What Makes You A Better Christian

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Engel. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:14] Be blessed. How do you actually talk about what makes you a better Christian? 2 Peter 3, verse 18.

[0:38] If you don't mind, can we all read it from the screen? Is that okay? Let's go. What are we supposed to do?

[1:00] Grow? It is not just normal growth. This one is grace growth. And not just grace growth and the knowledge.

[1:11] You are knowing Christ. What shows you are a better Christian and you are doing well in the Christian is how much more you are knowing Christ. It is not how much more you are not seeing.

[1:23] It is not what you have stopped doing, bad things you have stopped doing that makes you a better Christian. It is you are growing in Christ, in knowledge.

[1:35] You are knowing him better. How can you know Christ better whom you cannot see? Christian growth is not any growth but growth in God's word.

[1:48] I am not talking about theological exercise. I am talking about you are growing in your Christ-centered discoveries in the scriptures.

[2:00] There is no way you can grow as a Christian if you are not knowing the word of God more. You are not growing.

[2:12] Why is it? Because you don't know God's word. Matthew chapter 2, verse 29. Jesus said that you do err not knowing the scriptures. So, it is not your willpower that determines how well you are growing in the Lord.

[2:29] Some people, there are things you are doing which you may think is what makes you a better Christian, which is just your personal strength. Your personality.

[2:39] It has to do with your... It is seated. It is seated and founded on your personality and personal strength. So, most of the things that sometimes we can say, I do, I don't do, it is hinged on your personal strength, your personality.

[2:56] Some of you are so gentle, you will never hit a fly. It doesn't make you a better Christian. No. Spiritual growth is not predicated on reformation of character.

[3:09] Wow. Spiritual growth is not predicated on reformation of character. Wow. But you cannot grow and still behave in a certain way.

[3:24] So, what is the clear sign of spiritual growth? What makes it clear? Somebody is growing in the Lord. We read the scripture in 2 Peter chapter 18, sorry, chapter 3 verse 18 that says that grow in godliness.

[3:42] And then when you read Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15. Ephesians 4 verse 15. Thank you, Jesus. Is somebody learning something at all? Yes. Wow.

[3:53] I like the scripture. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things. Do you see the growth there? Are you growing, sir? Are you growing? Are you growing?

[4:05] Well, all you care about is personal things. You don't care about the Bible. You call yourself a Christian. You've been a Christian. You claim you are born again for about three months now, four months now, six months now. There has never been any upgrade of your ex-countess in the Bible.

[4:20] We walk by faith and not by sight. How can you walk by faith if you are not reading your Bible? Your faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. Romans chapter 10 verse 17. How can you walk by faith without a word of God?

[4:33] How? Tell me. Tell me. How? How? How can you take shower without water? How? How? Tell me.

[4:46] Tell me. How? How can you take shower without water? How? How? How? So you can't assume that coming to church makes you, you are growing.

[5:01] Unfortunately, some of us are not growing at all. They are not growing at all. That's why you are, there is not much word of God inside you. That's why you are struggling with sin.

[5:11] In Psalm 119 verse 11, it says, Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you. If you are struggling with sin, it's an indication there's not enough word of God in your heart.

[5:24] It's not an indication that you are weak, weak-willed. It's not that your will is weak. It's not that even possible. It's not that you are indisciplined.

[5:36] It's that there's no word in you. It's not that word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you. It said, how shall a young man cleanse his way?

[5:49] By taking heed to your word. Verse 8. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed thereunto according to thy word.

[6:03] So, in Christianity, we grew. We grow. It's not you have come and say that. No, you grow. You grow. You have to grow.

[6:15] The Bible says grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians chapter 2 verse 19 talks about we grow. We grow. Are you growing? Are you growing?

[6:28] Are you growing? And not holding fast to the head from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

[6:47] I like that one. We are growing. We are growing with the increase that is from God. Amen. So every Christian is supposed to grow.

[6:57] Tell somebody, you need to grow. Tell somebody, grow up, grow up, grow up, grow up, grow up, grow up. You need to grow. Growing what?

[7:08] Not behavior. In the word of God. A lot of people don't realize that Christian growth has everything to do with the word of God. Some people, when now they have practiced this tongue thing, that they are not growing.

[7:24] They can speak in big tongues, but they are not growing. They are not growing. You are a big tongue. You are a big tongue talker, but you don't read your Bible. You don't read your Bible.

[7:38] The Bible, most of you think you are reading the Bible. No, but the Bible is not reading you. It does something to your soul and to your spirit for the Christian.

[7:51] So, have you realized how you are a concern? You Christian who have not been reading your Bible, you are a concern. Satan is very happy with you. Because you are not growing.

