Growing Pains

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Advice for Growing Pains

Acts 6:1

"And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration."

Being a part of a growing church is one of the most satisfying things you will experience in life. The spirit of a growing church is exciting. Watching young Christians grow and souls getting saved is a great thing to experience. However, a growing church will have growing pains. The church of Jerusalem experienced growing pains. When you study this church, you find there are five things for which you should watch.

First, watch your attitude. When you are in a growing church, it can be easy to get a bad attitude. When the church is growing, the Devil will be sure to fight. One of the areas where he fights is in the attitude of the Christian. The verse above shows that there were some who were murmuring about their needs not being met. Christian, it is easy to get caught up in finding some fault in a growing church. Be careful about being caught up in the fault finding, for it will destroy your attitude. Yes, you can find fault, but you must focus on seeing the positive.

Second, watch your people. What I mean by this is you must be careful that you don't get so busy in the growth of the church that you begin to neglect the needs of the people. That is what happened to this church in Jerusalem. Though the people should not have murmured, they were right in that the needs of people were being neglected. Don't get so wrapped up in the growth that you neglect the very purpose of why we are in the ministry. When you get so busy that you help people, then you have become too busy.

Third, don't neglect your walk with God. Verse 4 shows us this church continued walking with God though they were growing. One of the things I have found in many growing churches is that people get so busy in their outreach that they have no time to walk with God. Never forget to have a daily time with God in the Scriptures and prayer. Your walk with God is very important to your spiritual health. Keep your walk with God healthy.

Fourth, don't neglect your outreach. Verse 7 shows us that this church continued trying to reach the lost for Christ. Just because you are growing doesn't give you an excuse to let up in your soul-winning efforts. Keep your soul-winning efforts active while you are growing. Often when a church starts growing they will get so busy in their ministries that they stop soul winning. Always keep focused on the main reason of why we are in the ministry, and that is to keep people from going to Hell.

Last, don't change what you've always done. The church of Jerusalem kept doing what caused them to grow in the beginning. They didn't get so enamored with growth that they looked for newer methods of growth. Growing churches must be careful about changing their pattern of success so they can see more growth. Keep doing what you've always done and you will keep getting what you've always gotten. Don't look for new methods to see growth, but rather keep working the tried and proven methods that have given you growth to this point.

When churches start growing they will experience growing pains. Christian, don't allow yourself to be part of the problem that causes your church to stop growing. Be watchful of these areas so you can be a contributor to the growth of your church.

Running on Empty?

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Is Your Faith Running on Empty?

James 2:26

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

Having fuel is very important to the enjoyment of driving a car. When a car has gas, then the car can take you to the places that you want to go. However, when the car is running on empty, the ability of the car to take you where you want to go is limited unless you fill it up with gas. A car without gas does not stop it from being a car, but the car will not be able to function without it.

The verse above is showing us that faith without works is like a car without gas. God said that "...faith without works is dead..." God is not teaching that works are a part of salvation, but He is teaching that without works your faith will seem dead to those who see you. Works has nothing to do with the salvation of your soul, but works plays a big part in whether you will have an impact with your witness. A person will only get saved by putting their faith and trust in Jesus Christ to be their personal Saviour. 

However, after you are saved, works is what validates your salvation to the lost world. Works is to faith what the spirit is to the body. Notice that the spirit is what gives life to the body. Yes, the body is still alive without a spirit, but the body only exists without the spirit. Likewise, a person is saved whether or not they have works, but works is what makes your salvation come alive to the lost.

Simply put, faith struggles without works. It is your works that build your faith. It is your works that cause your faith to get stronger. It is your works that show to the world that what you say happened to you is real. The world cannot see what happened on the inside when you got saved, so the only way you can show to the world that you are truly saved is by your works. How often do you hear people tell you that they have seen other people claim to be saved, but they live no different than the lost? That is what this verse is teaching. It is saying that your works build your faith so that others will see your faith by your works. Faith alone is not enough to witness to others. Faith with works is what allows your witness to be strong.

