The Most Important Altar of Them All

FEMA. Thank you guys so much. Romans chapter 12 today, go ahead and turn there. It'll be a little bit for we get there, but Romans chapter 12 and we want to talk about the most important altar of them all. Thank you again for being faithful and being here, happy and Memorial weekend and you know, we Here. And so we appreciate your faithfulness, the most important altar. Of all. There is something that is not popular to preach on, it's not easy to live on its own. Something that is difficult for every Christian, every believer. And yet, I believe it's probably one of the most important aspects of the Christian Life. It's called dying to self.

what that is is when a person lays aside their flesh and the desires of it, the priority of it. The control of it. And we literally crucify put to death, lay our self on the altar. Everyday to serve Jesus Christ. I'm not saying everybody doesn't, I am saying that it is one of the most important aspects of the Christian Life and it is probably the main reason why so many Christians struggle with. So many things is they have not learned to die to self. We have arguments in church because individuals cannot die to self. Are we always have preferences? Somebody mad that this isn't this way and the other people are mad that it isn't this way. And you know, other people are mad that it isn't that way. And and we have all kinds of things going. Why? Because we always want what we want. But God says to serve him. The way he deserves to be served. That we have to build an altar every day. Put ourselves on it. Sacrifice The Flash. I can tell already. You are very excited. About this today. you know, on a day, when we honor those that paid the ultimate sacrifice This is a good day to talk about sacrifice. Let's pray, and we'll dig into it today. Lord, I love you. And Lord. I'm preaching on the subject that I still struggle with. Lord dying to self is a difficult thing. The Lord you would not have put in your word to do it. If we couldn't.

God, I know that whatever you ask of us that your precious holy spirit will enable us to do it. But we have to allow you to do that work. Bored. As we take a little Journey Through the Bible and kind of lay some groundwork. I pray that you would help the light bulb to come on. I pray, you help every person here to be able to understand Lord, that is normally the goal of my preaching is to glorify you and Obey you but to allow The Listener to understand if they can understand it's probably not going to do them a lot of good Lord. I pray that you help me in the explanation. Process is a walk through your word that Lord I help us to understand that this Is probably the most important altar of all of them. This literally will change our life in Jesus name. We pray. Amen. Number one today. And we're going to make a little bit of a journey through God's word, so that we kind of understand what's going on. Number one, In Salvation you and I, we were crucified and resurrected with Jesus Christ. If you have been saved by the grace of God, and there are very well are probably individuals here. Who have not yet? Truly been saved through the grace of God. And may, I say that there is no better place than right here for you to get that settled. Today, we would love to help you in this process but when a person gets saved, they are crucified and resurrected with Jesus Christ. You say, what do you mean? Look at Galatians 2:20. These verses to be on the screen for you. Paul says, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I Live. Now, was he on the cross with price? You know, but we were when you and I get saved, we literally were crucified with Christ buried with Christ and resurrected, with Jesus Christ. That's why Paul says he quit because of Christ. I literally was crucified with Christ but now I live, which means I'm resurrected with price. Notice it says yet not. I but Christ liveth in me. Don't listen to me just because I had breath doesn't mean I was alive.

