Becoming Our Best--Christian Leadership--Mentoring--Discipleship
So you've been saved, born of the Spirit or Born Again. You are set apart by God, sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Now what? This is our focus here at Growing up in Jesus; "Sanctification" or Maturing in our Faith.
As Christians, we are all called to be Leaders of some sort, and we want to do it well.
You have a wonderful future in Christ, filled with Contentment, Joy and Peace. By walking in the Spirit, we shall produce much fruit, and be more productive than ever before.
Did you know God has an image in His mind of the future you; a much better version of you? The Holy Spirit desires to help us continue Growing to become the best we can possibly be, and with God's help, there's no limit to what we can accomplish.
"...Be transformed by the renewing of your mind... (Romans 12:2)
"...Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator." (Colossians 3: 10)
As Christians, we are all called to be Leaders of some sort, and we want to do it well.
You have a wonderful future in Christ, filled with Contentment, Joy and Peace. By walking in the Spirit, we shall produce much fruit, and be more productive than ever before.
Did you know God has an image in His mind of the future you; a much better version of you? The Holy Spirit desires to help us continue Growing to become the best we can possibly be, and with God's help, there's no limit to what we can accomplish.
"...Be transformed by the renewing of your mind... (Romans 12:2)
"...Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator." (Colossians 3: 10)
Get Serious About Your Bible Study, Try BBN's On-line Bible Institute!
Daily Devotional By: FaithWriters.com
Visit "Knitted Together By God" for the healing balm of devotions, from the hearts of several Christian Writers who have a passion for Jesus.
Together We Grow
From Baby Steps to Eagle Wings
"For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 24:6
This Site is for all who hope to move forward in their relationship with Jesus, to go from taking baby steps, to leaping and running on the Spiritual Mountain of Christ. God's word is our instruction manual to success in all aspects of life. Spiritual Maturity comes through slow and steady effort, maintaining the Christian disciplines of; prayer, bible study, fellowship with the body of Christ (church), and daily confession, repentance and surrender to God.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" Ps. 119:105
"For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 24:6
This Site is for all who hope to move forward in their relationship with Jesus, to go from taking baby steps, to leaping and running on the Spiritual Mountain of Christ. God's word is our instruction manual to success in all aspects of life. Spiritual Maturity comes through slow and steady effort, maintaining the Christian disciplines of; prayer, bible study, fellowship with the body of Christ (church), and daily confession, repentance and surrender to God.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" Ps. 119:105
Has God Called You to the Ministry?
All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." 2 Timothy 3:16a
Humility is Spiritual Growth Factor
In my quiet time alone with God in prayer and Bible Study, the Spirit revealed some of the very same stubborn bad habits and attitudes in me that had plagued me even before I became a Christian. I had to ask myself, what am I doing wrong? Am I really undergoing the process of being sanctified in Christ? Has my spiritual maturing been stunted or stalled out? That was over twenty-five years ago.
Thankfully we serve an all knowing and wise God and back in that pivotal time in my life, He began to show me some of the answers I needed. Along with answers came the tools to apply the truths of God's word in a way which allowed me to begin making renovations of heart and mind, changes in me that had to be made if I am to be the "Over-Comer" that the Bible says a Christian is supposed to be. The first step was admitting to myself and others that I don't have all the answers and that Sanctification is a "Process". Humility was the first tool to go into my collection of power-tools and it is one that needs daily maintenance. The world looks at meekness and thinks, weakness. The true man or woman of God learns that meekness is really "Great Strength Under Control". No person on earth, not Billy Graham (and I love that Saint), not Mother Theresa, has ever, or ever will "arrive" at perfection. Not until Christ returns shall we be "perfected". We must remain open to spiritual growth continually.
As this blog-site develops I will be sharing the things God has taught me. I invite you to share what has worked for you to grow in your walk with the Lord. If you think I'm off base on something, feel free to let me know, because humility is a "spiritual growth factor", and I want to please the Lord and keep on growing till He returns, just as I'm sure you do too.
Click on the buttons above to visit the "Meditations" page, for daily devotions, the "Spiritual Gym": for deeper study to mature in our faith, the "News Page": Current Events and Upbeat News, and the "Leadership Development" page.
Thankfully we serve an all knowing and wise God and back in that pivotal time in my life, He began to show me some of the answers I needed. Along with answers came the tools to apply the truths of God's word in a way which allowed me to begin making renovations of heart and mind, changes in me that had to be made if I am to be the "Over-Comer" that the Bible says a Christian is supposed to be. The first step was admitting to myself and others that I don't have all the answers and that Sanctification is a "Process". Humility was the first tool to go into my collection of power-tools and it is one that needs daily maintenance. The world looks at meekness and thinks, weakness. The true man or woman of God learns that meekness is really "Great Strength Under Control". No person on earth, not Billy Graham (and I love that Saint), not Mother Theresa, has ever, or ever will "arrive" at perfection. Not until Christ returns shall we be "perfected". We must remain open to spiritual growth continually.
