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Recap & Reminders. Grow = Discipleship = Following Jesus. Is Growing In Our Faith A High Priority. The older I get the less I know... Lifelong learners. What happens when people decide they don’t need to learn anything new? Or think they know can’t learn anything new?.
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What happens when people decide they don’t need to learn anything new?Or think they know can’t learn anything new?
If you say that your faith is a huge part of your life, then learning to grow in your faith is something thta you should never really stop doing...
1 Chronicles 29:10-20 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.
Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
The ShemaSh'ma Israel Adonai Eloheniu Adonai echad.Barukh sheim k'vod malkhuto l'olam va'ed.
Hear! O Israel (Jacob on his deathbed)The “heart of the matter”The ancient view of the heart
A radical expression of loyaltyIt begins with a claim and not a demand. It serves to create an identity
“To live by the precepts of the Shema is to bear witness to the truth of God’s word. It must be true if it can bring ordinary people to live such extraordinary lives.”
“How does an ancient Jewish prayer have anything to do with spiritual growth, discipleship and core values?”
The Shema served as a reminder that even though the Israelites possessed the land, they still did not possess it. They received blessings, but still awaited blessings.
In other words, they weren’t done learning and growing. Ever.
When they stopped learning and growing they found themselves back in slavery, back to being nomads.
Isn’t that a lot like what happens to churches when they lose sight of who they are and whose they are?
If the nation was to be in covenant with God, it had to begin with the individual and then to the family.
If parents and grandparents were all in, the family would be all in, and then the family was all in, the community...then the nation...
But maybe you’re not sure what to do next...Start by picking up a Bible
“When I pray, I speak to God, when I study God’s Word, God speaks to me.”
Israel prayed this prayer because they needed to... They kept finding other gods more attractive
So what gods are attracting your attention: Money, Busy-ness, Doubt, Apathy
So if this is so important to people who are Christians... Why doesn’t it look like it?
If those of us who say we are followers of Jesus Christ don't take our faith very seriously---or at least serious enough to spend time growing in our faith--doesn't it stand to reason that our children and grandchildren who look to us for their example will follow in our footsteps?
Some stats... Both Parents Attend Church Regularly33% - regular41% - irregular25% - never
Mom Regularly; Dad Irregularly3% - regular59% - irregular38% - never
Mom Regular; Dad Never2% - Regular37% - Irregular60% - Never
Our hearts are too often closed and the words remain outside...
Imagery of a companion for life... or should I say, a life-giving companion?t’fillim; mezuzah
I actually believe what I am telling you. I am smoking what I am selling.
What lengths would you go to save your child’s life?Your grandchild’s?
