Eight Keys to Spiritual Growth

An assignment given by a teacher without a means of measuring success normally ends in frustration on the part of the student. As members of the Body of Christ, the church, our assignment is to make disciples. But can you really measure growth in discipleship?

A strong case can be made not to even bother to try and measure transformation in a person's life. Nevertheless, there are biblical injunctions that halt our progress into sin and prescriptions that lead us toward spiritual maturity. Researchers did not set out to randomly create objective measurements against which a person's faith life would be judged as newborn, still growing, or mature, yet attributes were uncovered indicating spiritual growth.

Here are eight factors at work in the lives of believers who are progressing in spiritual maturity. They are referred to as the attributes of discipleship. They are not necessarily new, but they stand out as key ideas in the lives of many different types of Christian believers.

1. Bible Engagement

It should go without saying believers will be engaged in studying the scripture. However, leadership must often begin by restating the obvious. Transformation can be recognized in people when their minds are sharpened by the Bible, their perspectives are shaped by the Bible and their actions are directed by the Bible.

2. Obeying God & Denying Self

Discipleship is the progress of obedience to the One who is in authority over you. Many people progressing in their faith prioritize God's desires over self. Transformation can be seen in them because they progressively set aside earthly delights for Kingdom priorities.

3. Serving God & Others

Just as Jesus said He had come to serve and not to be served, so must believers. The choice to serve others is just that--a choice. It highlights a maturity of soul. Transformation is evident when personal needs, and even life goals, are set aside for the needs we see in others.

4. Sharing Christ

Inherent in being a disciple of Christ is making other disciples. Even as we live out the benefits of the Gospel, mature believers know that sharing the Good News with others is a necessity. Transformation is evident when we talk about the source of our faith.

5. Exercising Faith

Can you measure a person's faith? Probably not. But you can see it when it is put into action. Believers noted they knew the importance of living by faith as opposed to living by personal strength. Transformation is seen in believers when risk aversion is set aside and lives are characterized by faithful obedience to God's will.

6. Seeking God

People become disciples of Christ because they intend to follow Him. A continuous hunger should arise from this life of faith. It is referred to in scripture as our "first love," and believers are commanded to return to it. Transformation is seen when our desire is to know God more deeply and experience His work more fully.

7. Building Relationships

Our faith is personal, but it is not intended to be private. Jesus established the church for our collective good and our collective growth. After all, humans are naturally relational. Spiritually, we are no different. As believers, our horizontal relationships with others should develop just as our vertical relationship with God does. Transformation is occurring when relational maturity is evident in our lives.

8. Unashamed

Believers felt it appropriate and even necessary for others to know them as Christians and be held accountable for a life exemplary of that name. Transformation is evident when a believer is unashamed in presenting his own life as being aligned with Christ. The saying is "if you aim at nothing, you will hide it every time." At the very heart of Christianity is the work of making disciples of Christ. It should never sit at the fringe of our lives or the church. Through work like that of Transformational Discipleship we are able to better recognize when we are effectively reaching that goal.

Note: This essay was originally written by Philip Nation, and posted by Rich Walkowski (see link below). For those of you who've read my book, there is a section where some inspirational words came to me and I wrote them down, only to learn later that they were lyrics to a song I'd never heard. The same kind of thing happened here. After praying the words to the essay above just came to me, all at once, and I wrote them down as fast as I could so I wouldn't forget them. Since God gave them to me I knew I should share them, so I wrote the "Eight Keys to Spiritual Growth" blog post. Shortly after posting it my editor came upon another very similar essay written by Philip Nation. I can only assume that God wanted these words shared from more than one source. This represents one kind of daily "miracle" described in my book, miracles we can all share if we grow closer to God.

https://about.me/philipnation 
https://www.facebook.com/kloveradio/posts/10153676252099056

Dear Anna . . .

