Spiritual Maturity

Impedance #4

Forth Impedance: Inconsistency/unreliability/unfaithfulness

Heb 10:23 (ESV)

Lam. 3:22-23

Matt. 28:20

Our example: Christ

Luke 4:14-20

Heb. 13:5-9 (ESV)

As God, it was clear that the eternal Kingdom of God was priority for Christ.

Is God, God?

Is God faithful?

Is God incapable of lying?

Is God reliable to keep His promises?

If these are settled, then we must move forward in faith and faithfulness.

Heb 12:1-3 (ESV)

Not only is it our Lord's example for us, but these are marks of true Christians.

Gal. 5:7 & 6:9

Our view of God can change because our circumstances dictate our emotions and then we become inconsistent.

Matt 24:45-47

Heb. 10:23-25

Rev. 17:14 (ESV)

LIFE - Sermon 35

LAST WEEK: When you are who you are you are supposed to be, at times, things can become more difficult.

Gen. 39:6 (ESV)

Life Point: When you are struggling against temptation, you must be fixated on Christ to see victory.

Success is really low, when the target is far away.

James 1:12-15

Satan is relentless.

Gen. 39:10-12

The enemy will not give up, or give in, so we must not either.

1 Peter 5:6-10 (ESV)

James 4:5-10

Eph. 6:10-18 (ESV)

2 Tim. 2:22

Fixation on the Lord is our only hope against the very effective schemes of the enemy.

Spiritual Maturity

Mark #4

Forth Mark: Spiritual Desire

John 4:31-36

John 8:28-29

God doesn't desire:

A pursuit of Him ONLY when we need Him to bail us out of something.

A pursuit of Him ONLY when it's convenient, or necessary, to us.

He doesn't want us to hunger and thirst for Him in a bipolar way.

God does desire:

A desire for Him because we love Him and acknowledge our utter dependence on Him.

Truths about Spiritual Desire:

The spiritually immature vacillates back and forth between wanting God and wanting the world.

The war with the flesh and Spirit doesn't go away, but the desire for this world and its system begins to fade, as one grows more spiritually mature.

Spiritual desire becomes more and more obvious and more and more tenacious as we grow in our walk as a Christian.

The recognition of the battle of flesh and spirit:

Rom. 7:14-25

The growing disconnect from the desire for this world and growing affinity for Christ:

Gal. 5:24-25

Gal. 6:14

Phil. 3:7-21

Ps. 42:1-2

Ps. 63:1-3

Ps. 84:1-2

Ps. 119:20

1 Peter 2:1-3

2 Tim 3:1-5

So, how does your spiritual desire increase?

You must spend genuine time with the Lord.

It's a simple solution but usually requires a sacrificial resolve.

LIFE - Sermon 34

LAST WEEK'S LIFE POINT:

If you are focused on short term benefits you might miss long term rewards.

Life Point 1: When you are who you are you are supposed to be, at times, things can become more difficult.

Why would you choose this?

1. It's the only path of promised rewards.

2. It's the only path of promised help.

3. It's the only path of prepared future.

Gen. 39:7-9

John 3:36

John 5:24

1 John 5:12

Mistakes made in trials:

1. We compare our trouble/trials to others.

2. We look only for the end of the trial/trouble (not the work God is doing in and through it).

3. We fixate on comfort and not Christ.

4. We are infatuated with the temporal (and lose sight of the eternal).

Life Point 2: When you are struggling against temptation, you must be fixated on Christ to see victory.

James 1:12-15

Gen. 39-10-12

James 4:5-10

Spiritual Maturity

Impedance #3

Impedance #3 - Pride

There are 2 kinds of pride:

Good pride = spiritually prompted and right

Bad pride = fleshly/sinfully prompted and wrong

2 Cor. 11:16-12:10 (ESV)

Gal. 6:14

1 Cor. 15:10

2 Cor. 10:17-18 (ESV)

Prov. 8:13

Pride is a characteristic of the wicked.

Pride is a characteristic of the old nature.

1 Cor 10:12

Pride is a landmine for the Christian.

