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The Spiritual Hard Hat Zone
'Ready Answer' by David F. MaasChristian's lives are constantly under construction. It is this point of view that makes it easier for us to deal with both setbacks and progress.
Spiritual Maturity
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Kingdom parables allude to the process of spiritual maturity, depicting a planted and cultivated seed becoming a sprout, eventually bearing fruit.
Patience With Growth
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFruit maturation takes time. Waiting for the fruit is just part of the story; while we wait, we must also work, including thinning and pruning.
Spiritual Strongholds (Part Three): God's Intervention
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsIn addition to dispatching the talent sized hail, God responded to Joshua's request to extend the day—requiring an infinitude of miracles.
Growth
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeThe Western emphasis on growth has taken root within Christianity. 'Success' for a church is measured in income and membership, which are deceptive metrics.
What Is Real Conversion? (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughSome in Antioch believed the preaching of the persecuted Christians, and they not only agreed with the teaching but also changed or transformed their lives.
Like a Growing Seed (Part One)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Parable of the Growing Seed is unique to the book of Mark, the most basic of the gospels, perhaps due to it being so simple and its point self-evident.
Like a Growing Seed (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughLike its physical counterpart, spiritual growth happens slowly. A newly baptized Christian will not produce the fruit of the spirit as easily as a mature one.
What Is Real Conversion? (Part Six)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughConversion must out in changed behavior, the fruit of God's Spirit accomplishing its miraculous work in us. The Corinthians provide a negative example.
Growing to Perfection
Article by Charles WhitakerSpiritual growth mimics our physical growth to maturity. If we continue in the process, we will 'grow into' our potential as God's children.
The Patient Pineapple
Sermonette by Ted E. BowlingThe majority of the growth or maturation of a pineapple plant takes place from within. The same holds true for our calling and conversion.
Journey of the Monarch Butterfly
Sermonette by Ryan McClureWe must undergo a metamorphosis from a carnal, fleshly (relatively worm-like) existence to a glorious, dazzling offspring of Almighty God.
A Time to Grow
Sermonette by Ryan McClureHorticulture is not so easy as merely planting a seed and watching it grow. Tending and keeping implies continually watering, fertilizing, and cultivating.
Perfection...Piece by Piece
'Ready Answer' by Mike FordWhat is perfection? Does God require perfection of us? The Bible defines perfection in a surprising way, and tells to what standard God holds us accountable.
Holy Days: Unleavened Bread
Bible Study by StaffThe Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately follows the Passover. In it we see how hard it is to overcome and rid our lives of sin.
Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Forty): Ecclesiastes 12:1-14
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughEcclesiastes 12:1-14 emphasizes the brevity and the progressively harder difficulties of life and urges youth to seek God while young, before the decline of old age and the inevitability of death. Solomon reflects on the fleeting and transitory nature of human achievements as well as life itself, repeating the refrain, " …
Magic Doesn't Work (Part Three)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughMagic is always used as some kind of weapon, but not to build or develop moral strength or character. God chooses a life-long process of sanctification.
Do We Know God?
CGG Weekly by Pat HigginsHow can we build a relationship of such intimacy that God and Christ know it is a relationship that will last for an eternity?
Marriage—A God-Plane Relationship (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughWhen God introduces marriage, the first thing He does is to put it on a spiritual plane. Our relationships should include this God-plane quality.
God's Creation and Our Works
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughLike Joseph, we need to realize that God—not ourselves—is the Creator, engineering events that form us into what He wants us to become.
Daily Overcoming
Sermonette by Bill OnisickDaily reflection helps to identify areas in our lives that need to be overcome. Without self-reflection, overcoming specific faults cannot gain traction.
Making the Cut (Part One)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughWhy should we think that God disdains requirements for entrance into His Kingdom? Spiritual growth is an intrinsic part of equipping the saints for service.
Righteousness from Inside-Out
'Ready Answer' by David F. MaasMany people fail to understand the kind of righteousness God is looking for. God wants it written on our hearts—not just a set of dos and don'ts.
God's Tools
Sermonette by Clyde FinkleaSpiritual maturity does not come about without difficulty, and suffering is one of God's tools to perfect us. Suffering refines endurance and character.
Five Teachings of Grace
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughProtestantism unthinkingly presents grace as "free." However, Scripture shows that God expects a great deal of effort from us once we receive it—it is costly.
Responding to God's Pruning Is Not Passive (Part One)
Sermon by David F. MaasOur Heavenly Father, the Vine Dresser, has provided His junior partners some valuable tools to assist in pruning and cultivating His emerging spiritual crop.
The Endurance of the Firstfruits (Part One)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeThe seven Sabbaths in the count to Pentecost represent the process of the firstfruits becoming spiritually complete, that is, perfect and blameless.
Adolescent Geriatrics
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe cultural phenomenon known as 'adolescent geriatrics' is when a senior citizen, ignoring the ravages of time, continues youthful styles, desires, and goals.
