Last Wednesday night, the children learned a very important lesson about growing up. We had a wonderful time learning about the food pyramid and how it is so very important that everyone eats enough of the right foods. We discussed how a baby can not eat the same food we do, but how baby food and formula can not sustain us as we begin to grow up. We all took a sample taste of baby food to remind us of what it would be like to live by eating it only. We also learned, how, if we don't eat right, we don't grow up as strong and healthy as we should be; we become tired and don't have the energy to do well in school or other activities.
Even as adults, we need to eat healthy and excercise in order to maintain good health. It's at the times that we don't take care of our bodies, eat poorly, and don't excercise that our health is most at risk. But you know, if we don't get the proper spiritual feeding and spiritual excercise we need, we are at an even greater risk than just poor health. Not only that, our spiritual anemia also impacts our children, our marriage, our relationships, our work, and most importantly, our relationship with Jesus Christ Himself!
God didn't intend for us to just get saved and that was that. He didn't intend for us just to go to church, or just to pray, or to 'just get by' spiritually. There is so much more that God has planned for His people! He wants us to be spiritually healthy and spiritually fit! WE are HIS MESSENGERS to this lost world! We are in TRAINING for the ULTIMATE MARATHON!
Allow me to expound further...wow, I sound intelligent...expound! First of all, just like we need the eat the proper servings of the right foods in order to maximize our health, we also need to have the proper spiritual nutrition to grow and mature spiritually. Many believers are at different stages of spiritual growth but all should be on some type of spiritual growth plan. Let me share with you The Six Spiritual Growth Groups for healthy, growing Believers.
The 6 Spiritual Growth Groups
Group 1. We must READ God's Word EVERYDAY.
Keep in mind, when you read the Bible, READ IT TO CHANGE! Take notes, highlight passages that seem to speak to you. Memorize a verse a week to help you in your walk. (Or a verse/passage a day.)
Group 2. We must PRAY EVERDAY! "Pray without ceasing." Pray quietly to yourself, pray out loud, pray long prayers, pray short prayers throughout your day. No matter how you do it, just pray and truly seek God out through your day. Me, I keep a prayer journal. I'm a little ADHD so writing my prayers in a journal at the start of my day keeps me focused and points me to Him! Let me also suggest that a good way to start your day is to get on your knees right when you get out of the bed and pray a short prayer of praise, thankfulness, and submission to God.
Group 3. We should FELLOWSHIP with other believers. Attend church, join a small group, participate in fellowship activities. God didn't intend for us to do life all on our own in a vaccuum! Network with other believers and develop friendships with them. For by doing so, you can encourage and help one another. God promises that "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."Mathew 18:19-20
Group 4. We must WITNESS FOR CHRIST! This is the Great Commission, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:13) We believers have been chosen to be God's voice to unbelievers. He didn't chose angels, cherubim, or any other heavenly creature to bear this news. The Holy Spirit reproves and convicts. But He chose to use us in the process by giving us the responsibility of testifying for Christ. For it is through our faithful obedience to this command that unbelievers hear the Good News through us and then are saved by the Holy Spirit. Not only that, we grow as believers when we reach out in love to the lost people of this world with the Message of the Cross.
Group 5. We must OBEY God! 'Nuff said...by the way, you can't obey God if you don't know what He wants you to do, hence the importance of Spiritual Growth Groups 1 through 4!
Group 6. We must SERVE Him! This spiritual growth group is important for many reasons. Ever heard the saying, "Actions speak louder than words." The Work of God's Kingdom on earth is done through His people - us! If we are too busy, too sick, or too whatever to serve, then who is going to do the work? I have seen people chose not to serve for some of the silliest of reasons! On the other hand, I have also seen many very dedicated, devoted, God loving volunteers come to serve in children's ministry with obvious hip pain, sickness, migraines, headaches, family issues, or other life difficulties. Their actions CLEARLY spoke volumes about their love for God! If you truly love God and are devoted to Him, your actions for serving Him through ministry, tithing, volunteering, leading a small group, or helping others will speak louder than just your words. In addition, we will only grow to a certain point as believers if we don't serve.
Each of the above spiritual growth groups are equally important. You can only grow so far if you are not balanced in each. Use the spiritual growth groups to help you set up a Christian Growth Plan for yourself. Help your children do the same...ask them for a copy of their plan from Wednesday night or email me and I'll be glad to give you a copy. To help you get on the right track, take the time to answer the following questions for yourself. Once you do, you will quickly see areas of spiritual weakness that you may need to work on. Remember, God will help you through this, after all He wants this for you!
1. How many times have you read your Bible this week?
2. How often have you prayed in the last 24 hours?
3. How many hours have you spent in church and small groups this past week?
4. How many people have you shared Christ with in the last week?
5. How many times have you disobeyed God in the last 24 hours?
6. How often do you serve in church or in a ministry role?
"So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness." 1 Peter 2:1-3
Grace and peace to you friends! I love it that we're all growing up together in Christ! I'm praying for you. Please pray for me too!
In His Love, Cathy
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