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    The Quest for Spiritual Growth
    The Quest for Spiritual Growth
    The Quest for Spiritual Growth
    Ebook124 pages2 hours

    The Quest for Spiritual Growth

    By Charles Westbrook

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    About this ebook

    Christians interested in their spiritual growth may find this book practically helpful. The three parts parallel building processes: laying a foundation, building the structure, and finishing it. You will deal with foundational matters related to life choices first. The book addresses the foundational problem of sin, and then helps the reader deal with the questions: What if I've made a terrible mistake, and What if I'm overwhelmed with guilt, before concluding the section with a chapter on turning things around. Part 2 will help you walk through ways to de-stress your life. You will think about developing a biblical worldview, how to relate your decisions to the will of God, prayer, pursuing Christ, and focusing on the positive. Then in Part 3, you will consider ways God can strengthen in life's transitions, temptations, troubles, and terminations. Progressing through these three parts will help you in your quest for spiritual growth.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCharles Westbrook
    Release dateFeb 24, 2012
    ISBN9780985295707
    The Quest for Spiritual Growth
    Author

    Charles Westbrook

    B.A. degree from Charleston Southern University, Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Doctor of Ministry from Columbia International University. Nearly 25 years with the International Mission Board (SBC), and over 14 years in the pastorate. Currently serves as pastor of Saluda River Baptist Church in West Columbia, SC. Author of Fresh Daily: A Full Year of Dated Daily Devotions. A second volume by a similar name will come out soon in 2012.

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      Book preview

      The Quest for Spiritual Growth - Charles Westbrook

      THE QUEST FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

      By Charles Westbrook

      SMASHWORDS EDITION

      * * * * *

      PUBLISHED BY:

      Westbrook Publishing, LLC on Smashwords

      The Quest for Spiritual Growth

      Copyright © 2012 by Charles Westbrook

      Thank you for purchasing this eBook. Please do not reproduce, copy or distribute unless authorized in writing by the author. Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated.

      All Bible quotes, unless otherwise specified, are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

      This book is dedicated to my wife, Jane, for her loving support and encouragement of my writing ministry through these years, and all to the glory of God.

      *****

      Table of Contents

      PART 1: DEALING WITH LIFE’S CHOICES

      Chapter One: THE FOUNDATIONAL PROBLEM

      Chapter Two: WHAT IF I’VE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE?

      Chapter Three: WHAT IF I’M OVERWHELMED WITH GUILT?

      Chapter Four: TURNING IT ALL AROUND

      PART 2: DE-STRESSING YOUR LIFE

      Chapter Five: DEVELOP A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW

      Chapter Six: RELATE DECISIONS TO THE WILL OF GOD

      Chapter Seven: THE MOST EFFECTIVE DE-STRESSOR

      Chapter Eight: PURSUING CHRIST

      Chapter Nine: FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE

      PART 3: RELYING ON GOD TO STRENGTHEN US

      Chapter Ten: STRENGTH FOR LIFE’S TRANSITIONS

      Chapter Eleven: STRENGTH FOR LIFE’S TEMPTATIONS

      Chapter Twelve: STRENGTH FOR THE TROUBLES OF LIFE

      Chapter Thirteen: STRENGTH FOR LIFE’S TERMINATIONS

      Introduction

      At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said these words: Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house; and it collapsed. And its collapse was great! (Matthew 7:24-27)

      In building a house or any such structure, there are three essential phases. Phase one is to lay a foundation. The stronger the foundation, the stronger the house will be against calamity. To lay the foundation properly, the ground must be dug up, and everything that does not belong there must be removed. Phase two is framing the structure. All of the basics are put in place. Then comes the third phase in which all of the finishing work is done, to beautify the house, so to speak.

      All of us who are Christians are on a quest. We are in search of spiritual growth. And just as there are phases of building a strong house, there are three phases involved for moving toward the spiritual growth we seek for our lives. This book will attempt to lead us through those three phases. In Part 1 we will deal with the life choices we have made, so that we may lay the strongest possible foundation. In part 2 we will address the stresses that we experience in life which can hinder our quest for spiritual growth. Then, in Part 3 we will turn our focus toward relying on the strength God provides us for moving into and through our quest for spiritual growth.

      My hope and prayer is that this book will serve its purpose in helping you in your quest for spiritual growth.

