Spiritual Conversation

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Spiritual Conversation
2

• Our Fellowship in Christ Should Result in
  Spiritual Conversations.
• Acts 242 (NKJV) And they continued steadfastly
  in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the
  breaking of bread, and in prayers.

3

• Spiritual conversation should be the result of
  Christians in fellowship with one another, yet
  sometimes in some cases this is not the result at
  all!

4
Spiritual conversations can lead to many
spiritual blessings.

• Spiritual growth and the strengthening of the
  church.
• A spiritual atmosphere in the church in contrast
  with the world.
• Needed encouragement is provided to help
  Christians remain faithful.

5
Conversations that are not spiritual, but carnal
can be a curse!

• The church does not grow spiritually as it should
  and remains weak.
• A worldly atmosphere is seen in which the church
  appears no different than a social club!
• Over time, more brethren lose heart and become
  unfaithful.

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Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is not
About...

• Worldly wisdom (Col. 28).

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Colossians 28 (NASB)

• See to it that no one takes you captive through
  philosophy and empty deception, according to the
  tradition of men, according to the elementary
  principles of the world, rather than according to
  Christ.

8

• In our conversations, what kind of advice do we
  give each other? Where does our instruction come
  from?

9
Colossians 128 (NASB)

• And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and
  teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may
  present every man complete in Christ.

10
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is not
About...

• Worldly wisdom (Col. 28).
• Worldly possessions (Mat. 619-21).

11
Matthew 619-21 (NASB)

• 19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon
  earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where
  thieves break in and steal. 20 "But lay up for
  yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
  moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not
  break in or steal 21 for where your treasure is,
  there will your heart be also.
  cf. 1 Tim. 68 Mat. 633

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Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is not
About...

• Worldly wisdom (Col. 28).
• Worldly possessions (Mat. 619-21).
• Worldly activities (Rom. 122).

13
Romans 122 (NASB)

• And do not be conformed to this world, but be
  transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
  you may prove what the will of God is, that which
  is good and acceptable and perfect.

14

• If we talk about the very same things that the
  world does, without emphasis on spiritual matters
  in our conversations with one another, what then
  sets us apart?

15

• Now some activities of the world are not sinful
  in and of themselves Yet, they can be! (1 Cor.
  612)

16

• The conversations of Christians should be set
  apart in which a devotion toward God and doing
  His will takes precedence above all else.

17
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is not
About...

• Worldly wisdom (Col. 28).
• Worldly possessions (Mat. 619-21).
• Worldly activities (Rom. 122)
• Gossip (1 Tim. 513)

18
1 Timothy 513 (NASB)

• And at the same time they also learn to be idle,
  as they go around from house to house and not
  merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies,
  talking about things not proper to mention.

19
T.H.I.N.K.

• T -- is it True?
• H -- is it Helpful?
• I -- is it Inspiring?
• N -- is it Necessary?
• K -- is it Kind?

20
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is not
About...

• Worldly wisdom (Col. 28).
• Worldly possessions (Mat. 619-21).
• Worldly activities (Rom. 122)
• Gossip (1 Tim. 513)
• Corrupt speech (swearing, cursing, profanity,
  vulgarity, near-swearing Eph. 429)

21
Ephesians 429 (NKJV)

• Let no corrupt (unwholesome NASB) word proceed
  out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary
  edification, that it may impart grace to the
  hearers. cf. Eph. 54 Col. 38

22

• Number of swear words in vocabulary of average
  American male 58 Avg. female 29
• Brethren should not fit the national average or
  even come close!

23
Why do people swear? Lack of knowledge?
Creativity?

• Alternatives Baloney, hogwash, ah nuts, oh man,
  oh dear, etc.

24

• We should avoid near swearing or euphemisms
  the use of a word or a phrase that is
  less expressive or direct but considered less
  distasteful, less offensive, etc. than another
  (Webster).
• (e.g., darn, heck, shoot, freaking, etc.)

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Corrupt Speech

• Taking Gods name in vain (1 Tim. 61/
  Ex. 207).
• Avoid near swearing of Gods name using
  euphemisms (e.g., gosh, lordy, gee, dog gone it,
  etc.).

26
Ephesians 429 (NASB)

• Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth,
  but only such a word as is good for edification
  according to the need of the moment, that it may
  give grace to those who hear.

27
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is not
About...

• Worldly wisdom (Col. 28).
• Worldly possessions (Mat. 619-21).
• Worldly activities (Rom. 122)
• Gossip (1 Tim. 513)
• Corrupt speech (Eph. 429)
• Doctrines of men (2 Timothy 216-18).

28
2 Timothy 216-18 (NASB)

• 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it
  will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their
  talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are
  Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 men who have gone
  astray from the truth saying that the
  resurrection has already taken place, and thus
  they upset the faith of some.

29

• Sometimes brethren will learn of some new and
  exciting teaching that they are attracted to and
  draw others into it.

30

• Conversations among Christians should not be
  centered on latest religious fads,
  but on what God declares in His book
  giving book, chapter, and verse!

31
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is not
About...

