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Expanded Outline
A. Introduction.
1. The baptism in the Spirit is only a beginning. Now we need to grow in this new life in
the Spirit.
2. In order to grow, we need to make use of the basic means of growth which the Lord
provides us. These are: prayer, study, service and fellowship.
a) The Christian life can be pictured as a wheel of a cart. It has three components:
* The outer rim. This is the part of the wheel that meets the road. This represents
daily Christian life.
* The hub. This is the part of the wheel from which the power inmates to the rim.
It holds the wheel together. The hub is our Lord Jesus Christ, who is at the center
of our lives. The power is that of the Holy Spirit.
* The spokes. These transmit the power and direction from the hub to the rim. In
Christian experience, the spokes are the means of putting our whole life in contact
with Christ, so that our life can be transformed by his power and direction.
1. Prayer is the primary means for establishing and maintaining a deep and loving personal
relationship between ourselves and God.
* Scheduled and structured prayer is helpful, but could make our prayer dry and
mechanical. Be open to changing your format as the Spirit leads.
* Prayer is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Our goal is not "to pray" or even
"to pray well", but to grow in our relationship with the Lord.
* People can get wrapped up in techniques. While these can help, prayer is really
very simple. It is a matter of loving God and being loved by Him.
3. In the Catholic tradition, the intercession of Mary and the saints is a powerful tool of
prayer. A devotion to Mary and the saints is part and parcel of a Catholic’s faith.
1. We need to know God and understand Him and His ways. Study is a deliberate, focused
exercise of the intellect, not referring primarily to scholarly or academic endeavor but to
the wider process of understanding more about God so we can love and better serve Him.
a) The Bible.
* This is the most important, because this is the very word of God. It teaches us
who God is, what He has done, and what He wants us to do.
b) Spiritual reading.
* After reading what God has said of Himself (Bible), we can read what men have
said about God. We can draw on spiritual insights and study throughout the life
of the Church.
* This includes reading spiritual books, magazines, articles, etc.
c) Teachings and preachings.
* The word of God spoken in the Sunday homily, in parish events, in conferences,
etc.
1. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, is at work in us, not just for our personal development but
also to equip us for effective service for him and his people.
2. We need to take on a mentality of service so that we see our whole life given over to
God's work. We need to take on the heart of a servant. Mt 20:26-28.
a) As we put the Lord first in our lives, he calls us to reach out also to others.
b) Service helps us grow because it touches the most basic attitudes we have of
ourselves and our independence. To serve others is to be humble.
a) We also serve by performing the basic responsibilities God has given us in our daily
lives.
c) Then we serve our fellow men by recognizing the many built-in opportunities for
service in day-to-day life.
d) We give witness to our faith in Jesus by the way we live our lives. Be alert to
opportunities to share your faith verbally with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers,
and the world at large.
e) Make ourselves and our resources available for God's work. Our time, talent,
treasure.
* Do good works. James 2:14-17.
* Support through prayer and financial giving sound Christian ministries that
further the spread of the gospel.
* Look for opportunities to give your time and energy to serve in a Christian group
on a regular basis.
d) Social gatherings.
4. Mention invitation to join Couples for Christ, which will be discussed fully next week.
1. In the Catholic tradition, the most important tool for spiritual growth are the sacraments.
They are the main channels of God's grace for our lives.
a) Though confession is required only once a year, we should avail of this more
often.
1. This CLP, your commitment to Christ, the baptism in the Holy Spirit--all these are just
the beginning of a new life. We are "babies in Christ" and we need to grow. Make use of
the tools provided by God.