We were created to have fellowship with God. We fellowship with God through prayer. In this message, Brother Duane explores how to pray, what to pray, and why to pray. 

Fundamentals of Prayer | Part 1

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In the eighth episode of "Defenses Against Deception," Duane Sheriff teaches the importance of hearing God's voice as a defense against deception. God has provided safeguards in Scripture to equip us against being deceived. Satan has a history of questioning God's word, as seen with Eve, and deception can appear harmless but have harmful intentions, as described in Revelation 13. Believers can and should hear God's voice, but many struggle to recognize it. 
 In John 10, Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice and know it. However, like Thomas, who said he didn't know the way, we may not consciously recognize what we already know in our spirits. We may dismiss or not discern God's voice without realizing it. 
 God's voice is often a still, small voice within and is not always in English. The language of the Spirit includes dreams, visions, impressions, and a sense of peace. Believers have the capacity to hear God's voice and discern it from the voice of the stranger or the devil. 
 Romans 8 explains that believers are led by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God. Even when we stray, the Holy Spirit leads us to repentance, guiding us back to the intended path, just as a GPS system does.  
 By learning to tune in and heed the Holy Spirit's leading, we can stay on the straight and narrow path. When we stumble, God's voice calls us to repent, change our minds, and get back on track, as He is committed to guiding us to our destination.

Defenses Against Deception | Episode 8 | Hearing His Voice

In the tenth episode of "Nurturing Spiritual Growth," Duane highlights the importance of discernment in spiritual maturity. He explains that spiritual growth is more than attending church or gaining knowledge; it also involves the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil—which are the hallmarks of a mature believer. 
 Discernment is an essential element of spiritual development that is frequently disregarded. Many tend to focus on the basics of faith or the mechanics of church life. However, discernment requires a deeper level of wisdom that allows believers to navigate life's complexities effectively. It's a crucial skill because, like young children, immature believers often struggle to make sound judgments, especially in situations that require a nuanced understanding of spirituality and morality. 
 Duane uses examples from daily life to illustrate the need for discernment. Just as parents make decisions for their young children, spiritual leaders, and mature Christians must guide less mature believers and help them understand spiritual truths while steering them away from potential pitfalls. 
 In Hebrews 5, the writer laments the readers' regression to needing "milk" instead of "solid food." This regression is symptomatic of a lack of discernment, where even basic principles of Christianity need constant reiteration because the deeper truths are too challenging for the immature. 
 Discernment is a crucial indicator of spiritual maturity. It requires more than just knowing right from wrong; it involves actively applying that knowledge in real-world situations. Believers must strive for maturity, which involves a robust understanding of God's word, a deep sense of discernment, and the ability to apply biblical principles in everyday life. This growth strengthens the individual and fortifies the broader Christian community by promoting collective maturity and understanding.

Nurturing Spiritual Growth | Episode 10 | Discernment

In episode nine of his series, "Nurturing Spiritual Growth," Duane focuses on the journey that Christians undertake from spiritual infancy to maturity. This journey is transformative and involves much more than gaining knowledge or performing religious duties. Christians are called to become true image bearers of Christ, reflecting His love and grace in every aspect of life. 
 The shift from being a "convert" to becoming a "disciple" is marked by a deepening relationship with God and a commitment to live out Christian values. This involves growing from immaturity to maturity. Entering the Kingdom of God is only the beginning; the real challenge and goal is to grow within the kingdom. This means embracing and embodying the attributes of Christ. 
 The discussion revolves around the concepts of spiritual "milk" and "meat." These terms differentiate between elementary and more complex doctrines of Christianity. Milk represents basic teachings necessary for new believers to understand their faith, while meat involves deeper, more challenging teachings that require a mature understanding and a strong faith foundation. Sheriff stresses that maturity in the Christian life means moving beyond the basics and grappling with more profound truths, which enable believers to handle life's complexities with wisdom and grace. 
 Duane emphasizes the necessity of love in the growth process. Spiritual maturity isn't just about what believers know but how they apply that knowledge in their relationships and daily lives. True maturity manifests through love — a love that echoes Christ's unconditional love for us. This kind of love involves forgiveness, patience, kindness, and a host of other qualities that Jesus exemplified during His time on earth. 
 The role of believers as image bearers of Christ emphasizes that to truly reflect Christ, believers must exhibit His character in their actions, decisions, and treatment of others. Being an image bearer means more than outward religious observance; it involves inner transformation that shines outwardly, positively impacting others. 
 Believers can become "dull of hearing," losing their eagerness to learn and grow, which leads to regression rather than progression in their spiritual lives. Nurturing spiritual growth is a call to Christians to a higher living standard that truly reflects Christ's love and grace. It's a call to grow in knowledge and become profound embodiments of that knowledge through love. This transformation turns believers into genuine image-bearers of Christ who can stand strong and shine brightly in a world that desperately needs the light of the gospel.

Nurturing Spiritual Growth | Episode 9 | Transformation

In the eighth episode of "Nurturing Spiritual Growth," Duane discusses the differences between spiritual maturity and immaturity. He focuses on the biblical analogy of milk and solid food, as described in 1 Corinthians 3. This metaphor explains the journey from basic, foundational teachings (milk) to more profound, actionable insights (solid food) that embody true spiritual maturity. 
 Transitioning from spiritual infancy to maturity is essential for a fulfilling Christian life. The reference to "milk" represents the elementary principles of Christianity, such as fundamental truths about Jesus, God's love, and our identity as believers. These fundamental truths are crucial for new believers to understand and embrace as they lay the groundwork for their faith. 
 While these basics are necessary, they are just the beginning. Actual spiritual growth, or "eating solid food," means applying these foundational truths in real life. Maturity involves moving beyond knowing that God loves us to actively loving God and others. It's about making faith an actionable part of our daily lives, demonstrating God's love through our actions, decisions, and how we treat those around us. 
 Duane uses the concept of forgiveness as a powerful illustration. He explains that comprehending God's forgiveness towards us is like drinking milk, which is easy to swallow. However, forgiving others in the same manner that we have been forgiven is like consuming solid food, which requires more effort. This demonstrates a mature expression of our faith in our relationships with others and symbolizes authentic spiritual growth. 
 Believers can sometimes become "dull of hearing," stagnant, and lose enthusiasm for deeper truths, which results in a lack of growth. This stagnation can lead to a decline in spiritual life instead of progression. To avoid this, believers must continuously seek growth, be eager to learn more than just the basic teachings, and strive towards understanding and living out the more challenging aspects of their faith. 
 The role of the community in spiritual growth is crucial. It involves mature Christians taking up the responsibility of guiding the less mature ones through their spiritual journey and helping them understand and apply the deeper truths of the Bible. This communal aspect of growth ensures that the entire body of Christ moves towards maturity together, supporting one another in love and good deeds.

Nurturing Spiritual Growth | Episode 8 | Forgiven

The message speaks to the importance of raising children in a way that prepares them to thrive in adulthood. Duane uses a scriptural analogy from Psalm 127:3-5, comparing children to arrows in the hands of a warrior. Just as an arrow has different components (feathers, shaft, and arrowhead), Duane highlights three stages of parenting and their significance. 
 The feathers (ages 0-10) represent laying the foundational principles of life, such as moral clarity, absolute truth in Jesus, and faith (Psalm 127:4). The shaft (ages 10-20) is the time for teaching wisdom and preparing them for marriage, careers, and handling responsibilities (Proverbs 1:8, Ephesians 6:4). The arrowhead represents the target or purpose of raising children, which is to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-39).  
 Using the example of Abraham (Genesis 18:17-19), Duane emphasizes the need to command children to keep the ways of the Lord, do righteousness and justice, and pass down God's promises generationally. The speaker warns against the danger of failing to pass down the knowledge and works of God, which can lead to paganism in just one generation (Judges 2:10-12). 
 Duane also provides practical advice for relating to your children once they become adults, such as showing interest in their lives, asking questions (as Jesus did with his disciples), giving advice (only when asked), listening well (James 1:19), praying for laborers (Matthew 9:38), being a laborer to someone else's prayers, and more.

Fundamentals of Prayer | Part 1

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