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Bulletin Article Archives Spiritual Growth Click on the title to move to the selected article and then on my name at the conclusion of the article to return to this directory.
There seems to be a great interest to go back to the basics. Man wants to get back to nature. It is evident in leisure activities and even in breakfast cereals. The basics have been discovered as the essentials in life. This discovery holds true in religion. To seek the basics in religion is to seek Bible answers to all questions of the Christian religion. In Acts 2:42 one can see the basics of Christianity through the eyes of the first believers. They "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine." These basics are within the grasp of all believers today. It is not a difficult task to uncover how and when the early church worshipped. Even the most basic teaching of the salvation of man's soul is plainly taught in God's Word. Peter's admonition to "speak the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11) calls modern man back to the basics revealed in the New Testament as a pattern for Christianity and foundation for the unity of Christ's church. However, look around and see the need to return to the basics in our personal lives. Perhaps the following could be the start of a list of the basics to which we must return: Prayer: 1 Thes. 5:17; "Pray without ceasing." Love: Romans 13:10; "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor." Kindness: Eph. 4:32; "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Hospitality: 1 Peter 4:9; "Be hospitable to one another without complaint." Evangelism: Acts 20:20; "And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house." Let us pray for a return to the basics of Christianity. Let us seek the basics in our Bible study. May the world see a new meaning to the cross in the personal growth of our lives (Gal. 2:20). June 26, 1988 Going Back to the Drawing Board Old film clips reveal establish that man's quest for wings has spent much time planning and experimenting. There was the man jumping off a cliff with a pair of large bird-like wings. Others tried primitive helicopters and many other contraptions that came crashing down to earth. In spite of objections that man was not intended to fly, the quest for flight was not abandoned. Today, the Wright brothers are famous for their work on the airplane. Their efforts, along with many others, have proven that all those trips back to the old drawing board paid off. Do you, as a Christian, ever take time to go back to the drawing board? It is not too uncommon for a Christian to become stuck in a rut. We become caught up in living in this world and take our sights off of what we are to be about. When this happens it is time to go back to the drawing board and take another look at our lives, reassess our priorities, review our strategy and plan our next steps. Paul said it this way, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves" (2 Cor. 13:5). May we never be afraid nor ashamed to return, on our knees in prayer and with Bible in hand, to the old drawing board of life. July 24, 1988 In a tension filled office, three men waited to see their employer who had just returned from an extended trip. Knowing that he would want to examine their productivity they had gathered their paperwork and hurried to his office. The nervous silence was broken when the secretary called a name. Closing his briefcase the man arose and entered the office. He soon came out, all smiles, holding tightly to a promotion slip he headed for the home office. When the second man was called he gathered his investment forms and entered the boss's office. As he came out, the third man overheard the congratulations for a job well done. With a spring in his step and promotion in hand he hurried to join his friend. Finally the last name was called. Grabbing his checkbook he nearly ran into the richly decorated office. There he was asked how he had invested the capital entrusted to him during the absence of his superior. This man opened the checkbook to show the balance, it was all there, to the last cent. "What, not even any interest?" demanded his boss. He had at least expected to see some growth. Sadly, the third man was handed his termination notice and told to clean out his desk. All of his funds were to be given to those who had been promoted. The third man, who had not grown, settled for nothing. Jesus said that God expects growth in His people. There is no viable alternative to not growing. September 20, 1992 You can tell a lot by examining roots. They provide support, nourishment, stability and permanence. Roots can grow ever deeper or can lie shallow at the surface. Although unseen, they greatly determine the success or failure of the life they support (Mat. 13:21). This congregation can offer your spiritual roots a place to flourish. You can find strength to endure the inclement weather of life and security from the troubles prevalent in our world. All this and more is available for those who choose to take root in the rich soil of spiritual growth. Growth is a gradual, constant process. It demands an investment of time over a period of time. When more energy is devoted to the things of this life, that is