Maturing in Christ

Summoned to Spiritual Maturity - Ephesians 1:1-23 NKJV

Ephesians 1:3-6 New King James Version

 

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Rules of Engagement - 2 Chronicles 20:1-4 ; 12-23 NKJV

2 Chronicles 20:12 New King James Version

 

¹² O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Keep climbing the ladder of virtues!! -2 Peter 1:1-15 NKJV & NLT

2 Peter 1:8 New Living Translation

 

⁸ The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Power of a Controlled Spirit - Proverbs 16:32; Numbers 20:1-13 NKJV

Proverbs 16:32 New King James Version

 

³² He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

The Lifestyles of the Righteous- James 5:13-20 NKJV & NLT

James 5:16-18 New King James Version

 

¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

The problem with showing favoritism

James 2:1-4 New Living Translation

 

2 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

² For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. ³ If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, ⁴ doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

The characteristics of drawing near to God -James 4:1-10 NKJV & NLT

James 4:1-10 NKJV & NLT

⁷ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

Faith produces Godly Wisdom - James 3:13-18 NKJV & NLT

James 3:13-18 NLT

¹³ If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. ¹⁵ For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. ¹⁶ For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

Faith without works is dead!! -James 2:14-26 NKJV

James 2:14-17 NKJV

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Keys to becoming unshakable!! - Hebrews 12:25-29 NKVJ & NLT

Hebrews 12:25-29 NLT

²⁵ Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! ²⁶ When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” ²⁷ This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

²⁸ Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. ²⁹ For our God is a devouring fire.