Grow Up: Do you really want to?

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Spiritual Growth  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  59:46
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We are expected, as followers of Christ, to grow spititually. A lack of growth in a Christian's walk is a problem. Antonio outlines a biblical method an individual can follow to grow in service to Christ.

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after grandmother Toys R Us

Toys R Us is no longer with us because maybe because they're their model was your targeting kids that didn't want to grow up. And guess what? I think there's any more Toys R Us was catering to that time. We have that same type of feeling where we don't want to grow up. No, we just want to stay a kid and what you fail to realize that you can. You can grow old without growing up and you're just passed by but you're still the same thing a kid. That's how my kids right now. They just they just don't understand that their responsibilities. When you are an adult right now just seems to be an adult but there's some friends that I have something on wanted on the welcoming friends that I have. One of them is Bill another one bill another one. Guess what his name is Bill as well as part of a kind of dog is that you can just friends called the kids don't realize that

I just be a kid again and not worry about these responsibilities.

We grow old doesn't matter what we do. You're going to grow old man as well without growing up in but God calls us to grow up. Physically emotionally and more importantly spiritually you want us to grow up some of us. Where should we just got older? We haven't grown up. Some of us are still spiritually. And that's not what God wants us to be the one that you could grow up. Immaturity is something that is shown when you act on feelings. No, I can get a chance. They just act on feelings and they show their immaturity that way but spiritual maturity is when you act on truth and that truth is the word guy in The Raven. Yes. They are. I have a big right now. She's two years old and she's very very cheap.

Issues that same way again next year and the year after that in the year after that anymore.

some of us like to remain spiritually as well. Is it the more tragic? Growth is God's will is God's will for every single one of us to grow up especially spiritually and pieces poor verses 14 through 16 in the Phillips translation for a message note. They want you to take notes so that you can remember what was said. If you don't have a writing utensil is Rajon one of the ushers rdr2 something cancel pin if you need like a spoiled, I think I could go get you a quill well. Ephesians 4 verses 14 through 16 in the field of translation in green. We are not meant to remain as children at the mercy of every chain. Instead we are meant to hold firmly to the truth and love and to grow up in every way into Christ if your employer have the right answer to go ahead and circle the word grow up.

We have to grow up and every way into Christ Jesus is the ultimate picture of spiritual maturity is the ultimate picture of emotional maturity is the ultimate picture of intellectual maturity. That is who we are to grow up to be that is our model.

Long ago people used to say what would Jesus do that should be your mom's or what would Jesus do in this situation? Because Jesus is that ultimate picture. So we have to grow up not in some ways. It says are pre we need to cry. So whatever you saw Jesus do in the Bible. Give me the same. I need to start doing that. Let me know when you get to know Jesus character is because he is a person and he is alive today. God made the intensity be created what we see today and Peter all of that back and Genesis 1 and when he created page you created the universe any creative things based on principles. You know, the universe is built on principles the prince of the law of physics that we discovered but God have that God's invention. We just discovered it. So there's a law of gravity. Do you have to believe in the law gravity is still apply to you gave you could jump out the window on driver to go to discriminate traffic is going to be hard because God created the law of gravity for everyone for my guisada. Does the second law of thermodynamics?

How people talk about racism he created all these things he created the laws in that mayonnaise and govern the universe may not know them all but God created it now with the university also created spiritual laws of growth he has for us but six of the law that I discovered in the Bible now multiple is not limited to this. There are multiple laws that God has given us so we're just going to go over some of them. The first law that we see here and that we grow when we feed on God's word. We grow when we feed on God's word.

Tell me about soul food Detroit. Nebraska collard greens and cornbread

Batman all right. All right.

A real soul food. Come on Babe Ruth soul food is a word of God can last a very long time just by eating once a day. No work today, but once a week that you have. A bouquet of what I can just go to Golden Corral on Sunday when you open up and that's it. You stay there for an hour and a half and then you leave and then you come next week and you don't need how long do you go to last very long? You'd be like very thin and it wouldn't be right.

Same thing with the word of God. The only time that you eat is on Sunday mornings. Some of us are spiritual rims. Amber word of God needs that every single day eating your body by sitting on what?

so says in Matthew 4

he says people need more than bread.

peanut butter and jelly to

every this is d live on pool heater Paso food as well. And that is the word.