Just because I had breath before I got saved, doesn't mean I was alive. I was physically alive, but spiritually dead. If you understand that, say, Amen. Before I got saved, I have breath in my body but my spirit was dead. Now, listen to me. If I would have stayed that way, I would have eventually been physically dead and spiritually did. The Bible says, I was dead in trespasses and sins, but my spirit was made alive in Christ at the moment of salvation. The moment I was saved. I was crucified buried resurrected, with Jesus Christ. Now my Earthly body will eventually die, but my spirit that has been made Alive by Christ will live forever with Christ and I will one day have a glorified body for an eternity with Christ. So that means this that when you got saved, if you've been saved the moment you got saved, you literally were crucified with Christ buried with Christ and resurrected. You were given life through Jesus Christ. Now, number to True salvation, We Were Made Alive by the spirit of God. So I told you what happened first. Now second, let me explain how that happened. Romans chapter 8 verse 10, I can walk in a little journey. Don't lose it here this morning and if Christ be in you, that's out. Haitian. The body is dead because of Stan, but the spirit is life, because of righteousness. Do you get it? Do you see it that even when I've been saved? This body is still dead because of sin and it will Decay one day, but my spirit now is alive because of righteousness. Let me ask you. This is righteousness. We didn't have righteousness. Bible says that none of us were righteous. It's the righteousness of Jesus Christ. So because of him, my body is still going to be dead because of sand. That's why our bodies give out by the way. Because we're Sinners, we were born with that. And the Bible says sin, when it's finished brings forth, death when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden that brought death. And now we have a lifespan. And now all of us are going to have a time. If the Lord tarries is coming that we one day just like I had to do the funeral for Charlotte this week. There's going to come a time that the body will die because of sin but our spirit is Made Alive through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Are you with me now? Noticed this but if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you who we talk about here for the holy spirit of God. When the holy spirit of God dwells in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also. Quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwells in you. The righteousness of Jesus Christ. That means his when I say that when you got saved, or when I got save our spirit Was Made Alive, It Was Made Alive by the spirit of God. Everybody with me so far. Say Amen. Number 3 because of salvation. We are debtors to Christ. Now, listen to what I'm saying, and make sure you hear what I'm saying and not what I'm not saying. Look at the verse Romans 8:12. Therefore brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh. To live after the flesh. So, you and I are debtors but we're not dentist or Flash. Our flesh was leading us, Straight to Hell.

Debtors to wear debtors to Christ but notice we are not indebted to Christ. We are debtors to Christ. Did you hear me? We're not indebted to Christ. We're debtors to Christ, you say, What's the difference between? We do not have a debt that we must now. Pay back to Jesus because we've been safe salvation did not come with a price tag. Everybody with me saying he meant, it means that we had a debt that we couldn't pay and he paid it for us. Being a debtor to Christ. Doesn't mean I've got a date now that I got to pay back to him. It means I had a debt that I couldn't pay, and he paid it for me now. Even though Jesus isn't demanding anything back for that. Salvation was a free gift. It doesn't change the fact that he paid my debt for me. And that means I'm a dinner to him. Everybody got it. I'm a debtor to Christ even though he's not demanding anything back. It's not like he's going to quit loving me and he's not, he's going to take away salvation. If I don't do certain things, no, he's not asking anything back but he still paid my dad. So that means I'm a debtor to Christ. Everybody, everybody got it. Okay. It means there was a debt that he settled for me. It means there was a debt I couldn't pay. But he paid it for me. Number for Because we are debtors to Christ. We must live in the spirit by putting the flesh to death. Why do I need everyday died of myself? Because I'm not a debtor to my flesh. My Flesh did nothing for me, but kill me. I am a Jetter to Christ because Christ gave me life. Everybody got it. So the reason I'm not have a dinner to my flesh cuz the question do nothing for me. It couldn't pay the price that God, demanded. How about dinner to Christ because Christ paid the debt that I couldn't pay. And because of that leg of hers were Romans 8:13, please get this for if ye live after the flash, you shall die. But if you through the spirit do mortify, the Deeds of the body you shall live, that word mortifying mean, to put to death. So that means down because I'm a dinner to Christ. I want to live my life being controlled by the spirit of God. Everybody with me and for that to happen. I have to put my flesh to death every day. You say what why do I only have to buy? Don't I only have to do that one time because when when you got saved and the spirit of God Came In the Flesh, didn't leave it. Just moved over. And so now as a as a Believer, you now have a battle inside of you between the spirit and the Flesh. And if I'm going to live walk by the spirit, I've got to kill that flesh cuz I don't kill that flash. It's going to take over.

