01 Habitial Introduction - What Does God Want?

River Church Sermons

Habitual Introduction:

Pt. 1: Don’t Waste Your Life

By Louie Marsh, 1-5-2025

15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV)

John Wesley taught his Methodist followers to pray each new year:

“I am no longer my own, but yours.

Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;

Put me to doing, put me to suffering;

Let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,

Exalted for you, or brought low for you;

Let me be full, Let me be empty,

Let me have all things, Let me have nothing:

I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things

To your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.”

1) God wants my WHOLE life!

13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. Romans 6:13 (NIV)

12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, Deuteronomy 10:12 (NIV)

24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6 (NIV)

2) To give God this control takes DISCIPLINE.

7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB)

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1 (NASB)

40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:40-42 (NIV)

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

“Discipline = Freedom” – Jocko Willink

3) How do I come to God? Only through the CROSS.

15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:15 (NIV)

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace Ephesians 1:7 (NIV)

1 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1 (NIV)

2 LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV)