1. The best me is SURRENDERED.

Romans 12:1 NLT - And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

• Salvation isn't just saying, "Lord, Lord," but surrendering and submitting ourselves to God (see Matthew 7:21-23 NLT).

2. The best me is SEPARATED.

**Romans 12:2 NLT **- Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

• You can change your life by changing your philosophy (way you think).
  • About God
  • About morals
  • About marriage and family
  • About work and ethics
• THEN you will know God's will for you.

3. The best me is SIMPLE.

Romans 12:3 NLT - Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

I am not defined by money, background, education, good works, race, or any other earthly variable. I am defined by my faith.

Paul, in Philippians 3:7-8 NLT - 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less" (C. S. Lewis).

4. The best me is SURROUNDED.

Romans 12:4-5 NLT - 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

• We all BELONG to each other.
  • James 5:16 NLT - Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
  • We are forgiven by CONFESSING to God but HEALED by confessing to one another.

"Sheep travel in herds, but snakes are always alone" (African proverb).

5. The best me is SERVING.

Romans 12:6-8 NLT - 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

• Just as we measure ourselves by our faith, we step out in our gifts by our faith.
• In response to God's great grace towards us, we engage our gifts to serve Him and bring Him glory.
• Your God-given gift is MOST effective when you are surrendered, separated, simple, and surrounded.