Christian Growth Brings About Fruitfulness (2 Peter 1:8)

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

                                                                                                            Date:  03-06-04

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Christian growth brings about fruitfulness

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  2Peter 1:8

 

            Message of the verse:  “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.”  (NIV)  “The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in you knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (NLT)

            Peter has come to some conclusions from these first seven verses that he has written, and shares them in this verse.  He is saying that since a believer possesses these kinds of abilities that have come from the Lord the their Christian life should begin to show growth, and one of the evidences of this growth is to produce fruit in this life.  A large part of that process is to increase in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Peter believed this so much that it was the last statement that he wrote to them:  “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.”  (2Peter 3:18)

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I believe that part of the growing process in the Lord Jesus Christ must be produced by suffering, as Paul wrote about in Philippians 3:10:  “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”  Jesus Christ had to suffer in order to bring about salvation for me and all of those who He has been given, and it is plain in His Word that tribulations are a part of life on planet earth for believers, but as all of us submit to these trials and tribulations we will grow to become more and more like Him. 

 

The Word of God was very challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To submit myself to the Lord and to walk along side of Him that I might begin to cultivate the characteristics that are found in this section of Scripture.

 

Memory verses for the week:  Proverbs 3:5-7

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not upon your own understanding,

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.