Everybody got it so far. All right, we're going to get somewhere with all this. Listen to me. Although I now still live in the flesh, I do not want to live being led by the flesh. Like, I mean, we're all still flesh and this body is still going to die, but even though I still live in the flesh, I do not want to live my life being controlled by my flesh. So even though I'm living in the flesh, I want to be controlled by the spirit of God. And if I'm going to do that, I've got to put to death. I've got a mortify, the Deeds of the body. Now, we're getting somewhere number five, because of Salvation. I should no longer live controlled by my flesh but controlled by faith. now relations 220 Lake of the Ozarks, And the life which I now live in the flesh Siri says, because I can't help it. I'm In the Flesh, We're All Flesh, where humans, but the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. So I can't put to death My Flesh without faith. The Bible says, without faith. It's impossible to please God, because you can't, please God, if you're being controlled by the Flesh and you can't mortify the flesh without faith, So now Paul says, I'm I'm in the flesh, but I don't want to be controlled by the flesh. I want to be controlled by my faith. We're taking stairsteps. Here's all going to make sense in a minute. Number 6. For me to walk in the spirit by faith. I must crucify. My Flesh. Galatians 5:24 League of this and they that are Christ. Have crucified, the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit live in the spirit means. If I've Been Changed by, Jesus Christ through salvation, then I should walk in that. Same spirit, I have life now because of this. So if I live in the spirit, I need to walk in the spirit. Look at me, the tension that you often feel in your life. If you've been saved is that your spirit has been made alive, but you're still being controlled by a dead flesh.

And that makes a Christian. Happy, very confused, very up-and-down, it's just confident Mets. A double-minded man is unstable in all his weight. Why? Because my spirits been made alive, but instead of now walking in the spirit, I'm made a live by the spirit, but I'm walking in the Flash. And that creates a problem. So, in order to fix that, we have to, as this verse says, crucify the flesh. And it's so hard to do. Look at this first Colossians 3 for when Christ who is our lives shall appear, then shall he also appear with him and Glory mortify? Therefore put to death there for your members which are upon the Earth fornication uncleanness in order fiction evil confused as to which is idolatry. Here we go, for me to walk in the spirit by faith. I must Crucify My Flesh. This must happen. That means every day.

Got to somehow die. Self.

You want your marriage to work.

Well, I got four. Five books are going to be good for you, read. All the books, you want to read. But if you don't die to self, you're going to always have problems.

But I've been doing better and continue to do better, that's great. But if you don't die to yourself during the day, Then that old flash is going to take over. And we're going to have problems. If you can't die to yourself, you're going to have problems and struggles and tension and contention in every area of your life. Eventually some of you can't have friends very long till there's a problem. Some of you can't have relationships very long, it just always goes south. It always, go sour. Why, I know young people build 8, + 8, + 8 + 8, + 8, + 2y. Because even though dating started because you're trying to satisfy the Flesh and you pick the person that is satisfying, your flesh. And not once where you live by the spirit and the process and that's why it's always go south, it always goes sour even as adults relationships and there's always a problem always this. There's always contention. You watch it all the time. People hook up with somebody to become friends and you know, that's got to go south sure enough. It does. Why? Because we haven't learned Self.

It's an open alter every morning. And we just refused. To put ourselves on it. We would rather sacrifice anything else. But us. Hey, we would rather. I'm going to be faithful to church. I'm going to do that sacrifice and you should, but that's not going to fix things. I need to get them all. Done a Ministry. I'm going to do that sacrifice for God, that will make things better. I'm going to get more involved, and I'm going to do more and you want to do more and you want to be involved. But if you can't die to self, I don't care. What sacrifice on the altar. There will always be problems until you and I can put our cell phone that all

just the way it goes. There's no easy way for around this.

That's why Paul said I've learned whatsoever state. I'm in to be content. Paul says, I know how to abound that, I know how to suffer loss because I have to die to myself. Everyday.

Number 7. I Crucify My Flesh. By sacrificing my body. On the altar.