Pride is a roadblock to spiritual growth.

Some indicators pride is keeping you back:

If you think you've been a Christian long enough to be told you might be wrong.

If you think you know enough to not listen to every word God lays on a preacher's heart.

If you think you know too much to be corrected/admonished/reproved biblically.

If you think you are right...period.

If you think your way is the only way (the only right way/good way).

If no one can tell you how to do something different.

If only certain people are the people you will listen to.

If you believe you determine what is right, or wrong.

If you believe that you can determine what parts of scripture you will obey or not.

1 Tim. 3:6

1 Tim 6:1-5

Prov. 16:18-19

James 4:6-10

LIFE - Sermon 33

Last week's LIFE POINT: God desires to bless from 'close relationship,' not 'cloaked religion.'

Gen 39:4-6

Life Point: If you are focused on short term benefits you might miss long term rewards.

You can compromise the right now, so that you benefit right now, but it will cost you in the long run.

Col. 3:1-4 (ESV)

2 Peter 1:1-16

Don't get so focused on what brings you an immediate benefit that you lose sight of the purpose of life and value of long term rewards.

Benefits that came to Joseph even though he wasn't focused on temporary benefits, but focused on being who God called him to be, at all times:

1. Found grace/favor with his earthly superior.

2. Given responsibility to oversee his superior's house.

3. Promoted to the manager of ALL his superior's possessions.

4. His earthly superior's house was blessed BY GOD.

5. His earthly superior's operations (army, farming, etc.) were blessed BY GOD.

Ps. 37:4

Spiritual Maturity

Mark #3

First 2 Marks:

1. Humility

2. Love

First 2 Impedances:

1. Strife/Division

2. Carnality (fleshly indulgence)

Third Mark: Obedience

Obedience is keeping, observing, following what God says, how God says it, and why He says it.

Obedience, sincere obedience, comes from a place of submission and humility and trust.

Obedience comes from an abased place of understanding that God is WORTHY to obey.

James 1:19-25 (NASB)

John 14:15

John 14:21

1 Sam 15:22

Matt. 28:20

The further we get from wrestling with obedience to God, the closer we get to Christlikeness.

John 6:38

John 12:48-50

John 6:63-64

2 Tim. 3:16-17 (ESV)

The purpose for having the knowledge of God's word through teaching, reading, and discipling is that we would apply it.

Heb. 4:12

Ps. 128:1-4

LIFE - Sermon 32

Last week's life points -

Life Point 1:

Because of sin, at times, good people suffer wrong.

Life Point 2:

Because of grace, at all times, God is with His people in their suffering.

Gen. 39:3

LIFE POINT: God desires to bless from 'close relationship,' not 'cloaked religion.'

Matt. 5:43-46

Ps. 1:1-3

Ps. 90:17

Prov. 3:1-10

John 15:1-19

Luke 11:1-13

Spiritual Maturity

Impedance #2

Mark #1 - Humility

Mark #2 - Love

Impedance #1 - Strife/Division

Second Impedance: Carnality (or fleshly indulging/fleshly living)

2 Tim. 2:14-3:5(esv)

John 13:34-35

To NOT be carnal, doesn't mean we become religious zealous pharisees.

To NOT be carnal is to follow the Spirit's leading in obeying God's word; to walk in fellowship with God...in all sincerity...as you pursue a life that mimics your Lord.

Gal. 5:13-25

2 Peter 1:1-9

We will trip and fall along the way to Spiritual Maturity, but the prayer is that it becomes less and less of an occurrence the further along the spiritual path we go.

LIFE - Sermon 31

Gen. 39:1

Rom. 5:12-14, 18-21 (ESV)

Rom. 6:6-11 (ESV)

Life Point 1:

Because of sin, at times, good people suffer wrong.

1 Peter 2:20-25

1 Peter 3:1218

2 Tim. 3:12-13

Gen. 39:2

Life Point 2:

Because of grace, at all times, God is with His people in their suffering.

Is. 53:3-12 (ESV)

Heb. 4:14-16 (ESV)