Embracing Growth: Faith, Community, and Transformation
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the theme of "Looking Forward," emphasizing the importance of faith and growth in our spiritual journey. As we stand on the brink of a new year, it's crucial to focus on what God is doing now and in the future, rather than dwelling on the past. Our faith is not just a passive belief but an active choice that shapes our lives. Growth in faith is a decision we make daily, and it's essential to move beyond merely existing in our spiritual walk to actively pursuing God's purpose for us.
We discussed the significance of habits, not as mere routines but as holy practices that align us with God's will. These small, daily habits—like prayer, Bible study, and worship—are the building blocks of a fulfilling spiritual life. They may seem insignificant compared to grand gestures, but they are where true transformation occurs. Our lives are enriched not by fleeting moments of luck or chance but by consistent, intentional engagement with God.
Moreover, we highlighted the importance of community in our spiritual journey. God, in His wisdom, has given us each other to support, encourage, and walk alongside. Our victories are not solo achievements but shared triumphs, made possible through the relationships God places in our lives.
The message also challenged us to shift from a mindset of trying to one of training. Just as an athlete trains for a competition, we must train in our spiritual lives, embracing the process of growth and transformation. This involves starting where we are, stopping the influence of our past, staying committed to daily spiritual practices, and striving towards the goals God has set for us.
Key Takeaways:
- Growth is a Choice: Spiritual growth is not automatic; it requires intentionality. We can remain stagnant or choose to grow by engaging with God's word and His presence daily. This choice leads to a more profound understanding of God's purpose for our lives. [28:56]
- The Power of Small Habits: Transformation often comes through small, consistent habits rather than grand gestures. Daily practices like prayer and Bible study may seem minor, but they are crucial for spiritual growth and fulfillment. [39:07]
- Community and Shared Victory: Our spiritual journey is not meant to be solitary. God has given us each other to support and encourage. Our victories are shared, and community is a vital part of God's plan for our lives. [41:10]
- From Trying to Training: Instead of merely trying to live a Christian life, we should train ourselves in godliness. This involves starting now, stopping the influence of our past, staying committed to daily practices, and striving towards God's goals for us. [47:13]
- Perseverance Leads to Breakthrough: The hardest battles often come right before a breakthrough. By persevering and continuing to strive, we align ourselves with God's promises and move closer to the victories He has in store for us. [01:06:14]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[28:56] - Introduction and Series Overview
[36:14] - The Example of Jesus
[37:15] - The Trevi Fountain Analogy
[39:07] - The Power of Small Habits
[40:17] - Seeing Differently in Christ
[41:10] - Community and Shared Victory
[42:50] - Forgetting the Past
[43:49] - Done With Tryouts, Time for Training
[47:13] - Start: Begin Training
[50:28] - Stop: Your Past is Not Your Path
[58:02] - Stay: Keep Your Training Daily
[01:03:20] - Strive: Your Win is Just Ahead
[01:06:14] - Perseverance and Breakthrough
[01:09:17] - Replace Trying with Training
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Looking Forward"
#### Bible Reading
1. Philippians 3:12-14 - "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
2. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
3. Isaiah 43:18-19 - "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Philippians 3:12-14 suggest about the nature of spiritual growth and the direction of our focus? [42:50]
2. How does 2 Corinthians 3:18 describe the process of transformation in a believer's life? [40:17]
3. According to Isaiah 43:18-19, what is God doing in the lives of believers, and how should they respond? [55:39]
4. In the sermon, what analogy is used to describe the importance of small, consistent habits in spiritual growth? [39:07]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "forgetting what is behind" in Philippians 3:13 relate to the idea of moving forward in faith? [42:50]
2. What might be the significance of being "transformed into his image" as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 3:18, and how does this relate to daily spiritual practices? [40:17]
3. In what ways does Isaiah 43:18-19 encourage believers to perceive and embrace new opportunities in their spiritual journey? [55:39]
4. How does the sermon challenge the traditional view of spiritual growth as a passive process? [47:13]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a past event or mindset that you need to "forget" in order to move forward in your spiritual journey. How can you begin to let go of it this week? [42:50]
2. Identify one small habit you can incorporate into your daily routine to enhance your spiritual growth. How will you ensure consistency in this practice? [39:07]
3. Consider the role of community in your spiritual life. How can you actively engage with others to support and encourage mutual growth? [41:10]
4. What is one area of your life where you feel you are "trying" rather than "training"? How can you shift your approach to embrace a mindset of training? [47:13]
5. Think about a recent challenge you faced. How did perseverance play a role in overcoming it, and how can this experience inform your approach to future challenges? [01:06:14]
6. How can you apply the principle of "striving toward the goal" in a specific area of your life this month? What steps will you take to pursue this goal? [01:03:20]
7. Reflect on the sermon’s message about the power of small habits. What is one habit you can start this week to align more closely with God's purpose for your life? [39:07]
Devotional
Day 1: Intentional Growth in Faith
Growth in faith is a deliberate choice that requires daily engagement with God's word and presence. It is not an automatic process but one that demands intentionality and commitment. By choosing to grow, individuals can deepen their understanding of God's purpose for their lives. This growth is a journey that involves moving beyond mere existence in one's spiritual walk to actively pursuing God's purpose. The decision to grow spiritually is made each day, and it shapes the trajectory of one's life. [28:56]
"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." (2 Peter 1:5-7 ESV)
Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to intentionally engage with God's word and presence, and how will this choice impact your spiritual growth?
