male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
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by the friends of the
"Amazing Facts" ministry.
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Doug Batchelor: I want to make
it clear, you can be a Christian
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in one day, you can be a
Christian in 10 minutes, but
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just because you've been a
Christian does not mean you're
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growing in Christ.
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Doug Batchelor: I'd like to
begin by just sharing a little
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amazing fact.
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You know, we like
amazing facts here.
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The bristlecone pine that you
find in the White Mountains of
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California, is the longest
living tree in the world.
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And dendrochronologists have
done a couple of core samples
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and they found one that
they believe was over 5,000
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years old.
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Now, they can't always tell
exactly because the lines in the
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tree might sometimes be
caused by several changes in one
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season, but generally
they represent a year.
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And they have some of these
trees they think that date back
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about 5,000 years.
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The interesting thing is, as old
as these trees are, they don't
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get very tall,
they grow very slowly.
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A 20 year-old ponderosa pine
is taller than a 2,000 year old
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bristlecone pine.
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Now, how are you
growing as a Christian?
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Are you a
ponderosa or bristlecone?
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The Lord wants us to grow
and He wants us to bear fruit.
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And Bible tells us in 2 Peter
chapter 3, verse 18, "But grow
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in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior
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Jesus Christ.
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To Him be the glory
both now and forever."
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I want to make it clear, you can
be a Christian in one day, you
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can be a Christian in 10
minutes, you can be justified
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very quickly by accepting
Jesus and understanding
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that commitment.
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But growth is something
that is going to take time, it's
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something that happens in a
process the Lord has naturally
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built into our lives, we call it
the process of sanctification.
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But some people except Christ
and then they don't do the
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growing part.
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A.W.
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Tozer said, "Some people find
themselves in religious ruts,
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they find they're getting older
but they're not getting holier.
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Time is their
enemy, not their friend."
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And so just because you've been
a Christian a long time does not
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mean you're growing in
Christ, it's so crucial.
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Now, let me quickly review the
first three keys that we talked
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about that are
important for a baby to grow.
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First of all, we
grow by eating good food.
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What is the food?
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It's Word of God.
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"Man doesn't live by
bread alone, but by every Word."
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Do you feast on the Word?
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Jesus said, "Give us
this day our daily bread."
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Do you, on a regular
basis, read His Word?
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"As newborn babes, desire the
pure milk of the Word, that you
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may grow thereby."
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That can't be misunderstood.
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If you want to grow you need to
be feeding on the Word of God;
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not only is it called milk, the
Word of God is called meat, it's
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called honey.
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The law of the Lord is like
the honey and the honeycomb.
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So are you reading the Bible,
do you have regular devotions?
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Another way a baby
grows is by breathing.
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What does the
breathing represent?
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Prayer, prayer is
the breath of the soul.
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Three, we grow by exercise.
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A baby, if they're just
handcuffed in a crib, they're
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not going to grow, they wiggle
and they scoot and they move,
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and we're so excited when they
finally roll over, and they get
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into the combat crawl and
start doing that lunge forward.
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Finally, they get up on all four
and we're just praising them,
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we're so excited, and when
they can take a few steps on
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two feet.
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Through all that exercise and
activity it helps them grow, and
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part of the wiggling and
the squirming is part of the
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growing process.
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Don't be afraid if sometimes the
growing is slow, but be afraid
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of standing still.
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Have you ever seen kids,
it's like they don't grow.
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I know Daniel, he was so short
until he, you know, got to be
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like 13, and then he just shot
up and now he's about six feet.
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And so some times the
growth happens in spurts.
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Have you seen that?
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And do you know
something else about growing?
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You ever have growing pains?
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I remember one of our kids just
aching and knees were hurting,
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and my grandmother told me an
old wives' tale that if you tie
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a sock around the ankle it
helps, and it seemed to work.
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I don't know if it was a placebo
effect but we did it anyway.
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But growing pains, but to
grow you need to exercise.
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Now, we're taking up where we
left off last week and I've just
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got four more here.
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In order to grow we need
to be connected with a family.
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God designed that babies are
not born out in the woods like
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mushrooms, they are born
into families, where they have a
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mother and a father and they
get the nurture, and we need the
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social relationship.
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Acts chapter 2:42, "They
continued steadfastly in the
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apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, breaking bread, and
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in prayers."