Now, we are here to where we We'll spend a few moments before we go Romans 12 verse 1. I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God. That you present your bodies. A Living Sacrifice. Holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Look at me, I am not sacrificing, my body everyday for the purpose of salvation. Salvation was accomplished when Jesus died on the cross for me. This is not for salvation, this is for sanctification. Sanctification is the process of God making us more like Christ. I am not putting my body on the altar every day so that I can stay saved. I'm putting my out my body on the altar every day so that I can be more like Christ.

once you noticed first, this offer is only available because of the mercy of God Most as I beseech, you Brothers by the mercies of God. Listen, if you and I only have this decision itself because of the mercy of God, We would be in Hell without the mercy of gone. The fact that I have a decision every day, whether to put my body on the altar or not, that's God's mercy that I even have rent. Do here, but I have salvation, but there's even a choice for me to me, show some mercy of God. Are you with me? Say, Amen. Could I have this Choice means? God, have mercy on me. Notice number to, it must be a willing sacrifice. He didn't say everyday in God's going to grab you. Throw you on the altar. No, he says that Ye, Ye present your body. You present your body. You see, it's not a sacrifice if it's not willing.

Look at me, remember the difference between the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the Lambs in the Old Testament number, what we dealt with those Lambs didn't have a choice. What made the sacrifice of Christ so wonderful is that he's the one that offered it. It was his decision, he did it willingly. Are you with me? Say, Amen. So that means now Christ does not want us to sacrifice because we feel like we have to As if we're a land without a choice. He wants us to present our bodies on the sacrifice willingly because he willingly did for us. He does not want you to do this out of obligation, he wants you to do this because you love him and only, you only do it willingly if you love him.

Are willing verse a willing sacrifice, notice thirdly. It must be a Living Sacrifice. Not just a willing one, you preset your, it must be a Living Sacrifice. This means what you sacrifice should be lived out by your life, not wrapped up in your words.

For me to lay my body on the altar every day. Doesn't mean. I just walk around. Tell people, you know what I sacrificed my body today. That doesn't mean that you sacrifice anything. Just because you said you did, A Living Sacrifice means what good does it do. If I Lay My Body on the Altar and I'm dead

Again, Christ was our sacrifice because he overcame them. He defeated then and he's the one that gave us life. So now there must be a Living Sacrifice.

Notice fourthly it. Must be a holy sacrifice. That's simply means, set apart.

Set apart. Just for Christ. Just for him. No, strings attached. Not because what I'm going to do this, so that God will do this for me. Hey, I'm going to throw my body on the sacrifice today. So maybe if I do that he will do such and such for me. One that's that's not wholly. This is motives, this is actions. This is everything should be holy and I'll be set apart notice here. And trust me, I can make a sermon on each one of these, so I don't have time. It must be acceptable unto God.

It must be acceptable. Unto God not unto you. This isn't about you thinking, what I think that does it. I think I've done everything I need to do. I think that Odyssey lit up It's not about what you acceptable to you. So that was acceptable to God.

Notice last. This is often missed. It must be a serving sacrifice.

He says, which is your reasonable service.

Listen to me, the right kind of sacrifice. That is acceptable unto God, always results in service, it always leads us to do something, not just say something, but to do just serve What good does it do for me? To say, I'm going to put my body on the altar today but now I don't use my body to serve him then I didn't really put it on the altar. Are y'all with me logically today? Say Amen. You said this is a lot on the Sunday morning. I know.

Argue with him. He's the one told me to preach it. Noticed this number 8. This is the last one.

Please get this. I died of My Flesh. Through the renewing of my mind. I die to my flesh through the renewing of my mind. Look at me if I get them or I'm going to throw my body on the auction today, okay? Then if my mind is not renewed, My mind controls my body. You know, the head controls, the body, cut the head off, see how well the body does.

I mean I might do well for about three or four seconds depending on, you know, whatever. Look at me. If the mind is not renewed, the body is not going to stay renewed.

The body sacrifice means everything that I am. So that means this, the mind has to be renewed for me to constantly, put my flesh to death. So let's look at this. I would, it wouldn't do me any good. If I brought you this far and I didn't explain this, you've got to get this notice first. There must be a transformation of my mind. I died a flash to the renewing of my mind. What does it mean? What does that mean? Notice number one, there must be a transformation in my mind Romans 12 like a, to be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Now, think about what the verse says, I must be transformed from this world. Don't be conformed to this world but transformed. So what is being automatically understood in the verse for your mind to be renewed, this got to leave this world and go to the world. You got to leave Earth and go to heaven. Are you with me? Now, what does that mean? It means my body cannot leave this world. But my mind can.

