16-18 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. NKJV
      2. Col 1:21-23 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight --23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, NKJV
      3. Eph 4:22-24 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. NKJV
4. Know your resources
   1. Your Bible
      1. I am somewhat disturbed by the slight attention many Christians give to their Bibles.
         1. In many nations around the world Christians would give almost anything for even a single book out of the Bible.
         2. In other nations people give a months wages or more for a Bible.
         3. They value their Bible above even their own life.
         4. Yet here in America we spend more time brushing out teeth then we do in God's Word.
         5. Is it any wonder that the church in America has gone so far astray?
         6. Some people are upset that their denominational leaders want to accept homosexuals into the ministry, but those same leaders have not accepted the virgin birth of Jesus Christ for decades.
      2. Your Bible is the source of wisdom, strength.
      3. It is the message of the almighty living God.
   2. The Holy Spirit
      1. I mention the Bible before the Spirit because it is the Word of God that the Holy Spirit uses to communicate with His people.
         1. Eph 6:17 the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; KJV
      2. He is our teacher.
      3. John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, NKJV
      4. He is our guide.
         1. John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; NKJV
      5. He is our convector.
         1. 1 Thess. 5:19 Quench not the Sprit.
         2. Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. NKJV
   3. Other believers (the church)
      1. Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, NKJV
5. Find your purpose
   1. Read from Keach's Catechism or Spurgeon's Catechism