1 year ago

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Spiritual Maturity and Reproduction

INTRO
Today on Run With Horses, we look at Stage Three of our spiritual growth. We are growing to become disciple makers in Jesus’ footsteps.

My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Run Your Race Well, not just Surviving but Thriving as a Disciple of Jesus! There are a LOT of things you could do with your life, but I don’t think anything compares with following Jesus and joining Him on His mission of bringing Hope to the nations. Welcome to Run With Horses and Thanks for including me in your journey!

Today’s focus -The Third Stage – Spiritual Maturity and Reproduction

We looked at the First Stage – Spiritual Identity and Foundations
Learning who you are in God’s sight, developing your character and learning the basics of the Christian life.

We looked at the Second Stage – Spiritual Sacrifice and Service
Learning how to relate in a biblical way to others, applying the “one another’s” of the NT in our relationships and learning the meaning and value of sacrifice as we serve others.

And now, drum roll please .. we are ready for the Third Stage – Spiritual Maturity and Reproduction
What are we talking about? We are continuing to build on the foundation of the first two stages. Remember that we never leave them. You should be growing in your understanding of who you are in Christ, of what He accomplished on the cross, of the work that He is doing in and through His church. You are continuing to learn about and practice your gifts, building up the body of Christ intentionally as you serve and take real joy in seeing others grow.

Know and maintain biblical priorities.
Came to seek and to save lost. To do Father’s Will.
Keep the main thing the main thing. Let’s keep it real simple.
Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Matt.22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Now the real question is how do you do that! And that is the process of Spiritual Growth and Sanctification. The Christian life is the answer to that question. It is the culmination of all our choices and life activities. Our life proves that we have Faith and love God and our neighbor or it gives evidence against us.
Think it’s easy? Paul didn’t!
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

In the third stage of Spiritual Growth we recognize the reality of the struggle and the value in the struggle. God uses it to grow us!

Maintain healthy spiritual habits and the disciplines that build a strong spiritual life.
Matt.6:33 Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
We have developed biblical priorities and are actively engaged in the struggle to live them our. What does that look like practically?
It looks a lot like practicing spiritual good habits and using the spiritual disciplines to support our spiritual life.
This includes the basics of the Christian life like Bible Study.
2 Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Prayer.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
And Fellowship with the Church.
Eph. 4:14 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.
It also includes some of the spiritual disciplines that aren’t a part of most people’s daily practice.
Like Fasting.
Matt. 6:16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Solitude.
Luke 5: 16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
A good resource for thinking about the spiritual disciplines is the book by Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines. Here is the Amazon link -
https://a.co/d/hyxWiUN

Intentionally seek out younger people and invest in their spiritual life.
Deut. 6:6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Not just your children! Take responsibility for the spiritual growth of others and help them grow.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

You are to be a beacon of light in the lives of those around you. Challenge them to consider the claims of Jesus and to see the world from an eternal perspective.

Prioritize disciple making activities and relationships.
Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
2 Tim. 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

This is the primary role of the church in the world today as I understand it. Make disciple of Jesus. Follow Hm and help others follow Him. Every generation is responsible for taking up the cause of Christ and reaching the next generation. It is not primarily information or education but whole life transformation into the image of Jesus. Our lives are changed from the inside out, eventually impacting every thought, word, deed and relationship. This is what it means to follow Jesus.
In the Third Stage of Spiritual Growth you are taking up the mission of Christ and acting as His ambassador to the world as you prepare the next generation of disciples to one day do the same. It is a big task. But it is God’s task and He will not fail. How awesome that He lets us be a small part of the great work of reconciliation that He is doing as He builds His church!

OUTRO
Thanks for joining me today! Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!

All Bible Quotations are NKJV unless otherwise noted.

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