Take Me, Break Me, and Make Me

by Dr. James E. Hollingsworth
(Shreveport, Louisiana)

Romans 12:1-2

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.


Introduction:

Dr. J. Frank Norris used to pray, "Lord take me, break me, and make me." God answered his prayer. How many of us can pray that prayer today?

I. Lord, Take Me. ("...present you bodies...")

It is one thing to be saved in soul and another thing to be surrendered in life.

God wants our life as well as our soul. Many are willing to give God their soul because they want to go to heaven...but it is God's will that we give Him our life as well, so that others can go to heaven.

1. To say "take me" means to make an unconditional surrender to God.


It means to give all to Him.


2. To say "take me" means that we do not have any reservations.


(Not "I will but...this or that."). Some have reservations about serving Christ. We must admit it if we do have reservations because we are not fooling many people and we definitely are not fooling God.


3. To say "take me" means complete obedience.


(1 Sam. 15:3,8-9,22-23) King Saul had an incomplete obedience. God said, God and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not. But Saul spared Agag the King and the best sheep, oxen and lambs.
Samuel the Prophet said, "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebelling is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.



Can you say, "Lord, Take Me"?

II. Lord, Break Me. ("...a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable...")

Some times God allows tragedy to come to break our hearts.

1. Our will must be broken.


We have too many saved people who want their will to be done instead of God's will. You will never be happy until you can say, "God your will be done in my life...not mine" like Jesus said at Gethsemane.


2. Our heart must be broken.


...broken over our own sins.

...broken over our church member's sins.

...broken over the sins of our city.

...broken over the sins of America. (the throwing out of the 10 commandments everywhere, etc.)

What will it take to break your heart?

III. Lord Make Me. ("...your reasonable service...")

We need to become fruitful, serving Christians.

1. Make me to be faithful.


Faithfulness is the greatest virtue of the Christian religion because anybody can be faithful.

...faithful to church.

...faithful in Bible study.

...faithful in prayer.


2. Make me a soul winner.


Matt. 4:19 And he saith unto them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Dr. Norris said, "When a preacher quits winning souls, he is through. Win souls when you feel like it and above all win them when you don't feel like it."


3. Make me strong.


...strong in convictions.

...strong morally.

...strong doctrinally.

...strong in our stand for the truth.

Conclusion:

Will you pray the prayer, "Lord, take me, break me, and make me"? Whatever that means for you, that prayer must be prayed if you want God's will for your life and God's blessings on your life. Pray that prayer right now as we bow our heads in prayer to the Lord our God.

Note from Mark: What a great sermon. Surrender to the Lord is the key to successful ministry. He must take us, break us and make us. (By the way, Dr. James E. Hollingsworth is my Dad!) Thanks for the sermon Dad.