Overcoming (Part 2): Self-Justification
Bible Study by StaffA great impediment to overcoming our sins is self-justification. We tend to excuse ourselves for what we do, and this only makes it harder to become like God.
Of Living Dogs and Dead Lions
Sermonette by Austin Del CastilloGuilt from failure to overcome is a dangerous distraction. When we consider God's profound pity, we realize that He is able to cleanse us, too.
Hebrews (Part Fourteen): Chapter 2, A Mind Bending Purpose (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Without a meaningful relationship with Christ, God's people cannot possibly bear fruit. Our responsibility is to yield to God's creative work in our lives.
Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part One)
Sermon by David F. MaasMisguided theologians have tried to create a false dichotomy between grace and works. We do works of obedience to build character, not to earn salvation.
Invisible Algorithms
CGG Weekly by Steven SkidmoreUsing data such as website history, social media friend lists, and click behavior on news headlines, algorithms make guesses about what content to show us.
Basic Doctrines: Going On to Perfection
Bible Study by StaffMost of our Christian lives will be spent going on to perfection. But how do we do it? This Bible Study helps explain this broad, yet vital subject.
We Are Part of Something Special
Sermonette by Ted E. BowlingAs we mature, our rough edges become smoothed, and we become thankful for the bond between us, looking for ways to edify one another.
A Seed of Highest Quality
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod calls Israel a seed of highest quality, but she turned into a degenerate vine, bearing bitter fruit, rejecting God and relying on her own resources.
Ask and It Will Be Given
'Ready Answer' by StaffMany people hit a plateau in their spiritual growth and go little further. Have we have overlooked the simple principle of 'ask and it will be given'?
Choosing the New Man (Part One)
Article by Charles WhitakerThe Bible describes many men, but one of the most important is the new man, a creative effort of renewing our minds in cooperation with God.
Joy and Trial
'Ready Answer' by Mike FordWhat does the Bible mean when it says we should count it all joy when you fall into various trials? What is this joy we must experience, and how do we come by it?
The Purpose of the Ministry
Sermon by John O. ReidThe purpose of the ministry is to train members for service to God, edifying them, equipping them for their job, and bringing them to spiritual maturity.
Godly Training and Admonition
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGodly training forewarns a child of danger or faults in human nature. The Scriptures do not contain many examples of exemplary child rearing.
Producing Fruit
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughTo be made clean only prepares us for producing fruit. If we stand still, simply resting on our justification, the dark forces will pull us backwards.
God Expects a Return on His Investment (Part Seven)
Sermon by David F. MaasGod has generously given us a set of tools that we must use for overcoming and building character, as well as edifying our spiritual siblings.
Called to Change
Sermon by Ryan McClureWe are admonished to change, becoming living sacrifices, renewing our minds from carnal to spiritual, becoming transformed into the image of our Savior.
Line Upon Line
Sermonette by Levi W. GrahamPeter has given us an incremental set of building blocks (II Peter:1-5), describing God's direction for mankind, moving from easier to harder steps.
Desire Earnestly to Prophesy
'Ready Answer' by Bill CherryPaul's admonition to the Corinthians to desire to prophesy has confused some due to a fundamental misunderstanding of what prophesying really is.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Nineteen)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe spirit of the law does not do away with the letter of the law; without the letter, there is no spirit because there is no foundation. Examples show God's will.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Nine)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughSatan has attempted to obliterate the sanctification step from the conversion process. Sanctification is produced by doing works pleasing to God.
Conviction, Moses, and Us
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughLike Moses, we have to develop conviction, a product of a relationship of God, established by being faithful day by day in the little things of life.
Am I on the True Path of Conversion?
Sermonette by Craig SablichObserving oneself in the mirror is useless unless one makes appropriate changes based on the observed image. We must do a thorough self-examination.
Job and Self-Evaluation (Part Three): Attitude
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJob had not achieved spiritual maturity, but had assumed the arrogant stance of attempting to debate the Creator on his own level.
Like a Tree
'Ready Answer' by Mike FordTrees provide living illustrations of godly behavior that will prepare Christians to partake of the Tree of Life in God's Kingdom.
Handpicked By God
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Kim MyersGod handpicked us for a specific purpose, just as He did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Noah. God also handpicked second-generation Church members.
The Endurance of the Firstfruits (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeThe Parable of the Sower and the Seed exemplifies a number things that can happen to prevent us from having a place in God's spiritual harvest.
Creator, Sustainer, Head (Part Three)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeThe One who sent forth His Spirit to create and breathe life into the physical world, also breathed on His disciples and endowed them with spiritual life.
From Rubble to Utopia
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe World Tomorrow is not going to happen because of an instantaneous miracle. God takes His time to produce both physical and spiritual changes.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Eight)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJustification is not the end of the salvation process, but merely the opening to sanctification, where we bear fruit and give evidence of God's Spirit in us.
Abraham (Part Nine)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughGod helps us to overcome our problems in an unraveling process, sometimes taking us back through the consequences of the bad habits we have accumulated.