Strong Christians Feed Themselves

Living with a toddler

• No one tells you how hard it will be

Toddlers are Helpless

One stage that is pretty cute is when they are learning to eat real food

• learning what they do and don’t like
• feeding them for the first time

Isn’t he cute?

But I’ll tell you something not cute…

NOBODY likes a man baby

Do you know why?

Feeding yourself is a sign of maturity

Starting a new series for several weeks called “BE A STRONG CHRISTIAN”

• The idea came from a conversation I had some time ago

Someone said, “So and So is a STRONG CHRISTIAN.”

• What does that mean!?

Key Question:

If you were to leave her right now and say, “I’m going to be a stronger Christian.” What would that look how

How would you do it?

Today’s Topic is:

Strong Christians Feed Themselves

• Takes ownership of their growth and maturity
• Doesn’t wait for someone else to spoon-feed them
• Takes their growth seriously

Let’s jump right to it

1: Why Is Spiritually Feeding Ourselves Important?

Hebrews 5

11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. 12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. 13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

Do you know what’s wrong with the world right now?

• A bunch of Christians, including church leaders, aren’t mature enough to DISTINGUISH BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

We often look just like the world

• Think like the world
• View ourselves just like the world
• View sexuality like the world
• View marriage like the world
• View addictions just like the world
• View money just like the world

The problem is you can’t often distinguish the Christians from the world
We should be DISTINCT because we can DISTINGUISH between Good and evil

The goal for every one of us is to be Christians who can handle SOLID SPIRITUAL FOOD

• NO MORE MAN BABY CHRISTIANS!

So Again…

Why you should feed yourself spiritually?

We must mature past being:

“Seek God Only When Trouble Comes” Christians

But when trouble comes, “NOW IT’S TIME TO PRAY!”
This is what Paul says about this type of Christian believer…
Ephesians 4:14

14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

Ever notice kids will believe anything?

• Like literally anything

Imagine if you met an adult that believed anything you told them as a kid does

• you would have a lot of fun, but ultimately, you would think there is seriously something wrong

We know that’s not ok in the real world

• But find it totally unacceptable in our spiritual life

Paul finishes this way…
Ephesians 4:15

15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.

God’s truth leads up to maturity in EVERY WAY

• Mentally
• Emotionally
• Spiritually
• Every aspect of your life

So that leads us to application…

2: How to feed yourself

1: Hear the Word of God

Romans 10:17

17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

There is power in hearing the word of God Spoken, preached, and discussed

This is why Christian Community/Fellowship is so important

So much of what I have learned was not just reading the Bible myself, but by hearing the word of God preached/discussed
That is why Satan so quickly wants to separate us from each other

• People get feeling hurt/offended and leave the church
• You stop hearing the word, so your faith grows weak

What does this look like?

• Attend a church that preaches the Bible.
• Listen to sermons online from Biblical Preachers.
• Listen to an audio Bible.
• Listen to Scripture set to music.

2: Meditate on God’s Word

Psalm 143:5

5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands.

Not Talking about crossing your legs and going “HUM, HUM”

Like anything worthwhile, don’t rush through reading the scripture

• Sometimes you need just to keep reading and chewing on a specific truth for it to really change you

Our culture is in such a hurry to MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING

• Don’t let your spiritual life be the same

Psalm 119 is a great example of this

• longest psalm
• is a meditation psalm of God’s goodness

Don’t rush; let God’s truth saturate and transform your mind and life

3: Obey God’s Word

James 1:22-25

22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. 25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works—this person will be blessed in what he does.

Many like the idea of Jesus, but not when it comes to changing their life

You don’t get the benefit of Jesus until you start obeying Jesus

• Fullness comes in the following

Don’t ask what Culture thinks of something

Instead…

What does God’s word say about this idea:

• My current action
• My habits
• my thought life
• my sexuality
• my dating
• my relationships
• my money
• my friendships

We can finish it this way…

Blessing follows obedience

4: Share God’s Word

1 Thessalonians 5:11

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

Babies can’t feed babies

• We mature so that we can share with others

Part of maturing is gaining the ability to share God’s word with others

• Both Christians and Non-believers

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)

• Go and make disciples
• Given to all of us
• Are you doing that
• Are you going and making?

Strong Christians feed themselves

• Are you?