Intentionality

Through the international ministry, we've learned how to intentionally build relationships. We invest a lot of time into getting to know people and developing relationships. The same prinicples of intentionality

This morning's sermon convicted me how we need to intentational develop our own spiritual maturity, just like we intentionally develop relationships. For me personally, I have been too busy w/ "stuff" and have not intentionally sought spiritual maturity. I need to take time to spend reading, in solitude, praying, seeking God.

Mature Believers:
- Walk consistently
- Expend effort to grow spiritually
- Display an increasing ability to discern right from wrong

- Accept everyday problems as God's means of character development
- Seeking interaction w/ God's spirit daily
- Spiritual disciplines are not a end in themselves, but rather bring us into Christ's presense, which transforms us
- Don't go from point A to point B directly. Go from point A to God. God will take you to point B, or C, or whereever else He wants you to go.

- Spiritual maturity looks like Jesus
- Intentionally, daily follow Jesus
- Helping other's grow up

- Being a spiritual juvenile is not an option

Convictions

I was reading through Organic Church by Neil Cole. One of things it kept on emphasizing is change that Christ brings and areas of our life we need to grow in.

I didn't have a clear area of change/growth that God was directing me to, so I prayed about it. This is one of those immedidate answers to pray. The next day I had a strong conviction from God about two things in my life:
1. Develop compassion. Compassion for Grace, emphathizing w/ her abt all the physical discomfort from bring pregnant. Compassion/Care/Concern for my family and friends. Compassion for the poor. Compassion for the lost.

2. To seek God's purposes for my life. To develop the relationships and to fully-utililize the gifts God has given me.