THAT WE MAY GROW
PART ONE
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy,
and all evil speaking, as newborn babes,
desire the pure milk of the word,
that you may GROW thereby”
I PETER 2:1 – 2
What we do, how we interact with others has a great determination on how we grow and what we become in HIM. We cannot hold malice toward a brother in Christ and expect to grow in our relationship with HIM. We cannot be deceitful and expect to grow in truth. We cannot say one thing yet live our lives in another and expect to become an authentic expression of HIM. To be envious of another is to be unthankful for the calling that God has placed upon our own life. There is a great amount of good and Godly teaching in the Body of Christ today, but despite this, unless we lay aside these evil things there will be no actual growth or development personally. There can be no going on without a leaving behind the works and attitudes of the unregenerate man.
We think that we can hold on to unforgiveness and offences and yet grow in the “grace and the knowledge” of our Lord Jesus Christ! If HE is gracious, forgiving, merciful and kind and I act contrary to that Nature how can I say that I know HIM? To think I can say to another brother “I have no need of you” and yet somehow believe that I will continue to GROW in HIM is an absurdity. True growth is only known BY the ministration of HIS nature and character in our lives according to that which we have received. If I do not give of what HE has given me I can be sure I will stop growing in the true knowing of HIM.
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy”
MATTHEW 5:7
In order for me to grow in mercy I must be merciful. In order for me to develop in any of the qualities of HIS character I must express them in my daily life. We receive by giving, and we develop by being exercised in HIS LIFE. How I regard my brother, how I interact with my wife, my children and all others, whether it be in thought or deed will EFFECT and DETERMINE my own personal growth in HIM.
To hold on to the things of the Old Man
will prevent us from growing into the NEW!
Brian Troxel
For me the whole situation of how we see our brothers and sisters rests on His Spirit. When He blesses us with discernment about a situation it is how we react that reveals our heart. Sometimes even if we run like Joseph did, the reaction of those around us imprisons us. I know in my own life that there are people that I have to stay away from if only to stop the cycle that our chemistry creates. There are other times when His Spirit says that there is a danger in starting a relationship with a particular person. Then there is the relationship that “clicks” immediately. So how do we react to all the other relationships between the “good” ones and the “bad” ones.The best way I guess is with mercy and love. But I have to wonder sometimes if it is a better way to trust the Spirit’s leading and maybe walk away from someone who will put us in a situation where we find ourselves having to forgive. Without the Spirit we can only guess. With the Spirit we can walk in the assurance of His discernment. Either way I can’t help but think of our Lord who one day has a whole city laying down garments and palm branches before Him and three days later the very same people crucifying Him. This is such a mystery as to the ways of men and yet our only path is obediance. Lord give us a discerning heart that hears Your Spirit and reacts only in obedience to You. That judgement may flow from Your throne as our obediance frees Your Spirit to deal with each situation as we walk the narrow path of relationship and fellowship with our brothers and sisters.