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They were
together in fellowship.
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If you want to grow you cannot
be a maverick Christian, just
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out there on your own.
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Now, there are some people,
because of the geography and the
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culture there in, that
Christianity's not allowed, and
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God will sustain them but it
is so much better when you can
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fellowship with other believers.
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It helps you prevent becoming
an eccentric, and take it from
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someone who lived in a cave.
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They used to have these ascetics
and they thought, "In order to
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be holy, you must be
isolated from all people."
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And like Simeon Stylite, he
lived up on a pillar by himself
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because he was trying to
stay away from the people so he
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wouldn't be contaminated or
something, or be holier, could
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think more about God
without distractions.
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There are days that
sounds appealing, doesn't it?
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I'd like to, like David said, if
I could just make wings like a
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bird and fly away, be by myself,
and I could be close to God and
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none of the temptations,
not none but none of the typical
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temptations that come
from being in the world.
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But Jesus didn't call us to be
isolated, it says He wants us to
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be together.
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Hebrews 10, verse 24, "And let
us consider one another," notice
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that phrase, "In order to
stir up love and good works."
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How do we do that?
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By being together, "Not
forsaking the assembling of
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ourselves together, as
the manner of some is."
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It was a problem even back
in Paul's day, where people were
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neglecting to assemble together,
and what's the most important
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time in the week
to assemble together?
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Sabbath Day.
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It's okay to get together in
small groups, we should be doing
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it through the week,
but the Sabbath is called a
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holy convocation.
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That word there, Leviticus
23, means a convening, an
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assembly, a coming together.
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And you know, it happens slowly,
people, they miss one weekend,
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say, "I was really tired so I
slept this one in, you know, God
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knows I needed rest."
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And then you find out they make
it two or three weeks and then
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they miss two weeks.
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Then they'll
make it for two weeks,
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then they miss three weeks.
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It doesn't happen quickly but
they start missing and then, you
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know, then you're really
at risk if we don't have that
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time together.
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I think over 140 times in the
Bible, New and Old Testament,
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you'll find the
phrase, "One another."
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I did just a clinical computer
search on it and it was about
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146 times, "One another,
one another, one another."
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In the New Testament it says,
"Love one another," "Serve one
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another," "Comfort one another."
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It's really hard for you to
be doing all that by yourself.
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Isn't that right?
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So we need to be
spending time together.
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You know why?
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To grow, and also
for your own safety.
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You know, when the devil gets
the sheep, like a wolf, is when
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they're on the fringes of the
flock and he can pick them off.
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There was a curse
pronounced by Moses on Amalek.
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You know why?
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'Cause Amalek, when the children
of Israel crossed the Red Sea
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and they came out, and they
were young and they were old and
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they were weak and
they were strong, and the
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Amalekites attacked.
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Let me read it to you,
Deuteronomy 25:18, Amalek,
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"Attacked your rear ranks, all
the stragglers at your rear,"
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the weak ones on the fringes.
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If you want to be safe, you want
to be off there in the middle.
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I'm fascinated with the way that
these Emperor Penguins survive
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in Antarctica, it is
the most blistering cold.
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That's an oxymoron, isn't it?
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The weather is just brutal,
60 below zero, and all of
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those--the male penguins
are pretty dedicated, you know?
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The female lays an egg, plops
it on his feet, and then all the
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males, they put the egg under
their belly fat and they keep it
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warm, up to 100 degrees.
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They keep the egg 100 degrees
even though it's 60 below zero.
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The way they do that is they
keep it off the ice on their
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feet, they cover it with
themselves and they huddle
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together, and they all rotate in
the middle, they're all fighting
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to get in the middle of
the huddle 'cause then you're
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protected from the elements.
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Fish, why do
they swim in a school?
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Because they're weak by
themselves but when they're in a
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school they can dazzle and daze
their predator enemies and they
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don't know
which one to focus on.
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And if I was a fish, if I was
a sardine, have you ever thought
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about this?
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If I was a sardine, I'd be
looking for the middle of the
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school, wouldn't you?
00:10:04.10\00:10:07.27
And if you want to be safe from
the devil, get in the middle of
00:10:07.30\00:10:09.27
the church, get involved, get
right out in the middle of it,
00:10:09.30\00:10:12.27
get elbow deep in the dishes or
whatever you gotta do, potluck,
00:10:12.31\00:10:15.48
but get in the middle
and we need one another.
