2 Peter 3:17-18 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
All around the world, people go to church, bow their head to pray, and hear sermons, but many are not growing spiritually. I truly consider this a great tragedy.
It is all too common for believers to assume these actions fulfill Christian obligations. We may complete a checklist but experience no thriving relationship with Jesus. Do we see evidence in our own life that we're maturing in our walk with Him?
To blossom spiritually, we must be saved. This happens the moment God makes us new, cleansing us of unrighteousness and adopting us as His own. Upon that foundation, we can begin to grow. Yet even with this new life, we can be stagnant.
I believe that there are at certain indicators that reveal the quality of our Christian journey. This morning I'll address three of them. First, growing believers should sense a deepening hunger for Christ. As we experience more of Jesus, who is the bread of life (John6:35), our desire for Him will increase. Second, believers dwelling closely with the Savior will notice that their discernment of sin sharpens. Faulty teaching and thinking become more obvious as we accumulate truth within our spirit. Third, our sphere of love should continuously expand. In time, the Holy Spirit enables us to care for people who previously were either unnoticed or difficult to accept.
Do we have an insatiable hunger for God and an increasing awareness of sin? Is our love available only for those who match our personal standard of performance - or are we caring even for difficult people? These are important questions to ask when determining the quality of our spiritual growth.
Be Blessed!
All around the world, people go to church, bow their head to pray, and hear sermons, but many are not growing spiritually. I truly consider this a great tragedy.
It is all too common for believers to assume these actions fulfill Christian obligations. We may complete a checklist but experience no thriving relationship with Jesus. Do we see evidence in our own life that we're maturing in our walk with Him?
To blossom spiritually, we must be saved. This happens the moment God makes us new, cleansing us of unrighteousness and adopting us as His own. Upon that foundation, we can begin to grow. Yet even with this new life, we can be stagnant.
I believe that there are at certain indicators that reveal the quality of our Christian journey. This morning I'll address three of them. First, growing believers should sense a deepening hunger for Christ. As we experience more of Jesus, who is the bread of life (John6:35), our desire for Him will increase. Second, believers dwelling closely with the Savior will notice that their discernment of sin sharpens. Faulty teaching and thinking become more obvious as we accumulate truth within our spirit. Third, our sphere of love should continuously expand. In time, the Holy Spirit enables us to care for people who previously were either unnoticed or difficult to accept.
Do we have an insatiable hunger for God and an increasing awareness of sin? Is our love available only for those who match our personal standard of performance - or are we caring even for difficult people? These are important questions to ask when determining the quality of our spiritual growth.
Be Blessed!
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