Let me ask you, is your faith running on empty? In other words, is your faith lacking strength because of your lack of works. Christian, certainly God saved you to keep you from going to Hell, but the purpose of leaving you on this Earth after salvation is so that you can be a witness to lead others to Him. If you have no works to build your faith, then your faith will be running on empty and will lack the emphasis it needs when you try to witness to others. I implore you to start working your faith. The more works you have for God, the stronger your faith will become. Likewise, the more works you have, the greater your testimony will be to the lost. Don't be a Christian who runs your faith on empty, but be a Christian who fills your spiritual tank of faith with works. The greater works you have, the greater your faith will be to those who are watching you.

Entering

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Entering the Holiest

Hebrews 10:19

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,"

One of the greatest privileges that salvation gives the Christian is the opportunity to enter into the holiest place of all, the place of prayer. You must understand that before Jesus Christ died on the cross, only the high priest had the privilege to enter into the Holy of Holies. However, the verse above teaches that by the blood of Jesus Christ, we can enter into that sacred place of prayer called the Holy of Holies.

Because prayer is such a sacred place, we must enter into it according to the manner by which God commands. In the Old Testament, the High Priests would be killed if they entered the Holy of Holies in the wrong manner. Not only were the High Priests commanded to go into this sacred place in a certain manner, but they could only enter this place once a year. Yet, because of the blood of Jesus Christ, we have the privilege to enter this sacred place as much as we desire. However, Hebrews 10 shows us God's guidelines of how we are to enter into this sacred time of prayer.

First, God wants you to understand that it is a privilege to enter into prayer with Him. Christian, before you start your time of prayer, I believe you should take a minute of time to remind yourself of this great privilege. Remember that those before the cross never had the opportunity of which you are about ready to partake. When you understand the privilege of prayer, then I believe you will enter in your time of prayer with a right attitude understanding Whose presence you are in.

Second, enter boldly into your time of prayer. This sounds strange, but you have a right to enter into prayer. Just like the High Priest had the right to go into the Holy of Holies, you have that right because you are a priest of God. When God says to enter boldly, He is teaching you to be straightforward with your requests. Don't beat around the bush in your prayers, but be direct with God and pour your heart out to Him. God likes it when His people are straightforward with Him.

Third, enter your time of prayer sincerely. Verse 22 says, "Let us draw near with a true heart..." Be sincere with God when you pray. Don't try to pull the wool over God's eyes about why you are asking Him for your requests. Be sincere with God about your requests, for He already knows why you are asking for those requests.

Fourth, enter your time of prayer confidently. Notice in verse 22 that God wants us to have "...full assurance of faith,..." This is talking about having confidence that God will answer your prayer. When you pray, don't let doubt creep into your heart that God won't answer your prayer. Instead, have confidence in the promises of God that He will answer your prayers. Doubt will keep your prayers from being answered. Therefore, you need to be confident that God can do what you are asking Him to do.

Last, enter into your time of prayer clean from sin. The last part of verse 22 says, "...having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Christian, get rid of your sin. Nothing will hinder your prayers more than sin. Confess your sins to God before you go into your time of prayer.

Prayer is a certainly one of the greatest privileges of salvation. To get the most out of your time of prayer, be sure to enter into this sacred time the way God tells you to. When you enter your time of prayer according to God's guidelines, then you will leave with the confidence that your prayers will be answered.

Season

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In His Season

Psalm 1:3

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

Every part of life has seasons. The seasons of the year are spring, summer, fall and winter. Each of these seasons are important for the next season to fulfill its purpose to its fullest. Without a spring, the summer would have no fruit. Without a summer, the fall would have no harvest. Without a fall, the winter would destroy the harvest. Without a winter, the spring could not bring new life. Every season is important to each other.

When I was twelve years of age, I was very eager to get into the youth department. Because I grew up in a smaller church, it was not uncommon for the youth to meet at our house for a youth activity. I can remember times when I so badly wanted to go on the youth activity that I would beg my parents to let me go, but they were consistent in telling me that youth activities were for teenagers, and that I would not be a teenager until I was thirteen. There were times when some of the teenagers would ask my parents if I could go on the activity with them, but again my parents were consistent with making me wait until my thirteenth birthday. They were teaching me the importance of not rushing my seasons of life. They understood that I would not enjoy my teenage years as much if they allowed me to go to the next season before my time.

