TAKIN

G RESPO

NSIBILI

TY

FOR YO

UR SPI

RITUAL

MATURIT

Y

* DR. S

TEVE B

AGLEY

VI N

EY A

RD

AT

HO

ME

PERSONAL ADVENTURE OF FREEDOM

In Christ, God has opened the way of salvation and invited you into your own adventure of discovering what it means to be FREE in Him!

Sometimes, we get so focused on the fact that we have been freed from sin and death we forget that a lifetime of adventure with the Lord awaits – full of divine appointments and lessons, too.

“UNLOCKED” BY FAITH!

Galatians 3: 23 – 25

“Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian”.

CREATED FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

Sometimes, believers put their spiritual maturity into the hands of others – especially church leaders. It is as if they are saying: “Here. YOU make my faith grow and my maturity continue. Tell me what to do”. But this is not the way to truly “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3: 18).

Spiritual maturity can only be actualized through the give and take of relationship. This is how one discovers and refines their spiritual gifts and develops their sense of calling and purpose.

There is no substitute for this!

STRUCTURED FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH?

As we grow in the skills required for us to use the Spiritual “Power Tools” of mercy, grace, and love we are preparing ourselves for the divine appointments

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do”. (Ephesians 2: 10, NIV)

QUESTIONS TO SHARE (BY TWOS)

1.Find and share Scripture passages that speak to the issue of spiritual growth and maturity:

• WHAT does spiritual maturity look like?

• HOW do we help each other develop and affirm spiritual growth and maturity?

• WHAT IS our part in taking responsibility for our own spiritual growth?

DO YOU BELIEVE SPIRITUAL GROWTH WILL ACTUALLY BENEFIT YOUR LIFE?

If so, how does house church life:

1.Aid in your spiritual growth and maturity (without substituting for it)?

2.Provide a setting you have used to advance your efforts to grow in spiritual maturity?