Today we continue with the theme of “Faith of a Child”. Last week we started with “Believe like a Child”. This week we look at “Grow like a Child”. Jesus taught us that the Faith of a Child was the most important way to start our walk with Him. Once our faith and belief in Jesus is established and our walk with Him starts, we need to look at the next phase – Growth!
1 Peter 2:1-3 NIV
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The Gideons President, Peter Marshall, sent a letter about their work in Moldova. In it was a quote from a young lady that I think fits today’s topic.
Marianna’s quote says, “After the meeting I felt a great desire to read the Bible, and I decided to do it in the camp… Now I know that God is real, that He loves me, He made me special, He has given me talents and I can glorify Him with them.” The letter added, “We met Marianna again last July and asked her how the past year has been. She said she found it really hard at first to realize she had to change her life. She expressed how getting involved in her church community really pushed her to finally make those changes. [1]
Growing in and for God is not easy and requires constantly moving forward in knowledge and effort. We need to go from the milk to solid food, from basic training to beginning work. As children grow and learn, they start using their knowledge to expand their world of influence.
Hebrews 6:1-3 NIV
1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3 And God permitting, we will do so.
Maturity brings increased knowledge and responsibility. As we grow, we are to learn and be obedient to God’s plan for our lives.
Ephesians 4: 11-16 NIV
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Clearly we are to use what we were taught to go forward in life. There is no turning back in God’s plan for you, only moving on to the next level of obedience and knowledge.
2 Peter 1:3-8 NIV
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
8 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.
As Christians grow in their faith, just like a child grows, character begins to develop. You watch children learn and apply that learning to who they are and how they will act and respond in the future.
The Bible Reference Chart shows us “How to Succeed in Christian Life”.
It tells us to:
That Grace is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit showing up in our lives.
Galatians 5:22-26 NIV
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
When that fruit starts to show in us, Satan is going to take notice. There will be spiritual attacks on our lives and in our minds.
Ephesians 6: 10-18 NIV (Kids wear armor in play time – do you?)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
King David had a great prayer in Psalm 25.
Psalm 25: 1-7 NIV
1 In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.
2 I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.
Go and grow today and all year! Walk with God every minute and learn!
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