where our roots will grow. No roots are as shallow as those imprisoning selfishness and sin. As we become infatuated with this life our roots will not be reaching for the next. The church is the place to let your roots grow. Sink them deep into fellowship, worship and service and life will be more rewarding. Eventually it will yield you up, roots and all, into the eternal habitation of God. August 27, 1995 Everything Job held dear in life was taken away in the amount of time it will take you to read this paragraph. As the sad news began to arrive with one messenger after another the reality of Job's plight became obvious. What was not obvious to Job is that Satan was behind it all (Job 1:6-ff). Surveying the situation, which seemed to only be growing worse, Job's wife offered this council, "Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die" (Job 2:9). Seeing all the misfortune that befell her husband, she immediately placed the blame on God's unwillingness to bless. Job, however, remained resolute in his faith, "What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil" (Job 2:10)? He refused to waver from his earlier pronouncement, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). When bad things happen it may be tempting to blame God, many do just that. But take it from one who has been there. When Job suffered unexplained and unimaginable hardships he thanked God. No matter what the source, he knew God could use these circumstances, unpleasant as they were, for good. March 28, 1999 Moses witnessed many sights in his time. We see him standing beside the burning bush talking to God. We see him speak the Red Sea open. This special leader held the single honor of personal consultation with the Almighty. But to see this sunset may have been the most spectacular moment of all. Over the one hundred and twenty years of Moses' life he had often heard talk of the Promised Land. His people longed for the fulfillment of that promise even while they languished in the oppression of Egypt. Moses had seen many sunsets. This one was special not because it would be his last but because of the land he saw dusk settle over. A special land he could not enter. The wilderness journey took its toll on the wavering faith of Israel. A new generation had emerged to occupy the land. Moses patiently endured the criticism of his peers during this transition. Yet in a moment's anger he sinned and the Promised Land became the Forbidden Land (Numbers 20:1-13). His actions, in just a minute, made such a difference. Moses stood on the heights of Pisgah where he had to content himself with looking. Never could he feel its soil beneath his feet. That night Moses went to his eternal rest. He left behind a nation Joshua would take into a land flowing with milk and honey. He left behind, all for a moment's unguarded action, the dream of a lifetime. Just a minute, it seems harmless and unimportant yet it can make a world of difference. Just a minute can make an eternity of difference. Make the most of as many of them as you can. October 17, 1993 I was putting something in the inside pocket of my sport jacket last week when I heard the sound of crushing paper. Upon further investigation a slip of paper was recovered. What I thought would be an old note reminding me to do something that I had forgotten to do turned out to be a garment inspection notice. This was no ordinary, ambitious warning that "number 24," whoever that is, had approved the garment as it passed by them on some assembly line. This was a personal approval. It read, "This garment has been thoroughly examined. It meets the high standards of tailoring at my final inspection station. Ruth Zimmerman." I wondered how many of those notes have been in closets and clothing stores across the country, each one testifying of the high standards of Ruth Zimmerman. That jacket will likely be the closest I will ever get to Ruth Zimmermen. But I, like her, leave behind me little pieces of influence saying, by my actions and words, that I approve of this or that. Eventually, when I pass before God's inspection, that "trail of notes" will be very important. April 14, 1996 More than anything else, Mark wanted to be a missionary. He enjoyed a close association with Christianity from the beginning, plus the confidence of the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:25). But when it came to doing mission work Mark's efforts fell short (Acts 13:13). In reality growth results from experience, which is often unpleasant. It involves consistently refusing to be defeated by our failures, choosing rather to build on them. In spite of the pain of his own failure, Mark was determined to grow. For Mark Christian growth did not come easily. Growing creates a greater burden of responsibility. Hearing carries the added responsibility of living. On the mission field Mark would feel the scrutiny of his message and life. He would face the fear of commitment within himself. He would feel the pain of responsibility. In Mark we see that growing requires sacrifice. His struggle is publicly displayed in the pages of Acts. Behind the scenes, under the watchful guidance of Barnabas, he made the necessary sacrifices and grew (Acts 15:39). In Paul's final letter he asked for Mark saying, "he is useful to me for