IF YOU CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE, GOD WILL CHANGE YOUR MIND pt.1
Rev. M.D. Rogers
Romans 12:1-3
MOVING FROM THE THEOGOLICAL TO THE PRACTICAL, PAUL GIVE GUIDELINES
FOR LIVING AS A REDEEMED PEOPLE IN A FALLEN WORLD. WE ARE TO GIVE
OURSELVES TO CHRIST AS LIVING SACRIFICES, OBEYING THE GOVERNING
AUTHORITIES, LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS, AND TAKING SPECIAL CARE OF THOSE
WHO ARE WEAK IN THE FAITH.
THE BOOK OF ROMANS IS ONE OF 14 EPISTLES BELIEVED WRITTEN BY THE
APOSTLE PAUL. IT IS FIRST IN THE ORDER OF THE EPISTLES, DOCTRINALLY
AND ACCORDING TO CANONICAL ORDER. FOR YOU SEE, IT CONTAINS THE ABC's
OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION, AND UNTIL ITS LESSONS ARE LEARNED WE ARE
IGNORANT TO TRUE CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES.
IN FACT, IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS BOOK SHOULD BE THE VERY
FOUNDATION OF OUR CHRISTIAN WALK, BECAUSE IF WE ARE WRONG IN
UNDERSTANDING HERE, WE WILL BE WRONG EVERYWHERE ELSE.
THIS LETTER/EPISTLE OF PAUL'S CAN BE CONSIDERED `THE BILL OF
RIGHTS' OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, 'THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENTS' TO
THE BELIEVERS OR SIMPLY `THE BOOK OF LAWS'. YOU SEE, THE MAJOR THEME
BEHIND THIS BOOK IS, THE REVELATION OF GOD'S WRATH AGAINST SIN AND
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH FAITH AS GROUNDS OF JUSTIFICATION. THE KEY
WORD IS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND NOT JUST RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT, GOD'S
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
WHEN WE STUDY THIS ECCLESIASTICAL DOCTRINE, WE FIND AN APPEAL
IN VIEW OF CERTAIN FACTS.
CHAPTERS: 1-8 TELLS US OF, GOD'S WONDERFUL DOCTRINES:
- WE'RE NOT ASHAMED OF IT
- HOW NO ONE IS EXEMPT FROM IT
- IT LETS US KNOW WE'VE ALL FALLEN SHORT OF IT
- ALL THINGS WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD BECAUSE OF IT
CHAPTERS: 9-11 GIVES GOD'S DISPENSATIONAL DEALINGS WITH JEWS &
GENTILES:
- ITS NOT BASED ON OUR WORKS, BUT HIS GRACE
- IT ALSO LETS US KNOW HOW EASY IT IS TO BE SAVED
- THEN THERE'S OUR TEXT CHAPTER, WHICH GIVES US THE PRACTICAL
APPLICATION OF THE GOSPEL FOR MAN KIND, AND HOW THE "MERCIES OF GOD"
ACCORDING TO HIS FORGIVING POWER, TELLS US WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO.
1ST POINT - READ v.1
"Present your bodies a living sacrifice" – "YOU'VE GOT TO, GIVE GOD
SOMETHING TO WORK WITH"
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - A BURNT OFFERING MEANT THE COMPLETE OR
ENTIRE CONSUMING OF THE SACRIFICE--SIGNIFYING THAT THE WHOLE
SACRIFICE WAS FOR GOD. IT WAS FIRST KILLED THEN PRESENTED TO THE
LORD ON THE ALTAR.
BEING BAPTIZED, SIGNIFYS THE DYING OF THE FLESHLY MANS
DESIRES AND THE RENEWING OF THE SPIRIT. AS "A LIVING SACRIFICE", WE
ARE TO BE DAILY WITNESSES/TESTIMONIES TO THE GOODNESS OF GOD, AND
THEREFORE BE PRESENTED AS "HOLY", CHRIST LIKE.
NEIGHBOR: GIVE UP THE BODY! (BE CAREFULL) OTHER SIDE: DO IT RIGHT!
GOD COMES INTO OUR LIVES CHANGING THE WAY WE LOOK AT LIFE.
