Posts Tagged Spiritual Growth
Spiritual Heart Rate
Posted by Chance in Discipleship - Lane 3, Spiritual Growth on February 18th, 2010
There is a discipline in sports that requires you to control your breathing as you increase in strenuous activity. In fact, it goes beyond breathing into managing and understanding how your heart rate effects your ability to compete. It is a physiological look at the old story of the “Tortoise and the Hare.”
In short, you have the “Rabbit” (anaerobic)
Strenuous exercise, low oxygen intake, high heart rate, inability to turn carbohydrates into fuel, longer recovery period
Then you have the “Turtle” (aerobic)
Medium exercise, high oxygen intake, medium heart rate, effective use of carbohydrates and fats for fuel, shorter recovery period
So what does this have to do with spiritual growth?
While swimming and monitoring my own heart rate, I began to understand a parallel between our physiology and our spirituality. In order to maximize your ability to compete and achieve success you must be willing to use both anaerobic and aerobic activities. Through planning the level of strain and trauma you put on your body, you can increase the effectiveness of your exertion and create sustained success.
Spiritually, God needs us to go through periods of hardship, strain, and trauma in order to teach us how to rely on him. The problem is that if we rely on him in only short bursts, we experience spiritual anaerobic side-effects. We suffocate our spirit, cut off our understanding that comes from the word’s nutrition, and we find ourselves unable to recover.
The parallel continues with those nagging hardships that are designed to keep us on a regular rhythmic path. However, we don’t grow in God by only experiencing one type of strain. Together, all the events of our life our used as an opportunity allow us develop quickness and endurance.
Don’t fight your spiritual training…recognize it, and use it to become effective and successful.
Chance
Drowning in Change
Posted by Chance in Spiritual Growth, Worship - Lane 1 on December 22nd, 2009
I was swimming laps the other day and unlike those with strong endurance, I have to rotate strokes in order to stay afloat. The truth is, I spend most of the time using the breast stroke because it’s the easiest. However, while doing the side stroke for a couple of laps, I caught the attention of the swimmer next to me. As I was taking a breath between laps, he was leaving the pool. He asked for permission to correct my stroke, which I, knowing that the Olympics are just three years away, readily obliged. He stated that my hip was too low in the water, forcing my head up, creating tension on my neck, and reducing my glide in the water. He gave me tips on how to fix it and then I nervously performed the side stroke with my new teacher watching. What ensued was ridiculous. I began to suck up water, but not wanting to show weakness, I kept swimming and then began to swallow the water. In simple words, I was drowning. As I stopped and placed my feet on the bottom, he encouraged me by saying that I may “drink” a little water, but I would figure it out in time.
Such a brief moment in my life, that has such deep spiritual growth lessons. Over the next few days, when I was doing the…..breast stroke…(it’s easier)…I began to think about the lesson and apply to spiritual growth.
With a new emphasis from our pastor on reading the bible over the next year, I wonder how many of us need to change our technique. Are you like me in that you have become very efficient at using poor techniques? Are you creating tension in the body by doing things your way? Would you rather do things the easy way, instead of the best way? Are you going to keep trying the new way, or return to your own ways?
These questions are almost endless.
Transitioning from swimming to reading the bible. Let’s be honest…………are you ready?………most of us don’t read the bible…Shouldn’t have shocked anyone there…However, now is the time to start!
For those of us that do, well, we use strokes and techniques that don’t get us the distance we could get if we used better strategy. Our genuine quest for God is still distorted by our humanity of easiness. One simple technique tip is to sacrifice quantity for quality.
Read less, Change more!
slow down
read the same thing multiple times
memorize it
teach it to others
use it in conversations
journal it
pray it
draw a picture about it
sing a song about it
twitter it
post in on your wall
create a collage of it with pictures or words
This list is far from exhaustive and is not intended to be a single alternative. We should take a simple reading plan and turn it into a complex structure that changes our lives. This is the only way to move the history of Genesis or any other book to a personal narrative of redemption.
Lastly, when these things become difficult and you find yourself drowning in your own genuine effort, put your feet on the ground and start again. In the mean time, I’ll be sucking up water as I practice my side stroke.
Chance
What Good is My Faith?
Posted by Chance in Outreach - Lane 4, Spiritual Growth on November 17th, 2009
From the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), to the bold statements in James 2 about faith and actions, our soul begs us to ask the question; What good is my faith?
A handful of years ago, there was a short kid with a small frame that entered my classroom. His image would make you cold as you noticed the thin layer of insulation between his skin and his bones. His hair was overgrown, but managed by his hands and finger tips. He was wearing a pair of glasses that bent out wide to reach his ears. Research would show they were the same pair he was given in 2nd grade through a state vision program. He wore the same shirt and pants everyday, and never a coat. His catching appearance was matched by his consistent attendance. He never missed a school day or a free lunch
This very real story paints an image of boy in need. However, it is the educational quandary that I would like to dissect and then transfer into our lives. There was an educational economy that expected him to show up, teachers to teach, him to learn, and society to grow. However, somewhere along the line, the reality of life sunk in. His mom was in a mental hospital, his dad was a drunk who urinated on him when he came home in his stupor. With no clean clothes to change into, he would go to school and slowly face the onslaught of adolescent vicisousness and teacher fatigue. The result was a passive-aggressive coping mechanism that led to multiple suspensions and a long term confinement to “the bad school.” It was only here he found a currency exchange that replaced the academic curriculum with service passion. He was given a his only meal of the day at school, his clothes were washed periodically, and he was surrounded by God’s love. This was not a government initiative, but a Godly passion held by a great administrator. She surrounded herself with teachers that cared more than they were required to, loved more than the were expected to, and gave more than they had to.