ministry" (2 Tim. 4:11). Young Mark had proven that growing is worth the pain. June 23, 1996 Peter's list of virtues concludes with the trait of love (2 Pet. 1:7). No list of spiritual traits would be complete without this one attribute. Of all characteristics, love defines the basic meaning of growing spiritually. Jesus asserted that to love is to fulfill the whole Law (Mat. 22:34-40). Paul considered the gifts bestowed upon the infant first century church only to conclude that the greatest gift is love (1 Cor. 13:13). John summed up the entire being of God with this single trait (1 Jn. 4:8). "Love" is a disposition to do good. It is not primarily an emotional love but rather a frame of mind, a determination to do good even in the face of persecution. So we are admonished to love our enemies (Mat. 5:44) and overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21). To accomplish these goals, to grow in love, demands that we keep our eye focused on Jesus as we deal with others as He has dealt with us. September 8, 1996 The young Thessalonian church had much to learn. In the two epistles addressed to them by the apostle Paul their concerns about the return of Christ were discussed. They were encouraged to remain faithful in the midst of the grave persecution they suffered. Of all the lessons they needed to learn there was one topic Paul did not need to waste paper and ink to thrash out: love. The Thessalonians knew how to love! Still, Paul urged them to grow more and more (1 Thes. 4:9-10). The entire region of Macedonia could testify of the love that was practiced at Thessalonica. Here the love of God appeared to be perfected. Even here, Paul insisted, love could grow. Love is meant to grow. Love is nothing unless it is growing. God wants us to be a people of growing love. He wants us to give of ourselves unselfishly, to press the limits of sacrifice, to set an example of excellence and virtue. Finally, with this attitude of love, we will be transformed into the image of Christ, the One who made love possible. September 15, 1996 Timely Lessons From Genesis Five Moses' story of history had hardly begun when he paused to recap the events of those early days. Already time was marching relentlessly forward. From that review at least three vital lessons regarding the subject of time are evident. 1. Time is a measure of life. From the day Adam was created to the day his third known son was born, 130 years had passed (Gen. 5:3). At the time of his father's death Seth was 800 years old (v. 4). From the oldest, 969 year old Methuselah, v. 27) to the youngest (365-year-old Enoch), life is measured by time. 2. Time reveals one's value of life. No one can read your mind, but time will. Time will show the things you treasure in life. Time revealed the faith of Enoch, who, unlike all others of his time, "walked with God" (v. 22). In contrast to this righteous man is the record of a faithless generation in the days of his great-grandson Noah (6:5-8). What do we most value in life? Time will tell. Time is passing. The frequent refrain in Genesis chapter five is, "and he died." This is the one appointment humanity must keep (Heb. 9:27). Life, a precious gift, is fleeting (Jas. 4:14). No man can stop time in its tracks, not to mention reversing its steady advance. As Roy Smith observed, "Each morning puts a man on trial, and each evening passes judgment." In light of these truths we must recognize, with the Psalmist, the importance each day brings, "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice, and be glad in it" (Ps. 118:24). September 22, 2002 Two bus shelters were installed recently in Mesa, AZ at a cost of $32,000. Anyone using them in the hope of catching a city bus has a long wait though, because the shelters were not placed on any existing routes (AP, 6-27-03). In June an independent road striping crew, working under a state contract, painted a "prominent crosswalk on Cucumber Hill Road in Foster, RI, connecting a hedge on one side with a stone wall on the other" (AP, 6-7-03). Likewise, the ranks of lost humanity wander aimlessly without hope, going nowhere. "No one," Jesus said, "having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). Paul exemplified this aspect of discipleship (Phil. 3:14). In his letters this apostle, who held the high honor of Roman citizenship, reminded Christians of their exalted honor of citizenship in heaven (3:20). Occasionally Paul would glance into his past, to attainments no longer cherished (3:7-8). He recalled his suffering (2 Cor. 11:23-28), not for personal glory but to regain the spiritually confused. Paul also remembered the role he played in Stephen's murder (Acts 22:20), in an effort to "connect with" an angry mob and potentially share the Gospel with them. Then, in his final letter, on the verge of certain death, he took a final glance over an incredible life of Christian service (2 Tim. 4:6-8). His eyes couldn't linger long for they were fixed on heaven. His work done, the apostle to the Gentiles was finally going home. July 27, 2003 He was a salesman in the worst sense of the word. Solomon's reader's knew him well. His amazing claims echoed through the bazaars. The products he sold held the answer to every ache, pain and worry of life. His were "once in a lifetime" opportunities