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All of us have some growing to do… My theme this weekend is Purpose.
The subjects I’m going to talk about are Appetite, Identity and attitude.
I want to talk about your spiritual appetites first.
I want to tell you a story. There once was a young man who walked on the farm with his dad. He helped tend the animals… he was always busy. Life was just work.
In time this man go tired of work.
He noticed that there were fiends who did other things. One was a party animal.
So he hatched a plan and said, “Dad, I need all of my inheritance. Now.”
So the father gave him what he asked. He got all of his portion.
He new that if he stayed at home he might have to work. He started filling his appetites.
He had appetites for fun, freedom, etc. As his money ran out, his friends disappeared as well.
Now he didn’t have anything.
He hired on to a local farmer (a pig farmer). He would dump out the slop to the pigs- and wanted to eat it himself because he was so hungry.
After some more time he thought to himself— the servants at my dads farm actually got food! He thought maybe he could go back and just be a servant.
When he returned the Father ran out to meet him
He was offered a fatted calf…
This morning I want to talk about spiritual appetites.
The first thing we need to recognize that we have appetites that are not right because of our sin nature.
Romans 3:23
Every one in this room has fed an appetite that was not right with God.
All have sinned.
We should all be working together to fix those appetites.
I John 2:15-?
All that is in the world… we are born with these lusts.
We’ve got things that are built into us to desire. We have a strong desire to do those things we are not to do.
Sometimes our appetites are so subconscious we don’t even recognize them.
Adam and Eve were not created with a sin nature. Because of their disobedience, their descendants do.
The people around us influence our appetites as well.
Jim Roan: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
According to research from Harvard, the people you associate with determine as much as 90 or 95% of your success or failures.
Squad goals? Make sure your squad isn’t pulling you down.
1) Realize that we all have appetites
2) there is nothing you can do to fix your appetite on your own
James 1:14
Have you realized this morning how incapable you are of fixing your own appetites?
Ephesians 6:10-13
If you’re a firefighter, there is particular equipment you put on. We must put on the armor of God.
Giving your heart to the Lord is the first step.
Until that point, you can’t do it. You can’t control your appetites.
I’m not saying it’s easy.
3) We must give our sinful appetites over to God, and develop a new attitude for God.
James 4:8
We have to go through a spiritual surgery to get rid of those appetites. It takes some cutting open, some pain.
Matthew 5:6
It’s not just getting rid of the old appetite, its getting new ones. As we seek after God, He gives us greater appetite for Himself.
Still, it’s not easy, but it is rewarding.
As we see with the Samaritan woman, the only thing that can truly fill us is righteousness, and seeking after God. God is the only thing that can truly fill that appetite.
SIn has progressive appetites. It gets worse. Interestingly, spiritual appetites are also progressive. They get deeper.
Is your soul longing for God? If it’s not, it should be.
He can fully satisfy our spiritual appetite.
What are you going to do when you want to fill your appetites? Are you going to run, or come to the Master.