Please get this. My body must be on the Earth, but my mind can be on Heavenly things. when my mind is on Heavenly things, if then controls my body to do Heavenly actions, Look at me for me to be transformed. The renewing of my mind, I've got to get my mind from here on the Heavenly things. My body is flesh, its Earthly it's temporary, it can't get there. That's why I get a glorified body later on. This is of the Earth, this is dirt. Okay. So it means this, my body can't leave Earth and world and culture and all this stuff, but my mind can be transformed from here to Heaven. Do you know, I can go right to the throne of God and talk to God. My mind can go from here to Heaven. My body has to stay here, but my mind can go there. Look at me, and the more I get my mind there, it's going to change what my body does here.

Light bulb. Okay, so my mind must be transformed. I've got to get my mind from here to their second. There must be an evaluation of My Affection, not just the transformation of my mind but there must be an evaluation of My Affection. Notice Colossians 3:2, set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth for ye are said, we're talking about the same thing. We were talking about through this whole thing for your dad. Wait a minute. That means just for a quick crucified with Christ that old man, we should be crucifying him. Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, because of that, your affection should be different. So the my needs to be transformed, your affection needs to be evaluated. What is it that? I am really wanting notice third. There must be a modification of my desire. Look at verse 1, 2 3 if he then be risen with Christ. What does he say risen with Christ? Exactly. What we're talkin about here. Put the flesh to death you and I were resurrected with Christ if you be risen with Christ seek those things which are above. So I'm not to stick to things where my body's at. I'm supposed to be seeking the things where my mind trippier, Heavenly things.

Notice last. There must be a clarification of my direction looking for us to Romans 12 Sonia and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Why that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable in perfect what will of God? That is the direction of my life. And that means just that I got a modify, my direction of life should not be to go where I want it out of me to go. Where God's will is

So listen, put this together. Hold on. The Mind controls, what I desire, what I desire controls, what I seek after what I seek after controls my direction. Because I'm going to go, my direction is going to go after what I'm seeking after. So what does this mean? It means that my mind is renewed towards Heavenly things. I will begin to love. What God loves that. Love will make me begin to speak. What God wants when I seek with God wants that leads me in the path of the will of God.

Listen to me, the will of God is simply wanting what God wants and doing what God wants done.

The most important altar of all. Daily, sacrificing yourself to God that you got Doctrine today. You got a whole bunch of stuff thrown at you today. so you understand all the technical, but if I could read that good for you, It means every day you got to put your desires, your flesh, your your longings, everything else. And you got to lay it on the Altar and you got to put that to death and say, God. Now it's all about what you want.

And if you don't look at me, you can throw Church attendance on the altar. You can throw. I'm going to read my Bible everyday on the altar. You can throw, hey, I'm going to pray every day. You can throw down on the altar. You can even like how I'm going to get involved in the children's ministry. Throw that on the ultra 2. Hey, I'm going to I think I'm going to even sing in the choir through that on the altar. Why not? Hey, I might show up and help us some senior Saints activity. Will throw that on there. Hey, I think I might help. Run the sound, put it on there. And you can pile up your altar with everything you want to throw on there.

But until you and I put our self on it.

Till we put ice on it. We're going to have trouble.

Is interesting CVS, as I close CVS, did a story on a couple I thought was interesting. Rarely does a

national network, do a story on a couple that's actually saved.

Her name was Domingo and Irene Garcia.

He's a mechanic and she's a hairdresser.

And they have been foster parents to 32 children. And they have adopted 16 of them.

They're in their late fifties, early sixties. And right now they have 11 children living with him. and they say they would take more if they could if they have the room,

Anyone who's had children knows you can only do this through the power of God.

well, most people their age or trying to figure out how to live comfortably

They can't stop thinking of the 500,000 Kids In America that need parents.

and while they see these kids as a blessing, they're also very open about the hardships that they face everyday. Trying to help and raise these children.

Domingo says that God has provided for them over and over again. And one of the wonderful blessings they have enjoyed is watching their biological children. Follow in their footsteps. Their biological children, has now started abducting children and fostering children. They're living extraordinary lives, so much that CBS found out about. It took notice Which is an amazing thing to CVS. Did anything Christian?

