The Christian Life is Continual Growth
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 3:18
The Christian life is continual growth, because the Lord fills our hearts with his love and that motivates us to be closer to the Lord. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7) The more we know the Lord the more we seek to know Him.
If you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15) Love is motivating because our hearts care about everyone and hurts for lost souls, especially for people we are close to, that don’t know God’s truth. When we bring Christ to people, we are driven into the Word, prayer, and Christian fellowship, because we need divine power to bring Christ to people. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5) When ministering to people we soon become dependent on Christ being with us, because without Christ our ministry suffers.
Keeping the Lord’s good, pleasing, and perfect commands; brings us closer to the Lord. The closer our relationship is with the Lord the more fulfilling life becomes. The blessings that Lord feeds into our soul become stronger and more fulfilling the closer we are to the Lord. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) The Spirit feeds these blessings continually into our soul, keeping us content in all situations like the apostle Paul. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. (Philippians 4:11)
Paul was extremely close to the Lord, and the Lord kept him content in all circumstances. Paul’s ministry life serving the Lord was filled with hard times; he was flogged, shipwrecked, gone without food, and was in prison. Examining Paul’s Christian life reveals the power of the blessings the Lord can feed our soul, and the closer we are to the Lord, the more powerful these blessings become.
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3) The closer we are to the Lord, the more we know the Lord, the more we desire to leave this world and be with the Lord. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (Philippians 1:21-23) Paul’s desire was to be with Christ which was better by far, and this is our desire when we are close to the Lord.
Today seek to continually spiritually grow and to have a closer relationship with Christ. Seeking to know the Lord more makes for a fulfilling life.
Prayer: Guide me in the Spirit to spiritually grow every day. Guide me in the Spirit to know the Word more, pray more, more Christian fellowship, and more motivation to minister to lost souls. In Jesus name, Amen