| |
| |
|
Just Between Us - FREE Spiritual Information for anyone interested. |
|
|
|
Formula for Spiritual Growth
The formula for spiritual growth is given briefly in 2 Peter 1:5-7. Make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance; and perseverance, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. This is given in a logical order. It must be in the order given. All one has to know to obey the gospel is that we are lost and that our only hope is the grace of God. After we obey the gospel, we must first add goodness to our faith. We must acquire goodness before more knowledge because if we haven't cleaned up our act, eliminated evil things from our life, more knowledge would probably be interpreted wrong and we wouldn't mature spiritually. If we haven't committed to being good people, knowledge would give us false pride, not make us more spiritual. Knowledgepuffs up, but love builds up (1CO 8:1). Knowledge must be added to a pure heart committed to being the good person God desires. Without the proper attitude a little knowledge can be dangerous. Unless being fully committed to becoming what the Lord calls good, one would probably stop after learning a little and think he has all he needs. He would then have the wrong idea about God's grace and sin more, influencing others to follow. Before we can persevere at anything, we must have self-control. It is impossible to be an effective Christian or even a good citizen without self-control. If we can't control our actions' others, have to. That is why prisons are necessary. If we can't control our sins, we will be back in Satan's prison of bondage again. If we can't live right, others will be tempted to follow our evil ways. If we can't control our tongue, others will be offended and the unity of the church will be lost. After we have mastered goodness, and knowledge, we are ready to tackle perseverance. It takes all of the Christian virtues we have to keep climbing the spiritual ladder in the midst of trials and temptations we all face. Satan will throw all he has in our path to stop us. Christians that live for God are considered bitter enemies by the evil one. They are a menace to his cause. He will stop at nothing to distract them. All that we have to keep us going is our faith. He knows that we will be given strength when we pray, so he will attempt to keep us so busy that we will think we don't have time to talk to God. Don't listen to the devil. He is a liar. Ask the Lord for help, resist the evil one and you will succeed. Godliness can only be achieved after the preceding attributes are acquired. We can readily see that there is quite a bit to be learned between goodness and godliness. There is a difference between worldly and spiritual goodness. The world's idea of good doesn't include biblical principles. We must have the purpose to be totally committed to him. He is as much impressed by our intents and purposes as he is to our actions. Our works make our faith complete. It is only at this point in our journey to spiritual completeness that we are ready for brotherly kindness. We do not qualify for this type of kindness until we master the other virtues. Being kind to a worldly friend does not possess the spiritual qualities that brotherly kindness has. This term comes from the Greek word Philadelphia, which refers to kindness, love of the brethren. Christian brothers and sisters are to be closer than family members (if they are not Christians). We are to prefer Christian brethren and love them with special affection. Love is the ultimate and most difficult to achieve. This is translated from Agape, which is love in a spiritual and social sense, a God like love. Christians with this type of love can agree to disagree with no hard feelings, respecting each other'sposition. Paul said that we should consider others better than our self (PHIL 2:3). He didn't say that others are better, but that we should consider them better. This has nothing to do with self-esteem. It is laying down the principles of relationship. If I consider you better than me, and you consider me better than you, we are going to have a beautiful relationship. When we have achieved all these virtues, we will be complete, spiritually mature. You may publish this article provided you leave the resource box intact. It would be appreciated if you notify me at lynn_b2@yahoo.com when you do. Lynn Bradley is the author of the paperback book, "Climbing the Heavenly Stairs." It is meant as a guide to growing spiritually and becoming mature. Learn more at http://www.thelynnbradleybook.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Stress Strategy: Flex Your Spiritual Muscles In his book, Stress Without Distress, Dr. Selye suggests that a person's interpretation of stress is not dependent solely on an external event, but also depends upon the perception of the event and the meaning he or she assigns it. Tsunami Animals Hint At Our True Nature We as human beings consider ourselves the most intelligent species on the planet and attribute this to the evolutionary development of the human brain. Given the advanced state of our technology we would without a doubt concede this as the truth. Forgiveness Stories Definition Quotes | Power to Forgive Vested with Human Beings forgiveness stories quotes definition and loveForgiveness is that quality in a human being which separates him from the animals and the lower forms of living beings. To preach forgiveness is a simple task but to be able to practice forgiveness in real life is the essence of life. GOD Loves Us All God, what a wonderful spirit. He, is our ever present savior and helper in times of need. No Star-Studded Career What is success? It probably means different things to different people. One person said, "Success is the ability to fulfill your desires with effortless ease. Recovering In The Water It was in the middle of the night and the boat was being tossed