Category: Spiritual Growth

Building Your Spiritual Lineage

Pulling out the chair, I glanced over and smiled as we both sat down. I knew most of the people at my nephew’s graduation dinner, but the woman seated next to me was a stranger. Soon after we’d introduced ourselves, I discovered that she and her husband were the leaders of a ministry where my nephew had been involved throughout college. Despite their youthful demeanor, I learned they’d been staff members for several decades with an organization that shared the gospel with students and equipped them to pass it on to others. Having been a part of the same ministry on my college campus, it didn’t take long for us to begin sharing stories and discovering people we both knew. It was one of those “Small World” moments that make you smile, especially in Christian circles.

As Karen told me about the different universities where she’d ministered to students, one part of her story caught my attention. A mentor I’d had for just one year in college had graduated from one of the schools where Karen had served. I lobbed out my leader’s name, wondering if Karen knew her. Nearly jumping out of her seat, she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm, “Wait a minute, you’re telling me that Kim was the staff member that helped you start a Bible study in your sorority?!”

“Yes, do you know her?” I responded with a smile. (I was pretty sure I already knew the answer.)

Karen explained that she’d mentored Kim during her college years and had helped her start a Bible study in her sorority, just as Kim had done for me. Exuberant, Karen finished her story saying, “This is so cool! It’s like you’re my spiritual granddaughter! I hardly ever get the blessing of seeing a second generation of the fruit God bears through our ministry!” Being maybe 10-15 years older than me, her “grandparent” analogy made me laugh.

In the span of that one meal Karen and I went from being perfect strangers to realizing that we were part of the same spiritual lineage. She had accepted Christ in college through a friend in her sorority. She’d gone on to spend her adult life pouring into college students with the gospel that had transformed her. One of the many students she’d discipled was Kim, who later “just happened” to be my Bible study leader for one year in college. It’s a special privilege when we get to see the big picture of how God builds His house one life at a time.

Beth Moore explains, “Practically every child of God has an earthly spiritual ancestry…Taking personal ownership of our spiritual lineage—both in what we receive and what we pass down—is titanic in this Scriptural journey. Whether we are on the younger side of the generational spectrum or older, God’s sovereign way is for optimum fruitfulness and faithfulness to spring from the soil of our connectedness.” (Entrusted, p. 59)

It makes me think of Peter’s description of believers, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5, NIV) Each time we share the gospel and someone receives it, we build God’s spiritual house just a little bigger. With Christ as our foundation, we continue to expand outward and upward, with each part of the house connected to the stones that were laid earlier and supporting the ones that will be added later. The same is true of our spiritual lineage: we received the gospel from those who came before us and we have the privilege of entrusting it to others who come after us.

Standing alone, stones are uninspiring. But when they are stacked together under the watchful eye of a skilled builder and sealed in place with the Holy Spirit, they represent the hope of salvation. It makes me realize how important it is to be intentional about continuing to share with others what has been entrusted to me. If we don’t recognize the crucial role each believer plays in passing on our spiritual lineage to others, it would be like a stone house with holes in the walls.

Take Beth Moore’s words to heart and share God’s faithfulness with someone who needs to hear the gospel. And maybe one day, you’ll be blessed with the opportunity to meet a perfect stranger who turns out to be part of your spiritual lineage.

Micah Tyler’s song “Different” could be a fitting prayer for inviting God to continue His spiritual lineage through you.

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com

Beth Moore, Entrusted: A Study of 2 Timothy, Lifeway Press, 2016.

The Value of a Vertical Focus

The blank wall in our backyard was unremarkable for years. We had ideas for how to spruce it up, but never seemed to find the time. And then one spring afternoon, my husband got inspired. Returning from a trip to the hardware store, he set to work installing small bolts up the wall at evenly spaced intervals. Once he finished, he uncoiled a spool of wire and wound it around each bolt. By the time he was finished, we had a perfect grid ready for a vine.

Strategically digging holes at the base of the latticework, we nestled tiny plants into them. After a few months, they began to grow tall enough for my husband to wind the small tendrils around the wire, training them to attach to it and grow upwards. At first the latticework looked a little lonely and bare, but over time the lush foliage filled in. Now, five years later, the once bare wall is the most noteworthy aspect of our yard. Getting it to look that way took time, patience, and discipline (for which I can take no credit whatsoever).

Every few weeks, new growth and foliage need to be pulled from the wall and either trimmed off or wound around the wire to continue the upward growth. Without human intervention, the wall would be a messy jumble of shoots and leaves with no pattern. It would be unruly and undisciplined.