Even the secular World notices. Supernatural couple.

But during the report, they were quick to say, for those of you that think that we have always been as gracious as we are today.

Domingo said, we need to share some insights from our past.

Irene in the early days of their marriage, hated Domingo. He was abusive. Control by alcohol. Infidelity.

And she said in the interview that she actually prayed regularly that he would die.

In fact, she said she would daydream about him driving off of a cliff.

And during this interview, She called him the godliest man. She's ever known.

You say what changed?

Well, Domingo simply said this.

I had to. Put to death who I was.

And I had to become a new creature. To Christ.

From praying that he would. Drive off a cliff. I really hope you've never prayed that.

She says, hey, let's go take a drive in the mountains. I'm wondering, you know, something's going on here.

From praying that.

Just saying he's the most godly man I've ever known. And all the impact they had on, all these children, where did it all start? Where it'll start for you, where it'll start for me, and where it'll start for every teenager here. As if somehow. You can put yourself on that altar every day. Yeah, but just things aren't Fair. Yeah, but I'm not treated the best. What my husband does this on my wife. Yeah. But if everyday, You can put yourself on that altar.

And mortify. It crucify it. Put it to death. Let the spirit that gave you life. Let that spirit. And lead, you and guide, you and follow him and live for him.

Think of it this way, no other sacrifice will do. Except that one. It just might be What's missing. And some of our lives. Dying. To that old selfish nasty Flash. Our hands are bound. Their eyes are closed. I appreciate you listening this morning.

As we mentioned earlier, you may be here today and you might say preacher. I do not know for sure that I am saved. I want you to know that we would love to see you give your heart to Christ today. And even right where you sit.

You can talk to him. It's a matter of you understanding that you're a sinner that you're on your way to hell and you can't save yourself. It's a matter of believing what the Bible says. That Jesus came that he died for you, that he was very that he rose again. And it's simply a matter of you putting your faith and your trust in what Jesus did for whosoever, shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Right. Where you sit. You can pray. And you can ask Jesus to save you.

You might be hearing you say preacher, I am saved and that means you your spirits been made alive. and you went through all the steps that I gave, but this last one is, can we die to self?

Can we put that? On the altar, maybe today is there's a good chance on Memorial Day. as we honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, maybe today, we could do some sacrificing of Our Own. Maybe today we can get to an altar so that we can lay ourselves. On an altar.

That's all staying with their heads bowed and eyes closed. Lord, I love you. I pray that Lord has blessed her an invitation time. Help our people to be obedient.

Help us Lord, to be honest with ourselves. Help us to know that we are to find an altar.

And we need to begin this process of dying to our self. The most important thing that we can lay on the altar Is Us.

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart, does the spirit control. You can only be blessed and have peace and sweet rest as you yield him, your body and soul. I surrender all Lord, I pray you to work in. Jesus name, be obedient today. Find a place at the altar of God to touch your heart about something as they sing this morning.

Okay, g real medium today.

Dan is going to continue to play. Let me just say coronavirus Church. As your pastor. I want to be open and honest to you. This, I struggle with this more than anything else in my life. I struggle. I'll get up and I'll try to die to myself in an hour later. I'm waste thick and junk that I've created out of my selfishness. And it's a struggle for me. It's just a struggle. And so I want to encourage you. It's a daily fight. My kids laugh at me cuz I know I talk to myself a lot. I'll have conversations with people in my vehicle just me. But I will let them have it too. I will chew them out. There's nobody in the car. Somebody going by like, what's this idiot doing? You know. By the time I get where I'm going I get out of that car and I leave it there cuz I got to die to myself. Cuz if I go out and say what I want to say or do what I want to do, I'm just going to make him miss you know, dying to self is a process that happens all throughout the day constantly. Kerwin God wouldn't say to do it if we couldn't do it through his power. So of all the altars messages of all the things we've talked about, this is the most important to you. This will change your life immediately.

Through God's help. We can do this train. Come on up here.