Tag Archives: spiritual growth

On Your Mark. Get Set. Grow!

Posted on by

Over my short years of ministry (20 plus now) I have been around many different kinds of people.  I love it when you show up at a house on visitation and someone shoves a beer under the couch or they try to extinguish their smoking materials.  You might hide the physical evidence; but, the smell lingers.

I understand there are instances where people are addicted to things like nicotine or alcohol.  If you never seek to get victory over these besetting sins they will just continually drag you down.

If you had a child that was five years old and still the size of a newborn would you not think something is wrong?  I would hope so.

Well, how about the Christian life?  If you are a Christian and have been for a number of years and you still are not getting victory over besetting sins maybe you need to make some changes in your own life.  You cannot expect to grow spiritually if you are still enslaved to sin.  It just will not work.

It is time to want to grow more spiritually than to satisfy the flesh.  Look at Hebrews 5:11, “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.”  A big reason we do not grow spiritually is because we are “dull of hearing.  The word “dull” means sluggish or lazy.  There are too many sluggish or lazy Christians in the Church.  It is high time we wake up and get going for the cause of Christ!

So, how are you doing?

Blinds

Posted on by

Yesterday afternoon I put bird food in the feeder so I could sit and hopefully  photograph birds in my own backyard.  After filling the feeder I opened the blinds in the window and on the back door.  As I was standing at the fridge getting a bottle of water I noticed something.  The blinds were slipping down slowly.  The cord has become worn out and it will no longer stay at what level you put it.

I began to think about our spiritual life.  My first thought was that if we forsake the Word of God that we will eventually begin to slip.  We must daily read God’s Word.  No, this is not some legalistic rule.  We must eat spiritually to build up our spirit.  We eat food daily to keep up spiritual strength and it is the same for our spiritual lives for sure.

Another thing that is vitally important is Church attendance.  The Church is not a social club for so-called saints.  The Church is a hospital for the saved and a birthing center for new Christians.  When we go to Church we are taught the Word of God and we spend time with other believers.  Through them we can get encouragement and many other things we need.  We can be uplifted by the music.  We can be corrected by the Word of God.

Just because “we go to Church” does not mean we will “get it” for sure.  We have to take what we learn and apply it to our lives.  If I am sick and I get medicine it will do me no good unless I take it.  Some people sit in Church week after week and what they hear just drifts in one ear and out the other.  This is sad!  Look at what the Word of God says about that in Hebrews 2:1, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”  The word “let” means to run out as leaking vessels (taken from the Strong’s Concordance).  We need to pay attention on purpose.  That purpose is to learn and grow spiritually.

So, how are you doing?

Farming 4

Posted on by

As we continue our thoughts on farming we will look at Matthew 13:23, “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

One thing that is important in farming is fruit of your labor.  I mean that is what farming is all about.  Well, the Christian life is much the same.  Before you tune me out give me a listen.

We all produce fruit no matter what.  We either produce good fruit or bad fruit.  Many times growing up I would grab an apple off a tree or something out of the garden only to spit and sputter like an engine that is out of tune.  Bad fruit is just that, bad.

What kind of fruit are you producing?  We must be careful when we define fruit too.  Some people have this idea that “Christian fruit” is winning souls.  This is partially true.  That is one part of fruit.  When we grow and change and become more like Jesus this is fruit too.  It is fruit of our study and time spent with Jesus.  We grow in His likeness.  When you look at me physically, you see my father.  When you look at me spiritually do you see my Heavenly Father?  Penetrating question.

So, how are you doing?

Farming 3

Posted on by

Yesterday we talked about getting the weeds out so that the Word of God can grow in our lives.  Today we need to look at another aspect of growth.  As Christians we need to be growing and changing spiritually.  If you are not growing then you are dead.  This applies physically and spiritually.

After the ground is broken up and the weeds are killed there must be something put into the soil to help the crops grow.  Chemicals that they need are added to the soil so that the crops can grow and produce the most “fruit”.  If you  grow corn then you want the most kernels as possible on each ear of corn and the most ears of corn possible.  If you grow soybeans then you want the most beans in the pod as possible and the most pods as possible.

In the life of the Christian we are commanded to grow.  Look at II Peter 3:18, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”

Remember, if you are not growing then you are dead.

So, how are you doing?

One For Another

Posted on by

Last summer Tara took a picture of our son and sent it to me on my phone.  It was funny, really.  They were supposed to be walking together.  Jonathan was way ahead of Tara as she took the picture.  He does walk really fast sometimes.

As I was thinking about this I went over my thoughts again from the morning message yesterday.  The Word of God gives us three things that we can do “one for another”.  This phrase appears only three times.

Look at I Corinthians 11:33, “Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.”  This is what came to mind while I was strolling down memory lane.  As Jonathan was way ahead of his mother so are some of us.  We are not all at the same place spiritually.  Some are more mature and some are less mature.  This does not make a person better or less.  It just simply means that we are all at different places in our Christian life than others.

Sometimes we have to “tarry one for another” because of this.  The context of our text is that some people were eating meat that had been offered to idols and that caused some weaker Christians to stumble.  They saw this meat as somehow spiritual.  Mature believers know better; but, in order to keep a weaker brother from falling it is best not to eat the meat offered to idols.  It is pretty simple; but, it is something needful.  We need to tarry one for another.  Quit trying to be so super spiritual and try to help another Christian along their path.

So, how are you doing?

Secret Place 3

Posted on by

Today we will look at the “Secret Place Of Spiritual Growth.”  Look at Psalm 18:11, “He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.”  Now, I know that you and I are probably a lot alike.  I don’t like the dark really.  I have grown up enough not to be afraid of the dark.  I own various flashlights to combat darkness.

Yet, it is in the darkness of life that we seem to learn some valuable life lessons.  We don’t have to love darkness.  If you do love darkness I would do a spiritual check up from God’s Word.  In the darkness of life we can see light shining so much more brightly.  Stand in a dark room and light a match (as long as there are no gas leaks).  That little match will give great light in the dark room.

Notice also in our scenario that when the light comes in the darkness leaves.  When we are experiencing darkness and we invite the light in the darkness fades and we become focused on the light and not the darkness.  At least we should be.  It is the painful process of spiritual growth that will bring this about.  We will learn to not love the darkness; but, rather see it’s usefulness in bringing us closer to Christ and growing us spiritually.

So, how are you doing?