Point of Grace Worship 11.21.25 “Consecrated Unto Thee” Part 4
Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Consecration – to make “holy”, to “set apart” for God,
God makes us “holy” (set apart for Him) through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Now, we respond to that gracious by “consecrating” ourselves to Him. Consecration is an active response to the gracious action God has taken in saving and redeeming us as His special people. We now freely by faith “offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.”
How can we “consecrate” the actual parts of our living?
Praying and Doing
“Pray”
It is so very helpful to regularly bring the different arenas of our lives under the authority, rule and reign of Jesus through prayer – especially those areas where we tend to resist His leadership and those areas where we are vulnerable to the enemies lies and attacks.
“Jesus, All I am and all I have and all there is … Belongs to You”
“Jesus, I give You everyone and everything.”
“Jesus, I now bring the Kingdom reign of God over my life and over all my kingdom and domain especially ……(ie. my body, sexuality, finances, entertainment choices, my time, my words, my relationships ….)
“Jesus, You have my first ‘Yes’…. I declare ‘Yes’ to You first” in each arena of my life …. ……
“Before I go to my culture, my common sense, my upbringing, ‘what seems right in my own eyes’, and my ever ‘demanding to be heard’ anxiety … my first ‘yes’ goes to Jesus. Jesus gets my ‘yes’ first and my first ‘yes’.” And when I fall short… and choose other ‘yeses’ first… and I will … my failure is met with His grace because He said ‘yes” to me first before I could ever say ‘yes’ to him. His ‘yes’ me first sets me free to re-commit myself to saying ‘yes’ to Him always.”
“Do” - How do I “act” in accordance with my consecration prayer?
GUARDING A CONSECRATED LIFE
Romans 1:19-25
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
HONORING GOD AND GIVING THANKS ARE INSEPARABLE ACTS OF WORSHIP
"That man is truly happy who can say of all his substances, be it little or be it much, 'The Lord gave it to me.'" (Spurgeon)
"Lack of gratitude is the first step to idolatry (Rom 1:21). Thanksgiving is an explicit acknowledgment of creatureliness and dependence, a recognition that everything comes as gift, the verbalization before God of his goodness and generosity." (Fee)
Romans 1:19-25
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Luke 17:11-19
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
GOD WILL ALLOW WHAT THE HEART DESIRES EVEN IF IT IS NOT HIM
THE PRACTICE OF VALUING AND GIVING THANKS IS THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL CLARITY AND GROWTH
Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
THE CROSS WASN'T A TRAGEDY; IT WAS A DIVINE STRATEGY
Giving thanks is not just merely with words, but with a life lived in the Spirit responding to this immeasurable gift.
● Giving thanks for The Cross means we are willing to take up our own.
● Giving thanks for the Cross means I long to be reconciled with others because I have been reconciled with God. Who is it in your life that you are holding at a distance? A family member, a colleague, a neighbor? Let your profound gratitude for the Cross move you toward reconciliation, not retreat.
● Give thanks for the Cross means serving where you are not seen, or where you will receive no earthly reward.