Welcome to Sunday Sermon Share Day for 7/21/13
Today’s sermon comes from Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church in Marietta, Georgia.
Today’s Subject is: Abstaining is a Healthy Choice
Today’s sermon was given by Minister Will Gravely and Minister Courtney Harkness.
Today’s Scripture selections from are:
1 Corinthians 6:12
Genesis 2:15-17
1 Peter 2:11, 12
Leviticus 20: 7-8, 22-24
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
Romans 12:2
Romans 14:19-31
Highlights from Today’s Sermon:
Abstaining is process of staying away from things God doesn’t want us to have.
1 Corinthians 6:12
Getting away with murder and getting away with life. People want to see what they can get away with. Many people are spiritual daredevils. How much can you juggle sin? How many times can you risk your spiritual
Socially acceptable Vs Spiritually appropriate
You have a responsibility to the One who gave you freedom
You are free to meet people but a responsibility to your spouse, so you shouldn’t be hanging out in bars and clubs
Constantly ask yourself, “Does it strengthen or weaken relationship with God and others?”
People think God is sitting back waiting to forgive us, so they feel the need to sin to be forgiven.
We’re born with physical and spiritual weaknesses, so we’re more susceptible to falling into sin. The person who smokes a cigarette the first time, tries meth the first time, kills someone the first time—-oftentimes thinks they could never become addicted to it, they would “never be like that person”.
God is trying to protect us from falling into those trappings.
Abstain
It must be voluntary
Genesis 2:15-17
1. Distinguish my lifestyle from worldly culture
Leviticus 20: 7-8, 22-24
God’s trying to establish a different kind of people for His Kingdom. Not different looking but different acting. Distinguishable from others.
Legitimacy of your faith in Him is seen in your walk, and what you won’t do.
Just because you are willing to do good things, doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to do bad things, to do anything.
What are you willing to do and not do? Where do you draw the line?
What does God say what it wrong for you?
Does your life look like everyone else’s?
Do you know any identical twins? They look identical until you look closely.
Are Christians the identical twins of nonbelievers, and only distinguishable when you look really close or know the person really well?
Ever hear or say that a person can still be a Christian yet take part in sinful ways.
God wants us to stand out.
Ever been with a person who was in a previous bad relationship and it makes it difficult to date them because they are constantly reminded of their ex?
Think about God. Are we reminding Him of His past relationship with Adam, Eve, their children, their lineage, the sin, having to allow them to experience human death, trying to separate them from people and they keep associating with them anyway?
Romans 12:2
Just like a person in a room being called by name to stand up while the rest of the crowd sits, is just like God calling on us to stand up, stand out, separate, distinguish and be holy before Him
2. Consider the impact of my choices.
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
My freedom can put you in chains. Take responsibility for your actions because others are watching you. Just like a toddler who begins to emulate adults, the same can happen when Christians walk with and emulate nonbelievers.
It’s not newly saved Christians acting wild and losing it, it’s the so-called “righteous and sanctified”
Romans 14:19-31
Jesus said, “You will know my disciples by the love they have for each other”
Not just believers watching us it’s also nonbelievers. Nonbelievers are defining Christianity by your life. How do you act when you aren’t around believers and other people you know?
You may say you love Jesus but does he know you? How much time are you spending with him, getting close to him, speaking with him?
Like the celebrity you study, do they truly know you?
Loving someone you know means you won’t do anything that would bring them hurt or harm.
You pinch God out the more you embrace the world.
You must say no to yourself to be a follower of Christ.
Have you ever read verse in Bible that you didn’t like so you look for it in different version, and it says the same thing? That’s how life is.
You have to say “no”. We live in structure where we have so many options and we do what we want until we get a “no” and then when we do we say, “they are hating on me”. No, that person is keeping you on course.
1 Peter 2:11, 12
We believe we are free to sin.
You don’t have to drink alcohol to have fun.
You don’t have to sleep with another person not your spouse.
You don’t need to get high to feel lifted.
Resist the urge to indulge.
Why are you a Christian and curse?
Why are you a Christian and act like nonbelievers?
If everyone started speaking French in the US, will you continue speaking English? What if your family began speaking French too, would you continue speaking English?
Women of Christ stop dressing provocatively.
Why buy the car if I can test-drive it? Why clean and maintain the inside of something I have no intention of owning. This is how men see and perceive women who dress this way.
You are studying the worldly behavior of others, not God. Like children who learn multiple languages at a young age, while others of the same age don’t—it’s exposure.
Your falling is by your doing. It’s not the devil. Don’t blame the devil for your actions, for how you dress and speak. It’s you being a good student. You have studied the ways of the world and mastered them, and it shows in how you carry yourself each day.
What will you abstain from to be closer to and right by God?
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Wow today’s church service was awesome and hit home with me. Walk the talk Natasha. Walk the talk 100% of the time not some of the time. Everyone is watching and most importantly so is God and Jesus.
Okay everyone so you should know what I’m going to say next. Be sure to share highlights from sermons at your church or place of worship here on my blog. Feel free to also visit and contribute to our community chat room where we can have healthy, positive, dialogue on the sermon I shared today, Breaking Bread daily posts, or issues impacting the Christian community.
Remember there is absolutely no preaching, passing judgment, converting, recruiting, or focus on any specific church or religious leader. Those are the rules. We’re here to share words of love and peace inspired by the Word of the Bible. We’re here to uplift and never tear down. If you can roll with that, then you can roll with me and the Breaking Bread family! Visit the chat room here:
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Have an amazing week family. Get yourself F.I.T. for your journey!
Love always,
Natasha
Copyright 2013. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman unless otherwise noted. breakingbreadwithnatasha.com
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