Tag: grow

STABILITY

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

What immediately comes to mind when you hear the word “stability?” Then, what’s the opposite of stability?

At this year’s Men’s Hibernacle, all our bible study and teaching were focused on the concept of Spiritual Stability.  One might, in naivety or foolishness, ask, “Who in the world needs that?” Yet, in reality, many believers (you know them) are spiritually unstable, constantly up and down, turning here, turning there and continuously being tossed around, like a cork in the sea by every wind of doctrine.  Would you consider that spiritual stability? 

In Ephesians 4:11-16 Paul anticipates this perilous position that individual believers and even Christ’s Church would find themselves/herself ensnared by.

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children (infant/babe), tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,  from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Accordingly, our Lord gave certain leadership offices to His church for the exact purpose of “stability,” bringing His church and its congregants into maturity … “growing up in all aspects into Him!”

We are not to be:

  1. Children (in thinking and actions, in spiritual development)
  2. Tossed here and there by every wind (ever changing in direction, fluctuating, surging) of doctrine
  3. Led about by ever changing, non-biblical doctrines (faddish “cool” concepts) that sweep through the church
  4. Led about by the trickery of church leaders (both men and women who are frauds, ear ticklers – See 2 Timothy 4:3-4)
  5. Led about by craftiness in deceitful scheming (subtle trickery)

Instead, we are to “grow up in all aspects into Him!” Growing up moves one from instability to stability.  Watch a baby learn to walk, or a beginning gymnast on a balance beam. Remember your first bicycle experience?  All pictures of instability, yet ultimately stability prevails.  How about in one’s Christian walk … are you running in maturity or teeter- tottering like an infant, stumbling, whining, fearful, even at times returning to a crawl?  Well, here is a clear path and 5 steps to spiritual stability from Philippians 4:1-9 that Pastor/Teacher David Ice shared with us at Hibernacle 2020! Get out your Bibles and dig in.

We stand firm (vs 1) (become spiritually stable) by proceeding in the following path:

Step 1 – Resolve to live in harmony with other Christians/Believers (vs 2 & 3)

Step 2 – Determine to face life’s circumstances with joy (vs 4)

Step 3 – Make it your ambition to be known for a gentle spirit (vs 5)

Step 4 – Talk to God about everything (vs 6)

Step 5 – Dwell (think/focus) on the things of the Lord (vs 8)

Step 6 – Practice what you’ve been given (vs 9)

THE PROMISE FOR ALL WHO STAND FIRM (vs 7 & 9b)    

The obvious consequence of spiritual stability is awesome!  Something each of us need in our lives on a daily basis. However, one must honestly evaluate … take an inventory on one’s own life to determine if “spiritual stability” exists and to what degree. Wise, godly counsel may also be a great help when determining how you’re doing. The simple test is to go through each step, grading yourself with 1 being not at all, up to 5 representing most of the time. As I did an honest evaluation, the weaknesses were clearly revealed and I embraced a definite and distinct plan of action to stand firm in spiritual stability.

Will you join me?  — Pastor Frank (Please study and consider James 1:5-8 as well.)   

GROW

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

“Like newborn babies, long for the pure (spiritual) milk of the Word, so that by it you may GROW (up) in respect to (your) salvation.”

I Peter 2:2

God’s plan for all believers is growth! If that’s the case, then one must ask, what causes or stimulates this growth? In plant life, growth occurs through proper exposure to the sun, appropriate quantities of water and fertilizer, protection from plant enemies like bugs, fungi, etc., and occasional pruning.

Human physical growth, in much the same manner, demands suitable nourishment as well as a safe/protected environment. Spiritually, the same concepts hold true! This verse clearly demonstrates that the intake of God’s Word is what nurtures our spiritual development and Christian maturity.

Ephesians 4:15 (from where we derive our church’s slogan, “Sharing The Truth In Love”) reminds believers to speak the truth in love and “to grow-up in all aspects” of Christianity. This growth/maturity is achieved by craving – just as a new baby intensely yearns for the milk of mother’s breast – the spiritual food that flows from God’s Word into your mind/soul/spirit! The primary Greek verb used here, “auzano” or “auxanoo,” means to increase. Just as a healthy tree continues to increase throughout all of its life, continually adding dimensions of its circumference, the depth and strength of its roots, and its height, the work of God is increased, becoming greater and greater, stronger and stronger!

As we read on in I Peter 2:4-6, we find a transition, our spiritual transformation into “living (lively) stones,” “rejected by men, but choice/precious in the sight of God.” Believers are built up in their growth and maturity as a “spiritual house for a holy priesthood” in order “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ!” This transformation occurs as that fresh, pure (holy) spiritual milk of God’s Word occupies our minds and hearts, growing us up in our salvation and strengthening us to become like the tree mentioned in Psalm 1:2. This tree (representing an individual) is big, strong, healthy, and deeply rooted in the stream of God’s living water. This water is His Word and Holy Spirit which are providing proper nourishment, causing the tree to bear and continually produce, for picking and distribution, a high good quality fruit. Psalm 1:3 tells us that this tree’s leaf does not wither (grow weary in doing good i.e. producing fruit – Gal. 6:9, II Thess. 3:13); and whatever this particular, spiritually strong, mature tree (individual life) engages in is success/prosperous in God’s economy/viewpoint.

Now to the more difficult matter. . . What kind of tree are you? A little twig bent over by the smallest breeze, struggling for survival, or a maturing, stately, majestic fruit producing tree? The choice seems to be 100% ours with the end result depending on our intake/consumption of God’s pure Word. Certainly an intake of once or twice a week from the preacher can’t be enough to make you the righteous man/woman who will flourish like the palm tree, GROW like a cedar in Lebanon, be planted in the house of the LORD, flourish in the courts of our God, still yield fruit in old age, always be full of sap, and very green! (–From Psalm 92:12-14)

Just think about it! Hope to see you & yours this Sunday. — Pastor Frank