      PART 1: Life Choices

      It would seem that someone with the status of a Saul of Tarsus, upon becoming a Christian in that dazzling Damascus Road experience, would move immediately into an equally dazzling spiritual growth. Given his background in the Scriptures and the traditions of Israel, it would seem a given. Yet, according to his own account, this was not as immediate as it appears in the Book of Acts. Instead, he required a significant number of years to work on personal and spiritual matters so that this growth would occur. Why might that be?

      An undefined something in the hearts of Christians, sometimes described as an empty spot, creates a desire deep within us for spiritual growth. It sets our feet on a path, on a quest for this growth. Along the way, though, we may discover that there are detractors to our spiritual growth process. We come to detours or other discouragements that rise up like a Phoenix out of the ashes, and what we then learn is that some of them are the result of choices we made earlier in life. Generally, these are the not-so-good choices of the past, and they more or less haunt us or otherwise keep us from growing as spiritually as we might like to. So we see at that point, hopefully, that in order to proceed on our spiritual journey and make the progress we would like to make, we must first address the matter of life choices and lay them to rest. This becomes a first-step and a priority toward greater growth.

      Back to Top

      Chapter One

      THE FOUNDATIONAL PROBLEM

      Romans 7:24-25 (3:23, 5:1-11, 6:23, 8:1-4)

      We have arrived at this point in life through a series of choices: education, marriage, children, work, faith, church, and a myriad of other, smaller choices. Our choices, like the twists and turns of a river, have gotten us to where we are today.

      So, how do you feel, or what do you think, about the choices you have made in your life? Do you think you have made the best choices? Have you done that in every situation? Do you have any regrets?

      Most of us have probably made some good choices on our life journey, but I am certain that all of us have made some choices we wish we had not. Who would not want to go back and un-do a few things?

      Kyle Idleman, in his book, Not a Fan (Zondervan, 2011), includes a testimonial letter from a church member who confessed that, although he felt he had grown up as a Christian, had a sexual addiction that nearly destroyed his family and his own life in an attempted suicide. This was the result of choices, but once he got with the right counselors, he learned what it means to be a true follower of Jesus and not just a fan. He discovered that only with the help of the Holy Spirit could he experience the kind of spiritual growth he had desired all his life. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit could he experience the freedom that comes with genuine spiritual growth.

      The fundamental human problem, one that can influence every choice we make if we allow it, and one that must be addressed at the outset of spiritual growth, is that little three-letter word called sin. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That means simply that every person has committed sin. No matter how much we dress it up, we know this is true. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Sin kills. It destroys, and especially it destroys relationships. But thank God that the second part of that verse says, but the free gift of God is eternal life. That’s some great news. Romans 5 then goes on to tell us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. That means He took on Himself the penalty for our sins because He loves us. Romans 7 talks about the struggle we sometimes face with sin, but then we come to chapter 8, thank goodness! The Book of Romans explodes with the resolution of the fundamental human problem, and what it tells us is that we can and must find resolution to our fundamental problem. God’s Spirit wants to help us with that by pointing us to two realities that supersede everything else.

      WE ARE UNITED WITH CHRIST

      In Romans 8:1 we read: Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus.

      The question at the end of chapter 7 asks: Who will rescue me from this body of death? In other words, who is up to the task of delivering me from the power and influence of sin? In chapter 8, Paul shows clearly that Jesus Christ is the One who can do that. He is the One who provides us with resolution to this fundamental human dilemma called sin. There is no condemnation for those who are IN Christ Jesus. To be in Christ is to be united with Him, to be one with Him. In fact, the phrase in Christ is one of Paul’s favorite expressions for describing what it means to be a Christian.

      Faith establishes this union. In the Greek language, the word faith and the word unite both come from the same root. Thus, to believe is to unite. We are united with Christ. What a beautiful way to describe our commitment to Him!

      Think for just a moment about no condemnation. Do you see the significance that has? This is a legal term, and it means that there are no charges that can be laid against us. No one can charge us with anything now, because in our union with Christ, His righteousness has become our righteousness. His blood covered over our sin. Now, since no charges will stick, there are no judgments to be passed against us. All condemnation has gone away. Jesus took it away and killed it on the cross. Our condemnation died with Him.

      This union we have with Christ is now what enables us to deal effectively with the sin problem that seems to be so pervasive. Let me translate that: Since there is no condemnation from God’s view, that means there should be no condemnation from our view.

      Most of us understand the struggle of sin. None of us are strangers to it. We read of Paul’s struggle in Romans 7, and we identify with him in that. We understand the struggle. Part of the problem, though, comes when we simply give up and accept the status quo. We say, "Ok, I’m just a saved sinner. I’m going to sin, so there’s just not really much

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