 

Does anyone out there remember the popular self-help columnist, Abigail Van Buren, or more popularly known as Dear Abby? Launched in 1956 by Pauline Phillips, she wrote the column which was syndicated until 2000 when her daughter, Jeanne Phillips, carried on? As most of us realize, self-help books and columns can only do so much to solve people's problems. Most of the hard work has to come from the people themselves, but it never hurts to tell your story to someone who not only listens, but cares enough to offer some targeted advice. 

That tradition began in my family with my grandmother, who was the "Dear Abby" of her neighborhood community in Italy. Here's an excerpt from the upcoming Third Edition of my book:

I suspect my guardian angel currently is my grandmother on my father’s side. She taught me how to find and grow my faith. A devout Catholic, she attended church regularly, prayed the rosary often, and for special needs would enter a nine-day period of prayer. These technical aspects of her faith, however, only reflect the surface waters of her deep, abiding beliefs.

Every believer is given certain gifts that can be used in God’s service. My grandmother’s became known in her community in Italy, when as a little girl people came to her home to ask for her help. Her method was to pray a novena to a certain saint and in her dreams the answer to the question or the solution to the problem would come to her.

When word of her gift got out, her parents were frightened that she would be arrested or worse, and arranged for her to come to America where she set up housekeeping with my grandfather, also from Italy, but who earned his citizenship as a soldier in WWI. Once here she continued to share her clairvoyant gifts with others, but on a more informal basis.

Many of my fondest childhood memories involve my Gramma Carmella. I could always feel God’s Holy Spirit in and around her whenever we could be together. Our relationship grew close to the point where she was the most important person in my life.

That Gift was passed down to her daughter, my Aunt, and seems to have been also passed down to me. When I found myself talking to people about their problems, I began to sense that the Holy Spirit was giving me just the right words to say to them, words they needed to hear at that exact moment. I know the words aren't from me because half the time they don't make that much sense to me, but from the look of revelation on the face of the person I'm sharing them with, I know they were from God.

If you have a problem or a question you'd like to share as an anonymous comment on my "Dear Anna" blog page, I'll pray about it and do my best to pass on to you any insight I might be given to share with you and post it as a reply to your comment.

Gifts were given to be shared . . . I'll share mine with you . . . you share yours with others!

 

God's Household . . .

1 Timothy 3:14-16

Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if i am delayed you will know how people are to conduct themselves in God's house household, which is the church of the living God,the pillar and foundation of the truth. Beyond all questions, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the spirit, was seen by angels,was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world was taken up in glory.

The church is important to God and Jesus is the chief corner stone. (Ephesians 2:19-21) Jesus is the head of the Body of Christ, and the Body of Christ in the church. People have seen church grow and flourish in many different ways since Christ has returned to Heaven, and that process continues today. The church is the Bride of Christ, If you believe in Christ, you are part of the church; that is, His Body. Build one another up in Christ Jesus that we may together, and by His leading and power, be the church God wants us to be.

                                               

                                             

Psalms 100:4-5 

4- Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!

Give thanks to Him, Bless His name!

5- For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures 

forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

                                               


                                                 

All are Children of God

Galatians 3:26-29

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

If you are a son or daughter of God, God’s family is your family. Belonging to Christ means that we are Abraham’s seed. This is a magnificent “grafting-in” to the original covenant made to Abram by God concerning his descendants. The one who promises and who saves us is the same God who promised Abram and delivered Isaac from harm on the altar. The God of the Old Testament is the Christ of the New. Same love, same God, same way through Christ.

When God Gives You the Words

I was watching a documentary about child artist prodigy, Akiane Kramarik, someone whom God has clearly touched with extraordinary gifts. Akiiane was asked how she knows what to paint. Her answer resonated with me . . . God speaks to her, not always in words or an audible voice, but God talks to her, communicates with her.

This portrait of Jesus was painted by Akiane and was the face I remembered from a visitation I had with Jesus as documented in my book.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5uN3B2YXWM&sns=em

http://www.akiane.com/store/

Akiane's inspiration for her paintings made me realize that the same thing happens when I'm preparing to write something that is devotional in nature. God just gives me the right words, I put them down and often during a place where time seems to be suspended, I just keep writing and writing and writing until the words from God stop coming.