00:10:15.51\00:10:19.65
If you want to grow as
a baby, stay in a family.
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Key number five, rest.
00:10:22.88\00:10:26.65
Now, some people think,
"How do you grow by resting?"
00:10:26.69\00:10:28.52
That's a fact,
you need rest to grow.
00:10:28.56\00:10:33.13
Dr. Cara Natterson,
pediatrician, graduated Johns
00:10:33.16\00:10:36.10
Hopkins and Harvard, said, "For
children, sleep is critical as
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an ingredient to good growth."
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A lot of the growing, your
body is not stagnant when you're
00:10:45.67\00:10:49.24
sleeping, it's actually
very active, lot of processes
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going on.
00:10:51.88\00:10:53.18
There's repairing that's going
on, there's cell multiplication
00:10:53.21\00:10:55.75
that's going on, you're growing.
00:10:55.78\00:10:58.25
And they've actually shown that
growth can be stunted by a lack
00:10:58.29\00:11:02.39
of rest, healing can be
hampered by a lack of rest.
00:11:02.42\00:11:07.23
So to grow we need rest.
00:11:07.23\00:11:08.56
Psalm 37:7, "Rest in the Lord
and wait patiently for Him."
00:11:08.60\00:11:13.94
Every Sabbath Day, I hope we do
some growing spiritually and I
00:11:13.97\00:11:18.17
hope we do some resting
and I hope we're growing while
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we're resting.
00:11:21.08\00:11:22.38
It's not just talking about
sleep, Jesus wants us to rest
00:11:22.41\00:11:26.38
in faith.
00:11:26.41\00:11:28.02
Matthew 6:27, "Which of you
by worrying can add a cubit to
00:11:28.05\00:11:32.72
his stature?"
00:11:32.75\00:11:34.96
Can you worry yourself taller?
00:11:34.99\00:11:38.36
So one of the things to do to
grow as a Christian is trust the
00:11:38.39\00:11:41.60
Lord that you will grow.
00:11:41.63\00:11:43.03
You know, you
get what you believe.
00:11:43.06\00:11:45.43
The Bible says, "Be it unto
you according to your faith."
00:11:45.47\00:11:48.17
So after I did the first message
on growth, some of you probably
00:11:48.20\00:11:51.44
came away feeling guilty
because you haven't grown more.
00:11:51.47\00:11:54.91
Trust that, if you do the things
that you're saying, you're
00:11:54.94\00:11:56.91
going to grow; babies don't
worry about growing but they do
00:11:56.95\00:12:01.02
receive the things
that we're talking about.
00:12:01.05\00:12:03.55
Mark 11, verse 22, "Jesus
answered and said, 'Have faith
00:12:03.59\00:12:07.46
in God.
00:12:07.49\00:12:08.79
For assuredly, I say to you,
whoever says to this mountain,
00:12:08.82\00:12:11.73
"Be removed and cast into the
sea," and does not doubt in his
00:12:11.76\00:12:15.43
heart, but believes that those
things he says will be done, he
00:12:15.46\00:12:18.70
will have whatever he says.
00:12:18.73\00:12:20.27
Therefore I say to you, whatever
things you ask for when you
00:12:20.30\00:12:23.30
pray, believe that you receive
them,'" trust God, rest in His
00:12:23.34\00:12:26.91
promises, and He
said, "You will have them."
00:12:26.94\00:12:30.28
If you're worried about not
growing ask God to move that
00:12:30.31\00:12:33.75
mountain and help you
start growing, and believe that
00:12:33.78\00:12:36.69
He will.
00:12:36.72\00:12:38.79
Faith will lead to answered
prayer and answered prayer will
00:12:38.82\00:12:41.69
lead to greater faith,
that's the way it works.
00:12:41.72\00:12:45.23
If your faith is small, you
say, "Oh Lord, I've just got a
00:12:45.26\00:12:47.46
little faith."
00:12:47.50\00:12:48.80
There's a man that came to
Jesus one day and said, "Lord, I
00:12:48.83\00:12:51.03
believe, but help my unbelief."
00:12:51.07\00:12:53.97
And Jesus could answer
that prayer, He healed his son.
