It’s amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it! A brand new infant one-week old is already speaking English! At one year the baby is not only walking but is able to run at an amazing speed! By the time this toddler is two he’s driving an automobile. Nassau is actually considering sending this little three-year old boy into outer space. I’ve never seen anything like it. And then – – – – – – – I woke up. It was a dream. Babies don’t speak English or sprint, little boys don’t drive automobiles or fly to the moon. That is unrealistic. Let me tell you something else that is unrealistic: turning your life over to Jesus and being born again and when you come up out of the water of baptism with Christ you think you should be a mature Christian overnight. Well, maybe we’ll give ourselves a few years to become an adult Christian and do everything right. Yep – we put that kind of pressure and those kinds of expectations on ourselves. The reality is that we are all a work in progress and we should live by “progress not perfection”. How about instead of beating ourselves up for not being perfect we commit to growing one day at a time and recognize and admit we are UNFINISHED. God is still working on us. And, as we submit to Jesus as Lord, the Holy Spirit helps us grow up to spiritual maturity. Read Philippians 3:12-16; II Pet 1:5-11; 3:17-18. Then listen to Unfinished by Mandisa.
P.S. Imagine if you took a few minutes each day to forward these morning scripture/song devotionals to co-workers, family, friends, etc.? How hard is that? Maybe they will help a loved one come closer to Jesus. Maybe when this crazy virus goes away they will come to visit Walnut Hill Church of Christ and one day go to heaven. That’s part of Jesus taking control.
P.P.S Friday night at 7:00 we will study the radical demands of Jesus for salvation and our reckless abandonment to follow those radical demands for salvation.
Philippians 3:12-16
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
2 Peter 1:5-11
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:17-18
Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.