20 Oct 2013 by Natasha Kim CM-
Growing in all aspects is important and it includes growing in maturity especially for your Christian life. There is blessing in maintaining this desire to grow. No man ever got anywhere by remaining stagnant. According to 2 Peter 1, Peter tells us that we need to have certain virtues to allow us to live well-rounded and fruitful Christian lives. “Have we truly made every effort to grow?” was a question asked by Rev Soong Kok Kee during his recent sermon at Cornerstone Baptist.
2 Peter 1:3-11
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The first and most important quality is faith. “We come to know our Lord through faith, the act of believing and accepting. It’s a given capacity to trust in Jesus Christ and He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” he said. Faith is having assurance even though we may not see. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. “Make every effort to add to your faith,” he added.
“Is He satisfied with me? Have I done my best? Have I stood the test?” he asked as he remembered an old song entitled “Is He satisfied with me.” “What if the Lord had a friend like me? Will He feel welcomed here or will He go away in tears?” shared Soong. If we have already done our best, then don’t fret because God will not ask for more than our best. “If God has given you five talents, make the best out of it. Otherwise, you will be shortchanging God,” he said.
You only pass this world but once, so if there’s any good thing that you can do or any kindness that you can show a fellow being, do it now for you shall not pass this way again. Small acts of kindness brings joy and blesses many. At the end of the day, you’ll find that through sincerity of kindness, the helper is happier than the one being helped.
Acts 20:35
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.
It is important to live a Christian life that is worthy of the Gospel, a life filled with spiritual knowledge and wisdom that is derived from the Word of God. Knowledge of our God can be easily attained from the Bible, everything you need to know is there. “People often ask me, 'What is God’s will for my life?' I answer and say that 90 percent of God’s will for your life is already in the Bible,” said Soong. The remaining 10 percent is called personal and individual will.
Knowledge is not only being able to distinguish between black and white but also between right and wrong, between what is becoming and unbecoming, between what is advantageous and hurtful. “Spiritual discernment… that is the knowledge, not just what we know in our head,” he said. When you get angry and release that anger without control, that means you do not have that knowledge and discernment.
Aim for Higher Ground
The Bible verse according to Peter also mentioned that we as Christians need to have self-control and that we need to put a stop to things that are ruining our lives! “Self-control is knowing you can beat that person but you don’t throw that punch. The very word tells us that only you can put a stop to it,” he said. Then, there are also many things in this world that take up too much of our time because we want to indulge in it. And that too requires self-control. It isn’t easy to deal with your inner being at times. So, always remember to take your problems to the Lord and He will give you the spiritual strength to move past them.
One will need to have a very practical aspect of God in their lives to attain godliness. And with that, the desire in pleasing the Lord comes in every aspect. When you want to give up in life, stand up and continue to persevere! “A growing Christian will persevere until the end even though it may be distressing at times and a growing Christian needs to have the attitude of reverence that seeks to please God in everything… he or she desires to be right to both God and man. There is always a light at the end of the tunne,l” he said. A godly man and woman always have a good relationship and repertoire with God and men. “I have not met a godly man with many people not liking him. Jesus is one of those,” shared Soong.
Luke 2:52
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Yes, Jesus is the son of God but we can have a good relationship with both God and men too, just as Samuel did, as cited in 1 Samuel 2:26. Let people see the God and goodness in your life. By the blood of Christ, we are born into the human family where there should be love not only within your family but between everyone for we are all connected. “This endearing term of brotherly or sisterly kindness is the highest and closest that one can address one another in the spiritual family that God has placed us in,” shared Soong. Never be satisfied with your level of service to the Lord or with the money that you give. Don’t leave this earth with regret wishing that you had done more while you were on earth.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Leave a Reply