ONE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS CHRISTIANS IS TO GROW SPIRITUALLY IN ALL THE THINGS OF GOD. IT WILL DO US NO GOOD WHATSOEVER TO STAY IN THE SAFETY ZONE OF SPIRITUAL INFANCY OF JUST BEING BORN AGAIN. WE MUST GROW!
PETER WROTE IN 1 PETER 2:2-3, “LIKE NEWBORN BABIES, YOU MUST CRAVE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK SO THAT YOU WILL GROW INTO A FULL EXPERIENCE OF SALVATION. CRY OUT FOR THIS NOURISHMENT, NOW THAT YOU HAVE HAD A TASTE OF THE LORD’S KINDNESS.”
GROWING DEEPER IN OUR FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE IS CRITICAL FOR ALL BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS. THAT IS WHY PETER URGED US TO GROW. THE WORD “GROW” HERE IS A VERB IN THE PRESENT IMPERATIVE, MEANING “KEEP ON GROWING.”
SO, THE CORRECT TRANSLATION OF OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE TODAY IS, “KEEP ON GROWING IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.”
IN OTHER WORDS, WE SHOULD BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL HELP US GET TO KNOW JESUS ON A DEEPER AND INTIMATE LEVEL.
NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE IN OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, NO MATTER HOW MATURE WE ARE, THE SINFUL WORLD WILL ALWAYS CHALLENGE OUR FAITH AND TEMPT US TO MOVE FARTHER AWAY FROM OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
WE MUST HUNGER FOR GOD AND FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. WE MUST THIRST FOR HIS WAYS AND SEEK HIM DILIGENTLY. WE MUST BE DETERMINED THAT WE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED HIM INTIMATELY AND PERSONALLY.
JEREMIAH WROTE IN 15:16, “YOUR WORDS WERE FOUND, AND I ATE THEM, AND YOUR WORD WAS TO ME THE JOY AND REJOICING OF MY HEART.” WE SHOULD LONG TO INGEST AND DIGEST GOD’S WORD. WE SHOULD DESIRE TO HAVE A “BALANCED DIET” OF HIS WORD.
WE GET THE PROPER AMOUNTS FROM THE FIVE BASIC BIBLE GROUPS:
HISTORY – GENESIS, JOSHUA, 1 SAMUEL, AND ACTS
PROPHECY – DANIEL, REVELATION, EZEKIEL, JEREMIAH
POETRY – PSALMS, PROVERBS, ECCLESIASTES, SONG OF SOLOMON
GOSPELS – MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN
EPISTLES – ROMANS, EPHESIANS, 1 PETER, JUDE.
YOU OBVIOUSLY DON’T NEED TO STUDY FROM ALL FIVE EVERY DAY, BUT YOU DO NEED TO GLEAN FROM THEM REGULARLY IF YOU EXPECT TO HAVE A HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL SPIRITUAL LIFE.
DON’T EVER SETTLE FOR JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT COME FROM SKIMMING THROUGH THE BIBLE. DON’T TRY TO LIVE BY BROAD, GENERAL CONCEPTS THAT PROVIDE YOU WITH TOO LITTLE INFORMATION OR NOT ENOUGH OF THE TRUTH.
INSTEAD, DIG DEEP AND LOOK CLOSELY AT ALL THE WORDS. DISSECT THE LANGUAGE TO UNDERSTAND THE SPECIFICS. GET DOWN TO THE NITTY-GRITTY OF THE BIBLICAL IDEAS.
GET TO KNOW HOW THE PASSAGE FITS INTO THE CHAPTER AND HOW THE CHAPTER FITS INTO THE BOOK. STUDY AND MEDITATE TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING WHY THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN, WHO IT WAS WRITTEN BY, WHO IT WAS WRITTEN TO, AND WHEN IT WAS WRITTEN. IT ALL PAINTS A VIVID PICTURE TO IMPACT YOUR LIFE AND TO ENHANCE YOUR SPRITUAL MATURITY AND GROWTH.
