Introduction

I John 2:12-14

The key question we need to ask ourselves is

“Where am I in my spiritual growth?"

A passage to help evaluate our development is 1 John 2:12-14.

Mark 4:1-20; Matt. 13:1-23; Luke 8:1-15

As we said last time, it's time to take inventory of your spiritual life, to see where you are in the journey. What will determine your success is found in your spiritual heart. The truth is, we don't always know what's in our hearts, what's happening spiritually. "The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it?" describes a pre-salvation condition, but even after we come to Christ, there are still corners, rooms, areas in us that are not yet given over to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:18-20

Today you embark on an exciting journey of studying God's Word, but I want it to be clear that this study will be worthless to you unless you hear it and act on it. Therefore, it is very important that you find someone with whom you will work this through: a friend, a mate, a small group. As you are going to see, it is absolutely critical to your spiritual development.