6 Primary Stages in Our Spiritual Journey

How do you know where you are in your spiritual journey? The following is what I see in Scripture as well as what the staff of Grace Life International and I have observed in our counseling with hundreds and hundreds of people for almost 20 years.  I would love to hear from you what you think of this. Email me and let me know if you think this is helpful.  

STAGES 1-3

You know that Jesus is IMPORTANT to you.  You know Him as your Savior and Lord.

1.  Recognition of God - You are starting to believe IN God, believing there really is something bigger than you but you are not a Christian yet. 

2.  Life of Discipleship - You have come to faith in Christ and are beginning to learn more ABOUT God and the Bible.

 

3.  The Productive Life - You are serving and doing things FOR God, the church and people. 

THE WALL - This is a place in your spiritual journey where things stop working in your life for one reason or another. This occurs typically during stage 3 but might start happening in stages 2 or 3.  Often, a person is confused, disillusioned, defeated and/or discouraged during this time.  Because you have not yet realized that you have been living much of your life for God in your own fleshly strength, you must be broken of that.  (Romans 8:13 "For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die...")  

STAGES 4-6

You discover that Jesus is also ENOUGH for you.  You realize that He is your Life.  

4.  The Journey Inward - You begin to understand that there is a new way to live life and to be in a relationship with God, yourself and others.  You typically experience God's love in a very substantial way.  This stage often involves a time of personal healing and freedom.  The Holy Spirit has given you a revelation of Christ in you and your identity in Christ.  (See Ephesians 3:14-21)

5.  The Journey Outward - Your spiritual journey is continuing as you learn to live, serve and love by faith.  You are learning to depend on Christ in you to live through you in everyday life.  (See Philippians 1:21)  

6.  Life of Love - God's love is filling you and  pouring out of you in such a way that it is amazing.  

 Important Truths About These Stages: 

You cannot jump around initially.  There are no shortcuts or workarounds. You don't go from 1 to 4 or 2 to 5.  It's a 1-2-3-4-5-6 process; but once you have gone through them you may skip around and revisit certain stages during different times of life. 

You can get stuck at any of these stages on your journey.   At the same time, there are things that you can believe/do to keep moving.  

None of these stages are good, bad, right, wrong or better than another.  They just are.  It's important to remember that we couldn't have gotten to where we are now without the prior stages.  Sometimes we forgot that without our stage of learning scripture, involvement in our church, and working hard to use what God gave us to bless others, we wouldn't be where we are today in our relationship with Jesus.  

The majority of Christians never grow beyond stages 1-3.   These first three stages produce workers in the church, people who sit in the pews and learn, givers, and volunteers who pull the ministry off.  Those in stages 4-6 are involved in ministry in the church also, unless they have burned out in stages 1-3.  If so, it may take them some time to recover and reengage in their ministry in their church.  Those in stages 4-6 have a much more fruitful ministry than when they were in stages 1-3.  


These are also based on the book,"The Critical Journey: Stages In The Life Of Faith" by Janet Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich along with several other articles and books.

I look forward to hearing your comments.     




Live Free In Christ,


Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding

The 10 Commandments Your BFF? Get a New One!

If you ask most Christians if God expects us to obey the 10 Commandments, they would give a hearty, "Yes"! I want to challenge you today to more clearly examine the gospel. God's Word is our final authority on this subject. 

Why did God give the 10 Commandments as well as the 613 other commandments?
   Romans 3:19 says, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." We see two truths here. First, no one can ever be accepted by God into His family even if they perfectly obey the 10 Commandments. Second, they were given to make people aware of their sins. Galatians 3:25, "So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith." Being made aware of our sins through the 10 Commandments prepares a person to hear the gospel.

What happens to our relationship with God's law when we came to faith in Christ?
   Romans 7:6 says, "So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." This means that when we died with Christ on the cross, we died to being under the law and are now under Jesus' authority. Galatians 3:23, "Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law." Our faith in Christ means we are no longer obligated to the law.

Who is the law for?
   It is made for those outside of Christ. 1 Timothy 1:8-9 says, "But we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person." How does someone become righteous? Through faith in Christ alone! 2 Cor. 5:21, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." So, we, as Christians, don't need the law.

Why don't we, as Christians, need the 10 Commandments? 
   Because we have something so much better...Jesus! First, the law is now in us as our identity in Christ. Hebrews 10:16, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."  The law is now in us, written on our hearts not outside of us.  We have the Lawgiver Himself living in us which is so much better than the 10 Commandments. Hebrews 10:1, "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship." Jesus was the one casting the shadow through the law.  Now that He is in us, we don't need the law anymore.

