I really enjoy the word spiritual especially as it relates to scripture. The Holy Spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual. The natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness to them, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. What a wonderful text of scripture. What does it mean comparing spiritual things with spiritual? What are spiritual things? I have often thought it meant that the Holy Spirit connects the Old Testament to the New Testament in a way that mortal man has difficulty accepting. It connects to spiritual dots to prophesy. Often times you hear the Apostle Paul admonish believers that he could not speak to them as unto spiritual. Instead he had to refer to carnal terms appealing to their infancy in Christ or as to babes in Christ. Are you a pablum Christian? My older sister often tells me that she doesn’t want to understand scripture the way her younger brother does because she does not want to be responsible to scripture. Obedience is better than sacrifice.
All believers in the body of Christ should be on the road to faith by way of obedience. The Bible says that he who is spiritual judges all things yet he himself is rightly judged by no one for he has the mind of Christ. From whom much is given much is required. I would think all believers in the body of Christ would like their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to say when they up here before him on that last day to hear Jesus say, well done my good and faithful servant. In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey him. These will be punished with Everlasting destruction. To know him is to obey him. I can tell you one thing for sure and that is no one wants to hear the words of the adversary who says simply, well done. A sad thing is that his well done will be in Hell Fire. As in all things you have two options, which will you choose?
On my family property in Michigan we used to have an orchard of apples, pears, and cherries. Occasionally we had to prune back the branches to get more fruit. I’m sure the tree, if it could talk, would be groaning because pruning can be painful, not so much for the actual tree, but for you and me. Pruning is different then discipline. Spiritual discipline is to correct error while pruning is to bear fruit of a spiritual nature such as the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5. I should add that without the Fruit of the Spirit the gifts of the Spirit are meaningless.
Where in these statistics do you find yourself? More importantly, are you willing for God to prune you? And what areas of your life need pruning the bear more fruit? We shall pick up there in part 2.
How would Y O U like to be on the receiving end of that rebuke of your ministry. Many Pentecostals say that Jesus lived high on the hog yet the Bible says he had nowhere to lay his head. What started at the inn continued throughout His life. Jesus lived spiritually wealthy but not by how the world viewed Him. He knew the riches of prayer, communication with God. You cannot serve God and money Matthew 6:24.
dABOUT A CRUCIFIED LIFE FOR CHRIST?
Jesus had just made Peter the leader of the church and when he asked Peter what the gospel was Peter said, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus shook his head. The good news? Jesus replied, For the tenth time, that I died for your sins according to the scriptures, that I was buried, and that I rose again the third day according to the scriptures. No, not that. GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN!
I Know a Man who claims to be a Christian yet carries a massive Grudge against psychiatry. In his mind he would like to destroy them or kill them or blow up their Professional Buildings. I have often given him these two verses. 
If he can’t forgive the psychiatrists then God won’t forgive him his trespasses. He tries to justify his behavior by saying that he is like Jesus with the Pharisees. But I don’t recall Jesus killing any Pharisee or blowing up their synagogues. To get even with his enemy he will justify nearly everything. He wears his Grudge like a badge. He says psychiatrists have ruined his life. Even when told that God will not forgive his trespasses unless he forgives others, he even tries to justify that. He has an unrepentant heart that is as cold as ice. If he doesn’t change that unrepentant heart will follow him into hell. If Jesus could forgive his toormentors from the cross then this man can forgive the psychiatrists that supposedly ruined his life. Jesus said, father Forgive them for they know not what they do. My friend would counter that by saying, but they knew what they were doing to me. Justify, justify, and justify. I ask for prayer for this man that the Lord Jesus will heal his heart and restore unto him peace.
Forgetting is forgiveness. He needs to move on with his life anew. Pray to that end please.
Do you know of anyone that is past feeling? It seems like whatever they do they show very little conscience as to what they are doing. What amazes me is on how many Born Again Christians are seen on public television in various denominations. Some mega churches have enormous numbers of people attending. With all these people attending church why do the problems of society continue to grow? It seems that we keep our Christianity within the four walls of the church. Outside that safe atmosphere we are either too afraid to witness to others or we just don’t care to. In the area of witnessing our faith, are many of us past feeling in that regard? The only other response is that we ourselves are not growing spiritually. Are you growing spiritually?
Largely the RCC laity are still in milk mode. Thus they are unskilled in the word of righteousness. Let me provide you with an illustration. 
Take a glass of milk and then squeeze some Hershey’s chocolate into the glass. It sinks to the bottom and stays dormant. Until you stir it into the milk it does nothing. And unless you stir up the Holy Spirit within you, He stays dormant as well.
This guy talks like a child that boasts and justifies everything. He thinks like a child at the Eucharist. The elements of wafer and wine are mysteriously transferred into the body and blood of Christ even though the wafer and wine still are physically present. ABRACADABRA! Let’s play tea party next? I reasoned like a child. When I became a man I put the ways of childhood behind me. Catholics haven’t done that yet.
Pray That Catholics will mature in Christ and put away boasting and justifying everything and by their own resources!Satan does exactly the same thing- John 8:44. 
I grow spiritually daily by feasting on the word of God. But just as we consume Food daily, sthe growth aspect is on how we daily put what we eat into practice. The food we ingest goes into the various parts of our body to accomplish different things. In like manner, scripture goes throughout our body to accomplish spiritual things. The more I feast on scripture the closer I draw to Christ. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
If we eat the wrong food, physically or spiritually, we can die. It is essential to be able to discern between Good and Evil and the only way you can do that is by a daily intake of nourishment both physically and spiritually. Is there a difference in your life from those you meet on the street? Here is one test to find out.
Which one do you align with? That will tell you if you are growing spiritually or not.
Make no mistake about it. I believe that priests that are found guilty of sexually abusing children should go to prison. The Catholic hierarchy should be cooperating with authorities instead of covering up a serious problem.
Remember That Christ left the 99 Sheep to find the lost sheep of the flock. After punishment by man, spiritual restoration and even retraining for another vocation should be paid by the church. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
The Bible Exposing Error 