I Give Myself Totally Series

Five Life Changing Resolutions

Part 1

I Give Myself Totally

2 Corinthians 8:5

Scripture Reading

I. No Reserve

Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Romans 12:1 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.

a. Surrender your identity

Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

b. Surrender your individuality

Ever heard of the "bowling alone syndrome" or "refrigerator rights?" If not, that makes you an average out-of-touch-with-pop-culture American. Society is changing and every ministry and marketer needs to adapt or die. Here are three vital new sociological labels C. Jeff Woods, author of Congregational Megatrends, (Alban Institute) says are impacting the church. The "bowling alone syndrome" describes the break-up of civil society and the retreat from participation in voluntary associations. The American Bowling Congress reports more people are bowling than ever, but they are bowling alone. The number of bowling leagues is down because people will bowl when they feel like it, when the mood strikes, not when they are scheduled to be there. It’s a Lone Ranger mentality overriding a team mentality. Where are you when the mood strikes your market? Woods explains another phenomenon, "refrigerator rights," as "how many people do you know who feel welcome to come into your home, go to the refrigerator and get a glass of cold water without asking?" Probably not many in our isolated and lonely culture. Helping people feel more connected to you is crucial today. A third trend, "road rage" reveals the sense of powerlessness many feel. "They feel that nothing they touch responds to their control--not their spouses, not their children, not their careers. The only thing that does respond--is an automobile. So when they get behind the wheel, all their frustrations boil up and road rage results. (Religion News Service 4/98)

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

c. Surrender your independence

Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

II. No Retreat

Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt…

Someone said that “Lot got his wife out of Sodom but he couldn’t get Sodom out of his wife!”

a. In service for Christ

Philemon 1:24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Acts 15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.

38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

b. In suffering for Christ

2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

I heard Dr. Adrian Rogers say, Most of us ask, “Why am I suffering,” when we should ask, “Why did God suffer?”

Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.