How Can I Help? - PART 2

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Giving

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Bonfire TONIGHT, starting at 6:30pm

We are giving out halloween candy this year! Oct 31st, 6:30pm to 8pm

Soaking Service

Prayer Devotional Night

Romans 12:3 NIV

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

this concept of ‘grace’ is going to show up a lot

So Paul, right off this kick of telling us to be a living sacrifice, follows up with this statement - don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought. What things can we do to not think too highly of ourselves?

Romans 12:4–6 NIV

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;

There’s that word again - grace

we’re all different - and necessary

And that difference COMES FROM the grace that God gives us. God, in HIS grace, chose to invite in somebody radically different than you.

God’s the doorman, but he’s letting people in, whoever he feels like.

If somebody here is radically different than you, in preference, style, whatever - they’re allowed in by the same grace that admitted you

It’s easy to look at others and say ‘they shouldn’t be allowed here. They aren’t good enough’. It’s harder to look at ourselves and say ‘hey, *I* shouldn’t be allowed here, i’m not good enough - but God lets me in anyways because of His grace’

And this one is extra tough, because Jesus told us God’s standard here:

Matthew 7:2 NIV

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

So basically - the stick you hold up to others is the one God plans on using on you. So what stick is that?

STORY - MY DAD AND FORGIVENESS

Because, again, we need to take the whole bible here - and if our standard has anything to do with ‘being good enough’ - and remember, we don’t decide what IS good enough - then we’re all gonna fall short. Everybody.

So this is a great thought. But paul wants more than thoughts - he wants actions. So how do we act it?

Romans 12:10–13 NIV

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

HONOR OTHERS

this word means ‘to hold in high respect’, or also ‘to adhere to what is right’

Paul precedes it with saying ‘be DEVOTED’ to one another. Make it your mission in life to love other people here. It’s not a passive, oh hey, ya I don’t DISLIKE that person. Be active. And be passionate about it.

This is where that heart change can come in. Because lets say, we feel dishonored somewhere. We feel like somebody else isn’t giving us our due. And maybe they aren’t, who knows - but life’s usually more complicated than that

We should hear the words coming out of our mouths and say ‘oh ok - and here’s how i can not be comformed to the pattern of this world.’ And then consciously say, ‘In this area, where my nature and the world tells me to honor myself - i’m gonna pay honor back at that person instead’.

BE ZEALOUS

Don’t ever let yourself lose your zeal - and keep it sharp by serving

We feel like this is the opposite of everything else, if we’re honest with ourselves. How do we have a zeal for the Lord, and for serving Him, if we see somebody else not doing it the way we’re convicted is right?

But see, real zeal is about doing not just what WE think we need to do, but also what GOD thinks we need to do. And being willing to put anything and everything about ourself under the knife, for the sake of seeing God move more. So paul says, in this area - show your zeal. Be willing to change, be willing to submit, be willing to sacrifice

BE JOYFUL

In regards to hope, practice joy

this one really means, ‘in future-minded discussions, always take the route of joy’

In regards to suffering, practice patience

Things are hard - but we know God is still in control. Even when it doesn’t feel that way.

and in regards to prayer, practice faithfulness

Stick to prayer as much as you possibly can.

BE GENEROUS

Share what you have with people who are in need - and share with people who aren’t anyways.

There’s no easier way to break your dependence on needing things for yourself by giving them away.

And paul sums this all up in this one brilliant verse:

Romans 12:21 NIV

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

If you respond with evil, you lost

If somebody else does wrong - you still have to do right

Be very careful to watch what YOU do, to make sure you’re not acting in a way that other people may condemn

This is a stark opposite to what Paul talked about above. But paul is nothing if not consistent - a sharp knife for yourself, and a deep grace for everybody else

An overcoming life will be known by it’s peace

and this works in two different ways, really

you can’t overcome evil without being peaceful.

you’ll also gain lots of peace by committing to do it this way as well.

If you want to read along with us, please go through Romans 10-15