in the wind. The crew was stressed?Between shoves from the wind, they were shocked to see someone actually walking on the water through the wind, rain, and waves. Thou Shalt Not Be Shallow I have sent out hundreds of press releases for my new book entitled Hook Line and Sinker or What Has Your Church Been Teaching You, published by Publish America of Baltimore MD.It has been a great learning experience for me. Games to Play With Tarot Cards The lighter side of Tarot deals with games played using this deck of uniquely peculiar cards. These range from the highly complex to those a four-year-old can play. The Power of Ritual As humans, we are the species that operate with symbols. Other animals use familiar signs, landmarks and gestures given by us, or act purely on instinct. A Short Journey to Your Divine Self By invoking an external God to whom we look for help we often lose sight of the fact that we have within us the very power that we seek in such an external force. Now of course I don't just expect you to believe this in the way that religions of the world expect you to believe the converse. God Became Man The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. --JOHN 1:14For thirty-three years Jesus felt everything you and I have ever felt. Whats Up With the Bad Reading? A lot of times when I am reading people on the site I notice people talking about having a "bad reading." By that they usually mean that the psychic pulled a so-called "bad" cards, such as the Devil, The Tower of the Ten of Swords, in answer to their question. Jesus Christ: One Can Reach God Only Through Him - Is this Statement Correct? Catch the express or the super fast bullet train. If we are able to reach our goal the purpose is served. Existence of God: Facts and Figures Does God Exist? Existence of God: facts and figures Does God exist?If you are a theist.. Tarot Basics A Tarot card deck typically consists of 78 colorful cards imprinted with what many deem fascinating and curious images. The cards, each filled with a particular meaning and portent, most often come somewhat larger than ordinary playing cards and make an impressive display when ritually laid out. The Fountain of Light Exercise An etheric body, also known as the aura, surrounds every human being. This energy field is thought to be made up of you're the emanations of your life force, what the Middle Eastern religions call Prana, the Chinese call Chi and the popular religions call the Soul. Thinking Out Loud (Questions) Part one of a two part Series (Channeled)Roy-when does the end of physical life come? Is it when the body finally breaks down, or when the soul decides to abandon it? What happens to the ego that has lived a life of non-fulfilment? When is it over for this soul? Does the feeling of non-fulfilment come from not being aware or not being in touch with the soul's purpose? If no life is wasted, why is it that some lives seem that way?If I can list the positive things in my life and still feel unfulfilled, have I wasted my life? Is it because those positive things where not in harmony with what the soul desired to experience? Is it possible to come to this world and not experience what a soul intended? Are these life forms dysfunctional? How can we live fifty to ninety years and do many wonderful things and not feel anything? Should an observer feel something even if his/her purpose was to simply watch?Why is it that people have accomplished many great things using their natural talents and gifts, to be left empty when it is finished? Is it because the lives of these people are focused in the now, in doing the creating? Once their life's projects are completed, have they lost their purpose? Have they found where life is? in the moment of creation? Is their fulfilment experienced only in the act of creation? Is this why some life's projects never get finished, because the focus is never on the finishing? When interest is lost these people move onto another creation, always in the process, but never finishing it. Does an unfinished life's project offer future involvement, another opportunity for them? Can satisfaction be found in an unfinished life's project?Is joy or fulfilment found in starting life's projects that others can finish? Is it the purpose of these souls to create motion so that others can be motivated to finish? To start life and then observe how it proceeds? Does the dissatisfaction come from no one finishing what he/she started? Do all of life's projects have to be finished or has the creator taken the life's project as far as it will go because of limitations a soul may have? Are the points at which life's projects are stopped, symbols or points along the way that say, I can't go any further, or are they saying, it's another turn here? Would this personality have a verity of diversified life's projects and interests?Is the whole exercise a way of looking for one's truth, for one's purpose, and when it is not found in the life's project is it abandoned? Is this personality doomed to a lifetime of looking? Are seekers ever satisfied, ever fulfilled? Is it because the soul forgets its purpose or because it got off at the wrong place or lifetime? Is it because it has changed its purpose and wants to return to the oneness, or is it simply lost? Are these souls here trying to make the best of a unintended situation?Roy E. Vacation Pilgrimage I heard recently on a Christian radio station somebody talking about turning a vacation into a pilgrimage or a sabbath time, an opportunity to get closer to God. The speaker said that there is no word in ancient languages equivalent to the word "vacation". Loving Your Neighbors If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. The Wisdom of the River: Lessons Learned Over the past few years I have watched the popularity of whitewater rafting grip the vacation market. "Strange", I thought.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