• Worldly wisdom (Col. 28).
• Worldly possessions (Mat. 619-21).
• Worldly activities (Rom. 122)
• Gossip (1 Tim. 513)
• Corrupt speech (Eph. 429)
• Doctrines of men (2 Timothy 216-18).
• Complaining (1 Cor. 1010 James 59)

32

• The person who complains is a person who has
  chosen to have a bad attitude
  Our circumstances in life does not
  force us to complain! (Phil. 411-13)

33
Complaining is grumbling about things that are
not wrong.

• 1 Cor. 1010 (NKJV) nor complain, as some of
  them also complained, and were destroyed by the
  destroyer.

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• Complaining involves things that we are doing
  nothing to correct, failing to take the needed
  action ourselves (Heb. 611-12).

35
Complaining involves harsh judgment of others,
unwilling to forgive.

• James 59 (NASB) Do not complain, brethren,
  against one another, that you yourselves may not
  be judged behold, the Judge is standing right at
  the door.

36
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is
About...

• Encouraging one another (Heb. 312-13)

37
Hebrews 312-13 (NASB)

• 12 Take care, brethren, lest there should be in
  any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in
  falling away from the living God. 13 But
  encourage one another day after day, as long as
  it is still called "Today," lest any one of you
  be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

38
No problem is ever as dark when you have a
friend to face it with you.

• We can gain needed strength and be renewed by our
  encouragement of one another!

39
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is
About...

• Encouraging one another (Heb. 312-13)
• Edifying (building up) one another with Gods
  word (Acts 2032).

40
Acts 2032 (NASB)

• And now I commend you to God and to the word of
  His grace, which is able to build you up and to
  give you the inheritance among all those who are
  sanctified.

41

• Beyond Bible class or sermons, Christians talk
  about Gods word with one another because the
  gospel has the power to build one another up and
  make us grow! (Eph. 415-16)

42
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is
About...

• Encouraging one another (Heb. 312-13)
• Edifying (building up) one another with Gods
  word (Acts 2032).
• Admonishing (warning) one another (Rom. 1514)

43
Romans 1514 (NASB)

• And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also
  am convinced that you yourselves are full of
  goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able
  also to admonish one another.
  cf. 1 Thes. 514

44

• I have asked three close friends to monitor me
  and tell me when I am allowing busyness to crowd
  out fellowship with God. C.
  John Miller

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• Admonishing one another is spiritual
  conversation, it shows that we truly
  care!

46
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is
About...

• Encouraging one another (Heb. 312-13)
• Edifying (building up) one another with Gods
  word (Acts 2032).
• Admonishing (warning) one another (Rom. 1514)
• Correcting, reproving, or rebuking (James
  519-20)

47
James 519-20 (NASB)

• 19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the
  truth, and one turns him back, 20 let him know
  that he who turns a sinner from the error of his
  way will save his soul from death, and will cover
  a multitude of sins.
  cf. Titus 113 215 2 Tim. 42

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• My most painful experiences have been when I've
  had a problem and no one loved me enough to tell
  me about it. -- Paul Cedar

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Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is
About...

• Encouraging one another (He 312-13)
• Edifying (building up) one another with Gods
  word (Acts 2032).
• Admonishing (warning) one another (Rom. 1514)
• Correcting, reproving, or rebuking (James
  519-20)
• Confession (James 516).

50
James 516 (NASB)

• Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and
  pray for one another, so that you may be healed.
  The effective prayer of a righteous man can
  accomplish much.

51

• For him who confesses, shams are over, and
  realities have begun. -- William James

52

• If we cant be real with
  one another,
  who can we open up to?
• (James 516 cf. Gal. 61-2)

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Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is
About...

• Encouraging one another (He 312-13)
• Edifying (building up) one another with Gods
  word (Acts 2032).
• Admonishing (warning) one another (Rom. 1514)
• Correcting, reproving, or rebuking (James
  519-20)
• Confession (James 516).
• Love (1 Pet. 122)

54
1 Peter 122 (NASB)

• Since you have in obedience to the truth
  purified your souls for a sincere love of the
  brethren, fervently love one another from the
  heart.

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Love is demonstrated, in part, by what we say!

• I pray for you (Phil. 13-7)
• How can I help? (Gal. 513)
• Words of compassion for the troubles of others,
  words of joy for their victories (1 Cor.
  1226)
• Telling them how important and valuable they are
  to the Body (1 Cor. 1212-26)
• Expressed concern for their spiritual well-being
  (2 Cor. 24).

56
Spiritual Conversations Among Christians is
About...

• Encouraging one another (He 312-13)
• Edifying (building up) one another with Gods
  word (Acts 2032).
• Admonishing one another (Rom. 1514)
• Correcting, reproving, rebuking (James 519-20)
• Confession (James 516).
• Love (1 Pet. 122)
• Forgiveness (Eph. 432)

57
Ephesians 432 (NASB)

• And be kind to one another, tender-hearted,
  forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also
  has forgiven you.

58

• How does a brother know you have forgiven him
  unless you tell him? (Luke 173-4)

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• May We Always Strive as Gods
  Children to Have
  Spiritual Conversations with One
  Another.