How do we obey God and live a life which pleases Him without the 10 Commandments?
    We rely on Christ in us to love us and to live through us.  This enables us to obey the Scriptures which over and over exhort us to live like who we are in Christ. Spiritual maturity is a result of understanding this and living it out.

John Bunyan, the author of "Pilgrim's Progress" wrote,

"Run, John, run the law commands,

  But gives us neither feet nor hands,

Far better news the gospel brings:

It bids us fly, and gives us wings."

Stop hanging out with the law and start enjoying your new BFF, Jesus!  His gospel of grace will lead you there!!



Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder


 GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding

Legalistic People are Mean!

Some of the meanest people I know are legalistic Christians.  They give the outward appearance of having it all together but behind closed doors they are anything but kind.  The experiences of my staff and me in counseling have revealed that many legalist Christians have a nice looking veneer on the outside but underneath there is a hardness. 
   Legalistic people can be very judgemental, controlling, unloving, critical, arrogant, and self-righteous.  Their view of God is that He is primarily a judge and a teacher.  Their view of people is that most of them are not as good a Christian as they are.  Their view of themselves is that they are superior spiritually to others.  They live a very ruled based life and are clueless about God's love.
   Jesus loves these people, though.  How do I know?  Sadly, I was one of them and He pursued me until His love broke me of my legalism.  I am so very grateful but I am very saddened when I think of all of the people I hurt along the way.
   Jesus confronted the legalists of His day trying to shake them out of their religious stupor so they could awaken to a genuine relationship with God.  He was also very upset because He knew that legalists keep people away from the true God!  Read closely what He said about them in Matthew 23:4-15. 
   They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see:  They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called 'Rabbi' by others.  But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.  And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and He is in heaven.  Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.  The greatest among you will be your servant.  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.   Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!  You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces.  You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.  Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!  You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
   Let go of legalism and fully embrace the unconditional love of the One who is Grace - Jesus Christ.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder


GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding

Legalism Jacks Up Your Relationship with God

There was a time in my life when reading the Bible made my stomach hurt! The reason? I believed a faulty gospel. It was a formula: Faith in Jesus + rules = a life pleasing to God. The problem with that is, it is not the gospel.

Paul wrote to the Galatians that if we add anything to our faith in Jesus alone, even as Christians, we are believing a “different gospel”. Galatians 1:6-7 says, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the One who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel which is really no gospel at all.” Believing a different gospel turns us away from our heavenly Father to a caricature of Him. Our concept of God becomes twisted. Rather than living by faith and enjoying a love relationship with Him, we live in bondage to fear, guilt and shame rooted in religion. And we always feel that regardless of how much we obey God, He is never pleased. No wonder my stomach hurt!

Adding rules, even rules in the Bible, is legalism. Legalism is using the Bible as a rule book rather than a relationship book. It is a system to try to gain God’s favor. Grace is a Person – Jesus Christ. As Christians, we experience God’s grace by faith through our union with Him. Grace is a relationship, not a system.

Is it possible that as a sincere Christian, you have been duped into believing a “different gospel”? Maybe that is why you struggle to believe and enjoy God’s love for you. Maybe that is why a lot of people give up on church and Christianity because they don’t experience the God who loves them, but believe in a god who is always telling them that they don’t measure up. I don’t blame them. They are not really turning from Christianity but from a messed up gospel.

When the Holy Spirit made clear to me the pure gospel of grace, I experienced not only relief but such incredible love like I had never known. Today, I still read my Bible every day. I also memorize it, meditate on it, ask God to speak to me from it, obey it and teach it. I love God’s Word because it keeps pointing me to Him. I obey my Father because I love Him. I sometimes see in His Word where I am not obeying Him, and I repent asking Jesus to enable me to obey by Him living through me. My stomach no longer hurts, and my heart often rejoices when I read His Word.

How about you? Is your relationship with God jacked up because you have been led away from the pure simple gospel of grace? Let go of rules and cling to your union with Christ alone. Read Galatians for yourself and live free in Christ!


Mark Maulding, President and Founder


GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding

You Are Alive in Zombieland!

When my youngest son was about 12, we were at the mall and he wanted to go into the bookstore and look around.  I waited outside for a while and then began to wonder why he was not coming out.  So I went in the store and found him reading a book from the shelf.  I said, "Christopher, what are you reading?"  He smiled and said, "How to Survive a Zombie Attack".  We both laughed.

