01/01/17 Spiritual Markers
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Intro: Wednesday night we watched a video about the
Christmas Story. If you take the time to really ponder so to speak and think
about the events that transpired that first Christmas you can’t help but ask, why
God? Why that man, why that young teenage girl? Why such a poor couple. Why did
they have to travel 7o miles? Why did they have to be taxed? And this is a big
question God, why a stable for a delivery room for the Son of God? What are you
thinking God? This isn’t great condition for any child or mother who is about
to give birth, let alone the Son of God. What was God trying to show us, or
tell us? How does this affect me? Why God? Truly there were several turning
points in this historical event. This event left a spiritual marker that
mankind will never forget. This event was truly a spiritual marker.
In all
three churches that I have pastored at there are two verse’s that have become
spiritual markers for me: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)
Application:
Turning points are spiritual markers.
To experience God you cannot avoid
spiritual markers, it could be delivery your first baby, graduating from
school, starting your first job, getting married, losing a love one. These can
all be spiritual markers that can led to an experience with God Seven Realities
of Experiencing God:
1. God is always at work around you: He takes the initiative!
Right now God is working all around you and in your life. One of the greatest
tragedies among God’s people is that, while they have a deep longing to
experience God, they are experiencing God day after day but do not know how to
recognize Him. Watch to see where God is working and join Him.
God reveals what
He is about to do. That revelation becomes an invitation to join Him which will
inevitably leave a spiritual marker. In the Christmas story that I mentioned in
the introduction it was hard for those Christmas characters to fully put all
the pieces of the puzzle together, but time has revealed Gods plan and purpose,
He is always at work. What are you willing to do Church?
2. God pursues a
continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal:
The Israelites
wondered in the wilderness for years because they didn’t understand what God
really wanted. Understanding what God is about to do where you are is more
important than telling God what you want to do for Him. Are you wandering in
the wilderness or are you enjoying a real, personal love relationship with Him.
Don’t ever forget: “Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This
is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38
3. God invites you to become
involved with Him in His work:
All the way through the scripture, God takes the
initiative when He comes to a person; He always reveals Himself and His
activity. The revelation is always an invitation for the individual or the
church to adjust their life to God. None of the people God encountered could
remain the same after the encounter, it left a spiritual marker. They had to
make major adjustments in their lives in order to walk obediently with God.
God
is looking for parenting disciples. Are you mature enough to teach others to be
submitted to Jesus Christ? Sure it starts with baby steps, but baby’s grow and
learn to walk more gracefully and that is exactly what the disciple must do
keep growing, I understand the view is beautiful at the top.
4. God speaks by the
Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal
Himself, His purposes, and His ways:
In seeking God’s direction, check to see
that prayer, the scripture, and circumstances agree in the direction you sense
God leading you. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to
your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 (KJV)
5. God’s
invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that
requires faith and action:
We need F.A.T. Christians! We don’t need fans; we
need completely, committed followers for Christ: “Those who accept my
commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me,
my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of
them.” John 14:21 (NLT)
This is one of those spiritual markers that require a
crisis of belief.
6. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He
accomplishes His works through you: This is the first day of a brand new year,
what are you going to do with it? What are you going to do for God today? What
are you going to do for God this week? What are you going to do for God this
month? What are you going to do for God this year? What are you going to do?
The Bible says “Follow me!” "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23
Part of
the result of a spiritual marker comes when we realization to follow God we
must deny self and we may not always like that. Our reasonable service is to
present our body as a living sacrifice. Could it be that we have become
comfortable?
7. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what
He is doing:
Putting steps into action requires adjustments: “Be doers of the
word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22
This is what
makes or breaks a large majority of the Christians in our churches today. Will
you make a major adjustment in your life to join God in what He is doing?
With
all my heart and understanding I believe God is doing something here at Ocean
View Baptist Church, but for this to become a reality there will be a major
adjustment required to join God in what He is doing.
In : Sermon
Tags: "new year" "spiritual markers" "book of romans"
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