Jan. 31 | Grow Up

Series | The God Kind of Life

Scripture | 1 Peter 2:2, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”

Lesson 31 | Grow Up

Everyone loves babies because they are cute and adorable to look at and their smiles can melt anyone’s heart.  However, taking care of babies takes tons of hard work and dedication.  My wife has raised and nurtured all of our three children by feeding them, changing all their dirty diapers, and comforting them when they cry and for that she will forever be my hero (not to mention she birthed them all)!

My gifting as a father kicks in around the time they turn one.  I am then able to help them walk, talk, know right from wrong, and even teach them simple things like their ABC’s.  As a result my wife and I make a great team- she does most of the care when they are babies and I do much of the teachings and life lessons when their toddlers.  And by God’s grace I have helped all our children be walkers by one and potty trained by 2 years old! 

But imagine if when my kids turned one, I said to my wife, “Let’s not give them real food but rather keep them on the bottle until they are in the third grade.”  Or, “I don’t want to potty train Hannah until she is around 12 years old.”  If other parents found out about it they would probably call child services on me.  However, the same is true today in many churches, the leaders are not teaching the baby Christians to “grow up” in their salvation and be disciples, thus many people in the church who are in the 30’s and have been saved for years still need their dirty spiritual diapers changed everyday.

Therefore, make a decision today to grow up in your salvation by craving the Word of God.  First, crave the basics like milk then go to the deeper things like steak as your appetite grows so your spiritual life can be developed, Hebrews 6:1-2. 

Make a decision to never stay where you are, challenge yourself to do what Peter said later in 2 Peter 1:5-9,

5 …make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self- control; and to self- control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Reflection | Are you growing daily in your walk with God? 

Action | (1) Decide once and for all that you wont stay a “baby Christian,” but rather will always be a “growing disciple.” (2) Grow daily in your salvation by adding to your faith- goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.  (3) Lastly, start today and grow up! 

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Exodus 12:14-13:16, Matthew 20:29-21:22, Psalm 25:16-22, & Proverbs 6:12-15. Click here to read online. 

Jan. 30 | No More Stinkin' Thinkin'

Series | The God Kind of Life

Scripture | Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is –his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Lesson 30 | No More Stinkin’ Thinkin’

It has been said an average person can think a thought ever second, thus we can have as many as 3,600 thoughts an hour and 57,600 thoughts in one 16-hour day.  Consider if just 10% (one out of ten) of those thoughts in a normal day was negative, that would mean 5,760 negative thoughts per day!  Now consider if you had a “bad day” and 25% (one out of four) of your thoughts were negative that would be over 14,000 depressing thoughts! 

Paul in the above passage is giving the “secret to success” in the Christian life, the transformation of the mind.  Therefore, whenever your physical brain has negative thoughts and patterns of thinking you need to “take every thought captive” that doesn’t conform to the pattern and way of God’s thinking, 2 Corinthians 10:5.

As a Christian you are not conform yourself any longer to the thought patterns of this world.  For example, when you’re having a bad day, don’t do what this world does and keep thinking depressing and negative thoughts, but rather be “transformed” (changed) in your thinking and think the Word of God.  Think, “Today is not going well, but I’m more than a conqueror through Christ and I’m going to make it through this today in the name of Jesus.”

Therefore, get rid of your “stinkin’ thinkin’” and be renewed (made new) in your thinking and transform the ole’ stinky thoughts into beautiful sweet smelling thoughts!  Just because a thought enters into your mind, doesn’t mean you have to mediate on it over and over again like a broken record.  Chose to test (put into action) God’s perfect, good, and pleasing will.  In other words, find out what pleases God and His prefect plan for your life and think about those things 57,600 times a day!

Reflection | What is your thought life like? 

Action | (1) On average, what percentage of your thoughts are negative per day? (2) What do you normally do when negative thoughts come into your mind? (3) Lastly, from this point on whenever a negative thought comes into your mind, transform it into a God pleasing thought and think on that!    

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Exodus 10:1-12:13, Matthew 20:1-28, Psalm 25:1-15, & Proverbs 6:6-11. Click here to read online. 

Jan. 29 | The Righteousness of God

Series | The God Kind of Life

Scripture | 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Lesson 29 | The Righteousness of God

Say this out loud, “I am the righteousness of God.  Jesus became what I was-sinful, so I could be who He is-righteous.”  Now repeat it until you believe it!  As a pastor I have righteous anger concerning how the devil keeps people in the “rat race of sin.”

The devil has convinced people that because they were born a sinner they are going to die a sinner and thus sinning is all they can ever do.  Satan teaches people from an early age that temptation to sin cannot be defeated, that if you are tempted to sin, there is no other option but to give in to it and sin.

Also, the devil has gotten religious leaders in Christianity to buy into the lie as well.  Many pastors and leaders teach their people that even after they were “saved” and “born again,” they really aren’t fully saved from the power and presence of sin.  Thus, they still need to be daily saved and daily born again.    

Some people read Romans 7 and believe Paul was teaching that as believers we will always be powerless against the sin that wages war against our mind.  However, they forget to read Romans 8:2 where he boldly proclaims, “…the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”  Therefore, Paul firmly believed that once a person was saved they were totally free from sin and death in their soul and spirit. 

