"SEVEN STEPS TO SPIRITUAL LIVING"
(Psalms 37:16)
A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
(How Does One Live A Spiritual Life?)
First, let's clearly define what it entails. Let's also take a look at the stumbling blocks towards achieving it.
When we think of someone who is really spiritual, we might picture a man meditating in a cave, completely
isolated from other people. Seeking wisdom implies that a person is on the path to wisdom. They have some
wisdom; they are seeking to gain more. This is not a mad rush for knowledge. Instead, the idea of seeking
wisdom is about making genuine growth and gaining real insight into our lives. The spiritual life is a fallacy if
someone has stagnated and is no longer growing. Spirituality is growth. This speaks of discipline; of
demanding progress of ourselves. Whatever your source of strength is now, you must turn to God through
Christ Jesus, drawing closer, will only make you stronger. Someone who is living a spiritual life does not hold
deep grudges and resentments against others. They do not harbor anger in this way. Instead, we need
tolerance and patience with others. Anger and fear are the enemies here; anyone who is full of hate and
negativity can block us from the spiritual life, if we spend enough time around them. The real challenge is not
only in avoiding people like this, but helping them to grow and change as well. Sometimes our preconceived
notion of what represents "Spiritual" can block us from taking positive action. We can sabotage ourselves,
seemingly for no apparent reason. Sometimes it seems like self-destruction is just built into us. You can't
think your way into spiritual living……you have to live your way into spiritual thinking." This quote explains
how we achieve the spiritual life - through living the principles, on an everyday basis.
Sunday Morning Worship
11:00 a.m. Service, January 18, 2015
Capitol City Baptist Church
Dr. Daryl Franzel, Pastor
I.
PRO-ACTIVE STEPS IN GROWING MORE SPIRITUAL.
(Psalms 37:3, 4, 5&6)
A.
Trust In The Lord. (Psalms 37:3)
1.
We are to trust in the Lord and do "good", these two are supportive actions
with each other; we really cannot do one without the other.
2.
If we truly trust in the Lord, we understand that to please Him we must seek to
do "good".
3.
If we are seeking to do "good", we must trust in Him for He will bless our efforts
of doing "good".
4.
The conclusion of this verse states the result of our proactive-step; the Lord will
take care of us.
B.
Delight In The Lord. (Psalms 37:4)
1.
Delight or in other words we should seek our happiness in God-in his being, his
perfections, his friendship, his love.
2.
If our delight is aligned with the things of His being, His perfection and His
friendship, our delight will be different than that of an unsaved person.
3.
Because our delight is correct according to His righteousness, He responds to
us in a different way. Our delight is based on Him not our carnal flesh, even if
the desire is an earthly desire.
4.
C.
II.
He will this is a statement of promise give to us the desires of our heart, which
again our hearts desire as stated by Jesus is, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all
thy strength: this is the first commandment." (Mark 12:30)
Commit Unto The Lord. (Psalms 37:5, 6)
1.
We are to commit our way unto the Lord, which means before we just jump out
there and then say Lord here I am now bless me.
2.
Again we are to trust in Him to direct us, and then also to supply all that is
needed to accomplish it, He shall bring it to pass.
3.
He will bring forth our righteousness, which is stating a progressive move based
on our initiation by stepping out in faith.
4.
He will bring as we are sure of the sunrise and he will bring justice to our
character just as we know noon is coming.
RE-ACTIVE STEPS IN GROWING MORE SPIRITUAL.
(Psalms 37:34; Psalms 27:14; Proverbs 20:22)
A.
Wait and Keep. (Psalms 37:34) (Discernment)
1.
We need to learn to; and practice to; wait on the Lord; His time is always right,
He is never late or early, He is always on time.
2.
While we are waiting on the Lord, we must Keep His ways, or do it His way,
Isaiah 55:9, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
3.
God will exalt you in due time to inherit all that He has promised you, literally
the land to Israel but in principle each of us who are part of the family of faith.
4.
We will see the wicked cut off as a result of their rebellion against God, and His
judgment towards them.
B.
Wait and Encouraged. (Psalms 27:14) (Distressed)
1.
The next thing we see is we are to wait on Him, with the implication in the time
of distress.
2.
We are to be encouraged while we are waiting on the Lord to do whatever He
will end up doing.
3.
God has promised by His grace to establish us according to 1 Peter 5:10, "But
the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus,
after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,
settle you."
4.
So, the psalmist says wait on the Lord He will, He will strengthen your heart, just
wait on Him, having faith in Him.
C.
Wait and Recompense No Evil. (Proverbs 20:22) (Determined Revenge)
1.
We are not to say I will seek vengeance on those who hurt me or mean me
harm.
2.
We are not even to wait on the Lord to see Him take vengeance on those who
have been our enemies.
3.
No, we are to wait on the Lord in the time of danger and torment by others and
He will save us and vindicate us.
4.
III.
See Psalms 37:40, "And the LORD shall help them and deliver them: he shall
deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him."
DIRECTIVE STEPS IN GROWING MORE SPIRITUAL.
(Psalms 37:37; James 3:2; Ephesians 4:13)
A.
Observe the Mature Man. (Psalms 37:37)
1.
Mark the perfect man or in other words observe the mature man, watch those
who are upright or live righteously in their lives.
2.
Why is it so important to observe those who do right? It is because, the
conclusion of their efforts lead to peace.
3.
What is this peace that they find? It is first of all being at peace with God, then
having a peace in God, finally having a peace from God that passes all
understanding.
4.
It is the principle of sowing and reaping; Galatians 6:8, "For he that soweth to
his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
B.
Communication of a Mature Man. (James 3:2)
1.
If we are not careful we offend one another, mostly because of things that we
say to one another.
2.
We need to take care and learn to control the things that we say, way our
words, make sure the things we say are for the best purpose as we see in;
Ephesians 4:29, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto
the hearers."
3.
If a man is able to control what he says, he has matured enough to know the
things he says is to edify not corrupt.
4.
If he can learn to control what he says than he can learn to control his whole
body for the purpose of edification and not to use for corruption. This is spiritual
growth.
C.
Completion of Mature Man. (Ephesians 4:13)
1.
The maturing process is something we work at everyday in life realizing that we
are either going forward or moving backward.
2.
Growing in the Lord is like going up river, you have to keep the power on or you
will drift backwards.
3.
All things we do, for spiritual growth we are to keep on doing until we are able
to meet Jesus face to face.
4.
In other words we will reach full maturity when we get to heaven, the work will
be done.