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.”
2 Peter 3:17-18 NIV
Nearly all of us go through times when we lose focus, become spiritually lazy, and coast by slacking off on our efforts to grow spiritually. At such times, we need a respected Christian friend or mentor to nudge us to renew our commitment to grow in the direction of Christlikeness. This is what Peter is doing, we are encouraged to grow in the grace of God that has been so freely bestowed on all who believe in His free gift of salvation. We are to dig our roots down deep into the depths of His Word, and we are to reach out into the farthest extremities of His grace, which are higher than the heavens above and deeper than the ocean depths. Spiritual growth is an ongoing process of becoming more like the lovely Lord Jesus. As more grace is added to the grace we have already received, the more we mature in the faith and change into the beautiful image and likeness of the Lord Jesus. Just as we need physical exercise and nourishing food for our bodies to grow and develop, so also we need spiritual exercise to mature in the faith. We need the milk and meat of the Word to become strong in the Lord and carry out the work that God has prepared for us to do. But Peter also makes it clear that our spiritual growth and our progress in the Christian life must be a continuous maturing in grace and an ever increasing knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Growing in God's grace is not the accumulation of facts and information about the Lord Jesus, but a day by day transformation of our life, as we become increasingly like Him in disposition and character. This only happens to the one that is walking in spirit and truth and is submitted to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Who by grace is conforming us day by day into His lovely likeness as we die to self and live for Christ. We are instructed to grow and expand our trust in God. We are to mature and ripen our precious faith, and we are to stand on His promises and believe His Word. We are to develop and flourish in our dependence upon the Lord as day by day, the Holy Spirit works within, to direct, govern, lead and chasten us, and to conform us into the image and likeness of His dear Son. We cannot grow in grace apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, for without Him we will remain spiritually stunted in our Christian life. Without Him we can do nothing. However, we are promised that we can do all things through Christ, Who gives us the strength, for He is able and His grace is sufficient.
May we all grow in grace and in a knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for by grace we are saved through faith, by grace we are to live our lives through faith, and one day by God's grace we will pass into His wonderful presence, when we shall see Him as He is and we will be like Him and live with Him into the eternities of eternity. Growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus should be the constant goal of all believers. If we will do that, then everything else will fall into place!!!
Father than you for this day and that we may know Jesus more and more with every passing day. Lord let your abundant blessings fall from the windows of heaven over my friend and family today. Lord thank You for the amazing grace You have poured out on us and we pray that we may grow in grace day after day, for Your honour and glory. Lord thank You for the truth of Your Word and we pray that we may grow in grace and in a knowledge of You, to Whom be all honour and glory both now and into the day of eternity. Lord use my friend to be the blessing someone needs today. Daddy we love You amen. Be a blessing. Love ya !
Comentários