ONCE WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THE LORD (ACCEPT JESUS AS SAVIOUR OF OUR
LIVES), WE ARE THEN CHANGED. THE WORD SAYS, "IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST
HE IS A NEW CREATURE: OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS
ARE BECOME NEW. (II Corin. 7:15)"
THE PRESENTS OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT MAKES US ACCEPTABLE UNTO HIM -
USABLE, EMPLOYABLE AND SERVICEABLE TO GOD NO MATTER WHAT WE USE TO
BE LIKE. WHEN WE GIVE OURSELVES, OUR WHOLE SELVES - MIND, BODY AND
SOUL, ALL OF ME, WE BECOME "LIVING SACRIFICES".
WE `SHOULD' NOW BE CHANGED, BUT WAIT, THERE'S STILL A PROBLEM. I
DON'T LIKE THE WAY SHE'S/HE'S LOOKING AT ME; WHY SHE ALWAYS GOT TO
SING; WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS?
TOUCH SOMEBODY, AND SAID: CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE!
BELOVED OF GOD, WE OWE IT TO THE LORD, TO CHANGE OUR WAYS!
THE WORD OF GOD SAYS, "IT IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE" - PAUL SAYS,
IT'S ONLY RIGHT THAT WE PRESENT OURSELVES FOR GOD'S USE, AFTER ALL
LOOK WHERE HE'S BROUGHT US FROM, LOOK WHAT HE'S BROUGHT US THROUGH.
AND WE'VE GOT THE NERVE TO HAVE ATTITUDES BECAUSE, SOMEBODY'S LOOKING
IN OUR DIRECTION, GET MAD BECAUSE SHE'S THE ONLY ONE BRAVE ENOUGH TO
SING A SONG OF PRAISE, BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHO'S HE IS, AND TO WHOM HE
BELONGS.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT `WHEN I THINK OF THE GOODNESS OF JESUS,
AND ALL THAT HE'S DONE FOR ME' THAT CHANGES MY ATTITUDE. I REALIZED
THAT I HAD TO GIVE GOD SOMETHING TO WORK WITH IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE
DIFFERENT.
NOW, I'M NOT: QUICK TO JUDGE ANYMORE
I'M NOT AS IMPATIENT WITH OTHERS, LIKE I USE TO BE
I'M NOT AS SELFISH
YES, WHEN I THINK OF THE GOODNESS OF JESUS, AND ALL THAT HE'S DONE
FOR ME, MY SOUL CRY'S ALLELUJAH, THANK GOD FOR SAVING ME'!!!
AS A "LIVING SACRIFICE", I CAN HUMBLE MYSELF TO BELIEVE THEIR
LOOKING BECAUSE THEY SEE THE CHRIST IN ME, AS A "LIVING SACRIFICE", I
UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYBODY CAN SING LIKE A ANGEL BUT, EVERY
BELIEVER OUGHT TO HAVE A SONG ON THEIR HEART, AS A "LIVING
SACRIFICE", I CAN SHARE IN THE JOY OF KNOWING MY DESTINY AS A CHILD
OF THE KING.
IF YOU CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE, GOD CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND
A "SACRIFICE" CAN CAUSE AN ATTITUDE. OH DON'T LOOK SO HOLY,
YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT! WOMEN - IF THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID, YOU HAVE TO
GIVE UP SHOPPING AND TURN IN YOUR CREDIT CARDS, YOU KNOW YOU'LL HAVE
AN ATTITUDE. LORD, KNOWS SOME OF THE BROTHERS WOULD BE HAPPY, BUT
SOME BODY WOULD HAVE AN ATTITUDE! OR IF YOU HAD TO GIVE UP BOTH
BOYFRIENDS, SO GOD CAN GIVE TO YOU THE MAN HE WANTS TO PLACE IN YOUR
LIFE, YOU'LD HAVE, AN ATTITUDE. WHY? BECAUSE NOW YOUR VARITY IS,
GONE! MEN - IF YOU WERE TOLD TO STOP STEPPING OUT, WITH THAT FINE
YOUNG THING AND GO BACK HOME TO YOUR WIFE, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS PUT ON
A FEW POUNDS, YOU WOULD HAVE AN ATTITUDE. SOME OF US THINK THAT, THE
GRASS LOOKS GREENER, ONLY BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T CUT OUR YARDS IN A
WHILE.
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