What does it take to grow? Day 2

Day 2. 
Good morning and welcome to today’s Daily insights. This is day 2 of our episodes, What does it take to Grow. On behalf of Pastor Lucy Paynter daily insights, this is Jane Lenny. 
Yesterday we saw that it is Gods will for us to Grow in all things. We defined Spiritual maturity from Eph 4:13 and said it is being like Christ.
Today we look at facts about spiritual maturity, truths of us Christians being like Christ.
1. Spiritual maturity doesn’t happen automatically
Did you know that you can be a Christian and you can never grow up spiritually? 
Hebrews 5:12-13 “You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. 13And a person who is living on milk isn’t very far along in the Christian life and doesn’t know much about doing what is right.” (NLT) 
Spiritual maturity is not automatic. It takes time, it takes effort. 
2. Fact number 2. Spiritual maturity doesn’t happen quickly
The Bible says in 2 Peter 3:18, “Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our savior, Jesus Christ.” (GN) That indicates a process. It takes time. It’s not instantaneous. 
The word grow from the dictionary means become larger or greater over a period of time; increase.
9th grade algebra. The formula for distance. Anybody remember? 
r x t = d
Rate x Time = Distance
That formula means that if I’m going 5 miles per hour, it will take me 1000 hours to cover 5000 miles.
That formula means that if I’m going 50 miles per hour, it will take me 100 hours to cover 5000 miles.
That formula means that if I’m going 500 miles per hour, it will take me 10 hours to cover 5000 miles.
There are some Christians that have known Christ for 50 years. By now they should be mature. But they are poking along at 1 mile per hour. Or some of them have stalled out. Not going anywhere. Just sitting there, causing a traffic jam behind them.
In our theme Verse: 2 Pet 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
There is no shortcut to spiritual growth. There’s no instant pill I could give you that today you could take and tomorrow you’re going to be spiritually mature. It takes time. It takes an intentional pursuit. It won’t come automatically or quickly.
People try a lot of shortcuts. Some people look for an emotional experience - “If I just get this `certain experience’, then all my problems will be solved and I will be a mature Christian.” Other people say, “If I just go to this seminar…. If I just read this book… If I just listen to this tape…” Other people say, “If I just keep a certain set of rules, then I could be all God wants me to be.”
But the Bible says, no. It’s a continual process. You have to learn to be mature. But there are some skills that you can learn that will help you grow.
3. Fact number 3. Spiritual maturity won’t happen without discipline
Our theme verse here is 1 Timothy 4:7 “Take the time and the trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.” 
Is physical fitness automatic? No. Neither is spiritual fitness. It takes time and trouble. Just like to be physically fit you’ve got to exercise, develop some basic habits. That’s true in the Christian life. The Bible says, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” That’s the New American Standard Version of the same verse. It takes discipline.
When you talk about discipline you need to talk about discipleship because the two go together. 
There are six key truths I want you to understand as an overview to where we’re going.
1. The Bible teaches that mature believers are called disciples. That’s the term that the Bible uses for a mature believer - a disciple. 
2. The Bible teaches that I cannot be a disciple without being disciplined. In fact the two words go together - disciple and discipline. 
3. The Bible also teaches that the more disciplined I become the more God can use me. 
4. The mark of a disciple is cross bearing. 
Luke 14:27, Jesus said, “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” God wants us to bear our cross. We’re going to explain what that is. 
5. How often am I to do this? The Bible says daily. 
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (NIV)
That’s what we’re going to talk about. What does it mean in a practical sense to bear our cross.
6. What is involved in cross bearing? Stated up front: Whatever it takes to give Christ first place in my life.
These are 3 basic facts and 6 truths about spiritual maturity. 
On behalf of Pastor Lucy Paynter daily insights, this is Jane Lenny taking you through What Does It Take To Grow episodes. Today is day 2 of our episodes. Tomorrow we explain Habit 1 in the 10 Habits of Maturing Christians. God bless you, Shalom Shalom.