Today marks the dawning of a new day in my life and I am excited to see it come to be. In 1994 I had an idea to write a story book but I only managed to scribble down a page and then I lost it.
In 1996 when I gave my life to Christ that passion was rekindled, not to write a book but to record what God was teaching me and in my new note book I wrote, “The greatest memory is only as strong as the weakest ink. Remember timing and recording as you meet God.”
In The Last Days Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" The old man replied, "Nope, only babies."
Today we gather here to witness the development of that tiny idea which God through me has turned to a book about spiritual growth.
I got the following research findings from my spiritual formation lecturer.
· 48 % of adults who regularly attend Christian churches say they have not experienced Gods presence at any time in the last 12 months.
· Millions who align themselves to the Christian faith have not thought very much what spiritual maturity means or what it looks like.
The call and challenge of spiritual growth
Therefore brethren the call and the challenge of spiritual growth is very real in our generation.
1. We hear it when we watch the 7 and 9 o’clock news in all our TV stations
2. We hear it when we listen to discussions and contributions on Fm Radio stations in the morning and evening
3. We saw it as we watched in utter disbelief , the billows of smoke that engulfed this nation Dec 2007 and January 2008
4. We see it as we watch local televangelists preach on TV
5. We experience it every Sunday morning as the church gathers to worship
6. We experience it in the counseling room as the broken and hurting narrate their ordeals at home, at work and in the church
7. We experience it whenever we hold general elections in this country as a greater percentage shift their allegiance from Christ to the community they come from
Why spiritual Growth
1. “Most Christians live lives of quiet desperation” (Dallas Willard)(Matt 9:350)
2. Jesus expects and commanded it (John 15)
3. Its through spiritual growth that we become more like Christ (Gal 4:19)
4. It’s through spiritual growth that we can reproduce and multiply our influence in society and thus fulfill the Great commission(Matt 28:18-20)
Conclusion
As far as spiritual growth is concerned, I would like to paraphrase Jesus and say, “the volunteers are many but the directors are few.”
In this book I seek
1. To rescue many from that quiet desperation.
2. To provide the means to live the abundant life that Christ provides (John 10:10b).
3. To fortify our lives against the thief and to stop him from coming in to steal, to kill and destroy (John 10:10a).
In John 8:31-32 Jesus said to His disciples, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
The secret of growth is in abiding, being planted in Christ in order to grow.
When I attended the first overnight prayer meeting in this church our Senior pastor was sharing from 2Tim 1:6 where Paul reminds Timothy to fan to flame the gift of God in his life. This is what I have been doing brothers and sisters, trying to fan to flame God's gift in me. It is however difficult to light fire using wet fire wood and we are operating in a wet world.
Thank you very much and God blessing you
