Guiding Light!
Growing in Christ!
We grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God. Colossians 2:19b
As the Apostle Paul told the Colossians we must get our nourishment from God's word. To receive this nourishment we must place ourselves in a setting where we can receive His word. If we say I can be close to God in the mountains or in the desert, this is partly true. We can be close to God anywhere, for it is not in a particular place that we are close to God, it is in our heart that we are close to God. We become close to God as we develop a personal relationship with Him.
To develop this personal relationship with God we must learn about God. To learn about God we need instruction, instruction from one who has learned the truths about the word of God. We do this by being a part of a Bible study group, in Sunday school, and attending church. We also grow in Christ as we associate ourselves with other mature Christians. We learn by the word and by the examples of mature Christians. Just as our parents taught us right from wrong in their words of wisdom, we learned as much or more from their example of how they lived their lives.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Proverbs 4:13
As we receive instruction (the word of God) we must believe it and live it. Simply hearing the truth and not applying it to our daily life is dust in the wind. When we received instruction from our parents on how to mature as a physical person and only put that wisdom into our mind and not into practice we would be children forever. We didn't do that though did we? No, we put it into practice in our daily life and we grew to become mature men and women. We must do the same in our Christian life, we hear, we believe, and we live what we have been taught.
Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 4:8
Do not reject instruction, learn and grow from it to become mature Christians as God desires for you and I. In this way you will be a pleasing sight to our Lord and He will show favor to you. Showering you with blessings beyond your imagination. Just like when we were obedient to our parents we received favor and privileges. God desires for us to be obedient to Him in the same way. Who better to obey than the one who made us, the one who saved us, and the one we will spend eternity with?
Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 2 Corinthians 9:13
As we receive instruction and become mature Christians we are also instructed to share what we have learned with others who haven't heard the word. It is God's desire that all come to the full knowledge of Christ. In the same way as we learned from our parents how to mature as adults we go on to instruct our children in the same manner. We cannot keep such good news of the gospel to ourselves, we must proclaim the saving grace of Jesus Christ to everyone we meet.
Heavenly Father, we thank you and praise you for your words of wisdom and instruction in how you desire for us to live. We thank you for sacrificing your son on the cross so that we may be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life with you. How great you are that you cared enough for us that you would make a provision for us to be with you in eternity. Heavenly Father it is our desire to obey you and to share your grace and love to others so that they may also come to the full knowledge of your saving grace. Father we make ourselves available to you today to be used by you in any way you desire. In Jesus Christ name we pray..........amen
In Christ Service,
Kenny Millhouse
kenny@guidinglightministry.com
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