Growing in Grace

 

    As a Christian, you need to understand that your journey with Jesus is to grow in grace a little everyday.  That means accepting and forgiving your own mistakes, so that you can move forward.  It is taking time to spend it in God's Word, prayer, and meditation.  Don't read it and immediately forget or it will do you no good.  Read it, pray over it, and looks for ways of how it can be applied today.

    Grace incorporates wholesome thinking by using God's Word.  You know your evil desires.  You know God can combat those same desires.  Be aware of scoffers (false teachers) who will lead you toward your evil desires.   They are multiplying and what they say sounds good, but is wrong.

    What can you do to be delivered from desiring evil over righteousness?  It takes spending quality time with God to work out your salvation and figure out your personal questions.  It takes being able to take a real look at yourself and being able to call your sin, sin.  It is not always as easy to do when you are pointing the finger at yourself.  Be deliberate in where you put your focus: eyes, thoughts, and heart.

    Christians are delivered from judgment, but that does not give us the right to live an unholy life.  We still are waiting for the Day of the Lord (Judgement Day) just like everyone else, even if they may not be aware of what they are waiting for.  The day will come that God will bring destruction upon this world to destroy sin once and for all.  The day will come where everything will be consumed by fire.  

    Do not overlook this face just because it makes you uncomfortable.  It happened with the flood, next time it will be fire.  This means it will be quicker, but more intense and permanent.  The earth will not recover.  It will be like creation, but the opposite: complete display of God's power.  Like creation it is on God's time table.  When it does happen it will be sudden.  This is when God's elect (Christians) will go to the new earth (Heaven) that will remain perfect and righteousness will dwell.

    Right now God is giving every living person the opportunity to repent.  Every day is a gift.  However, His patience will run out.  We don't have to be consumed in agony.  We can accept Jesus' sacrificial gift of salvation.  This provides gratitude that leads to a blameless and peaceful life.  If you take the time to build a real relationship with God, then He will give you the wisdom to keep your peace.  

    It is sometimes hard to understand why things are the way they are, but if you take a step back and try to see it from His perspective it starts to make since.  It doesn't necessarily make it easier, but at least you will not be ignorant to the truth.  At least you won't get twisted to conform to the destruction caused by sin.

    We are called to be on guard.  This gives you a level of security.  Things will not always go your way or even the right way, but at least you will not be hit hard by surprised.  You have a chance to fight sin.  Secure your position and grow in grace.  Never stop growing by learning as much as you can about God.  He reveals Himself differently every time you read His Word.  That is why it never gets boring.

2 Peter 3