One day I was overtaken by a thought – if you and I were talking to each other, you might find it a bit odd if I talked ABOUT you (in the third person) even though you are present, rather than talking TO you - having a conversation, relating to one another in a personal way. Is it possible that we sometimes do that with God? – i.e. speak ABOUT Him, even in His presence, rather than TO Him?
One day….
One of my favorite “Gospel” songs is in fact “One Day” – it succinctly tells the Gospel story. The refrain goes like this…
Living He loved me,
Dying He saved me,
Buried He carried my sins far away.
Rising He justified
Freely, forever.
One day He’s coming -
O glorious day!
That chorus has been a blessing to me – many times.
But I now use that chorus to (hopefully) bless the Lord.
I sing it this way….
Living You loved me,
Dying You saved me,
Buried You carried my sins far away.
Rising You justified
Freely, forever.
One day You’re coming -
O glorious day!
How is your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?
Is it impersonal – third person? Or is it very personal?
Do you merely talk ABOUT God, or do you speak WITH Him?
We like to camp and hike. Last Saturday we were hiking on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia - it was a beautiful day! One particular stretch of the trail was very narrow and very much overgrown. It didn't seem that very many hikers had travelled that path. Furthermore, the trail "signs" were confusing, at best, and misleading, at worst. We had a trail map in our pocket so that we were able to see where we had been, where we were, where we were going, and how to get there. Having the map, but not reading it, would have done us no good!
In a similar way, our life's journey is somewhat like that hike. The "signs" along the road of life are confusing, at best, and misleading, at worst. But we have a "trail map", the Bible, to show us where we have been, where we are, where we are going, and how to get there. Like having our trail map, if we simply "have" it but don't read it, study it and follow it, it will do us no good! The Bible is the map! And it tells us plainly that Jesus is the Way!
As we hiked that narrow, overgrown path, we commented on how we prefer the broader paths - less concern for snakes, ability to walk two-astride, etc. But then we were reminded that narrow is the way that leads to life and broad is the way that leads to destruction. In addition, we were reminded that many travel the broad pathway, but few take the narrow path that leads to life. We have found that narrow path - have you? That narrow path is following the Lord Jesus Christ - He is the Way - the ONLY Way.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the LORD.
Re: Maturity
1 Cor: 14:20 “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature”[perfect/complete].
Notice “Understanding”[perceiving/judging! – e.g. “test the spirits…”]
[ FYI - 1 Cor. Chapter 2 speaks to the topic of Spiritual Understanding ]
Philippians 3:14-16 “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind [i.e. v.14,16]; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”
i.e. Spiritual Understanding affects our focus, our direction, our actions, etc.
But, HOW DO WE GET THERE ?
GROW !
2 Peter 3:17-18 “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”
2 Thes. 1:3 “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,”
Ephesians 4:11-16“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 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, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow upin all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 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.”
2 Peter 1:1-9 “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, youwill be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”
1 Peter 2:1-3 “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
