Category: Spiritual Growth

6/30/2024 0 Comments

Transformation

Do you remember the Transformers film series where cars transform into robots with various combative skills? Well, that is nothing compared to what will finally happen when we who love Jesus complete our change to the image and glory that is the Lord’s. The Apostle Paul gives us a preview of what will come in his letter to the Corinthians.

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6/15/2024 0 Comments

Emotions Matter

“Why is it that so many Christians make such lousy human beings?” So asks Peter Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (p.23).[1] Scazzero goes on to share the top ten symptoms of Jesus-followers who are emotionally unhealthy.
1. Using God to run from God
2. Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness, and fear
3. Dying to the wrong things
4. Denying the past’s impact on the present
5. Dividing our lives into “secular” and “sacred” compartments
6. Doing for God instead of being with God
7. Spiritualizing away conflict
8. Covering over brokenness, weakness, and failure
9. Living without limits
10. Judging other people’s spiritual journey (p. 24).

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11/30/2023 0 Comments

Taking Blows

Fragile. Thin-skinned. Does it increasingly seem that we live in an age when many Christians cannot take criticism or rebuke of any sort without getting defensive and angry? Try confronting a believer over sin and see how that goes. Observe someone’s attitude or comment on questionable conduct, and be prepared to be attacked or shunned. Myles Munroe wrote in Waiting and Dating, “Being open to correction means making ourselves vulnerable, and many people are not willing to do that.”

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5/11/2023 1 Comment

Repetition

A Russian proverb says, “Repetition is the mother of learning.” Zig Ziglar noted, “Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment.” Great leaders are masters of repetition and recognize it as a tool for more effective leading.

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8/19/2022 1 Comment

Reproduction

My dad loves to teach the men he is discipling the five steps in training a man (applicable to men and women):
1. Tell them why they should follow Christ—Matthew 4:19.
2. Show them how to follow Christ—John 14:21.
3. Get them started in following Christ—Luke 9:23.
4. Keep them going as it relates to following Christ—John 15:4.
5. See that they pass it on . . . reproduce what they have learned—Mark 6:7,12.
Let’s focus on the fifth step establishing that training effectively occurred.

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1/23/2021 1 Comment

Fellowship: Why It Matters

Fellowship is a rich concept much deeper in meaning than we probably realize. In Hebrew the primary word for fellowship is šelem and it occurs 87 times in the New International Version (NIV). Only once is it used in the context of meeting with others (Psalm 55:13,14), in every other instance fellowship connects to God through the giving of a fellowship offering. The fellowship or peace offering in the Old Testament emphasized the opportunity the Hebrews had for close communion with God. This fellowship was consummated by eating the flesh of an animal presented as an offering to God (Leviticus 3 and 7:11-21). The peace offering meant that all was well relationally between Yahweh and His people and it was the last offering given.[1]

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9/18/2018 0 Comments

Power of the Word

John George graduated into heaven recently. He was a man for whom I will eternally be grateful. At a time when I was a cocky senior at West Point, he accurately confronted me about pride and forever changed my life. John knew that the Bible warns us in Proverbs 16:18 that “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.” His exhortation scared me to death that God would not use me for His kingdom.

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9/8/2015 0 Comments

The Right Kind of Knowledge

Meditation
Colossians 1:9,10—For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.

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2/10/2006 0 Comments

Spiritual Life

Meditation
Exodus 24:9-11--Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and 70 of Israel’s elders, and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath His feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire stone, as clear as the sky itself. God did not harm the Israelite nobles; they saw Him, and they ate and drank.

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4/6/2004 0 Comments

Growth

Spring is a tremendous spiritual illustration. Outside my window buds are bursting. The grass grows at a weekly clip but those green blades are in slow motion compared to the weeds. Winter is over. The great plant race is on and the God Who saw that creation was good is still watching.

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7/28/2001

Koi

My youngest son Stephen, and I, went with some friends to a Koi/Goldfish show. It was the first time we’d ever attended anything like this. We were quite amazed. Koi come in a wide assortment of colors and shapes much like the dress of their human fans. It was obvious standing around the varied pools, that most of these people knew a great deal about carp. Here some facts I learned and lessons that jumped to mind:

9/29/1999 0 Comments

Insight--Spiritual

A man walked into his garden distressed. As he bent to water his plants he noticed the pathetic condition of the snail-eaten leaves. Beside the plant grew weeds making it hard to discern friend from predator. What an overwhelming battle he thought. What chance has beauty to blossom against the constant threat of bug and weed? Yet as he looked more closely, he observed strong vibrant shoots emerging from weary stems. Then the Lord spoke to him.

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8/11/1998 0 Comments

Manifestation

Would you agree it is quite enjoyable to watch people grow spiritually? Yet often the growth that is so evident to us in others goes unnoticed by the one being observed. I suppose in one respect it’s similar to watching the changes in my children as they extend vertically. On the white painted wall behind our bedroom door is a ladder of pencil marks each proclaiming a new climb in inches. Periodically they will ask my wife or me to measure them to see how they are doing in their quest for height. Without that pencil-marked wall, each of my three kids would have a tough time gauging their growth.

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7/31/1998 0 Comments

Discipline

Meditation
Titus 2:11,12--For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age.

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6/11/1998 0 Comments

Development--Spiritual

Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls, is arguably the most controversial basketball player to ever lace up his shoes and play. Despite his reckless behavior off the court on the court he was one of the best rebounders of all time—few came close to hauling in as many rebounds per game as Dennis. This running tattoo-covered athlete pounced on loose basketballs like pumas pounce on their prey. His singular focus and drive to snare a bouncing ball propelled him to the top of his game on a team whose superstar, Michael Jordan, was the consummate example of dedication to being the best in the sport.

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6/3/1998 0 Comments

Stationary

Yesterday an eleven-year-old boy rode his bike for the first time without training wheels. “Well what's so great about that, most eleven-year-old kids ride bikes.” Well this boy was different. He knew what it meant to fall down repeatedly because of poor balance. He feared getting hurt. He was afraid to go too fast. His physical therapist recommended he ride a special three-wheel bike that would compensate for his deficiencies. He tried riding on two wheels but gave up--it was too tough. He didn't believe he could do it so he ceased striving.

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1/16/1998 0 Comments

Worth

In the marketplace of life it is a tempting thing to measure our spiritual worth by the applause of people. But an apple can look good on the outside and be rotten in the middle. A watermelon can be huge and yet be devoid of sweetness.

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11/27/1997 0 Comments

Junior Holy Spirits

Meditation
Romans 14:10-12--But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God. For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will give praise to God. So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

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11/20/1997 0 Comments

Desire

How do I know when I am growing spiritually? One sure way to tell is to evaluate my desires. Jesus said “For where your treasures is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Treasures do not have to be tangible possessions. Our thoughts our often our treasures.

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9/13/1997 0 Comments

Broken

Meditation
2 Corinthians 11:27-30—I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (NIV)

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