Get Closer to Jesus

Written by Pastor Ben McCary

So often, faith seems like a given. Sometimes we have it, sometimes we want more of it, but we rarely consider what it is and why we should try to help it grow. The question may have never crossed your mind, but if you can answer it – "why should I grow my faith?" – you'll have the perfect answer to the other question..."how do you grow your faith?".

For me, the answer to all of these questions started when I think about who I am as a person. I've been undergoing so many changes in the last 2 years that I feel like my head is spinning, even now. I'm learning I'm not as cool as I thought I was, but also that being cool isn't really that important to me. I'm learning that being a father is the most important thing in the world to me. I'm also learning that faith in Jesus is always a miracle.

Here's what I mean: so often, we want our faith to grow. We think of it like a monetary amount, something to stock pile so that we're ready in times of trouble. But that's not how faith works. Faith is a part of a relationship.

In John 7, Jesus says “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” That means that whoever takes the step to walk with God will see whether Jesus' words are true. It's in a relationship that faith begins to unveil.

 As a youth pastor, I get to watch students start to take that step into a relationship with Jesus, and as they do, the small seed of faith is planted. Over time that seed grows. It blossoms. Now, I'm seeing students that used to be in my middle school class becoming adults, youth leaders in our church, and even youth pastors. What started out as a small miracle became a big one.

And it's not the sort of miracle that anyone can atribute to their effort. Anyone who has a strong faith is quick to step back and say, “Jesus did this in me.” It is a miracle that our faith grows when we take the step to form a relationship with God. It happens because we see that God is good and faithful. We see that God loves us no matter who we are or what we've done. As we take steps to be transformed into the likeness of Christ, our faith grows.

So often, we want to know how to grow our faith: To grow your faith, get closer to Jesus. That's the thing that revolutionizes your family, your community and your world.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dGMENMKMvA

God's M.O.

Written by Pastor Rey At the beginning of any book you read. During the acceptance speech of any award you hear it. Throughout the stories of the Old and New Testament you will see it. You will always find people thanking people. We are all aware that without the help, support, and influence of others, we probably couldn’t accomplish what we have done or become what we are today.

We don’t necessarily call them providential relationships, but that is what they are. I’m pretty confident that if we sat down over lunch, you could look back at the course of your life and identify some individuals who, in retrospect, you believe God put in your life. It wasn’t an accidental meeting it was scheduled. It wasn’t a coincidence you moved next door. It wasn’t a happenstance you sat next to each other. Something else was at work. And if you are a follower of Jesus, you know it was God’s hand.

God is very much interested in growing our faith. He uses all sorts of different ways to do just that, but for some reason God especially enjoys using people. It’s God modus operandii, his method of operation. God loves to use flawed, broken, and imperfect people. Check out the list in Hebrew 11 many call the “Hall of Faith”. It includes a murderer, adulterer, prostitute, liar, and a really bad dad. But these people have been used, in a very real way, to grow our faith and countless others.

I promise you that at this very moment, your heavenly Father is sending people into your life in an attempt to grow your faith. How open are you to God’s plan?

I also know that God has sent some of you to help grow the faith of others. How open are you to investing in these relationships?

One way of another God uses relationships to impact and grow our faith. I believe we can take advantage of this principle to work with God. By allowing God to use people in our lives, we can grow our faith. Bigger faith leads to more confidence in God. Bigger faith leads you to a place where you can’t trust God no matter what is happening around you. Bigger faith leads to deep intimacy with your Heavenly Father.

So how will you leverage this principle to grow your faith?

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God uses relationships to grow our faith in him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=172cyKd4Pfw

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Growing or Dying

Do you have a plan to grow and challenge yourself this spring? Pastor Rey encourages us to grow by joining small groups and sharing our struggles and praises with others.

Can you believe that it's already May? This year has just flown by. Isabela is a year old and desperately needs Jesus in her heart. Elijah is learning lots in kindergarten. We are reading a book on science and biology together. One interesting fact I learned years back, but had forgotten - "Every living thing is either growing or dying." I think that is true regarding our faith as well. Over the years, I have noticed that same principle re-enacted in the lives of countless people. I can divide people into two categories - growing or dying. I think Peter has this in mind when he writes in his letter –

1 Peter 1:5-10 “ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble…”

You can hear this in Peter voice - you are either growing in your faith or it is inevitable that you will be dying. So add this and that to your faith. Don’t stagnate. Don’t get comfortable with the status quo make every effort to grow and make it a priority. If you don't make every effort to grow, you will stumble. So how are you going to grow this spring/summer? My suggestion - get into one of these TLC’s. Share your faith and struggles with others. Read and study scripture together. Sharpen yourself and other s in the process. Please pray about joining a group. Like what you see but want more? Check out Washington Cathedral's website for more information.