Those without Christ may be very nice neighbors or coworkers but on the inside they are dead.  You might say they are spiritual zombies.  That was true of you and me before we had faith in Jesus.  We were walking around on the earth in a body which was animated but deep inside we were spiritually dead.  Ephesians 2:1 says it this way.  "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins..."

When God saved you, He not only forgave you but you came alive for the very first time in your life! Ephesians 2:5 says, "when we were dead in our transgressions, (God) made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

Instead of being a Zombie, you are alive because Christ is your Life!  Your marital status is not your life; your kids are not your life; your spouse is not your life; your work is not your life; your ministry is not your life; your financial status is not your life; your illness is not your life; your ethnicity is not your life; your favorite movie star is not your life.  Only Jesus Christ is your Life!  Colossians 3:4, "For when Christ, who is our life appears, then shall we also appear with Him in glory."

Say it out loud.  Christ alone is my Life today!!!

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder



GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding

Is Your Christian Life 3-D?

I remember when I saw my first 3-D movie. It was Sponge Bob Squarepants at the Carowinds Theme park.  When they were chasing the pickle, my kids and I felt like we were actually in the movie.  In fact, the pickle almost hit us and we all tried to move away from it.  I was hooked.  In most cases, I would now prefer to see a movie in 3-D.  It is so much more enjoyable and fun to feel like you are a part of the movie rather than just watching a movie.
   Before I understood what the Bible teaches about the New Covenant, my relationship with God was 2-D. The Bible seemed to be more about what I should be doing that I was not doing for a Jesus who could never be pleased.  I always felt guilty, did not sense that God loved me and perceived myself as a Christian who rarely measured up in God's eyes.  I was driven to perform for God's acceptance but it was like being in a 2-D movie.  I really wanted to be like Jesus whom I read about in the Bible but He was not very accessible.  No wonder over time my stomach started hurting when I read the Bible.  I do not think that is Christianity.
   My problem?  I was reading the Bible through the glasses of the Old Covenant which says to be blessed you have to obey God very conscientiously.  Deuteronomy 28:1-2 says "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.  All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God."
   No wonder I was miserable!  You can never do enough under the Old Covenant to get blessed by God but more importantly as Christians, we are now under the New Covenant.   When you understand the New Covenant, it is like putting 3-D glasses on.  You are not watching the story, you are in the story.  You understand that Jesus is in you to love you unconditionally and to live His life through you in every area of your life.  You see, the New Covenant focus is about living by faith, not performance.  Galatians 2:20 says it this way, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
   No wonder Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:16-21 that Christians would have a revelation of Jesus Christ in them!  Only then can we experience a 3-D Jesus in our lives.  The understanding of Jesus in us transforms forever our view of God, ourselves and others!  We are never the same nor is our life.
   Pray Ephesians 3:16-21 every day for yourself and those you care about until it is answered!  God has no other plan by which we are to live our lives.  He has always intended us to live in 3-D! 




Live Free In Christ, Mark Maulding, President and Founder GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding

How Jesus Can Lead Others Through You!

Many years ago, I greatly failed as a leader in my attempts to plant a new church. That was part of what God used to bring me to brokenness.  Looking back, I am so happy I failed.  In that failure, I came to understand that Christ is my Life!  Not success or anything else is my life, only Christ.
   So, when God led me to move my family from our home state to start Grace Life International in 1995, I knew I had to go about it very differently.  I was certain God was leading me to begin this ministry and had a deep sense of destiny.  Yet, I was fearful because of my previous failure.  That was right where God wanted me to be.  I distinctly remember being on Interstate 85 and praying about this in my car.  I said, "Lord Jesus, if you do not lead this ministry through me, then we will not last very long.  Please lead this new ministry through me!"  He answered my prayer.
   When we started, we had three staff plus me, with no office space, no furniture and no office equipment.  17 years later, we find ourselves with 30 staff members in six locations.  We have also been blessed by Jesus living through us to minister to thousands of people regionally, nationally and internationally.  We now have other leaders on staff who depend on Jesus to lead through them!
   You are a leader whether you know it or not.  You do not have to have a recognized position of leadership to lead.  You do not have to be in a ministry to lead.  Leadership is simply influence.  And you do influence people even if you don't realize it.
   The best way for you to lead, i.e. have influence is to daily ask Jesus Christ to live through you to influence the people around you.  Then, watch for opportunities.  Who knows what kind of influence you can have on your family, friends, neighbors, work and church!
   Start asking Jesus to lead through you.  I suspect what people will notice the most is your love for them, which is the greatest influence of all!
   Until next time, remember, He loves us!

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder 
http://www.gracelifeinternatinal.com/



GraceLifeInternational.com   All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding