When
we see the hand of God in our life, blessing us in ways we may otherwise
overlook, the foundation of our faith skyrockets in magnitude. Our life erupts
into one of praise and gratitude for who God is and what He does for us.
His
faithfulness encourages us to pursue moral excellence, Biblical knowledge,
self-control, godliness, and love for God's family, as well as patient
endurance (2 Peter 1:5-8). These attributes increase our usefulness and
productivity for the Lord and His Kingdom.
His
divine power, in us and surrounding us, provides us with everything we need for
a holy life (2 Peter 1:3). Impatiently, we want to skip the elementary
teachings of God's Word and to feast instead on the deeper Biblical truths and
principles (Hebrews 5:12).
However,
to truly grow in the grace and wisdom of God, we first need a good, solid,
spiritual foundation based on the basic doctrines of our faith (Colossians
1:9). We secure our salvation by repenting of the dead works of sin and by putting
all of our trust in Christ.
Through
baptism, we follow our repentance by making a public profession of what
happened in our heart. Then, we start the discipline of daily Bible reading and
prayer. We find a church in which to learn and to grow, as we fellowship with
other Believers.
Then
we start telling others about what Christ did for us. We also learn how much
God loves us and that He has a perfect plan for our life. These simple bed-rock
truths keep us balanced as we grow in our intimacy with Christ in us
(Colossians 1:27).
Prayer:
Father
God, help us to listen to Your Holy Spirit's promptings on a daily basis. Teach
us to discern which thoughts You inspire in our mind, and which come from Satan
or our human reasoning. Lead us into a ministry in which we can serve You -
even if it is as a nursery caregiver, in church building maintenance, mentoring
younger men and women, serving in various ministries, prayer and praise for
You, and/or encouraging people in all walks of life.
Help
us to continue to grow in Your grace and to never fail to show love to those
You bring our way. We praise You because Your loving devotion to us reaches to
the deepest hell, Your steadfast faithfulness reaches up to the distant clouds,
Your righteousness is like mighty mountains, and Your wisdom is like the
fathoms of the sea (Psalm 36:5-6).
Thought
for the Day:
God's
salvation is just the beginning of our wondrous journey with Him; we can
excitedly anticipate and look forward to growing in our intimacy with Him and
His Saints, both now and throughout eternity.
