Dear lovely sisters in Yeshua,
When we give thought to our spiritual growth, we often discover it seldom runs parallel. At various seasons of our life we may travel in an upward trend or become a bit anemic in our walk with the Lord. God desires that His children continually grow in an upward trend, both in our faith and in our relationship with Him. Growth in our spiritual maturity is one of the most important foundations in the life of a believer and it takes effort on our part. This week we will be taking a refresher course by returning to the basics. I invite you to come along beside me on . . .
Spiritual growth is as essential to the life of a believer as physical growth is essential to the life of a child. God commands us to mature spiritually and we need to acquire several biblical principles in this effort. Spiritual growth begins by confessing and receiving Yeshua into our life. The apostle Paul speaks of the humility of Yeshua inPhilippians 2:5-8, explaining how He took the form of a man and humbled himself, even to the point of death on a cross. In verses 9-11, the apostle said, “Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Yeshua every knee would bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Messiah Yeshua is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.â€
To grow spiritually, our life needs to be focused on glorifying God. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul said, “So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.†When we confess Yeshua as Lord, it is done to the glory of God. Now whatever else we do, even the most mundane functions of life such as eating and drinking, it should be focused on the glory of God. For us to mature spiritually, we need to follow Yeshua’s example by making God’s glory the focus of our lives.
Glorifying God by serving Him within the body of Messiah, is another key biblical principle in our spiritual maturity. When we are consumed with God’s glory and not our own comfort and plans, we willingly sacrifice all for the greater glory of God. Paul was in prison during the last season of his life. He was no longer active in worldwide ministry when he wrote to the church at Philippi. Prior to that time period, Paul had been involved in some noteworthy adventures through the years. While leading the expansion of the first-century church, Paul preached on Mars Hill in Athens and accomplished great things in Corinth, Thessalonica and Berea. He survived a shipwreck while being transported as a prisoner to Rome, as well as other harrowing experiences. Paul left a great legacy for each of us, one that we are able to glean from, regarding our personal servitude to the Lord. We cannot grow spiritually by charting our own course, but only by following the will of God.
Some time ago I read a deeply inspiring story, based on true life events, that I am pleased to share with you. This story reflects the heart of a God fearing couple who followed God’s calling. Like Paul, they sacrificed everything to glorify God in obedience to His will. In the nineteenth century, missionaries John Paton and his newly wed bride were sent from Scotland to the New Hebrides (known today as Vanuatu), a group of Islands in the Western Pacific where only cannibals lived. When the couple landed, they did not speak the language. All they knew about this place was that previous missionaries sent there had never returned. Their lives were constantly threatened.
Shortly after their arrival, Paton’s wife became pregnant. Within several days after John’s wife gave birth, both she and the baby died due to complications and a lack of medical attention. Paton slept on their graves for several nights to keep the Islanders from digging up their bodies. Despite such trials, John devoted the remainder of his life to ministering the people in Vanuatu. Near the end of his life, Paton stated in his autobiography that there was not one remaining Islander who had not made a profession of faith in Lord Yeshua. God used John Paton in a mighty way because he was willing to do God’s will at any cost.
Please find comfort in knowing that I am not suggesting that you run off to some remote island to do God’s work. I am simply suggesting that you follow God’s call wherever and however He has called you to graciously serve Him. There are so many opportunities before us, enabling us to give God all the glory, as we sacrificially serve Him and His Kingdom through serving others.
I believe it is fair to say that most of you know my heart about the importance of being in God’s Word daily. When God’s people do not know God’s living active Word, they are in serious difficulty. It is easy for them to drift away from theTruth and fall into destruction. Through the prophet Hosea, the LORD cried out, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge†(Hosea 4:6). Psalm 119:105 speaks of God’s holy Word in this manner: “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path.â€
This image of the lamp or light reveals two things. First, it is a light shining in darkness. In a world darkened by sin there is no knowledge of God’s Truth. Only in God’s Word do we receive the light of knowledge of His Truth. Second, only in God’s Word is the message of the Good News of Yeshua revealed. No wonder we are admonished to pay careful attention to God’s Word.