God said that when He blesses someone, that their fruit will bring "...forth fruit in his season;..." In other words, God wanted everything to stay in its season. He was teaching in this verse that everyone needs to let the fruit ripen at its own pace without rushing the season. The whole purpose of not rushing the season is so that we can prosper to our fullest potential in each season of life.

Notice that everybody has their own unique fruit. The verse above says, "...that bringeth forth his fruit..." Christian, be careful about comparing your fruit to someone elses. Everybody has their own unique fruit, and you cannot expect yours to be like someone elses. Just like an orange tree has different fruit than an apple tree, so each person will have their own unique fruit in life. God made each of us to bear our own fruit, so stop trying to compare your success to someone else's fruit.

Furthermore, be careful about staying in your seasons. You will never bear the fruit that God intended for you to bear without staying in your seasons. Parent, don't be quick to rush your children through their seasons of life. Let them stay in their season, for when you rush the seasons, you will hurt the next. As an adult, be careful about rushing your seasons. When you are a young adult, don't try to enjoy the seasons of the middle-aged adults. When you are middle aged, don't try to rush yourself to enjoy the season of the senior years. Stay in your seasons.

Likewise, a church must be careful about rushing the seasons of Christians. In our attempt to build our churches, let's be careful about letting people grow in each season of their Christian life. Let's be careful about pushing someone into the next season of their Christian life before they are ready. Many young Christians have become disillusioned with the Christian life because they were given too much before they were ready. If a church will grow itself and those Christians in their own season, then a church will be stable and productive.

Remember that the purpose of bearing the fruit of the season you are in is to prosper to your own potential. If you rush the seasons, then you will never reach the potential of your prosperity that God wants you to reach. Be patient, and don't rush your seasons.

Defective

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Defective Christians

Titus 1:13

"This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;"

Have you ever gone to the store to purchase something that you really wanted only to get home and find the product defective? It is very disappointing when this happens. It is disappointing because you looked forward to having this product, and now, though you may have it in your hands, you will have to wait until you can get the product replaced.

I wonder how many people are disappointed with Christianity because of defective Christians. People hear that Christianity makes people better, but they deal with Christians who are defective in what they are supposed to be. God commands us to avoid being a defective Christian. When you read the Books of Timothy and Titus, you will see the word "sound" is often used. The word "sound" means, "undecided, whole, not defective." Each time this word is mentioned, God tells us where we must work at in being sound, or not defective.

2 Timothy 4:3 says, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" In this verse, God is showing us that He does not want our doctrine to be defective. If you are going to have sound doctrine, then you need to study the Scriptures to know what is good doctrine. Too often we take the words of a well-known preacher as doctrine, and nobody should ever be given this privilege. The Word of God is where doctrine is found. Whenever you hear a preacher teach something contrary to the Scriptures, then you must always adhere to the Scriptures and not to the man of God. Christian, be sure that what you believe in is found in the Scriptures. Don't let your doctrine become defective with the philosophies of man.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." God warns us in this verse to make sure we don't have a defective mind. Let me ask you, with what are you filling your mind? Too many people are filling their minds with worldly pollutions, and then they wonder why they struggle in their Christian life. It is crucial that you protect your mind. Most of the Christian life is derived in the mind. When you have a defective mind because of sin, then you will find your Christian life to be defective.

2 Timothy 1:13 says, "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Here we find that we must guard our words from being defective. If you don't protect what you think, then you will find what you say will be defective. As a Christian, you need to be sure that every word that comes from your mouth is glorifying to God. Whether the words are spoken privately in the home or publicly in the church or workplace, your words need to be words that build people and not tear them down.

Last, the verse above teaches us to be "...sound in the faith." The Christian life will only be lived successfully by those who live by faith. When you fill your life with doubt, then your faith will be defective. You build your faith by serving God. If you read the Scriptures, protect what fills your mind, guard the words you say, but don't do anything to serve God, then your faith will be defective. It is important for you to be involved with your church, for this is where you serve God and build your faith.

Are you a defective Christian, or is your Christian life sound? If you are sound in doctrine, mind, words and faith, then you will find that your Christian life will be what God wants it to be. Furthermore, these four areas are what it takes to have longevity in your Christian life. Without them you will eventually fail.