{"id":106,"date":"2016-02-24T19:09:52","date_gmt":"2016-02-24T19:09:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/?p=106"},"modified":"2019-02-01T19:10:31","modified_gmt":"2019-02-01T19:10:31","slug":"let-us-press-on-to-maturity-heb-61","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/2016\/02\/24\/let-us-press-on-to-maturity-heb-61\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cLet Us Press on to Maturity\u201d (Heb 6:1)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Notes from men\u2019s retreat in Motley, MN \u2013 Feb 19-21Four ways to spiritual growth\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Embrace the power of the new creation:<\/em><\/strong> The journey to maturity begins with the transforming work of the gospel.<\/em>
    1. Fact: When we turn to the Lord and put our trust in Him, God recreates<\/em>us in Christ (Rom 5:12-21).<\/li>
    2. God does this for us, but we must also join Christ practically in His death and resurrection. How?
      1. Know<\/em> the truth of the transforming gospel (Rom 6:6).<\/li>
      2. Consider<\/em> it to be true (Rom 6:11).<\/li>
      3. Present<\/em> your bodily behavior to God in light of this truth (Rom 6:13).<\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/li>
      4. Watch over your heart:<\/em><\/strong> Maturity requires us to guard<\/em> our hearts<\/em> from distracting influences and invest<\/em> our hearts<\/em> in God\u2019s Kingdom (Prov 4:23).
        1. The heart is the center of life \u2013 the inner core from which words, behavior, and influence flow.<\/li>
        2. Four occupations of the heart that cultivate maturity:
          1. Our hearts must determine<\/em> to follow Jesus. We must resolve to live out the covenant we made with God (Prov 4:23-27; Matt 16:24-28; Luke 14:25-33).<\/li>
          2. Our hearts must seek<\/em> God\u2019s face \u2013 be fascinated by His loveliness (Psa 27:4-8).
            1. Hearts must overflow with a good theme (Psa 45:1)<\/li>
            2. Jesus is Lord (Heb 1; Phil 2:1-11; John 1:1-5; Col 1:13-20).<\/li>
            3. Jesus is good (Psa 23).<\/li>
            4. Jesus is valuable <\/em>(Phil 3:1-16).<\/li>
            5. Find Him in the four Gospels.<\/li><\/ol><\/li>
            6. Our hearts must be<\/em> full<\/em> of the Spirit (Luke 4:1; Gal 4:6; Rom 5:5; Acts 2:1-4; Eph 5:18-21).<\/li>
            7. Our hearts must forgive<\/em> offenses (Mark 11:25; Luke 17:1-6; Matt 18:21-35; Eph 4:31-32).<\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/li>
            8. Pray when it counts<\/em><\/strong>: Mature men connect<\/em> with God in prayer (Heb 4:16).
              1. \u201cCome\u201d \u2013 Build an altar in your heart and in your schedule.<\/li>
              2. \u201cBoldly\u201d \u2013 God delights in our fellowship (the spotlight); we can have confidence.<\/li>
              3. Pray the Jesus way <\/em>(Heb 5:7-10): Raw, heartfelt prayer translates suffering into maturity.
                1. God trains us as sons in the wilderness of trials and resistance (Heb 5:8; 12:1-11).<\/li>
                2. Prayer connects with God in the wilderness (Heb 4:16 in context). It refuses to let go of God until He provides the breakthrough.<\/li>
                3. Prayer in the wilderness converts suffering and loss into authority (Exod 4:2).<\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/li>
                4. Build the House of the Lord<\/em><\/strong>: Mature spiritual men construct themselves and others through the power of the Spirit<\/em> (1 Cor 3:10-17).
                  1. Build each brick (yourself): \u201cYou have need of endurance\u201d (Heb 10:32-39). Tools for endurance\u2026
                    1. \u201cBe strong!\u201d Tap the inner resources of the Holy Spirit. Just do it (Josh 1:1-9; Eph 6:10-11).<\/li>
                    2. Vision of the future before God (Heb 10:34-39; 2 Cor 5:1-10).<\/li>
                    3. Consider Jesus (Heb 12:1-3).<\/li>
                    4. Pray in the Spirit, in other tongues (1 Cor 14:4).<\/li><\/ol><\/li>
                    5. Build the house (the church): Put the bricks together. Join with others in healthy relationships.
                      1. Key Principles:
                        1. We need one another\u2019s exhortations and encouragement. God designed us that way (Heb 3:13).<\/li>
                        2. God\u2019s design is a body. Christ is most glorified through a unified people rather than individuals (1 Cor 12:1-20; Eph 4:1-16).<\/li>
                        3. We simply need one another. We need healthy, covenantal relationships in order to become mature. <\/em>In fact, having the courage to enter these relationships is a sign of spiritual maturity in itself.<\/li><\/ol><\/li>
                        4. Key practices:
                          1. Join with others in concentric circles \u2013 from a few close comrades to a broader body. Be a responsible covenant brother in each circle.<\/li>
                          2. Share the Spirit.<\/li>
                          3. Share life.<\/li>
                          4. Share the Word.<\/li>
                          5. Share prayer.<\/li>
                          6. Share weaknesses.<\/li>
                          7. Accept one another.<\/li>
                          8. Correct one another in love.<\/li>
                          9. Encourage one another.<\/li>
                          10. Protect one another.<\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                            Notes from men\u2019s retreat in Motley, MN \u2013 Feb 19-21Four ways to spiritual growth\u2026 Embrace the power of the new creation: The journey to maturity begins with the transforming work of the gospel. Fact: When we turn to the Lord and put our trust in Him, God recreatesus in Christ (Rom 5:12-21). God does this for us, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107,"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106\/revisions\/107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertgladstone.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}