Month: July 2017

spiritual growth

Four Stages Of Christian Maturity – Considering Where We Are

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Over the centuries many Christian teachers have outlined what it looks like to become a mature Christian. These outlines, or guides, are helpful because they help us see what we are “aiming” for in our Christian life. In other words, they tell us what it means to become a mature Christian. The New Testament speaks many times about what it means to be “mature” or “complete” (sometimes the word “perfect” is used but it means complete in the Greek.) This idea that Christians grow spiritually and that we can describe what this looks like along the way is referred to as “stages of growth”. We could also refer to these stages as phases or processes. These stages are supposed to encourage us because they describe the good that is ahead for us. In other words, we know what to look forward to. The clearest descriptions in Scripture of some stages Continue Reading →

spiritual friend

Spiritual Friendship And Spiritual Advisers – Should We Admonish?

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Bruce and Tom (or Linda and Rachel) are spiritual friends and have edifying conversations on a regular basis. They encourage one another and each one feels stronger because of the friendship. Bruce starts to notice that Tom makes little joking putdowns of others in his conversations with people. Of course, this isn’t a cardinal sin but it is definitely not godly speech. What should Bruce do? Being a spiritual friend to someone is a huge blessing, for you as well as them. Believers are recognizing they need spiritual help and so life coaching and spiritual direction are more popular now than in the past. But how can we be a spiritual friend who actually makes a difference in someone’s life? How can we be God’s channel for transformation? One of the keys to being a good spiritual friend is saying the hard things that you don’t want to say. In Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God Can Do More Than We Imagine – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“[He] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Eph. 3:20 (NIV) Remember that God can do even more than we ask. He can do more than we can imagine – and I can imagine a lot! Sometimes He does more and sometimes He doesn’t but the point is that there is no limit to what He can do and we can rely on that. And we don’t have to worry that we have prayed about every possible thing He might give us because sometimes He will do more than we ask. He is not limited by our prayers; He is only limited by His love and His love has no limits. Rejoice In Persecution – Weekly Words Of EncouragementDecember 20, 2024Mercy Come When We Are Merciful To Others – Weekly Words Of EncouragementDecember 16, 2024Our Continue Reading →