welcome to the celebration of our eighth anniversary

WELCOME to the celebration of our

Eighth Anniversary

Series: The Importance of...

The Importance Of Your Spiritual Maturity


Achan secretly took a Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver (about 5 pounds worth over $1500 today), and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels (about 20 ounces worth over $24,000 today).

Achan thought no one saw his secret sin.

God sees our sin. God knows our need. Jesus meets our need and brings forgiveness for our sins - if we call upon Him.


Obvious sins or “shortcomings”

James 4:17(KJV) 17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

In this case… Shortcomings = SIN!


If we are not spiritually strong or mature, then we weaken our church or fellowship of believers

These sins weaken our lives, thus weaken our church or fellowship of believers



Failing to worship together

Hebrews 10:25(NKJV) 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.



Praying little or not at all during our week (not in church)

Acts 6:4(KJV) 4But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

1 Thessalonians 5:17(KJV) 17Pray without ceasing.



Neglecting to read, know, and apply God’s Word daily in our lives

2 Timothy 2:15-17(KJV) 15Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus



Smothering the love of Christ in our lives and actions

1 Thessalonians 5:19(KJV) 19Quench not the Spirit.



Clinging to bitterness instead of forgiving those around us

Ephesians 4:32(KJV) 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.


Ephesians 4:11-32(NKJV) 11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—


16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But you have not so learned Christ,


21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27nor give place to the devil.


28Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.


We need each other – vs. 11

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,


We need God’s touch through His servants – 11-12a

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry…


We need the uplifting of God in our lives – 12b

12 …for the edifying of the body of Christ,


We need unity in our midst – 13

13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;


We need to personally know God’s Son, Jesus Christ

13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;


We need to be mature believers in the Lord – 1313till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

NLT renders this: that we will be mature in the Lord

14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,


We need a consistent, correct, and constant message (spiritual diet) of truth - 15

15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—


We all need to be joined and knit together as an effective body each doing the Lord’s work and will

16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.


We need to be special in our daily behavior and life – 17

17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,


Displeasing to the Lord

At odds with the Lord

18having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.


Not the way we should walk

20But you have not so learned Christ, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,


We need to live godly 24/7/365

Spiritually what He wants us to be

23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.



Daily what others look at us and see

25Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.



Continually on guard against all that Satan can do to hurt us

26“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27nor give place to the devil. 28Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.


29Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.


In control – 26a


In control – 26a

Never used of the devil – 27


In control – 26a


Honesty in our actions – 28


In control – 26a



Hard working – 28c


In control – 26a




Willing and wanting to help others – 28d


In control – 26a





Not in practice of talking bad (gossip, slander, etc.) about the body – 29


In control – 26a





Not in practice of talking bad (gossip, slander, etc.) about the body – 29

Giving grace (undeserved love) to each other – 29c


We need to be special to each other

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.


We need to be special to each other

Full of the Holy Spirit in His control - 30

An exemplary example – 31

Full of forgiveness - 32


We all need to be spiritually mature

and Help each other serve the Lord

welcome to the celebration of our eighth anniversary

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