i like giving titles to my entries

This past weekend I totally flopped on getting my reading done for my class.  I mentioned in my last entry about my lack of discipline...that was one of the major areas that I was refering too.  Today I worked hard on my time management and made a tiny amount of progress in that.   I feel so good about that.  It is rewarding to be disciplined. And to be productive.  Or at least feel that way.  

I had the interview today with the child care job...went well.  I am waiting to hear back in the next few days.  I could be working 8-5pm Tues. through Friday. (I could pay off my loans alot quicker that way!)  God will either provide it or not.  Waiting on Him for this one.  

The class was so intense yesterday. With the lectures and observing the counseling sessions. Pastor Viars taught a section about the Doctrine of Spiritual Growth.  He's really got a passion.  He really loves God and His Word and the application of the Bible in people's lives.  He covered alot of different topics, but there were a few that got me.  He talked about Ephesians 4:11-16 : the GOAL of the church.  This whole passage speaks on GROWTH.  Not just a church growing, but personal growth.  "...so that we may no longer be children..."  "...we are to grow up in every way into him who is the Head, into Christ," "when each part is working properly , makes the body grow so that is builds itself up in love."  Pastor V. shared that every year, he and the church elders/staff go down the list of EVERY member in the church, and they make sure they know where that person (or familiy) is at spiritually.  They take God's word so seriously that if they DON'T know where/how that family is doing (if there's any sinful struggles) then they schedule a time to meet up with them.  If a family is not handling sin properly in a Biblical God-honoring way, then the church intervenes and encourages counseling, or if the fam decides not to deal with it, then there will be some church discipline. They take their role as leaders in the church seriously and esp. God's word seriously.  Faith Baptist is at about 1800 members right now. 

My point is not to share about the means of action that are taken if a family is not obeying the Lord and growing.  But I just wanted to share about the fact that God is serious about growth as believers.  Wow.  Through the scripture we looked at while talking about this, I woke up a little bit, if ya know what I mean.  We talked about Jesus.  He grew.  Luke 2:52  Romans 8:28, 29 (to be more Christ-like).  2 Peter 3:18.  It's scary to think about a person (myself included) struggling with the same sin issues for years.  Most believers don't even acknowledge the sin they struggle with.  

Something that discourages alot of believers (in my own struggle and observation), is that they don't see the change they'd like in their lives.  When I struggle with a sinful issue, over and over, it is discouraging.  It's hard to see yourself fail again and again. But, I have to realize that I am growing, even if it's not straight up.  A popular phrase I've heard up here, is "Progressive Sanctification".  We first believe Jesus as Savior and Lord and and confess our sin and ask for forgiveness.  We are then justified.  No sooner than we finish a prayer and we sin again.  We confess and repent and ask forgiveness.  We go through the day.  5 minutes later, we realize we've sinned again.  We confess, repent and ask forgiveness.  I feel as though I go back to square one every time.  Like I can't make any gain or real change.  Well, I have to start believing and understanding scripture when it talks about growth. ( Paul was a God worshipper. He was a stud, but even he didn't "arrive".  "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own." (Philippians 3:13)).  

I am only growing more like Christ if I deal with my sin in a Biblical God honoring way.  Confession, repentance, and then "put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness".   Ephesians 4:20-24.  I have to realize what sin I am committing and then start thinking and acting like Christ.  Tonite, I was jealous of something.  Instead of being jealous like the old Renae before Christ, I should be practicing rejoicing with other's sucesses and be thankful. 

We wouldn't be commanded to grow if we were already complete and perfect, would we?