Spiritual Growth

Spiritual Growth                                                     03-31-17

This will be my last post for a while.My schedule is going to be such as I will not be able to maintain a consistent day to write. It is temporary and should not last long. At any rate.

I listened intently this week past to a couple of folks on my bus. They are regular riders and we know each other to speak. Their conversation this day,revolved around growth,spiritual growth to be exact. They rode my whole route that day,about a 45 minute round trip.The whole time was taken with what was required or needed for spiritual growth,both as individuals and corporately in their church. They spoke of different individual studies they had and were doing. They talked about various programs in the church and whatnot. All in all,it was good and very informative.As I listened while driving,I could not come up with a single criticism or argument in my mind.Not that my criticism,argument,or opinion means anything! Have a look see here.

Mark 4:26-27 (ESV) ²⁶  And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.
²⁷  He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.


How does a seed turn into a tomato plant? Can you tell me? Yes,
you can give me the scientific knowledge of cell growth and multiplication and what not, I understand that. But, HOW does that seed do it? I don't think anyone knows do they? It is a MYSTERY. One of God's MIRACLES called LIFE. We just don't know how it happens. To this day I cannot tell you HOW I got saved. Didn't really need God at the time so I thought.Twenty something,healthy,good government job and was not actively or passively trying to find God. I won't bore you with the details that morning of October 8th,1975 but trust me,it was a MIRACLE that I got saved.The old cliche is and was never more true in my circumstance. I didn't find God,He found me! Amen?!

John 15:16 (ESV) ¹⁶  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Growth is similar to salvation don't you think? How so Ronnie? Well,it's all a work of God. His Holy Spirit inside of you produces in you that metamorphosis we call spiritual growth.We can't really say how it happens.We just look back at some point in the future and we discover where God in His mercy and grace has brought us from. You hearin' me?We many times try to point to our own effort and our own righteousness to explain it. Where we get into trouble is when we begin to believe that WE had something to do with it. As God blesses us we begin to believe our own PR.That's a mouthful right there,but not to get off point. You see brothers and sisters,growth occurs naturally doesn't it? And herein lieth the lesson.(I got that line from a movie I saw a long time ago lol)

Growth is a natural process.Just like that seed. That seed doesn't "do" anything to grow into a tomato plant or a rose bush.No,it just let's the ground and the water take it's course.It abides where it is planted and NATURALLY grows into whatever kind of seed it is.

It doesn't have to read about what it has to do to become a rose.It needs no other seeds to tell it how to act or behave in order to be fruitful. It doesn't have to be taught what steps to take to become a tomato. As a matter of fact it CAN"T be taught.It's growth is supernatural. It's life is a miracle from God.It lives in the ground taking nourishment and letting nature do what it will and voila one day it sprouts and bursts through the ground, no longer a lowly seed. Ya feelin me here?

Jesus said our growth is much the same way. Look at this.

John 15:4-5 (ESV) ⁴  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
⁵  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Let me give you a personal example. I love to study God's Word.I love to study about God's Word. I read books. My personal preference is not the great inspirational books written by great men of God.The John Bevere's, T.D. Jakes, and Jentzen Franklin's just are not my cup of tea.They are great men of God and write powerfully about their testimonies. But my deal is commentaries.You know, the dry,textbook approach that attempts to "exegete" the Word of God. What was the original intent of the author?Who was his audience.And of course what does it mean in the "original Greek and Hebrew?" (smile) You with me here? O.K. here's my point.

I can read about what some Ph.D or Ph.D's in theology have to say about what God's Word says from now until the cows come home,or Jesus comes back, whichever comes first. You can read about how T.D.Jakes walks in he power of God and marvel at all God does in his and other's lives....that in and of itself will do NOTHING to cause you or me to grow in the grace and favor of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I read an article this week past by a VERY prominent pastor about the concerns with the American Church. In his perspective, the myriad of problems within the church is due to the church's concern with the empty seats instead of the filled ones. It has designed itself around programs,bells and whistles to attract folk to the empty seats.Church growth instead of Kingdom growth if you will. In this process,it(the church) has neglected to direct those who are already sitting in the pews towards God.All the focus centers around teachings and programs, instead of personally developing a relationship with God Almighty. Until the filled seats "get filled" the empty seats will remain empty.

Brothers and sisters,like the seed,we must ABIDE in the vine,the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the seed, we must allow Him through the Holy Spirit to nourish and change us. WE CAN'T DO IT. I DON'T CARE HOW "GOOD"OR "HOLY" WE ARE! Like the seed we have to dwell and remain in His presence and yield to Him. If we will do that,then the growth will be a natural by product.The more we abide in Him the more we will grow. It's just natural.We abide in Him,we allow His nature to take it's course in our lives,we grow and bear fruit. 

It can't be found in a book. It can't be found in a commentary.It can't be found in a church service.  It can only be found in our yielding and abiding and lodging in the presence of Almighty God,WHEREVER AND WHENEVER He chooses to make Himself known to us. 

Psalm 118:2-4 (ESV) ²  Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
³  Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
⁴  Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”


God Bless