We can see a baby mature from infancy to adulthood, but spiritual growth is harder to evaluate and measure. We tend to take the spiritual realm for granted because we cannot touch it etc., but it is just as real as the other areas we can comprehend.
First, we must look for God in the right place. It is highly unlikely you will find God in a bar or nightclub unless God has a divine appointment for you there. If you are determined to fill your mind and soul with things that won't get you anywhere spiritually, you will not find God.
Second, go to the source, the Bible. It is called the Holy Bible-- holy meaning set apart. So it is a book that is set apart from any other book. It contains God's words to us as mankind if we care to read and apply them. Put aside all the things you have heard about the Bible and read it for yourself, then draw a conclusion. Don't read it like a novel, but let it sink in to your being. That is the only way you can evaluate it. Meditate on what you read and see how it applies to your life.
Third, be open to what God wants to teach you through the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. His job is to prick your heart and help you to see your need for God through Jesus His Son. Start with the New Testament in your reading, the book of John is a good place. Ponder each verse as you read it. People say they have read the Bible many times, but then I ask,"How many times have you applied it." If you don't apply it to your life it is like a patch you put on your clothing. You can set that patch on the clothing all day long but until you sew or iron it on, it won't stay.
Fourth, obey what you have been taught by God. You can memorize the civil code of laws of any city in the country, but if you don't obey them, what good are they to you. They are there for a purpose just as God's laws are there for a reason. God says if you obey what he has shown you, you will have life.
Do you really want to grow spiritually, or do you want to find a religion that adheres to what you want to believe? God wants to give you a new nature if you go His way, but the choice is yours to make. Jesus said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments". The book of I John echoes this statement. If you are truly serious about being close to God, then you must obey what He tells you through His Word. Anything else is a counterfeit spirituality--whether you believe it or not.
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I am glad to read your message and I agree with you. Even if the article might be in the wrong section God has a way of drawing you to what He wants you to read, hear and know.
Good morning Dan! Thanks for this article. However, do you consider this to be apologetics--defense of the scriptures? Perhaps you will receive more and better reviews if it is placed more appropriately.
Thanks, Greg. Eckrich
