May 4, 2014 GROWTH: A LIFETIME CALL
The fact that we are new creations with new minds, new hearts and new spirits, does not negate the call for and the need for spiritual growth. Growth does not come without desire, effort and energy. The good news is that the more we come to know God, the more desire we have to grow in Him and into His likeness. I know that we all have some “bad days” when things just don’t seem to go our way, etc. and circumstances are not what we desire. Life on planet earth will see to it that we will have opportunity to be discouraged. This is where the “rubber meets the road” as the old timers would say. Even in the tough times or in the “blahs” time, we must choose to pay attention to our growth; to make the investment, to put forth the effort and if need be, re-ignite the desire to grow spiritually. (I just thought of a new song I heard the week titled “We Must Fight the Good Fight”; a good reminder.) I don’t think that we can stay on a level plain spiritually very long; either we are growing or we are headed to luke-warmness. As our eyes are being opened to see God as He is, we will want to see more of Him and we will not want to “plateau” in our relationship with Him. As hinted above, there will be those days when there is a need to “renew our minds” and a time to “draw near to Him”, but the life track that we are on needs to be that of growth. There are a couple of no-brainers on what brings about growth. The study and reading of God’s Word is absolutely foundational. The Word is THE written revelation of God! A second foundation is that of application. Putting into action what we are learning, or giving expression to what we are learning is what it’s all about. To have a head knowledge of scripture but live life that contradicts scripture is a travesty. It’s not about acquiring knowledge, but about a transformed life, becoming more like Him. If we find that other things in life compete with knowing God, then we most likely have not seen Him as He really is. When we begin to see Him, all of the other aspects of life fall into their proper place and we find “life” in all we do. My encouragement to us is to put the call to spiritual growth on the front burner no matter the circumstances. I can promise that we will find blessings.
1 Peter 2:2-3: “like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.”
Ephesians 4:13: “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the measure of the statue which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
11 Timothy 2:15: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Quote: “The Christian life is not a negation of life”.
Blessings,
Buddy
The fact that we are new creations with new minds, new hearts and new spirits, does not negate the call for and the need for spiritual growth. Growth does not come without desire, effort and energy. The good news is that the more we come to know God, the more desire we have to grow in Him and into His likeness. I know that we all have some “bad days” when things just don’t seem to go our way, etc. and circumstances are not what we desire. Life on planet earth will see to it that we will have opportunity to be discouraged. This is where the “rubber meets the road” as the old timers would say. Even in the tough times or in the “blahs” time, we must choose to pay attention to our growth; to make the investment, to put forth the effort and if need be, re-ignite the desire to grow spiritually. (I just thought of a new song I heard the week titled “We Must Fight the Good Fight”; a good reminder.) I don’t think that we can stay on a level plain spiritually very long; either we are growing or we are headed to luke-warmness. As our eyes are being opened to see God as He is, we will want to see more of Him and we will not want to “plateau” in our relationship with Him. As hinted above, there will be those days when there is a need to “renew our minds” and a time to “draw near to Him”, but the life track that we are on needs to be that of growth. There are a couple of no-brainers on what brings about growth. The study and reading of God’s Word is absolutely foundational. The Word is THE written revelation of God! A second foundation is that of application. Putting into action what we are learning, or giving expression to what we are learning is what it’s all about. To have a head knowledge of scripture but live life that contradicts scripture is a travesty. It’s not about acquiring knowledge, but about a transformed life, becoming more like Him. If we find that other things in life compete with knowing God, then we most likely have not seen Him as He really is. When we begin to see Him, all of the other aspects of life fall into their proper place and we find “life” in all we do. My encouragement to us is to put the call to spiritual growth on the front burner no matter the circumstances. I can promise that we will find blessings.
1 Peter 2:2-3: “like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.”
Ephesians 4:13: “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the measure of the statue which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
11 Timothy 2:15: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Quote: “The Christian life is not a negation of life”.
Blessings,
Buddy
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