SPIRITUAL GROWTH As adults, we do not think of ourselves as growing up any more.  We sometimes “grow-out” of some of our clothes; but we are not in adolescence any more. Because we are not physically growing, we sometimes take our nutrition for granted.  We don’t exercise like we should.  We don’t pay attention to our salt, sugar, caffeine, or fat intake.  We don’t pay attention to the  vitamins and minerals we need to take to maintain our health.  As a result, our health almost unnoticeably begins to slowly decline.  We may attribute this to age and that certainly is a factor.  We must realize regarding our physical health that we have more control than we give   ourselves credit for.  Sometimes we just don’t want to discipline ourselves. We grow mentally.  We are no longer in settings of formal education, but we  do grow mentally.  Living in the information age, we are bombarded with information from our televisions that have a minimum of 60 stations.  Some cable systems offer hundreds of stations.  Besides this, we have the old stand-by of the printed word.  More newspapers, magazines, and books are available than ever before.  We grow mentally as we all have access to the internet, which is the world-wide library of all people.  We learn how to repair cars, and fix up the house or the yard.  We learn about health issues as our bodies change and have various problems.  These things, like the   taking care of the body, seem to come naturally to all of us.  We continue to grow mentally. Now, to our subject of “Spiritual Growth.”  This will never happen if we don’t discipline ourselves to read, study, and pray.  Our Father in heaven never forces Himself upon anyone.  We have a gift from Him called “free will.”  We can choose to use our “free will” in a self-serving way and choose to be lazy or we can choose to use our “free will” in a way wherein we will grow spiritually.   Christians and preachers are admonished by Paul to choose to study or be diligent before God, in seeking His approval (2 Tim. 2:15).  Christians are with certainty to speak the oracles of God (1 Pet. 4:11).   We need not be overly concerned about our opinions or church positions on various doctrines.  We need to speak with confidence and boldness a “thus saith the Lord”.  Jesus our master teacher spoke this way never doing His own will but only the will of His Father.  If we are to be spiritually strong we need to work on such a focus within ourselves.  It is our purpose to please Him (2 Cor. 5:9).  If our attitude is right and we are open to God’s leading us mentally and spiritually through His word we can and will grow or change.  We will become spiritually strong to become like those of great faith we read of in the Bible.   We are expected by God and we need to expect this of ourselves that we will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  (2 Pet. 3:18). For spiritual growth self-discipline is required.  We all have habits.  Some are good and some are not so good.  All habits are learned and can be changed.  For change to take place we must make sure of our thinking and our focus.  For habits to change our focus must be clear. Sometimes we are lazy and play the blame game.  We blame others for our personal lack of spiritual growth.  We can blame the preacher, the elders, or the church if we are not as spiritual as we aught to be.  Such rationalizations God surely sees through.  We have free will.  Remember that judgment will be for individuals and as individuals we are responsible before God.  We as individuals can choose to develop our own reading, studying, and praying habits.  The truth of the matter is this.  Nobody can read, study, and pray or worship God for you.  You have to do that for yourself.  When we do these things we show to God, others, and ourselves that our faith is for real.  When we choose to be lax, lazy, and complacent we tell to God, others, and ourselves that our relationship and faith in our God is not very important.  We don’t ever want to communicate this in any way. Therefore we must be diligent and redeem the time or make opportunities for ourselves.  TURN OFF THAT TV.  Open your Bible and read.  Start a notebook of what questions you have or what you have learned.   Consider as you read what is the application of what you read to life today.  The Bible needs to be more than just a historical account of events in times past.  Sit at a desk.  Have a good reading light.  If you have not yet purchased a good study Bible get one with cross references and various helps in it.  Build a good reference library for you and your family.  It has been suggested by our elders that all should have this book we are studying on Tuesday evenings called, “The Church of Christ” by Ed Wharton.  This book will give you some basics regarding who and what we are as Christians.   Finally, remember as you evaluate yourself every Sunday before Christ during the Lord’s Supper you need to ask yourself how you are growing closer to Christ and heaven.  Such weekly reminders are intended to help us make spiritual progress a reality for every member of the body of Christ.  Meditate on those Christian graces spoken of in 2 Peter 1:5-8 and the fruit from the Spirit you and I are to be in possession of in Galatians 5:22-23).  Our growth is to be challenging, exciting, and relevant in our walk with Jesus Christ every day.