Have you ever sat down to spend time with the Lord and simply didn't know where to start?
The first step in spending time with the Lord is making it a priority and setting time aside. But the second step is making sure you get the most out of that time. Many Christians know they should read their Bible and pray but even this can be challenging. If you feel like you are in this place don’t give up.
With a little guidance, your personal time with the Lord can become the best part of your day. Whether it’s using prayer apps to keep your thoughts organized, praying the Scriptures to get your mind in the right place, or listening to the Bible to help you focus, a little guidance can make all the difference.
We believe that Christ came to pay the debt we have incurred through sin and fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant, “in your seed, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.” Through the death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord, the Abrahamic Covenant was fulfilled as every person on earth has the ability to come into covenant relationship with God.
We serve the great King and are citizens of His kingdom. It is our goal to produce various tools that can help you better understand the Bible, pray the Scriptures, strengthen your prayer life, and draw closer to Jesus. This begins with personal devotion, then works outward. Whether it’s teaching your children about Christ, joining a small group, or taking a more active role at your church, being a disciple of Christ should reach into every aspect of our lives.
One of the benefits of spending personal time with the Lord on a daily basis is it keeps us excited about our faith.
When we spend time in the presents of the Almighty God we will inevitably talk about it with our friends. Many believers want to share their faith with their friends, family, and even strangers, but simply don’t know where to start. We believe sharing the Gospel comes naturally when we are excited about God and our faith. Daily devotions cultivate a stronger relationship with Jesus, and a stronger relationship with Jesus means the natural want to talk to people about our faith? Have you ever been around someone who loves football, is a strict vegan, or regularly does CrossFit? Chances are they have told you all about it. This is because we naturally talk about the things that make us excited. If you want to become better at sharing the Gospel, start by dedicating time each day to the Lord.
Being a covenant member starts with personal devotion but is not an individual sport. We are called to share our life with other covenant members. This is done in Church, small groups, home church, and prayer groups. Finding a gospel-centered Church is vital to strengthening our faith, but this is not always the easiest thing to do. We have written multiple articles on finding a solid Church and have talked at length about starting a small group. Being part of a biblical community can oftentimes be difficult, but it can also be one of the greatest joys in a believer’s life.
C.H. Spurgeon once told a story about a Welsh pastor that was asked what he thought of a younger preacher's sermon.
The pastor responded that he didn’t think it was that great. When asked why the preacher explained that although the sermon was well delivered and had some great illustrations and compelling stories, it didn’t have anything about Christ. The younger preacher explained that the text didn’t have anything about Christ so this is why he didn’t speak of Christ. The Welsh pastor responded that no matter what road a person was on in all of Britain, it could eventually lead them to London, so too, every passage in Scripture, although it might not be about Christ, but it could get them to Christ.
One of the reasons we like this story so much is because we believe Christ is the goal of every story in the entire Scriptures. Whether it’s the Abrahamic Covenant, the Exodus, the story of David and Goliath, or the warning of the prophets to Israel, all roads lead to Christ. Growing in Messiah is excited to show everyone how every page of the Bible leads to Jesus.
Looking for a subject for your small group or personal study? Start with the biblical covenants and see how God’s plan of salvation was put into action from the day man fell to sin. God created man to be in covenant relationship with Him but sin changed us. It separated us from the infinitely holy God. The Gospel message is God’s plan on how to deal with sin and bring us back into covenant relationship with Him.
Caleb Hegg and Lacacia Cardoza started Growing in Messiah to help believers no matter where they are in their walk with Christ. Although Caleb grew up in a very religious home, it wasn’t until his late 20’s that he began to have a personal relationship with Christ. This began when Lacacia started asking some deep theological questions about the Gospel. Caleb started to study the Abrahamic covenant and the Exodus story in order to answer these difficult questions and realized the centrality of Christ in all Scripture, not just the New Testament. This sparked a passion for the biblical covenants and the Gospel message that is found throughout the Bible.
Whether you grew up in a believing home or not, know a good amount of theology or are a new believer, read through your Bible every year, or haven’t made it through once. We believe there is something here for you.