Our goal as believers should be spiritual growth. The process often reveals some surprising things growing spiritually is a greater revelation of just how big a sinner that I really am, and God's grace is deeper than I had imagined. His mercy is far wider than I could have ever dreamed, and as I begin to experience that now, I have a greater capacity to share that same love, grace, forgiveness toward others spread.

To put on the mind of Christ we have to put off the mind of the world, and we need to start thinking heavenly thoughts and heavenly minded ways. And they're very, very different. This world says, looking out for number one and be aggressive and dominate. And Jesus said, blessed are the poor in spirit, the ones who feel like they're just bankrupt, spiritually blessed.

There's books on how to dress for success and all the rest, but it really doesn't change who you are on the inside. It's a presentation. But now Paul here tells us that there is another kind of wardrobe. It's a heavenly wardrobe, or new and spiritual clothing that really makes a new spread.

There's an old saying. When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you're gone, the world will cry and you will rejoice. Today, pastor Ray brings us some insight on living a life that touches others. We are studying Ephesians with a focus on maturing spiritually

You start with this little tiny group 2000 years ago, and today you see that because of the pastors, prophets, evangelists and pastors and teachers, there are now 2.5 billion people. 2000 years later, who believe that Jesus is not dead in some tomb in the Middle East, but he actually rose from the dead that he is alive.That's a pretty aggressive growth campaign. Today, pastor Ray points out how the Lord structured the church to reach the world just that way. Let's open our Bibles to Ephesianschapter four. And we're now in the second section of Ephesians, where Paul is saying, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, verse one, to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.

You want to make peace. Show the gentleman house of God. Not that God's running around. He's angry and he's fed up. And he can't wait to judge everybody. That's that's not God. That's not the one I believe in. I believe in the one who said he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

How do you identify yourself? . . . First and foremost, we should view ourselves as God's children. When we do, we'll be amazed at how that changes our lives. Want to know why?

God's love should so fill us that it flows over to others . . .Paul was encouraging. He goes, look, I know there's going to be differences of opinion, differences of expression, but strive for unity. Realize you're all brothers and sisters. You're all going to spend eternity with one another. You realize that we're going to be spending eternity with each other.

The successful Christian life starts with what God has done for us. Many times the church, let's say as an institution, has gotten the order backwards. You need to do this for God and you need to do that for God. And if you do this, then God will bless you. I believe that is not the biblical order.

Jesus wants to have a close, caring relationship with us. You have a shepherd who's going to protect you. He's going to lead you to green pastures. He's going to work every circumstance, be involved in every detail, and even use the negative things in a fallen world to disciple you and to grow you up and to prepare you for an eternity of sharing as adjoined here with Jesus Christ