[8:03] You are not growing. And all the good behavior is just hinged on your personal abilities. 1 Peter 2, verse 1 and 2. Thank you, Jesus.

[8:16] Thank you, Lord. You cannot grow in Christ if you are not growing in the word of God. Did I say 1 Peter 2? Verse 1.

[8:28] I would like to read it from my Bible. 1 Peter 2, verse 1. Wherefore, lay aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all evil speakings.

[8:47] You have to lay aside some stuff. Girl, I'm talking to Christians. Lay aside some stuff. Lay aside.

[8:59] Lay aside. Lay aside. Lay aside all malice. Give me a message. Let's hear a message. Thank you, Jesus.

[9:11] Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense and hurtful talk. Lay aside all malice and superfluity.

[9:23] NLT. Let's go to NLT. Get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit. Hypocrisy.

[9:34] Ask somebody, this hypocrisy thing, do you think it's you they are talking about? Some of you cannot say it. Ask somebody. This hypocrisy thing because it keeps coming, coming, coming.

[9:45] Are you not sure it's you? It's you. It's you. Do I have some concentration of some hypocrisy here?

[10:00] No, I don't think so. But the way this scripture keeps coming back, maybe there's somebody who, I'm not saying you are the one. You are not. You don't look, you look like an angel. In what way can you be a hypocrite?

[10:11] But I said lay aside hypocrisy. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. When you come to church, you are lifting hands and praying. Let it be genuine. Look at the next verse.

[10:24] Is somebody learning something? Oh. Ask. Let's all read here from the screen. Let's go. If you can see the screen, read it out very loud.

[10:35] Let's go. Ask people, praise. Signs to the speaker of the world that he may grow thereby. You have to grow. God expects you to grow.

[10:48] God expects you to grow. You have to grow. Brother, you have been in church too long and you are not growing. You have to grow. Sister, you have been in church too long.

[10:59] You are not growing. Spiritual growth has not got to do with longevity in church. No. No. And it's not automatic. Natural growth is longevity. Natural growth is automatic.

[11:10] Spiritual growth is not based on longevity and it's not automatic. Spiritual growth, you have to engage yourself. Grow. A pastor's job is to help you to grow.

[11:22] Amen. Not to pray for you. Even though praying for you, standing with you, supporting you, counseling you, encouraging you, all those things come together in the package.

[11:32] But fundamentally, it's to feed you with the word of God so that you can be growing. You have to grow. He said desire. Somebody say desire. Desire.

[11:43] Oh, come on. I know I didn't say it loud, but you can say it louder. Say desire. Desire. Desire the sincere milk of the word of God.

[11:53] Desire. You have to be hungry for it. Desire. So you see, the word has got milk. Yeah. How can a child grow without taking milk?

[12:05] The way a child's growth, when a child arrives, the first thing he's looking for is milk. For the first few weeks a month, all they want is milk and sleep. Some of the children, the way they can cry when you don't give them food.

[12:18] When they are hungry. Some of you ask, how is that baby? Say, oh, pastor. This is a very good baby. But when he's hungry, he'll cry. Some of them can scream like they are preachers.

[12:31] How come you don't have a desire for milk of God's word? How come? He says, newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word of God.

[12:46] He's talking about the word of God. That you may grow thereby. Paul, in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Yeah. 3 verse 1.

[12:56] Let's start from verse 1. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as spiritual, but unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. Why?

[13:07] I couldn't speak unto you. Go to the next verse. I fed you. So his speaking was feeding. How was he feeding them? By speaking to them. So, he said, I couldn't feed you with milk.

[13:21] Oh, sorry. I fed you with milk, not with meat. For hitherto you are not able to bear it. Neither are you able, since you are not growing. So you still have milk level. Milk.

[13:33] So the word of God is likened to milk. For babies. Some of us have remained a baby for too long. Spiritual baby. You are still on pampers.

[13:44] You are wearing pampers. You are in church, but you are wearing pampers. And there's a big feeding bottle on your mouth. I like the music. Ah, the music is all nice. Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. Yes, that's all.

[13:55] It's all about what you like. It's all about you. He said the milk. In Hebrews chapter 5, verse 13.

[14:06] He talks about children and milk. Babes and milk. He says that, For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and become such as have need of milk, not strong meat.

[14:28] Milk. So the word of God has a milk level. Wow. So when you start, you have to desire the milk. I like what Isaiah chapter 55, verse 1. Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.

[14:40] And you who have no money, come, buy and eat. You don't have money, but I say, come and buy. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

[14:51] This is talking about the word of God. Come, come and buy it. Isaiah 58, verse 9. 28, 9. Did I say 28? Yeah. Please forgive me.

