MenLikeTrees

Kevin McGachy

Mark 8:24 I see men like trees, walking.

Exploring the metaphor of a growing tree as a spiritually maturing man.

#Christian
#spiritualmaturity

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

My Christian Audio Book playlists centred of Christian Growth and Spiritual Maturity

Spotify
https://t.co/v6PepmXY0P

YouTube
https://t.co/EWAfvphCnH

[Plumbline Faith @PlumblineFaith]

We’ve taken the legitimate gift of teaching, warped it into a monopolizing monologue sermon, and wrapped the whole idea of “church” and our assemblies around it …

To the exclusion of all the other gifts and functions given by God for the mutual participation and building up of one another.

Is it any wonder, then, that we find effective discipleship and spiritual maturity so missing in our “churches” these days???

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

An old friend of mine had a heart attack and a quadruple bypass.

He is 52 years old.

What and who living for?

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

@NateGreen44 New believers that leave the faith?

Hebrews 3:12 NKJV — Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

@DrawNear_ I had the privilege to preach all summer. I found 40 minutes incredibly restricting. All summer long it was like we would serve the appetizer and a portion of the main course.

Surely the faith of the early church Christians was not built up 40 minutes per week by lecture.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

Before you can lead men you must be a man.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

@tallaksenk At salvation alliegence is made after salvation discipleship instructs a born again believer what that means. Recognizing the LORD is Jesus is not that same as perfect Consecration.

This is why Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith through Progressive Sanctification.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

@StrongMarriage5 Just pick a biblical counsellor.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

The Church needs more discipleship on leading one's self, our wives and our children.

We don't need more teaching that we should. Nor do we need more sermon applications that tell us that we should.

Someone needs to be discipling others HOW.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

Are you building the faith of those in your home? Have you asked how this is done?

How is faith strengthened? Is it not testing what you know and proving it is reliable.

Teach Test then Testify it's True.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

Christianity is not an intellectual exercise, ask yourself how with every command and application.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

Having a pure heart means you do the right things for the right reasons.

This means the things you do and say are from righteous motive.

It also means that righteousness things you should do, from pure heart motives, you do do and not avoid and hide from difficult things.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

@tallaksenk I've heard this taught that a believer can do nothing but forgive because they were forgiven. Like the unforgiving servant if they are not able to show mercy when they themselves have receive immeasurable mercy there is a problem.

A) they are unsaved
B) they are carnal & bitter

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

God doesn't want you to just survive the difficult seasons of life. He wants you thrive.

Be alive in the Spirit and be fruitful through the droughts of life.

Jeremiah 17:8 ...And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

[Plumbline Faith @PlumblineFaith]

God created each of us with different motivations, abilities and ways of perceiving to match our different spiritual gifts.

Unfortunately, though, we all tend to view others as being motivated and perceiving reality just like us.

When we finally begin realizing that’s not the case, we hopefully can start learning to affirm the varied, different motivations, abilities and ways of perceiving that God gives others.

This is part of what it means to prefer one another above ourselves.

Otherwise, we become a bottleneck rather than a resource in the multi-gifted, multi-part, multi-functional Body of Christ that God commands us to be in Scripture.

This is why relational participatory church - as also commanded in Scripture - is so crucial for developing mature believers.

Unlike spectator mono-church, it allows each of us - as the different parts of the complete Body of Christ - to fully function together through ministry one to another for the mutual building up of all.

Don’t be like me - I’m much more hardheaded than most and God had to take me through a deep existential crisis to finally “get” it.

But when I did, it was liberating and I never looked back.

My walk with the Lord then became a wonderful journey of adventure and discovery …

One with another!

[Grafted Theology @GraftedTheology]

The Bible clearly teaches that God is not the author of evil. James 1:13–15 states that God neither tempts anyone nor can He be tempted by evil; sin arises from human desires that give birth to disobedience. Likewise, 1 John 1:5 declares, “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” His very nature is wholly opposed to sin.

Moreover, 1 John 2:15–16 shows that “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life” are not from the Father but from the world. The Bible consistently places the origin of sin in human rebellion and worldly corruption, not in the decrees of a holy God.

Scripture is clear: “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with You” (Ps 5:4). Micah 2:1 pronounces woe on those who scheme iniquity, and Proverbs 6:16–18 calls a heart that devises evil an abomination. If God decreed every sinful act, then He would be the very one devising the abominations He condemns, contradicting His holiness.

Some argue that texts like Genesis 50:20 or Acts 2:23 teach that God decrees evil. Yet these passages show something different: God’s power to bring good out of human sin without being its cause. Joseph told his brothers, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Their betrayal was truly their own; God’s role was to redeem their evil for a greater purpose - to save many lives.

Acts 2:23 says Jesus was handed over by God’s plan and foreknowledge, but it was men who, with sinful motives, nailed Him to the cross. God’s foreknowledge allowed Him to incorporate their rebellion into His redemptive plan without causing it. As Paul writes, “if [the rulers] had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor 2:8). They acted out of ignorance and sin, but could have chosen otherwise. Their freedom and responsibility remain intact, even as God worked through their actions for salvation.

Isaiah 45:7 is another text often misused: “I make peace and create calamity.” The Hebrew ra’ means disaster or judgment, not moral evil. The passage highlights God’s sovereignty over nations, His right to bring blessing or discipline, not that He creates sin.

The consistent testimony of Scripture is this: sin originates from human rebellion and the world’s corruption, not from God. His sovereignty is not diminished by this truth but magnified. For the Almighty is so wise and powerful that He can still accomplish His purposes regardless of human decisions and redeem evil without ever being its source.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

From this mornings sermon...

Mark 6:52 NKJV — For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

The way of God is to teach and then test for understanding. Do we learn the lessons or are our hearts to hard, lacking meekness, to understand?

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

@allanmstevens This is so good.

[MenLikeTrees @men_like_trees]

Preparation precedes purpose by passion in priority.

Be intentional in your Christian discipline and God will bring you discipleship.

#menliketrees