And Hannah prayed in the LORD;
my horn is exalted in the LORD.
I smile at my enemies,
because I rejoice in Your salvation.
No one is holy like the LORD,
for there is none besides You,
nor is there any rock like
our God.
1Samuel 2:1-2
Growing in grace is to become molded into the image of Jesus Christ. Due to our fallen nature this requires work on our part. Many just sit back allowing God to make the needed changes, and this they do often by forming theologies that fit their desires, or worse, they make up excuses. This is fallacy, God will help you, this He has promised; notice, He will help you, therefore you must do the work. God works through second causes, He does not cause things to happen in the normal events of life. We so often say, "God did this or that," when in actuality it was you who did whatever, and this by the talents God has instilled in you, and by common sense. God will not put a wrench in your hand, or a wash cloth in the sink, you must do it, and then use common sense which God has given to you to do whatever you do. It seems as though some would make excuses for their actions by claiming God did this or that when in essence they are not doing the will of God. Remember, growth in grace is shown by your increase in holiness of life and conversation.
Growth in grace is evidenced by your increase in spirituality of taste and mind. What does this mean? Your growth is seen in your interest in spiritual things. It is shown in your not neglect to your duty to this world. What you love best is spiritual things. Far too often a Christian becomes a cultural Christian, allowing for liberal thinking to take precedence in their minds, such as the ways and fashions and amusements and recreations of this world take a greater place in your lives. You will not take time just for God. You will not keep the Sabbath and then give some form or rationalization for your actions. Why could not a person plan ahead for the Sabbath, and by the way the Sabbath for Christians is not Saturday, but as seen in the New Testament it is Sunday, the days when Christians came together, to fellowship together, to take communion together, not to come to Church in flip-flops, cut-off pants, bermuda shorts, and the boat parked outside the Church so that you can make a quick get-away to go to the lake. Or, to go shopping, to go and eat out making others serve you instead of leading them and making possible for them to attend Church services. Restaurants know that them make more money after Church services than on any other day. Why not have people come over to your home, make them a nice lunch, spend time with those who are like-minded about spiritual things, instead of doing things that are worldly. Buy your food Monday-Saturday, prepare, be intentional in your holiness of life. It is not sinful to do things such as skiing, boating, shopping, etc., no, we just don't do them on the Sabbath, our lives are continually growing in grace, and our taste for spiritual things grows and our minds are on spiritual things. We desire spiritual conversation, not that every conversation is about Church or the Bible, rather our conversation is on good things, fellowship things, learning about the other person, and becoming what John the apostle has said is a mark of a Christian: "Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well" (3John 5-6). When we live as do the unsaved and allow their thinking to pervade ours causing us to do what is not spiritual then we are not following God's word: "Beloved, do not imitate what i evil, but what id good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God" (3John 11). With this growth in grace that has made lifestyle changes in us, and our increase to taste of spiritual things, we can see this growth in how we treat our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ: If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him; that he who loves God must love his brother also" (1John 4:20-21). This is a command! To not obey is to disobey! Period!
By this we know love,
because He laid down
His life for us. And we
ought to lay down our
lives for the brethren. But
whoever has this world's
goods, and sees his brother
in need, and shuts up his
heart from him, how does
the love of God abide in him?
1John 3:16-17
Pray For Growth--The Holy Spirit Is Within You
Richard L. Crumb
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