For some reason, a picture of our latticework wall came to mind as I read a question in Beth Moore’s Entrusted Bible study this week. At the close of Week 1, Day 1, she asks readers “What brings you to your side of this page”?  In other words, why are you doing this study?

If my life was that vine growing up our wall, then God’s Word is what keeps me tethered to the wire when I want to stray out on my own. It helps me to keep a vertical focus so that my worldview, actions and attitudes come from God and not from the standards of our ever-changing culture. Consistently engaging in Bible study for most of my life has allowed healthy patterns to emerge and God’s handiwork to show in my life. His Word grounds me in truth when the world bombards me with lies. It is a firm foundation in unsteady times. It is a plumb line that keeps my thoughts and perspectives aligned with God’s ways instead of the world’s. It is the mirror that shows me my true identity as God’s beloved child when I’m tempted to measure myself by the fickle standards of the world.

When I’m not fighting against Him; when I’m patient over the long haul; when I trust Him even when I don’t understand why He’s allowing a certain hardship– He can do beautiful things in and through me. He sees the whole picture where I see only a small part. He has laid out plans for me, intentionally going before me to stretch out the wires on the wall that beckon me to grow to heights I could never achieve on my own. As I allow His loving hands to wind the tendrils of my life around His latticework, I see that His ways are higher and better than mine.

For me, completing a study guide isn’t a task to be checked off a to do list. We call it “homework” at Bible study, but in reality it’s the gateway to life transformation and the thing that continually keeps my focus exactly where it belongs: on God. And that is what brings me back year after year.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV)

“Word of Life” by Jeremy Camp is a song that celebrates Jesus as the Word that became flesh and the truth found in God’s Word. Click on the link to hear it.

 

 

Your Spiritual Diet: 1 Peter 2:1-2

My two boys joke that I started eating gluten free before it became a fad.  For me, the shift in my diet wasn’t an attempt to adopt the latest health craze– it was an unwelcome change brought on by a minor health crisis.  Apparently, an intolerance to gluten had been building in my body for a while and one day the scales just tipped to the other side.  Suddenly my rib cage felt like it was in a constant vice grip and I couldn’t swallow solid food without significant pain and effort.  After months of seeing doctors, undergoing various medical tests, and trying a multitude of medications, I finally discovered that gluten was the culprit. This was not happy news for a bread-loving family like mine.  And as I researched more about how to implement a gluten free diet, my spirits plummeted. Because the gluten free craze hadn’t begun yet, I had to scrutinize every label, recipe and ingredient to determine if it was safe for me to eat.

As much as I struggled with adapting to a new diet, I struggled more with the emotional toll it took on me.  Suddenly every meal and social event was riddled with concern about what I could and couldn’t eat. I consider myself a “low maintenance” person and my new diet made me feel way too “high maintenance.” However, the difference in how I felt physically was worth it. Each time I was offered something I knew contained gluten, I refused it because I knew how horrible it would make me feel.

Never did I think that my gluten free diet would have a biblical application until I read First Peter 2:

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—  if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:1-2, ESV)

Just as I had to “put away” the foods that made me feel sick, Peter admonishes believers to “put away” thoughts and behaviors that will keep us from maturing spiritually.  In doing this, he uses the example of a newborn baby needing pure milk to grow. This is a great extension of the idea of being born again that Jesus describes in John 3:3.

When we accept Christ, we begin a new life of faith.  And just like when we were physically born the first time, we grow and mature slowly over time.  The challenge with this second birth, however, is that we’ve already been exposed to a steady diet of things other than “pure spiritual milk.” Whether we were raised in the church or come to faith later, all of us have been exposed to worldly ways of thinking that impact us spiritually.

So just like I had to change my eating habits when I realized I was gluten-intolerant, we need to change our thoughts, attitudes and behaviors when we want to pursue God wholeheartedly.  Because the Holy Spirit lives inside us, some of the attitudes and behaviors we’ve embraced from the world aren’t compatible with a life of faith.  If we continue to give ourselves over to malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander, we will stunt our spiritual growth because what we feed our minds affects our souls.

Malice is evil intent or the desire to inflict harm, injury or suffering on another. While most of us don’t consider ourselves malicious, there are times we’ve quietly reveled in someone else’s misfortune.  Granted, it’s usually a person that has hurt us or someone we love, so we feel justified thinking they “got what they deserved.” Embarrassing as it is to admit, this is malicious and not part of a godly thought life.

Deceit is concealment or distortion of truth. Do you ever feel tempted to avoid certain details to gain an advantage? Or maybe you exaggerate an issue for attention? It might seem harmless, but if it’s distorting the truth, it’s still deceit. Stop and think what you’re trying to gain through deceit. Is it worth it, even knowing it’s stunting your spiritual growth?

