Introduction:
Each believer has been given the responsibility to grow spiritually.
We need to identify the basic elements that must be in place for spiritual growth to occur. We need to recognize in our own lives where we are at in the spiritual growth process in order to see where we need to grow.
Your Spiritual Growth is everything in your relationship to faith:
I find it very interesting that:
· Faith for healing is not emphasized in the epistles (talked about but not emphasized).
· Faith for prosperity is not emphasized in the epistles (talked about but not emphasized).
They are mentioned, but not emphasized.
· What seems to be emphasized more than anything else in the epistles is the spiritual development of the believer.
Thats why the pastor has so much responsibility for the sheep.
· Feed my sheep or
· Teach them so they can grow spiritually.
Everyone looks at the evangelist, or the other traveling ministers as what they want to hear.
If we really look at the ministries that come in and have a whoop of a good time:
· In most cases we had a great time.
· In most cases we dont remember what was said.
· In most cases the feeling is gone and we are left high and dry.
· In most cases pastors all across the country are picking up the pieces of the lives that were not changed.
Or in many cases the pastor gets compared with the traveling minister and so he tries to function in an office that he was not called to function in.
· With out spiritual development it becomes hard to receive from the Word of God.
I am a firm believer that the closer you are to the truth of something the easier it is.
· If you dont know much about a computer than a computer will be hard for you.
1 Pet 5:4
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
(NKJ)
· Jesus is the Chief Shepherd.
Heb 13:19-20
19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
(NKJ)
· Heb. 13 calls Him that great shepherd.
· WHAT DID JESUS CALLED HIMSELF?
John 10:10-11
10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
(NKJ)
· Jesus refers to himself as the Good shepherd.
· The bible calls him the good shepherd and the chief shepherd.
As a shepherd it means:
· Anything you do in life will either be to find His lost sheep or help to develop His sheep found.
If then He is the shepherd, then we are to learn from Him.
We need to learn:
1. How to attract, help and find lost sheep.
2. Were going to learn from Him how to love His sheep.
3. Well learn from Him how to see His Sheep. (as sheep)
4. We will learn from Him how to develop the sheep (discipleship).
5. We learn from Him how to lead the Sheep.
6. We learn from Him how to protect the sheep.
Each believer has been given the responsibility to grow spiritually.
We need to identify the basic elements that must be in place for spiritual growth to occur. We need to recognize in our own lives where we are at in the spiritual growth process in order to see where we need to grow.
Your Spiritual Growth is everything in your relationship to faith:
I find it very interesting that:
· Faith for healing is not emphasized in the epistles (talked about but not emphasized).
· Faith for prosperity is not emphasized in the epistles (talked about but not emphasized).
They are mentioned, but not emphasized.
· What seems to be emphasized more than anything else in the epistles is the spiritual development of the believer.
Thats why the pastor has so much responsibility for the sheep.
· Feed my sheep or
· Teach them so they can grow spiritually.
Everyone looks at the evangelist, or the other traveling ministers as what they want to hear.
If we really look at the ministries that come in and have a whoop of a good time:
· In most cases we had a great time.
· In most cases we dont remember what was said.
· In most cases the feeling is gone and we are left high and dry.
· In most cases pastors all across the country are picking up the pieces of the lives that were not changed.
Or in many cases the pastor gets compared with the traveling minister and so he tries to function in an office that he was not called to function in.
· With out spiritual development it becomes hard to receive from the Word of God.
I am a firm believer that the closer you are to the truth of something the easier it is.
· If you dont know much about a computer than a computer will be hard for you.
1 Pet 5:4
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
(NKJ)
· Jesus is the Chief Shepherd.
Heb 13:19-20
19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
(NKJ)
· Heb. 13 calls Him that great shepherd.
· WHAT DID JESUS CALLED HIMSELF?
John 10:10-11
10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
(NKJ)
· Jesus refers to himself as the Good shepherd.
· The bible calls him the good shepherd and the chief shepherd.
As a shepherd it means:
· Anything you do in life will either be to find His lost sheep or help to develop His sheep found.
If then He is the shepherd, then we are to learn from Him.
We need to learn:
1. How to attract, help and find lost sheep.
2. Were going to learn from Him how to love His sheep.
3. Well learn from Him how to see His Sheep. (as sheep)
4. We will learn from Him how to develop the sheep (discipleship).
5. We learn from Him how to lead the Sheep.
6. We learn from Him how to protect the sheep.
