Tag: spiritual growth

Necessary Interests

On By francesrogersIn Beyond a Mere Christianity, GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, PRAYER8 Comments

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness...”
Matthew 6:33

The first thought for this post was the title, Unnecessary Interests, as the Lord has been revealing interests that are not for my growth or are a waste of time. There are some that I need to let go, but as He has been leading me to stop looking at the underside of this world and its interests, and to focus on the upper side and the interests of His kingdom, my thoughts turned to where my interests should be.

From our thoughts to our words and actions, we have much to desire beyond normal and common interests. We can compare what is holy to what is unholy; what is common to what is uncommon; what is clean to what is unclean. Our interest in the news of the world keeps us from the interests of His Kingdom. The interests of the world ~ its entertainments and influences ~ impede our journey with Him.

For the child of God, known as a Christian, our life here has a definite purpose. The purpose of this physical life is to prepare us for eternal life with Him in His glory. We now live and serve Him in what is known as the Kingdom of Grace; His keeping us, sanctifying us, purifying us; making us compatible for Himself.

“ If ye then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. “
Colossians 3:1

Necessary Interests for a Child of God
So, what are the necessary interests for a child of God? What raises us above the world’s standards; even Beyond a Mere Christianity?

We must start with an in-depth interest in His Word, where we learn to love what He loves. Here we find the truths of God and the filling and leading of His Holy Spirit to the necessary interests that He wants for us. He teaches us how He conforms us to the image of His own Son

Through His Word, He teaches us how to communicate with Him; to pray for the things He has prepared to give (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).

He leads us in the interests of His other children, of like-mind and heart; to participate in worship and the Word preached within His church.

He brings us to others with an interest in their souls, to witness of Christ to them.

There is much that we could cover here, but we don’t have the time or space. If you are reading with an interest in what is necessary for growth as a child of God, I implore you to take your Bible, shut out any other interests, ask the Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit as you read His Word; to speak to you through His Word; to show you His will.

As He has been speaking to my heart, He has pointed out certain interests that I need to forsake and leading me to more of the interests He has for me. One thing for sure is the desire for me to draw closer to Him.

“Set your affections on things above,
not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:2

Gracious Father in heaven, whose name I want to hallow, draw me closer to you, to love you more; to seek a deeper understanding of what it means to be your child and a disciple of Christ. Open my mind and heart to those things of your kingdom and displace anything of this world that would hinder your image and your work in me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Fran
Show Me Thy Ways, O LORD Psalm 25:4-5

Related Post: Letting Go
(Suggested Reading: The Garden of GOD’S WORD ~ The Purpose and Delight of BIBLE Study)

Launch Out

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD9 Comments

“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.  And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” Luke 5:4-6

A story is told of a football coach on the sidelines of a very important game screaming to his players, “Give Willie the ball.” After several such calls without their response, he called time out.

As his players gathered around him, he asked, “Didn’t you hear me tell you to give Willie the ball?”

“Yes, coach, but Willie doesn’t want the ball.”

Challenges of the Christian Life
How many of us, when called to accept a challenge in our Christian life, often refuse, and so, never know the blessings of growing spiritually. When things seem too difficult, out of our comfort zone, we miss the opportunity of serving where the Lord wants us, or seeing His glory in uncharted waters and receiving the benefits He has there for us. It may mean that we serve Him where we are, but with a greater diligence and obedience to His Word. Not all are called to serve as missionaries in a foreign country, but to grow in our relationship with Him, to know and love Him more ~ to go deeper in fellowship with Him through His Word and His Spirit. It is in this relationship that we are prepared to serve Him wherever He places us.

When we think we have done all that needs to be done, our Lord promises that where He directs us He will be with us, having already planned the outcome.Launching out into the deep is where we find exceeding abundantly more that we can ask or imagine by His power working in us (Ephesians 3:20).

Gracious Father, forgive us for settling for the minimal Christian life. Work in our hearts, by the power of your Holy Spirit to hear the call of our Lord Jesus to follow Him past the mundane things of this life, to deny self as we take up our own cross to find the deep things that are hidden in Him. Enable us to plunge into the depths of your love and find the blessings you have for us. Let nothing hold us back from full surrender to your call and your holy will. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

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GOD Is Our Goal ~ GOD’S Plan for His People

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, TRUTH, Uncategorized4 Comments

(Fourth in the series Little Books About the Magnitude of God)
Our new book is available from Amazon.

How do you wrap up fourteen summers of study with your grandchildren? The diagram we used to summarize our years together is still on the blackboards (two stacked on the back of the door leading to our prayer room) from five years ago. This book, with the diagram, is the conclusion we came to ~ GOD at the top, our Purpose at the bottom, and His PLAN through JESUS between Him and us, doing His work to keep us and bring us to Himself.

“How many goals do we set in a lifetime? How many do we actually reach? The Christian worldview is one that sees goals based on what has been accomplished for us by our Creator and Redeemer. God has a purpose for His creation. He has a plan. He has set the goal, and by His plan in Christ, brings us to Himself. As we live in anticipation of reaching this goal, it affects all that we think, say and do, making our pilgrimage here a joy and a glory to Him.”
eBook $1.99  Paperback $5.59.
Profits designated for missions and charity.

Dear Father, I pray for your grace to lead those who will read this book to see, to know, and to live in assurance of reaching the goal that you have set for us as your people. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.