Call himself says and I asked 20 verse 32. The word of Grace is able to build you up and give you all the blessings that God has for his people. The word is the Bible. The word of Grace is able to build you up just like real food is able to make you stronger and give you strength and vitality the word of God give the same thing to your soul. They build you up and then after Build You Up

God in a build you up and it would take you less than I know there's a way to get a good grasp of the Bible netted with your hand doesn't know stration that I have there for you to a six ways to do that and you have to hear the word read or study War member I meditate and apply if you just hear the word just like the depressing statistics.

They say that 95% of what you hear you forget in 72 hours Wednesday everything. I just told you to remember is probably the Toys R Us commercials is longer than the longest memory. So you're going to write.

Now the illustration is of my hand right now how to get a good grasp of the Bible. Right your pinky finger your little finger little finger the middle finger represent. Read your ring finger represent. What am I here and hear this represent to read this represent study this represent memorize this represents meditate and your palm represent apply illustration if I hear the word of God

Examples of can come and just still that word away from you because you're still you're still the Bible house for you to come and just steal your blessings. You have a better grasp. How do you do that? I just hear the word can't just be hearers alone read or as well once you do that you have a better grasp. But it's still not enough. So you need to hear the word. You need to read the words and you need to study the word need to go into the work and look at the application in the how to apply to you interpreted the way that was able to see what they were saying and take the principles from there and ask yourself. How can that be applied to me? That is how you study the word. You can sometime when you were in the battle in the middle of the day. Do you have access to your word? You need to have the word in your heart just a little devil and me just find my word and didn't know you need to have some scripture memorize to assist you.

What's happening today?

Do not worry right now is just focus thinking of something negative. But meditation is focus thinking or something positive. What can be more positive.

So we should not be worrying about anything as a matter fact. I'm not worried. So that means that if I am worrying I am sinning.

You're saying when you are worried, but don't worry meditate. You need to hear it read it studying memorize it meditate on it and apply James and the Book of James says be doers of the word. I just hear. All right, and what you do do all those things no matter what. Take the word away from you, and I'll take your blessing.

So what do you need to do? To get a good grass ain't that your actions though is to have a baby time with God need to have a daily time with God reading your word praying spending time with him because with God Christianity is not just a religion or it's not it's a relationship to spend time with them every day. You can think of any relationship where it is going to be successful. If you don't spend time with that person successful if I just said I see you next week.

I need to have a good time with your spouse does aqui time with your spouse for the relationship to work out the same thing. We need to have a daily time with God when you're listening to what God is saying to you through his word and you're also speaking to him through prayer. No relationship realize if you're the only one I'm talkin no relationship to laugh if you'd only one that just listening.

With God the second thing that the second law that we have for spiritual growth is that you need to regrow when we learn in different ways. We grow when we learn in confront waiting for.

Doesn't matter who you are. God made us all different.

Fingerprints are different. If I print the retina is different your footprint. Is there free the way you walk and different your gate is different my heart beat everyone out of Heartbeat, that's different. Different. He's a creative guy. Don't try to be like anybody else. I'm digress to hear yourself. Cuz if you're trying to be like somebody else was going to be proud of who you are the God Made You different and you did that on purpose.

Because you got us all different and Luke Chapter 3 Verse 18 received that John here in many different ways John preach the good news to the people. He preached in many different ways. Why because people are different. That means you receive things differently. All right, we all learned in different ways and some of the ways that you see here on your outline. I have four different way and again is not an exhaustive list. There are other ways as well vote is going to go over these four different ways. The first one is that you learn by listening. Auditory Learners learn best by listening and historically those type of people they love church because just sit down and listen, you're not even here you just sitting down and listen to what they like to do for listener by reading a visual learner. That's why you have your outline. That's why you see the word for the attention of those people who are visual Learners. That's why that happened there. Other people there are my talking. All right, and those type of people that's one small group is 4 cuz you can talk and tomorrow you can talk here to question. Did you just in your one-word answer? I might have a question for you, but you cannot talk here talking to God. They're not did you just see them Zone dogs and think about what to say to you and then once they stop talking that's when they can I get what I learned through talkin. I suppose out those type of people not just another group. They say I don't like to listen. I don't like to read I don't like to talk. Those are called men in internalizing here that they like to learn by doing you. All right.

