But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)

Every Christian is commanded to grow. There must be spiritual progress. Jesus taught that every branch (person) in Him is expected to produce fruit. This is a sign of growth. Spiritual growth is challenging process, but has eternal rewards. In striving for personal development, the Christian has to overcome faulty self-perception, the opinions of others, and the lies that the enemy may bring to the mind. Therefore, we want to offer four keys that Christians can employ to stimulate personal growth in their lives and in their walk with Christ.

Respect the Lord – If you do not respect the Lord, you will not follow His commands, frustrating your growth. Wisdom precedes growth and wisdom is achieved through the fear of the Lord. If you want to grow, you have to have a respect and reverence for God, His Word, and His Standards. Without these, you will not have the proper perspective and passion for personal growth.

Rely on the Bible – The Bible reveals God’s eternal plans and purposes. As we rely on it as our standard for living, growth is a direct by-product. If you want to grow, it has to be done through applying the principles of scripture to daily living.

Rehearse Your Needs in Prayer – Personal growth will not be achieved without consistency in prayer. In prayer, you can express to Christ your concerns and areas of weakness. In prayer, you can receive strength to overcome obstacles; including self-imposed obstacles. Prayer raises your sensitivity to Christ. Hence, your heart will be open to change which leads to growth. Jesus said that men should always pray and not faint. Do not give up on prayer because you do not see immediate results, for it will have eternal rewards.

Redirect Your Desires – When we hear the word “desires,” we usually think of fleshly lusts. Though it is a part of desire, desires also include wanting things to go a certain way or feeling we are right in our opinions. If your desires are not redirected, you will not be open to correction and discipline. Every Christian has to be disciplined in their lifestyle and manner. In doing so, you will overcome the desire to please yourself. In turn, your desires will be redirected towards pleasing God. This will definitely lead to growth.

Personal growth does require persistence. However, it can be a consistent element in your life because we can do all things through Jesus. God wants the Christian to mature in Him. So, if you want to grow, you will receive strength and support. He will help you. Understand you have no excuse: be determined – Don’t Stop Growing.

Well there you have it. Until next time, continue in Him who is faithful. If you would like more inspirational materials, this and more is included in my book, “Is there a Word from the Lord? (Book II),” which can be found at Kingdom Builders Publishing.

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Some Christians resist the teaching; that is, dogma of personal transformation through Christ. It is common for Christians to say that God can do anything. This truth is rehearsed in religious sermons, songs, and sayings in the Christian Church. Truly, God can do anything. All things are possible through Him. Man is born into sin. However, through God who performs the impossible, man can change. This is done through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life. In this post, we will examine five ways that the Holy Spirit changes and transforms the believer.

1) The Holy Spirit Changes our Self-Perception – His presence in us causes changes to how we view ourselves. As a Christian embraces his new life in Christ, his actions will be a reflection of the faith.

2) The Holy Spirit Changes our Minds – The Holy Spirit helps the believer to make the right decisions. When the Christian is faced with sin, the Holy Spirit will remind the Christian of Christ’s words and standards. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. This work continues as we walk with Christ.

3) The Holy Spirit Changes our Weaknesses – If we yield to the Spirit, we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. As we yield to Him, our weaknesses change into strengths. When we walk in the Spirit, the flesh will not cause us to stumble.

4) The Holy Spirit Changes our Outlook – The world is governed by excess and evil. Individuals are motivated by greed, desire, and selfish impulses. The Holy Spirit will change the Christian’s outlook; that is, motivation for living. His presence changes the Christian’s approach also.

5) The Holy Spirit Changes our Manner of Living – His presence in us helps us to live as Christ lived. The Christian will desire to live to bring glory to Christ that has saved him.

So there we have it. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we can change. Stand on the dogma of change. We can be saved and transformed into the image of Christ and live a life that is pleasing to God.

Until next time, continue to strive for the crown of life that is promised to every Christian.

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Every Christian male should ask himself this question: What makes me a man? More importantly, what makes me a godly man? If a man does not know who he is, he will not be all he can be in Christ Jesus. The Christian male has to understand that he can only define himself based upon biblical standards. This is because culture and Christianity have varying viewpoints about what makes  one a “man.” The Christian male, then, has to learn to define his manhood in terms of his relationship with Christ (righteousness and character), rather than by the culture (which focuses mostly on external traits -strength, money, stature, family, etc). Before going further the Christian male should understand:

*A man’s definition is not based upon external characteristics, but internal traits.*

*The Definition of a man is found in the image of God.*

*Culture cannot define a man.*

With this understanding, we want to offer seven primary qualities or traits of the Christian man.

1. He reflects Christ’s image. As Adam was made in God’s image, the Christian man has to be made in Christ’s image. He will reflect the characteristics of Christ. (Romans 8:29)

2. He is a man full of wisdom and integrity. The Christian man will not be a fool. He will not lack spiritual wisdom and insight. He will be full of faith. (Acts 6:3a)

3. His is an example of the believers in this world. The Christian man will set an example that others can follow. He will represent the Christian faith well to the world. (I Timothy 4:12b)

4. He leads his home in the worship of God. One of the qualifications for a bishop was to have his home in order. This same quality will be in the true Christian man. (I Timothy 3:4)

5. He follows the example that Christ set. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to follow his example as he followed Christ. This will be the same desire of the Christian man. He will only want others to emulate him as he follows Christ. (I Corinthians 11:1)

6. He is man of prayer. In the Old Testament, men offered the most powerful prayers. Contrary to popular belief, women are not more effective in prayer than men. Prayer is not woman’s work. Men have a responsibility to weep and mourn and intercede for others also. (Ephesians 6:18)

7. He is a student of the Word of God. The Christian man will have a desire to know God’s word. He will not shun corporate and personal study of the Word. He will also understand the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith. (II Timothy 2:15)

Well, there you have it! Until next time, stand in the faith. Faithful is Christ who will be with us in the life and in the one that is to come. I have addressed this topic in detail in my book “What is Man? – Defining the Christian Male” which can found at Kingdom Builders Publishing and Amazon.com.

