Growing in Christ
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We all have desire….
For context. while I may be applicable,
I am dealing with a desire to do more of what WE want
You end up in the same place.
I. If I could just get a job, I would have less finanical trouble. All to find out, if you increase your expenses you’ll end up in the same place.
II. If you goto school, get a degree, you’ll immediately, graduate and walk into the dream Job.
Of you got the job of your dreams and it not what you thought it would be.
III. If I could Just get married, and start a family….Life would be must better. Because I am tired of living alone.
marriage is beautiful….and its still between a man and a woman.
and though the union he has commanded to be fruitful and multiple.
Isn’t it amazing that we always come to
If I could just have the things that I don’t have right now, Life would be much better.
Larger Home: Larger Gas and Electric Bill.
More Children: you dedicate more time and resources to raising.
As the body of Christ we should be evolving, but God never intended for you to stay where you are with no spiritual Growth.
in other words
increase in your knowledge of Christ and become more constant in your love for him and your obedience to him.
faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of gods
the wages of sin is death
I beseech you therefore brothern
Repented. Baptized, and Filled with his spirit - you’re ready to work for the lord.
instead we often see a cycle within the church.
And the reality is….We often like the idea of following Christ, but are we truly willing to lay it all down.
The apostle Paul here in writing to the church at Corinth
I. Paul warns against divisions within the Church and emphasizes the importance of unity among Church members.
II. He warns members against sexual immorality, teaches that the body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, and encourages self-discipline.
III. To be careful not to add or subtract from the foundation which is christ jesus.
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But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,
Matthew 5:6 KJV
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
II. It’s important to understand, he speaking of maturity in christ - not lack of spirituality.
III. Spiritual maturity can only come through growth in gods word.
IV. Everything you do must be aligned with the Word of God.
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Not letting Christ take control
for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
I. It is here that Paul gives an Agricultural example. I planted, Apollo's Watered, but God gave the increase.
When a farmer plants a seed he's using something that already exist, such as we with the word of God.
And God said, “Let the earth produce green plants that will bear seed—fruit trees bearing fruit in which there is seed—according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. And the earth brought forth green plants bearing seed according to its kind, and trees bearing fruit in which there was seed according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Paul Planted, but it was Apollos that came and watered the seed that paul planted.
Despite their work - God Gave the increase.
Increase can only come from God
God is the creator of the seed.
God is the creator of the water.
God continues to provide the increase.
You can not circumvent the process
You cant water, before you plant.
God is always working behind all aspects of growth within the church - We are the church.
Satan is always working to prevent those in the body from growing or working to build the kingdom.
Galatians 6:9 (KJV Apoc)
and let us not be weary in well doing when do season we shall reap if we faint not
Matthew 13:19–29 (ESV)
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,
yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Ephesians 6:10–11 (ESV)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee
for we do not wrestle??.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
we’ve seen this done before….great cloud of witnesses.
lived by faith and
As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Peter, Andrew, James and John….
Matt 4: 20 Immediately they left their nets and Boats and followed him.
Matthew 16:24–26 (ESV)
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?