00:12:54.00\00:12:56.94
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00:13:24.93\00:13:28.57
important, to
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00:13:28.60\00:13:30.51
Doug Batchelor: Key number six,
I came up with seven keys here
00:13:32.81\00:13:35.64
to growing as a Christian,
is you need regular cleansing.
00:13:35.68\00:13:40.18
A baby, as cute as they are,
do need an occasional cleansing.
00:13:40.22\00:13:44.15
Amen?
00:13:44.19\00:13:45.52
They don't worry about it, they
trust that their parents are
00:13:45.55\00:13:47.72
going to help them with that.
00:13:47.76\00:13:49.79
Sometimes they worry if it
doesn't happen quick enough, and
00:13:49.82\00:13:51.89
you'll hear about it,
some don't care so much.
00:13:51.93\00:13:58.73
1 John 1:8,
00:13:58.77\00:14:00.94
"If we say we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves,
00:14:00.97\00:14:03.77
and the truth is not in us.
00:14:03.81\00:14:05.81
If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us
00:14:05.84\00:14:10.08
our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
00:14:10.11\00:14:15.52
If we say that we've not sinned,
we make Him a liar, and His word
00:14:15.55\00:14:18.85
is not in us."
00:14:18.89\00:14:20.19
So as soon as we recognize
that we've fallen, confess
00:14:20.22\00:14:24.43
it quickly.
00:14:24.46\00:14:25.79
Someone said you, "Keep short
accounts with the Lord," don't
00:14:25.83\00:14:28.56
let your guilt
and shame pile up.
00:14:28.60\00:14:30.83
As soon as you recognize that
you've slipped or fallen, bring
00:14:30.87\00:14:34.14
it to the Lord, ask Him to heal,
to forgive, to cleanse, and His
00:14:34.17\00:14:37.97
promise is He will.
00:14:38.01\00:14:39.31
Amen?
00:14:39.34\00:14:41.18
"Confess your trespasses
to one another, and pray for
00:14:41.21\00:14:44.38
one another."
00:14:44.41\00:14:45.65
You know, this is, again, part
of that church family, is that
00:14:45.68\00:14:49.52
they're strength and
intercession with each other for
00:14:49.55\00:14:52.95
that cleansing.
00:14:52.99\00:14:54.92
And then point number
seven is you grow in love.
00:14:54.96\00:15:00.13
You know children actually grow
better in a loving environment,
00:15:00.16\00:15:04.70
and we grow in the love of God.
00:15:04.73\00:15:07.10
I remember reading about
this great Greek hero of the
00:15:07.14\00:15:11.77
Olympics, his name was Milo of
Croton and they said he was the
00:15:11.81\00:15:16.78
strongest man who had
ever lived, and he could put a
00:15:16.81\00:15:20.08
pomegranate in his hand, is
one of the many legends, and any
00:15:20.12\00:15:24.49
other man could try to take the
pomegranate out of his hand and
00:15:24.52\00:15:27.36
they couldn't even damage the
pomegranate 'cause his hand was
00:15:27.39\00:15:29.79
so strong.
00:15:29.82\00:15:31.53
They said that he was so strong
that he could put a metal band
00:15:31.56\00:15:37.10
on his head, he'd tightened his
muscles, he could pop it off his
00:15:37.13\00:15:40.07
head with just the veins.
00:15:40.10\00:15:43.51
I said it was a legend.
00:15:43.54\00:15:46.78
Supposedly, you know
how he got so strong?
00:15:46.81\00:15:49.34
When he was a teenager, he was
given a calf, and he loved the
00:15:49.38\00:15:53.55
calf and he picked the calf up
and he put it on his shoulders
00:15:53.58\00:15:56.12
everyday and carried it around,
and he did that for 4 years,
00:15:56.15\00:16:01.02
every day he'd hoist the calf.
00:16:01.06\00:16:02.62
He was growing as a teenager and
the calf was growing, and pretty
00:16:02.66\00:16:06.59
soon he was known as the boy who
could pick up a bull and carry
00:16:06.63\00:16:10.70
it around.
00:16:10.73\00:16:12.03
And he entered the Olympics
and he won for nine years as the
00:16:12.07\00:16:16.87
best wrestler,
least that's the story.
00:16:16.91\00:16:19.34
So, love, practicing,
exercising love makes you grow
00:16:19.37\00:16:25.61
to be more like Christ.
