Tired of lack-luster spiritual growth?  Here are some tips that might help.

• DISCIPLINE: Are you sick of poor spiritual growth?  Then know that you’re the only one who can change it.  Develop of plan/method and follow through with it.  Budget time for it and get it done!

• BE FLEXIBLE: Rigid plans/methods are ESSENTIAL, but don’t lock yourself into lofty goals, like reading the entire Bible in a month.  Instead, aim for realistic goals like reading AND DIGESTING one book in the Bible in a month.  Finishing earlier is just icing on the cake!

• BE FREE: You have the freedom to develop a “custom” plan for your growth. Be free to do what will work for you…this implies you know yourself.  You don’t have to take what someone else did and replicate it. (Although sometimes that’s a good place to start if you’re in the same place spiritually)

• OVERLOAD: Read everything you can!!!  Sometimes information overload can rev up your spiritual appetite so you desire more and more.

• BE GOAL-ORIENTED: Giving yourself a reason to get in shape spiritually is a great way to stay on track!  Sign up for a Bible Study, Topic Study, etc. These usually provide great accountiblity

• GO PUBLIC: Tell some people about your plans so they can encourage you and bring some accountability.  We don’t like to let people down so sometimes this is a great motivator.

Really thinking through this today:

When Jesus taught, He claimed an authority that didn’t come from the religious establishment of His day (Rabbi’s, etc).  He asserted HIS OWN authority…think about how many times He said “but I tell you…”

(Matt 5:22,28,32,34,39,44)

HE IS RISEN!

(Photo I took of one of our students at her high school play “Crazy for you”. Maddie’s in the middle)

“Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me? …Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

This is an area that is easier said than done but what if we really understood the nature of this question and the parable that follows?  What if we got over the things that keep us tied down and learn to forgive, and forgive, and forgive, and forgive, and forgive……..

What would change?

1. families restored?
2. friendship renew?
3. hatred subside?
4. justice revealed?
5. become more like Christ?
6. ?

I know some ‘Christians who don’t forgive’.  You know, people who boast their closeness with Christ and still can’t forgive someone or themselves.  Sounds like an oxymoron to me like “abundant poverty”.

Let’s be a forgiving people!

James 1:25 “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”

Want to know how to be blessed?

1. Look intently into the perfect law (The Word of God)
2. Don’t forget you see/hear/read when looking at the perfect law
3. Do what it says

Simple enough to understand, harder to practice.