Name something ends up being at the coffee table, but you bought a bed. Liners and there's a learn by doing a God is all-knowing sorcerer Road 33 verse 14 because of this God speaks in different ways and we don't always recognize his voice because he may not talking to you through that language learning styles and different way to speak to those who are auditory learner has to go to a visual learner. He speaks to those who are verbal aural learner. He speaks to us in different ways.

You can't just come to church and just sit there and just missing, you know, for those who are listeners they can did they can do that. But for the rest of us, you can't do that until you have to take note growing up. I will always ask myself like I would see Christian. Just like they haven't they grew old but didn't grow up. They haven't changed nothing screams about them later 5 years later and they're still the same because they're not learning. They just come to church and sit there and just listen to Sherman and then Wednesday will buy time Wednesday night bible study come if you got everything.

It could be that reason that they are forgetting it. All right not taking notes or it because of their learning styles. So it won't be at the Lighthouse. We're going to try to meet every single style would approve the worship Sunday here and also few small groups. Your style is going to be read. The first spiritual law is regrow when we develop spiritual habits. grow when we develop spiritual habits your habits tell you what your character is because your character is just the song total of your habit. All right, your character is just all of your hazards combined into one that is who you are a kind person if you only kind twenty five percent. What time does you are a person of Integrity when you're the only honest 25% of the time it doesn't work that way, you know, you can't I can't say to my wife. You know what I'm going to be faithful to you for 28 days this week. No no cars on faithfulness is unfaithfulness is disobedient. There's no such thing as either you are or you is

So it has to be a habit the summer can have it make your character. So what kind of habits do we need to develop spiritual happy? I'm so how do we develop these girls are habit and John 13 or 17 at 3. Now that you know these things the things that we just went over you'll be blessed. If you practice them you'll be blessed that you practice practice them going to circle that is down.

Now that you know this you only going to be blessed if you do it. All right, you can't God bless us. Com by knowing who I know what to do. I know the right thing to do. If a person doesn't come on with that God blesses. Come only if you do it put it into practice. So he scared to have it there were going to go over you have to practice them so you can reap the blessings that God has for you. The number for you comes up in the Bible several times and and God has a reason for them Studies have shown that if you do something for about 40 days, it becomes a habit. I have it for now. I have to pee every day if you practice that for about three weeks to take about three weeks to get comfortable with it and I bought a Note 3 weeks to the port to be ingrained in you. So if you have to get up and do it consistently 40 days and then you can just say I'm going to read my word today and then next day, you skip the and then choking know I'm a read my word the next day. Read or did you need to work for 3 days in a row and then stop and then it's like it's like picking up a ball screen make a ball and drop me again. That's what that is. But you have to consistently for you to make it. How did you have to do it daily doing daily for 40 days and then it'll be I have it so that first actions to God. I'm asking you guys I'm recommending for you guys. I'm challenging you to do it for 40 days.

So what happens when you practice good spiritual habits what happened? You grow you grow and Hebrews 5:14 and says solid food is for the mature people. Mature people like her move baby from guy to eat that you don't even know. What should I do? If a baby's with that's what I'm going to do. But how to put steak in front of a baby. All right, baby eat solid food is for mature people mature people eat steak and it goes on Whose Minds have been trained by practice that I've had it right have it. All right to know the difference between good and evil hear that when you grow when you practice these habits Rogue when you grow you get solid food because solid food is for the mature people make bad decisions right make bad decisions. Why do you make that decision because you don't know the right thing to do. You don't know what's right. You don't know what's wrong in the Bible tells you what's right and what's wrong. So if you need to go into your Bible and know the difference between good and evil and that is with solid food the word of God, but you need to spend time with God in your word praying so that you can become mature so that you can know the difference between good.

So how do you make wise decision you become spiritually mature then you know what the difference? Become spiritually mature and then you'll find out what to do. treasury agent those are people who can tell what kind of fit bills are like limited. Does anyone have like a $20 bill or higher and they were some of that $20 bill or higher 100.

