Giving
Welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
Today we start a new series titled The Spiritual Struggle for the Renewal of the Church.
We need to cooperate with the Father God, who would prune out those branches, attitudes, ambitions, and actions that are counter productive, so that the church might bear much fruit.
Today we are talking about Renew My Walk.
Prayer
Father, You have been so generous to us.
Help us to recognise that every good and perfect gift comes form you.
Help us to give ourselves to you as you have so freely given your riches to us.
Today we come bringing our totes and offerings that we may provide financial support for your work in this congregation and throughout the world.
We pray your blessings on the volunteer teachers and carers in our Kenyan churches and orphanages.
We pray your blessings on Pastor Francis and the other ministers who give everything for the work You have placed before them.
Bless these gifts to honour You and glorify You and be used toward the salvation of the world.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Text
Romans 12:2 AMP
2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
1 John 2:6 AMP
6 whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.
Scripture Reading
Romans 12:1-2 AMP
Dedicated Service
12 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
1 John 2:1-6 AMP
Christ Is Our Advocate
2 My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God’s law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father’s will in every way—purpose, thought, and action].
2 And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.
3 And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings).
4 Whoever says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him.
5 But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:
6 whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.
Introduction
The day of the church is not over!
The church belongs to Christ.
He is the Head, the church is His body.
The life of Christ is the life of the church, and that life can be renewed by Him who is our life.
The church must choose its direction, the worlds plan or God’s plan, the mold of the world or the mind of God.
This is what renewal is, because when the church yields to God’s plan, it is renewed spiritually.
The prayer “Renew my church”, is a prayer to ‘Renew my walk.”
It is God’s plan that the church be renewed in mind, ministry, faith, and walk to a life that is disciplined by Jesus Christ.
A renewed walk involves a disciplined life.
Notice two aspects of that walk.
- The roots of a disciplined life
- A disciplined life is a living sacrifice.
The words “living sacrifice” describe the Christian life as a disciplined life in the daily walk.
In the background is the sacrificial system of the temple.
The word “present” is a technical term for presenting the Levitical offering.
Such offerings required a priest, an alter, and a sacrificial animal.
Today we are not required to offer an animal, we are to present ourselves.
We are priests to God, we have our alter, Jesus Christ, and our lives are the sacrifice.
We present ourselves in death, that is, we die to ourselves, our goals, and our conformity to the world.
Luke 9:23 speaks of taking up our cross daily.
That means death to our sinful way of life.
Have you built an alter in your life?
Have you put yourself on it?
Have you put all that you have on it?
The disciplined life does just that!
B. A disciplined life thinks soberly.
Romans 12:3 says, that we are “to think soberly”.
The word sober is translated to “self controlled” or “disciplined.”
A disciplined mind so governs all passions and desires that the believer becomes conformed to the mind of Christ.
We are tp think disciplined thoughts about ourselves and not think more highly of ourselves that we ought.
We are not to be proud or self absorbed but sober and disciplined.
We are to evidence a humble, surrendered attitude.
This is the kind of life God gives to the believer, 2 Timothy 1:7 says,
7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].
C. A disciplined life is a yoked life.
Matthew 11:29 says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.”
Disciples are those who learn from another, they adhere to the person and teachings of their teacher.
Thus disciples of Jesus are those who learn from Jesus.
They adhere to His person and His teachings.
They are yoked to Jesus.
A yoke is a symbol of submission, therefore a disciplined life is one submissive to the authority of Jesus Christ.
Three words are involved in this type of submission.
- Control.
The disciplined life is under Christ’s control.
The disciplined person has a meek spirit.
A disciplined life is a life broken by Christ’s control.
Jesus’ life was perfectly disciplined.
He was always under His Father’s control.
And as Jesus was to His Father, so are we to Him!
We are to be under His control constantly, our will trained to His will.
We must strive to be consistent, disciplined, trained.
Sometimes we snap at God and at others, we are disobedient to Christ’s control, and our attitudes and activities are undisciplined.
The yoked life is one of Christ’s control over us.
2. Consent.
We become disciplined when we consent to be disciplined.
We present ourselves as a living sacrifice by coming to Jesus as Matthew 11:28 invites us, 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].
We take His yoke and learn more about Him.
No one forces us to do these things.
If we are to walk as He walked , we must yield ourselves to Him.
3. Completeness.
This word involves all of life under Christ’s control.
It is the total discipline He demands.
How disciplined are we to be?
The following Scriptures can answer this question, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 talks about “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
Matthew 4:4 says that we must give account of “every idle word.”
Luke 9:23 says that we must “take up our cross daily.”
And 1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands, “Give thanks is all circumstances.”
So all of life is to be under Christ’s control.
He is to be the centre of all our goals, our single focus.
2. The fruits if a disciplined life.
The roots of a disciplined life will be evidenced in the fruits of that life.
Ask yourself these questions.
- How disciplined is your attitude toward yourself, God, and others?
Do you have love for the Lord and your neighbour?
B. How disciplined are your words?
Psalm 19:14 says,
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.
And proverbs 18:21 says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.
C. How disciplined are your morals?
We are to seek the most thorough moral purity.
D. How disciplined is your worship?
Psalm 100:4 says, Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name.
Hebrews 10:25 says not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.
E. How disciplined are you in the grace of giving?
Is giving a grace that you experience or a task that you endure?
Or something you don’t do at all?
Jesus said in Luke 6:38. “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.”
F. How disciplined are you in your devotional life?
Thee is no mastery in the Christian life apart form a disciplined devotional life of Bible reading and prayer.
Jesus taught prayer as both private and public, silent and spoken, seeking and waiting.
Disciplined prayer is personal, honest, specific, and consistent.
We are to read the Bible expectantly, submissively, and regularly.
G. How disciplined are you in your ministry?
God has given a ministry to every believer.
This is both a privilege and a responsibility.
Conclusion.
To renew your walk may mean a change of masters and a change of direction.
It will result in fulfilment instead of frustration.
It will mean a life of rest in your soul.
This is the prayer the church needs to pray, “Renew my church, Lord and renew my walk!”
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
Giving
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.refinerylife.org
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us at www.refinerylife.org
2021 IS A YEAR OF REFORMATION
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