00:16:25.65\00:16:26.95
Now, how many of
you want more love?
00:16:26.98\00:16:29.32
Do you develop more love by
living on an island by yourself?
00:16:29.35\00:16:36.49
No, love must be
shared to be experienced.
00:16:36.52\00:16:40.86
That's one reason that, in order
for God to have been eternal
00:16:40.90\00:16:44.70
God, God needed to
be the three persons.
00:16:44.73\00:16:48.90
'Cause how could God be
love and have no one to love?
00:16:48.94\00:16:52.17
But if God is the only one that
is eternal, in order for Him to
00:16:52.21\00:16:56.31
be eternal God there must
be more than one person or you
00:16:56.34\00:16:59.85
can't express your love.
00:16:59.88\00:17:01.72
Did you get that?
00:17:01.75\00:17:03.05
That make sense?
00:17:03.08\00:17:04.42
But the Father, Son
and Spirit are eternal.
00:17:04.45\00:17:07.52
In order for us to
love, it must be expressed.
00:17:07.56\00:17:10.96
In the last days, one of the
problems is that people's love
00:17:10.99\00:17:14.00
is not growing.
00:17:14.03\00:17:15.33
Notice Matthew 24:12, "Because
lawlessness will abound, the
00:17:15.36\00:17:19.40
love of many will grow,"
the wrong way, grows cold.
00:17:19.43\00:17:23.64
So love can grow, it can
grow warm and it can grow cold.
00:17:23.67\00:17:27.78
2 Thessalonians 1:3, "We are
bound to thank God always for
00:17:27.81\00:17:31.65
you, brethren, as it is fitting,
because your faith grows
00:17:31.68\00:17:35.58
exceedingly, and the love of
every one of you abounds towards
00:17:35.62\00:17:40.72
each other."
00:17:40.76\00:17:42.06
There's a beautiful example, and
I can repeat again, Ephesians
00:17:42.09\00:17:44.86
4:15, "But, speaking the truth
in love, that we may grow up in
00:17:44.89\00:17:50.20
all things into Him
who is the head-- Christ."
00:17:50.23\00:17:55.20
"When I was a child, I spoke
as a child, I understood as a
00:17:55.24\00:17:58.07
child, I thought as a child;"
1 Corinthians 13, "But when I
00:17:58.11\00:18:02.58
became a man."
00:18:02.61\00:18:03.91
How'd you go from child to man?
00:18:03.95\00:18:05.68
You grew, and you
grow in your love.
00:18:05.71\00:18:10.15
And he says, "Now abides faith,
hope, love, these three; but,"
00:18:10.19\00:18:14.76
what's the greatest?
00:18:14.79\00:18:16.69
"Greatest of these is love."
00:18:16.73\00:18:18.29
God is love, and most beautiful
thing of Christ we can imitate
00:18:18.33\00:18:21.40
is His love.
00:18:21.43\00:18:22.86
So, in conclusion, I want
to ask, how do you know if
00:18:22.90\00:18:25.50
you're growing?
00:18:25.53\00:18:27.10
I mean, does God
give us a Bible metric?
00:18:27.14\00:18:28.97
He says, "Examine yourselves
if you're in the faith."
00:18:29.00\00:18:33.38
Well, do you know by the fruits?
00:18:33.41\00:18:37.58
Jesus said, "You'll know them by
their fruits," and you'll have
00:18:37.61\00:18:41.05
the fruits of the Spirit.
00:18:41.08\00:18:42.88
I've got seven
questions you can ask.
00:18:42.92\00:18:47.52
For one thing, Jesus came
to save you from your sin.
00:18:47.56\00:18:51.03
Does sin in your life
have dominion over you?
00:18:51.06\00:18:55.10
Are you addicted to
anything other than Jesus?
00:18:55.13\00:18:58.23
You can't be a healthy
Christian, plain and simple.
00:18:58.27\00:19:00.64
I don't mean the occasional
moral failure, the Bible says,
00:19:00.67\00:19:03.54
"For there is none
that does not sin."
00:19:03.57\00:19:05.64
What we're talking about is
where Paul says, "Sin shall not
00:19:05.67\00:19:08.44
have dominion over you."
00:19:08.48\00:19:11.48
Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore...
