Cultivating Spiritual Maturity

The much-needed message of this book is that spiritual practice is not a weekend hobby or an activity for adolescent seekers (of any age). Instead, Lalitha makes a case for mature spirituality, which evolves from a serious commitment to the Path, and assumes dignity, integrity and personal responsibility for one’s life choices. She proposes a series of “questions that matter”. . . including: • What Path Are You Really On? • What Are You Seriously Committed to? • What Do You Call Love? • Are You on Your Deathbed? The playing field of spiritual maturity can never be separate from one’s everyday life—one’s work, relationships, art, physical limits, suffering, aging and dying—Lalitha affirms. And, it will always reflect a sacred regard for the highest principles (one’s aim), along with gratitude for what is, and kindness, generosity and compassion toward others. Lalitha is a spiritual teacher and a farmer—her ashram in BC is also a working organic farm. She knows the disciplined efforts needed to prepare a ground for planting, to nurture and maintain young shoots, to guard against predators and to harvest a mature crop. As a long-term spiritual practitioner, she has worked with students for over twenty years. She knows the risks, the sweat and the fruits of the spiritual path. Full of practical help, her book cites dozens of examples relative to spiritual authority, doubt and confusion, a life of practice, and the facing and embracing of death . . . as well as other issues that matter! She is the author of Waking to Ordinary Life, and several books on health and healing.

Disciples don't just happen. They're developed through intentional planning and the effort of a community of believers. This strategy-filled guide shows readers how they, too, can make disciples of their church members.

Spiritual practice is never something mysterious or alien to ordinary existence. Neither is it defined by difficult exercises or maintained by perfect tranquility. Waking To Ordinary Life speaks directly to the false presumption that our relationship to the Divine, to Spirit, somehow precludes a simple life based in human maturity, dignity and kindness toward others. It casts unrelenting light on how clear-cut spiritual practice actually is, if only we have the courage to choose it. Lalitha is a spiritual teacher living in Washington state and Canada. Waking to Ordinary Life is derived from her recent talks and conversations with friends and students making its message fresh, accessible and real. Her many examples bypass heady concepts and pretty words, and bring the reader down to earth where messy relationships, greed and cancer must be handled. She speaks with compassion, yet is categorically unwilling to compromise the demands of committed, unsentimental work on self. Topics include: the necessity for articulating an aim, which may then be applied as a guiding principle in all one’s endeavors; the power of genuine forgiveness; the urgency inspired in the face of death, and the experience of delight in ordinary life. A Handbook for Sustainable Spiritual Practice. Fresh, wise female voice on the spiritual scene. Grounded and practical help for any serious practitioner.

A strategy for growing toward Christlikeness must be based on the actual ways that people grow and develop into maturity in Christ. Through identifying and understanding how we grow spiritually, this course will help you become more intentional in Bible study, prayer, lifestyle choices, evangelism, and spiritual gifts. Gary C. Newton, 96 pages, paper, ISBN 1-910566-45-3 Table of Contents Introduction The Dynamics of Spiritual Growth Becoming a Disciple of Jesus Christ The Church's Role in Making Disciples Feasting on the Word Developing Intimacy With God Establishing and Reaching Others for Christ Fruitfulness and Reaching Others for Christ Discovering and Using Our Spiritual Gifts Teaching Others Leading Others Mentoring Others Being a Lifelong Learner

How does healing fit into God's will, especially when God doesn't heal? Our hearts, our bodies, and our world are desperate for healing. We all experience brokenness, and we rightfully look to Jesus for restoration. But many Christians have been taught the lie that God will heal us if our faith is strong enough, and that he is punishing us when bad things happen. Growing up in one of the world's leading faith-healing dynasties, Costi Hinn witnessed the tragedy of people chasing after healing more than the Healer. In this book he provides biblical clarity to some of the most challenging questions of the Christian faith. Does grace guarantee healing? How do we catch ourselves from slipping into the trap of seeking God for what he can do for us and not for who he really is? Beginning with the vivid memory of the night he discovered his son's cancer diagnosis—Costi unpacks the layered feelings and questions we have about God and his healing power, and he provides practical principles for growing closer to Jesus. With gentle clarity and biblical wisdom, he explains how to: Faithfully pray for healing while trusting in God's sovereignty. Navigate tough conversations about the topics of divine healing, love, and justice. Hold on to faith even in the most painful trials. More than chasing after the Jesus we want, this hopeful and encouraging book will guide you to discovering the Jesus we truly need—and the true power and hope that comes from a genuine relationship with him.

Today, we have many ways of defining success in life. Some define it as being a sports hero, others as being wealthy, others as being popular and well liked, and still others as being happy. How does God define success? He defines it as being spiritually mature! How do we become spiritually mature? There’s only one way, and it’s called discipleship. However, statistics show that discipleship is in a state of crisis today. Many Christians are not growing in Christ and are stuck in the process of reaching spiritual maturity. A Barna study reveals that almost nine out of ten senior pastors of Protestant churches assert that spiritual immaturity is one of the most serious issues facing the church. Sadly, what discipleship meant in the time of Christ and what it means today is vastly different. Moreover, the importance Christ and the Apostles gave to discipleship is also stunningly different than the importance many Christians and churches today give it. Unlike the disciples who had much of Scripture memorized, a whopping 81% of Christians today don’t read their Bibles regularly. Unlike Christ’s disciples who were “Fishers of Men,” 61% of believers today have not shared their faith in the past six months. And sadly, unlike Christ and the Apostles who made discipleship the central focus of their ministries, 81% of pastors today have no regular discipleship programs in their churches. Discipleship is being neglected today, and the consequences are crippling many Christians and churches. This book hopes to change that! Chapter 1 focuses on the state of discipleship today and exposes the sad truth that it’s in crisis mode. Chapter 2 reveals 13 key factors contributing to the lack of discipleship today. Chapter 3 defines biblical discipleship based on central phrases Christ used in His ministry. Chapter 4 brings to light 14 essential components of the discipleship-making process that must be understood and practiced in order to attain spiritual maturity. Chapter 5 provides practical, “how-to” help for growing in Christ. It includes self-assessment tests for measuring your level of spiritual maturity in each essential component of discipleship and gives hands-on, useful ideas for taking steps toward spiritual maturity. Discipleship is a command for all believers and is our highest calling. This book provides biblical help for fulfilling this calling and seeks to discover what God says about genuine growth in Christ. It’s both an informative book and a “how-to” book. It deals with the barriers that are hindering discipleship, and offers practical help for overcoming these barriers and attaining spiritual maturity. So, are you ready to grow? Would you like to be pleasing to God? Would you like to fulfill the reason for which you’ve been created? Would you like the full blessings of God in your life? Would you like to become spiritually mature? Would you like to hear Christ’s words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” when you arrive in heaven? If so, this book is for you.

Have you grown unhappy with where you are in your Christian walk? Do you feel you've become stagnant in your faith and powerless to grow toward spiritual maturity? If so, the words in this book, gleaned from a lifetime of experience and study, will help you . . . * Set goals and plan for success * Become confident, passionate, and purposeful * Become emotionally and spiritually mature * Understand truth, deception, fear, and sin * Find the will of God for your life . . . And much more! Spiritual growth occurs when we understand that God created us to be successful. You can achieve a vibrant, life-embracing faith that puts meaning and purpose into your life. You can be happy, successful, and prosperous--and bless those around you. An intimate relationship with God fills our deep longing to be loved and accepted. When we're confident in Christ's love for us, we become confident. A confident woman, is a women of substance who is able to shed light into a darkened world.