Look at the background.

I get out of church.

the US Treasury agent Dave Chappelle a counterfeit Bill. How do they do this? They don't study counterfeit bills. What they do is they look at the real deal body. What's real they analyzed a real $20 bill.

They starting Yoruba that look at it backward. They look at it in the sunlight. They study a $20 bill so that when effacement come they can spot it from our way. I'm not a real. How do you know cuz I know the real. Dance party because they spend time with the real deal. Some of us need to spend time with the real deal in the real deal is the word of God.

Time with this anybody can take you away from it different Cults and religions and all of that is like a King James version and twisted and they have their counterfeit religion. Study the real deal for that. No one can sway you away from what's real. You have to study.

The American people in the Olympics don't have to practice these habits. Right. You just say wake up one morning and be like, yeah, I'm going to I'm going to have to make it today. You can't just do that screen and then put these habits into played for that day can make it to the real deal of Tom Brady. He's like a 4th oldest player. I mean on his face stickers. Are older than him but he's 40 years old and he's one of the best athletes out there in the best quarterback in. And he have habits that he has that he's been practicing every day like in the morning.

Is that he does and he just keep doing that so that he can be a great athlete the difference between successful and unsuccessful people. Is that a successful people put the time and energy into developing habits and disciplines that go to sex with people wanting to develop are not willing to pay the price. But those except when people are willing to pay the price LeBron James spends millions of dollars on physical therapy, cuz that's how he has that longevity.

They just didn't just sign up for MMA win the gold medal prize to have these habits to develop discipline so that they are successful. God wants us to do the same thing with his word in 1st Corinthians 9:25. It says they train hard and they practice to get better. They do it to win a prize. That won't last. Did you want to win that gold-medal that won't last they do it to win. Vince Lombardi trophy. That won't last they do it to win the Larry O'Brien trophy. That won't lie. But we practice to win a prize that will last forever and we need to practice because we're in a war last forever. so what are some of the happened to go over for their multiple have it but there's only four on Online avatar a habit of weekly large group worship. That's what we're doing right now. We are in a large group worship. You have a habit of being in a small, small group Fellowship. We always advertising for that. If you're not probably smarter than you needed to get anyone need to have a habit of at any time alone with God Catholic Bible in prayer and also developed a habit of memorizing God's word is large and small group Fellowship those two habits are very important because you can Some things in one and not the other. Is there something that you can do in a small group Fellowship have a discussion that you can't do it here and you can sing. You know what you can do all that smart, but does and I can't see very well in that small group work in Jamaica Joyful Noise forgot and not be worried about it because someone anyways, you can do that because the larger we are here the more beautiful music that we can make with your bad asking or not. You know, what's up there something that you can do in a large proportion that you can't be doing this markers worship and vice-versa. That's why you need to be in both need to be in a larger in a small group.

Nah, we witness this larger words of a small group Fellowship in the Bible asked to vs46 247. It read. Everything the Believers have the Habit habit of meeting together in the temple courts. Now, they have churches yet. But the temple Court would like church like right now. This is like a temple court and also in their home that's always pushing for small group to meet in their homes because we want to do what the Bible did because the Bible is right. You don't want to just come up with something to do because we are over here at the church and also in home and small group. It ain't together and they celebrated with happy and thankful. They got together and they party they celebrated together, you know, some of us some people don't want to come to church because they can't stand the people that's inserted. That's that's that's not right. You know, we did a p a family. You need to be a big happy family. Just like when you get together for Thanksgiving.

This is Thanksgiving dinner. All right.

Walk out the door and the whole Community that's around them. The neighbors around the whole Community like what they see in these people. Does a community like when they see in you?

Over here. They praise God in the whole Community like what they saw in these people and the Lord added to their groups daily as their neighbors.

as a result of their meeting together for large group worship as a result of them getting together tomorrow group The Neighbor The Neighbors like what they saw in these people. They said they have the same problems that we do anything for her. Why are they have you want to know what I want to be part of this click? I want to be a part of this as a result of them getting together as a result of them practicing to be bad because being together God added to their number. If numbers is not being added then I'm just not doing something right. You're not doing something, right? You're showing your face.