Think of it like this, before Jesus there was no righteousness in you- you were utterly sinful, Romans 3:23.  In the same way, now in Christ there is no sin in you, you are completely righteous.  Therefore, just as much as you were a sinner before Christ is as much of a saint (righteous person) you are in Christ.

Some may ask, what about 1 John 1:8 where he states, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”  However, this is for the person who believes they have no need for salvation- like a Hindu or Buddhist who might say, “I’ve been enlightened, I don’t have any sin."  

Thus, John continues in the next verse in 1 John 1:9 and clarifies, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  Therefore, the one who rightly confesses their sins is made pure and cleansed from all unrighteousness. 

In conclusion, do you believe that when Jesus saved you from your sins, you were really saved from the power and presence of sin?  Do you believe that when you were born again and made a new creation, you were really born again and made a new person?  Do you believe when Christ crucified your flesh and gave you the Spirit of life, your old nature was actually put to death and now you live a new life?  And lastly, do you really believe that when you confessed your sins, that you were literally washed and cleansed from all your unrighteousness?

If you believe it, then live it- because that is who God made you to be!

Reflection | Do you believe you are the righteousness of God? 

Action | (1) Remove any bad teaching that makes you believe you are not righteous. (2) Live like who Jesus made you to be by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (3) Lastly, when you sin and act like who you used to be, repent and be cleansed again from all your unrighteousness.    

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Exodus 8:1-9:35, Matthew 19:13-30, Psalm 24:1-10, & Proverbs 6:1-5. Click here to read online. 

Jan. 28 | Know Jesus and Make Him Known

Series | The God Kind of Life

Scripture | Mark 3:14, “He appointed twelve–designating them apostles –that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.”

Lesson 28 | Know Jesus and Make Him Known

Nothing in life is more important than “knowing Jesus” and “making Him known.”  First, to know Jesus is to have an intimate with relationship with Him as your Lord and Savior.  And second, to make Jesus known is to preach His life changing Gospel to everyone you can.  The above passage teaches every disciple in every generation that they must be faithful to do both.

Knowing Jesus has to do with your personal growth, making Him known has to do with your ministerial growth.  Spending time with Jesus is how you know His heart and commands for your life, spending time with the lost is how you know His heart and commands for the world. 

Worship, prayer, personal study of God’s Word, and being faithful to gather with God’s church is how you grow closer to Jesus.  Witnessing, serving others, going on mission trips, and preaching the Gospel is how others get closer to Jesus.  Knowing Jesus always comes first, making Jesus known always comes second. 

Some Christians today just want to “know Jesus” and keep Him all to themselves.  They are either too lazy or afraid to share Him with others, thus they hid their light under a bowl and no one else is benefited.  On the other hand, some people can be so busy in ministry for Jesus that they forget to spend quality time with Jesus.  They believe that doing is more important that being.  However, like Jesus taught Martha in Luke 10:38-42, being at the Master’s feet is always most important.   

As a result, we must be like the first disciples who both knew Jesus and made Jesus known!   

Reflection | Are you faithfully knowing Jesus and making Him known? 

Action | (1) What are you faithfully doing to grow in your knowledge of Jesus? (2) What are you doing faithfully to make Jesus known to others?  (3) Lastly, live everyday knowing Jesus and making Him known! 

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Exodus 5:22-7:25, Matthew 18:21-19:12, Psalm 23:1-6, & Proverbs 5:22-23.  Click here to read online.  

Jan. 27 | A Friend of God

Series | The God Kind of Life

Scripture | James 2:23, “And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.”

Lesson 27 | A Friend of God

Wow, could you imagine what it must have felt like for Abraham to be called “God’s friend?”  Friendship is a relationship that is mutually beneficial for both persons who like to have fellowship with each other.  Thus, by God calling Abraham His friend, God was affirming His great love and appreciation for Abraham’s companionship.

The Bible teaches us that God has no needs, thus it wasn’t like God wanted to find someone to hang out with because He was lonely.  However, God in His infinite love desired to have intimate relationships with His own creation.  David understood this great honor when he said in Psalm 8:4, “what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” 

Also Jesus, God in the flesh, said in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his masters business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”  Therefore, not only was Abraham a friend of God, but also so were the disciples.  And so are you when you believe in God the way they did.  For James says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.”

As a result, when people place their full trust in God and His Word their sins are forgiven, they are made righteous, and are then brought into close relationship with Him.  Thus, if you have placed your faith in Jesus you are God’s friend! 

As God’s friend do you spend time with Him everyday?  Do you enjoy being in His presence?  Do you introduce Him to your other friends?  Or are you ashamed of Him and His character?  I would like to challenge as God’s friend to never be ashamed of your friendship with Him, but rather in all you do aim to please and honor Him, because He has given you the highest honor by being your friend!

God is so loving that He allowed us to be His friends, therefore, I pray you will love Him in return with all your heart and be a good friend!     

Reflection | Are you a good friend to God? 

Action | (1) Examine your life to see if you honor your friendship with God on the job, in your home, and out with your other friends. (2) If there are things you do that displease God and dishonor your friendship with Him, repent and ask Him to forgive you.  (3) Lastly, live everyday of your life being mindful of your best friend.

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Exodus 4:1-5:21, Matthew 18:1-20, Psalm 22:19-31, & Proverbs 5:15-21.  Click here to read online.