[15:02] I've got a lot more scriptures to go to. Plenty. Okay. After this, I'm going to start rolling scriptures. I'll give you about 10 scriptures.

[15:12] I won't comment. So you can write them down. Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message?

[15:25] Those just weaned from me. Charlie? You have stayed on milk too long. Get weaned from milk. And people who are weaned from milk, I'm telling you, believe you me, it's easier to pastor.

[15:39] How many of you know that it's easier to deal with secondary school students than nursery? They will cry anytime.

[15:51] And with nursery, you need a lot of kids. And with nursery, you need a lot of kids. And with nursery, you need a lot of kids. You need a lot of kids. And a lot of kids. And a lot of kids. So can you imagine a church filled with infants?

[16:02] Spiritual infants. It's a lot of work. Listen to this. I'm about to zoom into something. Listen to this. So it said, back to 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 2.

[16:15] As newborn babies, desire. Say desire. Desire. First of all, you have to have a craving. How many of you know children really like milk?

[16:26] Do you like God's word like that? You must be so desperate for God's word. You can't wait. When you're coming to church, you can't wait to hear the word. When we close from church, you can't wait to go and listen to it.

[16:39] Log on YouTube. Podcast. Just fill your house with messages. You are cooking in the kitchen. You are listening. Message. Message. Message. So your life doesn't become an emergency. And when you're in emergency, you are coming for pastor to do charms.

[16:53] You are wordless. That's why Satan finds it so easy to hang around you. Two days ago, I quoted this scripture in Proverbs. It's not part of my scripture today. Proverbs where it says that, give attention to my word.

[17:06] Proverbs chapter 4, verse 20, 21, 22. My son, give attention to my word. Incline your ears to my sayings. Let that not depart from your eyes. Verse 2. Let them not depart from your eyes.

[17:18] Keep them in the midst of your heart. Why? Why? 22. For they are life. The word of God is life. To who? To those who find them. And what? And health.

[17:28] To all their flesh. You are too weak physically. You are too weak every time. You are too sickly. Begin to download God's word. And believe God.

[17:38] He says the word is health to my flesh. Now the rabbi is hitting the road. Reality. Practice. Practice the word. Get into the word and taking what the word is saying.

[17:49] Eating it like Jeremiah chapter 15, verse 16. He said, your words were found. I did eat your words. And they were rejoicing of my heart. I found it. The words. He said, thy words.

[17:59] Jeremiah 15, verse 16. Thy words were found. And I did eat them. And they were unto me. The joy. I like it. The joy. And the rejoicing. The joy. He said, thy words to me.

[18:10] The joy. And the rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by your name, oh Lord. I love your word. Your word is sweet to me. In Job chapter 23, verse 12. He says that, I have esteemed your word more than my necessary food.

[18:22] Breakfast. Now I have gone back from the commandments of your name. I have esteemed the word of his mouth more than my necessary food. The way you like food.

[18:35] If you can like God's word like that. I hear you see people say, ask for me, my food. I don't joke with my food. I love my food. I love my food.

[18:46] Five calls every day, every day. I love my food. Is there anything wrong? No, there's nothing wrong. But how I wish you would love God's word like that. Matthew chapter 4, verse 4.

[19:00] So man must not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Let the word of God be your desire. I'm about to quote a few scriptures from Psalm. Psalm 1, verse 1, 2.

[19:12] Act 3. Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Nor stand in the way of sinners. Nor sit in the seat of the scornful. Verse 2. By his delight, Jesus.

[19:22] Say delight. Say delight. Delight. He said, there's a drink called sunny delight. Yes. This is why his word delight. He said, by his delight.

[19:33] You, you, you. Delight in the word of God. Delight in the word of God. He said, he said, by his delight. Verse 2 of Psalm 1.

[19:44] His delight is in the word of the Lord. And in his word, he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. Who brings forth his fruits in his season.

[19:56] You don't need deliverance. You flourish because the word of God is so much in you. Everybody has demon issues. But most people who are always running after deliverance, they don't read their Bible.

[20:07] They don't familiarize after. And they don't take the responsibility of growing their Christian life. They abdicate it to a pastor to do it for them. Anyway. Psalm 1, 9.

[20:19] Psalm 19, verse 7 to 11. Let's all read here from the screen. Then I'll end. Let's go. Go ahead.

[20:34] Go ahead. Rejoicing the heart. The commandments of the Lord is pure. And all statues, commandments, the testimony, it all means the word of God.

[20:46] This boy can do for you. Go ahead. Verse 9. The fear of the Lord is clean and joy forever. The darkness of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

[20:59] More to be desired a day than old. He said you should desire God's word more than jewelry. He said, sir. He said more to be desired a day.