Be happy to see me naked left and disciples by your love for each other. People will know you are my disciples. You are my disciples by the clothes that you wear people will know that you are my disciples.

That you are my disciples know he will say that he said it by your love for one another.

Do you have to love one another that you are his disciples?

My prayer is for people to look at my house. Did they see us? Macy joy and us they see the love that we have for what? another during worship the love that we have for one another when we get into smart moves how high my prayer is that people can doing anything that it is authentic. It is genuine. 110 a part of this that is my prayer the next to have to have it is daily time with God and us. That's a personal thing where you read the Bible and pray and also with you memorize God scripture not raise your hand at the end of your life. You want people to be able to say that you had a successful life? I should have only one place where the bible promises and guaranteed.

There's only one place on the bible promises and guarantees success and the key to prosperity and success can be found and Joshua 1 verse 8. And it says always remember what is written in this book book is the Bible. I always remember how do you remember my meditating? And then I focus thinking meditate on the word. I read it.

Read it and think about it. I think about it, I think about it every day and be sure to obey. To apply for a member. Be sure to obey everything not so much, please.

Everything that's written in it. And if you do this, do I remember what's in the word we didn't think about it meditate on is studying. If you do those things, you will be prosperous and successful in your life. This is the key to Prosperity. This is the key to success you need to get into the world. Before we grow up we grow when we help each other grow we grow when we help each other grow. You need me. I need you read each other as 112 says in the new century version. I want us to help each other with a faith. We have your faith will help me and my faith will help you. There are 56 one another in the Bible. I want to know that I mean that you are the Bible also said you ought to care for one another one another you are to encourage one another one another one another share with one another build each other up. For one another and so on and so on and you cannot do that just here you have to be in.

Got to go. Anyway, you grow is a community. The only way your grow is in relationships. The Bible also says that I don't need you trying to enter translate to the I I don't need you a hand severed from the body is worthless. Can I hand grow without the body can a foot grow with the body once you're cut off from the body? There's no more Road, you'll shrivel up and you will die. Need to be attached to the body. Every other face that you can think about is just the opposite. They said that to be holy you have to be secluded away from so that you can get to like Nirvana or whatever it is. Is the opposite of Jesus is not hiding out in the cave Jesus in the marketplace. Jesus is out there at the party and wedding party.

People even called Jesus like a party animal they call them a Drucker. They called him a glutton, you know, David.

That way I need you on purpose. I got Matthew 11:19 or Luke chapter 7 verse 34 right that. You see that they called Jesus a drunkard and a glutton. right Jesus was with the people and God wants us to be the same way. He wants you to be with people cuz that's the only way you can grow in community with other people not everybody's perfect. You have to deal with people.

Building a small group is important because God wants you to learn how to love he wants you to learn how to love you don't even enemies love their friends. All right, but you have to be able to know how to love people who aren't like you you're either of us hear a different in many different ways. You may not get along with somebody here, but you have to learn how to love that person God put everybody in our Circle so that we can be a better person and learn how The very reason you don't want to be in a small group is the very reason you need to be in a small group. You made me like this person doesn't agree with me or just person is irritable.

The most strongest person is a baby talk about the most selfish person on this planet Earth, right and everyone needs to exist for a mind. That's what a baby does change me. I'm hungry. I can't sleep rock me to sleep and I am I'm just crying for no reason just hold me when babies start to grow up. That's when they start to become mature and that's when they start to learn how to think about other needs. Some of us are spiritual babies, right? We only think about my schedule and I just can't do anything about mine. You're my problem. Not your problem my priorities priorities meme.

