But Continue To Grow --- Development

BUT CONTINUE TO GROW… DEVELOPMENT!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

IS OUR GROWTH CONTINUING OR ARE WE DYING?

GROWTH: improve, increase, develop, mature, progressive development, MATURITY, AGE, SIZE, WEIGHT, HEIGHT.

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

HEALTHY GROWTH TAKES MANY FORMS: PHYSICAL, MENTAL, SOCIAL WELL BEING. It involves your WEIGHT, LENGTH,

MOTOR SKILLS, LANGUAGE SKILLS, WORK ETHICS and many more issues.

Unhealthy growth is often TIRED, WEAK, too much sugar, illness, stress, panic attacks, slow development, shortness of breath, coughs, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, rash, etc.

We need a GOOD APPETITE, A BALANCED DIET ( 4 FOOD GROUPS) Whole grain fiber, vitamins, milk, fruits and vegetables, GOOD SLEEP, GOOD REST, ENERGY, A HEALTHY CURIOSITY

DO WE EVER DO A SELF EXAMINATION… WE TEND TO AVOID SEASONS OF TESTING. DO WE TEST OUR FAITH? ARE WE GROWING OR DO WE STAY HERE AND NEVER CHANGE?

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

PETER GIVES THE CHRISTIAN AN IMPERATIVE COMMAND… AN ORDER TO OBEY…

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Peter knew what failure was… 3 times he denied Jesus… but he delivered the first message after Pentecost… “WHAT MEANETH THIS…” As Peter is closing his book he stated BUT CONTINUE TO GROW AND INCREASE IN GOD…

REAL HEALTHY GROWTH IS RARELY BY ACCIDENT… GOOD GROWTH COMES FROM PREPAREDNESS…

I WAS CHAPLAIN AT A HOSPITAL… The doctors, nurses or social workers would recommend patients they thought might like or need a spiritual visit. I WAS ON DUTY ONE DAY AND A CARD WAS HANDED TO ME… a small child was diagnosed with FAILURE TO THRIVE… this girl was very small for her age… SHE ATE VERY LITTLE. She was lifeless and would just lay around all the time…

Will we exist in perpetual babyhood?

Hebrews 5:12 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 are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

LOVE MUST GROW OR IT WILL DIE… AND YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMETHING ELSE.

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

Hebrews 6:1 (ESV) Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

GROWTH IS MATURITY… A CHILD NEEDS CORRECTION… AS WE GROW WE SHOULD NEED LESS AND LESS CORRECTION FROM OTHERS AND WE WILL SELF-DISCIPLINE.

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Do we have the mustard seed beginning… that is ok… we can change. Perhaps our beginnings are modest, but we can develop and grow… your final days will be full of prosperity if we grow.

Job 8:7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

I WANT MORE? WHY NOT USE WHAT WE HAVE? SMALL IS OK… BUT WE NEED TO BE GROWING…

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

EVERY PERSON IS GIVEN A MEASURE OF FAITH? WHAT IS THE MEASURE--- ONE SIZE FITS ALL? LET ME TELL YOU MY OPINION… GOD GIVES EACH INDIVIDUAL THE MEASURE OF FAITH THAT THEY WILL NEED IN THEIR JOURNEY… IF YOU HAVE SMALL PROBLEMS, YOU WILL HAVE SMALL FAITH. IF YOU WILL FACE GIANTS, GOD WILL GIVE YOU GIANT FAITH.

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

JOHN CHAPTER 15 RECORDS 4 KINDS OF TREES… SPIRITUALLY THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF TREES: FIRE WOOD OR FRUIT trees? THEN THERE ARE TREES WITH NO FRUIT? TREES WITH FRUIT? TREES WITH MORE FRUIT? TREES WITH MUCH FRUIT? WHICH ARE YOU?