Tag: walk in the fullness of Christ

Growth, Development and Power of Our Faith

Matthew 13:32
It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.

The mustard seed germinates from the tiniest of beginnings. Yet it blossoms into one of the largest plants in any garden. It’s utility is quite impressive. As a tree, it provides food and shelter for the birds that it attracts. As an herb it provides its greater value as a savory delight for man. It is noteworthy that the true and highest value of the mustard seed is seen only after it has been crushed by the master of the garden.

The mustard seed parable was taught by Jesus in order to illustrate the growth, development and power of our faith. Our faith starts out as a seed planted in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. It starts out small at first, but when properly nourished grows into something so large that it changes how we live and how we serve God. In the early stages of our development as disciples of Jesus Christ, it is likely that we will draw others to us for peace and comfort. But our greater value to them will come later as we mature in Christ. When we have been pressed by our trials, perhaps even crushed by them, the best that we have to offer to anyone will be released. It will be then that those who have been drawn to us will receive the full power of who we are in Christ.

Let us turn to the nurturing care of the Holy Spirit as we are crushed by the trials of life. Let us surrender to the process of having the old man pressed out of our lives and having the new man in Christ released to the world around us. Let us strive to reach our highest value in the kingdom by our submission to the hand of the Master.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for planting the seed of faith within our hearts. We pray that the Holy Spirit will aid us the continuous growth of our faith. We humbly ask for the grace and the strength that we need to endure the trials in our lives which will press the best from us as we mature in our relationship with Our Savior. May the world be drawn to us to savor the fullness of Christ within us. We ask all these things in the name of the Lamb Slain, Jesus Christ.

Move Swiftly to the Yoke of Jesus

Colossians 2:6-7
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

We are called to walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ who dwells within us. We are to mirror in every way His love, patience, humility, meekness and faithfulness in carrying out His duties. But more than that, we are to lean on Him. We are to derive from Him the grace and strength that we need to live under His influence, by His direction and through His assistance.

In Jesus, we find beauty, glory, fullness and everything suitable for living our new lives in Christ. We should not consider our own plans ever again, unless they are derived by seeking the guidance of Our Savior first. We must learn not to lean on our own understanding, but to trust in the Lord to make our paths straight.

Once we acknowledge Our Lord and receive the benefit of the good and perfect plans that He sets aside for us, we must express our gratitude for all that He has provided. For God justly withdraws His provision from those that receive it without thanksgiving.

Let us move swiftly to the yoke of Jesus Christ. Let us receive the fullness of all of His promises as we pour out our burdens upon Him. Let us tell the world of the peace and comfort that He provides us. May it all be for the glory of Our Lord and Servant King.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing Your Son, Jesus, to dwell within us. Make us mindful of His presence at all times. Teach us to gladly, joyfully and willingly seek the plans that have been set aside for us through Our Savior. Mold our hearts so that we will be ready to receive the fullness of Christ into our lives. We pray that You fill our hearts with continuous gratitude and thanksgiving for our ever present King. We ask all these things in the name of the One who transforms us through His indwelling presence, Jesus Christ.

Bringing Richness to Our Daily Walk

Luke 18:22
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The young ruler, as he is often called, was given the directive to sell what He had and follow Jesus. It was a hard word for the young man to take. He walked away from all that Jesus had offered because he could not give up his earthly treasures in exchange for the treasures that Jesus offered to him.

For most all of us, God’s words do not come to us in such a direct manner as the words spoken to the young man. They do not come in clear audible context. God’s directives come to us in the faint internal whisperings of the Holy Spirit. We receive more of a gentle urging of the spirit rather than an anything audible. Nonetheless, we are challenged just like the young ruler to decide if God is the most important thing in our lives.

Maybe, unlike the young ruler, it is not our treasures that we are holding on to. Maybe we are holding on to a job that keeps us away from our family. Maybe we are holding on to an outside interest that keeps us out of church on Sunday. Maybe we are holding on to a habit that limits our ability to draw closer to God. Maybe it is simply pride that is keeping us from fully surrendering to Our Savior.

Whatever it is, it is clear to Our Lord what we are holding on to. In His loving kindness, He will insure that which we are clinging to is exposed. The Holy Spirit will reveal the things of the flesh that we are clinging to. The Holy Spirit will send us urgings that are designed to test our obedience. If we ignore the urgings, they will become weaker and weaker until they eventually cease. If we are obedient to the urgings, they will become clearer and clearer to us. God’s inspiration will become a greater part of our lives as we begin to seek the urgings of the Holy Spirit in all of our endeavors. Through the process of obedience and surrender, we will learn to walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ.

Let us ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the things that we are placing above God in our lives. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to show us any areas of lack in our spiritual walk with Christ. Let us submit to the urgings of the Holy Spirit so that we may live the abundant life that God has planned for us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for drawing us to Yourself through the gentle urgings of the Holy Spirit. We praise You for providing the ever present Counselor in our daily lives. We pray that our minds and hearts will be receptive to all that the Holy Spirit brings to us. We ask for the strength to release the trappings of our flesh that are keeping us from surrendering fully to Your Son. May our obedience bring richness to our daily walk with Our Savior. We ask all these things in the name of Our Treasure on earth and in heaven, Jesus Christ.