How Do I Grow Spiritually? September 22-23, 2012 Introduction At the age of 45, Michael May miraculously regained his sight. May had been blinded at age three, and lived 42 years of his life without sight. Then, in 1999, he was given the possibility to see again through what was, at that time, a revolutionary transplant surgery. Prior to his surgery there had only been about 40 cases of sight restoration. Most had followed a similar pattern - an initial experience of euphoria as light rushed into their repaired eyes. They saw color and motion immediately. It was all new and exciting...a miracle. But then frustration would set in. They could not perceive height, distance, depth or 3-d shapes. Couldn't read facial expressions or detect gender. And it would take a long time for this to dissipate, causing great frustration. They had expected immediate change and were crushed by the slow transformation. But Michael May's case was different. Even though he could not perceive height, distance, depth, he did not get frustrated. He refused to be discouraged by the long learning curve. Instead he approached his new life of sight with an attitude of adventure. May knew that learning to see again would not involve one magical operation, but a lifelong quest to learn, grow, take risks and change. We continue our series today called FAQ, looking at some frequently asked questions around here. Today we are dealing with, "How can I grow spiritually?" For many Christians, their process of spiritual growth is one of frustration and despair. They feel that at their conversion, all of their issues should go away and they should magically be like Jesus, perfect in every way, immediately. While they are forgiven immediately, the process of growth is one of frustration for them and do not like the slow transformation that takes place. We need to be more like Michael May in this process. Understanding that growth takes time and accepting it with an attitude of adventure. Spiritual growth is not a one-time event, like conversion. It is a lifelong quest to learn, grow, take risks and change. The Bible makes it very clear that we are called by God to grow in our faith. We have laid out this principle before...wherever you are, God does not want you there. Whether that is in your level of giving, your depth of love for your spouse, or your spiritual growth...wherever you are, God does not want you there. He desires continued growth.
2 Peter 1:5-8 - For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8 ESV) Hebrews 5:11-6:2 - About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 5:11-6:2 ESV) This growth is called the process of discipleship- of ever growing and maturing toward Christ-likeness. And this is not optional for the faith of Christianity. Dietrich Bonhoeffer - "Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ." So the question before us is How do we grow. Since we know God calls us to growth and that it is not optional, how do we do it? What I am going to present to you today is A way to grow, not the only way. If you already have something that is working for you, keep going. If not, this is the place to start. 1) Read the Bible Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV) -Don't be conformed to world. Don't be like them. You are called to be different. -Be transformed. Metamorphoo. Total transformation. - Netflix, Nathan is fascinated by Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Intrigued by the transformation takes place to enable them to win. -We should all be fascinated by transformation. To see a life changed. When people get connected to Jesus, that is what happens to them. How are we transformed? By the renewing of our minds. Having our minds washed, brought back to their original design. Our minds are under constant bombardment with
all the junk that gets thrown at us every day. False truths, sexually-illicit material, cynicism, apathy...if we are not careful, those things lodge deep down in the mind, eventually showing up in our lives. So we need to have our minds washed. - two friends in college who had contest who could go longest without washing sheets. Results were disastrous. Our minds get washed as we allow the cleaning power of God's Word to wash over us. To regularly read our bibles and allow God to speak and reset our minds how they should be. To renew us, therefore transforming us. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 ESV) How do we regularly read the Bible? -Consistent Time -Consistent Place -Consistent Prayer - "God speak, I am listening." Use a plan: -Cornerstone's daily devotions. -One-Year Bible -YouVersion app When you read any text, ask 4 questions about it to mine the application: -what does this say about God? -what does this say about me? -what is one thing I need to know? -what is one thing I need to do? That is enough to allow God the time to speak to you, for you to gain practical insights out of the text so that God can make a difference with it in your life. - my final Master's project was a study on leadership faithfulness. 70% of leaders in bible and in life fail before the finish line. How cross it faithfully? -To my surprise, the resounding answer from around the world - daily devotions.
2) Reveal your heart in prayer. Allow your time in the bible to drive you to prayer. This establishes the habit of prayer and allows you to have a topic to talk to God about. -so you've just spent 15 minutes at least reading the bible and asked some questions about the text to apply it to your life. Now what? Pray about what you are learning, about what God is saying? Is there something in the text that is bothering you? Comforting you? Did it highlight an issue in your life? Bring someone else to mind? How am I doing in this area? Why does this one issue continue to come to mind all the time? Lay all that out to God in conversation. Allow him the chance to respond. Is there anything he is leading you to do? Some changes that need to be made? Commit those plans to God. Talk to God about what is on your heart. Big meeting that day? Stress over your kids? Have a relational strife happening? Bring it up to him and allow him to bring healing and direction. 3) Record it all in a journal. Now, when I bring this up with some people, they get all weirded out. I am not suggesting you do a "dear diary" thing. Only this - when God speaks, I think it is probably important enough to write down. -Don't go by a $50 leather journal to do this...get a $0.10 spiral notebook or use an app. Write down what God taught you that day. Anything that he is leading you to do. Prayer requests. -What this does is profound. It allows a record of God's activity in your life. You can see what he is up to. You can track it. See the prayers he has answered. See the themes of what he is teaching you. - at times I will go back and read old journals. Each time I am whisked away right back to where I was the moment God spoke. And I get to relive that lifechanging moment again. I get to celebrate God's faithfulness in answering prayer. It is worth the habit. So that is how you start the process of growing spiritually. Read, reveal, record. Read, reveal, record.
- let's say the 2016 Olympic committee shows up at your house. They interrupt your TV watching and Twinkie eating to inform you that of all the people in America, they have chosen you to run the marathon in the next Olympics. You immediately get excited and dwell on what it will be like to run and win...standing on that podium and hearing the national anthem played. -But then you realize...you can't run a marathon, even if you tried really hard. You are not at all prepared for that. You must train. For you to be successful in that race, there are certain practices that you must orient your life around so that you can run faithfully and successfully. Exactly. God has called you to run the race of life faithfully and successfully. But some of you would have to acknowledge today that you are not prepared for that. You must train. And these are the practices that you must orient your life around if you want to run that race well. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 - Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7, 8 ESV) Here is the final key to doing all of this well. Do it all in a relational environment. Do not try to do this all alone. Do it with a group of others. -As I look back on my own life, the times of greatest growth came when I was a part of a regular group. God has a way of using others to emphasize our growth. -In a group, you are provided with accountability, support, encouragement, people who minister to you, people you can minister to to flesh out what God is teaching you. You get their perspectives on what God is up to in your life, you hear what God is up to in their life and you are inspired and encouraged. What a joy it is to hear God speak to and through others- to gain insights and ideas from them. - this is why I do not write sermons alone. Brandon and I meet weekly and I get greater perspective, more insights and ideas, how God is dealing with him with this particular text. Makes my sermons better. (plus, if a sermon is bad, it gives me someone to blame!). EVENT - We have an event after the 11am service for those who are not in a group but desire to be. If you are not in one, your spiritual growth will not be all that it could potentially be. -We are asking you to give a group a 6-week test drive. That's all.
Things grow in healthy environments. Plants, trees, even kids. Souls are the same way. INVITATION - but it all begins by placing your trust in Jesus. Believe/Repent/Confess/Baptize. So you can be connected to Jesus and he can transform your life.