God doesn't want spiritual babies. You have to think about other people. We need each other. We grow in community Hebrews 10 2425 except for one another to help one another to show love and to do good. That's not give up the habit of meeting together. That's small groups. Back then in towards the first hundred years of church. They have is like church Christianity and you have church building domestic abuse Mongoose, encourage one another all the more. So your next action step to join a small group. Make sure you go to the Welcome Center and get with somebody so that you can join a small group. Numberfire we grow when we expect to grow we grow when we expect to grow. This is what I like to call the faith Factor. Jesus says in Matthew 9 verse 29 according to your faith. It will be done to you. According to your faith, it will be done to you. What is that? God blesses you. according to your faith God said you get to choose you get to choose how much I bless your life. You get to choose how much I use your life. You get to choose how much your life 16 you get to choose everything you get to choose it according to your faith. It will be done to you. So what kind of paint do you have? Do you have just a small little faith? What do you want then? Say what God can bless you more and more. So what are you going to expect in? The next 40 days is 40 day challenge. I'm giving you what are you going to expect in your life the next 40 days. Are you going to expect if you don't expect grow then it's not going to happen. It's going to happen because according to your faith. It will be done to you every time God moves out of heaven and it moves on Earth to perform a miracle and somebody's life. It only happens because somebody who believes

So if you want to grow you have to expect. according to your faith

as we grow when we commit to grow. Grow when we commit to grow. Growth is a choice. It's not automatic. You can grow old without growing up but growing up is a choice. So choose to grow do the habits make the effort you make a choice made a choice of a commitment to grow a year from today. How different do you intend to be? A year was going to pass regardless. Are you going to be different when a year comes or still stuck in the same problems you have right now? Do you want to be more mature or do you still intend to be the way you are right now? It is your choice you're as close to God as you choose to be. God hasn't moved. You moved. You are close to God as you choose to be far away from you guys is because my brother and my sister know you can't blame anybody but yourself, it's your choice how close you are the girl onthe God. To my question for you. And do you really want to grow? grow up and Jeremiah 29 verse 13. I like the message translation there and it said, this is God speaking. He says you're fine me when you get serious about finding me and wanted more than anything else. You'll find me when you get serious. Finding Nemo you have to make a commitment to grow.

So you're asking stuff is to make a covenant with others. Make a covenant with other a company means that you make a promise in the Bible days. Did they make covenants several time? For example in Nehemiah Nehemiah 9 verse 38 it says you of all of this. We are making a covenant together and rioting and all of us are signing our names to it. Why do we make a company with others because we grow faster when we do it with others. It's easier to change with other people with other people are changing with. When you go on a diet and you get a bunch of people to go on a diet with me, it's easier that way because misery enjoys company.

It's easier when you go if you going to go on an exercise thing you get a partner with you is easier to get in shape that wig. role in community not making a covenant is making a commitment. It's important to make spiritual commitment as well because in life we met several committees. Right when you get a car you sign that company to pay for it for the next 36 months or 72 months 6 months. Netflix every two months payments on a new car.

Sign of commitment, then when you go to rent a house where I can buy a house if you sign is a 30 year promise. I'm going to pay this house for the next 30 Years. When you go on a job you sign the commitment a covenant saying that I'm going to perform these duties to the best of my ability so you don't do it to the best of your ability and perform.

Amazon.com 142 some of us a sign of confident for marriage nope, but I think we've talked enough is that you don't need to be able to know? How to do the company you can but you need to sign it so that you can grow into the Covenant before I got married. but I got married and I'm growing into that commitment of when I signed up to be a parent.

you know, you don't even know what we're doing, but we same thing with the spirit of heaviness. You don't know what you're going to get yourself into, but I promise you. You are grown into that Covenant. So right now with your message outline. Right. Now I want you to sign your name on the bottom of that drink with you signing your name on the bottom of that you are making a covenant 2 to with all the things that we discussed right now. You are making a covenant to follow this V6 laws of spiritual growth to do the best that you can to grow. And as you signed this Mike my prayer for you right now is found in 2nd Corinthians Chapter 13 Verse 9. Not the last verse when your outline our greatest wish and prayer and that you will become. Sure. That is my wish that is my prayer for you right now. That's the same. Let's go ahead and bought our head close our eyes.

Let's get ready to pray. And you probably pray I just want to get to those who are mature Christians aren't Christians yet. I just want to give you that opportunity to become one because before you can grow you have to be born first right babies can grow unless they are born and right now I'm going to give you the opportunity. born again and run over to our heads close. I mean accepted Christ to be your lord and personal savior Lord just mean we don't use that word in our everyday life was bored. Just mean to be a manager.

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