Spiritual growth also requires setting aside daily time for prayer and sitting at the feet of Yeshua. Just as we must listen to God daily through His Word, we also need to talk to Him daily through prayer. Let us be inspired to emulate David’s example in Psalm 55:17: “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.†Paul encourages us to be steadfast in our prayer life. Romans 12:12 encourages us to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.†Through prayer, we find God’s mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 reveals: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.â€
It is also during our personal prayer time when we find peace to guard our hearts: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua†(Philippians 4:6-7).
As we develop the habits of daily Bible reading, prayer and sitting at the feet of Yeshua, let us also cultivate the joyful act of singing upon the Lord. We need to sing when we are happy and during times of trial. James 5:13 instructs us: “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.†David, the man after God’s own heart, developed the practice of praising God through song: “I will sing unto the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live†(Psalm 104:33). beginning today, let us sing out joyfully to the Lord every day, regardless of our circumstances!
Daily fellowship with other believers in the body of Messiah is also beneficial to one’s spiritual growth. It is a means of edifying and exhorting one another in our relationship and servitude to Yeshua. It is also a means to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds†(Hebrews 10:24-25). Dear sisters, I pray that thisjourney to spiritual growth has encouraged you to renew and refresh your spiritual tools, as you draw closer to our amazing God.
Growing in spiritual strength may be challenging at times, but it is also convicting as well as encouraging. Through the power of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), we each have the ability to grow and change in these vital areas of our spiritual life. Please do not feel overwhelmed or discouraged by the task set before us. God is always willing and able to meet us just where we are during this season. Then He gently, gradually, lovingly and purposefully works in our lives and draws us closer to Himself. The ultimate blessing is our deep, intimate joy abiding in Him. Let us be wise women and build our “house†on solid ground, not sand, as we honor and glorify our sovereign God.
In order for us to grow stronger spiritually, we also need to take our eyes off our circumstances and look upward to the Lord. By trusting in His character and believing in His promises, we are able to overcome anxiety and fear, along with developing greater faith in Him. On whom or what are your eyes fixed? Trust in the Lord’s promise to each of us that “He will never leave us nor forsake us†(Hebrews 13:5-6). I long to see us grow together in the grace and knowledge of the Lord!
Very blessed to be living on His Rock,
Your sister Eileen
When we give thought to our spiritual growth, we often discover it seldom runs parallel. At various seasons of our life we may travel in an upward trend or become a bit anemic in our walk with the Lord. God desires that His children continually grow in an upward trend, both in our faith and in our relationship with Him. Growth in our spiritual maturity is one of the most important foundations in the life of a believer and it takes effort on our part. This week we will be taking a refresher course by returning to the basics. I invite you to come along beside me on . . .
A Journey To Spiritual Growth
Spiritual growth is as essential to the life of a believer as physical growth is essential to the life of a child. God commands us to mature spiritually and we need to acquire several biblical principles in this effort. Spiritual growth begins by confessing and receiving Yeshua into our life. The apostle Paul speaks of the humility of Yeshua inPhilippians 2:5-8, explaining how He took the form of a man and humbled himself, even to the point of death on a cross. In verses 9-11, the apostle said, “Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Yeshua every knee would bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Messiah Yeshua is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.â€
To grow spiritually, our life needs to be focused on glorifying God. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul said, “So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.†When we confess Yeshua as Lord, it is done to the glory of God. Now whatever else we do, even the most mundane functions of life such as eating and drinking, it should be focused on the glory of God. For us to mature spiritually, we need to follow Yeshua’s example by making God’s glory the focus of our lives.
Glorifying God by serving Him within the body of Messiah, is another key biblical principle in our spiritual maturity. When we are consumed with God’s glory and not our own comfort and plans, we willingly sacrifice all for the greater glory of God. Paul was in prison during the last season of his life. He was no longer active in worldwide ministry when he wrote to the church at Philippi. Prior to that time period, Paul had been involved in some noteworthy adventures through the years. While leading the expansion of the first-century church, Paul preached on Mars Hill in Athens and accomplished great things in Corinth, Thessalonica and Berea. He survived a shipwreck while being transported as a prisoner to Rome, as well as other harrowing experiences. Paul left a great legacy for each of us, one that we are able to glean from, regarding our personal servitude to the Lord. We cannot grow spiritually by charting our own course, but only by following the will of God.