Day 2: The Transformative Power of Small Habits
Transformation in one's spiritual life often comes through small, consistent habits rather than grand gestures. Daily practices such as prayer, Bible study, and worship may seem minor, but they are crucial for spiritual growth and fulfillment. These habits are the building blocks of a fulfilling spiritual life, aligning individuals with God's will. By focusing on these small, daily habits, individuals can experience true transformation and enrichment in their lives, not through fleeting moments of luck or chance, but through consistent, intentional engagement with God. [39:07]
"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand." (Zechariah 4:10 ESV)
Reflection: Identify one small habit you can incorporate into your daily routine that will help you grow spiritually. How can you commit to this habit consistently?
Day 3: The Strength of Community and Shared Victory
The spiritual journey is not meant to be solitary. God has given individuals each other to support, encourage, and walk alongside. Victories in the spiritual journey are not solo achievements but shared triumphs, made possible through the relationships God places in one's life. Community is a vital part of God's plan, providing strength and encouragement. By embracing community, individuals can experience shared victories and support in their spiritual journey, recognizing that they are not alone in their pursuit of God's purpose. [41:10]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)
Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to for support or encouragement in your spiritual journey today? How can you also be a source of encouragement for someone else?
Day 4: Training in Godliness Over Trying
Instead of merely trying to live a Christian life, individuals are encouraged to train themselves in godliness. This involves starting where they are, stopping the influence of their past, staying committed to daily spiritual practices, and striving towards the goals God has set for them. Just as an athlete trains for a competition, spiritual training requires dedication and perseverance. By embracing the process of growth and transformation, individuals can move beyond trying to live a Christian life to actively training in godliness. [47:13]
"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your spiritual life where you feel you are just trying rather than training? How can you begin to train in this area today?
Day 5: Perseverance and the Promise of Breakthrough
The hardest battles often come right before a breakthrough. By persevering and continuing to strive, individuals align themselves with God's promises and move closer to the victories He has in store for them. Perseverance is key to experiencing breakthroughs in one's spiritual journey. It involves staying committed to the process of growth and transformation, even when faced with challenges. By holding on to God's promises and persevering, individuals can experience the breakthroughs that God has planned for their lives. [01:06:14]
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12 ESV)
Reflection: What is a current challenge you are facing that requires perseverance? How can you hold on to God's promises and continue striving towards the breakthrough He has for you?
Quotes
And my choice is don't live the same life 75 times and call it a life. Don't do that. Last Sunday, we talked about this. Don't waste your time looking back. We're not going that way. That's not the direction. We've decided here at our church, if you're brand new to any of this or all this or online, we've decided our church isn't going that way. I'm not going that way. My family's not going that way. [00:35:15] (26 seconds)
Jesus simply, his whole ministry is he shows us what to do and then he asks us to do it. It's real simple. I'm doing this, here's the example, now you do it. That's it, it's plug and play. Copy, exactly, copy, paste what Jesus is doing, put it into your life and it works. [00:36:59] (18 seconds)
But God says, I actually work in the little stuff, the small habits, the things that you wouldn't necessarily always have on the forefront of your radar. It's daily devotions and daily prayer and daily journal reflection on the notes app of your phone, worship music on in the background while doing mundane tasks. [00:39:08] (19 seconds)
Your life isn't a solo journey, it's actually a shared victory. I know this is even harder to believe. God's best idea after sending a savior to rescue us, it was, guess what, anticlimactic? It was, each other. That doesn't sound right, does it? You mean God gave me you, and, yeah. [00:40:45] (24 seconds)
Forgetting the past and straining towards what is ahead. Stop there. What if we dropped what happened last week, last year, last month, however you want to say it, and we start here on out? Paul says, I keep what? Trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above. [00:42:57] (24 seconds)
Paul's instant reply was, Lord, I will do whatever you want me to do. I love that. I don't know if I would do that, if I got knocked off, horse-blind, and some loud voice was speaking, to me I would probably say I'm calling my uncle Vito get away from me and I do have an uncle Vito. [00:49:25] (20 seconds)
You can't grow spiritually through sporadic effort. Not very popular here at church today. You can't show up on Sunday and not put some of this down for Monday and Tuesday. Are you hearing me? I know it's not popular. You don't have to agree with it. But the point, in layman's terms is you can't go Sunday to Sunday and do nothing in between and expect to make it and be victorious in this life. [01:00:05] (34 seconds)
Your distance from God will grow. You will stop believing in the things of God. You'll stop believing that God could even see you or help you, and you're going to be at risk of re-injuring your own life. First Corinthians 15, 58 says, therefore, my brothers and sisters, stand firm. Stay the course. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that in your what? In your what? In your training. [01:01:45] (32 seconds)
The last five years, we said, we're not giving up. We're not stopping where we were back there. We're gonna do something different. And because we collectively did this thing, we decided we're done. We're done trying out. We're done looking back at what God did in 2018. It was great. [01:05:07] (21 seconds)
The hardest battles in your life, the doubts, the critics, the namesayers, early struggles, they all came right before his breakthrough and came before ours. I'm going to end it with this. Hebrews 12 .1 says this. Therefore, since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for [01:08:18] (30 seconds)
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