Sometimes I understand right away what God is trying to say, but other times I don't and in trust just keep writing them down knowing that God wants these sacred words shared with others. It's wonderful for me to learn about others, like Akiane, who share the kind of close relationship I have, and one which you also can have, with our beloved God. 

One of Akiane's Paintings of Heaven

You are Safe, as long as you Focus on Me.

My face is shining above you, beaming out peace that rise above understanding. You are surrounded by a sea of problems, but you are face to face with Me, your peace. You are safe, as long as you focus on Me.

If you gaze to long at the great number of problems around you, you will sink under the weight of your burdens. When you start to sink, simply call out, "Help me, Jesus!" and I will lift you up.

The closer you live to Me, the safer you are. Circumstances around you are moving , and there are treacherous looking waves in the distance Fix your eyes on Me, the one who never changes.By the time those waves reach you, they will have shrunk to proportions of My design waves.  I am always beside you, helping you face today's waves. The future is a phantom, seeking to spook you.  Laugh at the future. 

Stay close to Me.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  -  Philippians 4:7

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord save me!" -  Matthew 14:29

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  -  Hebrews 12:2

How about you? Please feel free to join my blog because I would love to hear all about how you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus throughout your day? 

   

If any of you lack wisdom,  he should ask God,

who gives generously to all without finding fault,

and it will be given to him.

 James 1:5      

Decide to be a Disciple

You can decide to be a disciple of Jesus:

Your Heavenly Father's goal is for you to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ.

Sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up spiritually.

They are stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy, remaining in diapers and booties. The reason is that they never had the intention to grow.

Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes an intentional commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow, and persist in growing. Discipleship- the process of becoming like Christ-always begins with a decision.

Jesus calls us, and we respond:

"'Come, be my disciple,' Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him." (Matthew 9:9)

When the first disciples chose to follow Jesus, they didn't understand all the implications of their decisions. They simply responded to Jesus' invitation. That's all you need to get started:

Decide to become a disciple.

Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make. Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you.

It is at this point of commitment that most people miss God's purpose for their lives. Many are afraid to commit to anything and just drift through life. Others make halfhearted commitments to competing values, which leads to frustration and mediocrity. Others make a full commitment two worldly goals, such as becoming wealthy or famous, and end up disappointed and bitter. Every choice has eternal consequences, so you had better choose wisely.

Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living!  (2 Peter 3:11)

Being Christlike is the result of making Christlike choices and depending on his spirit to help you fulfill those choices. Once you decide to get serious about becoming like Christ, you must begin to act in new ways. You will need to let go of some old routines, develop some new habits, and intentionally change the way you think. You can be certain that the Holy Spirit will help you with these changes. The Bible says,

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13)

This verse shows the two parts of spiritual growth "workout" and "work in" is God's role Spiritual growth is a collaborative effort between you and the Holy Spirit. God's Spirit works with us, not just in us.

This verse, written to believers, is not about how to be saved, but how to grow. It does not say "work for" your salvation, because you can't add anything to what Jesus already did. During a physical workout you exercise to develop your body, not to get a body. When you workout a puzzle, you already have all the pieces- your task is to put them all together. Farmers work the land, not to get land, but to develop what they already have. God has given you a new life, now you are responsible to develop it "with fear and trembling" and that means to take your spiritual growth seriously! 

Christianity is not religion or philosophy, but a relationship and a life style.

The core I love that lifestyle is thinking of others, as Jesus did, instead of ourselves. The Bible says,

Thinking of others is the heart of being Christlike and the best evidence of spiritual growth. This kind of thinking is unnatural, counter-cultural, rare and difficult. Fortunately we have help:

God has given us His Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way the people of this world think. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

What about you, have you decided to be a disciple yet?

Have you decided to be a disciple of Jesus? Have you decided to grow? Are you making an effort to grow, or persisting in your growth? Are you beginning to act differently?  

Please feel free to join my devotional blog. I would love to hear your story about how you are growing in your faith.