Part 4 (think it through)
INTRODUCTION
What you naturally want is often in conflict with what you ultimately value. But your heavenly Father knows what you need. He wants for you what you really want. So, how do you put aside those natural wants and pursue what you ultimately value?
So let’s get to it, the big questions of the day are: What do you want?
· The answer is different for everyone
· In different seasons of life the “what” changes
· But one thing that is for sure, we always want something!
Recap
· One thing is for sure, we want our way!
· And we want to do what we want to do!
o Regret always starts with getting something we want
o This wanting thing is a tricky thing!!
o Sometimes getting our way, we lose our way
Sometimes we will do whatever we can to get what we want!
o We kill friendships
o We kill work deals
o We kill families
o We kill marriages
o We destroy the things that mean the most to us for what we want
Here is the problem.
Most of don’t know what we really want, because we are so distracted by what we want, what we desire right now!
The skinny of it all
What we really what we rarely explore!
The good news!
· God, your Father, wants more for you
· He doesn’t want more from you
· He wants more for you!
· And lurking in the shadows is what you ultimately want
o What you value
o What is really important!
What naturally drives us is not what we truly value
· We are naturally driven to do what feels good now, not what gets us to what we REALLY want
Romans 7:15 (NIV)
15I do not understand what I do. For what I (really) want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Last Week
· Did you do the exercise?
For Christians, we take it one step farther! What does GOD what for us!
· Remember God is a father that doesn’t want anything from us, but wants things for us
· We somehow think that what we want is different from what God wants for us
· And that may be true about what you naturally want
· But if you dig deep, I bet you will find that you want what God wants for you
Surrendering to God and His will for your life will get you to where you truly want to be!
So, what does God want for you??
Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV)
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
So, I hope that the last 3 weeks have helped you find what it is that you really want!
· It’s hard to find
· Only you can find it
· And until you do, life will be much harder
· With more disappointments
· And with less love, Peace, and joy!
When we discover what we really value, we are less prone to settle for what we merely want!
We need to think it through!!
The kingdoms of this world cannot give you what you really want
· The world we live in
· The values that drive society
· Cannot and never will give you what you really want
The kingdoms of this world are designed to distract you from what really matters to you!
· We all know this
· The natural nature of the fallen world is fueled by the natural
· And it's all a distraction from what we really want
The kingdoms of this world are fueled by two things
· Upgrades
o Sound familiar
o We upgrade constantly
· And experiences
o Relational experiences
o Emotional experiences
· And there is nothing wrong with either
o Unless it distracts you from what you really want
What we really want can’t be
· Packaged
· Marketed
· Or sold
· There is no App for that
· There is no Rap for that
· No one can help you with this
· They can only distract you from it
So, for you to discover what you really want
· You have to spend time looking for it
· But don’t be surprised if you find that what you really want and what God wants for you are one and the same
· And maybe, just maybe the God you have been running from, is the God you should be running too!
SO, how do we stay in the habit of pursuing what we really want?
Romans 12:1 (NIV)
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
I urge you!
· He is saying “HEY pay attention”!
· This is important, don’t miss this!
In view of God's mercy
· For 11 chapters, Paul has explained in great detail God's grace and mercy for His children
· Not because God's wrath is so severe
· Not because is Judgment is so harsh
Romans 2:4 (NLT)
4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
· God is for us
· And it’s His mercy, His grace, His kindness that should lead us to trust Him and know that all He wants is good things for us!
Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice
· No more animals
· Jesus paid the price
· But He is saying here that we should offer our “bodies” as the sacrifice
o Our behavior
o Our will
o That we follow whatever God wants and wherever God leads
· And I know that’s like writing a blank check
o That we would do whatever, whenever, however, God leads
o And that sounds irrational
o But it’s not!
This is your true and proper (logical) worship
· He is saying this is the logical thing to do
· In view of God’s mercy
· In view of God’s grace
· In view of God’s Kindness
· It’s the logical thing to do
· Because of all that God has done for us
The practical
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Do not conform to the patterns of this world!
· Don’t follow the norm
· Not fit the mold
· Don’t fall for upgrades and experiences
· Don’t be distracted by the kingdom of this world
But be transformed by the renewing of your mind
· There is a process
· Over time you have been pressed into the mold of this world
· And it is time for a transformation
· It is time for a change
And we do that by a renewing of our minds!
· Behavior modification won’t work
· We have to start to think differently
· We have to start to think like God thinks (you are who you hang with, so hang with JESUS)
o When we start to see the world as God sees
o When we start to see marriage like God sees
o When we start seeing Money the way God sees
o When we start to value what God values
o When we pick friends that are like-minded
· We are more inclined to do what God what’s us to do
· It’s time for you and for me to renew our minds!
Just doing it won’t cut it, your heart has to be in it
· Simply following the do’s and don’ts of Jesus
· Without changing your thinking
· Will cause short term obedience
· And cause you to be frustrated and feel like you failed
· Because you never changed your thinking!
· And this is why people leave church
· They never figure out it’s not just a do or don’t
· It’s a new way of looking at everything in your life
· And when you see things differently, you act differently
It’s time to take off the old and put on the new
· What is the old?
o What I naturally want
o What I want now
o Things
o Upgrades
o Experiences
o Things of this world
o Lies that you have believed about
§ Money
§ Marriage
§ Sex
§ Work
§ Family
§ friendships
· What is the new?
o What I ultimately want
o What I want later
o What God ultimately wants for me
o It's Character
o It's peace
o It's love
o It's joy
o It’s the renewing of your mind
§ To a different way of thinking
§ To challenge the natural of this world
§ To see the world as God does
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.
· Then you will be able to examine everything you do through God's eyes
· And then you can test everything against God's will for you
· And God’s will for you is
o Good
o Pleasing
o And perfect
· And you will finally find
o Love
o Peace
o And joy for your life!
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