GROWING IN THE LORD or MATURITY IN THE LORD?

A. COMMENT
Beloved, did you “close the doors”?
Here is a second message to help you. The aim of all messages will still be the same, to boost your faith in God’s Kingdom. I believe all of you who take time reading these messages are children of God.

The purpose of these biblical references in the message is to steer away from my own merely human comments in your life. I want give you the source of the message, for “teaching, rebuking and correcting” in the love and compassion of God as said in the bible:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

If someone brings you a teaching, ask him the source in the Holy Scriptures.

B. MESSAGE: GROWING IN THE LORD OR MATURITY IN THE LORD
1. What you need to know
2. What stops you from growing?
3. How to grow in the Lord
4. Who can help?

1. What you need to know

3 John 2: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers

John 1: 12-13: Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

John 4:24: God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

Romans 8:16: The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children

(P.S: When you are reading the bible if you see the word ‘spirit’ with big ‘S’, it refers to God’s Spirit; ‘spirit’, with small ‘s’ it’s another spirit.)

Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes (intents) of the heart.

After reading all these verses, you can see, we do have the soul, spirit and body. The bible wishes you to prosper in all things (not half) as your soul prospers; there is a condition here for your flourishing (for your growing).
I have learned from others that the soul includes mind, will, emotions; the spirit includes conscience, communication with God, intuition; the body blood, tissue, bone. I agree with them. (However, understand that the bible’s view of people is as integrated units. Body, soul and spirit affect one another, because the human person is one.)

When we become Christians from outside the church, God stamps (seals) us with his Spirit- Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (see below, Ephesians 4:17-32, read it please.)

The Holy Spirit is sealed in our sprit to strengthen us for a good conscience, God’s communication and intuition. The great work in Christians is in the soul- thoughts/mind, emotions, feelings, will. The bible says in Philippians 2:5 Your mind should be the same as that of Christ Jesus

2. What stops you from growing?

Pride and wickedness or perversity; (perversity is the distortion of good)
As the Bible says: 1Peter 5:5 God opposes (resists) the proud,
but gives grace to the humble

Proverbs 3:32-34 for the Lord detests a perverse man,
but takes the upright into his confidence
The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, 

but He blesses the home of the righteous;
He mocks proud mockers,
but gives grace to the humble.

How can you pray to, ask of or worship One who resists, detests, opposes you? You will definitely not get anything from him. Pride is from evil; it’s not a fruit of Holy Spirit.

Lack of faith/doubt of God/being double-minded / lack of knowing God
As the Holy Scriptures say:
James 1: 6-8 he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
We all have doubts, but we must realize that God cannot assure us of his love while we do not believe He loves us. In prayer, we must make a step of faith.
Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge (of God).
This is about Knowing God in a personal relationship, not simply facts about God.


Refusing advice/arrogance Proverbs15: 10 he who hates correction will die
That’s a tough statement! However, it’s obvious that if a child ignores a parent’s advice- for instance, how to cross the road safely- that child will be in great danger. So it is with God’s commands to us.
Some people think they know everything, because they can teach the bible or have some knowledge of the world. That’s no good. We need to learn from others and listen to our leaders.

3. How to grow in the Lord?

You need to know that you are God’s ambassador: An ambassador knows the rules, policies, law of his country; he has the power to say yes/no based on the country’s instructions. My dear beloved, without enough word of God in you and living a sanctified life, you will be always the same as before and also there’s danger that you’ll go back again to where you were before.
The source of these comments are: [2 Corinthians 5:20, John 8:31, John8:51, John14:21-23, Jeremiah15:19(you will be a mouth of God), Heubrews12:14].

Your own will/decisions:
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Don’t forget that you are a son of Abraham by faith, in the spirit. That means you are included in the spiritual aspect of the promises given to Abraham.

Humility/obedience/leave all glory to God:
1Peter 5:5 …God gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time
Proverbs18:12 Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honour.
1 Samuel 15:22
to obey is better than sacrifice
1 Corinthians10:31 so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God

The secret of your progress (or success) is 1 Corinthians 10:31

Having full confidence in the Lord: Don’t put your confidence in your benefit or income support or work/job, but first in the Lord who is source of everything; rely on him and secondly on your knowledge. You don’t need to be going around looking for God or trying to feel him. He is in you always wherever you are. Some people feel God only in the church but forget about Him in their house/out/work place. That’s very wrong. Trust in the fact of God’s presence, not in your feelings.

Listen to God’s people: It’s very important to listen to other members of body of Christ, God inspires differently. (Check the diversity of gifts in
1 Corinthians 12: 4-12 at the end of message).

Thirteen (13) years ago, a man called Felicien gave me advice to focus on the Bible more than on the theories of human beings and churches’ doctrines. To focus on the Bible and to live a holy life will prosper my life.
To follow other preachers is very important but firstly be recommended or advised by your leader, who has some God experiences, to avoid doctrinal confusion.


4. Who can help?
*God will help, but only as far as your willingness allows- as said in Deuteronomy 30:19 and 1 Peter 5:7
*Beloved in Christ- Christian friends who share the same faith
*Regular reading and meditation of the word of God as indicated in the first message [Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful],

C. PRAYER AND RECOMMENDATION

My dear Lord, I thank you for the second revelation for your people, for most who did close the doors according to the first message, I pray now to help us grow in your knowledge, to set our mind free to receive from you, please Jesus, we need you, without you we are nothing, be glorified, be exalted, Master, in your precious, powerful name which is Jesus-Christ, Amen.

Please, we are waiting your questions; you will be replied biblically by God’s grace.
I need more prayers, please help me for that.
Email us others brethrens this message for the love of your redeemer.
Patrick
pramazanisa@yahoo.fr


Living as Children of Light: Ephesians 4: 17-32
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

1 Corinthians 12: 4-12
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.