Some time ago I read a deeply inspiring story, based on true life events, that I am pleased to share with you. This story reflects the heart of a God fearing couple who followed God’s calling. Like Paul, they sacrificed everything to glorify God in obedience to His will. In the nineteenth century, missionaries John Paton and his newly wed bride were sent from Scotland to the New Hebrides (known today as Vanuatu), a group of Islands in the Western Pacific where only cannibals lived. When the couple landed, they did not speak the language. All they knew about this place was that previous missionaries sent there had never returned. Their lives were constantly threatened.
Shortly after their arrival, Paton’s wife became pregnant. Within several days after John’s wife gave birth, both she and the baby died due to complications and a lack of medical attention. Paton slept on their graves for several nights to keep the Islanders from digging up their bodies. Despite such trials, John devoted the remainder of his life to ministering the people in Vanuatu. Near the end of his life, Paton stated in his autobiography that there was not one remaining Islander who had not made a profession of faith in Lord Yeshua. God used John Paton in a mighty way because he was willing to do God’s will at any cost.
Please find comfort in knowing that I am not suggesting that you run off to some remote island to do God’s work. I am simply suggesting that you follow God’s call wherever and however He has called you to graciously serve Him. There are so many opportunities before us, enabling us to give God all the glory, as we sacrificially serve Him and His Kingdom through serving others.
I believe it is fair to say that most of you know my heart about the importance of being in God’s Word daily. When God’s people do not know God’s living active Word, they are in serious difficulty. It is easy for them to drift away from theTruth and fall into destruction. Through the prophet Hosea, the LORD cried out, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge†(Hosea 4:6). Psalm 119:105 speaks of God’s holy Word in this manner: “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path.â€
This image of the lamp or light reveals two things. First, it is a light shining in darkness. In a world darkened by sin there is no knowledge of God’s Truth. Only in God’s Word do we receive the light of knowledge of His Truth. Second, only in God’s Word is the message of the Good News of Yeshua revealed. No wonder we are admonished to pay careful attention to God’s Word.
Spiritual growth also requires setting aside daily time for prayer and sitting at the feet of Yeshua. Just as we must listen to God daily through His Word, we also need to talk to Him daily through prayer. Let us be inspired to emulate David’s example in Psalm 55:17: “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.†Paul encourages us to be steadfast in our prayer life. Romans 12:12 encourages us to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.†Through prayer, we find God’s mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 reveals: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.â€
It is also during our personal prayer time when we find peace to guard our hearts: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua†(Philippians 4:6-7).
As we develop the habits of daily Bible reading, prayer and sitting at the feet of Yeshua, let us also cultivate the joyful act of singing upon the Lord. We need to sing when we are happy and during times of trial. James 5:13 instructs us: “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.†David, the man after God’s own heart, developed the practice of praising God through song: “I will sing unto the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live†(Psalm 104:33). beginning today, let us sing out joyfully to the Lord every day, regardless of our circumstances!
Daily fellowship with other believers in the body of Messiah is also beneficial to one’s spiritual growth. It is a means of edifying and exhorting one another in our relationship and servitude to Yeshua. It is also a means to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds†(Hebrews 10:24-25). Dear sisters, I pray that thisjourney to spiritual growth has encouraged you to renew and refresh your spiritual tools, as you draw closer to our amazing God.
Growing in spiritual strength may be challenging at times, but it is also convicting as well as encouraging. Through the power of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), we each have the ability to grow and change in these vital areas of our spiritual life. Please do not feel overwhelmed or discouraged by the task set before us. God is always willing and able to meet us just where we are during this season. Then He gently, gradually, lovingly and purposefully works in our lives and draws us closer to Himself. The ultimate blessing is our deep, intimate joy abiding in Him. Let us be wise women and build our “house†on solid ground, not sand, as we honor and glorify our sovereign God.
In order for us to grow stronger spiritually, we also need to take our eyes off our circumstances and look upward to the Lord. By trusting in His character and believing in His promises, we are able to overcome anxiety and fear, along with developing greater faith in Him. On whom or what are your eyes fixed? Trust in the Lord’s promise to each of us that “He will never leave us nor forsake us†(Hebrews 13:5-6). I long to see us grow together in the grace and knowledge of the Lord!
Very blessed to be living on His Rock,
Your sister Eileen
Let's lift up 
Hello everyone! Let's lift up 
Let's lift up these requests together! 
Let's come together in prayer! 