regularly priced at $299 but for a limited time available for the remarkable price of just $19.99, plus the customary handling charges. One might find him selling oars in the Sahara or peddling chariots with square wheels. When you see him approach with a gleam in his eye and a grin on his face you better watch your wallet because that's what he is doing. Among all the human frailties exposed in Proverbs is the tendency to take advantage of others for personal gain (Prov. 20:14). Solomon pictures this wily professional haggling over a contract. Reluctantly, and with much apparent remorse, he signs on the dotted line and says that, times being such as they are, he really has no other choice. It is only later that his victim learns of the salesman's boasts of economic conquest. Retrieving the contract and reading the fine print the purchaser finds he has been taken and left holding the bag. Such are the traps along the path to "the easy life." One dead end alley after another all advertised with an endless stream of empty promises. Rather than working hard and being productivity one experiments with get rich schemes, too good to be true claims and unnecessary gambling. Will they ever stop to realize that someone is always left holding the bag? October 31, 1993 Tears fell into the sands of Miletus. On the Mediterranean shore the elders from Ephesus bid Paul farewell (Acts 20:17). That day was one of sadness, believing they would never again see his face. Yet it was also a day of joy as Paul proclaimed Jesus' victory in their midst. Without a hint of personal pride the apostle enumerates the vital signs of his success. Uninterrupted service. Humble endurance. Unselfish labor. Untiring devotion. In the face of these truths Paul announced, "I am innocent of the blood of all men" (verse 26). Truly, he had fought the good fight. He had run the race well. Yet his efforts could not be the source of pride as he contemplated a victorious ministry. This was merely the price of success. Today's success is yesterday's sacrifice. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul could tell us, "I have felt the Roman flog tearing the flesh from my back. The scars of five such encounters are irrevocably etched deep in my body. I have been beaten with sticks three times and with stones once." On and on such facts could be related, each, by the grace of God, the price he paid for success. Had he been a lesser man, Acts 20 could have been a complaint that "the church demands too much of me." But Paul understood that behind today's success is yesterday's sacrifice. Are you willing to make sacrifices today so that you, your children, and grandchildren can taste success tomorrow? Jesus asked it another way, "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?" September 12, 1993 Each generation has it's own peculiar scandals, accusations, and suspicions. Sensation-seekers scan society to uncover skeletons, profit from the guilty, and exploit the misfortune of others. Eventually they all fade into memories of a previous generation, a curiosity for perpetual analysis. In history it is remembered as the trial of the century. One such trial refuses to fade. The accused stood alone, penniless, offering no defense and making no plea-bargain. Both Pilate and Herod questioned him but Pilate alone condemned him. Jesus bore not only the cross, but the sins of all humanity. God had been found guilty. As the sun set on that dark day the crowds made the somber walk home wondering if justice had been accomplished. As the sun rose on the first day of the week a handful began to realize it had. In every generation since, the trial has been repeated. In every life lived, God is again on trial before a jury of one. Each judge lives out the verdict: a life of faith or a life of sin. This is the trial of the ages. October 15, 1995 There thy were, crouching in a foxhole under heavy artillery fire from the enemy, isolated from their company and lost in the confusion of blurred front lines. Shells fell increasingly closer to the infantrymen who had every reason to be losing hope in escaping alive. Then one soldier confided in his comrade his deep discouragement. From his shirt pocket he pulled an envelope from home containing a statement for an unpaid bill of just a few dollars. After allowing a second for the gravity of his financial situation to soak in the soldier asks, "Can't you see why I'm worried? I'm fixing to be in a terrible mess!" The obvious fact is that an unpaid bill was the least of that soldier's problems. His plight at hand would, to the average person, pose the greatest threat to his survival. As Christians, and churches, we need to be clear on what is really important. Our greatest efforts should be directed to accomplishing that goal to the best of our ability. In that way we share the vision of our Master, who exclaimed in Luke 2:49, "know ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" What is our purpose? Could we be guilty of shirking our Father's business to accomplish something that is not nearly as important? September 5, 1999
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David Bragg
Memoirs of a Martyr
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son" |
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