It Takes Time

Section 28 pages 217-223

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 There is a time for everything, and a season for
every activity under the heavens:
Ecclesiastes 3:1

...being confident of this, that he who began a

good work in you will carry it on to completion
until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 There are no short
cuts to maturity

Tuesday 9 November 2010

Tuesday 9 November 2010
Tuesday 9 November 2010
 Adulthood takes time
Fruit growth and ripening takes
time - ripening too quickly causes
a loss of flavour
Fruit of the Spirit takes time to
develop
Developing Christlike character
cannot be rushed

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Spiritual growth
takestakes
Adulthood time time- we
Fruit growth and ripening takes
worry about how
time - ripening too quickly causes
a loss offast,
flavour God is
Fruit of the Spirit
concerned about takes time to
develop
how
Developingstrong wecharacter
Christlike grow
- He
cannot is never in a
be rushed

hurry
Tuesday 9 November 2010
 WWII the Allies had a process for liberating
islands in the South Pacific.
1. Soften up - shelling from off shore ships - pre
conversion often God allows problems to soften
us up
2. Small group of marines establish a beachhead -
the initial stage of surrendering your life to Christ
3. Long process of liberating the whole island -
the campaign of God to take over your whole life
- this includes struggles and battles - the outcome
is certain - Php 1:6

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 WWII the Allies had a process for liberating
islands in the South Pacific.
1. Soften up - shelling from off shore ships - pre
conversion often God allows problems to soften
us up
2. Small group of marines establish a beachhead -
the initial stage of surrendering your life to Christ
3. Long process of liberating the whole island -
the campaign of God to take over your whole life
- this includes struggles and battles - the outcome
is certain - Php 1:6

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Ephesians 4:13
...until we all reach unity in the faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,
attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
We have looked at:
Believing - through worship
Belonging - through fellowship
Becoming - through discipleship
Col 3:10...put on the new self, which is being renewed
in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 We want speed - God wants strength and stability -
we look for instant answers, one powerful
experience - Real maturity never comes from one
experience - growth is gradual

...so we are transfigured

much like the Messiah,
our lives gradually
becoming brighter and
more beautiful as God
enters our lives and we
become like him.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Why does it take
so long?

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 God could instantly
transform us - he doesn’t
though. Jesus spent years
with his 12 disciples, the PL
was taken little by little - Dt.
7:22 The LORD your God will
drive out those nations before
you, little by little. You will not
be allowed to eliminate them all
at once, or the wild animals will
multiply around you.
Why so slow?
Tuesday 9 November 2010
 We are slow learners

We [might] have to learn a

lesson many times before
we get it
The Israelites learned this
by quickly forgetting what
God had taught them and
going back to old habits.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 We have a lot to unlearn
You cannot imagine all your
problems [past] can be fixed in an
hour - they took years to develop.
You have to take off the old and
put on the new.
Col 3:7-10, Eph 4:22-25
You have a new mature at
conversion - the habits, patterns
etc. are old - and need to go
Tuesday 9 November 2010
 We are afraid to humbly face
the truth about ourselves
Truth sets us free - but makes us
miserable first - are you scared of
what you might discover if you
are honest about your character
defects?
Only in God shining his light on
us do we find grace in our time of
need - but you need to be humble
enough to face, and allow, it.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Growth is often painful and scary

Growth = change =
scary [fear, loss, pain,
letting go
It does not have to be
the way you are - let go
and let God do
something.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Habits take time to develop
Character = sum total of your habits - Are
you habitually kind, patient, honest...?
A husband who is faithful most of the
time is an adulterer!
Adults require practice - there are no
instant ones
1 Tim 4: 15 Practice these things, immerse
yourself in them, so that all may see your
progress.
Tuesday 9 November 2010
 Don’t get in a
hurry

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Believe God is working in your
life even when you don’t feel it

Spiritual growth can be

tedious - small steps and only
gradual improvement. In
nature there are seasons of
growth and seasons of
dormancy and stabilising -
gradual change is most often
God’s way in us.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Keep a notebook or journal of
lessons learned
Not a diary - a record of what you
have learned, insights and lessons
about all aspects of your life -
often you learn more by writing
down and reflecting on things
Heb 2: 1 We must pay the most
careful attention, therefore, to what
we have heard, so that we do not drift
away.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Be patient with God and
yourself
God works to a different
timetable - 80 years preparation
for Moses.
Mushrooms grow overnight -
trees take many years
James 1:4So don't try to get out of
anything prematurely. Let it do its
work so you become mature and well-
developed, not deficient in any way.
Tuesday 9 November 2010
 Don’t get discouraged

Habakkuk 2:2-3 And then God answered: "Write

this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block
letters so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's
coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it
doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its
way. It will come right on time.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 A delay is not a denial from God
Remember you have come a long way - and
there is a long way to go - but God is not
finished.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Point to ponder:
There are no shortcuts to maturity

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Verse to remember:
Php 1:6
...being confident of this, that he who began
a good work in you will carry it on to
completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

 Question to consider:
In what area of my spiritual growth do I
need to be more patient and persistent?

Tuesday 9 November 2010