AS JESUS WARNED SATAN IN MATTHEW 4:4, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PRCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.” THE SPECIFIC WORDS OF SCRIPTURE ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US – NOT JUST THE GENERAL CONCEPTS. HAVING BALANCED GROWTH IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES REQUIRES A BALANCED SPIRITUAL DIET OF GOD’S WORD.
ANOTHER WAY TO HAVE BALANCED GROWTH IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES IS TO KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISE. THE TWO MOST COMMON FORMS OF EXECISE IS PRAYER AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE.
PRAYER IS SO IMPORTANT AND CRUCIAL FOR US BECAUSE IT IS COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNION WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. IT IS THE MOST COMMEN-SENSE THING TO DO, YET THE HARDEST.
PRAYER IS HARD WORK. IT TAKES EFFORT AND A REQUIRES A LOT OF CONCENTRATION. JESUS HAD TO USE GREAT PHYSICAL STRENGTH WHILE PRAYING. IN LUKE 22:44, TELLS US THAT JESUS “PRAYED MORE EARNESTLY. THEN HIS SWEAT BECAME LIKE GREAT DROPS OF BLOOD FALLING DOWN TO THE GROUND.”
IT WASN’T ANY EASIER FOR JONAH IN THE BELLY OF THAT GREAT FISH (JONAH 2:1-10) NOR WAS IT A BREEZE FOR ELIJAH FACING DEATH AT THE HANDS OF QUEEN JEZEBEL (1 KINGS 18:36-37), SO WE SHOULDN’T THINK IT WILL BE A “SINCH” EITHER.
SOMETIMES PRAYER IS AN ACT OF THE WILL, BUT IN ALL, WE KNOW IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. YES, PRAYER IS A DISCIPLINE, BUT A HEALTHY PRACTICE THAT CAN BECOME A NATURAL PART OF WHO WE ARE BECAUSE WE KNOW WHO WE ARE SPEAKING WITH.
PRAYER IS COMMUNION WITH GOD. PRAYER IS A TIME OF INTIMACY WITH GOD. PRAYER IS A TIME OF WORSHIP AND AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO GIVE HIM HONOR, GLORY, AND PRAISE.
YOU SEE, PRAYER ISN’T JUST ABOUT SENDING UP A “SHOPPING LIST” TO HEAVEN FOR GOD TO “ANSWER THIS” AND “GIMME THAT.” GOD ENJOYS HEARING AND ACCEPTING OUR REQUESTS. WE JUST NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR REQUESTS ARE NOT THE ONLY SUBSTANCE TO OUR PRAYERS.
IN ORDER TO HAVE A BALANCED AND GROWING SPRITUAL LIFE, WE MUST DISCIPLINE OURSELVES TO DEVELOP A PRAYER LIFE WITH GOD OUR FATHER THAT BRINGS US INTO HIS INTIMATE PRESENCE NO MATTER WHEN, WHERE, OR HOW WE PRAY.
ANOTHER AREA OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISE IS GOING TO CHURCH. JESUS WAS SERIOUS ABOUT HIS CHURCH AS HE TOLD PETER IN MATTHEW 16:18, “ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND THE GATES OF HADES SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.” JESUS WAS NOT REFERRING TO A HUMANLY BUILT FACILITY OR STRUCTURE. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT US AS A COLLECTIVE BODY OF BELIEVERS!
HEBREWS 10:25, SAYS WE SHOULD “NOT [FORSAKE] THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER.” SIMPLY PUT, YOU CANNOT IDENTIFY WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST WITHOUT BEING A PART OF A CHURCH BODY.
CHURCH IS THE PLACE WHERE WE CAN GO TO BE ENCOURAGED, UPLIFTED, EQUIPPED, AND EDIFIED. BUT, MOST IMPORTANTLY, CHURCH IS WHERE WE GO TO WORSHIP GOD.
