Week of March 7, 2010

MONDAY

We must have a relentless drive for progress, an attitude that never says, “I’ve fully arrived.”  There are no plateaus in our growth, only resting places. You can’t grow in isolation; you can only grow in community.

• How do you view your own growth process? Where have you assumed you had “arrived” or “plateaued”?

TUESDAY

We live life on levels and in stages. There is always another level of growth, and it requires character. Talent can take you to levels that only character can sustain. Your character is a developed set of habits and mindsets that mark and engrave who you are.

• What marks your character? Will it sustain proper growth?

WEDNESDAY

Faith is a reasoned trust. It does not surrender the intellect, but engages it. It ties into our mind, emotions and will. Critical thinking has a place within Christianity. In the absence of a clear worldview, you will lack focus.

• What relationship do your faith and your mind have?

THURSDAY

Jesus had a holistic growth. He grew intellectually, physically, spiritually, socially and emotionally. Such complete growth requires focus and structure. After all, God is a God of order.

• What areas have you neglected growth in?

FRIDAY

Structure gives you both order and freedom. Even spontaneity is based on preparation. A well-structured life includes: a clearly articulated worldview, core values and core purposes.

• What kind of structure does your life have? Which of these three elements do you need to define?

SATURDAY

There is a difference between values and a value system. Values are what you prize and stand for. A value system is the order in which you rank those values. People can share the same values, and still have opposing value systems because the order is different.

• What do you value? Where do faith, family, spirituality, health, career, etc. rank for you?

MEMORIZATION:

3 John 1:2

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Pastor A.R. Bernard of Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, NY visited us this Sunday to expound upon the concept of growth, which Pastor Tim has been ministering on for the past few weeks. First, we must remember that growth cannot occur in isolation, but only in community. It will require focus, structure and character.

Life is lived on levels and in stages. Never assume that you have fully arrived – there are no plateaus, only resting places. You must maintain a relentless drive for progress, because there is always another level of growth awaiting you.

Your character is paramount to growth. Sometimes talent will take you to levels that only character can sustain. The Greek word for “character” means “to engrave.” What habits and mindsets are engraved in your character? What marks you? Or more importantly, what or whose image does your character reflect?

Jesus’ growth was holistic: spiritual, physical, social, emotional, intellectual. Such growth requires focus and structure. A well-structured life includes: a clearly articulated worldview, core values and core purposes. An absence of a worldview is an absence of focus. You cannot separate critical thinking from your faith. It is a reasoned trust that engages the mind, will and emotions. When it comes to values, they differ from your actual value system. Values are the things you prize and stand for. A value system is the order in which you arrange them. After all, God is a God of order. Two people can have the same values, and yet have different value systems, which is where conflict occurs. What things do you value most, and what priority do they have in your life? These soul issues must be taken care of before growth can occur.

MEMORIZATION:

3 John 1:2

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Week of February 28

MONDAY

The process of growth is actually one of returning to the place where God is our everything. It brings things back to the way that they were meant to be. The original design was perfect intimacy with God.

(2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

• What are the things that we must regain in the process of growth?

TUESDAY

Spiritual growth is comprised of not only doing what the Bible says to do, but also walking with God. Do not confuse spiritual growth with religion. Religion is respect without intimacy, a relationship about God but without God.

(Ephesians 4:13)

• What are the differences between religion and relationship?

WEDNESDAY

God could easily make us believe in Him or fear Him. But no matter how much He desires it, He cannot make us love Him. It is our choice. He knocks on the door, but we must choose to answer.

(Revelation 3:20)

• Why does God want us to respond to Him in love of our own free will?

THURSDAY

All of humanity has three basic needs: intimacy with God, intimacy with others and self-worth. All of these were in place in God’s original design. If they are not found in the right places, you end up further from their true Source.

• Which of these needs are you lacking? What are some illegitimate sources to “fulfill” these needs?

FRIDAY

Intimacy with God is the key to growth, to healing, to filling all of our needs. True intimacy is a warm, close, trusting relationship in which you are fully known and fully accepted without fear of rejection.

• How intimate are you with God? Have you ever found this kind of intimacy elsewhere?

SATURDAY

The keys to growth and intimacy with God are: Time (intentionally sitting, waiting on and listening to Him); Transparency (saying, “Here I am, as I am”); Submission (yielding, surrendering and cooperating with God); Consistency (a day by day effort).

• Which of these four steps do you need to work on?

MEMORIZATION:

Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.