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Adulthood – Preparing Your Spiritual IRA

Growing Up In God’s Family, part 3 of 3
Too often in America people become Christians but never leave the stage of spiritual adolescents. The Bible makes it clear that we need to learn the basic teachings about Christianity and press on to maturity in those same teachings. In 2 Peter 3:18 we learn that we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. If we are going to grow we need to understand how we grow in grace, and how we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. As we learn to grow in these areas, we learn the joy of serving God, and we earn the rewards in heaven that go along with living for Him. We’ll explain some key ways to grow into adulthood in your Christian faith and to, in effect, prepare your spiritual IRA in heaven.

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“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”
(1 Corinthians 13:11, NIV)

I) GROWING TO ADULTHOOD… HEAVENLY!

“…All [some people] think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.”
(Philippians 3:19b-20, NLT)

II) HEAVENLY REWARD… THE ULTIMATE IRA!
“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”
(Matthew 16:27, NIV)

III) PREPARING A GROWING “SPIRITUAL IRA”

Six Big Investments To Build Eternal Reward

1) Spiritually, never stop _GROWING IN & LIVING OUT THE BIBLE_.

“Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…”
(Hebrews 6:1a, NIV)

“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”
(Revelation 1:3, NIV)

2) Relationally, learn to __LOVE; EVEN HARD TO LOVE TYPES__!

“…the greatest of these is love.”(1 Corinthians 13:13b, NIV)

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? … But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great…”
(Luke 6:32 & 35, NIV)

3) Professionally, work __KNOWING GOD IS YOUR REAL BOSS__.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
(Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)

4) Financially, devote __YOUR RESOURCES TO GOD’S CONTROL_.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
(Matthew 6:19-20, NIV)

5) Emotionally, endure _THE INEVITABLE TOUGH TIMES W/GOD_.

“God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.”
(Matthew 5:11-12, NLT)

6) Consistently, ___TRUST GOD FOR HIS BEST IN YOUR LIFE___.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6, NIV)

*Nothing compares to or outlasts our ___ETERNAL REWARD___.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
(Philippians 1:21, NIV)