SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/2/2017
10:44 PM
My Worship Time Focus: Growth
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Colossians
1:10c
Message of the
verses: “so that you will walk in a
manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in
every good work and increasing
in the knowledge of God;”
In our SD for today we are looking at the last part of
verse ten as we consider growth of believers in this part of the verse and this
is the third result of knowledge, something we have been looking at in this
section of Colossians chapter one. As we
continue to grow up in the Lord we are growing in the knowledge of God, so more
knowledge means more growth in the Lord.
John MacArthur writes “Te epignosei (‘in the knowledge’) is an instrumental dative
case. It indicates the means by which
our ‘increasing’ or growth, takes place.
The knowledge of God revealed in His Word is crucial to spiritual
growth.” Peter had something to say
about this in 1 Peter 2:2 where he writes “like newborn babies, long for the
pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” And one of my favorite verses in all of
Scripture is the very last thing that Peter writes in 2nd Peter 3:18
“but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To
Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” It is as always that the Holy Spirit is the
One who enables our own efforts to grow as He gives us enabling grace.
We will now look at four marks of spiritual growth beginning
with a deeper love for God’s Word as seen in Psalm 119:97 “O how I love Your
law! It is my meditation all the day.”
The next mark of spiritual growth is a reflection in more
perfect obedience as seen in 1 John 2:3-5 “3 By this we know that we have come
to know Him, if we keep
His commandments. 4 The one who says, "I have come to know
Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not
in him; 5 but whoever
keeps His word, in
him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we
are in Him”
Thirdly spiritual growth will result in having our faith
enlarged as seen in 2 Thess. 1:3 “We ought always to give thanks to God for
you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of
each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;” We can also look at 2 Corinthians 10:15 “not
boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope
that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by
you,”
Lastly we see that a mark of spiritual growth is having a
greater love as seen in Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still
more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.”
Now as mentioned we cannot do this on our own for if we
could do this on our own that how would that bring glory to the Lord Jesus
Christ. We need the aid of the Holy
Spirit to guide us into our spiritual growth.
1/2/2017 11:03 PM
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