"Spiritual Growth Examined"

"Spiritual Growth Examined" (Jer 1:4-10)

We need to fully comprehend how to really grow as a Christian.

Many are trying to build a spiritual walk, on corrupted ground!

I. To Root Out: - Many times farmers would have to dig out rocks and debris before they could plant a field.

This applies to the heart of the believer.

(Mark 7:6) "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."

Sin is a result of the hardness of our hearts towards God. We need to dig deep within.

(Jeremiah 4:3) "For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns."

(Hosea 10:12) "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you."

Sin is a heart problem, In order for it to come out of man, it must first have been inside man!!!!!!!

(Mark 7:21-23) "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, {22} Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: {23} All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."

This is what needed to be rooted out!

II. To Pull Down. – In planting a field many times farmers would have to pull down branches and trees.

This applies to the mind of the believer.

Many times our troubles within are due to improper thinking.

(2 Corinthians 10:5 ) "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

We get lifted by mans wisdom.

(1 Corinthians 3:20-21) "And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;"

True wisdom comes from God.

We must take the WHOLE Bible and not just the parts you think are important.

You must take the judgment with the Love, the reward with the punishment.

God’s ways are to be followed with out our rationalization about it at all.

We are to OBEY.

(1 Peter 5:5-6) "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:"

It takes a humble person to submit to the commands of God.

III. To Destroy: - In planting a field sometimes stumps were left after the trees were cut down. These stumps were blasted out with dynamite.

This applies to the Will of man.

(Luke 22:42) "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

(Galatians 2:20) "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

We must be willing to destroy our will, because our will is contraire to the will of God.

In fact Paul BEGS us to submit ourselves to the will of God.

(Romans 12:1-2) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

IV. To Throw Down: - In planting a field sometimes farmers would have to level the land to make it a better place to plant.

This applies to our Desire:

(Judges 2:2) "And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?"

Many times our desires are like these altars.

We worship them like the children of Israel did the false gods of the lands. These gods are anything that takes the place of God in our lives.

We get so busy we only do God’s will if we have enough time.

Sunday is the LORD’s DAY. (only part of a day anymore)

NOW AFTER these things are done you are ready for the next steps to spiritual growth.

V. To Build: - Now the farmer is ready to build the things needed to accommodate the growing process. Things like watering troughs and poles.

This applies to our spiritual foundation:

(1 Peter 2:2-5) "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

In order to build this spiritual foundation in our lives we need to go to the TRUE Word of GOD!

Many people are trying to build this foundation by church organizations, home group studies, seminars and so on. (These alone are not enough)

They are trying to build these foundations by using corrupt so called Bibles.

Jeremiah sums it up pretty well.

(Jeremiah 2:13) "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."

If you have a foundation of sand you will sink.

So then in order to plant you must have the ground prepared.

VI. To Plant: - Of course this is where the farmer would actually sow the seed.

This applies to the field we live in.

(Matthew 9:37-38 ) "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; {38} Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."

Conclusion:

Our spiritual growth must be accomplished according to God’s plan.

Man has come up with so many different ways to accomplish this.

Jeremiah had the right way because he was told by God what the land needed.

(Jeremiah 6:16 ) "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."