Christian Growth - Power in Christ Jesus
Christian growth is not complicated but you need to follow a plan. Our guest witter will outline how to grow in Christ. Before you read this article let me encourage you to never give up. In the walk of the Christian is hard but it is possible. Jesus died, rose again and ascended to the right hand of our Father in power and glory. This power is available to HIS kids right now, in the nasty now and now. Think about it, Jesus promised to send us another comforter, the Holy Spirit. We can do all things through Jesus Christ. Our power begins with a surrender of our wills to the will of God. With God help we can succeed in our walk with Christ. So, come on, get up and claim the promises of God and Grow, Grow, Grow in Christ. I hope you enjoy this little article. Christian Growth and the Eight Key Steps to Maturity in Christ One of the key messages in the Bible for Christians is that they need to "walk" with Christ. But what does that mean? If you think about walking in the physical sense, it means: "A steady progression forward along a pre-determined path." For the Christian this is no different. To progress and grow with Christ we too have a path to follow. The key words above are steady, forward and pre-determined, these too are the keys to Christian growth. Steady Progression The analogy of "walking" with Christ is quite profound. If we had to "run" then we would be quickly worn out, possibly injured and definitely exhausted in the same way as we are physically when we run. But someone who "walks" can keep going for a long time, steadily covering a distance to take in and learn about the things around him or her. As Christians we are striving in this same controlled fashion as we are in this for the long haul. Moving Forward Forward motion suggests growth and advancement. As Christians we seek to grow as to become like Christ. Our aim is to emulate him and to learn, act and behave as he did. The value to us as individuals is that we are no longer at the mercy of our emotions. We can calmly and rationally make right decisions based on the truth of Christ. A Pre-Determined Path We follow a certain route to go from somewhere to somewhere else. As Christians we are moving from a life controlled by the emotions, passions and desires of the flesh to become like Christ where we choose to behave and do what is right. We have been given an eight-step program to achieve maturity in Christ, as identified in 2 Peter 1:5-7. We are encouraged to supplement or build upon each successive step to reach towards the next. The Eight Steps to Christian Maturity 1. Faith - This is the basis of Christianity. You cannot be a Christian without faith, without believing in Jesus Christ. It is from this starting point that the Christian walk begins 2. Virtue - Do what is morally good. Aim to always learn what is the right thing and then do it. This is not about being "holier than thou" but rather living a life of good works and moral behaviour. 3. Knowledge - To progress you must learn what you need to know to progress. Knowledge is the key. Learn what is right and what is pleasing to the Lord through his ways and teachings. Only then you can move towards maturity. 4. Self Control - Too often the forces, people and things around us influence us, whether peer group pressure, family pressure or our own emotions and desires. Self-control gives us the ability to take a stand, choose rightly and to act appropriately on our choices. 5. Steadfastness - It is important to be stable. Immovable. Steadfastness allows us to be calm when we are under fire. To be the rock in the storm. The value of steadfastness is that we know our position because it is right, and we cannot be moved from it regardless of the turbulence around us. 6. Godliness - Learn to be like God. Learn his ways, which we see in the examples of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Follow the teachings of the Lord so that we can progress to that place where we will be able to behave as he did. 7. Brotherly Affection - In all of this it is important that we care for our brethren. We are called to be a family of God and it is important that as children of God, as brothers and sisters in the Spirit, that we get along. 8. Love - Finally the essence of God is love. Not the mushy pulp depicted on TV or in movies but the love of God, which is action oriented. God is love, and if we are to be mature we need to aspire to living a life of love too. The love of God is identified in 1 Corinthians 13 and all of the attributes of God's love are not about feelings and emotions, but behaviours and attitudes. If you would like to know more about the basics and foundation teachings of Christianity, then in the first instance get a Bible and start reading. Would you like to know more? Please feel free to visit http://www.freegiftfromgod.com to view other teachings, eBooks as well as some original Christian music. It's all free and available for you to view online or download at your leisure. If you use anything for other than personal use please respect the copyright & reference the website. John Lemmon All items Copyright (c) - John Lemmon - 2008, 2009 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Lemmon Christian Growth - More Daily Devotions
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