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Christians must be on guard from the allure of the world. If we keep the world’s pattern of thinking, we will fail in our Christian walk. The believer must stay cautious at all times. He must allow his thought process to be governed by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. The world is not only designed to keep our flesh in bondage, but also our minds and spirits. Paul lets us know that we must not only keep our flesh (bodies) clean, but also our spirits,

Therefore having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (II Corinthians 7:1)

God has given us many promises. Because Jesus overcame the world, the believer can also (John 16:33). He promised us power over the enemy, victory instead of defeat. Yet, the above scripture lets us know that to obtain these promises we must cleanse ourselves; that is, our thoughts, emotions, personality traits, attributes, and fleshly desires. The flesh is to be cleansed since it is where sins are committed in the physical body. The spirit needs to be cleansed because it is where sins of the mind take place.

Some believers become deceived in their thinking in this area. They may feel that as long as they do not fornicate, commit adultery, smoke, or drink, then they are righteous. So, they neglect to correct the error that is in their spirit. However, the scriptures state,

All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. 1 John 5:17 (KJV)

Many things may fall under the header of sin. Hence, we should take into consideration that sin includes backbiting, lying, jealousy, envy, strife, stubbornness, rebellion, hatred, and the like. We have to allow the mind of Christ to be formed in us. The world not only tries to dictate how to live, but it tries to dictate how to behave also. The believer has to keep his spirit from being defiled. It is only then that we can be separate from the world.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 John 2:16 (KJV)

Believers fail to cleanse their spirit from the world’s influence because it is unseen. They are focused on keeping their physical activities pure while neglecting their mental activities. For they feel that as long as there is no outward sin, there is nothing to be concerned about.

So, examine your thoughts and your perspective on life. Make sure they are not in line with the world. Have fervor to be cleansed on the inside.

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Most people struggle with their personal histories. It is a known fact. Many live in regret wishing they could go back and change the past or relive the past. Neither of these are beneficial or practical if one wants to progress in life. In the book of Joshua, God was ready for Israel to go into their land of promise. However, they were too busy mourning over Moses. So, He sent His word to Joshua for he and the people to arise; that is, get over it.

Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Josh 1:2 (KJV)

In our lives, there are situations that consistently stunt us from progressing in our relationship with Christ. Yet, the time is now to get over them. Regardless of the source of your frustration, it is not the intent of God for you to be frustrated and restrained by them. There are two areas that many need to get over.

Get over Past Hurts. No one likes to be hurt, rejected, and ridiculed. However, they are a part of life. Individuals have been hurt by family, friends, and members of the church. Though it is painful, one must forgive, develop “amnesia,” and move on. When Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness, Jesus challenged his sensibilities in His response.

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Matt 18:21-22 (KJV)

Jesus said this in light of the magnitude of offenses that can occur in life. In many instances, the offenders have moved on, so why don’t you. Allow God to heal those areas so you can be free.

Get over Past Failures. Everyone fails and makes mistakes. It is no reason to give up on yourself. God will never leave you, even if you have failed in your walk with Him. Many need to forgive themselves. Understand that you cannot change what has been done, but you can affect what shall be done. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, he penned these famous words,

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14 (KJV)

We are reminded that everyone is striving. Therefore, we must forget things in the past that can hinder and frustrate us. We cannot allow fear of the past or future to stop us from pushing and moving forward in Christ.

Get up from your dead situations. Get over things you cannot change, including  things about yourself. And, pursue Christ and His will for your life. Remember, Christ came to give you life and that to the fullest.

PATERNAL – I know it sounds a little cliche’, but I had never experienced these types of feelings before. When I saw my son for the first time, I realized that I am responsible for this child’s development. Whatever I said and did would directly affect who he would be in the future. This type of responsibility transcended those which were common to life (going to work, paying bills, etc…). I felt a connection to this new life though we had never had a conversation or enjoyed an afternoon outing.

PRIDE - No, I did not have the ‘proud dad of a son’ syndrome (OK, maybe a little!). The type of pride I felt was that of appreciation and future expectations. To me personally, it signified a complete entrance into adulthood. I also was overwhelmed with a sense of duty: I would be the best father that I could be. Not that I would try to be like or unlike any other father, but I would be the best that I could be. It gave me a sense of foresight that when I am old and gray, I could rest in knowing I did what I thought was best for this child.

PROMISE – Up until this time, my outlook on the world was somewhat bleak. With all of the many problems and ills of society, I could not see why anyone would want to bring a child into this world. However, I realized that new life brings new hope. If I bring him up in a positive fashion, the world may be a little better. And, I had renewed hope and promise that he did not have to be negatively affected by all that was happening in the world. If I made it through many things, he could also.

PERSPECTIVE – I never envisioned how much I would change at the birth of my child. I thought I would still be me, even though I was a parent. However, my whole perspective changed. It was no longer just me or at this point ‘me who was married.’ My approach and perspective to life changed drastically to accommodate parenthood and all of its dynamics. Now, the change in perspective has definitely been beneficial. It has challenged me as a man, husband, and father to be in tune with what occurs around me. Because I am reminded daily: “This child will be a direct reflection of who I am.”

There you have it! These are the confessions of a new father. Emotional transitions and realizations once frustrated me and I resisted them. Today (4 years later), I appreciate them all; knowing that they have changed me for the better and will help me to be a better father.