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.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.3 ¶ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.9 ¶ Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.14 ¶ Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.17 ¶ Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
This pretty much sums up the manual for a Born Again Believer.
Yet, how often do we jump off the alter as the living sacrifice when things get tough.
I know I do.
Conformity to the world is to think and act like they do.
As Madea would say, “you get me I’m gonna get you.”
But that wasn’t from the mouth of Jesus.
He spoke through Paul declaring that we should love our enemies.
That as much as lies within us, our on our part, to be peacemakers.
Not peacekeepers.
There’s a difference.
But that’s a different day.
For now, let’s Look at how he said that we should do things in proportion.
By Grace, we’ve all been given abilities.
Strengths in which we’ve been equipped by God.
But we must not forget-
they were given to us, by God.
Every man was given the measure of faith.
And when using them, the gifts, let it be proportionate to your faith.
Not the latest pastor you’ve heard.
I’m saying that from experience-
at times-
my proportion of prophecy hasn’t matched my potency– or you could say my measure of faith.
I was all hog- half way, like Charles Capps used to say.
I was out of proportion and it caused problems for me.
I wanted the perfect will of God while still at the acceptable level of faith.
And God wants us to pursue the perfect will for our lives, but we have to do just that.
There’s no fake it til you make it in the Kingdom.
Our heart has to enlarge first, and then get filled with faith, by the Word, to receive all that we have in our hearts.
That’s going to be a process.
Mark 4 describes it another way, and that is this,
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. vs 24
What you take heed of-
Or, what you use, and use well.
Start with the first thing God shows you in His Word.
Like I said last night, start with the Love of God.
Move out from there as the Spirit leads you.
Pretty soon you’ll start recognizing where Grace is abounding in a certain area.
You’ll begin to recognize your gift.
The next step…
Use it.
Paul said that all of us having different gifts, let us use them.
Our gifts are from God to our Brothers and Sisters.
I’m beseeching you brethren, by the manifest mercies of God, find and walk in the Word and will of God for your life.
There’s no place like it!
ThankFully Restored 