Hypocrisy is the pretense of being virtuous or moral. Hypocrites say the right things, but their actions tell the true story about what they believe. They love the idea of living for God, but don’t tend to follow through when faced with opposition or potential rejection.  We’re all guilty of it at times. The best defense is to pray for authenticity and integrity so that we can honor God no matter where we are or who we’re with.

Envy is a feeling of discontent regarding another person’s advantages, successes, or possessions. Facebook and other social media sites are prime territory for breeding envy. One of the best antidotes is to learn to celebrate the positive things happening to others instead of comparing ourselves and feeling threatened by them. Figure out what your “envy triggers” are and pray about them. Tell God about that thing another person has that you want so badly. Invite Him to replace your envy with gratefulness and contentment.

Slander is described in the New Living translation as “unkind speech.”  Whether we are talking about people we know personally or those in the public eye, it’s important to be aware of what we’re saying about them.  Also, we need to keep in mind how we’re being influenced by radio and TV talk shows, podcasts, articles we read in print or online and even chain e-mails that get forwarded to us. Outside influences often feed our tendency to speak unkindly about others

With the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we can begin to recognize when we’re falling into old behaviors and attitudes that don’t fit with our new lives in Christ.  As we start craving a  “diet” that is pure, we won’t be as apt to fall into old ways of functioning.  Just like I can feel the negative effects of gluten when I eat it mistakenly, I can feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit when I slip back into thoughts, words and actions that don’t honor God.  Once we’ve tasted His goodness, nothing else satisfies in quite the same way.

Want some encouragement about how to overcome these things in your life?  Listen to “The Cure” by Unspoken:

Inspired by Week 4 in 1 Peter: A Living Hope in Christ by Jen Wilkin, Lifeway Press, 2016.

 

Genuine Faith: 1 Peter 1:1-12

Vibrating beneath my hands, the power sander spewed a cloud of fine dust as I ran it over the wood. The dresser had an ugly, opaque finish and I was curious to see the quality of the wood hidden beneath it. To my delight, the sanding revealed pure, unblemished maple with a beautiful grain that far exceeded my expectations.

I was reminded of that dresser recently as I read the apostle Peter’s teaching about the way God refines our faith:

 “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (1 Peter 1:6-7, NLT)

Like using a sander on wood, trials refine our faith. They remove the ugly layers of protection we often put on ourselves over time. The faith was always there, but trials draw it to the forefront of our lives.

Oftentimes when we study a passage like this one, we envision major “life event” sort of trials. A cancer diagnosis. The death of a family member.  The loss of a job. An ugly divorce. A traumatic event that derails plans and dreams.

While those life-altering trials often refine our faith, smaller difficulties can produce the same results, if we let them. A challenging person or situation becomes spiritual sandpaper in the hands of God.

A few years ago my family experienced a relentless chain of hard circumstances that led us to deeper intimacy with Jesus and profound spiritual growth. Ironically, at the center of many uncontrollable difficulties was a situation that we’d brought on ourselves: a home remodel.

With every annoyance we experienced, from doing laundry on our back patio to living without a kitchen for seven months to working with an unreliable contractor, we learned we had a choice. We could wallow in self-pity and bitterness or we could let God refine us through the process.

The Bible makes many references to God as a refiner. Psalm 66:10 states it clearly. “For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.” God uses people and situations to cleanse us from impurities, to perfect us and to make us look more like Jesus in our actions and attitudes. 

In the book of Zechariah God speaks again about refinement. “I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.'” (Zechariah 13:9b)

God revealed many ugly impurities in me that needed to be surrendered to Him throughout our remodel. And, as painful as it was, I chose to let Him do His refining work in me. He uncovered my lack of patience and my craving for control. He taught me to wait and watch for His answers in His timing. Submitting to that process transformed me in ways I never would have expected.

Our struggles and challenges, both large and small, are an amazing opportunity to uncover the faith planted deep within us. As I learned with refinishing my dresser, true beauty shows only after the messy refining process removes the ugly outer layers.

Rather than lamenting the difficult things we must endure, we can rejoice knowing that they are revealing a genuine and lasting faith that is more valuable than anything this world could offer.

Click on the link to enjoy Francesca Battistelli’s song “This is the Stuff.”  It’s a fun song with great encouragement to let God give us perspective when we face trials, both large and small.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H73AyGZvwEA

Inspired by Week 2 in 1 Peter: A Living Hope in Christ, by Jen Wilkin, Lifeway 2015.