Introduction

Welcome, dear friends and family in Christ, to this gathering under the banner of His grace. We are here today, not as mere spectators, but as active participants in the divine narrative of redemption and transformation.

As we gather in this sacred space, we are reminded of the words of John MacArthur, who once said, "Our purpose should be to discover the gifts He has given us and to use those gifts faithfully and joyfully in His service, without either envying or disparaging the gifts we do not have."

We are the warriors of which he spoke, emboldened by the armor of God, standing firm against the trials and tribulations of this world. We are here, not seeking ease, but seeking strength and understanding, a deeper connection with our Creator, and a clearer vision of His purpose for our lives.

We turn our hearts and minds today to the book of Romans, chapter 12, verses 1 through 8:

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."

What a profound call to action, a call to present ourselves as living sacrifices, to transform our minds, to discern God's will, and to use our unique gifts in service to Him and to each other. How might our lives look different if we truly embraced this call? How might our world be changed?

Shifting Sands of the Soul

In the book of Romans, we find a call to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. This is a call to transformation, a call to renewal. But what does this transformation look like? How do we go about renewing our minds?

Imagine standing on a beach: The sand beneath your feet is constantly shifting, moved by the wind and the waves. It's unstable, unreliable. You can't build anything on it because it won't hold. It's always changing, always moving. This is a picture of our souls without God. They're like shifting sands, unstable and unreliable.

God calls us to something different: He calls us to be transformed, to renew our minds. This transformation is like moving from the shifting sands of the beach to the solid rock of a mountain. It's a change from instability to stability, from unreliability to reliability. It's a change that happens not on the outside, but on the inside. It's a change of the soul.

Present our bodies as living sacrifices: This means giving ourselves completely to God, surrendering our will to His. It's not a physical sacrifice, but a spiritual one. It's giving up our own desires and plans and submitting to God's will. It's saying, "Not my will, but Yours be done." This is not an easy thing to do. It goes against our human nature. We want to be in control. We want to make our own decisions. We want to do what we want to do. But presenting our bodies as living sacrifices means giving up control. It means letting go of our own desires and plans and trusting God to lead us.

Do not be conformed to this world: The world tells us to do whatever makes us happy. It tells us to follow our hearts, to chase our dreams, to live for ourselves. But God calls us to something different. He calls us not to be conformed to the patterns of this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. This means changing the way we think. It means replacing the lies of the world with the truth of God's Word. It means filling our minds with things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It means focusing on God and His will, not on ourselves and our desires.

Discern what is the will of God: This is not always easy. The world is full of distractions and temptations. It's easy to get sidetracked, to lose focus. But God has given us His Word to guide us. He has given us His Spirit to lead us. He has given us His wisdom to discern what is good and acceptable and perfect. This means spending time in God's Word, studying it, meditating on it, applying it to our lives. It means praying, seeking God's guidance, listening for His voice. It means being still, quieting our hearts, tuning out the noise of the world so we can hear God's whisper.

Use our gifts in service to God and others: God has given each of us unique gifts and talents. He has given us these gifts not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. He has given us these gifts to build up the body of Christ, to serve others, to glorify Him. This means discovering our gifts, developing them, using them for God's glory. It means serving others, not out of obligation, but out of love. It means giving, not to get something in return, but to reflect the love and generosity of God. It means leading, not for our own gain, but to guide others in the way of Christ. It means showing mercy, not because we have to, but because we want to, because we've experienced God's mercy ourselves.

Stepping into Your Spiritual Assignment

As we continue to navigate the shifting sands of our soul, we find ourselves standing at the precipice of a significant spiritual assignment ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO