How to Be a Growing Christian | Part 2

What does it mean to tour interface listen to Adrian Rogers Rose requires the passage of time it will not be instantly withdrew about by the little reading I found out that a mouse reaches maturity of three months. Cats and dogs able to reproduce in 1218 months, gorillas and chimpanzees when the 10 years old but human beings mature and become self-sufficient. Almost the slowest of all species. The very thing about both of us to think we are the smartest.

There's no instant mature and just keep plodding along and you will find out that you welcome to the finding featuring the profound insights of the lessons of Adrian Rogers in part one of today's message. We learned that a growing Christian is a maturing Christian.

However, there are some Christians who are saved but aren't growing will never know true victory and joy unless we learn how to be a growing Christian. The apostle John compares spiritual maturity to three stages in our physical lives. If you have your Bible turn to first John chapter 2 will begin in verse 12.

As Adrian Rogers reveals how to be a growing Christian Rasco Franco personal question are you a growing Christian item asked if you are a Christian, I ask are you a growing Christian.

Are you moving toward maturity. You can be young only wants, but you can be immature for long walk home time and the problem and in many of our churches is that we have people been born. But they cease to grow so we want to talk to you little bit about how to be a growing Christian because fellowship in churches comes about when we grow Malik in verse 12, I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake. I write unto you, fathers_Lord fathers because you have known him. That is, from the beginning I write under you, young man_the phrase young man because he overcome the wicked one. I write in the little children because you know the father I've written unto you fall this because you've known him. That is, from the beginning. I have written to you young men because you are strong in the word of God abide in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one where talking about going on the maturity what is maturity. Maturity is Christ likeness could put this verse in your margin Ephesians 4, verse 13, Paul says to we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man in the WordPerfect care does not mean send resumes mature onto a mature man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. You how I measure my ministry, not the size of the buildings of the love offering of the Sunday school attendance. Are you becoming more and more like Jesus. Are you becoming more and more like Jesus. That was the goal of Paul's ministry, but this verse and Colossians 1 and verse 28, Paul says, whom we preach, that is Jesus warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. And again, the WordPerfect means mature now. Maturity is a lifelong process, folks, is not 100 yard – it is a marathon. Nobody is instantly mature, wise man said if you want to grow squashing do that in 40 days if you want to groan okay do that than 40 years. You can be instantly spiritual. You can be gifted. You could be healthy, but you cannot be mature so I'm trying to teach about how to move it into maturity. To go from childhood to adolescence to fatherhood. That's what John is talking about the first of all he talks about the childhood stage look to be willing verse 12 I write of you little children now write this down. The thrilling wonders of child the thrilling wonders of childhood all it's a wonderful little babies or someone who we level babies are church loves little babies with joy as the thrills the excitement when God brings a baby into all when I let me tell you something. Folks I've been doing a survey of little children by way I am a bona fide grandpa and you learn things by being a grandfather that you learn by doing. Father, because when you're grandfather you can back yourself out and study a little bit and you can watch and hear what I have learned through my very scientific study as a bona fide grandfather through my humble but accurate opinion me tell you anything about little children, these wonderful children.

Their selfish most selfish creatures on earth is a baby. I mean every movement.

Is this what you take something away from and you going to arrange not a are they selfish, but their crude and rude.

They will work in your face and think nothing of it after something else about lazy.

They just lie around the house. They don't know anything. They will help. They will help clean they will bring anything and they lazy and unproductive. These pressures will jump out there something else about their totally inconsiderate they wake you up in the middle of the night and and I want to something else about you will agree with this but they mean to me. We got our little grandson together.

I mean, they had not been on the floor for 30 seconds before Stephen Paul moved over and Andrew. I mean, good. Took a chunk out of Amber mean mean little kid I went with think about a sweet little darlings I'm telling you friend there selfish. They were rude and inconsiderate. They are lazy they unproductive and sometimes me if you little child like that you say about the human being on will be one commemorative I say that's a Christian. I don't be one a little baby Christian. Thank God for little baby Christians but little baby Christians have to grow up and when you get saved.

Nobody is say full-grown and I don't care what age you are when you get saved you are a babe in Christ can John is writing to some and he calls them level. She now thank God for little children.

Thank God for people like this, folks, I mean I'm grateful for this, but don't don't find some some baby in our church and say well now that's what being a Christian is on will be Christian.

That's a baby Christian. They have to grow up and I used to think that a great church was a church where every body was a mature Christian. That's not a great church that's a failing church that would be like saying a great home as a home where they are all adults and there are no children and no grandchildren.

That's not a great home is not a great help. Thank God for the spilled milk. Thank God for the dirty diapers. Thank God for materials on the floor.

Thank God for all that comes with it and we need to make these baby Christians who come to Jesus feel at home. We need to love them and our church is in one sense a maternity ward.

Now the problem the problem is, some say the maternity ward far too long when you are a great big baby still on the bottle, still sucking your thumb not growing, not serving, not working. Having to be served and still selfish and still rude and still crude sense lazy and still thoughtful.

May God have mercy upon you grow, there is a legitimate childhood. Now the Bible says, put away childish things. The Bible says still be childlike. No child has that wonder that sweet keep that in you keep the wonder keep excitement, keep a job. Remember when their sins were forgiven.

You matter. Forget it. Forget it. I write annual children because your sins are forgiven you.

Thank God for that by writing to you young men because your strong word of God abides in you will overcome the wicked one when you get to be a father. You don't cease and you will lose the wonder you don't step out of warfare.

You just had all these things to it and you become a full-grown man and that's the reason a person who is really mature in the Lord. Did you know that little children enjoy these kind of people because they themselves still have a childhood they never lost the wonder did you know there will be a little boy and every man a little girl and every woman whose full-grown still love to laugh, to play to have the good times and I don't care who you are now to be that man would you want to stay in about a euro to stay in the warfare of the word of God will be in you. You just simply add all these things together unto you become a full orbit individual. What the Bible calls a father and then you are at home in any crowd with little children to little children love Jesus. They come sit in his lap and the older men. The apostle John when he was old.

He loved to be with the Lord Jesus Christ and so what were talking here about is growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus by limiting folks what a vascular obvious question who wrote this book of first John.

John wrote this and if you use at all. Dear sweet old John the beloved disciple now that that's when we think of John thought you had to sort of nice idea. John the disciple whom Jesus loved the one who wrote about love and those leveling I want to tell you friend if you have been around John when he was a young man you would not have wanted to be around John limiting what John was like you won't know what John was like my matrix to let his nickname was so that was his nickname. He had a hairtrigger bill.

I was by his natural disposition selfish as all get out. James and John came to Jesus is the Lord when you come in your kingdom.

What I like silly right hand and my brother here with us on the left-hand side when they were there going through Samaria and the Samaritans were not receiving no John said he said Lord you wants to call down some fire from heaven or little heavenly napalm metal fix these Voltaire shot glass of milk until they blow him when she remembered our floor, caught God last Jesus. That's a John your what's future of I don't get the idea that John was Mr. nice guy. John was not Mr. nice guy when Jesus got all loving buddy in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ missing later own his co-beloved apostle simulator only went to Samaria. He was the one that led that revival there was a consuming fire. But Holy Ghost fire that he brought down upon.

The second time when he came he was the one who wasn't trying to be first but it was a woman taught us to love one another. You see what John is talking about now. The apostle John. He has experienced here has grown in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And that means if it was John. There's hope you you can grow now asking the question.

I did ask you safe. Are you a growing Christian, I mean listen to fail to grow as a sin if you love Jesus Christ more today than you did yesterday your backslidden you need to be growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now how you are you number one of the means of growth because a growing church is a healthy and happy church.

That's where the fellowship this week will number one, there must be the miracle of life. There must be the miracle of life that he calls them little children in verse 12.

Actually he uses two words for little children the same passage of Scripture uses one word but just simply means born ones and they use another word which means children under discipline technician Padilla you got to be a born one. You cannot grow up and then get born talks about him and to try to limit Christ and I said well I got some things in my life.

I need this right now when I get all that done. Then I'll become a Christian part. Maybe that's not very bright as like Sam will grow up and I'll get born know you see it is birth that precedes growth.

When we were here many, many, many years ago. In the old church building downtown. I have all the boys and girls.

I was trying to teach a lesson on growth and so I we got some little potted plants, and we gave them different Sunday school classes and we told one give this plant, water, sunlight, and fertilizer.

We told others get this plant water and fertilizer but no sunlight another one give us sunlight, but no water and fertilizer do we have all of the different combinations that you could get and some plants growing like this and some like this in some account like this.

Then we gave the kids a stick just a plain wooden stake in a pot.

We said to them, give it a light give it water and give it fertilizer and so the kids would bring their different plants Sunday morning but you know a lot of those kids that had a stick there stick never brutal.

It just wouldn't grow because the state had no life.

Now don't try to grow up for you get born.

I give your heart to Jesus Christ and first of all, there has to be. You have to be born from above in order to grow. Are you saved, I mean do you know the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you have that life in you first thing growth requires the miracle of life. Second thing, growth requires passage of time, you will not be instantly mature. There are no shortcuts.

Now I did a little reading I found out that a mouse reaches maturity of three months. Cats and dogs able to reproduce in 1218 months, gorillas and chimpanzees when the 10 years old but human beings mature and become self-sufficient. Almost the slowest of all species that is very interesting about those of us who think we are the smartest. There's no instant maturity and just keep plodding along and you will find out that you will grow is 1/3 thing. The growth requires. It requires the receiving of nourishment now want to stop right here and and and talk a little bit you know the Bible says in first Peter 22 as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby you don't take in a Christian and give them a study in Revelation, Ezekiel or Leviticus you getting in. In the Gospel of John of the places you getting the milk of the word so that he may grow thereby, and the word desire here means to pray to crave the milk of the word, and it's in the imperative form in your commanded to crave the word of God. You know what a newborn baby in the physical realms interested in not the print on the curtains about that wonderful little mobile that you hung over his bed. He's oblivious that is the bottle ours at home mom and eyes milk which everyone his own. I want you to know that he is interested and that will and that's what Peter is saying in first Peter 22 as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. You know if by the community as at you and your Christian life. Well past Rogers I'm not doing very good. I'm not winning any battles on my give my prayers answered and nothing is making sense for Frank. I'm discouraged. I'd say well alone come about your Bible study old I come in here you preach on Sunday morning pastor if company Duncombe is not raining. I'm there to hear you preach you will be Hackett friend that be like giving a newborn baby 4 gallons of milk on weekends patch is not going to get it done.

You gotta be feeding day by day on the word of God.

That's where the strength comes vacuum grow very fast vessel Barrett wrote about why don't move the minute you don't know why the movie by me. Well, he's dead. You could, knowing that mean you could've known about it. He was the Billy Graham of his day. Here's what she said about meeting Gil Moody did have a theological education.

She said this, when, why don't you became a Christian he developed such a hunger for God's word spent so much time reading it and was so quick to obey it, that he became a menace.

Listen to this to some believers. His rapid spiritual growth was an embarrassment to certain people who, though they had been saved for years never grew up in Christ, week after week in the church. Moody attended he would share a new experience that he had with the Lord. Finally some of the older saints who couldn't stand feeling humiliated by his exemplary life, went to movies on claim, urged him to flight down his nephew and then Ethelbert said this is robust spiritual health and bounding MD disturbed their napping. He was just too much. So while they were sucking their thumbs. He was growing until he left them far behind Hebrew more in a few years, and they didn't because he got on the word of God. You got to get the word of God in your heart and your life going broke and I watch what is it take to grow, listen, you got have birth number two. It takes time. Number three.

You have to be constantly feeding on the word of God. Now I'm to some else my little babies little babies will eat junk food.

If you give it to and little babies will put anything in their mouth.

I mean a cigarette but a roach or anything else. I'm telling they put anything in her mouth. I am surprised at what some people are members of this church are coming to their home and they'll have that have Jehovah's Witness literature about the newest Jehovah's Witness literature in the home little babies will put anything in the mouth and the head they don't understand that the Bible says they don't have discernment they don't have discernment you have to feed on the word of God. Listen precious friend. It takes life.

It takes time. It takes nourishment to something else. It takes discipline in exercise if you were to develop not be a flabby Chris John Hebrews 5 verse 14 but strong meat belongs to them who are of full age, even to those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil word there for exercise. The word we get our English word gymnasium from now. I have so many flabby Christians they come down the aisle of the church they get baptized then they come Sunday after Sunday 60 can sell. They do not exercise now you want to go on the maturity get a job. There's a place of service for you.

Yes I will pastor I can't teach mating help a ballclub. Maybe help gymnasium. Maybe you can help in the dining hall. Maybe help in the bookstore.

Maybe you can help in the office mating help in the Sunday school class mate who help in the jail ministry began to exercise and don't just sit around like a turtle along get his for the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a shame and a disgrace that so many people been Christian, so long and I still sit in the nursery being rock sucking there from the same and you know it's true.

Are you growing Christian if your child thank God I get you been born into the family. Praise God. I want to become a young man is a battle where some work to be done.

Are you a young man working a warrior. God I want to become a spiritual father, I want to remind others of God. I want to become a giving person. I want to become a reproducing person. I want to be a person that has some knowledge of God.

When somebody has you've been so much with God you begin to act and look like you know what you spend enough time somebody began to look like and act like Joyce is getting worried. Listen folks, we become like now, here's the first step is being born. Have you been born into a family of God. Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior God wants to save it was to forgive your sin, and he will do. Would you pray a prayer like this old God, thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins. Thank you for paying my Cendant and taking the judgment that I deserve.

You told me if I would trust you, Lord Jesus, you would save me. I trust you right now.

Forgive my sin cleanse me, make me your child save me long. Help me not to be ashamed of you in your name I pray, amen.

If you just prayed to receive Jesus Christ. We would love to celebrate with you anywhere discover Jesus page on our website to find answers, you may need about your newfound faith.

We have a response section. Therefore, anyone you can share your testimony with us or tell us how this message is made a difference in your life go to LWF.org/radio and click on the tab that says discover Jesus.

And if you've given your heart and life to Christ welcome to God's forever family. Let us hear from you today if you like to order a copy of today's message. Call us at 1877 love God and mention the title how to be a growing Christian this message is also part of the insightful series sweetest fellowship this side of heaven.

If you'd like a complete collection all 11 powerful messages. Call that number 877 love God or go online to LWF.org/radio or write us to order it loved worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183.

It takes a life time nourishment and exercise to grow. Adrian Rogers offers this advice. Don't worry about what you can't do. Find out what you can do and begin to do it and grow. So glad you joined us for today's program.

Be sure to tune in next time more real truth and never change right on love.

We love hearing from listeners and how this program is making a difference.

Here's a powerful testimony listener. Roden said today I got down on my knees and I accepted Jesus as my Savior. I've never been a Christian. So this is new. Adrian Rogers is an amazing pastor and his messages have had a big impact on we praise God for that news and were overjoyed to hear about your newfound faith. It's our honor to share these life-changing messages and resources with listeners who were in every stage of spiritual maturity. Whether your brand-new Christian for a long time follower of Christ, or you had never bowed. You need Jesus say thank you for your gift to support us this month. We want to send you our God's word.

Booklet collection requested God's word. Booklet collection when you call the gifted one 877 love God will give online it LWF.org/radio