Maurice K. Wright - Four Stages of Spiritual Growth: From Infancy To Fathers

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the King James Version

Scripture verses depicting KJV (King James Version), NASB (New American Standard Bible), Message Bible, Amplified Bible and the American Standard Versions Bible are taken from the Joyce Myers Ministries Bible Software: The Everyday Life Bible Study Library, WORDSearch, 2009. All rights reserved.

Four Stages of Spiritual Growth: From Infancy to Fathers

Copyright 2014 by Maurice K. Wright ()

ISBN: 978-0-9839483-3-9

eISBN: 9780983948346

Library of Congress Control Number 2014933719

Published by
Rapier Publishing Company
3417 Rainbow Parkway
Rainbow City, Alabama 35906
www.rapierpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved under the International Copyright Law. Contents and/ or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the consent of the Publisher, or Author.

Book Cover Design: TimBen Graphics

Book Layout: Rapture Graphics

DEDICATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I want to say first thanks to the Lord God Almighty who has inspired within me the desire to write. I have been moved by the Holy Spirit to write this discipleship-training book. Also, I want to thank my wife (Brenda) and my family for their love, patience and endurance throughout these years of ministry in the Lord. They have been my number one fans and support. I want to thank my spiritual father in the ministry, Apostle Halton (Pastor Alicia) Horton and the 7000 More Covenant Fellowship. You always encourage us to use our gifts, talents and abilities for the sake of the Kingdom. I want to thank Elders Bobby L. Garrett and Glenda Taylor for their thoughts, ideas and input as I shared my heart and vision with them. Last of all, I must say a very big thank you to the beloved United Christian Church Community of believers in Yeshua. You have believed in me and stuck by me through it all. Love and thanks to all!

FOREWORD

As Father of the 7000 More International Covenant Fellowship, it is with great pleasure to have a true son of God write such an inspiring and informative book that explains the word of God with such clarity. There are a few chosen men of God with the special gift of being able to teach the word of God which will impact and change your life, and its found in Apostle Maurice K. Wright. Apostle Wright has written this book The Four Stages of Spiritual Growth from his heart, and he has lived and experienced each stage. As you read this book and assess your life from the infant stage to the mature stage as a father (neither male nor female in Christ Jesus) you will be able to learn from your oppositions and turn them into opportunities. Remember maturing in the Lord is a process of growth and development as you move toward the goal of more than enough. Congratulations to Apostle Wright for a well-thought-out book of lifes true experiences.

Great Expectations,

Apostle Halton Skip Horton
The Day Star Tabernacle International
Douglasville, Georgia

AUTHORs COMMENTS

To illustrate to you the process of progression in maturity, let us use the baseball field diagram depicted below. It has four basses: first base, second base, third base and home plate

The object of the game is to score runs. In order to score a run the game has rules that each player must adhere to. The rules of the game state that you must go through all the bases in order, from first to third base, and then to home plate. You cannot score without going to each base.

The object is not just to get on base, but it is to progress from base to base until you reach home plate, and this has to be done in order. You cannot go from first base across the field to third, because this goes against the rules, second base cannot be overlooked.

It is the same in the spirit realm for the children of God. Yes, you do want to get on base (first). You cannot score a run unless you get on base. But we cannot become content or totally satisfied with just being on base. You should want to score. In the diagram, below we have provided for you what each base represents in the spiritual growth game: First base (infancy), second base (childhood), third base (young man) and home plate (adult, fathers).

God is pleased when we get on base through salvation. However, He desires to see those who get on base come to maturity in fatherhood in the Lord.

Now that you are on base! SCORE!

PREFACE

As I prepare this teaching to assist the body of Christ, the Church, in their personal spiritual growth and path to spiritual maturity, I am reminded of the words of Yeshua [Jesus] to the Pharisees. He said, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe... and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others (Matthew 23:23, NASB).

Here, Jesus reprimanded these religious leaders for majoring in the lesser things or responsibilities of the Kingdom of God, which as believers, saints, disciples, and citizens of the Community of believers in Christ Jesus should be our focus, or priority. They were remarkably scrupulous in the performance of all the rites and ceremonies of religion, but totally neglected the spirit, soul, and practice of godliness.

Jesus said, These ought ye to have done. Our Lord did not object to their paying tithe even of common pot-herbsthis did not affect the spirit of religion; but while they did this and such like, to the utter neglect of justice, mercy, and faith, they showed that they had no religion, and knew nothing of its nature.

The main point in this passage is that one should properly order ones priorities- to put first things first (without totally neglecting the other required things of lesser importance), and live a life pleasing to God.

Too many believers in Christ Jesus have failed to take personal responsibility for their own spiritual growth and maturity. They begin with great excitement and joy about being saved, but lack the discipline, devotion and determination needed to reach the level of maturity that God, the Father desires and will for every child of His to attain. As a result, the Church has been hindered, and not as effective or mobile as she should because of the immaturity and carnality that make up a great percentage of the Church. Hence, it is not a question of our salvation, but a question of our maturity.

This immaturity is a part of the curse of having no fathers (Malachi 4:5-6). The Church is in great need of true spiritual fathers to teach, train, mentor, and prepare the next generation and sons of God for greater work and more effective service in the Lord. See II Timothy 2:1-2. We still need fathers in the Lord, who have been called, chosen and anointed by the LORD. Fathers who God can and will use to turn many men hearts to their God and Savior. Fathers who will go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah as servants and witnesses for Christ, turning the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:15-17 Amplified Bible).

It is the will of God the Father in heaven that once a sinner comes to Christ, confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, receives the gift of salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through faith by grace, and really taste of the goodness and kindness of the Lord, he or she grows up in his or her salvation and comes to full maturity and complete knowledge of God.