Perfection Comes Through Dedication

 

Perfection Comes Through Dedication

 

God is ok with your failures, inabilities, weakness, and mistakes

Your past failures are not what defines you, unless you stay there

If you live in the past, you will never have a future

When we choose to be dedicated to God

We change our thinking to what pleases God

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is

 — His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Be dedicated to God and you will get better at what you do

Be dedicated to perfection and you may miss God all together

Perfection comes through being dedicated to God

 

 

 

Perfection Comes Through Dedication

 

Romans 12:1 is a verse on dedication.

 

Dedicate your…

 

 Bodies as living sacrifices,

holy and pleasing to God.

 

Verse 2 tells us the results of dedication to God…

 

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is

 — His good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

Dedication to God leads to God’s perfect will.

 

Dedication is a process, a commitment.

 

Many of us have a struggle with commitment.

 

I like flexibility.

 

 Flexibility allowed me to change

as the moments come.

 

Commitment locks me in.

 

I have found that being locked in gets results.

 

Each year, Sandy and I look forward

to going to Florida for the winter…

 

 But we are not committed

until we buy our flight tickets.

 

Dreams in our lives don’t become reality

until we make a commitment.

  

In elementary school, kids dream of being

many things when they grow up.

 

For some, it is the dream of being an athlete.

 

But only the ones dedicated…

 

 Become good enough by

training and experience.

  

I have watched many kids dress the part

and talk the talk…

 

 But don’t put in the work.

 

Dedication must come first before

you can become good at anything.

 

In the 6 grade, I joined a bowling team

because the first ball I ever bowled was a strike.

 

I soon realized I had a lot to learn

and work at to continue to get strikes.

 

I admire those who are dedicated to what they do.

 

I love hockey (the greatest sport there is).

 

I am amazed at the skills of the NHL professional.

 

They practice and prepare every day.

 

Their life is all about the sport.

 

What amazes me is perfection is never achieved…

 

They can always do better.

 

Whatever record has been set yesterday

will be broke someday.

  

I think all of us want to be perfect…

 

But are we willing to make

the commitment to get there?

 

There are many things in this world

we would like to be good or perfect at.

 

And we can aim at being the best

to receive the prize.

 

But Romans 12 gives us a unique look

at being good, pleasing, and perfect.

 

The first thing we see is our dedication

is not to the things of this world…

 

Not achievements and awards.

 

Our dedication is to be to the Lord.

 

We are all different by God’s design.

 

Colossians 3:17 says…

 

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 

Whatever you do…

 

Do it in the name of Jesus.

 

Going back to Romans 12 verse 1 says…

 

Offer your bodies as living sacrifices.

 

These bodies we have,

have to be sacrificed to achieve anything.

 

Verse 2 tells us how to dedicate our bodies…

 

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

 

Your thoughts are key to everything.

 

There are new patterns of thinking all the time.

 

The world around us is telling us how to think every day

 

If you watch TV, read a book,

get on the internet, talk to neighbors,

and friends…

 

 You are getting influenced on how to think.

 

Just watching people, influences us.

 

With all this influence on our mind

 it is hard to separate the good from the bad.

 

Romans 12 is so refreshing…

 

It simplifies the whole process to perfection.

 

First of all, it does not address the physical fit,

the male or female, the rich or poor.

 

The advice in Romans 12 is for everyone.

 

Romans 12 does not tell us

to find our focus in the world…

 

It tells us to find our focus on God.

 

In fact, we should notice it says…

 

 “In view of God's mercy”.

 

God is ok with your failures,

inabilities, weakness, and mistakes.

 

Your past failures are not what define you,

unless you stay there.

 

If you live in the past…

 

 You will never have a future

.

When we chose to be dedicated to God…

 

We change our thinking to what pleases God.

 

We do this by offering our bodies

as living sacrifices in two ways.

 

One, we set apart our bodies to God

this is what holy means.

 

We remove our bodies from

the contamination of the world

and place it in the Kingdom of God.

 

Location is everything in real estate

and the greatest place to be is…

 

 In the Kingdom of God.

 

The second thing is to set our minds

on Christ and God’s Word.

 

2 Corinthians 10:5-6…

 

We demolish arguments and every pretension

that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,

and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

 

When we are dedicated to God…

 

These two things help us find and achieve what

 God's will is …

 

His good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

Be dedicated to God

and you will get better at what you do.

 

Be dedicated to perfection

and you may miss God all together.

 

Perfection comes through being dedicated to God

 

Scripture Reading

 

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

 

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer 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