Growing

Call to Worship

Revelation 4:11 NKJV

11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

Giving

Psalm 54:6 NKJV

6 I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.

1) We are called to be like Christ.

We need to see ourselves as moving forward. you cant go where you cant see.

Ephesians 4:13–16 NKJV

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

1 John 3:2–3 NKJV

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

How many of us feel confident that we are like Christ?

A lot of times we are more a creature of our culture and not a reflection of our creator.

1 Peter 1:14–16 NKJV

14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

2. The reason most people do not grow is they will not be taught.

Hebrews 12:5–13 NKJV

5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

not only do we need to be taught spiritually, we also need to be taught temporally.

far to many people in the scope of my time as pastor hear have tried to just jump out there and do something, with no back ground or training. this comes from pride.

Proverbs 16:18 NKJV

18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

3. Once you understand your purpose you need to walk in it.

Ephesians 4:16 NKJV

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 NKJV

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

A skill is no good unless its used.

a gift is no good unless it is given.

there are levels and tiers that a person walks through as they learn a craft or skill.

in that same way there are things that you understand deeper as you walk with God.

you might see yourself as a sinner when you get here.

after a few years you might think of yourself as mature.

only to realize that after you understand the Holiness of God that you are in some ways a worse sinner after you are saved because of His righteousness and Holiness then you where before.