Atmosphere for spiritual discourse

The spiritual world can easily be conceptualised by many laypersons coming to church; whether correctly or erroneously. However, the challenge has always been to clearly demarcate the interface between what constitutes a mindset that nourishes spiritual things and one that nurtures things in the flesh. The snag in this understanding stems from the mere fact that spiritual things as well as issues of the flesh find expressions in the mind. In frustration, many people live in uncertainty... whether they are living by the spirit or flesh. They assume that it is by happenstance that we are spiritual or carnal; and that one is said to be “spiritual” only when the carnal is balanced out in the see-saw puzzle of daily experiences. In reality, this appears to be the case as suggested by Gal. 5:16..which states thus, “Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh”. This statement is aimed at instructing the young believer. For the matured and spiritual folks, life in the spirit is expected to be a routine.
Texts: Rom. 7: 14-25
1.      By being born again, God lays a foundation for transformation from flesh to spirit...discuss John 3:5-8
2.      We become products of our thoughts. “As a man thinks in himself, so is he”. Discuss how we can mature spiritually...Rom 8:5-8
3.      Thinking is a continuous process. It therefore stands to reason that we can harness our thoughts to maintain an atmosphere of spiritual possibilities perpetually...Phil 4:4-9
4.      Peace is the “sensor” of spiritual-mindedness according to Rom 8:6. How does this apply in our daily experiences?
Those who violet their consciences mutilate the Spirit and risk being abandoned to the control of their flesh (even after the “born again” experience). They are described as being carnal. Be wise.

Comments

Post a Comment

We value your comments:

Popular posts from this blog

Acts of God

Introduction: There exists a series of historical and contemporary facts demonstrating that the acts of God have tendencies towards enhancing joy and laughter. Absence of God in any life or place is evidenced by chaos, disarray, confusion and sullenness. The converse is true. God’s presence is marked by a change in the atmosphere towards genuine peace, celebration, liberty and abundance in life. The “finger” of God is actively involved in our daily lives and has the capability to bring us joy and laughter. We need to harness the benefits available to us in Him. Texts: Mat 4:23-25; Exod 8:19; Luke 11:20 ·         Discuss reasons and immediate reactions following God’s interventions. Ps 126: 1, 2. 2Kings 4:15-17. 1Kings 17:13-16. Mat 4:24. Acts 8:8 ·         Why does God allow misfortune? John 9:1-3. Exod 7:3. Job 1:8. ·         Being God’s offspring, discuss how our actions can m...
Read more

Self Evaluation

We are encouraged to routinely check on ourselves so as to avoid condemnation. Judging oneself prevents others from judging us. Also, as we get close to the end of the year, it will be helpful to sit back, critically take a fair look at things that have transpired spiritually and otherwise, and ascertain areas of improvement for the future. Everyone competing does so for a prize. We must run according to the rules, otherwise we may be deemed to have gone through the race dubiously. You will require humility to go through the study. Texts: 2Cor 13:5-7; John 15:5-8,16 1. What is the purpose of our calling according to the scriptures above? 2. What do we prevent by embarking on self-evaluation? 3. Practicals: i. Are you aware of your personal resources: talents, skills and spiritual gifts? ii. To what extent have you yielded these to the service of God? iii. What is your purpose in life? iv. Do you have a clear vision(s)for your life? v. What is your personal mission? vi. In which area...
Read more

Goal driven life -Introduction

It is a true statement the fact that if you aim at nothing, you hit something; and that is, Nothing.  It is a factual lie that the good things that happen to us do so by chance. Even miracles happen to people that show disposition for them. For fear of not being described as failures, many people prefer to continue “sheepishly” in life, allowing the theology of “whatever will be will be” , shunning away from drawing out plans for their lives. Whether we set goals or not, it is certain that we are inbuilt with appetites to succeed and be celebrated. There are several people that play soccer, but the most celebrated person is the one that gets the ball into the goalpost. Anyone you see in the present world that is making concerted progress and being celebrated is doing so on a pedestal of set and pursued goals. Most of the Bible is a literature of goals, approaches to fulfilling them and advice on how to live out goals. There is no better example for us to use than that of Jesus (Heb...
Read more