Good morning! I’m glad to welcome you to worship today at Hillcrest Baptist Church. 

As we come to the close of 2107 many of us will find ourselves taking an inventory of our lives over the past year, and begin to make decisions about resolutions or changes that we believe we need or want to make. One resolution of change that is common among the masses is that of losing weight or getting physically fit. Of course, this resolution, for many, has more to do with image than health, but becoming healthier is an awesome result of losing weight, when achieved with proper diet and exercise.

Today we are beginning a 9-week sermon series that we have titled GET FIT SPIRITUALLY. The goal of this series is to strengthen our growth and walk with Christ. There are many scriptures that challenge the believer to continually be growing in Christ. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the church at Ephesus stated, “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16).

Where are you in your spiritual growth with Christ? Are you even growing? Have you become stale or stagnant? Are you zealous and excited about your relationship with Christ?

Before anyone can set true goals of weight loss and/or physical health, they usually must do a thorough check-up, which includes a weigh-in, and sometimes a physical. Without a weigh-in or physical you have no idea of where you really are, where you need to go, and how to get there. This morning we are going to do a general “weigh-in” spiritually, so that we can all determine where we are, what goals we need to set, and how to grow towards those goals.

Today we will begin our GET FIT SPIRITUALLY series with MAKING OUR DAYS COUNT from James 4:13-17.