Live Free with Josh Howerton - Don’t Forget to Play Offense! | Ep. 34 | Thursday March 23, 2023

Episode Date: March 23, 2023

Defense can become a knee-jerk reaction in your walk with God, but can you remember to play offense too? That means living a life that reflects that which Jesus lived. In today’s episode, Pastor Mike shares how to love, honor, invite, include, forgive, and react in unexpected ways—which will ultimately display the goodness of God to those around you. Can you apply this lesson to your life today? For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.comit. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. Hey, welcome back. Great to have you all join us today for our final episode on Romans chapter 12. Man, we've been working through Romans chapter 12 for quite some time now.

My name is Bro. And it's been so good for me to journey through these verses again for like the 100th time in my life. You know, I talked before about how those football officials go to replay monitor to review the previous play. This chapter has become kind of like that for me. It's like going to the monitor with God, asking God, what do you see in my life? Is my life matching up with these verses that I see? I mean, God, after further review, how am I doing? And maybe this can kind of become the same for you.

So I thought as we wrap it up today, we just go back and reread the entire passage and just unpack briefly the final verse. So here we go. You guys ready, Romans chapter 12, verses 9 through 21. I pray that God would just speak to your heart as we just read these words. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Kling, but what is good. be devoted to one another in brotherly love,

honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal. But keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient and affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceded. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,

live at peace with everyone. Don't take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it's written, it's mine to avenge. I'll repay, says the Lord. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. And now our last verse.

He wraps it up by saying, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. I love how that last verse is about walking through this world, intentionally choosing goodness. Playing and watching sports all my life, I've heard so many coaches and analysts say, you know what, defense wins championships.

And while I do understand the value of defense, if I'm not mistaken, the team that scores the most points always wins. I think sometime in our walk with God, we play defense too much. It can become a life of, oh, don't do this and don't do that and stay away from there and don't go there and don't do, you know, whatever. I hope that you can see that this whole passage has been about you and me going on offense to make a positive difference by being a person who doesn't just, like, fight off the attacks of Satan, the enemy of our soul. But we actually take ground by intentionally playing offense, by doing some. proactive things that strengthen our soul and our relationships. Paul started with love must be sincere, and he ends with overcome evil with good. So there you have it. That's our offensive

game plan. Romans chapter 12, verse 9 through 21, is for people who are built different, who love and honor and invite and include and forgive and react in unexpected ways. May we never be offensive, but may we go on offense and just leave. And just live. live lives that are built difference, life that reflect the goodness of God today. As always, thanks for joining us. See you back with something new next time. Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship,

join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 9.30 and 11 a.m. Central Standard Time. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share the this podcast to help get the word out. For more information about all digital ministries of Lake Point, visit lakepoint.compt.combe.combe. Church slash daily drive.