A Spiritual “Check-Up”…

1. A Spiritual “Check-Up”… Know the Bible Study Series PART 2

2. Introduction • Some people wait until they are sick to go to a doctor…others have check-ups. • Spiritually, people do the same thing. • Should we wait until we are in “trouble” before knowing our health status? • In this lesson, lets continue our spiritual “check up” to see how healthy we are!

3. Our Growth… • We expect infants to grow, children and teens to grow to maturity • Something is definitely wrong when proper growth does not occur • Proper growth is not to be confused with activity or progressive actions • Diet and exercise are key ingredients • Proper growth includes spiritual strength • Let’s look at a few passages concerning our growth in this spiritual check-up

4. I Peter 2.2 “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,”- NKJV

5. 2 Peter 3.18 “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.” - NKJV

6. 2 Corinthians 13.9,11 “For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” - NKJV

7. Our Evangelism… • We shouldn’t confuse passages to the individual for passages to the church • Several passages teach us that individual Christians have a responsibility to teach the lost • There are many things we can do: hand out a tract, invite people to services, offer to study, hand out a card with a gospel website address, conduct classes, have fellowship with a gospel preacher, etc • What did you and I do in 2009 in this area?

8. Matthew 28.18-20 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."- NKJV

9. Acts 8.4 “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”- NKJV

10. 2 Timothy 2.2,24 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,”- NKJV

11. Romans 10.13-15 “For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.“ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"- NKJV

12. Our Benvolence… • It has always been wrong to change God’s Word • Devil in the Garden of Eden – Gen 3 • Deut 4:2 – not to add to or diminish from • Gal 1:6-9 – not to teach another gospel • Man, the “creature”, simply does not have the “authority” (right to act) to change what God has determined to be His will in any matter (religious or secular)!

13. Matthew 25 Jesus teaches us the necessity of practicing personal (individual) benevolence with regards to our salvation in this chapter!

14. Ephesians 4.28 “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.”- NKJV

15. James 1.27 “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” - NKJV

16. Galatians 6.10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”- NKJV

17. Our Worship… • Do we worship God at home? • Do we take advantage of all the opportunities to worship with the church? • What does it mean to worship God “in spirit and in truth” as John 4.24 teaches? • How do we feel about our worship? • Do we know how to provide Bible authority for the worship we engage in?

18. John 4.24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."- NKJV

19. Matthew 6.6 “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”- NKJV

20. Acts 20.20 “how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,”- NKJV

21. Conclusion… • Wherever we are right now, spiritually, we need to take inventory • It may be we need some repair work • It may we need a fresh beginning • It may be we need to simply reach out • One step is to see where we may fall short; another step is to actually take action • We are all in different stages…what we will do?