This is a follow-up to my last post talking about ways to ensure continual spiritual growth. In the post, I talked about some big bucket areas that I wanted to check on monthly to ensure I was growing in them.
Along with those buckets, I wanted to look up some memory verses as reference points for my actions during the month.
Here are the buckets/verses I came up with.
Reading/meditating/memorizing the Bible
As I mature in my faith and understanding of God, it’s become more apparent how critical it is that I _saturate_ myself in the Word of God. I’m getting to the point where I feel like it needs to be my #1 spiritual discipline.
I mean, it’s the stinkin’ Word of God in written form. Where else is God’s wisdom, advice and direction going to be more clear? It doesn’t get more burning bush than “Love God, love your neighbor.” Seriously. ;)
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NIV)
12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
Interceding for others
I have a tendency to pray for my issues and my needs _way_ too much. Last I checked, there was only one me and billions of other people. To be fair, it seems like I should probably pray for some of those billions of people a little bit more than I have. ;)
1 Timothy 2:1 (NIV)
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone
Ability to love people and demonstrate that love
Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34) anybody? We have always got to be growing in our love for God and other people.
Romans 13:8 (NIV)
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Engaging others about Jesus
I live in a bubble. A gimongous, Christian bubble. It’s time to pop that bubble and get dirty. <– period.
Luke 5:32 (NIV)
32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Confessing sins
This was added after my initial list because it needs to happen. I need to continually be broken before Jesus about all the stuff I’m screwing up.
1 John 1:9 (NIV)
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
8 replies on “Initiating Growth Environment, Phase 1”
@Sarah
Thank you for reading. I’m glad it was able to positively affect you. You’re awesome!
This post hugely affected me. Every now and then I refer back to it and reread. Very cool. Thanks for writing what Jesus is showing you.
@Laney
I don’t think eyelid paste has hit the retail shelves yet, but Scotch tape has. I taped 4 of those 5 verses to various places in my car and it’s pretty much like pasting it to my eyelids.
Everytime I get in my car, it’s like, *bam*, in your face. ;)
LOVE IT. I might be a little slow on reading this but I am so glad I did. I want to print this out and paste it to my eyelids so that I can remember these things and daily be reminded of them. (Has anyone invented eyelid paste yet?) Thank you Alex for once again being totally and completely full of awesomeness. Thank you!
@Danielle
Aha! No, I have not written the follow-up. Maybe you will be my motivation to do so.
Stay tuned. ;)
Hey Alex,
did you ever do the follow up to your post about reading the Bible? I am ready to TRULY jump in and consume the Word wholeheartedly (in an organized fashion) but don’t know where to start! Any tips?
Yeah man, good nugget from Pastor Stovall today, huh? I may blog about it. :)
Lovin this desire, denial, drive you’re pushing for Alex. i love the event in luke 5 that you referenced, jesus sitting with matthew, and then a GREAT NUMBER of lost people came to sit with him. as you said, ‘time to pop that bubble and get dirty’.