00:19:11.51\00:19:13.11
since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let
00:19:13.15\00:19:16.55
us lay aside every weight,
and the sin that so easily
00:19:16.58\00:19:19.65
ensnares us."
00:19:19.69\00:19:21.02
How do we do this?
00:19:21.06\00:19:22.36
We run the race by
fixing our eyes on Jesus,
00:19:22.39\00:19:24.69
the Author and
Finisher of our faith.
00:19:24.73\00:19:28.00
Pray that God
will give you victory.
00:19:28.03\00:19:30.40
Second point, have
you forgiven others?
00:19:30.43\00:19:33.20
Are you growing?
00:19:33.23\00:19:34.94
Have you forgiven
others that hurt you?
00:19:34.97\00:19:36.44
Are you easily offended?
00:19:36.47\00:19:37.91
Do you nurse a grudge?
00:19:37.94\00:19:39.71
Do you stay bitter?
00:19:39.74\00:19:41.08
Do you think about vengeance?
00:19:41.11\00:19:42.78
You're growing as a Christian
when you can quickly slough
00:19:42.81\00:19:45.31
off offenses.
00:19:45.35\00:19:47.68
Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind
to one another, tenderhearted,
00:19:47.72\00:19:52.55
forgiving one another, even
as God for Christ's sake has
00:19:52.59\00:19:56.22
forgiven you."
00:19:56.26\00:19:57.56
How does He want us to forgive?
00:19:57.59\00:19:59.16
As Jesus forgave us.
00:19:59.19\00:20:01.03
Growth means we're
growing to be like Christ.
00:20:01.06\00:20:05.07
Point three, are
you sharing your faith?
00:20:05.10\00:20:08.80
Part of growth
means to share it.
00:20:08.84\00:20:12.37
Jesus said, "If anyone ashamed
of Me and My words in this
00:20:12.41\00:20:15.54
adulterous generation, the Son
of Man will be ashamed of him,"
00:20:15.58\00:20:19.48
"But if you confess
Me, I will confess you."
00:20:19.51\00:20:23.08
That's a sign of growth.
00:20:23.12\00:20:25.85
Are you bearing the
fruits of the Spirit?
00:20:25.89\00:20:28.76
Are you new creatures?
00:20:28.79\00:20:30.83
Galatians 5:22 has some of the
best definition, "But the fruit
00:20:30.86\00:20:34.83
of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace."
00:20:34.83\00:20:38.00
Do you have these in your life?
00:20:38.03\00:20:39.53
"Longsuffering,"
that's patience, "kindness."
00:20:39.57\00:20:41.87
Are you kind?
00:20:41.90\00:20:43.30
"Goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.
00:20:43.34\00:20:49.78
Against such there is no law."
00:20:49.81\00:20:52.48
Peter puts it this way, 2 Peter
1, verse 5, "But also for this
00:20:52.51\00:20:57.79
very reason, giving all
diligence, add to your faith
00:20:57.82\00:21:01.32
virtue," notice there's an
addition happening here, "To
00:21:01.36\00:21:04.69
virtue knowledge, to knowledge
self-control," this is a
00:21:04.73\00:21:08.63
progression, as you get
the knowledge and then you gain
00:21:08.66\00:21:11.77
self-control, "to self-control
perseverance, to perseverance
00:21:11.80\00:21:15.90
godliness, to godliness
brotherly kindness, to brotherly
00:21:15.94\00:21:20.14
kindness love.
00:21:20.18\00:21:22.78
For if these things are yours
and they abound, you will be
00:21:22.81\00:21:26.41
neither barren nor unfruitful."
00:21:26.45\00:21:29.42
You want to be fruitful?
00:21:29.45\00:21:31.25
Then ask by God's grace and
through his Spirit to add the
00:21:31.29\00:21:33.86
Christian virtues
that you can imitate Jesus.
00:21:33.89\00:21:38.49
Test number five, do you have
regular time with God in prayer
00:21:38.53\00:21:41.83
and the study of His Word?
00:21:41.86\00:21:44.53
Good time with God is not found,
it's made, you got to choose to
00:21:44.57\00:21:48.57
make it.
00:21:48.60\00:21:49.90
You're not just, if you're
waiting for it to happen on its
00:21:49.94\00:21:51.54
own, it doesn't work that
way, set aside time with God.
