Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Lesson 18 - A Heart Enriched by Joy in the Lord

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:19

If we are to have an effective ministry to other, we must first be filled. What can you do to be filled with all the fullness of God so that He can use you in ministry?

Spiritual Growth Is Aided by Discipleship

God’s ideal plan for us is to teach other women the “good things” we’ve been learning, that we mentor or disciple them, that we pass on all that God has taught us. Titus 2:3-4

Discipleship – one-on-one, meetings with another woman.

Take Classes.
Read Books. – Primary book should be the Bible.
Counsel with fellow Christians.
Interview other Christian women.
Observe. Proverbs 20:12

Watch, learn, write down what you learn and then try those new behaviors yourself.

Spiritual Growth Is Aided by Goals

Goals give us a target to work towards.
Goals provide focus. Remember something is better than nothing.
Goals provide an opportunity for specific measurements. Stay away from the vague. Setting goals that are specific helps you move forward in the direction you want to go.
Goals provide encouragement. By writing down goals and tracking the progress you can see what you accomplished over a specific time period. Every wonder at the end of a year what you accomplished during that year?

Spiritual Growth Depends on Choices

Choices based on priorities. You have to determine which choice takes high priority first.
Choices based on goals. You have to choose which project to work on.

Spiritual Growth Requires Time

Isaiah 40:31. Our time we spend in solitude with our Bible and our prayer list, our secret life spent with our heavenly Father, is time spent waiting upon the Lord. In God’s perfect timing, there is the mounting up, the taking flight like that eagle. We are able to soar because we’ve been with the Lord.

God’s perspective on time is different from ours. You may be tempted to think that quiet, private time with the Lord doesn’t really matter; He is preparing us for ministry.

When the timing is right, when the opportunity for ministry presents itself, we too mount up with wings like an eagle ready to do God’s work!

Let God prepare you to mount up with wings like an eagle so that you one day will burst on the scene in vital ministry to His people!

Spiritual Growth Results in Ministry

You can not give away what you do not possess.

Involvement in ministry requires that you be a full vessel.

Spiritual Growth: Experiencing the Joy of the Lord

Picture a real woman you admire and then describe her. Most likely she is stimulating, challenging, energetic, and joyful.

She is growing and fresh, excited and exciting, learning and willing to share what she is learning.

She motivates you, and you love to be in her presence.

You may think she has nothing to fear or you never hear her sigh or see signs that she’s bored with her life.

Real joy comes from time spent alone with the Lord as He enriches you and prepares you for the ministry of helping others.

As we prepare to leave this lesson, reflect on these questions:

Exactly how are you spending your precious God-given time and energy? Are you wasting it on choices that have no heavenly value or are you making the good, better, and best choices?

Do you acknowledge the value, the necessity, of time spent in preparation?

Is allowing God to prepare you for ministry even a goal of yours? Or are you letting time and life slip away unused, uninvested in eternity?

God has saved you; given you eternal life, blessed you with all spiritual blessings, gifted you for spiritual ministry, and prepared a place for you in heaven.

Now he calls you to do your part by setting aside time to make growth in Him a goal and to trust Him to provide you with opportunities to minister to His people.

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