23 How We Grow

 

 

 

PURPOSE # 3

 

 

You Were Created To Become Like Christ

 

 

Let your roots grow down into Christ

and draw up nourishment from him.

See that you go on growing in the Lord,

and become strong and vigorous in the truth.

Colossians 2:7

 

 

23 How We Grow

 

 

God wants us to grow up...

like Christ in everything.

Ephesians 4:15a

 

We are not meant to remain as children.

Ephesians 4:14a

 

God wants you to grow up.

Your heavenly Father's goal is for you 

to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ.

Spiritual growth is not automatic.

Discipleship—the process of becoming like Christ

—always begins with a decision.

 

"'Come, be my disciple,'

Jesus said to him.

So Matthew got up and followed him."

Matthew 9:9

That's all you need to get started:

Dicide to become a disciple.

We become whatever we are committed to.

 

Every choice has eternal consequences,

so you had better choose wisely.

"Since everything around us is going to melt away,

what holy, godly lives you should be living!"

2 Peter 3:11

 

God's part and your part.

"Continue to work out your salvation

with fear and trembling,

for it is God who works in you to will

and to act according to his good purpose."

Philippians 2:12-13

This verse shows the two parts of spiritual growth:

"work out" and "Work in."

The "work out" is your responsibility,

and the "work in" is God's role.

 

Spiritual growth is a collaborative effort

between you and the Holy Spirit.

God's Spirit works with us, not just in us.

God has given you a new life;

now you are responsible to develop it

"with fear and trembling."

That means to take your spiritual growth seriously!

 

Changing your autopilot.

To change your life, you must change the way you think.

Every behavior is motivated by a belief,

and every action is prompted by an attitude.

"Be careful how you think;

your life is shaped by your thoughts."

Proverbs 4:23

 

"Let God transform you into a new person

by chagning the way you think."

Romans 12:2b

Change always starts first in your mind.

The way you think determines the way you feel,

and the way you feel influences the way you act.

"There must be a spiritual renewal

of your thoughts and attitudes."

Ephesians 4:23

 

To be like Christ you must develop the mind of Christ.

The New Testament calls this mental shift repentance,

which in Greek literally means "to change your mind."

You repent whenever you change the way you think

by adopting how God thinks—about yourself, sin, God,

other people, life, your future, and everything else.

You take on Christ's outlook and perspective.

 

We are commanded to

"think the same way

that Christ Jesus thought."

Philippians 2:5

"Stop thinking like children.

In regard to evil be infants,

but in your thinking be adults."

1 Corinthians 14;20

"Those who live following their sinful selves

think only about thing

that their sinful selves want."

Romans 8:5

 

Paul concluded that thinking of others is the mark of maturity:

"When I was a child,

I talked like a child,

I thought like a child,

I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, 

I put childish ways behind me."

1 Corinthians 13:11

 

The Christian life is far more than creeds and convictions;

it includes conduct and character.

Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds,

and our beliefs must be backed up with Christlike behavior.

 

Christianity is not a religion or philosophy,

but a relationship and a lifestyle.

The core of that lifestyle is thinking of others,

as Jesus did, instead of ourselves.

"We should think of their good

and try to help them

by doing what pleases them.

Even Christ did not try to please himself."

Romans 15:2-3a

 

Thinking of others is the heart of Christlikeness

and the best evidence of spiritual growth.

This kind of thinking is unnatural,

counter-cultural, rare, and difficult.

Fortunately we have help:

"God has given us his Spirit.

That's why we don't think the same way

that the people of this world think."

1 Corinthians 2:12a

 

In the next few chapters we will look at the tools

the Holy Spirit uses to help us grow.

 

 

 

 

 

DAY TWENTY-THREE

Thinking About My Purpose

 

 Point to Ponder: It is never too late to start growing.

 

Verse to Remember: "Let God transform you inwardly

by a complete change of your mind.

Then you will be able to know the will of God—

what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect."

Romans 12;2b

 

Question to Consider: What is one area

where I need to stop thinking my way

and start thinking God's way?

 

 

p 179~184

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.purposedrivenlife.com