WE ARE AN AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY (4 OF 4)
by Bob Ingle
Scripture: Romans 12:9-13
This content is part of a series.
We Are an Authentic Community (4 of 4)
Series: Foundations
Bob Ingle
Romans 12:9-13
Turn to Romans 12. Have you ever been stuck in a spiritual rut? Someone said a spiritual rut is a casket with both ends knocked out. You're dead, you just haven't been buried yet. A spiritual rut is one of the most dangerous places a believer can be. If you stay there long enough, you get comfortable with it. Let me give you some signs you're in a spiritual rut. You're in a spiritual rut when:
- God feels distant, or unconcerned, or even sometimes irrelevant.
- Go through the motions of praying/studying God's word with little desire to learn/grow/change.
- Secret sin has crept into your life and you just can't overcome it. You're sorry, but not enough to stop.
- You refuse to do anything outside your comfort zone for Christ. Comfort trumps obedience.
- You attend church or serve Jesus only when it's convenient, not because it's centrally important.
Let me suggest to you the number one reason why so many true, well-meaning Christians get into a rut, get spiritually stuck, and often never find their way out. Here it is. Are you ready?
Because they have either NO people or the WRONG people around them to do life with as they try to follow Christ.
Let me give you an environmental truth that has direct spiritual application that illustrates my point:
The greatest SEED, in the richest SOIL, cannot grow in the wrong ENVIRONMENT.
There are seeds that sprout and grow wonderfully here in Missouri, but if you put them in other environments of the U.S. they will not do well at all. Nothing wrong with the seed. Nothing wrong with the soil. It's the environment around them that prohibits it. For growth to occur, good seed and rich soil are not enough. They have to be placed in the right environment with the proper conditions to grow.
When the good seed of the Gospel is placed in the rich soil of a believing heart, salvation takes place. God forgives th ...
Series: Foundations
Bob Ingle
Romans 12:9-13
Turn to Romans 12. Have you ever been stuck in a spiritual rut? Someone said a spiritual rut is a casket with both ends knocked out. You're dead, you just haven't been buried yet. A spiritual rut is one of the most dangerous places a believer can be. If you stay there long enough, you get comfortable with it. Let me give you some signs you're in a spiritual rut. You're in a spiritual rut when:
- God feels distant, or unconcerned, or even sometimes irrelevant.
- Go through the motions of praying/studying God's word with little desire to learn/grow/change.
- Secret sin has crept into your life and you just can't overcome it. You're sorry, but not enough to stop.
- You refuse to do anything outside your comfort zone for Christ. Comfort trumps obedience.
- You attend church or serve Jesus only when it's convenient, not because it's centrally important.
Let me suggest to you the number one reason why so many true, well-meaning Christians get into a rut, get spiritually stuck, and often never find their way out. Here it is. Are you ready?
Because they have either NO people or the WRONG people around them to do life with as they try to follow Christ.
Let me give you an environmental truth that has direct spiritual application that illustrates my point:
The greatest SEED, in the richest SOIL, cannot grow in the wrong ENVIRONMENT.
There are seeds that sprout and grow wonderfully here in Missouri, but if you put them in other environments of the U.S. they will not do well at all. Nothing wrong with the seed. Nothing wrong with the soil. It's the environment around them that prohibits it. For growth to occur, good seed and rich soil are not enough. They have to be placed in the right environment with the proper conditions to grow.
When the good seed of the Gospel is placed in the rich soil of a believing heart, salvation takes place. God forgives th ...
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