This should not be the exception in life, because it is the mandate of life. The purpose of your faith and belief is to create closeness with God the radiates a servanthood, which transcends busy schedules, routines, and norms. We are taught not to judge the intent of a person, but the fruit they bear (Matthew 7). However, when it comes to education or even personal servanthood, we seem to claim to the notion, “It’s the thought that counts.” Let me reassure you, it is not the thought that counts. Thoughts don’t clothe, feed, or love a person. To believe in God and pursue him with passion is more than an emotional or cerebral connection. It is only fleshed out through the fruit of our efforts towards humanity.
As we have been challenged by the recent messages from James, I challenge you to become involved in the following activities. However, my challenge should be squandered by God’s call on your heart to USE YOUR FAITH!
Connect to the Outreach Resources Page to see where you can begin your journey!!
Chance
What is Worship?
Posted by Chance in Spiritual Growth, Worship - Lane 1 on November 13th, 2009
Have you ever been perplexed by those moments where other people seem to be getting more out of a “worship” experience than you were?
Perhaps they were more spiritual, too spiritual, or just showing off to hide that they weren’t spiritual.
Let me come at this from a different angle…..Have you ever been completely engaged in a “worship” experience only to find later that others were not affected at the same level as you?
Perhaps you were more spiritual, too spiritual, or just showing off to hide that you weren’t spiritual.
After reading an excerpt about worship from John Bevere’s book, Drawing Near, I was challenged to rethink my approach at worship. In Genesis 22, we have the first mention of the worship concept in the bible. It is interesting that the first time we are given a pattern and illustration of worship it is nothing like we have confined it to be in our minds and actions.
Genesis 22:1-5 (New Living Translation)
1 Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called.
“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
3 The next morning Abraham got up early (a). He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood (b) for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day of their journey (c), Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther (d). We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”
What we learn from this is that worship is a lifestyle of obedience to God. Worship takes place during every day of the week, every moment, and every experience. It is an expression of an internal desire to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit. Worship requires preparation (a), work (b), time (c), and distance from distractions (d).
These four actions (a – d) create the climate for Abraham and Isaac to worship. During this week, take this word as a challenge to reorganize the way you think of worship. Replace the notion of a slow song with the reality of a “Lifestyle of Obedience.” Once this becomes our reality, the introduction questions to this blog become obsolete as we truly experience a relationship with God.
Chance
Calling for Community
Posted by Chance in Community - Lane 2, Spiritual Growth on November 2nd, 2009
Ephesians 4:15-16 (New Living Translation)
15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
Starting with creation in Genesis 2, God saw that man was not at their best by themselves. Even all the animals and elements of creation were not sufficient for the development of man. Therefore, God created community/relationship.
Since this time, we have created a paradox by which we develop an ever increasing community with a growth rate that has truly become exponential through technology and global connectedness. In contrast, our connection to each other has become superficial, deflective, and ineffective. This reality has been highlighted by a culture of vocabulary that calls for authenticity, realness, and relationship.
Perhaps what calls for community more than our vocabulary is our inner being, the intangible soul that causes us to crave for a community/relationship that allows for openness, truth, and growth. This leads us to the paradox of personal spiritual growth; We must have a relationship with God and man.
The author Henry Cloud sums this up more eloquently when he stated, “[People] grow first through their connection with God, but also through their connection with other people in his Body. And as we have seen, if they don’t have the latter, they don’t have all the former.”
Therefore, one of our conclusions is that God, you, and others are not only calling for you to create community, but need you to create community. Furthermore, this community is defined through acceptance, grace, experience, emotion, trust, healing, sacrifice, and servant-hood.
Spend the rest of the week defining your relationships.
Who are they?
How healthy are they?
Are they helping you know more about God?
Are they helping you grow?
Chance
Prayer: Our Father, Which Art in Heaven
Posted by Chance in Spiritual Growth, Worship - Lane 1 on October 17th, 2009
Prayer is an amazing action through which we can know God. There is such a trend to title things we do as spiritual disciplines, spiritual pathways, acts of worship, etc. Regardless of our terminology the rudimentary practice of talking with God is beyond necessary, it is inherent in our purposeful design.
When we look at the model prayer in scripture, it begins with “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…” (Matthew 6:9, KJV)
We could all grow this week if we took a moment in our lives and tried to put a mental grip on the fact we are loved by a God that is greater than us.
I was recently drawn to the video clip below through the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. At minimum it should help put a new perspective on how great our God is.
Watch the video below by clicking on the link.
With this perspective, I challenge us to seek the Creator in a new enlightened way. Approach Him this week with a reverence that marvels at His wonder.
Knowing more of God,
Chance Bosch
Purpose of this Blog
Posted by Chance in Spiritual Growth on October 6th, 2009
The Assembly is launching a spiritual growth plan this winter. It marks a pace changing initiative to connect our decision to serve Christ with a determination to become a disciple of Christ.
The foundation to any resource or supplemental support for growth is the personal, laser focused examination of your own heart. In Exodus 19 God tells Moses to have the people consecrate themselves for three days before He would show Himself. This included ceremonial cleansing, washing their clothes, and other preparations. Now is the time for us to prepare for growth by looking inward at those things that inhibit the habitation of God in our lives, for it is His indwelling that allows us to grow.
Continue to connect to this blog for spiritual growth discussion and resources.
Chance Bosch
Executive Pastor/Discipleship