"Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, AND SEE HOW THEY ARE DOING.”
Acts 15:36 (NKJV)
• Paul wanted to see how the new believers are getting along.
HOW are you doing in your Christian faith?
ARE you progressing or regressing?
- God wants you to make progress and become a vessel of honour in His hand:
19 "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “LET EVERYONE WHO NAMES THE NAME OF CHRIST DEPART FROM INIQUITY." 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour. 21 THEREFORE IF ANYONE CLEANSES HIMSELF FROM THE LATTER, HE WILL BE A VESSEL FOR HONOUR, SANCTIFIED AND USEFUL FOR THE MASTER, PREPARED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK" (2 Timothy 2:19-21). - Some have been in the Christian faith for a number of years, yet they have remained a baby Christian: they are "ALWAYS LEARNING AND NEVER ABLE TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH" (2 Timothy 3:7).
- How long will you be crawling on your Christian faith?
- You need to pay attention to your spiritual growth:
12 "FOR THOUGH BY THIS TIME YOU OUGHT TO BE TEACHERS, YOU NEED SOMEONE TO TEACH YOU AGAIN THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE ORACLES OF GOD; AND YOU HAVE COME TO NEED MILK AND NOT SOLID FOOD. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14 (NKJV).
• God expects you to make progress in your spiritual life.
- Some want to make money, attain or have a high social status before they will have time for spiritual things, YET they claimed to be born again.
THE TRUTH IS, you may not know the details of what God has in plan for you until you move up in your spiritual life. - Being born again is the starting point of your relationship with God, it is not the end of it.
- Spiritual growth is a thing you consciously and deliberately work at, it is not accidental.
AND no one will do it for you. Spiritual growth is not by impartation. - IT IS through the studying and application of the Word of God, plus consistent prayer.
- If you practice the daily studying of the Word of God, putting it to work through prayers, plus application of other spiritual principles, growth spiritually would be the resultant effect.
- There are so-called believers who desire to live in pleasure At the expense of their spiritual life: "BUT SHE [he] WHO LIVES IN PLEASURE [indulgence] IS DEAD WHILE SHE [he] LIVES" (1 Timothy 5:6).
- If you choose to live in pleasure At the expense of your spiritual growth, you reap corruption: "FOR HE WHO SOWS TO HIS FLESH WILL OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life" (Galatians 6:8).
• God has called you out of darkness into light, to be useful in His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13).
- You are not saved to continue in feeding the flesh and sinfulness.
- Whoever told you that you can continue in the gratification of the flesh, wallowing in sins, and still forge ahead in your Christian faith, has not told you the truth.
SUCH a teaching is not a biblical teaching and it leads to destruction.
WHAT the Bible says is: "5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS THE WRATH OF GOD IS COMING UPON THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE" (Colossians 3:5,6 (NKJV).
• Be serious about the eternal things: "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. FOR THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN ARE TEMPORARY, BUT THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL" (2 Corinthians 4:18).
- Whatever you have in the physical is temporary, it cannot be eternally.
• The spiritual growth we are talking about could only happened in the life of someone who has acknowledged Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Saviour.
- If you are reading this piece and you have not taken the steps to salvation, do so NOW tomorrow might be too late (Romans 10:9,10).
- Receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in the new tongues (Luke 11:13).
- Be part of a Church where the Word of God is being preached, taught, and practiced.
- Join the workforce in the church where you worship (Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:14-16; 1 Peter 4:10,11).
14 "THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE CHILDREN, TOSSED TO AND FRO AND CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, ACCORDING TO THE EFFECTIVE WORKING BY WHICH EVERY PART DOES ITS SHARE, CAUSES GROWTH OF THE BODY FOR THE EDIFYING OF ITSELF IN LOVE."
Ephesians 4:14-16 (NKJV) - Live the Word of God, apply it to your life, that is, be practical about it (James 1:22-25).
- Pray regularly, add fasting to your prayers, and commit all things to God in Prayer, nothing should be too minute to tell Him (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
- Carefully choose the people you relate with, any relationship that will not help you in your Christian faith should be avoided: "DO NOT BE DECEIVED: “EVIL COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD HABITS" (1 Corinthians 15:33).
- "If then you were raised with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH."
Colossians 3:1,2 (NKJV)
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!