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Are you growing?
Posted by
Bob Fetherlin
,
08 August 2009
·
873 views
As a Christ follower, are you growing? If so, what have you done in the last week to contribute to your growth?
There are two dimensions to personal spiritual growth. First and of greatest importance is God's part . . . his grace and redemptive involvement, his Spirit's work. Your intentional investment is the second.
I'm sure you've nourished and cared for your body in recent hours. Have you nourished your soul from the Scriptures? Has encouraging time with other believers been a part of your recent schedule? Are you reading a faith-building book? Other than a brief pause to thank God for your food, any prayer with another person over the past twenty-four hours? Have you had an unanticipated experience of awe in realizing how great God is? In the last couple of days, have you felt at all overwhelmed by his love for you? Has the name of Jesus been mentioned in any conversation this past week with an unbeliever? Is there an area of your life you're now working on in an effort to become more like Christ?
Have you had any death-to-self funerals today? Has self been on the altar to die once again so that Jesus can live in and through you? When selfishness has welled up within you, have you applied the Spirit's power to crucify that old nature?
Do you right now have a grateful heart? Has that normal bent to complain and talk negatively about others been replaced by words of thankfulness, encouragement, worship and blessing?
If you've been too busy to think about growing in these areas, stop for just a moment. Take a deep breath . . . and ask God to help you grow to become more like Jesus . . . and to invest in those areas of life that are most important in his sight. You may be very surprised at what can happen as you play your part . . . and he plays his!
There are two dimensions to personal spiritual growth. First and of greatest importance is God's part . . . his grace and redemptive involvement, his Spirit's work. Your intentional investment is the second.
I'm sure you've nourished and cared for your body in recent hours. Have you nourished your soul from the Scriptures? Has encouraging time with other believers been a part of your recent schedule? Are you reading a faith-building book? Other than a brief pause to thank God for your food, any prayer with another person over the past twenty-four hours? Have you had an unanticipated experience of awe in realizing how great God is? In the last couple of days, have you felt at all overwhelmed by his love for you? Has the name of Jesus been mentioned in any conversation this past week with an unbeliever? Is there an area of your life you're now working on in an effort to become more like Christ?
Have you had any death-to-self funerals today? Has self been on the altar to die once again so that Jesus can live in and through you? When selfishness has welled up within you, have you applied the Spirit's power to crucify that old nature?
Do you right now have a grateful heart? Has that normal bent to complain and talk negatively about others been replaced by words of thankfulness, encouragement, worship and blessing?
If you've been too busy to think about growing in these areas, stop for just a moment. Take a deep breath . . . and ask God to help you grow to become more like Jesus . . . and to invest in those areas of life that are most important in his sight. You may be very surprised at what can happen as you play your part . . . and he plays his!