WE GO TO PRAISE THE NAME OF JESUS. WE GO TO FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHERS, TO EXHORT ONE ANOTHER AND TO SHOW OUR GENUINE LOVE FOR OUR SAVIOR.
TO HAVE BALANCED GROWTH IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES, WE MUST KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISE SUCH AS PRAYER AND GOING TO CHURCH.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, TO HAVE BALANCED GROWTH IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES, WE MUST BE WITNESSES FOR JESUS CHRIST. NOTICE, I SAID WITNESSES NOT EVANGELISTS!
BEYOND OUR SPECIFIC CALL, GOD HAS DESIGNED EACH OF US TO BE WITNESSES. JESUS SAID TO THE CROWD IN ACTS 1:8, JUST BEFORE HIS ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN THAT, “YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME.” THIS WAS A SPECIFIC STATEMENT OF FACT!
SAVED, BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS ARE TO BE WITNESSES OF THEIR SALVATION. WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US IS SUCH GREAT NEWS, HOW COULD ANYONE KEEP THAT TO THEMSELVES?
WE SHOULD BE ANXIOIUS TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:20, “WE ARE AMBASSADORS ON BEHALF OF CHRIST….” SIMPLY PUT: WITNESSING IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO WITNESS ABOUT!
WE ARE NOT CALLED TO DRAW PEOPLE TO CHRIST. THAT IS THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (JOHN 6:44). WE ARE NOT CALLED TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE IN CHRIST. THAT IS THE INDIVIDUAL’S CHOICE (JOHN 3:14-17). OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BE A WITNESS!
WITNESSING IS NOT DIFFICULT! IT’S JUST TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU WHEN YOU REPENTED OF YOUR SINS, ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR, AND EXPERIENCED HIS GRACE-FILLED SALVATION.
IT’S TELLING THE STORY OF WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU. IT IS YOUR STORY, SO TELL YOUR STORY. IT IS WORTH HEARING. TO HAVE BALANCED GROWTH IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES WE MUST BE WITNESSES FOR JESUS CHRIST.
THE BOTTOM LINE, FOR ALL OF US, IS THAT WE GROW! WE MUST MOVE BEYOND SPIRITUAL INFANCY AND GROW TOWARDS SPIRITUAL MATURITY. BABIES ARE BORN NOT TO STAY HELPLESS AND DEPENDENT, BUT TO GROW AND MATURE.
JUST LIKE WE WON’T FIND VEGITABLES AND THE GOOD THINGS WE NEED FOR OUR HEALTH IN THE CANDY ISLE OF THE COMMISSARY, WE WON’T FIND THE SOLID SPIRITUAL FOOD WE NEED WATCHING TV CHURCH, GLANCING THROUGH DAILY DEVOTIONALS OR BY LISTENING TO OUR FAVORITE PREACHER ON THE RADIO.
TO GROW SPIRITUALLY HEALHTY WE MUST EXERCISE DAILY. EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO PRAY DIRECTLY TO GOD THROUGH THE NAME OF JESUS AND IN THEPOWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
EXERCISE YOUR GIFTS HERE IN THE CHAPEL SERVICE AND THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS CHAPEL MINISTRIES THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE LIVES OF OTHERS. EXERCISE YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY TELLING OTHERS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST THE SAVIOR WHO HAS CHANGED YOUR LIFE.
IF ALL OF US WILL JUST DO SOME OF THESE FEW THINGS TO HELP ESTABLISH A SPIRITUAL REGIMEN OF BALANCED SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN OUR LIVES, WE WILL SEE SPIRITUAL DIVIDENDS OF ETERNAL PROPORTIONS FROM ALL THESE INVESTMENTS.
JOHN 10:10, JESUS SAID, “I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.”
MAY YOU GO FORTH TODAY SEEKING THE ABUNDANT LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST SO THAT YOU WILL BE, “GROWING IN THE GRACE, AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!” TO HIM BE GLORY BOTH NOW AND FOR EVER. AMEN.
