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    The Process of Progress: Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
    The Process of Progress: Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
    The Process of Progress: Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
    Ebook156 pages1 hour

    The Process of Progress: Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

    By Eugene Thimlar

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    About this ebook

    The Process of Progress will aid you or your small group in understanding the process by which we either grow toward Christ-likeness or fade away. In addition to outlining this process, it will aid you in understanding our responsibilities in this process. What a great lifelong adventure lies before you as you endeavor to become more like Him. I pray that the Lord will grant you the desire to press toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let the adventure begin!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWestBow Press
    Release dateMar 27, 2012
    ISBN9781449742515
    The Process of Progress: Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
    Author

    Eugene Thimlar

    I currently serve as the director of education for Harvest Bible Institute. For many years, I have taught and led many Bible study groups. Over the years of ministering in adult education, I have been asked "what is sanctification" and "how does it work". The Lord used these questions to prompt me to put this answer on paper. We often hear that God never puts more on us than we can handle, yet we only apply that truth to hardship when it applies to our spiritual growth as well. We see that God has a process by which He governs nature. He also has a process by which He governs our growth toward Christ-likeness. Most of my life has been lived in northeastern Indiana. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife, four children, and two grandchildren.

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      Book preview

      The Process of Progress - Eugene Thimlar

      Copyright © 2012 by Eugene Thimlar.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

      WestBow Press

      A Division of Thomas Nelson

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.westbowpress.com

      1-(866) 928-1240

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

      and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4497-4251-5 (e)

      WestBow Press rev. date: 03/14/2012

      CONTENTS

      Introduction

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Conclusion

      Introduction 

      Becoming the person that God wants us to be consists of three basic things: Prayer, Bible Reading & Study, and Church Attendance/Fellowship.

      Our families, churches, and communities need people that go beyond the superficial Sunday only faith, into a deep abiding relationship with Christ that will impact us and those around us. We need to become a people that desire more than a feel good time on Sunday, a people who just show up so they can check it off the list of things to do. There is so much more we could be experiencing.

      Until we become a people after God’s own heart, we will never become all that God wants us to become. What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind: one of brokenness or one of victorious faith? How long will you just go through the motions? What excuse will Christ accept on the day you stand before Him?

      This fallen world in which we live will not be changed, revival will not happen, and our hearts will not be turned until we humble ourselves before God and passionately seek His will for our lives. Fads and trends come and go, but God is the only true and lastly change agent.

      There are many different types, forms, and aspects of prayer; however prayer is quite simply conversations with God, through Jesus Christ, at the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is not hindered by time or distance. It is one of the most powerful tools in the Christian’s arsenal. Just as the Scriptures are food for our soul, prayer is the oxygen of our soul. Prayer is also the means by which we draw closer to the Holy Trinity.

      All things begin with prayer. Before most of us came to Jesus for salvation, someone had already been paving the way with prayer. Our first step into our new life began with the humble sinner’s prayer.

      There is really only one major hurdle to Bible reading and study, and as harsh as this may sound, it is ourselves. We get to thinking that we have other things to do that are more important. We are all guilty of letting life’s busyness interfere with the time we should be spending experiencing God through His Word.

      There is much to be gained by Church attendance and fellowship with other Christians. Friendships can be developed, our understanding of God will increase, and we give and receive encouragement and accountability. It is good for us to be around people of like faith.

      Our daily walk with Christ is directly proportional to the time we spend in prayer, Bible reading and study, and fellowship. No time with the Lord equals a life that is marked by turbulence and selfishness. More time with the Lord equals a life of greater stability, and balance, full of Christian adventure. Many have the misconception that following Christ is dull and boring; this simple is not true if you have fully given yourself over to follow Him. Following Christ can be the most exciting adventure that you will ever go on.

      It is my hope and prayer that God will use this humble work to encourage you to grow in His grace and knowledge. I pray that you will have the desire to lay aside your own agenda and submit to the will of God, so that you may become the person that He wants you to be.

      Chapter One 

      THE SINFUL PROCESS

      It may seem unusual to start out with the most unpopular of topics however we must examine all points in the process of life. Knowing about how sin operates will help us to avoid its devastating effects on our lives and the lives of those around us.

      As a teacher of God’s Word and ways, I would be remiss in my responsibilities to you the reader and to our Lord God if I did not teach the whole truth both the good and bad. I know how unpopular the truth about sin has become. Many preachers, teachers, and leaders have glossed over the truth to save the feelings of others. I am sure that they can offer a good or logical excuse to avoid the subject.

      The good and logical reason to teach the whole truth is found in:

      II Corinthians 2:11

      ¹¹lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

      It is my desire that none of us be ignorant of the schemes of the enemies of our souls. The more quickly we can recognize a trap, the more quickly we can get out of it, or even better, avoid it altogether.

      The Process by Which Sin Progress’

      James 1:13-15

      ¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

      God does not tempt us. We can not blame our sinful behavior on God, it is not His fault.

      ¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

      The old saying ‘the devil made me do it," does not agree with scripture. No doubt the devil, the flesh and the world will provide opportunity to be tempted, but they cannot make us do it just suggest that we do. James makes it very clear that it is my own unchecked desires that entice me.

      ¹⁵Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

      Desire gives birth to sin. It is interesting that the image of pregnancy is used here. When we think of pregnancy, we think of how the body slowly produces a child out of something very small.

      Sin starts out as something small, then ever so subtly grows into something we never intended it to be. I’m sure that we all have seen how a flower bed or garden gets overrun with weeds. It starts out as a seed, then a sprout, then mature plant, then it reproduces; this cycle will continue unless measures are taken to stop the progress. One day you walk by that flower bed, and all the beautiful flowers you planted are struggling to survive instead of

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