Romans 12:1-21

"Behave Like A Christian"

A Living Sacrifice to God

1And so, dear brothers and sisters, Greek brothers. I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Or This is your spiritual worship; or This is your reasonable service.  
2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3Because of the privilege and authority Or Because of the grace; compare 1:5. God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Or by the faith God has given you; or by the standard of our God-given faith.  4Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10Love each other with genuine affection, Greek with brotherly love. and take delight in honoring each other. 11Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Or but serve the Lord with a zealous spirit; or but let the Spirit excite you as you serve the Lord.  12Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;

I will pay them back,” Deut 32:35.

says the lord.

20Instead, 

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.

If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap

burning coals of shame on their heads.” Prov 25:21-22.

21Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Rock & Soul : week 2

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Sheep & Sleep

Psalm 23:2

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

Counting People

1. You need rest

A sheep has got to sleep.

Rest is essential in all areas.

You need physical rest.

When you're rested physically you're better suited to face the world spiritually.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 "Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed."

Isaiah 30:15 "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.""

2. You need food and water

A sheep has got to eat.

You have to take in if you're going to grow well.

Jeremiah 15:16 "When I discovered Your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name."

Take in God's word!

By the time you feel thirsty it's too late.

God is the Living Water!

Jeremiah 2:13 "For My people have done two evil things : They have abandoned Me--the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!"

Spiritual thirst : misdiagnosed as boredom.

Drink the RIGHT water!

3. You are being prepared

Maybe we're going into a valley.

Where we're going I'm going to need rest & God's word.

God is doing things for things that are to come.

God doesn't just see your current needs, He sees your coming needs.

4. Your rest and your replenishment must be made possible

You can't make a sheep lie down unless they're free from :

hunger

bugs

predators

tension within the flock!

God makes it possible for me to lie down!

Quit counting people before going to bed!

Rock & Soul : week 1

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Upon This Rock

Psalm 23 written by David.

Rock & Soul series // Outer stability that comes from inner tranquility. 

God wants you to have a sense of stability in life.

[In regards to Psalm 23] "It is as sweet to the child as it is perplexing to the scholar." Adrian Rogers

Louie Giglio calls Psalm 23 "the soundtrack of victory."

VS 1 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."

Everyone has a shepherd.

Your shepherd is whatever you build your life on.

_________ is my shepherd. 

1. Identity

When you know who He is, you discover who you are.

When the Lord is your shepherd you are a sheep.

Life isn't about seeking who you are, it's about finding out who Your Shepherd is.

Find your identity by seeking Him.

Lord : I am. The One who is, who was, and is to come. 

Whatever you feel like you're not, God says to you, I am!

What you're not, He is! What you can't, He can!

2. Ownership

We are owned by Him.

Sheep don't have a leader, they have an owner.

Sheep are property. 

God purchased me by the blood of the cross.

Because we belong to Him, we always belong with Him.

We are never a burden to Jesus.

God has a vested interest in us because we are a purchased property.

3. Contentment

There is such power in contentment.

There is such power in knowing God is our full supply.

It doesn't mean you'll always have what you want.

It doesn't mean you'll want what you have.

What it does mean is you have what you need.

A blessing becomes a burden when you get it out of season.

In God's good timing, He'll provide.

If you have a burden that you don't want, God wants to redeem it.

I will have no want! God's going to take care of me!

Hebrews 13:6 "The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?"

Easter Weekend : All-Or-Nothing

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

All-Or-Nothing

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

All of Christianity reduced to two sentences.

IF THERE IS NO GOD :

1. THERE IS NO HOPE

Paul tells us clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

2. THERE IS NO MEANING

What you do, doesn't even matter

3. YOU AREN'T REALLY EVEN YOU

1 Corinthians 15:32 "And what value was there in fighting wild beasts--those people of Ephesus--if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, "Let's feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!"

Leo Tolstoy "Is there any meaning in my life that the inevitable death awaiting me does not destroy?"

4. OUR DEEPEST DESIRES MAKE NO SENSE

Why do we think things are unfair if there is no God"

"A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line." C.S. Lewis

1.0 HOPE HAS A NAME!!

2.0 EVERYTHING MATTERS!!

3.0 YOU WILL NEVER NOT BE YOU!!

4.0 EVERY ACHE HAS AN ANSWER!!

Instantly Hot

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Hosanna : Save Now

Psalm 118

Romans 12:11-12

Instantly Hot; opposed to eventually hot, sort of hot, not hot unless I feel like it...

Romans 12 

Behave Like A Christian

Don't lag in diligence, rather be servant in spirit.

Romans 12:11-12 NLT "Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying."

1. Being fired up is not a type of personality, but a type of obedience!

You choose to say God wants me to be hot/fan my flame so it's my decision to obey.

Passion is important.

Jeremiah 29:13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me!

John 2:17 let one who leads, lead with zeal.

2. A fire you're ignoring will never be roaring!

Consciously and constantly!

Rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, steadfastly in prayer. 

Bow before the battle!

Prayer : most important when life hurts most.

3. We will be defeated if we come in here depleted!

Fast recovery system

There's a lot of work below the surface.

Lean into the Lord!

Let God fill up your tank!

Always be on fire for God!

4. Don't ask God to put in what you're willing to leave out!

We're not hitting anything because we're not aiming at anything.

"I resolve to live with all my might while I do live." Jonathan Edwards

Prep for Easter 2017

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

2 Timothy 1:5-7

"I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fa into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline."

Your "flame" is great, but it needs to get bigger...God wants to "blow" on it and help it reach bigger/better places! God wants to take you places you could never dream.

Spiritual Fire:

1. It comes from above but must be sustained with love

It's a train wreck to do God's work without the Holy Spirit.

Revive what you received.

2. It goes out if it's left alone

You never drift in the right direction, and in life drift happens.

3. Being on fire in the past is no guarantee you are today

"To rekindle it you need to give more attention to prayer, and to the reading of God's word, and to regular worship with God's people." Peter Williams

4. People are drawn to a roaring fire

Jesus said "if I am lifted up, I will draw all people to Myself."

Amanda Minatra :

FAN the flame

Stoke the fire of our love for our:

Friends & Family

Associates

Neighbors

When asked who is my neighbor Jesus gave a parable...

Luke 10:20 The Good Samaritan

Basically anyone we encounter.

Pain is a passport.

We need to look at everyone as someone Jesus dies for.

Remind yourself these two things to encourage you to love people more!

1. Jesus died to save them

2. They will live forever somewhere

Matthew 3:12 "He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."

Winnow : blow a current of air through (grain) in order to remove the chaff.

"The autumn wind winnowing (blow) its way through the grass."