Open or Closed?

There is a simple fact. God wants His people to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Sadly, many of us are not doing so. The cares of this world consume our minds day in and day out. Though we are faithful to feed our bodies when hunger calls, we so often fail in feeding our spirit which also requires spiritual food to survive. Feeding on God's Word to keep us strong and healthy should be just as important as three balanced meals we provide our bodies each day. Why is it that we can easily be driven to read the latest novel written by a famous author, or to spend an entire afternoon at a local book store skimming through dozens of books until we find the most interesting one to purchase? Yet for some, it is so difficult to pick up a Bible and read a few passages. A vine growing up a wall without a solid root or light will die. Without a solid root in Christ and without His Light of the Word, our souls shrivel up spiritually. But that doesn't seem to concern a lot Christians. Why? How do those of us in Christ grow in a proper and healthy manner? 2 Peter 3: 17-18 tells us to grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ so that we can be on guard and not be carried away by lawless men and fall away from our position in Christ. Today, our world is more lawless than ever. The temptations greater than ever. We better not only feed on The Word of God but throw in a few more reading sessions for dessert! As believers in Christ, we began our walk with Him at the new birth. We called it being born again. This is what separates the gospel from religion. Worldly religions are man's efforts to reach up to God, but Christianity is GOD REACHING MAN through Christ. Not religion, but a relationship! After birth comes growth. Think of a baby. From the moment a baby is born it begins to grow. Spiritually, our souls are the same way but it needs God's Word to do that! Many Christians are spiritually starving.

How can we know we are growing in Grace and knowledge? What happens? Is it difficult? Some would define this growing as becoming more saved than at the moment of conversion. Others, it is becoming more pardoned than when converted. And yet others, it means somehow becoming more justified than at salvation. But that isn't so. Christian growth is: learning more of what God wants, and that only comes in knowing what His Word guides you to do. It is living more of the love Jesus taught that is so very important. The evidence of spiritual growth will manifest in several ways:

*1. An increase in love (1Thessalonians 3:12; John 13:35; 1 John3:14; 1 Corinthians 13). And I tell you, we are nothing without love! We are commanded to love AS CHRIST LOVED. We weren't asked and it was not a suggestion. We were commanded to love! And trust me, it's not always easy. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not arrogant, it does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
I don't know about you, but I'm still growing! True love, true Godly love is not easy.

*2. An increase of faith (Romans 10:17) "Faith comes in hearing and hearing BY THE WORD OF GOD." We must read to build up our faith.

*3. An increase of the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10) "So you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." AND (Proverbs 2:6) "For the Lord gives wisdom, from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding."

*4. An increase in the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) Which is: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

So we must ask ourselves, are our Bibles open or closed? Are we increasing in godliness, in patience, in love, in forgiveness, gentleness, joy, and peace? Have you taken inventory lately? What kind of fruit are you producing in your life because without the Light and the Water of the Word you will not grow. You will become stagnant and eventually, your hope will wither, your faith will wither, and your belief will die! Once that happens, the world will pull you back into its grasp. 1 Peter 2:2 says, "Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby." If you truly love God you will never outgrow your desire for His Word. You will always need His Word in order to grow, thrive and survive. And regardless if you realize it or not, every little bit you feed upon nourishes your soul and before you know it you begin to see the fruits of your growth ... you love more, you forgive others where you couldn't before, you're more patient, you have peace in the midst of trouble, you have self-control over things that once controlled you, etc. This is how the Holy Spirit works in you. Like the precision of a surgeons knife, cutting out all the cancerous sin infecting your soul, He renews your mind. And where your mind goes your body follows in obedience! Walking in His way becomes easier and easier. Worry begins to fall away, stress no longer has a place in you, you become free of the world.

This is why His Word is so important to feed upon. It is the power that transforms you into Christ's image! 1 Peter 1:16 says, "Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." How can we be holy?? For many people, the word holy denotes the idea of being a morally good person but the idea of holiness in the Bible is so much bigger than that! God shares His holiness with us only THROUGH Christ, the putting on of Christ, and the putting off the old man... Ephesians 4:22-24 " Put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." That's really what we should be: one who is cloaked, who is clothed, who is garmented with the character, the disposition, the attitude, the habits and virtues of Jesus Christ. We are to put HIM on...making no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts! And Colossians 2:6 says, "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, you've put Him on, so walk in Him." As we lose ourselves in His marvelous Glory by studying The Word and communing with Him through prayer and meditation, we find that the Spirit of God is moving us from one level of life to the next, closer and closer to the very image of Jesus Christ. Look to God and depend on Jesus to bring you to the place of growing in His Grace. After all, He is " the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Until next time ...
-Pat-