As this blog-site develops I will be sharing the things God has taught me. I invite you to share what has worked for you to grow in your walk with the Lord. If you think I'm off base on something, feel free to let me know, because humility is a "spiritual growth factor", and I want to please the Lord and keep on growing till He returns, just as I'm sure you do too.
Click on the buttons above to visit the "Meditations" page, for daily devotions, the "Spiritual Gym": for deeper study to mature in our faith, the "News Page": Current Events and Upbeat News, and the "Leadership Development" page.
The Second Birth
In John 3 Jesus is conversing with Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Jesus' words disclose the necessary work of God in saving a soul, through true faith.
"Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
It's an incredible and amazing statement! It flew contrary to everything this highly educated Pharisee had ever been taught. It was against the very laws of the physical realm, of science, that God Himself established.
And so Nicodemus gives the natural and expected question, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"
Glorious divine intervention is the only means of being re-created, of receiving a regenerated soul! For, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things are passed away, behold all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)
Father God tears open His chest to reveal the throbbing, painful love for mankind that beats there. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."(John 3:16)
God remakes us, that we may participate in His holiness, making us pure and fit to be in His presence, just as Adam and Eve were before the fall. This, so we may have eternal love and oneness with God, united with His holiness, which was His plan back before the foundations of the earth were laid: the plan to redeem us back to Himself, hence exhibiting that monolithic love He has for us. "God demonstrated his love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
In verse 7 of John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus he should not marvel at His words. Spirit gives birth to Spirit. He say's, I'm not talking about the body of flesh. God created your spirit Nicodemus, and He is well capable of recreating it as well.
Still confused the man asks, "How can these things be?" Surely teacher, I haven't risen in the ranks to become a ruling member in the most respected office in the land to be wrong! What about my great education? What about how diligently I try to keep the laws of Moses?
Further, we may ask, How can such a miraculous occurrence as regenerating a soul be accomplished so simply as by just placing our faith in God's Son? Yet is so, because God; because of His power.
Salvation is not accomplished by human effort. It is a work of the almighty. He does the work when we believe and accept His generous offer.
In the book of Acts, Peter answered the jailer well when he said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Mr. Jailer Sir, when your faith in Christ and the sacrifice He made causes you to trust Him with your life, when you surrender to Him, this belief will save your soul from the coming wrath of God. You will experience more than a make-over, you will be made anew, born again!
No self-help book or guru of self-improvement can do anything to aid in this re-genesis. It is a whole new beginning, a new life, found only in Christ Jesus.
In John 3 Jesus is conversing with Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Jesus' words disclose the necessary work of God in saving a soul, through true faith.
"Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
It's an incredible and amazing statement! It flew contrary to everything this highly educated Pharisee had ever been taught. It was against the very laws of the physical realm, of science, that God Himself established.
And so Nicodemus gives the natural and expected question, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"
Glorious divine intervention is the only means of being re-created, of receiving a regenerated soul! For, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things are passed away, behold all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)
Father God tears open His chest to reveal the throbbing, painful love for mankind that beats there. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."(John 3:16)
God remakes us, that we may participate in His holiness, making us pure and fit to be in His presence, just as Adam and Eve were before the fall. This, so we may have eternal love and oneness with God, united with His holiness, which was His plan back before the foundations of the earth were laid: the plan to redeem us back to Himself, hence exhibiting that monolithic love He has for us. "God demonstrated his love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
In verse 7 of John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus he should not marvel at His words. Spirit gives birth to Spirit. He say's, I'm not talking about the body of flesh. God created your spirit Nicodemus, and He is well capable of recreating it as well.
Still confused the man asks, "How can these things be?" Surely teacher, I haven't risen in the ranks to become a ruling member in the most respected office in the land to be wrong! What about my great education? What about how diligently I try to keep the laws of Moses?
Further, we may ask, How can such a miraculous occurrence as regenerating a soul be accomplished so simply as by just placing our faith in God's Son? Yet is so, because God; because of His power.
Salvation is not accomplished by human effort. It is a work of the almighty. He does the work when we believe and accept His generous offer.
In the book of Acts, Peter answered the jailer well when he said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Mr. Jailer Sir, when your faith in Christ and the sacrifice He made causes you to trust Him with your life, when you surrender to Him, this belief will save your soul from the coming wrath of God. You will experience more than a make-over, you will be made anew, born again!
No self-help book or guru of self-improvement can do anything to aid in this re-genesis. It is a whole new beginning, a new life, found only in Christ Jesus.