GROW TO BE LIKE JESUS!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JULY 04, 2020.

SUBJECT: GROW TO BE LIKE CHRIST!

Memory verse: "But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him, who is the head—even Christ." (Ephesians 4 vs 15 .)

READ: Ephesians 4 vs 11 - 15:

4:11: And He Himself gave some to be apostles; some prophets; some, evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 
4:12: for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 
4:13: 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;
4:14: 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,
4:15: but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—even Christ

INTIMATION:

God created us to grow, and he wants us to grow. His ultimate goal is for us to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ. The Word of God, the people around us, and the circumstances we encounter in life are all used by God to mold us. Sadly millions of Christians grow older but never grow up. They are stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy, remaining in diapers and booties. The reason is that they never intended to grow. They never allow the world to pass through them while passing through the world. The Word of God, the people they interact with, and the circumstances they encounter in life hardly influence them from shifting their position. 

Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes an intentional commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow, and persist in growing. Discipleship—the process of becoming like Christ—always begins with a decision, the decision to respond when Jesus calls you. Even our response is not automatic, it may take some time. Peter, James, and John were called on three different occasions by Jesus Christ before they eventually got committed: Jesus called them first when the disciples of John the Baptist followed Jesus (John 1 vs 35 - 42), the second time at the Sea of Galilee (Mark 1 vs 16 - 18), and thirdly at the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5 vs 1 - 11).

When the first disciples chose to follow Jesus, they didn't understand all the implications of their decision. They simply responded to Jesus' invitation. Accepting the invitation is all you need to start. When you get committed to the call, the growth process begins, because your life is shaped mostly by what you are committed to. They can develop you or mar you, but either way, they will define you. If you tell me what you are committed to, I'll tell you what you will be in the years to come. We become whatever we are committed to. 

Usually many people miss God's purpose for their lives at the point of committing themselves, or being obligated to their choice in life. Many are also afraid of getting committed or obligated to anything, and prefer to just drift through life. Many others

make half-hearted commitments to competing values, which leads to frustration and mediocrity. And many more make a full commitment to worldly goals, such as becoming wealthy or famous, and end up disappointed and bitter.

Every choice you make has eternal consequences, so you had better choose wisely. The Bible in Second Peter 3 v 10 - 11, the apostle Peter warns us thus, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness," Realizing that the earth will be burned up, we should put our confidence in what is lasting and eternal and not be bound to earth and its treasures or pursuits. 

One major parameter for measuring a mature Christian, the apostle Paul says, is “speaking the truth in love.” This sounds so simple, but it seems so hard for us to do. Some of us are fairly good at speaking the truth, but we forget to be loving. Some of us are good at being loving, but we don’t have it in us to level with others if the truth is painful. The instruction here is to do both: Speak the truth, but do it in a loving manner. Think of the trouble we would spare ourselves if we followed this practice, especially in the church! When you have a problem with another believer, don’t go to someone else with it. Go directly to that person, and speak the truth in love.

How can we grow more and more like Christ? The answer is that Christ forms us into a body—into a group of individuals who are united in their purpose and in their love for one another and for the Lord. If an individual stumbles, the rest of the group is there to pick that person up and help him or her walk with God again. If a person sins, he or she can find restoration through the church (Galatians 6 vs 1) even as the rest of the body continues to witness to God’s truth. 

What are you committed to? Do you spend more of your time piling up possessions, or striving to develop Christlike character? As part of Christ’s body, do you reflect part of Christ’s character and carry out your special role in His work? Now that we have been warned about the impending end, the choice is yours. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of truth and commitment in You that I may never shift my focus on You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!