00:21:51.57\00:21:56.04
1 Timothy 4:13, "Till I come,
give attention to reading, to
00:21:56.08\00:22:00.52
exhortation, to doctrine."
00:22:00.55\00:22:02.85
1 Thessalonians, as I read
before, "Pray without ceasing."
00:22:02.88\00:22:08.06
Daniel, three times a day, as
his custom was, he knelt and he
00:22:08.09\00:22:11.86
prayed and he
studied God's Word.
00:22:11.89\00:22:15.93
Six, are you
generous towards God and man?
00:22:15.96\00:22:18.93
This is a test, you can
sometimes tell if a person is
00:22:18.97\00:22:21.67
growing by their
faith and their generosity.
00:22:21.70\00:22:25.41
Proverbs 3, verse 9, "Honor the
Lord with your possessions, And
00:22:25.44\00:22:29.48
with the firstfruits
of all of your increase."
00:22:29.51\00:22:32.85
Are we faithful in
tithes and offerings?
00:22:32.88\00:22:34.98
Do you care
about others in need?
00:22:35.02\00:22:36.92
Proverbs 28:27, "He who gives to
the poor will not lack, But he
00:22:36.95\00:22:42.46
who hides his eyes
will have many curses."
00:22:42.49\00:22:45.43
So we want to be growing in
our generosity and trusting God.
00:22:45.46\00:22:49.96
Are we cheerful givers?
00:22:50.00\00:22:51.30
Number seven, are you
experiencing spiritual growth?
00:22:51.33\00:22:55.27
Looking back over the
past, can you identify progress?
00:22:55.30\00:22:59.01
Do you see where you were
tested, and by God's grace you
00:22:59.04\00:23:02.24
were winning?
00:23:02.28\00:23:03.58
Now, you know, sometimes in the
Christian life you almost feel
00:23:03.61\00:23:05.28
like you take two steps forward
and then you take a step back,
00:23:05.31\00:23:09.82
but then you take two
steps forward and you see you're
00:23:09.85\00:23:11.75
making progress.
00:23:11.79\00:23:13.76
And so, do you see
that you're growing?
00:23:13.79\00:23:15.99
things where you used to fall or
you were easily perturbed, are
00:23:16.02\00:23:19.53
you becoming more patient?
00:23:19.56\00:23:21.16
Are you becoming more loving?
00:23:21.20\00:23:23.20
Are you becoming
more kind, more generous?
00:23:23.23\00:23:27.00
1 John 1:7, "If we walk in the
light as He is in the light, we
00:23:27.04\00:23:31.97
have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus
00:23:32.01\00:23:35.18
Christ His Son
cleanses us from all sin."
00:23:35.21\00:23:40.22
You know, Jesus doesn't want us
to forget the blood, He wants us
00:23:40.25\00:23:43.42
to remember what His sacrifice
cost, what our sins cost Him.
00:23:43.45\00:23:49.86
If you've been taking sin too
lightly, remember what it costs,
00:23:49.89\00:23:54.56
it costs the blood of God's Son,
and this is an opportunity to
00:23:54.60\00:23:58.63
show our appreciation for
that sacrifice by accepting it,
00:23:58.67\00:24:02.24
asking Him to cleanse
us, give us a new beginning.
00:24:02.27\00:24:05.71
If we have ought against
any brother or sister, then put
00:24:05.74\00:24:10.01
those things away, be
reconciled, and then it makes a
00:24:10.05\00:24:13.65
way for the moving of the Spirit
in your life, in our church, and
00:24:13.68\00:24:17.79
we will see Christian growth.
00:24:17.82\00:24:19.49
Amen?
00:24:19.52\00:24:21.52
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Order your complete set today by
visiting AFBookstore.com or by
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calling 800-538-7275.
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female announcer: Have
you ever skipped a meal?
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Not a bad idea if you need
to watch your waistline, but
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there's a heavenly food you
should never skip, God's Word.
00:27:32.98\00:27:36.22
Yet, how can you dive in
daily when you're so busy?
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You'll be glad you did.
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male announcer: Don't forget to
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sure to be a blessing.
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And thank you for your continued
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of Jesus Christ to the world.
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We hope you'll join us next week
as we delve deep into the Word
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of God to explore
more "Amazing Facts."
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This presentation was brought
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"Amazing Facts" Ministry.
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