[21:12] That's the word of God. More than gold. More than fine gold. Desire the word of God. I'm talking to Christians. If you're not a Christian, you can't understand what I'm talking about. It's Christian. This is Christians. Christians.

[21:24] You say you're a Christian. I challenge you. Let the word of God dwell in you richly. Colossians chapter 3 verse 16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly. It says that more to be desired. Please, let's go.

[21:35] More to be desired a day than gold. Yea, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than the honey and the honeycomb. Look at verse 11. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned.

[21:47] And in keeping of them, there is great reward. I'm talking about the word of God. Psalm 119 verse 16. Verse 24. Verse 35. Verse 47.

[21:58] Verse 48. Verse 50. Verse 72. Verse 92. Verse 97. Verse 103. Verse 111. Verse 113. Verse 1. Okay, write them before we read it.

[22:16] Psalm 119. Verse 16. Verse 24. Verse 24. Verse 35. Verse 47. Verse 48.

[22:27] Verse 72. Verse 92. Verse 97. Verse 103. Verse 111. Verse 113.

[22:41] Verse 127. Verse 159. Verse 159. Verse 167. And then verse 174.

[22:52] How many? How many? Okay. I have to load you with scriptures.

[23:03] When you go home, you have a lot to fall on. Verse 16. Verse 16. Psalm 119 verse 16. Is it okay if we all read it out loud? Yes. Is that okay? Let's read.

[23:13] Let's go. Let's go. I will delight myself in thy statutes. I will not forget thy word. Did you see? When you see statutes, when you see testimony, when you see commandments, when you see precepts, it's all talking about the word of God.

[23:25] That I will delight myself. Where? In your statutes. Delight. Desire the sincere milk of the word. You have to have a craving and genuine desire for it. Else, you cannot grow.

[23:37] You cannot. Growth starts from desire for God's word. Christian growth starts from. That's what I'm trying to say. You can't grow as a Christian if you don't develop a hunger for God's word. That's the fundamental point I'm trying to make.

[23:50] Verse 24. Let's read it out loud. Let's go. I have testimony also. And my delight. And my counselors. Verse 35. Make me to go in the path of thy commandment.

[24:03] For therein do I delight. Verse 47. And I will delight myself in thy commandment, which I have loved. Verse 48. My hand also will lift thee unto thy commandment, which I have loved.

[24:20] And I have meditated all. Verse 72. The law of thy commandment is better unto me than thousands of gold.

[24:31] Is this not serious? The law of your mind is better to me than thousands of gold and silver. Are you a Christian?

[24:41] I challenge you with this scripture. Amen. That's why you're not growing. Because this scripture has not found an expression in your life. A lot of other things are better to you than the word of God.

[24:55] You spend so much time on social media. But you say, I don't have time for the word of God. It's a delight problem. It's not intentional. It's a delight problem.

[25:06] Your heart's desire is on something else. Verse 92. Let's go. Unless thy law hath made my glass, as she then hath perished in my life.

[25:21] Wow. Verse 97. Let's go. Oh, I love that one. Oh, how I love your law.

[25:32] Let's say that again. Oh, how I love thy law. For the last time. Oh, how I love thy law. Verse 103. Verse 103. Let's go.

[25:43] How sweet of thy word unto my taste. Yea, sweeter than thy mouth. Wow. Verse 111. Let's go.

[25:53] But I just want you to have I hated as a heritage of God. For they are the rejoicing of mine. Ah, did you see how sweet. Some of you, as I'm preaching, are you not enjoying the word of God?

[26:04] Yes. It's a sign that you're a genuine Christian. Unbelievers don't have what it takes to enjoy God's word. They don't have it. They can't enjoy God's word. They easily get bored very quickly. Amen. Verse 113.

[26:18] Let's go. Don't read the first. That's it. See Mark. Don't leave it alone. Let's go. I hate great thoughts. But thy love I love. Oh, wow.

[26:28] Verse 127. Let's go. Therefore I love thy commandments. Above God. Yea, above God. God. Amazing.

[26:39] Isn't it amazing? Amazing. Verse 159. Let's go. Consider how I love thy precepts. Quickly, O Lord, according to my Lord.

[26:50] I love your precepts. Verse 167. My soul has kept thy testimony, and I love them exceedingly. Did you see that?

[27:01] I love them exceedingly. I've been to notice something when I'm preaching. I quote the scripture. I get annihilated. It does something to me. I just am so much in love. Finally, verse 174.

[27:13] Let's go. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord, and thy Lord is my life. Amen. Did you receive something? We thank God for using his servant, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word.

[27:28] If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at karis.org. Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Karis Finish Youth.

[27:44] Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed.

[27:59] Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed.

[28:09] Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed. Stay blessed.